Euro-Mediterranean Partnership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Euro-Mediterranean Partnership - Essay Example 3. The rapprochement between peoples through a social, cultural and human partnership aimed at encouraging understanding between cultures and exchanges between civil societies (Social, Cultural and Human Chapter)." http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/euromed/index.htm It is an ambitious initiative with bilateral and regional dimensions and multilateral dimension supports, in the increasingly globalised world. Under MEDA programme, they are creating partnerships in all aspects like regional integration, socio-economic balance and financial and technical assistance. Despite these, in 2005 convention, it is noted MEDA was "created at the initiative of the European Parliament in 1996, the program grants aids to no-profit associations, Universities, Research Centres and public Bodies in order to realize projects aimed at promoting democracy, freedom of expression and association, and safeguarding specific groups, such as women, young people and minorities. The granted funds for this kind of projects can total a maximum of 80%" http://www.euromedi.org/inglese/home/partenariato/partenariato.asp). Despite these, in 2005 convention, it is noted that MEDA had very slow advancement. ... in the partnership are peace, security, stability, good governance and democracy, sustainable economic development and reform, education and socio-cultural exchanges, justice, migration and social integration, human rights and democratisation, political and security cooperation, information and communication technology, trade, financial cooperation, dialogues between two or more cultures, and the visibility of the process. It has announced that heredity sites would be maintained and safeguarded, 'Creating a future that care for the past'. "Its aim was to conserve and inventory manuscripts held in small libraries dotted throughout North Africa and the Near East, thus preserving the books and the wisdom they contain," Euro Mediterranean Partnership (2002, p.14). Main topics that would be investigated in the Research are as follows: 1. Illegal immigration into prosperous countries, an annoying issue that has to be controlled and guided in a proper way. Most of the European countries are facing problems due to illegal immigration and are trying to find ways and means of curbing them, while legal immigration would be encouraged. EU is facing extensive confusion as a result of illegal immigration. Research would probe into this matter and would try to present a clearer picture. 2. Security and Terrorism are the two issues that have been haunting every country today, and more so, the Western powers. After the fanatic Muslim movement lifted its ugly head in certain regions, curbing it has become the priority issue to all affected countries. Research would investigate these issues with other connected problems like fanaticism in European countries, growth of terrorist activities, help from Middle East countries in controlling training camps for potential terrorists and

Case study of HRD within an organization Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Of HRD within an organization - Case Study Example Any department facing a shortage of employees is expected to contact the HRD so that the necessary action can be taken. Therefore, it can be argued that the HRD constitutes the engine of an organization in that it plays the central role in ensuring effective coordination of the employee. In order to expound more on the HRD and acquire some essential lessons, we focus on a case study of HRD within the Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company operates a hierarchical organizational structure where staff members are grouped in terms of ranks. The sequence of command has several stages since the company bases its operation in many countries around the world. The company has more than 200 offices in different countries of the world. Each office is accountable for the coordination of activities within the country or region in which it is located (Griffin, 2011). The offices in the different countries are ended by business operational managers. The operational managers in the respective countries and regions coordinate the work of other departments. Each operational manager coordinates about eight departments including the human resource department. However, the management and staffing of HRD must be done according to the guidelines provided by the head office located in Atlanta Georgia in the United States. The HRD is headed by a human resource manager who coordinates all the activities involving recruit ment, remuneration, and promotion of employees. The human resource manager works with a team of staff to enhance transparency and accountability. The HRD of the Coca-Cola Company works in close conjunction with other departments for the better performance of the company. For instance, before the recruitment of new employees is done, the HRD must liaise with the finance department to identify whether there are enough funds to facilitate the recruitment exercise. In addition, the HRD works with all departments of the company to

The Method Of Ibs And Conventional System Construction Essay

The Method Of Ibs And Conventional System Construction Essay Labour productivity comparison between structural building systems showing that the number of trades for each building system was highly labour intensive because it consisted of four major operations, namely the erection of scaffolding and formwork, installation of reverse, casting of concrete and dismantling of scaffolding and formwork. On the other hand, the IBS required fewer construction operations. For instance, the cast in-situ tunnel form system did not require scaffolding to support the slab while the precast concrete system was pre-assembly in the factory, hence reducing on site labour input. crew size comparison between structural building system; Crew size comparison between structural building systems showing that the conventional building system was significantly different from the IBS. However, no significant difference was found between building systems in IBS. Hence, they were grouped into homogeneous subset . on average, IBS required a crew size of 22 people while the conventional building system required a crew size of 14 people. These crew sizes were further broken down into carpenter, precast panel erector, steel form erector, bartender, concrete and crane operator. In term of percentage, the conventional building system require d 7% more than size of the IBS. this was because the conventional building system required more construction trades than the IBS. cycle time comparison between structural building system; Cycle time comparison between structural building system show that the mean cycle time for completion of structural element of one house, the total construction duration for a project can be predetermined. This can be to evaluate the project extension of time submitted by the contractor. In terms of percentage, the conventional building system required 26%more than cast in-situ table form system, 41% of cast in-situ half tunnel form system 53% of precast concrete 2.4 Factor of choosing method of IBS and conventional system According to the Warszawski (1999),that is the factor of comparison between IBS and conventional system: factor IBS Conventional system Quality Quality-controlled and high aesrhetic and products through the process of controlled pre-fabrication and simplified installation. Factory production of fabricated components minimizes errors and imperfections, resulting in better quality products, better workmanship and superior finishes. An IBS components produces higher quality of components attainable through careful selection of materials, use of advantages technology and strict quality assurance control. The initial capital investment for setting up a permanent factor is relatively experience. Plant, equipment, skilled worker, management resources need to be acquired before production can be commenced. Less (cannot change the design flexibility as components ordered was fixed in sizes) Materials may manage by semi-skill people. Uncertain weather can result in less-than expected construction. More (design can change flexibility, or can cast in-situ) Speed of construction time Faster completion of construction projects due to the usage of standardized prefabricated components and simplified installation processes. An industrialized building system allow for faster construction time because casting of precast element at factory and foundation work at the site can occur simultaneously. This provides earlier occupation of the building, thus reducing interest payment or capital outlays. Generally, all building system requires lesser time to fabricated the building components, which may include time taken to fabricated, erect and dismantle formwork and to cure the concrete. Speed of construction is according to labour productivity and materials delivery to construction site. Time consuming where the process can be delay by weather or scheduling conflict. Construction of in-situ work requires the fixing and casting time, thus it is slow. Cost of construction The initial cost of constructing the factory, casting beds and support machinery is usually expensive and can only be removed when undertaking large project. The repetitive use of the formwork made up steel, aluminium, etc and scaffolding provides considerable cost savings. For large project, the initials capital investment in the building system can be amortized to a large extent, especially when the cost is given a wider spread. Prefabricattion capitalizes on a faster turnover, giving savings on overheads and other operational costs. Greater control over manufacturing results dramatically reduces the chance of cost overruns. Need to employ professional person to in charge. Construction cost increase due to uncontrollable variables such as weather and scheduling conflict. If suitable materials are choosing, cost of construction will decrease. Storage and equipment space For the purpose of erecting and assembling precast panels into their position, heavy crane is required especially for multi-storey building. It is therefore important to incorporate this additional cost when adopting a prefabrication system. The prefabrication system relies heavily on sophisticated plants, which have to be well coordinated and maintained by skilled operators. Breakdown in any section would hold-up the entire production line. A large work area for the factory, tower cranes, trailers and storage space for the precast components are normally required. Most construction sites are congested are quite often unable to provide the large are required. Need to provide a storage for machinery. Bigger space is needed materials storage Lesser large equipment at site like tower crane, mobile crane and etc. Safety and cleaner Construction is not affected by adverse weather condition because prefabricated component is done in a factory controlled environment. Safer construction site due to reduction of site workers, materials and construction wastage. Construction operation is safer without large equipment like tower crane and etc. transportation It is found that casting of large-panel system can reduce labour cost up to 30 percent. However, these cost savings are partially offset by the transportation costs. The transportation of large panels is also subject to the must taken into consideration when adopting a prefabrication system. All materials are deliver under small sizes and package form, thus all materials are easily transport to construction site. Labour Low site worker required due to simplified construction methods. Prefabrication takes place at a centralized factory, thus reducing labour requirement at site. This is true especially when high degree of mechanization involved. Due to the higher degree of mechanization, professional person is needed. Skilled workers are replaced by plant machinery, tower crane and mobile loaders. Using more of the workers is semi-skilled and skilled worker. High site workers required due to traditional construction methods. Using more of the workers is semi-skilled and skilled worker. (source: Peng, 1986; Abdullah, 2003; Warszawski, 1999; Zaini, 2000; CIDB, 2003, 2005; Ingemar Lofgren Kent Gylltoft, 1996; Raymond, 2002)

Neuromancer :: Short Stories China Japan Neurosurgery Essays

Neuromancer The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel. "It's not like I'm using," Case heard someone say, as he shouldered his way through the crowd around the door of the Chat. "It's like my body's developed this massive drug defi- ciency." It was a Sprawl voice and a Sprawl joke. The Chatsubo was a bar for professional expatriates; you could drink there for a week and never hear two words in Japanese. Ratz was tending bar, his prosthetic arm jerking monoto- nously as he filled a tray of glasses with draft Kirin. He saw Case and smiled, his teeth a web work of East European steel and brown decay. Case found a place at the bar, between the unlikely tan on one of Lonny Zone's whores and the crisp naval uniform of a tall African whose cheekbones were ridged with precise rows of tribal scars. "Wage was in here early, with two Joe boys," Ratz said, shoving a draft across the bar with his good hand. "Maybe some business with you, Case?" Case shrugged. The girl to his right giggled and nudged him. The bartender's smile widened. His ugliness was the stuff of legend. In an age of affordable beauty, there was something heraldic about his lack of it. The antique arm whined as he reached for another mug. It was a Russian military prosthesis, a seven-function force-feedback manipulator, cased in grubby pink plastic. "You are too much the artiste, Herr Case." Ratz grunted; the sound served him as laughter. He scratched his overhang of white-shirted belly with the pink claw. "You are the artiste of the slightly funny deal." "Sure," Case said, and sipped his beer. "Somebody's gotta be funny around here. Sure the fuck isn't you." The whore's giggle went up an octave. "Isn't you either, sister. So you vanish, okay? Zone, he's a close personal friend of mine." She looked Case in the eye and made the softest possible spitting sound, her lips barely moving. But she left. "Jesus," Case said, "what kind a creep joint you running here? Man can't have a drink." "Ha," Ratz said, swabbing the scarred wood with a rag, "Zone shows a percentage. You I let work here for entertain- ment value." As Case was picking up his beer, one of those strange instants of silence descended, as though a hundred unrelated conversations had simultaneously arrived at the same pause. Then the whore's giggle rang out, tinged with a certain hysteria. Ratz grunted. "An angel passed." "The Chinese," bellowed a drunken Australian, "Chinese bloody invented nerve-splicing. Give me the mainland for a nerve job any day. Fix you right, mate.

The Travels of Aeneas, Fall of Troy to the Founding of Lavinium

The travels of Aeneas, from the fall of Troy to the founding of Lavinium The travels of Aeneas, from the fall of Troy to the founding of Lavinium are very important myths by which the Romans modeled themselves, and from which they were able to derive a sense of past and ‘who they were'. Archeological evidence shows that Aeneas and his story were well known throughout ancient Rome as coins and urns were found depicting Aeneas' myth. Some of these coins were found prior to the lives of Livy and Virgil proving that the myth had been told prior to the writing of both Livy and Virgil.The storybook version told by Virgil describes the escape and travels of Aeneas as blessed by the gods, where Aeneas puts his father on his shoulders, grabs his son by the hand and under the protection of the goddess Venus, escapes the city as it is being ransacked by the Greeks. As Virgil writes the storybook version, Livy's recount is much more historical, as Livy gives meaning to situations, such as Aeneas having friendship ties with the Greeks, who allowed him to leave the city unharmed.It is likely that much of the narrative is based on non-historical details which mean to portray a strong, just and blessed man as the founding father of Rome, however this essay will focus on How Livy's portrayal of Aeneas and his journey after the Fall of Troy to the founding of Lavinium correlates or differs from other sources and authors or archeological evidence of its time. In the beginning of Livy's â€Å"Rise of Rome – Book 1†³, Livy portrays Aeneas and his journey after the Fall of Troy as a lucky escape from the ransacked city. There is general agreement, first of all, that when Troy fell the Greeks punished the other Trojans mercilessly but refrained from exercising any right of conquest in the case of two men, Aeneas and Antenor, who were connected to them by long-standing ties of friendship and have always advocated the return of Helen† (Livy). Whereas the myth s tates that Aeneas escapes Troy with his mother's (Venus') protection. â€Å"And here, amazed, I found that a great number of new companions had streamed in, women and men, a crowd gathering for exile, a wretched throng.They had come from all sides, ready, with courage and wealth, for whatever land I wished to lead them to, across the seas. And now Lucifer was rising above the heights of Ida, bringing the dawn, and the Greeks held the barricaded entrances to the gates, nor was there any hope of rescue. I desisted, and, carrying my father, took to the hills† (Virgil, Book II: 796-804). Here we see the difference between both author's accounts of the tale.Both Virgil and Livy show Aeneas to be a powerful man, however Virgil makes him seem much more independent, perhaps even divine as he shapes his future by his own hand, guided by the gods. Livy, on the other hand gives us a much more realistic and believable account, indicating that Aeneas must have been indeed a powerful man, having long friendship ties with the Greeks, which is why they gave him safe passage out of the city. It is interesting to note that Livy shows that basically the Greeks allowed Aeneas to live, and therefore allowed the ancestor of Rome to establish himself.This realism may have been un-tasteful to the Romans, seeing as they conquered the Greeks, although they acknowledged their culture. Overall, it is likely that much of the narrative is based on non-historical details which mean to portray a strong, just and blessed man as the founding father of Rome, however Livy's recount brings him back to the mortal level. Following the leave of Troy, Aeneas journeys many places before he reaches Italy and the lands of king Latinus. In Virgil's Aeneid, Aeneas travels and has adventures similar to those of Odysseus. and he turns over in his mind old Faunus’s oracle: this must be the man, from a foreign house, prophesied by the fates as my son-in-law, and summoned to reign with equal powe rs, whose descendants will be illustrious in virtue, and whose might will take possession of all the world. At last he spoke, joyfully: ‘May the gods favour this beginning, and their prophecy. Trojan, what you wish shall be granted. I do not reject your gifts: you will not lack the wealth of fertile fields, or Troy’s wealth, while Latinus is king.Only, if Aeneas has such longing for us, if he is eager to join us in friendship and be called our ally, let him come himself and not be afraid of a friendly face: it will be part of the pact, to me, to have touched your leader’s hand. Now you in turn take my reply to the king: I have a daughter whom the oracles from my father’s shrine, and many omens from heaven, will not allow to unite with a husband of our race: sons will come from foreign shores, whose blood will raise our name to the stars: this they prophesy is in store for Latium,. I both think and, if my mind foresees the truth, I hope that this is the man destiny demands. (Virgil, Book VII: 254-273). This portrayal resembles a sort of over the top storytelling by which Virgil attempts to show Aeneas' travels to be equal in divinity and adventure to those of the Greek hero, Odysseus. Livy mentions that before arriving in Italy, Aeneas definitely traveled quite a fair distance to Carthage and Sicily, however he does not state that any mythological creatures appeared nor does he recount any tales of Queen Dido nor Aeneas's trip to the underworld, he plainly states that the end of their voyage brought them to Italy, to the lands of King Latinus. When he learned that they were Trojans and their leader, Aeneas, son of Anchises and Venus, and since their native land had been put to the torch, they were exiles seeking a place to found a city, he was much impressed by the fame of both people and the leader and their spirit, prepared as they were for war or peace. He extended his right hand and pledged future friendship. Thereupon the two lea ders struck a treaty, while the two armies saluted one another.Aeneas, the story continues, became a guest of Latinus at his home, where the king before his household gods added a personal alliance to the public one by giving Aeneas his daughter in marriage† (Livy). It is very interesting to compare both accounts because it seems that both Livy and Virgil are saying very similar accounts for the meeting between king Latinus and Aeneas. It is interesting to note that Virgil's account is much more detailed and elegant, whereas Livy just seems to get to the point faster and more accurate.It seems as if it is difficult to trace history this far back, since Livy has more of a historian-type view when writing the Rise of Rome, meaning he will omit many exaggerated things such as oracles mentioning that Aeneas was prophesized to king Latinus. Livy's recount sheds light and seems to offer a ‘logical' reasoning. Livy states that Aeneas and the Trojans were famous throughout the l ands and therefore king Latinus must have heard of them, thereby making Aeneas a powerful man worthy of aligning with.The problem I see with Livy's recount is that he was impressed by the spirit of the people after the sacking of Troy, and extended his right hand in friendship and alliance. In olden times it seems that without personal relationships, a king would not marry off his daughter to a man that used to be a part of a great city, and I think this is where Virgil decided to insert the idea of a prophecy which indicated that Aeneas carried the future of Rome on his shoulders and that the gods would intervene and persuade king Latinus to offer his services and lliance with the Trojans. Livy, however understands that prophecies are a little far-fetched notions and wishing to create a more realistic history, omits it, however he omits much detail, meaning he does not want to write much about a topic he himself must be unsure of. By writing; â€Å"He was much impressed by the fam e of both people and the leader and their spirit, prepared as they were for war or peace.He extended his right hand and pledged future friendship† (Livy) Livy writes true scenarios, since it is common knowledge that the Trojans were famous, were probably armed and did indeed form an alliance with king Latinus, therefore writing no more and no less allows Livy to create a true, if not full, account of what must have happened. There are some archeological evidences that prove that Aeneas existed and that the stories of his pursuit of finding a new home were not invented.As Livy writes about Aeneas, the founder of the Roman people we are able to confirm his existence by the findings of coins dating as far back as 420-350BC showing Aeneas in different situations, however the most common coin images show Aeneas wearing a Phrygian cap or carrying his father, Anchises. The depiction of Aeneas wearing the phrygian cap shows us that there must be truth in the legend of Aeneas's travels to found a new city since the phrygian cap is also known as the cap of liberty in the roman culture, indicating that it was a well known fact that Aeneas and his people were seeking freedom and liberty, from their current situation.The current situation most probably being the loss of their city and therefore their liberty and security. Since wearing the cap signifies liberty and Rome was well known for accepting all sorts of people into its city when it was in its growing stages, the coins help in solidifying the concept of Aeneas as a founder of Rome. The mixing bowl dating back to 470-460BC, shows Aeneas carrying his father. Since these images were painted well before Livy and Virgil, this evidence also seems to confirm the characteristics of Aeneas being a good son who took care of his father.Finally, the travels of Aeneas, from the fall of Troy to the founding of Lavinium are very important myths which the Romans used as tools to recount their past ancestors. It is likely that much of the narrative is based on non-historical details which mean to portray an over exaggerated founder of the Roman people, however archeological evidence as well as accounts from both Livy and Virgil seem to indicate that perhaps there is truth to the myth, albeit the divinity and mythological creatures part.It seems to me that Aeneas was indeed able to escape or leave the ransacked city of Troy with or without the help of the Greeks and that he did indeed leave with his father, showing a deep root in family values. It also seems that Aeneas valued liberty highly since most of the coins portraying him show a phrygian cap on his head. Although Livy's accounts differ slightly from other accounts of Aeneas's myth, it seems that Aeneas must have existed, although there is no direct proof to show the world, meaning it could very well have been a very popular old myth.Sources: Virgil, The Aeneid. Translated by Robert Fitzgerald â€Å"Mixing Bowl depicting Aeneas carrying his father , Anchises 470-460BC† http://www. calvin. edu/academic/phys/observatory/images/asteroid_names-Rhipeus/Aeneas. jpg Coin – Macedonia, Aineia. Ca 424-350 BC. 17mm Aeneas wearing Phrygian Cap http://numismaticmythology. com/TrojanWar. aspx

Creative Writing †Darkness Essay

I suddenly awoke. It was three in the morning. It seemed like the whole world was sleeping but me. The silence, sinister. I felt the weight of the darkness pushing on me. My mind darted from one nightmare scenario to the next, the fear of the unknown overwhelmed me and I was paranoid about vicious intrusionsMy bedroom door was wide open. My eyes darted around the room, hunting for anything different, any dark silhouettes lurking in the darkness. I failed to find anything out of the ordinary. This only increased my paranoia even more. I felt as though I was fighting a war with the darkness, darting from one trench to the next, fleeing for my life. I groped around the darkness to find the light switch on my bedside lamp. I flipped the light†¦ Light†¦ Safety. I immediately felt relieved. I listened carefully for any noises. I could only hear the buzz of electricity in the light above me that gave me a sense of safety, and the beating of my terrified heart. Just as I began to calm down and convinced myself that everything was alright, I remembered that I left the back door unlocked and the window gaping open, inviting in the strangers that lurked in the shadows. I soon found myself once again paranoid and quickly turned back to the light†¦ Light†¦ Comfort. I knew the only way I could get to sleep was to lock that door and the window. The darkness weighed on me. Even with light streaming throughout my room, I still felt a little uneasy, like the darkness pressed up against my window trying to attack me. I encouraged myself that all I had to do was quickly go down the stairs and down the hallway to the back door and the window that was splayed open. Who was I trying to kid? I was freaked out. As I nervously stepped out of my room, the floorboards creaked underneath me as if it was a warning not to go out of the safety of my lit up room and into the horrifying darkness. I cautiously looked down the stairs in to the inky blackness below. Biting my lip, I started to make my way down the stairs. The light switch is at the bottom. I looked behind me, one last peek of light before I carried on descending the stairs into the unknown. I stepped down from step to step cautiously. Each step dragged me further into the darkness and further away from the safety of the light. I reached the bottom of the stairs. I ran my hands along the wall, my fingers sought the light switch. Flick! Light†¦ Reassurance. A quick few strides across to the door. I hastily bolted the door. I turned to the right, facing the open window. A gust of wind swirled around me, enveloping me with cold air making the hair on my skin stand on end under protruding goose bumps. I abruptly latched the window shut. I sighed with relief and turned and walked back to the staircase. I reached the base of the stairs. My hand hovered over the light switch. I took a deep breath and turned the light off. I was forced to plunge myself back into the darkness. I began to count down the steps as I ascended the stairs. Twelve†¦ Eleven†¦ Ten†¦ Nine†¦ Eight†¦ Seven†¦ Six†¦ I momentarily paused. Halfway†¦ Five†¦. Four†¦. Three†¦ Nearly there†¦ Two†¦ One. I stepped back into the welcoming arms of the light in my room. I leaped back into the warmth of my bed. I reached my arm across to turn my bedside lamp off, my hand suspended in mid air as my mind raced back to the events of a few moments ago. I withdrew my arm and hand, returning them to the warmth beneath my covers. I decided that tonight, the light would stay on†¦ Light†¦ Security.