Illinois and Audience Essay Example for Free

Illinois and Audience Essay In the start of President Obama’s speech, he starts out by using the term Anaphora†Hello, Colorado! (Applause.) Thank you! Are you fired up? Are you ready to go? (Applause.) Are you fired up?† This helps him to get the audience ready for his speech, and it creates a good atmosphere which also helps him to make a great speech In his speech Barak Obama uses a lot of pathos laden phrases to help him engage his audience and persuade them to agree with him. We see this in his speech when he introduces some good friends â€Å"Weve got some good friends here today. Youve got your outstanding governor, John Hickenlooper†¦And all of you are here, which makes me excited.†This is an example of pathos because, Barak Obama appeals to the audience emotions by referring to other important political people who is from Denver, and by finishing up his sentence by saying that the audience makes him exited. By evoking this sentiment in his audience, Obama manages to get the audience going, and ready to hear more of what Obama has to say. Which is a very important why to start off, because then he knows that the audience is listing to him. We also see this in his speech when he starts to talk about Romney’s politics† It turns out its not a five-point plan Governor Romney has got, its a one-point plan†¦ And weve been working for four years to clean up this mess that these policies left behind.†This is an example of pathos because, when Obama talks about Governor Romney’s politics he tries to connect to the audience emotion, and he also tries to convince them that his politics is the right one. Obama thereby achieves to get his audience to agree with him, when he criticizes Governor Romney’s politics. He succeeds in doing it, when he tells about that Romney has a five point plan, when it’s only a one which they already tried before Obama took of fice. And that plan took America into the worst economic crises since the Great Depression. In his speech Obama uses logos by appealing to the audience sense. We see this in his speech when he talks about voting† Don’t boo vote. (Applause.) Vote. That’s the way to show your opinion, is to vote† This is a clear example of logos because he clearly appeals to the sense of the audience. By appealing to the sense of the audience, Obama succeeds in getting his message out; that it is important that you vote, instead of just complaining about the other parties view. He is telling that the only way you can get your opinion out, is to vote. A little later in Obama’s speech, he appeals to the audience sense again, we see this in his speech when he talks about the symptoms of romnesia, and tells what the cure is.†But, Denver, I want you to know this: If you feel any symptoms coming on†¦ There’s a cure, Colorado, as long as you vote. (Applause.) Ther e’s a cure.† This is an example of logos because; Obama is again appealing to the audience sense that they need to vote for him. By appealing to the audience Obama achieves, to make sure that they know that he is the cure for Romnesia. By the word Romnesia, Obama uses the term pun; this helps him to create a negative feeling of the work, when you compare it to his own healthcare package â€Å"Obamacare†, with this term he also uses a pun just in a positive way, which creates a good feeling about the word. But the most important part of this quote is, that he makes sure that the audience, see him as the cure. You can say that he is using logos and pathos in this quote, because he is also trying to reach out after the audience emotions. During president Obama’s speech he uses a lot of different terms, the two I have concentrated about is pathos and logos. I find these two terms very important, because it helps him construct a good flowing speech, while he also gets the audience or the ones watching it in TV to agree with him, that’s how he uses pathos. For the once who isn’t sure of what they are going to vote or if they are going to vote, here he uses logos to reach out to the sense audience and tries to help them decide on voting for him.

Green Architecture Design Elements

Green Architecture Design Elements Introduction Since the Industrial Revolution, the world has witnessed incalculable technological achievements, population growth, and corresponding increases in resource use. As we enter a new century, we are recognizing the side effects of our activities: pollution, landfills at capacity, toxic waste, global warming, resource and ozone depletion, and deforestation. These efforts are straining the limits of the Earths carrying capacity  Ã‚  its ability to provide the resources required to sustain life while retaining the capacity to regenerate and remain viable. As the worlds population continues to expand, implementation of resource-efficient measures in all areas of human activity is imperative. The built environment is one clear example of the impact of human activity on resources. Buildings have a significant impact on the environment, accounting for one-sixth of the worlds freshwater withdrawals, one-quarter of its wood harvest, and two-fifths of its material and energy flows. Structures also impact areas beyond their immediate location, affecting the watersheds, air quality, and transportation patterns of communities.[1] That recognition is leading to changes in the way the building industry and building owners approach the design, construction, and operation of structures. With the leadership of diverse groups in the public and private sectors, the building industry is moving toward a new value in its work: that of environmental performance. The industrys growing sustainability ethic is based on the principles of resource efficiency, health, and productivity. Realization of these principles involves an integrated, multidisciplinary approach one in which a building project and its components are viewed on a full life-cycle basis. This cradle-to-cradle approach, known as green or sustainable building, considers a buildings total economic and environmental impact and performance, from material extraction and product manufacture to product transportation building design and construction, operations and maintenance, and building reuse or disposal. Ultimately, adoption of sustainable building practices will lead to a shift in the building industry, with sustainability thoroughly embedded in its practice, products, standards, codes, and regulations. Understanding the specifics of sustainable building and determining effective sustainable practices can be confusing. Local governments and private industry often do not have the resources to perform the necessary research to assemble information on sustainable practices, assuming such information is readily available. This thesis, by its parts, presents a full vision about green architecture, green buildings, and the opportunity to apply this architecture in Lebanon. In Addition, it includes a full conceptual design for a proposed project related to such architecture. PART 1: Green Architecture / Green Buildings 1.1 Definition Sustainable development is the challenge of meeting growing human needs for natural resources, industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and effective waste management while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural resource base essential for future life and development. This concept recognizes that meeting long-term human needs will be impossible unless we also conserve the earths natural physical, chemical, and biological systems.[2] Sustainable development concepts, applied to the design, construction, and operation of buildings, can enhance both the economic well-being and environmental health of communities around the world. The Union Internationale des Architects/American Institute of Architects (UIA/AIA) World Congress of Architects recognized that in its 1993 Declaration of Interdependence, which acknowledges that buildings and the built environment play a major role in the human impact on the natural environment and on the quality of life. If sustainable design principles are incorporated into building projects, benefits can include resource and energy efficiency, healthy buildings and materials, ecologically and socially sensitive land use, transportation efficiency, and strengthened local economies and communities. Embracing sustainability concepts, the goals aim to reduce energy, operation, and maintenance costs; reduce building-related illnesses; increase the productivity and comfort of building occupants; reduce waste and pollution; and increase building and component durability and flexibility.[3] In the developed countries, public and private leaders have realized the economic and environmental benefits of green building practices and are instituting policies, developing building guidelines, and manufacturing products and systems that will achieve sustainable development goals. 1.2 Green buildings history 1.2.1 Historical Buildings According to David Gissen, curator of architecture and design and the National Building Museum in Washington DC, structures such as Londons Crystal Palace and Milans Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II used methods that decreased the impact of the structure on the environment. Systems such as roof ventilators and underground air cooling chambers were used to regulate indoor air temperature.[4] In the early twentieth century, several skyscrapers such as the Flatiron Building and the New York Times Building in New York utilized deep-set windows and the Carson Pirie Scott department store in Chicago had retractable awnings. Both of these techniques were effective in controlling interior temperature while lessoning the buildings impact on the environment.[5] From the 1930s through the 1960s, the forward thinking cooling methods mentioned above gave way to some new building technologies that would change inner-city building construction dramatically. The invention of air conditioning, reflective glass, and structural steel popularized the enclosed glass and steel buildings that litter the American city today. These buildings were able to be heated and cooled with massive HVAC systems that consumed huge amounts of cheap and readily available fossil fuels.[6] The massive consumption of energy required to inhabit these buildings made their viability tenable and entirely dependent upon energy availability and cost. 1.2.2 The Infancy Around the time that the glass box style high rise had become the icon of the American city (circa 1970), a forward thinking group of architects, environmentalists, and ecologists[7] were inspired by the growing environmental movement and the higher fuel costs that were prevalent during the 1970s.[8] The genesis of these two scenarios ultimately resulted in the modern build green movement. The first Earth Day, celebrated in April 1970, gave some credence to this new building concept, but the OPEC oil embargo of 1973 gave the burgeoning environmental movement, and subsequently the green build effort, the kick start it needed. With gas lines stretching for blocks, some Americans began to question the conventional wisdom that we should be so independently reliant upon fossil fuels for our energy.[9] As a result of the oil embargo, amongst other energy concerns, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) formed a Committee on Energy that was broken into two camps. One group looked toward passive, such as reflective roofing materials and environmentally beneficial sitting of buildings, to achieve energy savings, while the other concentrated more on technological solutions, such as the use of triple-glazed windows.'[10] As energy concerns subsided, momentum for green building and the environment, in general, slowed down, but a dedicated core-group of architects continued to push their green building concept forward. A couple of notable buildings constructed during the seventies which utilized concepts of green design are: The Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters in England, which utilized a grass roof, day-lighted atrium, and mirrored windows; the Gregory Bateson Building in California, which used energy-sensitive photovoltaic (solar cells)[11], under-floor rock store cooling systems, and area climate control devices.[12] Through the late seventies, throughout the eighties, and into the early nineties, much research was commissioned on energy efficient processes. This research resulted in more effective solar panels, prefabricated efficient wall systems, water reclamations systems, modular construction units, and direct usage of light through windows in order to decrease day-time energy consumption.[13] 1.3 Green Organizations 1.4 Green effect on buildings cities 1.4.1 Energy Efficiency Approximately 50 percent of the energy use in buildings is devoted to producing an artificial indoor climate through heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting.[14] A typical buildings energy bill constitutes approximately 25 percent of the buildings total operating costs. Estimates indicate that climate-sensitive design using available technologies could cut heating and cooling energy consumption by 60 percent and lighting energy requirements by at least 50 percent in U.S. buildings.[15] 1.4.2 Water Efficiency Water conservation and efficiency programs have begun to lead to substantial decreases in the use of water within buildings. Water-efficient appliances and fixtures, behavioral changes, and changes in irrigation methods can reduce consumption by up to 30 percent or more.[16] As demand on water increases with urban growth, the economic impact of water conservation and efficiency will increase proportionately. Water efficiency not only can lead to substantial water savings, it also can reduce the requirement for expansion of water treatment facilities. Non-residential water customers account for a small percentage of the total number of water customers, but use approximately 35 percent or more of the total water.[17] 1.4.3 Waste Reduction Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and materials used during construction. For example, in California nearly 60% of the states waste comes from commercial buildings.[18] During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material going to landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills. To reduce the impact on wells or water treatment plants, several options exist. Greywater, wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines, can be used for subsurface irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable purposes, e.g., to flush toilets and wash cars. Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes. Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be costly and use a lot of energy. An alternative to this process is converting waste and wastewater into fertilizer, which avoids these costs and shows other benefits. By collecting human waste at the source and running it to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced. This concept was demonstrated by a settlement in Lubeck Germany in the late 1990s. Practices like these provide soil with organic nutrients and create carbon sinks that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offsetting greenhouse gas emission. Producing artificial fertilizer is also more costly in energy than this process.[19] 1.4.4 Construction Cost Reduction Application of green building concepts can yield for savings during the construction process. Measures that are relatively easy to implement can result in savings to the contractor in the following areas: Lower energy costs, by monitoring usage, installing energy-efficient lamps and fixtures, and using occupancy sensors to control lighting fixtures; Lower water costs, by monitoring consumption and reusing storm water and/or construction wastewater where possible; Lower site-clearing costs, by minimizing site disruption and movement of earth and installation of artificial systems; Lower landfill dumping fees and associated hauling charges, through reuse and recycling of construction and demolition debris; Lower materials costs, with more careful purchase and reuse of resources and materials; Possible earnings from sales of reusable items removed during building demolition; and Fewer employee health problems resulting from poor indoor air quality. This listing suggests some possible areas for cost savings; the project team can identify other possibilities through a cooperative and integrated team approach. The contractor can also improve relations with the community and building owner by viewing them as part of the team effort to implement environmentally sound construction measures. 1.4.5 Building Operation and Maintenance The green building measures discussed in this manual can lead not only to lower building operating expenses through reduced utility and waste disposal costs, but also to lower on-going building maintenance costs, ranging from salaries to supplies. For example, in many buildings, maintenance staff collects recycled materials on each floor or even at every employees desk and carry the materials down to the basement for hand sorting. Recycling chutes, a viable green alternative, allow direct discarding of materials from any floor in the building to the basement. The chute system, which ideally is installed during initial construction or renovation, can sort materials automatically, saving labor costs by eliminating the need to collect, transport, and sort recyclables. Other savings come in the form of lower waste hauling fees; reduced workers compensation insurance premiums due to lower claims for accidents from sharp glass and cans; reduced elevator maintenance; less frequent cleanin g of spills on carpets and floors; and less need for pest control. Environmentally friendly housekeeping products can also have financial advantages. For example, cleaning products that are purchased as concentrates and use minimal packaging not only promote waste reduction, but also can reduce product usage by 30 to 60 percent with dispensers that more accurately measure and dilute the cleaning products for optimum effectiveness.[20] Building owners need to view the building manager and staff as vital participants in environmentally sound and cost-effective operations. Building managers, charged with the efficient operation and maintenance of multi-million-dollar assets, have experience in all areas of operations and maintenance over the life of a building. Once a building is operational, training of management and maintenance staff including education on effective green building measures such as building energy management systems, new cleaning products, and new building codes and standards can help them to maintain the building in a resource-efficient and economically favorable manner. 1.4.6 Insurance and Liability The past decades conventional office design, construction, and operational practices have decreased the quality of the indoor office environment, resulting in new health concerns and associated economic costs and liability. The introduction of a multitude of new contaminant pollution sources into the workplace, combined with tighter building construction, has intensified air-quality problems. For example, poor indoor air quality can result from such factors as faulty air-conditioning systems, occupant related pollutants, construction materials that emit high levels of volatile organic compounds, and poor maintenance practices. The U.S. EPA ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health. Unhealthy indoor air is found in up to 30 percent of new and renovated buildings.[21] Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and Building Related Illness (BRI) have become more common in the workplace, increasing building owner and employer costs due to sickness, absenteeism, and increased liability claims. It has been estimated that SBS and BRI cost roughly $60 billion each year in medical expenses and lost worker productivity in the United States.[22] Legal actions related to Sick Building Syndrome and other building-related problems have increased. These actions against building designers, owners, or employers may be initiated by occupants who have short- or long-term problems, ranging from headaches and burning eyes to more serious ailments. Initial economic impact may come in the forms of higher health insurance premiums, increased workers compensation claims, and decreased productivity. Expensive remediation projects and environmental cleanups may follow, and building owners may try to recover losses from the original project contractors and architects through litigation. By ensuring better indoor air quality, building owners, employers, and design professionals can lower their risk of future litigation by building occupants. Professional liability insurance companies have indicated a willingness to offer design professionals lower insurance premiums for higher operating-procedure standards that lead to improved indoor air quality. Some national architectural firms are attempting to rate building products according to the levels of volatile organic compounds they emit after installation, and to educate building owners and managers about healthier product choices. 1.4.7 Occupant Health and Productivity The purpose of a building is not only to provide shelter for its occupants, but also to provide an environment conducive to high performance of all intended occupant activities. Recent studies have shown that buildings with good overall environmental quality, including effective ventilation, natural or proper levels of lighting, indoor air quality, and good acoustics, can increase worker productivity by six to 16 percent.[23] An organizations most significant financial commitment is usually to its employees. Many employers spend at least as much on salary-related expenditures as they do on constructing an entire company building. In many organizations, salaries and associated benefits consume the majority of the annual operating budget.[24] For example; based on the sample calculations in 2, a typical employer could spend $233 per square foot annually for an employee. Building construction costs generally fall below this level, often by 50 percent. In addition, annual employee salary-related expenditures, using the numbers in 2, are approximately 130 times greater than energy costs. A productivity increase of six percent equates to savings to the employer of $14 per square foot eight times the cost of the buildings annual energy bill. Given this information, an employer can decide to maximize the performance and efficiency of personnel resources through assessment of, and improvement to, the indoor environmental quality of its building. The following account of a recent renovation project illustrates this approach. Both building owners and building tenant/employers can benefit in other ways by improving indoor environmental quality. For owners, these improvements can result in higher property values, longer tenant occupancy and lease renewals, reduced insurance and operating costs, reduced liability risks, extended equipment life, and good publicity. For tenants, benefits include reduced absenteeism and better employee morale, reduced insurance and operating costs, reduced liability risks, and community recognition. If the building owner is also the employer, an organization can offset initial construction design and systems costs with the reduction of long-term organizational and operational expenses over the buildings life cycle. 1.4.8 Building Value Green buildings high efficiency and performance can result in higher property values and potentially lower lenders credit risk. Lower operating costs associated with more efficient systems can lead to higher building net income. In addition to increasing a buildings net operating income or value, green building measures may allow building owners to charge higher rents or achieve higher rates of building occupancy, if tenants view green properties as more desirable. Currently, voluntary building rating programs are under development for commercial buildings in the United States. As these programs are introduced into the marketplace and gain the acceptance of building owners and tenants, they could impact the value of properties. Prospective tenants will be able to rate buildings based on such measurable features as natural daylight, better indoor air quality, and lower energy, water, and waste costs. If enough buildings are rated for environmental performance, those that perform better will start to realize market advantages. 1.4.9 Local Economic Development Opportunities Promotion and implementation of green building practices within a community can generate new economic development opportunities. These opportunities can take a variety of forms, including new business development to meet the demand for green products and services; resource-efficiency improvement programs that enable existing businesses to lower operating costs; development of environmentally oriented business districts; and job training related to new green businesses and products. 1.5 Appliance Ways of applying 1.5.1 Appliances 1.5.1.1 Selecting environmentally and economically balanced building materials. Buildings significantly alter the environment. According to Worldwatch Institute1, building construction consumes 40 percent of the raw stone, gravel, and sand used globally each year, and 25 percent of the virgin wood. Buildings also account for 40 percent of the energy and 16 percent of the water used annually worldwide. In the United States, about as much construction and demolition waste is produced as municipal garbage. Finally, unhealthy indoor air is found in 30 percent of new and renovated buildings worldwide. Negative environmental impacts flow from these activities. For example, raw materials extraction can lead to resource depletion and biological diversity losses. Building materials manufacture and transport consumes energy, which generates emissions linked to global warming and acid rain. Landfill problems, such as leaching of heavy metals, may arise from waste generation. All these activities can lead to air and water pollution. Unhealthy indoor air may cause increased morbidity and mortality. Selecting environmentally preferable building materials is one way to improve a buildings environmental performance. To be practical, however, environmental performance must be balanced against economic performance. Even the most environmentally conscious building designer or building materials manufacturer will ultimately want to weigh environmental benefits against economic costs. They want to identify building materials that improve environmental performance with little or no increase in cost. The building community is making decisions today that have environmental and economic consequences. Its decisions are plagued by incomplete and uncertain data as well as the lack of a standardized methodology for evaluating the data. The NIST/EPA team seeks to support these decisions by gathering environmental and economic performance data and by structuring and computerizing the decision-making process. The resulting BEES tool will be publicly available over the Internet. In the mean while, the USGBC has published a list of materials certified from LEED containing several green materials including: flooring, interior construction, paints film, fabrics, draperies, tack surfaces, ceiling systems, lighting, appliances, millwork, furniture and plumping fixtures. 1.6 Education of green architecture Since 1993, UIA released the Declaration of Interdependence for a Sustainable Future suggesting that the architectural profession should seek to achieve ecological sustainability within the limited time that is likely to be available. And its been 14 years after the release of UIA / UNESCO Charter For Architectural Education that registers among educational goals an ecologically balanced and sustainable development of the built environment. Since then, many architecture schools have introduced or upgraded courses on technical aspects of sustainability, like Energy Conscious Design, Sustainable Architecture, Beyond Green or Bioclimatic Architecture and others more. The integration of sustainability in design schools up to now has been reviewed by several surveys. Most of them share two conclusions: first, that not many schools have embraced the subject in a thorough manner, pointing at the low level at which sustainable design concepts have been incorporated into the regular curriculum and noticing that environmental education in architecture has been done on an ad-hoc basis, fragmented and insufficient'[25]; second, that sustainable design requires teaching methods quite different than the long-established ones[26]. Environmental crisis and its foreseeable effects are still a marginal issue in the academic discourse at schools supposedly dealing with the environment, perhaps because crises are not an attractive subject in our feel-good era. As a result, those who will have to tackle the looming crisis in the near future are not adequately prepared. Still, the need to implement sustainable design is widely recognized by the educational community, at least in principle. A telling example is a survey among architectural educators in more than 30 European countries in 2001[27], where nearly 90% of the respondents are voting for a rather dramatic shift from a currently rather low to a high consideration of Sustainable Development in future architectural education. According to the survey, only 19% of those said that this concept is currently receiving a very/quite high level of consideration, and 83% said it should receive a very/quite high level of consideration in architectural education, identifying as an aspect of leading importance the integration of sustainability-issues into all studio design. In spite of such consensus, there is still a long road until sustainable design is firmly rooted in architectural learning. There are a number of reasons for this, within and outside the academic perimeter: 1.6.1 Academic obstacles _____________________ In most schools that show environmental concern, related issues are usually confined in elective classes, detached from design studios. This creates a fringe reputation for sustainability, shunning its principles from the main design projects to the periphery of architectural learning. As a result, no practical experience is gained in how to introduce sustainable qualities in the core design agenda. ______________________ In many cases the emphasis is on quantitative rather than qualitative matters. As a result number crunching eclipses design, and students tend to associate sustainable concerns with numerical performance only, detached from issues like comfort, resources, or societal ethics. In that manner, sustainability-related courses are considered similar to those on technical fields like structural or mechanical design, but not real architecture. ______________________ Sustainable design is a rather recent theme, not very familiar to the old guard that administers schools. Most tutors have had limited or even nonexistent training in their past, and practical experience is even more rare. Consequently, a lack of importance placed on sustainable design by many architectural educators'[28] is no surprise. As a result, it is difficult to introduce obscure, uninteresting or useless new topics to the curriculum, especially in view of the fact that sustainable design challenges the predominantly artistic stance of architecture. ___________________ Sustainable design is a complex architectural approach, encompassing diverse fields of knowledge and requiring multi-discipline teamwork. Therefore its teaching cannot fit with the conventional linear approach where different technical skills are segregated in different departments, with rare opportunities to bring them all together through joint projects in a holistic manner. Furthermore, sustainable architecture is a complex subject that should be covered throughout the curriculum'[29], not just in sporadic projects. ____________________ Furthermore, design projects are frequently detached from earthly reality as if they refer to a space station, hardly interrelated with nature or society. Societal ethics or environmental awareness are not embedded in the agenda, confining training in merely technical skills with major focus on the aesthetic. An architectural student suddenly transported to many of our architecture schools from 1900 Paris would feel right at home.[30] _____________________ Environmental crisis is repeatedly under the limelight of the media but, remarkably, it is seldom included in the academic discourse. There is little systematic awareness of the relationship of building and urban design with vital environmental issues like energy water shortages, air ground pollution, urban heat island ecological footprint, or resources depletion. And certainly such topics are not included in project briefs or ordinary student work. _______________________ Furthermore, there is insufficient supplementary input through technical classes like building physics or environmental technology that could support sustainable design projects. When students do not understand the dynamic linkage between structures, environmental conditions and users, it is not easy to differentiate, say, between building in the landscape and building in interaction with the landscape.[31] 1.6.2 Outside the classroom The introduction of sustainability in architecture schools encounters further difficulties stemming from the outer side of the academic walls: ____________________ Sustainable design has yet to find a clear identity: Is it a building technique, a blend of architecture and engineering that can be applied on any architectural variety just like, say, fire safety or seismic proofing? Is it just one more architectural fashion, perhaps with extra consideration to the environment than the rest, with its own stylistic trademarks like solar collectors, conservatories, or green labels? Or is it a novel design mindset, where nature society, today tomorrow are equal partners in the design framework? _____________________ The sustainable design family includes variations like energy conscious, bioclimatic, solar, ecological, or green, any of which could be applied in a non-sustainable manner. For instance, an energy-saving scheme could employ non-ecological materials; bioclimatic skyscrapers use more resources than low rise, and the sustainability of a huge green mansion with just two occupants is questionable. It is clear that sustainable design in full scale is a complex endeavor that requires a holistic alertness on a broad array of subjects, technical as much as social: Although there is much interest and curiosity about the subject, no one would say its easy to learn or apply in practice.[32] ______________________ The architectural haut couture of our era markets themes rather far from sustainability. As a result prudence and ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ (metron = Greek for measure) are ostracized from the main architectural values[33]. Given that architecture is always learned by example, many students and many grownups too clone the glamorous paradigms of the grand maitres,

Life, Death, and Cancer :: Essays Papers

Life, Death, and Cancer The vast majority of people go though life taking things as they are; they seem to never want to know how things work or why something happens the way it does. Think about it, how does a plan fly, or how does an engine run. These innovations were discovered many years ago and took much time and effort to discover and perfect. If a person were to look at the world, there is not much that they could say â€Å"I know how this works†, rather they say â€Å"I wonder why this happens as it does†. Well one of the most important things in the world is medicine, or the medical world. Without the past works of doctors, surgeons, and those who have helped pave the way, the world would be devastated. One of the most important and dangerous areas of surgery is that of the brain. The brain is one of the most complex parts of the body and takes much time and effort to understand. If a part is so complex that is controls actions, thoughts, feelings, contains knowledge and facts , just think about how hard it would be to really understand what this part is capable of doing. Such complex things such as the brain require more effort and time to understand than any engine or plane could ever have. Without the dedication that these people had, the information that we have today would never be possible. The technology that was present back in the day was nothing more then steel, a mirror, paper, and a pen. The way that this information was received is amazing; to just imagine what the possibilities are for the future is going to be outstanding and the risks will become nothing of the past. The past generations have set a standard for excellence and a need of knowledge; what the future holds is even greater. History is one of the most important things in success of surgery but to be better educated on the topic of cancer one must know what cancer is, the types of cancer, and the solution s to eliminate cancer in general. One of the most exciting things about the discovery brain cancer is the history behind the complex operation. To think that back in the eighteen hundreds physicians and doctors had the capability to open the human brain and surgically remove the tumor in the brain.

The Playground Of The Gods :: essays research papers

The Playground of The Gods Cathy Spellman's, The Playground of The Gods is an exuberant novel which deals with murder in a remote tropical paradise but can further be read as an illustration of man's ignorance and invasion of nature. "Do it big, or stay in bed."( Larry Kelly). These are words that Thoros Gagarian lives by. He is one of the wealthiest men in the world and when picking his private paradise, only one place on earth could serve his needs and fantasies. This place is Mora Utu-The playground of the Gods-a green jewel in the placid blue expanse of the South Pacific, the most luxurious and seductive private preserve anywhere on the planet. Once his prized-possession has been found, Thoros immediately ships the island natives to a different island and brings in his construction crews to hurriedly build his paradise in order to have it ready for a celebratory visit by 12 of his close friends. In the introduction to the story, Cathy Spellman makes clear the notion that the protagonist, Thoros Gagarian views himself as an indestructible god. Her descriptions of his haste purchase of his Island paradise shows a man for whom their is no boundaries. His arrogance is further displayed in his building of his compound. Spellman's voice of reason comes from a spiritual Mexican couple who are Thoros's servants. They not only warn but predict of many consequences to the ignorance to which nature is being shown. â€Å"Nature will not permit alteration on such a scale.†(Emilio, 114). However, these warnings are ignored by the men who do not appreciate a bizarre servant couple speaking of things which money can't buy and power can't control. This is when Spellman's utilization of irony comes into the picture. A member of the party catches a tropical fever, yet he can't be cured because the tree which possesses the antidote was destroyed in the creation of the facility. This is followed by a serendipitous chain of events which is climaxed

Kurt Vonnegut :: essays papers

Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut is one of the greatest pacifist writers in the world, although criticized by many he still tries to get his message across to the public. Kurt Vonnegut has written many novels in his lifetime the most well known is Slaughterhouse Five, which tells of his experiences somewhat in World War Two. Throughout all his novels he seems to keep the same â€Å"recurring Vonnegut theme is the evil that occurs when technology is allowed by man to run rampant. I am the enemy of all technological progress that threatens mankind.†(Saturday Evening Post, May/June 86 pg. 38) Kurt Vonnegut was born on November 11th, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was born into a family where the father was a respectable architect, but less than a year after his parents marriage came World War One. â€Å"Prohibition ended the Lieber income from brewing and the Great Depression brought a halt to building and hence unemployment to to Vonnegut’s architect father. Looking back on those years, Vonnegut has said that the time of the Great Depression was not particularly hard for him.†(American Writers, A Collection of Literary Biographies, Supplement 2,Part 2 pg 754) Kurt Vonnegut had his first writing experience a Shortridge Highschool in Indianapolis. He then attended Cornell University where he majored in chemistry and biology. After being kicked out of Cornell he then Enlisted in the army. Soon after his enlistment his mother committed suicide and his father died roughly 13 years after. He had become a German prisoner of war in 1944 which was the inspration fo r his book Slaughterhouse Five. After returning home he began the start of many novels. Many things had affected his life such key items as the Great Depression, his parents dying when he was young, being captured in the war and the death of his 41 year old sister. This would lead him to mock how society would be in years to come. In his first novel Player Piano he makes fun of an electric company that sacrifices humanity for technology. This was set in years to come where scientists and other people of that field were attempting to have machines take over humans jobs. This is the start of many personal experiences that motivate him to either mock society or warn them if they are not careful. In using his own experiences he makes his points more realistic.

Junot Diaz’s “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” Essay

The elders who are used to reminiscing and looking back at the times of their younger years would usually counsel young people of today to treasure, cherish, and make the most of their youth while it is still there. They would often say that, just when a person thinks everything about youth is so wonderful, one’s youthfulness will eventually slip away and that person can never get it back. More often than not, the adventurous activities, fantasies, dreams, and endeavors are the most precious memories the elders reminisce about their youth. This could be why it is often told that a young person’s story is the most precious, the richest, and the best to remember. Many people are often grateful that once in their lives they were able to play, explore, fall in love, and discover great things. However, there are some who would just sit with regret as they look back and see nothing about their younger days but their naivety. But how would it feel like if a person had everything in his or her younger days but nothing beyond that because his or her life ends at the peak of his or her adolescence? One of the shortest yet most colorful stories ever told is that of a boy named Oscar Wao in a moving and entertaining tale by Junot Diaz called, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. This is the story of a boy who had all the play time, adventures, and challenges a child can ever experience in his childhood, but it also tells the story of a boy who wished to become a full-grown man but never became one. What the Story is About A Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao tells the tale of Oscar, a young boy with the most colorful and adventurous childhood. The story is set in a humble village living an ordinary way of life in the United States. Oscar is described in the story as an overweight ghetto nerd who is always scolded and advised by his sister, Lola, to work harder on having a better physique in order to attract girls (Scott). The story opens with a retelling of the difficulties experienced by his mother, Beli, during the regime of an abusive and feared dictator, Rafael Trujillo in 1930 and 1961. Trujillo is tagged by Oscar himself as the â€Å"dictatingest dictator who ever dictated† who then became his most hated person because of how he brought sadness and bad luck to his family’s life (Diaz 80). This is where the concept of fuku appears. Fuku, as how Oscar puts it, is the mother of all bad lucks that can affect a person and his or her family not only for one generation but also for the rest of their lineage’s existence. Because his mother once dared to go in the way of Trujillo, Oscar believes that fuku has affected their family ever since, so he thinks of fuku as the reason why his family never really had a completely happy life. Aside from being a normal teenager who daydreams of the typical teenage fantasies, Oscar also dreams of becoming an accomplished sci-fi writer and a successful lover boy as well. As an adolescent, Oscar goes through the usual dilemmas and adventures of young boys such as being busted, having absurd sexual fantasies, and falling in love with a person he knew he could never have. Oscar’s story is filled with exciting adventures of a boy who tries to discover his place in a foreign land. It is also loaded with exhilarating escapades of a young boy with friends and women. Although the story has two different narrators—which makes it a little bit confusing in some parts—the language is nonetheless creatively utilized to make the text more dynamic and at the same time captivating (Flanagan). Analyzing the Themes Depicted in the Story Love and Obsession Although love is considered an eternal theme that has grazed the pages of innumerable literary works, Junot Diaz successfully captures the interest of a lot of readers in this work because of how complex, difficult, and impossible it is presented in this story. Unlike other works of fiction, Diaz chose to present the concept of love under the light of a certain reality. Diaz depicts the reality of love in this story as something which other people can only dream about; thus, he portrays the reality that the joy and bliss love brings cannot be for all, and that there are just some people who may have really been struck by fuku and can never enjoy the goodness of true love. Beli is presented as the first victim of this miserable reality of love. Her story involves that of a girl who simply fell in love with the wrong person, in the wrong time, and under the wrong circumstances. Beli was a typical kind of a mistress. She fell for a man who was married to not just any other woman, but to the sister of the feared dictator of Dominican Republic during that time, Rafael Trujillo. Her love was that strong that she was ready to face the harsh consequences that may come her way. She was ready to accept the fact that she can never be the first lady in her man’s heart no matter how painful it becomes. However, danger came really close when Trujillo and his sister finally found out about Beli. Although Beli did not want to leave her country, she was forced to do so due to her fear of losing her future and at the advice of her concerned foster mother. That was when Beli had to flee to the United States where she was to start a new life. Indeed, love can really be very bitter and unjust to some people. While other people are throwing away all the goodness love can bring, there are those who yearn for the freedom of loving someone, yet they can never do either because they were struck by fuku, or they are just simply not meant to be. Aside from Beli’s sad experience on love, Diaz’s notion about love is also illustrated in Oscar’s experience: â€Å"Love was a rare thing, easily confused with million other things, and if anybody knew this to be true, it was him† (Diaz 321). As Lola and her boyfriend Yunior narrate Oscar’s story side-by-side, it becomes apparent that Oscar was able to meet several girls in his short-lived life. Even at the young age of seven, Lola describes him to be someone who developed a great fondness for girls who wore lipstick. All the other boys his age avoided the girls like they were a bad case of Captain Trips. Not Oscar †¦ The girls – his sister Lola’s friends, his mother’s friends, even their neighbor, Mari Colon, a thirty-something postal employee who wore red on her lips and walked like she had a bell for an ass – all purportedly fell for him. † (Diaz 12) Thus, Oscar apparently had such an easy time attracting women even at a very juvenile age. However, although this was the case when he was younger, his love life meets a great turnaround during his adolescent years when he encounters a prostitute by the name of Yvon. Yvon is a prostitute whom everybody knows as the â€Å"property† of a corrupt police captain. Although this was clearly understood by Oscar, he seems to be unable to do anything about his growing feelings for Yvon—a feeling different from what he felt for all the other girls he met in the past. At first, love may seem as an exaggerated term as a label to what Oscar feels for Yvon. It may be natural for the readers to think that what he feels is an ordinary case of sexual attraction brought by his own sexual frustrations as an overweight adolescent, and also conclude that Yvon is the kind of girl who can be considered a master in seducing men. However, it becomes clear that Oscar has indeed developed a special kind of affection towards Yvon when he became so possessive and insistent on being with her despite the possible dangers it imposes upon him, knowing he is actually trying to steal the captain’s lady. Oscar even comes to a more serious point of asking Yvon to get married, but Yvon hesitates and always turns him down due to fear of what may happen to both of them if they choose to give in to their feelings. At this point, Diaz’s intention to portray love as an impossible and a difficult thing appears very clear. Based on how much Oscar fought for his love for Yvon, it is evident that he and his mother share the same unlucky fate when it comes to love. Hence, it can be inferred that they both fell for the wrong person (who belonged to the â€Å"wrong† people) at the wrong time and under wrong and unlucky circumstances as well. Considering this, the readers may not help but think that Diaz is trying to say that fuku may indeed exist as it appears to have set upon Oscar’s family. However, love, as many would say, often comes with another miserable reality called obsession, and this theme can also be observed in the entirety of Diaz’s work. Considering the love felt by both Oscar and Beli for their lovers, it can be safe to say that it was obsession, aside from love, which kept them holding on to their feelings. Indeed, both can be seen to have specific obsessions. In Beli’s case, her only obsession was her love for the man who can never give back the same amount of love to her. She knew it was not right to love a man who is already married, yet her obsession for that person and for his affection made her feel that the world is but an unjust place, unable to distribute the freedom to love evenly among all its inhabitants. On the other hand, Oscar also appears to be obsessed with love as much as how was obsessed with women in the past. While other kids his age considered women as a vice which needs to be avoided, he looked at them with so much delight that he considered them as the next sweetest thing to candies that can as well vary in size, shapes, and colors. He became so used to women calling him hombre because he was seen as a lover boy who knew all about women’s weaknesses and soft spots. He became so addicted to this kind of relationship that he never knew getting together with a girl like Yvon would be such a difficult thing to handle. As it appears, love has indeed become Oscar’s greatest obsession. He became blind to Yvon’s natural beauty and appeal which prevented him from seeing the reality that they can never be together since she is already a property of someone else—someone else who is much more powerful than him. Thus, the circumstances of Beli and Oscar suggest that oftentimes, love and obsession go hand-in-hand. Sex Oscar’s character is introduced to the concept of sex during the early years of his adolescence, just like what typically happens to average teenagers. This theme reverberates throughout the story—from Oscar’s own retelling to Lola and Yunior’s. Like average teenagers, Oscar is described to have such a glorious impression about sex as something that reflects manliness and strength. However, although he knew this, it is mentioned repeatedly in the story that Oscar thought he might possibly die a virgin. Throughout the entire story, Oscar talks and fantasizes about nothing but the image of him making love with a woman he loves. Yet, there are also times when he becomes so desperate that he just wanted to do the act with anybody just to prove he would not die a virgin. This seems to be the biggest frustration of Oscar. He leaves their home for college as a virgin and he comes back a virgin still. Thus, it can be inferred that Diaz attempts to imply that in this modern age where sex is being popularized by the mass media, it may seem hard for a typical teenager to go on without experiencing it when all the boys are considering it as a trophy and a great achievement. Aside from this, considering that Oscar is overweight, Diaz presents how hard it can be for an adolescent who is not physically attractive to dream of something like sex when everybody else in the neighborhood seems to be doing it as a normal activity. Only in the last lines of the novel would reveal that Oscar indeed has done it with the love of his life, Yvon, and he chose to describe it this way: â€Å"So this is what everybody’s always talking about! Diablo! If only I’d known. The beauty! The beauty! † (Diaz 339). Reading â€Å"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao† is like looking deep into the frustrations and fantasies of every teenager. Oscar’s characterization as a desperate overweight adolescent who enters and leaves college as a virgin, his natural tendency to wear his â€Å"nerdiness† the way a master swordsman wears his sword, as well as his occasional suicidal tendencies can be seen as honest and true-to-life representations of the challenges adolescents face (Kakutani). Moreover, Oscar’s views of love, obsession, and sex also reflect the popular notions and impressions of teenagers regarding such topics. Hence, this work of Diaz may serve as a mirror to all the young people who cannot identify with their environment either because of their color, nationality, weight, and/or personality. Oscar Wao’s fantasies, challenges, failures, and frustrations definitely show the readers that an adolescent’s life is not always plainly about play, adventure, and leading a happy-go-lucky life. All of his heartaches, mishaps, and adventures shaped his desire to be accepted by his generation, since being accepted in his age may mean having several girlfriends, being physically fit, and especially not dying a virgin. In this short-lived yet dynamic life of Oscar Wao, the reality of youth being the most colorful and upbeat period of a person’s life is once again justified. Thus, considering how Oscar’s life ended, it can be inferred that childhood is the happiest time of life, and although Oscar’s life ended there, his life tells that childhood is also the period of life that one should enjoy to the fullest. Works Cited Diaz, Junot. The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. London: Riverhead Books, 2007. Dickens, Charles. â€Å"A boy’s story is the best that is ever told. † Quote Junkie (British Edition). Ed. Hagopian Institute. California: Create Space, 2008. 16 Flanagan, Mark. â€Å"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. † About. com. Sept. 2007. 29 July 2009. . Kakutani, Michiko. â€Å"Travails of an Outcast. † The New York Times. 4 Sept. 2007. 29 July 2009. . Scott, A. C. â€Å"Dreaming in Spanglish. † The New York Times. 30 Sept. 2007. 29 July 2009. .

Colonization of India Essay

The colonization of India was very slow and very subtle. Europe’s first contacts in India were made initially by the Portuguese. The Portuguese traveled there by sea and took over Indian trade and commerce. In 1492 a Papal Bull was declared, allowing the Portuguese to go to Kerala (May 18th, 1498). They went in search of spices, and Christians. Later in another voyage in 1500 it became the Portuguese mission to convert Indians as well as manipulating the spice trade. 95 years later, in 1595 the Dutch began to invade India. Now two European influences were controlling India. Both the Dutch and Portuguese had prominent influence in India but the most came from England around the year 1600. India at the time was a very powerful place due to its trading possibilities. It had very valuable spice products that many nations desired, especially the English. That is why in 1600 the British East India Trading Company was created, â€Å"After a Dutch company made tremendous profits trading with the spice islands in South-east Asia (known as the East-Indies) eighty English Merchants joined together to form the British East India Company in 1600. Timid traders compared to the Portuguese and Dutch, the English merchants concentrated on amassing wealth. â€Å" (Indian Independence, 7) The trading company was the first way the English asserted themselves in India. In 1665, they gained even more power through the gaining of Bombay (because King Charles married a Portuguese princess) In 1696 the Mughals prohibited more settlement gaining England a mass amount of money. England asserted itself in India through social power, and money. In 1773, as the company almost went bankrupt the English government took over the trading company. This basically gave the English unlimited power in India. At this time the English had great means to colonize India. The British were in the middle of the Industrial Revolution. They were continuously coming up with and producing new technologies, which greatly helped improve their economy. Factories were opened, and railroads were built, demand for English products were huge they were very much in power, coupled with a strong navy this made them very powerful. But the English knew they could not directly take over Indians even with all this power. India was valuable for their Spice production. In order to produce spices, they needed the Indian people happy and alive. The extent of what they could do was send English regiments there, and even many soldiers disagreed with the English motives this made colonization in India difficult, therefore it had to be very subtle and quiet, here is an account of English soldier in Burma, â€Å"All this was perplexing and upsetting. For at that time I had already made up my mind that imperialism was an evil thing and the sooner chucked up my job and got out of it the better. The oretically-and secretly of course- I was all for the Burmese and all against the Burmese, the British. â€Å" (George Orwell, Shooting an Elephant 1) Even those on the side of England opposed England.