Me experience from the Engineering management Essay

Me experience from the Engineering management - Essay Example Most engineering companies or engineers emphasize more on technical ability as the most important requirement; this is good but, for success in the engineering professional, technical ability should be accompanied by management and leadership skills. An engineer with no ability to influence other people, manage priorities and make good decisions might not realize his full potential; this is because the technical skill does not contribute a lot to team management. Sometimes engineering with technical skill and no management and leadership skills are forced to go for training in leadership skills, presentation skills, communication skills and business skills; therefore, the executive management supports the training. This experience has taught me that to compete in the engineering profession; I should not only sharpen my technical skills but also leadership and management skills. In any profession, one must work together with others to attain the goals set by the organization; therefor e, teamwork is crucial; this means that any one joining engineering profession should be ready to work together with other engineers and technical experts, and this calls for teamwork. Teamwork calls for trust, because lack of trust hinders teamwork, after my second year, I had an experience in Engineering design group with an NGO; this program was meant to empower the urban youth and artisans economically. This project required teamwork; the university students had to team up with the urban artisans to come up with effective machines for the production of briquettes. During this program, acquired skills on communication, coordination with others, sharing of information, listening to other people opinions and understanding others; am willing to keep this experience with me and improve on the skills learnt by experiencing other teams. All teams are not the same because of different team members and tasks; therefore, it will be good for me to engage with many different groups and lear n more on how to be effective in teams. This will help me to have vast knowledge on teamwork, and compete well in the job market as a graduate. There are also university projects, which require student involvements, this projects are done in teams, and I would not waste this chance with good avenues for developing teamwork skills. Students are people we will combine efforts in the same field or even rivals, and working with them will give me a different experience of cooperating with people on the same level and with different views. This will help me to know how people with the same level of education take issue and their contribution and general behavior. This will give me an idea of what I expect from people in the same profession. Sometimes engineers do not realize how much they lose by not having management skills; most engineering firms are headed by people who have done business and management courses, while those with who have done engineering courses are left to head only d epartments in the firm. It is time for engineers to wake and work on their management skills for them to take up those big positions in big engineering firms. I want to be more competitive when applying for a job in engineering firms and other related firms; immediately after graduating with bachelors in engineering, I will enroll for a diploma in management; this is to equip myself with management skills through training. A diploma in management and a degree in engineering will give me a better chance to get management positions in engineering firms; this is when compared to my fellow graduates with only a bachelors degree. Apart from gaining top management positions, engineers always head projects in a firm, one need to be able to organize resources of both time money and human force to attain the goal of

Discussion Questions for Sexism Readings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion Questions for Sexism Readings - Essay Example Misogyny, hatred for one sex (females basically) leads to increased feelings of oppression and suffocation for the women and transgender people. This also leads to more abortions, and killing of infant girls. 2. Biological sex is basically a bodily aspect. If a person has primary sexual characters of male or female sex, he or she is biologically a male or a female. Gender is more like a concept. Essentially other than the primary sexual characters, human beings are alike. Gender studies are basically an approach towards how you perceive men and women. Biologically they are same other than primary sexual characters but gender considers them different. 3. Not all, but many men practice patriarchy happily as they have a lot to gain from it. They get to rule their households. This however is not always easy. Homophobia, the hatred people feel for lesbians and gays and sometimes for transgender people originates from this stress too. No extreme is good. When 50% population of any place is oppressed in the name of patriarchy, many react by becoming gay or lesbian. Normal life is disrupted by this extremism in favor of one sex. 4. Feminism demands equal rights for women. Biologically, women and men are equals but the sexist approaches don’t let that to be practiced in society. Although in theory it looks like United States is a very broad minded society, but there has always been a very strong negative reaction to equal rights for women and transgender people. One of the reasons is that it is always easy to follow the current trends rather than accepting changes. Also, with women getting equal rights, some of the men might feel insecure. 5. Ideal female beauty is a concept that leads a lot of girls to efforts of abnormal level to become acceptably attractive. This leads women to putting in extra efforts for acceptance and those who naturally lack it suffer a lot. From other point of view, this sometimes makes women easy targets

Crime: Free Will or Poor Choice?

Crime: Free Will or Poor Choice? Crime: Free Will or Poor Choice Abstract This is a social phenomenon, known as crime. Crime is known as a deviant behavior that violates existing norms, in particular, cultural standards showing how we humans should behave regarding shifting social, political, psychological, and economic conditions that have an effect on the rationalization of crime and the structural responses of the legal community, law enforcement, and correctional justifications made by Federal and State officials. The perspective theory for this is called the rational choice and deterrence perspective theory. Research has shown that there are various choices of theories that try to determine this type of deviance behavior known as crime. With all the current research information that is out there to review with their perspective responses, it still comes down to making that choice. This social problem sounds simple? Many individuals really dont know what the word crime is, there are also numerous individual who think they know what crime is and can do. However, it is one word that is hard to characterize in the English language. There were frequent debates to construct a precise classification. Will it be called an unsociable act that refuse to follow the guideline of behavior made in part by the community or have various oversights in which authorized retribution will be inflicted on that individual who has committed this act? The perspective for any of these definitions is that they relate similarly to things which society would agree is crimes. One aspect that tends to cause difficulties is the matter is that nearly every one of us thinks of crime as being the similar to evil. But this is not completely precise. There are many actions that many of us would look upon as appalling or maybe even corrupt and those would not be prohibited by law, and therefore are not called crimes. While some maybe be technically crimes, they are broken every day by good citizens, because the law does not fit the acknowledged principle of behavior. The result is that the average individual breaks the law sooner or later without evening knowing it, much less being aware of it. This is for the most part true in the older states, where ancient laws remain on the statute books for whatever reason. Crime in numerous countries is seen as an action committed in defiance of law for which that country justice system will implement a variety of punishments which will include incarceration, death, a penalty, or removal from office. These criminal activities tend to drift often in and out of the justice system and legal community, their effective shaped by public belief, tradition, or spiritual ideology. If possible, the crime should fit the punishment. However, Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers there are criminal offenses that could be described as harmful, but will not create a severe punishment as others.Crimes are put into two groups. They are called felonies and the other is called misdemeanors and some called violations. Here we must be careful of identifiable difficulties. The reason is that crimes in many states are worded differently. What may be felonies in one state may be a misdemeanors and visa versa. Many times the same offense carries both felony and misdemeanor charges. All of a sudden this seemingly simple question becomes difficult and that caution should be use in using any statements to the fact that crime is increasing or decreasing and that there is no really accurate guide to predict criminal behavior. Crime is often described as an act or commission of a criminal act that is unlawful or forbidden by public law written in statutes and held that those offenders are liable for their actions by punishment prescribed by law. These laws were put into policy to defend and make certain that we will be safe in our society and public lives. However, we still hear of crime happening within our city and state. The safety of the public becomes a concern when crime is committed since particular individuals or groups will be targeted. Although such confrontation should be avoided, many times it cannot. Consequently, public attitude and the criminals socioeconomic status will manipulate the severity of any punishment, just as society varying social attitudes influence the type of criminal activities. Durkheim (1895/1962) argued that crime is an essential characteristic of our social culture and a normal social occurrence that had been in all societies all through our history and that crimes function in the social order as a conduit of defining the confines of tolerable actions, serving as a means for social change by extending and testing those restrictions. Crime: Free Will or Poor Choice When crime is committed again by a criminal, crime rates become affected by socioeconomic and demographic changes such as age, ethnicity, and migration. Economic conditions reflected by joblessness rates, prison and jail capacities, and present law enforcement policies. For the past two decades our society has focus on the norms of the societal order of committing individuals with no understanding what so ever, the realism of life behind bars and the consequences when correctional facilities are not successful in helping those who are incarcerated in prison and for the affected communities that live every day with the consequences. Individuals change and behavior becomes complex when the offender leaves prison and when specific circumstances, like community rejection will reinforce criminogenic needs and behavior leading to criminal activities and eventually crime. More specific, there were some issues regarding the effect of imprisonment on criminals who commit crime again when release (Song Lieb, 1993). This type of social misbehaving is referred to as recidivism. These offenders, who have the likelihood to reoffend and commit crime again when released to the community, generate an important focus to those concerned with public safety in dealing with the cost effectiveness of putting convicted offenders in prison. Recidivism, in a criminal justice perspective, can be defined as the reversion of an individual back to criminal behavior after he or she has been convicted of a prior offense, sentenced, and presumably corrected. Contrary to deterrence theory, offenders who were incarcerated were significantly more likely than those who were put on probation to be arrested and charged with a new offense. The many predictors include cognitive functioning, socioeconomic status and distress factors with any known history of antisocial behavior, social achievement and cultural involvement. Its a combination of factors concerning the consequence of failures, failure of the individual to meet societys expectations and of society to provide for the individual, to a failure of the individual to stay out of trouble, a failure of the individual to be arrest free and disappointment of that individual as an inmate of a correctional institution to take advantage of correctional programs or failure of the institution to provide programs that rehabilitate and perhaps the biggest disappointment continuing in a criminal career after release. One belief is that criminal behavior is a product of cognitive, emotional, and mental deficiency has generated frequent models of offender treatment in the past few decades. In addition, the consequence of imprisonment did not influence the offenders situation concerning conformity. Regardless of the fact if they had weak or strong bonds to our society, drug and those offenders involved with drugs who were incarcerated recidivated more frequently and more rapidly than other types of offenders. Instead of aiding as an effective deterrent for offenders with stronger bonds to society, incarceration may have altered high profile offenders into low profile offenders with little to lose regarding any new arrest. Crime has become a major area of public and political debate, and is often seen as a sign of underlying problems in society related to inequality, social deprivation and social class, age, gender and race. As commonly understood, crime includes many different kinds of activities such as theft, robbery, corruption, assault, fraud, rape and murder. So the simplest way of defining it is to see it as an act or omission prohibited and punished by law. To explain crime, sociologists looked at the strains in the social structure, at the development of deviant or abnormal subcultures and at the process of social change and urban growth. For the past two decades our society has focus on the norms of the societal order of committing individuals with no understanding what so ever, the realism of life behind bars and the consequences when correctional facilities are not successful in helping those who are incarcerated in prison and for the affected communities that live every day with the consequences. This dependence continue to strain the correctional systems of the valuable limited resources of which some could be used to try and focus on rehabilitate, while working together to use treatment first, than use punish and incarceration if not successful (Travis, Solomon Waul, 2001). Another important issue legislators must remember is that correctional facilities administrators need increased resources and funding to sustain the safe operations of prisons and when offenders become eligibility for parole, treatment service to prepare them for release and to stop recidivism or that individual return to crime. Although improving overall financial support will not promise improved treatment programs and service operations, any fundamental reforms must be attempted, other wise it will never be implemented or even tried. For a number of offenders, incarceration and longer detention increase the likelihood of recidivism, while for other offenders recidivism statistics will not make a difference by more incarceration. It is probable that for some offenders, maximizing the length of sentence could minimize recidivism. However, other characteristics such as age, offense type, prior offense, and prior prison term involvement can influence the likelihood to re offend (Wheel er, 1961). Obviously, one has to ask the question what works to reduce recidivism; again, it all depends on where and how one reviews data that is available. Some answers could be found looking at the general and specific data provided regarding correctional treatment. Although major advances have been made in our understanding of offender treatment and evidence for its effectiveness exists, many critics still remain apprehensive regarding efforts to intervene in the lives of offenders. Furthermore, some doubts have developed in the offering of offender treatment, notably cognitive skill training and raise research questions about the client group, the mode of delivery, and the accuracy of the measure. Rational Choice The capability to implement individual self-control is an appropriate aspect in crime causation in situations where an individual considers and deliberates whether or not to participate in committing crime. The majority of citizens in nearly all circumstances, whether or not they participate in acts of crime is not a question of their capability to implement self-control but rather an issue of their moral principles. One individual trait, known as low self-control may be the primary individual characteristic influencing criminal behavior (Gottfredson Hirschi 1990). Low self-control is seen as a summary foundation of individual traits including impulsivity; insensitivity, risk-taking and shortsightedness have an inclination to appear together in the people that are persisting through life. Any individual difference in crime involvement varies in the extent to which individuals are vulnerable to the temptations during that moment. With the rational choice theory the focus of interest starts with the individual, either his or her interest becomes an initial point to look at. Research has shown that various supporters of the rational choice theory may possibly make to some extent, different assumptions concerning the individual and progress into different ways. It starts from the individual then on to larger social groupings and systems, but each begins with the individual as the basic component of this theory. However, it is the individuals who eventually make decision and be concerned completely with his or her own welfare. This direction possibly will be conflicting to those who accept the particular views of Durkheim (1895/1962), concerning social facts as being at the societal level, and in some ways determining individual action through norms and general consciousness. These individuals with are considered to be more susceptible to temptations because they do not consider the negative consequences of their acts (Gottfredson Hirschi, 1990: 95) and consequently are more probable to engage criminal activities. Statutes, codes and s aws are a set of laws, and crimes which violate the law are acts of rule infringement. WikstrA m (2006a) argued that a theory of crime causation may be viewed as a special case of a more general theory of moral rule breaking. Does it matter on whether the action is rational or not. We cannot assume that actions taken by others are irrational while we disagree with them. It may be that this individual taking that course of action believes it is rational. With these intention, rational choice models becomes important since they center on deliberate option between alternatives, in this example, go on with the required treatment program or deviate and risk oneself to commit recidivism then become incarcerated for that deed. Research have constantly revealed that the threat of arrest, rather than harshness of punishment is the most important deterrent and that statistics continue to illustrate a steady increase in documented crime, and many programs that focus on rehabilitation have been unsuccessful in preventing recidivism. On the justification of perceptions, an individual will plan to make a choice, either out of habit or after some deliberation, make a judgment on what to do. When an individual acts out of habit, he/she sees only one effective alternative for action and automatically without deliberation chooses this alternative. When an individual deliberates, he/she considers the moral implications of competing action alternatives and on this basis, makes a rational choice about which action if any to pursue. Familiar settings and circumstances tend to favor automatic choices based upon habit whereas unfamiliar settings or circumstances will tend to favor deliberate choices based on decisions. Because habits have only automated intent with one effective alternative, free will, rational choice, self-control and deterrence will be part of the process of choice, only if an individual deliberates over his/her action alternatives and specifically on the role of deterrence (WikstrA m, 2006 b). Crucially, when making judgment decision, individuals will vary in their ability to exercise self-control as a result of their capabilities. Consequently, the use of Rational Choice Theory must be clearly defined as a prevention and deterrent toward crime rather than punishment. The inquiry now becomes what causes in this sort of behavior. The criminal justice policies tracked throughout the past three decades depended principally on the doctrine of known deterrence theory. Gottfredson Hirschi (1990) hypothesize that each of these perspectives: irresponsible and criminal behavior may be linked by a simple common characteristic: the lack of self control. They disclose that the lack of self-control does not necessitate crime to exist and that self-control can be modified by opportunities and other restrictions (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). Various tests of Gottfredson and Hirschis theory sustain their calculation relating to self-control and crime, although some conclude that the theory does not illustrate sufficient variation in the affect criminal behavior. Although the absence of self-control do not call for the presence of crime, what is propose instead is the trait of self-control can be changed through a number variables. Deterrence Theory Deterrence theory suggests that crime results from a rational calculation of the costs and benefits of criminal activity. Individuals commit crimes, in other words, when the benefits outweigh the costs. Because an important cost of crime is apprehension and punishment, deterrence theorists suggest that persons will refrain from committing offenses if they perceive that they are certain to be punished, with a severe penalty and soon after the offense has been committed (Spohn, 2007). There are relatively few studies that compare recidivism rates for offenders sentenced to jail or prison with those of offenders given some alternative to incarceration typically probation. Smith and Akers (1993) compared recidivism rates for offenders in a prison diversion program to those for a matched sample of prisoners. They found that the recidivism rates of the two groups were essentially the same, regardless of whether recidivism was defined as a new arrest, a new conviction, a new sentence to jail or prison, or the length of time waiting for rearrest. Durkheim (1895/1962) explains that a weakening in the social structure will change behavior and attitudes, which might cause a person to venture into crime by making bad choices. As a result offenders become younger and involved with different crimes with many involved in major crime. If the problem is with the individual, then the treatment process should begin to modify that persons behavior.   If, however, the cause is with the social structure environment, then that structure should be required to change. If it is a social cause, then perhaps the media has influence on how an individual response by putting emphasis on unrealistic goals (Barkan, 2001). Researchers will always theorize that individuals will use rational judgment and consequently hope that their actions will in turn become a positive process. The central points of this theory is that the human being is a rational actor, rationality involves an end to means calculation, and people freely choose all behavior, both conforming and deviant, based on their rational calculations. The central element of calculation involves a cost benefit analysis: Pleasure versus Pain. Choice, with all other conditions equal, will be directed towards the maximization of individual pleasure. Alternatives restricted in the course of any awareness and understanding of probable retribution will follow an action determined to be in infringement of the social good. The state is responsible for maintaining order and preserving the common good through a system of laws that is the embodiment of the social contract and the quickness and assurance of punishment are the key elements in understanding the ability to control human behavior. There are some researches on deterrence that seems to signify that some crimes are designed to generate economic gains and that certain predatory street crime, correlate strategies for any reduction of criminal or deviant behaviors and activities. Nonetheless, when relating known criminal and deviant actions, crimes of hostility and subculture connect with durable forms of deviance and then the evidence becomes less persuasive. The deterrence theory has several components to try and convince criminals to alter their behavior. In the case of General Deterrence, individuals will participate in criminal actions despite the consequences, whether or not they fear apprehension or not. Our norms, statutes and laws, along with the appropriate enforcement try to enforce the perspective that anti-social and negative behavior will receive punishment. As a result this theory focuses on reducing the prospect of deviance in the general public. With Specific Deterrence, it focus on known individuals who deviate, then tries to keep them from repeating that specific norms or law that have been broken. The problem is what the rationales of this behavior were. However, the use of punishment as a sanction raises the hope that this behavior can be modified. In the majority of modern societies, punishment includes incarceration of that individual. There is information showing that committing crime again among convicted offenders when release from prison can climb as high as 63% (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1989). Even when using prison as a deterrence and punishment, it may not alter any future behavior. At the most, it reduces the chances for that individual to engage in other crime. Routine Activity Theory In the field of criminology, Routine activity theory is characterized as a sub theory that was developed Marcus Felson. This perspective states that crime is considered normal and depends on the opportunities that present at the time. If the target of opportunity is present and not protected, crime can take place, if the incentive has value. The basic principle of this theory is that it does not take a criminal to commit it; all it needs is an opportunity. Many crimes are petty theft and may also be called victimless crimes and are unreported to proper authorized personnel. Routine Activity Theory can also be called environmental criminology that was developed by two criminologists, Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson who worked on a crime prevention theory. Their research states that for a crime to happen there must be certain elements present before any crime is committed. Their model used the problem analysis triangle which focuses on three things that should be present and happens at the same time and place. There must a suitable target of opportunity available, there is no protection to prevent crime from taking place and the offender is motivated to commit deviant behavior. This model looks at crime in the offenders outlook. That individual will commit the crime if that target is appropriate and a capable protector is not present. It is the evaluation of circumstances that dictates whether a crime will happen. Another hypothesis is called the Crime Prevention Theory, was introduced by Clarke (1995, 1997), focuses on reducing available favorable crime opportunities and instead, focus on certain characteristics of criminals. Like the Rational choice theory it proposes to increase the related risks and difficulties, and reduce the rewards. It states that crime is often committed through an attractive opportunity. If thats individuals everyday routines expose that person to a stimulus for any specified time frame, the more of that consequence will be linked to that individual. Patterns in criminal activity are reflected through a concentration of opportunities for crime areas. Clarke (1995, 1997) combines the Crime Prevention Theory to Rational Choice Theory through his recommended assortment of opportunity reduction procedures. Its objective and goal was to increase the physical effort needed to execute a crime, increase the expected consequences of capture and diminish any anticipated profits of a crime and displace the excuses for conformity with the authorities (Clarke, 1997). When reviewing research data regarding the routine activity theory, the risk embraces three fundamental variables: the degree of exposure from the intended victim to the offending criminal, any environmental obstacle that will diminish the prospect for crime, and deterrent traits of the intended victim. Research has shown that Routine activity theory is frequently in studies of regarding victimization, where demographic variables vary. Brunet (2002) discuss more current research to merge and use an theoretical integration with other theories like rational choice (Clarke Felson 1993), situational crime prevention (Clark 1997) and social disorganization (Miethe Meier 1994) in developing a better explanation. Crime is not pretty. It is routine and takes place all the time. Another peerspective is that crime is somewhat unaltered by social problems. Cohen Felson (1979) endorsed and supported the assumption that because the wealth of modern society offers vast and favorable circumstances of opportunities to commit crime, the temptation is often irresistible to control. Summary The consequence of crime may possibly be traced to social and economic tribulations. Many individuals are jobless, still more are unable to fine work, and many are homeless, ill and indigent. For many of these individuals, crime becomes a tempting and quick way to acquire money. When left with these choices, many will turn to criminal activities and behavior. If these behaviors are left unpunished, the misconception is that crime pays, reinforcing criminal behavior and discouraging good behavior. How do we eradicate crime, there are numerous proposal put forward. But with greed, inadequate oversight of laws, poverty and homelessness, with poverty, drugs and racial disarray the task in can be overwhelming. Consequently, numerous of the uneducated currently find themselves without a job, existing in sub-standard accommodation in impoverished surroundings. The result is that now money becomes insufficient to support them, influencing these individuals to engage in criminal activities and end up committing crimes. Conclusion The boundary of crime in any community develops into various structures, which often influence offenders. Research has shown that crime rates are affected by socioeconomic and demographic changes such as age, ethnicity, and migration. Economic conditions reflected by various policies. Various definition of deviant behavior sees crime that violates established norms, in particular, cultural standards of principles dictating how humans should behave. This approach considers the multifaceted realities surrounding the totality and concept of crime to understand how changing social, political, psychological, and economic conditions affect the definitions of crime and the response of legal, law enforcement, and correctional actions taken by the State. As culture changes and the political environment shifts, behaviors may be criminalized or decriminalized influence by the general public. Reference: Brunet, J (2002).Discouragement of crime: An application of a reformulated routine activities theory. Western Criminology Review. Clarke, R (Ed.). (1979). Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case Studies. Second Edition. New York: Harrow and Heston. Clarke, R. V. M.Felson (Eds)(1993). Routine Activity Theory and Rational Choice Theory. Advances in Criminological Theory, Vol 5. Cohen, L, Felson, M (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A Routine Activity path. American Sociological Review. 44, 588-608. Barkan, S. E. (2001). Criminology: A sociological understanding. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN: 0130896438. Durkheim, Emile. (1895/1962). The Rules of Sociological Method. New York: Free Press. Gottfredson, Michael and Travis Hirschi. 1990. A General Theory of Crime. Stanford University Press. Hepburn, John R. (2005). Recidivism amid drug offenders after contact to treatment. Criminal Justice Review. 16, 237-259. Spohn, Casssia. (2007). The Deterrent Effect. Criminal Justice Policy Review. 18, 31-50. Song, L. Lieb, R. (1993). Recidivism: The effects of incarceration. Retrieved August 10, 2007 from http://www.wsipp,wa.agov/rptfiles.IncarcRecid.pdf Miethe, T, Meier, R (1994). Toward an integrated theory of offenders, victims, and situations. State University of New York Press. Travis, J., Solomon, A.J., and Waul, M. 2001. From Prison to Home: The Measurements and Results for Prisoner Return and Reentry. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. NCJ 190429. Retrieved September 7, 2007 from http://www.reentry.gov/publications/reentry.html Wheeler, S. (1961). Socialization in Correctional Communities. American Sociological Review. 26: pp. 697-712.

Thrasymachus Perspective on Human Nature Essay -- Thrasymachus Morali

Thrasymachus' Perspective on Human Nature Thrasymachus' perspective of human nature is that we all seek to maximize power, profit and possessions. He gives the argument that morality is not an objective truth but rather a creation of the stronger (ruling) party to serve its own advantage. Therefore definitions of "just" and "unjust", "right" and "wrong", "moral" and "immoral" are all dependent upon the decree of the ruling party. Thrasymachus argues that acting "morally", in accordance with the ruling party, benefits the ruling party, while acting "immorally", injures the ruling party and benefits oneself. Thrasymachus perceives human nature as our ruthless drive toward superiority. He believes that unless we are foolish "moral simpletons," we will act according to what is best for us, namely living immorally on a quest to becoming ruler of the world. He believes that our human nature has no qualms about committing immoral actions. In describing human nature Thrasymachus says, "immorality has a bad name because people are afraid of being at the receiving end of it, not of doing it." (Republic 344c) When we finally reach the goal, the ideal of human nature, we will be able to practice "immorality in its most perfect form," stealing "what doesn't belong to [us] - consecrated and unconsecrated objects, private possessions, and public property - and [we do] so not on a small scale, but comprehensively." (Republic 344a-b) Thrasymachus makes the assumption that we are all driven to acquiring as much power, profit and possessions as possible. His argument for living immorally rests on the assumption that our human nature's burning desire is for more of the three p's (power, profit and possessions), and that there is more ... ...ity is created by those in power, and thus, there is no absolute true morality, he concludes that the best way to satisfy his human desire is to acquire as much power as possible, and take from others as much as he can. Because his view of morality is not fixed but created by those in power, he defines words like "moral", "just", and "right" based on one's compliance with the rules of the ruling party. He claims that acting "morally" serves the ruling party because the ruling party designed the legal structure for its own benefit. Socrates raises some criticisms, especially the criticism showing that people behaving immorally would not be able to act in concert with others and would fall out with others, which are compelling and discredit Thrasymachus' position. From this it is conclusive that Thrasymachus has not entirely captured the essence of human nature.

A History of Melody Essay

The violin emerged from a primitive musical bow, usually an arched stick with a string stretched taut between the two ends (Hughes, 2008). The string is divided by a loop or a bridge (Thinkquest, 1999). The first bridge was used to add to the instruments’ resonance when the string was vibrated, and strings were attached across suitable receptacles (Hughes, 2008). These resonance enhancers took many forms-tortoise shells, coconut, calabash, wooden boxes and even pig bladders (Thinkquest, 1999), thrust tightly between the strings and the bow (Thinkquest, 1999). Also to enhance the resonance of the bow, the instrument was held before the mouth (Thinkquest, 1999). The violin probably came to Europe around the 9th century, mostly originating from Asia (Thinkquest, 1999). It took the evolutionary process of the violin about 450 years to bring the violin to its present form. This only shows the long years of experience needed by the makers of the stringed instrument (Thinkquest, 1999). The use of a bow to draw across the strings followed, probably imported into Europe from Asia by Arab travellers (Hughes, 2008). The evolution of the violin was slow. It took until the middle Ages for a version of the zither, a popular and older instrument, to evolve into the vielle, which saw the instrument being held against the shoulder. This differentiated it from the zither, as the latter was held across the knees (Hughes, 2008). As time went on, the original one string grew to four, and for a time, five strings (Hughes, 2008). Fashionable until the 16th century, the vielle was changed with the small wooden ribs used in similar wooden plucked instruments replaced by the tailpiece and bridge (Hughes, 2008). Violin 2 By the time of the Renaissance, the viol (a bowed stringed instrument chiefly of the 16th and 17th centuries made in treble, alto, tenor, and bass sizes and distinguished from members of the violin family especially in having a deep body, a flat back, sloping shoulders, usually six strings, a fretted fingerboard, and a low-arched bridge (Merriam-Webster, 2008), was being used, the first having a hole adding resonance and tone to the instrument (Hughes, 2008). It was a short time that the viol evolved into the viola da gamba (a bass member of the viol family having a range approximating the cello (Merriam-Webster, 2008), which was played between the knees of the musician, and the viola de braccio held against the shoulder. The modern shape of the violin was evolved from the second version of the instrument (Hughes, 2008). The Violin evolved form many different instruments, including the Rebob, the Rebec, Lira da Braccio and the Renaissance fiddle. The violin today, the â€Å"new violin† was not used until 1630 in Italy (Berkeley, 2008). The evolution of the modern violin appears to have been completed in Italy with the most famous violin maker Andrea Amati at Cremona, providing 24 violins, six violas and eight cellos for the French King Charles IX in 1560 (Hughes, 2008). Another famous violin maker, Antonio Stradivarius, joined the Amati school in the latter half of the 6th century (Hughes, 2008). The violins’ refinery As stated earlier in the paper, that apart from the Arab travellers’ influence had an on the violin, there is no certain fact on who invented the violin or a stringed instrument that is played with a bow (Hughes, 2008). Some of the theories place the invention of the violin at around 1520 A. D. wherein the violin is included in the Gaudenzio Ferrari painting â€Å"The Madonna of the Orange Trees (cited in Berkeley, 2008). Violin 3 But the violin emerged in Italy in the early 1500s and seems to have developed from two medieval bowed instruments-the fiddle, also called the viele or fiedel, and the rebec-and from the Renaissance lira de braccio (a violin-like instrument with off the finger drone strings (Rosenblum, 2007). Also related to the violin, but not direct ancestors, is the six-string fretted viol. The viol appeared in Europe before the violin and existed with it side by side for about 200 hundred years (Rosenblum, 2007). In the early 1600’s, however, the violin gained prestige through its use in operas such as Orfeo(1607) by Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi, and through the French King Louis XIII band of musicians, the 24 violons de roi (the â€Å"King’s 24 violins†, formed in 1626). This growth in stature continued throughout the Baroque period (1600-1750) in the works of many notable composer-performers. Among them were the Italians Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi and Giuseppe Tartini and the Germany’s Heinrich Biber, Georg Philipp Teleman and Johann Sebastian Bach (Rosenblum, 2007). The Craftsmen The earliest important violin makers were from Northern Italy, Gasparo da Salo (1540-1609) and Giovanni Maggini (1579-1630) from Brescia and Andrea Amati (1525-1611) from Cremona. The craft of violin making reached its height in the 17th and 18th centuries in the workshops of the Italians Antonio Stradivarius (1644-1737) and Giuseppe Guarneri (1698-1744) from Cremona and the Austrian Jacob Stainer (1617-1638) (Rosenblum, 2007). Violin 4 Gasparo da Salo (1542-1609) The founder of the Brescian school of violin makers, Gasparo Bertlotti, or Gasparo da Salo, was a dedicated craftsman and instrument maker. He was formerly credited with the claim of having developed the violin in the shape we know today. Although his claims have been disproved, his instruments are nevertheless admired and venerated (Smithsonian, 2008). Gasparo’s violas are considered finer than his violins and probably were more numerous (Smithsonian, 2008). His viola da gambas were converted to violincellos and are much esteemed, and some of his six-stringed bass viols have been remounted as three and four stringed double basses. Twenty instruments have been recorded (Smithsonian, 2008). Giovanni Paolo Maggini (1579-1630) An apprentice of Gasparo da Salo, he acquired a thorough knowledge of the woods available to him (Smithsonian, 2008). Maggini made his own mark and as a master, his own techniques of craftsmanship. He frequently experimented to improve tone quality for his pieces and perfect his construction methods (Smithsonian, 2008). Many of the instruments made by Maggini at the twilight of his career are considered his finest work. These works are known for the quality of the woods and unusually large sound holes as well as for their unusually mellow tones (Smithsonian, 2008). Andrea Amati (1525-1611) The founder of the great Cremona school of violin making, Amati focused on violins and was making viols and rebecs. Instruments dated after 1584 are said to be the works of his sons Antonio and Hieronymus (Smithsonian, 2008). Violin 5 It is claimed that he made 24 violins, 6 violas and 8 cellos for the French king Charles IX for use at the court at Versailles (Smithsonian, 2008). A few of these instruments survive to this day (Smithsonian, 2008). Antonio Stradivarius (1644-1734) Stradivarius’ interpretation of geometry and design served as a conceptual model for violin makers for more than 200 years (Smithsonian, 2008). Stradivarius also made harps, guitars, violas and cellos- more than 1,100 instruments by current estimate (Smithsonian, 2008). About 650 of these instruments survive today (Smithsonian, 2008). Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri (1698-1744) Guarneri is considered the most illustrious member of this violin making family. The fifth and last member of the family, he is known more as Joseph Guarnerius del Gesu. Guarnerius is the Latin form of the family name and Joseph the Hebrew form of Giuseppe (Smithsonian, 2008). The estimate of his total production is not more than 250 violins; no evidence suggests that he made more (Smithsonian, 2008). But at least one violoncello and some violas are attributed to him. The outline of his violins, with slight modifications, is founded on instruments of Stradivarius (Smithsonian, 2008). Stradivarius and Guarnerius are ranked as among the greatest violin makers, but fine violinists prefer Guarnerius over Stradivarius (Smithsonian, 2008). Whatever the history or whoever the maker of the violin, we all must appreciate the efforts of these individuals who in one way or another contributed to the making of the violin. All these men have given much by way of continuously honing the instrument as it is known and enjoyed today by scores of people. Violin 6 Personal Reflection The violin represents probably on of the more versatile, elegant and mysterious of the instruments that we have today. The seeming smallness of the instrument somewhat does not tell of the long and painstaking process that went into its refinement and development. The reason that I centred the paper on this instrument is just for those following reasons. The instrument for me seems to just waft its notes and sounds over the listeners’ ears at just the right moments. They are, I believe, different from the wind pieces such as the trumpet and the saxophone. These pieces produce these shrill notes that sometimes tend to be irritable if you are not an admirer for the kind of music. But the violin just seems to play its notes in a mellow and smooth sound. It sometimes will want to lull to sleep at times. I’m a fan of the violin. For me, there is just no instrument just like it in sound and depth and quality of sound. Yes, there are many pieces out there that seem to sound alike, but can’t seem to touch the position of the violin. I can’t imagine an orchestra without a violin in the strings section. It would be incomplete without it. The sound would be really different than the violins in it. And the violin can cross over to different genres of music, from classical to country to pop to jazz and to others, without a tad of difficulty. That’s another thing I like about this instrument, it’s very versatile. It can just blend in with the various styles of music that you put it with and it will perform handsomely, a trait not all instruments can boast of. What we can do now is just relax at every playing of the violin, just to enjoy the elegant sound of the instrument as the musician begins to play and begins to once again weave its magic over its listeners. Reference Berkeley. (2008). The origins and history of the violin. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Berkeley website. http://www-atdp. berkeley. edu/2030/jmoriuchi/violin-title. html Hughes, A. (2008). Where did the violin originate? Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Answer Bank database http://www. theanswerbank. co. uk/Article1910. html Merriam-Webster. (2008). Viola. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Merriam-Webster website http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/viol Rosenblum, M. (2007). Violin. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Microsoft Encarta encyclopaedia database. http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761576364/Violin. html Smithsonian Institution. (2008). Violin makers. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Encyclopaedia Smithsonian website. http://www. si. edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmah/violdasa. htm ThinkQuest. (1999). The violin. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Oracle Education Foundation database. http://library. thinkquest. org/27178/en/section/1/index. html

English as a Second Language in Thailand Education

The importance of English as a world language, the advance of technology and education reform envisaged by the new Thai Constitution are key determinants for new developments for English language teaching and learning in Thailand in this decade. This paper will first focus on the role of English and the problems of English language teaching in Thailand. It will also touch on the part of education reform which is related to English language teaching. Then, it will state what has been planned or already done to improve the English language teaching and learning situation in Thailand, now and in the future. The role of English in Thailand is quite important as it is in many other developing countries. New technology and the adoption of the internet have resulted in a major transition in terms of business, education, science, and technological progress, all of which demand high proficiency in English. With the economic downturn in Thailand a few years ago, a large number of Thai companies have embraced cooperation regionally and internationally. Mergers, associations, and takeovers are common and English is used as the means to communicate, negotiate and execute transactions by participants where one partner can be a native speaker of English or none of the partners are native speakers of English. However, Thailand has always been a country with one official language, Thai. We are proud that we have never been colonized. Another reason for having been a country with one language is the concept of national stability. There have been proposals to make Thailand a country with two languages, Thai and English, but this has never materialized due to the abovementioned reasons. English can, therefore, be at most the first foreign language that students must study in schools. Hence, Thais’ level of English proficiency is low in comparison with many countries in Asia (e. g. Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore). According to the speech given by the Minister of the Ministry of University Affairs on March 6, 2000, the average TOEFL scores of Thais are the same as for Mongolians but higher than for North Koreans and Japanese. Researchers on the topics of needs and wants of English in workplaces have also suggested that the English curriculum in Thai universities cannot meet the demands for English used in the workplace. The skills used most at this level are listening and speaking which are not the focus skills in the Thai tertiary education English curriculum. It can be said that up to now English language teaching in Thailand has not prepared Thais for the changing world. Thailand will lag behind in the competitive world of business, education, science and technology if the teaching and learning of English is not improved. Here are some comments concerning the importance of English and the problems of English language teaching in Thailand. Dr. Rom Hiranyapruek, director of Thai Software Park, stated that English is as important to the domain of information technology as other infrastructures. Thais have high proficiency in technology but because of our below average English competence, we cannot make much progress in terms of science and technology. Mrs. Arunsi Sastramitri, director of the Academic Training Section of the Tourist Authority of Thailand, stated that tourism is the main source of inc ome in our country. However, Thai graduates who are in the tourism industry have a poor command of English. This has contributed to misunderstanding and a negative attitude towards Thailand. 2 What has caused the difficulties in English language teaching and learning in Thailand especially in the primary and secondary schools? According to Biyaem, 1997, the teachers and learners face the following difficulties: For teachers, there are many obstacles such as : – heavy teaching loads. – too many students in a class (45 – 60) – insufficient English language skills and native speaker cultural knowledge. – inadequately equipped classrooms and educational technology. university entrance examinations which demand a tutorial teaching and learning style. As for the learners, they wish they could speak English fluently but most of them think that English is too challenging for them to be competent because of these difficulties: – interference from the mother tongue (Thai) particularly in pronunciation, syntax, and idiomatic usage. – lack of opportunit y to use English in their daily lives. – unchallenging English lessons. – being passive learners. – being too shy to speak English with classmates. – lack of responsibility for their own learning. However, it is not only the level of English competence that inhibits Thailand from being able to keep pace with the rapid changes that are taking place everywhere around us, Thai education, as a whole, does not enable Thais to cope with this fast changing world. Thailand’s new constitution, adopted in 1997 has, therefore, established the National Education Act which creates the most radical education reform in Thai history. This education reform to be implemented between 1996 and 2007 involves four main areas: school, curriculum, teacher and administrative reform. Its main concern is that learners have the ability to learn and develop. Learners are the most important component and lifelong learning must be encouraged. A twelve-year basic education will be provided free to all Thai students. In 2005, there will be an Office of Quality Assurance, whose task is to oversee the quality control of education at every level and in every aspect. Schools are to be given more autonomy. There will be greater involvement by families and local communities in school policy and administration. An independent and learner–centered approach is a must, and analytical learning instead of rote learning will be incorporated. Teacher education will also be a focus. Teachers will have to undertake research and develop teaching abilities as well. With the importance of English as a world language and the changes that come with the National Education Act, plus the challenges of new technology, what follows will discuss the English language teaching and learning scenario in Thailand in this decade. 1. More international programs As of last year, there were 56 international schools around the country. There were three foreign colleges and universities in Thailand. In private Thai universities, there were 77 undergraduate, 30 graduate and five Ph. D curricula using English as the language of instruction. In governmental higher education institutions, there were 143 undergraduate, 205 graduate and 77 doctoral international programs in English which have been established either independently by Thai institutes or have links with overseas institutes. It is expected that most new programs to be opened in universities in the future will be international programs.

Diesel Engine essays

Diesel Engine essays The diesel engine is an engine which incorporates internal combustion in which ignition is produced by highly compressed air. Rudolf Diesel, a German engineer developed the idea and obtained the German patent for it in 1892. His goal was to create an engine with high efficiency. Diesel engines have been installed in production automobiles in Europe since 1936. However, their acceptance in the United States was limited until after the oil shortages of 1973 and 1979. To fully comprehend the diesel engine we must examine the following criteria. The diesel engine can be compared to the popping of popcorn. When popcorn is introduced to heat, the moisture inside causes an explosion, which results in expansion. These results are the same functions that occur in a diesel engine. When numerous kernels have been popped, they cause movement within the bag. This can be compared to the diesel being introduced to compressed gas. Even though these two comparisons are completely different, when viewing the objects, they both have the same concept. There are many similarities between the gasoline engine and the diesel engine but they are in fact quite different. A gasoline engine intakes a mixture of gas and air, compresses it and ignites the mixture with a spark. A diesel engine takes in just air, compresses it and then injects fuel into the compressed air, the heat of the compressed air lights the fuel. One big difference is in the injection process. Gasoline engines generally either use a carburetor in which air and fuel is mixed long before the air enters the cylinder, or port fuel injection which is when the fuel is injected just prior to the intake (outside the cylinder) Diesel engines use direct fuel injection. The diesel fuel is then injected directly into the cylinder. Diesel engines are also more efficient being able to pull heavier weights and they ...

Free Essays on Supercar Challenge

Every year there is a â€Å"Supercar Challenge† held at the International Speedway in Michigan, Ohio. This year the competition contained a total of 15 cars and was held in September of 2004. They held two classifications of cars (Open and Sedan). The top performers in the Open class were the 2004 Lingenfelter Corvette 427 Twin Turbo and the 2004 Hennessey Venom Viper Twin Turbo SRT-10. The â€Å"Supercar Challenge† started in September of 2001, when they ran six powerful, highly modified cars through the two-day event. Invitations were given to a group of expensive, super-strong cars, The average price is more than $130,000. The course was a 2 mile banked oval with an infield road course. Each entry was allowed five runs through a modified course. Each run included a standing-start blast to 60 mph, elapsed time and speed over a quarter-mile, road course time, and overall time. The Lingenfelter Corvette took second place overall while the Venom Viper took first place overall. The challenge had the Open and Sedan classification of cars. The Lingenfelter Corvette and the Venom Viper were the first and second place winners for the open class. A sedan is a car with a back-seat space of 36 or more cubic feet, and an open car is pretty much anything else. The Venom Viper is a 2-passenger, 2-door roadster while the Lingenfelter is a 2-passenger, 2-door coupe. The cars in the challenge are modified from standard stock cars that most people drive on the roads every day. These two cars have very powerful twin turbo 800 horsepower (hp) engines. Most stock cars have an average of 150-250 hp. The Venom Viper has a big V-10 engine, which has been bored and stroked from 8285 to 8550cc and pressurized to 10.0 psi with twin Garrett ball-bearing turbos. The Lingenfelter Corvette’s 800 hp engine has 830 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo charged 428-cubic-inch V-8. So, as you can see, these cars are extremely fast. They also have twin turbo... Free Essays on Supercar Challenge Free Essays on Supercar Challenge Every year there is a â€Å"Supercar Challenge† held at the International Speedway in Michigan, Ohio. This year the competition contained a total of 15 cars and was held in September of 2004. They held two classifications of cars (Open and Sedan). The top performers in the Open class were the 2004 Lingenfelter Corvette 427 Twin Turbo and the 2004 Hennessey Venom Viper Twin Turbo SRT-10. The â€Å"Supercar Challenge† started in September of 2001, when they ran six powerful, highly modified cars through the two-day event. Invitations were given to a group of expensive, super-strong cars, The average price is more than $130,000. The course was a 2 mile banked oval with an infield road course. Each entry was allowed five runs through a modified course. Each run included a standing-start blast to 60 mph, elapsed time and speed over a quarter-mile, road course time, and overall time. The Lingenfelter Corvette took second place overall while the Venom Viper took first place overall. The challenge had the Open and Sedan classification of cars. The Lingenfelter Corvette and the Venom Viper were the first and second place winners for the open class. A sedan is a car with a back-seat space of 36 or more cubic feet, and an open car is pretty much anything else. The Venom Viper is a 2-passenger, 2-door roadster while the Lingenfelter is a 2-passenger, 2-door coupe. The cars in the challenge are modified from standard stock cars that most people drive on the roads every day. These two cars have very powerful twin turbo 800 horsepower (hp) engines. Most stock cars have an average of 150-250 hp. The Venom Viper has a big V-10 engine, which has been bored and stroked from 8285 to 8550cc and pressurized to 10.0 psi with twin Garrett ball-bearing turbos. The Lingenfelter Corvette’s 800 hp engine has 830 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo charged 428-cubic-inch V-8. So, as you can see, these cars are extremely fast. They also have twin turbo...

Expressing Obligation in Spanish

Expressing Obligation in Spanish The verb deber and the verb phrase tener que are the two most common ways of expressing obligation in Spanish, to say that someone has to, should, ought or must do something. They are followed by the infinitive form of the verb. A few examples: Tengo que ayudar en las reparaciones. Debo ayudar en las reparaciones. (I have to help with the repairs.)Tiene que comprar y aà ±adir una nueva tarjeta prepagada de tiempo celular. Debe comprar y aà ±adir una nueva tarjeta prepagada de tiempo celular. (You have to buy and add a new prepaid card for cellphone time.)Tenemos que estudiar la historia de Colombia. Debemos estudiar la historia de Colombia. (We should study the history of Colombia.)Tuvo que irse a trabajar. Debià ³ irse a trabajar. (She had to go to work.) As in the above examples, tener que and deber are usually interchangeable. However, tener que usually expresses a stronger sense of obligation than does deber. Note that tener is conjugated irregularly. Deber, however, is conjugated regularly. The phrase no tener ms remedio que is one of the most common ways of expressing extremely strong obligation: No tiene ms remedio que decir la verdad. (He absolutely has to tell the truth.)No me dejas otra alternativa y no tengo ms remedio que aceptar. (You leave me no other choice, and I must accept.) Using Deber for a Weaker Sense of Obligation A weaker sense of obligation can be expressed by using the conditional form of deber. The conditional forms of deber are especially common in questions.  ¿Por quà © deberà ­a comprar un lavaplatos? (Why do I have to buy a dishwasher?)Deberà ­amos salir. (We need to get going.)Los economistas deberà ­an concentrar su atencià ³n en los desempleados. (The economists should focus their attention on the unemployed.) Using Haber De for a Vague Sense of Obligation A vague sense of obligation can also be expressed by use of haber de, although it isnt used in all areas and can sound stuffy. Example: He de estar a dieta, I need to be on a diet. Sometimes the verb necesitar is also used as equivalent of tener que or deber, although it is less common than the corresponding English verb, to need: Necesito obtener certificacià ³n para trabajar. (I need to get certification in order to work.)Necesitas hablar de lo que te preocupa. (You need to talk about whats worrying you.) Note: It is possible that you will hear native speakers substitute deber de for deber when expressing obligation. However, this use of deber is considered substandard by some grammarians and is probably best avoided by those who are learning the language. (The accepted way to use deber de is to express likelihood. Example: Debe de llover en Managua, its probably raining in Managua.)

The Importance of a Global Approach to Regulating Corporate Governance Essay

The Importance of a Global Approach to Regulating Corporate Governance - Essay Example Corporate Governance Corporate governance can be considered to be a recently coined term and has a significant impact on the business operations carried on by the companies (Solomon, 2011). Corporate governance is used in various ways and one particular definition is not sufficient to completely define corporate governance. Generally, a wide variety of issues that are related to the various ways through which business activities carried on by the business organisations can be directed or controlled is described through the term corporate governance (Turner, 2009, p. 5). If we look at it in a broad sense, corporate governance can be viewed as a system of codifying the conduct of business activities that are followed by different organisations. The wider issues that are related to improving the shareholders’ performance are also included in the corporate governance mechanisms followed by the companies. Certain issues that are associated with the company’s stakeholders lik e the accountability of the business firms towards fulfilling particular interests of the stakeholders are also addressed through corporate governance. Stakeholders constitute of anyone who has a relation with the company including the shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees, community, etc (Turner, 2009, p. 5). There are many theories which have evolved to address the growing development of corporate governance issues all around the world. According to Mallin (2007), some of those corporate governance theories include, the agency theory, transaction cost economics, the stakeholder theory, the stewardship theory, class hegemony, and managerial hegemony. The agency relationship is identified through the agency theory wherein one of the parties... The discussion and analysis in the paper followed in MNCs and the approach towards global corporate governance system suggest that although theoretically it can be beneficial for the companies but practically it is a challenging task. No consensus has been made as yet regarding the best system of corporate law that is suitable for all the organisations worldwide and whether the convergence of the corporate governance mechanisms followed in organisations worldwide would increase their performance. To be more specific it is still unknown as to whether a new hybrid model of corporate governance mechanism would emerge or not. The report makes a conclusion that the business environment worldwide is changing at fast rate and the corporate governance systems are required to adapt to such changes. It is quite inevitable that certain changes in the governance mechanism would occur but the big question lies behind the fact as to whether the corporate governance in a particular country would be able to successfully adapt to such changes or not. It is unlikely that some drastic change would occur to facilitate the global approach towards regulating corporate governance because the companies as well the investors are found to be reluctant to change a system that has been working well for them till now. With the increasing influence of globalisation, and with the organisational structure of MNCs becoming more and more complex, it is certain that some changes would occur in the corporate governance system.

Business Organizations and Agency Law Legal Issues (Real Estate) Essay

Business Organizations and Agency Law Legal Issues (Real Estate) - Essay Example The various types of real estate business comprises of (i) Appraisal which includes professional valuation services (ii) Brokerages covers assisting buyers and sellers in transactions (iii) Development comprising of improving land for use by way of addition or replacing buildings (iv) Property management which is managing a property on behalf of its owners (v) Real Estate Marketing that covers the sales aspect of the property business and finally (vi) Relocation services encompassing repositioning people or businesses to a different country. Within each field, an organization might focus on a specific type of real estate like residential, commercial, or industrial property. Apart from that, nearly every construction business essentially bears an association with real estate. (Real Estate: Wikipedia) Of late several economists have overlooked the fact that absence of effective real estate laws can impede investment in a lot of development nations. In almost every society, cutting across economic conditions, a considerable proportion of the net wealth is held in the form of land and buildings. In the most developed economies, the primary source of capital used by individuals and small companies to buy and make improvements in land and buildings is through mortgages in which the real property forms the collateral. The banks are ready to extend such loans at convenient rates in major part, since in case the borrower fails in making payment, the lender can make a foreclose which implies that, it can file a case, to take possession and sell it to obtain money. (Legal Encyclopedia: Real Estate) The fundamental concept forming the basis for real property laws are uniform across the US. Nevertheless, a lot of differences in the application of these concepts among the states as also among the counties and cities within the states are found. Freehold Estate constitutes the first category of ownership under the Real Estate Agency law. The idea of estates in the American laws emerged from the feudal system in England. Estates in land are interests that are currently or might become possessory and which are measured by time frame. Possessory estates confer the holder the right to immediate possession. Realty estates are further classified as freehold and non-freehold. While freehold estates go on for an indefinite period or until the happening of certain event, non-freehold estates terminate on a specific date. (Overview of Real Property Law in the United States) The largest estate that is allowed under the provisions of law is the fee simple absolute in which the holder of this estate possesses complete possessory privileges at present and in the future for an indefinite period. No restrictions on its inheritability are present, it cannot be divested and it will not terminate on the occurrence of any event. But, the holder of the estate can sell it or any portion of it during the period of his lifespan and make a will prior to his death for disposal of the property. The other possessory estates are Fee Simple Determinable that suggests a fee simple however restricts the use of the land. Life Estate that is an estate whose period is calculated by the life or lives of one or more human being, and terminates at the death of a person. Fee Tail, that is an estate

Nas Airlines and Caterpillar Inc Research Proposal

Nas Airlines and Caterpillar Inc - Research Proposal Example Currently, there is no specialized provider of such a service, a situation that presents a robust business opportunity. If implemented, the proposal will make air travel by Flynas much more convenient as passengers will enjoy a one-stop for travel and cover. Flynas is Saudi Arabia’s first and only budget airline offering domestic and international flights. The company’s head office is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Flynas was founded in 2007 as Nas Air and commenced operations in February of the year. Until the establishment of Nas Air, Saudi Arabian Airlines, the national carrier, was the only airline in the country. In November 2013, Nas Air rebranded to Flynas. Currently, Flynas makes 950 flights a week to several destinations around the world. As of November 2013, the airline had carried a total of 12 million customers, 3 million of them in the ten months ending November 2013. The airline, following its rebranding, targets to have carried 20 million customers by 2020 (Shane, 2013). Flynas did not offer international flights until 2009. Sharm el Sheikh and Assiut in Egypt became the airline’s first international destinations in 2009. A major milestone in the growth of Flynas came in February 2014 when the airline launched its Global Flight Routes program. The aims of the program were to provide affordable flights between the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah and specified cities in Africa, Asia and Europe and to fly religious tourists to Saudi Arabia. Under the program, Flynas became the first airline to offer low-cost flights between Saudi Arabia and the UK with the launch of the Jeddah-London Gatwick route in April 2014. The route was the airline’s first long-haul route to Europe. The airline’s other long-haul services included those to Manchester, Islamabad, Casablanca, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. Medium-haul routes included Riyadh-Karachi and Riyadh-Lahore. However, in October 2014, Flynas announced the cancellation of most of its

The abused Defense balances the justice system Essay - 1

The abused Defense balances the justice system - Essay Example This will result in the violent treatment which he will adapt against others who according to him are the reason of his stress. But in the end the only person who will suffer because of this attitude would be he, himself. As such people are unaware of the fact that their behavior and patterns are unsuitable; they neglect the point that they create problems for others as well as for themselves while seeking vindication in their aggressive and brutal manners. These people think that others always have spiteful intentions; they easily blame others because of very little or no confirmation. They think that their hostile and destructive attitude is justifiable retribution while others find it inexplicable. Such patterns become a major reason of rejection by others. Just because one has suffered a lot in past does not warrants his brutal and negative approach towards others. By adapting such behavior one only harms oneself and the people who are related to him either professionally or pers onally.He will think that all the difficulties in his life are either caused by of his surroundings or are because of the circumstances which he cannot control.

Theatrical Show Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Theatrical Show - Essay Example I suppose that every viewer watching a play compares his experiences to the experience on the stage and associates himself with one of the principal heroes. That is why for most viewers, as I realized after the play, the idea of being abandoned in teenage age was unbearable. It was depressing for me as well because I recalled instantly how poorly protected and developed I was at thirteen and even sixteen and how my personality lacked coherence and stamina. They say, that teenage years are the hardest for parents and while watching kids who grow up without parents I felt admiration and some kind of jealousy (that I can regard as a compliment to the believable portraits created o the stage). On the one hand, it is a great challenge; on the other hand it is such an exciting experience for children. I guess that if people are formed in such circumstances they can become truly self-sufficient people. That is what we see in the â€Å"Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them† : the proces s of personalities development. It is really hard to capture this elusive moment but it seems to me that the actors of this play coped with their task. Edith is by all means a central figure in the play because she is the youngest. This girl is a real tomboy who possesses so many different kinds of weapon that a professional soldier could be surprised. A rifle and a bow with arrows serve her as a symbolic protection from the problems of the outside world she cannot solve due to her age. Being only twelve, the period when other girls just start walk farther from their houses, Edith has to protect her little family from inadequacy and careless parents. I was touched to see a girl so strong as a character and so delicate as a human being inside, and her skills with a rifle served as a good metaphor to me. The actress managed to feel how a little human can hide her fear of insecurity under a mask of bravado and indifference. I suppose that the actress was

Social Constructs of Beauty in America, Europe and Asia Research Proposal

Social Constructs of Beauty in America, Europe and Asia - Research Proposal Example The essay "Social Constructs of Beauty in America, Europe and Asia" will looks at the international constructions of beauty in various cultural locations all over the world precisely in the USA, Asia and European nations. The variations of the sexual connotation of beauty will be compared according to the region where the magazine adverts come from. The research will look at the points of commonality and the divergence in the construction of beauty in fashion. The running theme in the paper will be the effect of the cultural influences in the modeling of what is beautiful across the three regions of America, Europe and Asia. The paper will not assume a comparison point of view; instead, it will seek to look at the social constructs of beauty individually. The practical activities representing the social constructs of beauty take into consideration the increasing globalization effects. In line with the increasing globalization, the cultural influences in the design and fashion areas a re turning out to be hazy mazes. The dominant cultures are exerting their influences on the traditional concepts of beauty such that the end result is a dwindling effect of culture on the depiction of beauty. Majority of the western films have been credited for the erosion of the social constructs of beauty. This precedence is dangerous in that it threatens the actual existence of the beauty in its indigenous form. As a creative practitioner, the assignment will seek to expose the beauty in the cultural influences.

Theatrical Show Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Theatrical Show - Essay Example I suppose that every viewer watching a play compares his experiences to the experience on the stage and associates himself with one of the principal heroes. That is why for most viewers, as I realized after the play, the idea of being abandoned in teenage age was unbearable. It was depressing for me as well because I recalled instantly how poorly protected and developed I was at thirteen and even sixteen and how my personality lacked coherence and stamina. They say, that teenage years are the hardest for parents and while watching kids who grow up without parents I felt admiration and some kind of jealousy (that I can regard as a compliment to the believable portraits created o the stage). On the one hand, it is a great challenge; on the other hand it is such an exciting experience for children. I guess that if people are formed in such circumstances they can become truly self-sufficient people. That is what we see in the â€Å"Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them† : the proces s of personalities development. It is really hard to capture this elusive moment but it seems to me that the actors of this play coped with their task. Edith is by all means a central figure in the play because she is the youngest. This girl is a real tomboy who possesses so many different kinds of weapon that a professional soldier could be surprised. A rifle and a bow with arrows serve her as a symbolic protection from the problems of the outside world she cannot solve due to her age. Being only twelve, the period when other girls just start walk farther from their houses, Edith has to protect her little family from inadequacy and careless parents. I was touched to see a girl so strong as a character and so delicate as a human being inside, and her skills with a rifle served as a good metaphor to me. The actress managed to feel how a little human can hide her fear of insecurity under a mask of bravado and indifference. I suppose that the actress was

Wendy’s Company Analysis Essay Example for Free

Wendy’s Company Analysis Essay In the competitive fast-food business, Wendy’s is known for the quality of their food and low priced value menu. Their full page ad published this month in Sport’s Illustrated supports this view. The use of color, food items, bold lettering, slogans, and a beautiful woman helps the ad grab a viewer’s attention. The creator of this advertisement intended to convey to viewers that Wendy’s gives the customer a great quality food at an affordable price. The viewers’ eye is initially drawn to the center portion of the ad where a bacon cheese burger is displayed in perfection. The burger shown is much larger than its actual size. A juicy beef patty is stacked high with bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a fresh bun with a touch of mayonnaise. This image could lead a person into craving the mouthwatering burger. Ingredients on the burger have bright colors and are prominently used in the enlarged picture. All of these visual effects make the burger appear more valuable to the viewer of the ad. Plus, showing lots of color in the food can portray to the viewer that Wendy’s uses fresh quality ingredients in the products they served. It’s hard to miss the bold lettering that present Wendy’s slogans to the viewers of the advertisement. Three slogans are used to make Wendy’s sound more appealing to a potential customer. Across the top of the page, the viewer’s eyes read the first slogan â€Å"It’s only a deal if you love what you eat.† The big bold white letters stand out against the green background at the top of the page. This sends a message to the viewer that the customer must love the food they purchased or it’s not a good deal no matter what the food cost. Beneath the slogan across the top there are a few short sentences in smaller white lettering that explains to the viewer why you will love what you eat at Wendy’s. The combination of the slogan and the few short sentences emphasizes Wendy’s value menu is not only low-priced but also high quality like other items on their menu. On the left side of the page, next to the photo of the over-sized bac on cheeseburger, is a square which features a second slogan that reads â€Å"right price right size menu.† Wendy’s main objective with this slogan is to convey to the viewer the price offered is affordable and the costumer is getting quantity for that price. The bold bright two-tone red lettering adds to effect of this slogan and the viewers’ eyes are again drawn to page. With â€Å"right price right size menu†, the creator of advertisement appears to be summarizing the slogan and short sentences that are featured at top of the page. Then, in the bottom right corner of the page, the well-known Wendy’s logo is featured in the advertisement. The iconic red headed girl with the two pig tails is easily recognizable and the name Wendy’s is placed with the image. Just below the logo is the third slogan â€Å"Now that’s better†. The logo is placed in all of Wendy’ advertisements and helps the viewers match the advertisement to Wendy’s. Also, by always placing the logo in their ads, the viewer becomes familiar with the company’s symbol and can easily recognize it. Another choice of the ad creator’s design is to show a beautiful young woman enjoying a meal from Wendy’s. In the upper left corner of the advertisement, the woman is used to entice the viewer. The woman’s long gorgeous ginger hair stands out at first glance. Then, as the viewer can easily see, the woman smiles as she admires the burger she is holding. After further inspection, the creator may have wanted to present the woman shown a modern version of the girl in the Wendy’s logo. The woman’s presence in the ad gives the viewer a stunning visual effect that helps the viewers to picture themselves enjoying a meal from Wendy’s. In America, fast-food restaurants have become very popular over the years. They are ingrained in the American society and continue to grow. People will come across several fast-food restaurants at just about every exit on a highway and will drive right by hundreds more of them as they travel through a city. The growth of the fast-food industry has been helped by our cultures’ desire for convenience, immediate gratification, and the love of food. A person can go home and spend time cooking and cleaning after a meal or they can just go through the drive-through on the way home from work or school. Additionally, people like a bargain no matter how the economy is doing. The Wendy’s advertisement seeks to reassure the viewers that they will receive great food at the right price.

The Material And Process Requirements In Disc Brake Engineering Essay

The Material And Process Requirements In Disc Brake Engineering Essay The disc brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of wheel. Disc brakes can be used on all 4 wheels of vehicle, or combined with disc brakes on the front wheels and drum brakes on the rear. Before we go in detail about the material selection, I would like to discuss the disc brake operation generally to let us understand how a disc brakes able to operate well. When the brake pedal is depressed, a push rod transfers the force through a brake booster to a hydraulic master cylinder. The master cylinder converts the force into hydraulic pressure, which is then transmitted via connecting pipes and hoses to one or more pistons at each brake caliper. The pistons operate on friction pads to provide a clamping force on a rotating flat disc that is attached to the wheel hub. This clamping tries to stop the rotation of the disc, and the wheel. On non-driving wheels, the centre of the brake disc or hub contains the wheel bearings. The hub can be part of the brake disc or a separate assembly between the wheel and hub with nuts or bolts. On driving wheels, the disc is mounted onto the driving axle and may be held in place by the wheel. On front wheel drive vehicles, it can be mounted on the front hub and wheel bearing assembly. The brake caliper assembly is bolted to the vehicle axle housing or suspension. Besides that, in most cases the brake is positioned as close as possible to the wheel, but there are exceptions. Some high-performance cars use inboard disc brakes on its rear wheels. The makers claim improved vehicle handling for this design because it reduces unsprung weight. Moreover, applying brakes can absorb a lot of vehicle energy so friction between braking surfaces generates great heat. Brake parts withstand very high temperatures. Most of the friction area of a disc is exposed to air so cooling is far more rapid than for a drum brake. Unlike with drum brakes, brake fade is rare. Because of their shape, discs tend to throw off water. So after being driven through water, they operate almost immediately. Disc brakes need much higher pressures to operate than drum brakes, so almost all disc brake systems need a power brake booster to help reduce the pedal forces that are needed from the driver. Due to the high forces needed to apply a disc brake, using it as a handbrake is less common. Therefore, some vehicles build a drum brake into the centre of the rear disc to provide for park brake operation. Possible Disc Damage Modes Discs are usually damaged in one of three ways: warping scarring cracking In addition, the useful life of the discs may be greatly reduced by excessive machining. 1.2.1 Warping Warping is caused by excessive heat buildup, which softens the metal and can allow it to be disfigured. This can result in wheel shimmy during braking. The likelihood of warping can be reduced if the car is being driven down a long grade by several techniques. Use of a lower gear to obtain engine braking will reduce the brake loading. Also, operating the brakes intermittently braking to a slower than cruising speed for a brief time then coasting will allow the brakes to cool between applications. The suitability of this is of course, dependent upon traffic conditions. Riding the brakes lightly will generate a great amount of heat with little braking effect and should be avoided. The wheel shimmy during braking is caused by thickness variation of the disc. Tests have shown that high temperature does not permanently warp discs. 1.2.2 Scarring Scarring can occur if brake pads are not changed promptly, all the friction material will wear away and the caliper will be pressed against the metal backing, reducing braking power and making scratches on the disc. If not excessive, this can be repaired by machining off a layer of the discs surface. This can only be done a limited number of times as the disc has a minimum safe thickness. For this reason it is prudent to periodically inspect the brake pads for wear (this is done simply on a vehicle lift when the tires are rotated without disassembly of the components). When practical they should be replaced before the pad is completely worn. 1.2.3 Cracking Cracking is limited mostly to drilled discs, which get small cracks around the drilled holes. These cannot be repaired. Material Requirement for Disc Brake Based on the function and the possible disc damage modes above, certain material requirement for disc brake is needed to be taking into consideration. The material requirements for disc brake are as below: High strength even at elevated temperatures High stiffness (modulus of elasticity) Low density High thermal conductivity Excellent abrasion resistance Good creep resistance 2.0 Material Selection Based on the material requirement for disc brake in section 1.3, Metal Matrix Composites has been chosen as the material for automotive disc brakes. This is because Metal Matrix Composites (MMC) is suitable to use for manufacturing automotive parts such as brake components, brake rotors for high speed trains, bicycles, and others vehicles. 2.1 Introduction to Metal Matrix Composites Metal composite materials have found application in many areas of daily life for quite some time. Often it is not realized that the application makes use of composite materials. These materials are produced in situ from the conventional production and processing of metals. Materials like cast iron with graphite or steel with high carbide content, as well as tungsten carbides, consisting of carbides and metallic binders, also belong to this group of composite materials. For many researchers the term metal matrix composites is often equated with the term light metal matrix composites (MMCs). Substantial progress in the development of light metal matrix composites has been achieved in recent decades, so that they could be introduced into the most important applications. In traffic engineering, especially in the automotive industry, MMCs have been used commercially in fiber reinforced pistons and aluminum crank cases with strengthened cylinder surfaces as well as particle-strengthened brake disks. These innovative materials open up unlimited possibilities for modern material science and development; the characteristics of MMCs can be designed into the material, custom-made, dependent on the application. From this potential, metal matrix composites fulfill all the desired conceptions of the designer. This material group becomes interesting for use as constructional and functional materials, if the property profile of conventional materials either does not reach the increased standards of specific demands, or is the solution of the problem. However, the technology of MMCs is in competition with other modern material technologies, for example powder metallurgy. The advantages of the composite materials are only realized when there is a reasonable cost performance relationship in the component production. The use of a composite material is obligatory if a special property profile can only be achieved by application of these materials. The possibility of combining various material systems (metal ceramic nonmetal) gives the opportunity for unlimited variation. The properties of these new materials are basically determined by the properties of their single components. Figure 1 shows the allocation of the composite materials into groups of various types of materials. Figure 1 Classification of the composite materials within the group of materials Although increasing development activities have led to system solutions using metal composite materials, the use of especially innovative systems, particularly in the area of light metals, has not been realized. The reason for this is insufficient process stability and reliability, combined with production and processing problems and inadequate economic efficiency. Application areas, like traffic engineering, are very cost orientated and conservative and the industry is not willing to pay additional costs for the use of such materials. For these entire reasons metal matrix composites are only at the beginning of the evolution curve of modern materials as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 Development curve of the market for modern materials Metal matrix composites can be classified in various ways. One classification is the consideration of type and contribution of reinforcement components in particle-, layer-, fiber- and penetration composite materials as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 Classification of Composite Material with Metal Matrixes Fiber composite materials can be further classified into continuous fiber composite materials (multi- and monofilament) and short fibers or, rather, whisker composite materials as shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 Three Shapes of Metal Matrix Composite Materials 2.2 Reason Selecting Metal Matrix Composites as Material for Disc Brake There are different types of Metal Matrix Composites in the world. But, not all the type of MMCs is suitable to be taken as material for disc brake. Thus, the type of Metal Matrix Composites that can be selected as material for disc brake due to its attractive material property as below: Aluminum Matrix Composites This is the widest group of Metal Matrix Composites. The matrices of Aluminum Matrix Composites are usually based on aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) alloys and on the alloys of 2xxx and 6xxx series which is very suitable to be taken as material for automobile disc brake. Moreover, Aluminum Matrix Composites able to give properties as show below: High strength even at elevated temperatures High stiffness Low density High thermal conductivity Excellent abrasion resistance Besides that, the ideal Aluminum Matrix Composites stress strain curve for continuous unidirectional fiber composites is presented in Figure 5. Generally, this curve consists of two stages. During the stage I, both fiber and matrix remain elastic, during stage II, the matrix deforms plastically and fibers remain elastic. There is possibly a stage III where both matrix and fibers deform plastically, but generally the fibers break before their plastic deformation. Figure 5 Ideal Stress-Strain Curve of a Continuous Fiber metal Matrix Composite Magnesium Matrix Composite Magnesium Matrix Composites are reinforced mainly by silicon carbide (SiC) particles (particulate composites). The material properties of Magnesium Matrix Composites are as below: Low density High stiffness High wear resistance Good strength even at elevated temperatures Good creep resistance Magnesium Matrix Composites are used for manufacturing components for racing cars, lightweight automotive brake system, and aircraft parts for: gearboxes, transmissions, compressors and engine. According to research by Z. Trojanova .P, Department of physics of Metals, Charles University, he run the experiment on Magnesium Matrix Composites to understand its material properties in a more detail way. Figure 6 True stress-strain curve It is interesting to note that the microstructure of AS41/SiC composite exhibits similar features with Mg2Si precipitates on the grain boundaries. Figure 6 shows typical true stress-true strain curve of the ZC63/SiC composite deformed at different temperatures. It can be seen that the flow stress decreases with increasing temperature. At 200-C, the work hardening is close to zero. This indicates a dynamic balance between hardening and softening. The temperature variations of the yield stress and the tensile strength max are given in Figure 7. Figure 7 Temperature dependence of the yield stress and the maximum stress 3.0 Manufacturing Process There are difference manufacturing process way to produce Metal Matrix Composites and here, I would like to focus on few processes which is more suitable to produce disc brake which made by Metal Matrix composites. 3.1 Liquid-State Processes Casting or liquid infiltration involves infiltration of a fibrous or particulate reinforcement pre-form by a liquid metal. Liquid-phase infiltration of MMCs is not straightforward, mainly because of difficulties with wetting the ceramic reinforcement by the molten metal. When the infiltration of a fiber pre-form occurs readily, reactions between the fiber and the molten metal may take place which significantly degrade the properties of the fiber. Fiber coatings applied prior to infiltration, which improve wetting and allow control of interfacial reactions, have been developed and are producing some encouraging results. In this case, however, the disadvantage is that the fiber coatings must not be exposed to air prior to infiltration because surface oxidation of the coating takes place. One liquid infiltration process involving particulate reinforcement, called the Duralcan process, has been quite successful as shown in Figure 8. Ceramic particles and ingot-grade aluminum are mixed and melted. The melt is stirred slightly above the liquidus temperature (600−700 °C). The solidified ingot may also undergo secondary processing by extrusion or rolling. The Duralcan process of making particulate composites by a liquid metal casting route involves the use of 8−12 ÃŽ ¼m particles. For particles that are much smaller (2−3 ÃŽ ¼m), the result is a very large interface region and, thus, a very viscous melt. In foundry-grade MMCs, high Si aluminum is used to prevent the formation of the brittle compound Al4C3, which is formed from the interfacial reaction between Al and SiC. Al4C3 is extremely detrimental to mechanical properties, particularly toughness and corrosion resistance. Figure 8 Casting process for particulate or short fiber MMCs Alternatively, tows of fibers can be passed through a liquid metal bath, where the individual fibers are wet by the molten metal, wiped of excess metal, and a composite wire is produced. A bundle of such wires can be consolidated by extrusion to make a composite. Another pressure less liquid metal infiltration process of making MMCs is the Primex process which can be used with certain reactive metal alloys such as Al− Mg to infiltrate ceramic pre-forms, Fig. 3. For an Al− Mg alloy, the process takes place between 750−1000 °C in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere, and typical infiltration rates are less than 25 cm/h. 3.2 Squeeze Casting or Pressure Infiltration Figure 9 Reactive liquid metal infiltration processes Squeeze casting or pressure infiltration involves forcing a liquid metal into a fibrous or particulate pre-form as shown in Figure 10. Pressure is applied until solidification is complete. By forcing the molten metal through small pores of the fibrous pre-form, this method obviates the requirement of good wet ability of the reinforcement by the molten metal. Composites fabricated with this method have the advantage of minimal reaction between the reinforcement and molten metal because of the short processing time involved. Such composites are also typically free from common casting defects such as porosity and shrinkage cavities. Infiltration of a fibrous pre-form by means of a pressurized inert gas is another variant of the liquid metal infiltration technique. The process is conducted in the controlled environment of a pressure vessel and rather high fiber volume fractions; complex shaped structures are obtainable (3, 4). Alumina fibers reinforced inter metallic matrix composites, e.g., TiAl, Ni3Al, and Fe3Al matrix materials, have also been prepared by pressure casting (5). The technique involves melting of the matrix alloy in a crucible in vacuum, while the fibrous pre-form is heated separately. The molten matrix material (at ∠¼100 °C above Tm) is poured onto the fibers and argon gas is introduced simultaneously. Argon gas pressure forces the melt, which contains additives to aid wetting of the fibers, to infiltrate the pre-form. Figure 10 Squeeze casting or pressure infiltration process 3.3 Sinter-Forging Sinter-forging is a novel and low cost deformation processing technique. In sinter-forging a powder mixture of reinforcement and matrix is cold compacted, sintered, and forged to nearly full density, Figure 11. The main advantage of this technique is that forging is conducted to produce a near-net shape material, and machining operations and material waste are minimized. The low cost, sinter-forged composites have tensile and fatigue properties that are comparable to those of materials produced by extrusion which is suitable for disc brake. Figure 11 Sinter-Forging techniques for producing near-net shape, low cost MMCs 4.0 Conclusion The early Lotus Elise models came with Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) brake discs. These brakes were lightweight and a cost effective alternative to the carbon ceramic variations available recently but the only difference is they cannot operate at the same temperatures. As conclusion, based on the research above, I am confidence to said that Metal Matrix Composites is still the best for automobile disc brake in certain situation.