The Major Issues and Difficulties Facing the European Union and Its Essay

The Major Issues and Difficulties Facing the European Union and Its Attempts to Effectively Fight Fraud Against Its Budget - Essay Example In 1992, the Treaty of Maastricht was signed which gave rise to the European Union (EU). A single market devoid of any boundaries was established where people could go from one country to another freely. The single currency concept came into being in 2002 with the introduction of Euro. The EU family is growing day by day and more countries are joining in. The European Parliament, the body governing the EU, takes care of all the activities of the member states. The member countries set up the parliament by giving their votes. The votes are directly proportional to an individual country’s size. The parliament consists of Commissioners of different countries led by a President. (History of European Union, n.d.) With the enlargement of EU, more countries came into its fold. The challenge for the EU was to induct these countries into its set up. The problem faced by EU in this regard was that the Parliament was influenced by the bigger countries as they had the lion’s share of commissioners. The treaty of Nice underlined that the small countries will get to cast a minimum amount of votes while the big countries would cast the bigger share. This means that the bigger countries will influence all the decisions taken in the EU. (The treaty of nice, n.d.) Perhaps, the main issue facing the EU right now is the fraud against their budget. The symptoms are widespread now and the EU is facing severe problems in controlling the frauds against the budget. Despite the measures taken by the EU in controlling the frauds, various scams, and frauds surfaced which has led to the decrease in public trust on EU. OLAF was set up to look after the corruption against the budgetary frauds. (EU budget fraud, 16th January 2010). With the introduction of new member countries in the EU fold the problem of the transition begins.

Under Age Drinking Grant for the Air Force Essay

Under Age Drinking Grant for the Air Force - Essay Example Underage drinking is considered to be illegal if the consumer is below the age of majority, 21 Years of age. Most of the youngsters are drug addicts either directly or indirectly. There are cases where underage drunkards went out of control and making other crimes in alcoholism. Reports of death as a result of over consumption of alcohol can also be found. They also cause innocent victims in car accidents, sexual assaults, etc. There were even discussions made in order to reduce the age limit of 21years to be brought down to 18 years. But the existence of various public interest organizations and juvenile justice forums helped the lawmakers to keep the age limit in 21 Years itself. Under the Air force strict laws were made in order to maintain underage drinking catastrophe. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, enforced the Underage drinking Laws discretionary program. The main objective of the program was to decrease the number of first time alcohol consumption and related crimes, in Air Force bases like Colorado Springs. The program was to resuce underage drinking in selected areas by enhancing research based prevention planning and program focused on underage drinking among underage U.S. Air Force personnel. ... The program found that the underage drinking could be eliminated only by proper guidance to the public and by reducing the local availability of alcohol to underage persons. The Air Force Personnel takes the underage Drinking as a major threat. They says that the core value and quality of the Air Force is ruined by underage drinking. It reflects a clear danger to mission and discipline of the Air Force. Reports and researches in Colorado Spring says that an about 10%of Air Force accidents occur to under 21years personals, out of which about 40% are of alcohol related incidents, this report shows the intensity of underage drinking within the Air Force. The Air Force found that the underage drinking manner destroys the base of the U.S. Air Force as it can result in destruction of morale of the Air Force. So the Air force introduced three-layered measure to bring down underage drinking. Awareness given by the top leaders or ranked officers on underage drinking that it ruins the qualities of leadership. Individual level awareness includes educating personals to be responsible to themselves and to their job by promoting a zero tolerance towards underage dri nking. Air Force also made awareness on underage drinking consequences in Legal and Health issues. Police Officials reports that five out of fifteen will be underage Air Force Officials while raiding parties for underage drunkards in Colorado Spring. Public Interested Programs like Mother Against Drunk Driving [MADD] and Dad Against Drunk Driving [DADD]are two programs working efficiently among the underage drunkard in Colorado Spring. They mostly points on the Underage Air Force Officials. These programs have successfully advocated, and are advocating for the enactment of laws for strict and

How Nature Can Provide Sustainable Building Solutions

How Nature Can Provide Sustainable Building Solutions Contents (Jump to) Chapter 1: Introduction Section 1.1: Overview of the dissertation Section 1.2: The need for sustainable building solutions Section 1.3: Underlying principles and mechanisms Chapter 2:   Solutions from Nature Section 2.1: Wind-induced ventilation of the burrow of the prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus Section 2.2: Other notable investigations Chapter 3: Examples of Buildings that incorporate sustainable features derived from natural examples Chapter 4: Conclusions References Bibliography Chapter 1: Introduction Section 1.1: Overview of the dissertation This dissertation will focus on looking at how Nature can provide sustainable building solutions, in particular for wind-induced natural ventilation systems. The first part of the dissertation will look at the need for sustainable building solutions, in terms of the damage that has been, and continues to be, wrought on the Earth’s natural systems, and the possible solutions that can be found by studying how Nature has developed solutions to the problems of ventilations in burrows, and the need for gas exchange. The fact that Nature has produced these solutions is discussed as an event occurring over evolutionary time, through the process of natural selection. Subsequent sections of the dissertation discuss the physical principles that have been mastered by the process of evolution, such as the Bernoulli Principle and the Venturi effect, which has led to the appropriate, sustainable, solutions that are found in Nature. These principles are discussed in detail in Chapter 2, in terms of their appearance in natural systems: the burrows of the black-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus, the complex burrow and cone system of the mud shrimp Callianassa truncata and the burrow-mound system of the goby Valencennea longippinis which allows for increased gas exchange to the developing eggs in the burrow. The three examples are discussed in detail, in terms of the relevant literature and experimental studies that have been performed to determine how and why the animals produce such structures. Chapter 3 presents some examples of buildings that have applied solutions found from Nature to provide sustainable living spaces. Examples include, amongst others, several buildings designed by Eugene Tsui, such as the residence of Florence and William Tsui in Berkeley, California, the Watsu School at Harbin Hot Springs, the Exposition Building for the International Celebration of Innovation and the Tsui Design and Research Inc. Headquarters in Emeryville, California, and the the Kanak Cultural Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia designed by Renzo Piano. The dissertation concludes with Chapter 4, which presents some concluding remarks, concerning the fruitfulness of looking to Nature for ideas for sustainable building, for looking to Nature can prove a valuable exercise, for as Tsui, one of the great contemporary ‘organic’ architects states in his book Evolutionary Architecture: Nature as a Basis for Design, â€Å"Every great discovery that has marked the upward surge of humanity has been an insight into some profound aspect of natural phenomena. Every tool, every medicinal remedy, every scientific venture, every exploration of the physical and psychological world is a glimpse of the ineffable mind of nature a mind that has no beginning, no end, no dimension and no parameters; a mind that is compelled to create, produce, evolve, differentiate and regenerate with such perfection and thoroughness as to be the model for every human endeavour†. Section 1.2: The need for sustainable building solutions Mankind is slowly killing the Earth and its natural systems. We are living with unacceptable levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is leading to increases in the greenhouse effect and widespread climate changes across the globe. These climate changes are causing problems for many systems, amongst them agriculture, making it much more difficult for those in sub-Saharan Africa, for example which is increasingly affected by drought and erratic rainfall patterns to be self-sufficient in terms of being able to grow enough crops to survive. Other experts predict changes in the circulation of ocean currents due to global warming, which is leading to a melting ice reserves and glaciers and causing far greater volumes of water to enter the ocean circulatory systems. Shifts in the circulation of ocean currents could have grave consequences for mankind. In addition to the problems created by increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, pollution of the Earth’s water system has occurred on a massive scale, with experts predicting potential future problems with supplies of non-polluted water that is suitable for human use. The Earth, the blue planet, full of water and previously perfectly balanced, is facing unprecedented onslaughts to its vital systems, due to the excessive, wasteful and polluting habits of mankind. What can be done about this? It is fundamental that legislation be put in place now to preserve the Earth and its systems, and that we begin to act, individually and collectively, to save the Earth and its resources that are of fundamental value to us. Sustainability is a fundamental concern for all of humankind, as the population of the Earth begin to realise that we only have one Earth and that it needs to be looked after. By listening more closely to, and taking lessons from, the Earth and the inhabitants we share the Earth with, we can begin to live much more harmoniously and in concert with not antagonistically with the Earth and its inhabitants. The construction, use and maintenance of buildings contributes significantly to adverse environmental impacts, such as carbon dioxide production, something that will only get worse as the population increases and the need for housing grows. Many recent regulations and conventions have already been put in place to ensure that sustainable building principles become the norm in future; for example, a recent convention has been signed to reduce the discharge of hazardous chemicals to zero by 2020, and, documents such as the 1999 policy document entitled A better quality of life – a strategy for sustainable development for the United Kingdom, provide targets for sustainability within the construction industry. As many contemporary architects realize, nature itself is fully harmonious, with all of its parts working in harmony with each other, from species interacting but co-existing in a habitat, on a small scale, to on a larger scale the ocean circulation systems working in harmony to deliver nourishing currents across the globe. This harmony has been violated by the actions of mankind, and, through mankind not recognizing and respecting this harmony, we have arrived at the situation we are in with the Earth and its systems and inhabitants being exposed to very real threats. It is perhaps time that architects begin to study Nature and her solutions in order to arrive at sustainable building solutions. As Tsui, one of the great contemporary ‘organic’ architects states in his book Evolutionary Architecture: Nature as a Basis for Design, â€Å"Every great discovery that has marked the upward surge of humanity has been an insight into some profound aspect of natural phenomena. Every tool, every medicinal remedy, every scientific venture, every exploration of the physical and psychological world is a glimpse of the ineffable mind of nature a mind that has no beginning, no end, no dimension and no parameters; a mind that is compelled to create, produce, evolve, differentiate and regenerate with such perfection and thoroughness as to be the model for every human endeavour†. Looking at the natural world for inspiration can be a valuable exercise. Subsequent sections of the dissertation will look at specific examples of wind-induced ventilation, from the black-tailed prairie dog, the mud shrimp and the goby. These examples will show how each of these animals has adapted their immediate environment fully in harmony to the immediate environment, to the benefit of themselves and to their wider community. The ideas of organic, or ‘evolutiionary’ architects, such as Tsui, are based on similar principles, that architects should start, on a wide scale, to look to nature for sustainable building solutions. Looking to Nature for answers to building problems should, argues, Tsui (1999) become part of an architects repertoire. As Tsui (1999) argues, Nature is not driven by ambition, it has no preconceptions, no concept of style, and her evolution has been through small patient incremental steps, only allowing the ‘correct’ ones to persist, where ‘correct’ means the solution that is most fitting for the particular situation, the solution that is sustainable, to allow in-situ permanence. As energy consumption and the by products from air conditioning are amongst the most significant contributors to the destruction of the Earth’s systems, the subject of this dissertation is to look for natural examples of wind-induced ventilation systems that could, potentially, be incorporated in practical solutions for the construction industry, in terms of finding sustainable building solutions. Although it is understood that understanding the mechanics of natures microclimate control will not provide any quick-fix solutions to cooling buildings, these natural examples achieve equilibrium with their surroundings that is far beyond the reach of mankind at this time and, as such, by studying these systems, they can be learnt from and their novelties applied in design and building practice. Looking to natural examples of wind-induced ventilation will, therefore, potentially provide solutions to heavily polluting air conditioning systems. Section 1.3: Underlying principles and mechanisms Many animals need to live in burrows or to produce burrows for protection from the elements, for example, or for protection from predation. As shall be seen in later sections of the dissertation, the need for such burrows means that some elegant solutions to the problems such burrows present (such as a lack of ventilation) have been reached, as in the case of the black-tailed prairie dog, and that the burrows themselves can create favourable micro-environments and favourable conditions for the larger habitat, as in the case of the complex burrow and cone systems of the mud shrimp. An implicit understanding, and mastery, of physical principles of nature has been built up by these species over evolutionary time. This section of the dissertation will discuss some of these physical principles, including the Bernoulli principle, the Venturi effect and the Venturi tube. The Bernoulli Principle states that â€Å"for an ideal fluid, with no work being performed on the fluid, an increase in velocity occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or a change in the fluid’s gravitational potential energy†. Essentially, fluid particles are only subject to pressure and their own weight, meaning that within a flowing fluid, the highest speed occurs when the pressure is lowest and the lowest speed occurs when the pressure if highest, with Bernoulli’s equation stating that the sum of all forms of energy in a fluid flowing across a streamline is the same at any two points along the path. Bernoulli’s Principle explains how water drains from a bowl in a circular pattern around the axis of the drain and also explains how one feels pulled towards large vehicles if they pass by you at high speed. The Venturi effect is a specific example of the more general Bernoulli Principle, which explains how fluids can pass through a region of incompressible flow through a tube with a constriction in it, in which situation the velocity of the fluid increases through the restriction and the pressure decreases in order to satisfy the equation of continuity and to ensure the flowing of the fluid through the constricted space. It is on this principle, for example, that the burrows of the black-tailed prairie dog is thought to work, as shall be seen in Section 2.1 of the dissertation, with the volcano device for air acceleration being applicable to underground structures of every kind. A series of venting volcanoes could be aligned with underground rooms containing air-exiting vents to produce individually vented spaces. This phenomenon can be employed and rising warm air can be directed out exiting vents, as in the burrows of the prairie dog dwelling. It is thought that, by using the prairie dog system, air can be interchanged at a rate of 2550 cubic feet per minute with no utility power (Tsui 1999). The prairie dog mounds and volcanoes have been likened to a half Venturi tube where a Venturi tube is used to determine the flow-rate of fluids or air through a pipe. The Venturi tube has a specialized streamlined constriction that minimizes the energy losses in the fluid flowing through it and which, thus, maximizes the fall in pressure in the constriction in line with Bernoulli’s principle. These principles will be discussed in further detail in Chapter 2, in terms of their appearance in natural systems: the burrows of the black-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus, the complex burrow and cone system of the mud shrimp Callianassa truncata and the burrow-mound system of the goby Valencennea longippinis which allows for increased gas exchange to the developing eggs in the burrow. Chapter 2: Solutions from Nature Section 2.1: Wind-induced ventilation of the burrow of the prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus The black-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus, is a ground-dwelling squirrel, one of four prairie dog species to be found uniquely in North America. Black-tailed prairie dogs live in colonies, which are generally established in cattle-grazed areas, as the prairie dogs prefer the vegetation surrounding their burrows to be short, so they can keep an eye out for predators. The black-tailed prairie dogs live in burrows, with one principle tunnel and, depending on the size of the colony, various numbers of side chambers that act as overnight housing for the prairie dogs. Unfortunately, as with many other native species, habitat destruction is causing a drastic reduction in the number of black-tailed prairie dogs (Hoffman, 1999), with conservation efforts currently underway to stabilize the population numbers of the black-tailed prairie dog (see, for example, Andelt, 1988). As Vogel et al. (1973) argue, where a fluid flows across a surface for example wind over the earth – a velocity gradient is created which provides a potential source of work. This gradient might, for example, be employed by a burrowing animal to induce air-flow in its burrow, which is long and narrow to avoid the obvious risks presented by predators. The burrow of the black-tailed prairie dog, long and narrow as it is, being, on average, 12cm in diameter and 10-30m in length (Cincotta, 1989), presents what Vogel et al. (1973) term, â€Å"a respiratory dead-space of extraordinary magnitude in which diffusion is inadequate, alone, for gas exchange†. For this reason, the black-tailed prairie dog has evolved a system of burrowing which creates a system of wind-induced ventilation within the burrow. The burrow of the black-tailed prairie dog has an opening at both ends and mounds of earth at each end, of different sizes at each end, one taller than the other, and each mound being up to 1m in height and 2.5m in diameter (Cincotta, 1989). When a breeze hits the mounds, air enters the burrow through the lower mound and leaves through the end with the higher mound. This system of wind flow has been independently verified in wind tunnel experiments, with wind-flow within the burrow being a linear function of wind flow across the mounds. Interestingly, not only has the burrowing system of the black-tailed prairie dog been found to be an excellent example of wind-induced ventilation directly from nature, but the architecture of the burrows of the black-tailed prairie dogs encourages increased species diversity of arthropods (Bangert and Slobodchikoff, 2006). Later work (Cincotta, 1989) found that adequate airflow through the burrow can be generated with only one mound, and the presence of the second mound has been explained by various hypotheses, such as the prevention of predation (through its use as a look-out post), or the prevention of flooding. Cincotta (1989) argues that the two mounds (which are usually found shaped one as a dome and one as a crater) actually represent functionally identical structures that have simply been built under different constraints in transport costs (i.e., different costs of energy). Thus, the ventilation model of Vogel et al. (1973) does not, concludes Cincotta (1989) provide a fully adequate model of the observed mound construction, and including energetic parsimony within the equation explains why the prairie dogs build the two mounds (i.e., although only one mound is needed for the wind-induced ventilation system to work, it is an energy-saving measure, in such a long burrow, to remove earth from both ends of the burrow). Similarly to how supplemented straw is used to stabilize the soils used in adobe brick construction, the mounds of the black-tailed prairie dogs are stabilized with plant fibers found in the topsoil near the entrances to the burrows (McHenry and May, 1984). Using plant fibres in mixture with the excavated soils allows the black-tailed prairie dogs to build vertically and to use less energy (as less excavated soil is needed), replicating similar energy-saving practices in building adobe brick buildings (Boudreau, 1971). Section 2.2: Other notable investigations Nature has provided engineers and architects with many examples of sustainable technologies. Animals do not have to resort to damaging the environment to be able to survive within their habitat; they fit, harmoniously, within that habitat, in balance with the physical conditions and with the other species that share the same habitat. This section will discuss some other examples, from nature, of how animals have evolved to cope with their surroundings in an optimal manner. The mud shrimp, Callianassa truncata, has been studied in the Tyrrhenian Sea and has been found to produce complex cones and burrow systems which affect the physical structure of the sea bed, and, concomitantly, the chemical zonations and the exchange processes across the sediment-water interface (Ziebis et al., 1996a; Boudreau, 1994). The mud shrimp builds these cones, therefore, to modify their immediate micro-environment by forming chemical links between the sea and the sediment. Adjacent to each cone is a shallow depression which acts to funnel water in to the cone system, and which means that oxygen, instead of penetrating only a few millimeters in to the sea bed, actually penetrates more than 50cm down, allowing oxygen-breathing animals to live in the holes (Ziebis et al., 1996a). The cones that are built by the mud shrimps are outlets for the tunnels, re-routing ammonia from buried sediment to the water above; this ammonia flow helps to nourish the sea water, providing more nourishment for phytoplankton, for example, and so the entire food chain benefits from the cone-building of the mud shrimp (Ziebis et al., 1996a). Similarly to how the complex architecture of the black-tailed prairie dogs provides opportunities for increased species diversity, the cone-building habits of the mud shrimp provides greater nourishment for those species that share its habitat. As Ziebis (1996a) herself stated, â€Å"it is a source of wonder that these relatively small animals can build such complex burrow structures and complex architecture†. Zeibis et al. (1996b) concluded, therefore, that the complex cone and burrow systems of the mud shrimp alters the small-scale flow regime, altering the shrimps own micro-habitat whilst also providing benefits to the wider community, so much so that it was concluded that, â€Å"the high spatial and temporal variability of oxygen distribution in a coastal sea bed depends on sediment surface topography (as formed by Callianassa truncata)† and the concomitant changes in boundary layer flow velocity and sediment permeability. Takegaki and Nakazono (2000) examined the role of the mounds in promoting water exchange in the egg tendering burrows of the goby Valencennea longippinis. Valencennea longippinis spawns in burrows and after spawning, the female constructs a mound on top of the burrow by piling up materials derived from the substratum. Experiments by Takegaki and Nakazono (2000) showed that the mounds promote water-exchange in the burrow allowing the exchange of oxygenated sea water to the developing gobies within the burrow, with dissolved oxygen concentrations being much higher in burrows with a mound than in burrows without a mound. The construction of a mound on top of the developing eggs thus not only protects the eggs from potential predators but also has an important role to play in delivering oxygen to the developing gobies within the burrow. These are but two further examples of how nature has evolved practical, sustainable, solutions to the problems presented by the immediate environment. The solutions formed can be extremely useful to engineers and architects who are wanting to design buildings on sustainable principles. As Thomas Herzog states in his book Architectural Designs Green Questionnaire, â€Å"In general I do not think that architecture can be deduced immediately from nature, since the design process and functions of our buildings are quite different from what is found in most plants and animals. Nevertheless, there are a lot of lessons to be learnt from nature, especially with regards to the efficiency, performance, adaptability, variety and tremendous beauty which most organisms display under close observation. Considering that nature has to obey the same physical laws as man-made objects this should be seen as very encouraging for us, making it well worthwhile to study its principles and mechanisms†. Chapter 3: Examples of Buildings that incorporate sustainable features derived from natural examples This Chapter presents some examples of buildings that have applied solutions found from Nature to provide sustainable living spaces. Examples include, amongst others, several buildings designed by Eugene Tsui, such as the residence of Florence and William Tsui in Berkeley, California, the Watsu School at Harbin Hot Springs, the Exposition Building for the International Celebration of Innovation and the Tsui Design and Research Inc. Headquarters in Emeryville, California, and the the Kanak Cultural Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia designed by Renzo Piano. The residence of Florence and William Tsui in Berkeley, California, designed by Eugene Tsui, is based, in its entirety on the tardigrade, which is known to be one of the world’s ‘most durable’ animals and which has systems inbuilt to ensure protection against flooding, fire and termite attack, amongst other things (Tsui, 2007). The house is fitted with a solar heating system and with a natural ventilation system that keeps it cool in summer and warm in the cooler months (Tsui, 2007). The house is, essentially, a living system that is capable of actively responding to any external conditions, with water systems in place that are designed to provide cooling and heating and which were based on the capillary structures of dinosaur species which allowed dinosaurs to regulate their own body temperatures (Tsui, 2007). The Florence and William Tsui residence is a notable application of the Bernoulli Principle, as it employs the Bernoulli effect in adjustable vents, which not only draw in fresh air, without the requirement for mechanical power, but also provide natural light and claimed to be inexpensive to apply (Tsui, 2007). Nostril windows pull out from the wall to let air in, using the Bernoulli effect, where air is sucked in through the open shaft and through the screened tube, which lets air in and keeps insects out. (Tsui, 2007) Tsui notes in his book Evolutionary Architecture, Nature as a Basis for Design that this facet of the design of this building was inspired by such natural examples as the prairie dog burrows. Also designed by Eugene Tsui, the Watsu School at Harbin Hot Springs is, again, a totally sustainable building, with solar-powered panels and movements of cold water around the building allowing for the natural ventilation of the building. The spherical shape of the buildings also allows for wind flow to cool the buildings, as a whole. The Tsui Design and Research Inc. Headquarters in Emeryville, California, another Eugene Tsui design, is also a totally sustainable building, incorporating natural ventilation systems based on the prairie dog burrows; the building is totally self-sufficient and uses plant life for interior temperature control, with a retractable roof allowing for the entrance of cool air, if necessary. Water is collected from the roof and used for all of the buildings needs; the integrated water system is seen, by Eugene Tsui, as an example of architecture as a living organism. Another architect whose interest lies in evolutionary, or, better, ‘organic’ architecture is Renzo Piano who designed the Kanak Cultural Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia. This building is a synthesis of nature and technology, reflecting the Kanak people’s understanding of the harmony of life and of Nature. As Piano states, â€Å" (I wanted)†¦an architecture that genuinely expresses itself between the assertion of the old, reliable values and the exploration of the new in the spirit of time† (Young, 2007). Piano’s aim for the building was to present an architectural masterpiece based on â€Å"finding the gestait† of the Kanak people and the site, through a full understanding of the Kanak people, their history and cultural traditions (Young, 2007). Aside from showing cultural respect in the design and form of designing this building, and thus fitting in to its intended environment well, the Kanak Cultural Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia also shows a wide range of natural ventilation systems. The faà §ade of the building is a double skin which provides a large air space between the woodwork and the galleries, forming a stack effect which, during the day, means hot air rises out of the space while cool air is drawn in to replace it; the cooler air then passes around the building at lower elevations, flowing out towards the lagoon at the side of the building (Young, 2007); in this way, the building ‘breathes’ with its environment, as a function of the environment in which it sits. Skylights set in the roof of the building allow for the entry of cool air, as necessary, and the interaction of all these ventilation systems allows the building to â€Å"find a continuous balance with Nature† (Young, 2007). Examples such as these buildings, and others that could be mentioned, show how it is possible to study Nature and to study the solutions provided by the process of natural selection over many generations, to enlighten sustainable building projects. That buildings can be built, for only slightly more cost than non-sustainable buildings, to act in harmony with Nature and to produce architecture that acts as a living organism is a beautiful vision. This vision of Tsui’s, as presented in his book Evolutionary Architecture, Nature as a Basis for Design, and in his many other writings, speeches and in his designs for, and his actual buildings is a beautiful vision, of mankind being given the ability to live in concert, not antagonistically with, Nature. As has to be realized, however, whilst Nature can be used as inspiration, the implications of scale need to be considered, in terms of the fact that solutions from Nature cannot simply be scaled-up in order to suit the particular needs of the built environment. The solutions need to be tailored, according to the particular situation, within the particular knowledge of the architect, as the implications of scale have a significant impact on the actual design of a building. Due to the implications of scale, solutions from Nature can never be directly copied, but need to be adapted as necessary to the particular situation in hand. The Bernoulli Principle and the Venturi effect can, however, when implemented successfully, be used to great effect in terms of producing architecture that is at once beautiful and fully at harmony with Nature, as a ‘living organism’ as in Tsui’s vision of evolutionary architecture. Chapter 4: Conclusions Green Architecture is the major architectural movement of our time. As has been seen, the ecological damage caused by buildings (through their heating and air conditioning systems, for example, or their use of unsustainable materials) can be recorded in real figures, in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide a building produces in terms of how much a building contributes to global warming. As has been seen, there are many pressures on architects, and on the construction industry as a whole, to produce sustainable buildings. This will only continue to increase in the future and so architects, such as Eugene Tsui, with their visions of buildings as living organisms, living and breathing in harmony with their environment are not so far-fetched. Mankind has become detached from his surroundings, and this detachment has meant that the Earth, and its natural systems have been abused, almost to the point of no return. As has been shown in this dissertation, the process of natural selection h as led animals to find, over evolutionary time, sustainable solutions to problems that the environment presents to them. Evolutionary architecture, as Tsui labels his brand of architecture, is an attempt to recreate this harmony and to offer to mankind a different vision of the built world. Studying natural phenomena, such as the burrows of the black-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus, the complex burrow and cone system of the mud shrimp Callianassa truncata and the burrow-mound system of the goby Valencennea longippinis which allows for increased gas exchange to the developing eggs in the burrow, as has been conducted in this dissertation allows architects to ‘think outside the box’ and to find alternative solutions to designing in a sustainable manner. This dissertation has aimed to show how looking to Nature can provide sustainable building solutions, using the particular example of wind-induced natural ventilation. That many of the natural solutions to this problem have been successfully incorporated in to many buildings, as discussed in Chapter 3 (i.e., the residence of Florence and William Tsui in Berkeley, California, the Watsu School at Harbin Hot Springs, the Exposition Building for the International Celebration of Innovation and the Tsui Des ign and Research Inc. Headquarters in Emeryville, California, and the the Kanak Cultural Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia designed by Renzo Piano), shows that the idea of adapting solutions from Nature is workable, if only we can take

The Settlement and Innovations of Ancient Rome Essay -- Geography

The Settlement and Innovations of Ancient Rome Rome is an ancient city located on the western coast of Italy by the Meditterranian Sea.(3:289) The city of Rome was founded, according to the legend, by Romulus in 753 BC. Remus and Romulus were two mythological sons of Mars, the god of war. "Through military expansion and colonizations, and by granting citizenship to conquered tribes, the city joined all of Italy south of the Po in the 100-year period before 268 BC." First, the Latin and other tribes were joined, then the Etruscans (a civili zed people north of Rome) and the Greek colonies in the south. "With a large army and several hundred thousand in reserve, Rome defeated Carthage in the 3 Punic Wars, 264-241, 218-201, 149-146, (despite the invasion of Italy by Hannibal, 218), therefore gaining territory in Spain and North America."(1:721) New provinces were added in the East as Rome exploited local disputes to conquer Greece and Asia Minor in the 2d century BC and Egypt in the first (after the defeat and suicide of Antony and Cleop atra, 30 BC). All the Mediterranean civilized world up to the disputed Parthian border was now Roman, and remained so for 500 years. " Less civilized regions were added to the Empire: Gaul (conquered by Julius Ceaser, 56-49 BC), Britain (43 AD) and Dacia , NE of the Danube (117 AD)."(1:721) " The original republican government, with democratic features added in the fourth and fifth centuries BC, deteriorated under the pressures of empire and class conflict (Gracchus brothers, social reformers, murdere d 133,121; slave revolts 135,73). After a series of civil wars (Marius vs. Sulla 88-82, Caeser vs. Pompey 49-45, triumvirate vs. Caesar's assassins 44-4... ...s of the city were wide and beautiful with white marble buildings, great columned pourches, and triumphal arches. Anciant Rome had the population of modern Rome. The centers of Roman life were open places where public meetings were held. Such a meeting place was called a forum. One of these was so much more important than the others that it was called the Roman forum. The long, narrow Roman Forum was also the market place of the city. The temple of Jupiter Capitolinus was the oldest and most sacred temple of Rome. "Historians beleive that Rome once had as many as three hundred temples. The best known of these was the Pantheon, which was the temple to all the gods. The Pantheon became the Christian Church of Santa Maria Rotonda in 608 AD.This circular domed church is today is the most perfectly preserved of all the anciant roman building."(1:721) The Settlement and Innovations of Ancient Rome Essay -- Geography The Settlement and Innovations of Ancient Rome Rome is an ancient city located on the western coast of Italy by the Meditterranian Sea.(3:289) The city of Rome was founded, according to the legend, by Romulus in 753 BC. Remus and Romulus were two mythological sons of Mars, the god of war. "Through military expansion and colonizations, and by granting citizenship to conquered tribes, the city joined all of Italy south of the Po in the 100-year period before 268 BC." First, the Latin and other tribes were joined, then the Etruscans (a civili zed people north of Rome) and the Greek colonies in the south. "With a large army and several hundred thousand in reserve, Rome defeated Carthage in the 3 Punic Wars, 264-241, 218-201, 149-146, (despite the invasion of Italy by Hannibal, 218), therefore gaining territory in Spain and North America."(1:721) New provinces were added in the East as Rome exploited local disputes to conquer Greece and Asia Minor in the 2d century BC and Egypt in the first (after the defeat and suicide of Antony and Cleop atra, 30 BC). All the Mediterranean civilized world up to the disputed Parthian border was now Roman, and remained so for 500 years. " Less civilized regions were added to the Empire: Gaul (conquered by Julius Ceaser, 56-49 BC), Britain (43 AD) and Dacia , NE of the Danube (117 AD)."(1:721) " The original republican government, with democratic features added in the fourth and fifth centuries BC, deteriorated under the pressures of empire and class conflict (Gracchus brothers, social reformers, murdere d 133,121; slave revolts 135,73). After a series of civil wars (Marius vs. Sulla 88-82, Caeser vs. Pompey 49-45, triumvirate vs. Caesar's assassins 44-4... ...s of the city were wide and beautiful with white marble buildings, great columned pourches, and triumphal arches. Anciant Rome had the population of modern Rome. The centers of Roman life were open places where public meetings were held. Such a meeting place was called a forum. One of these was so much more important than the others that it was called the Roman forum. The long, narrow Roman Forum was also the market place of the city. The temple of Jupiter Capitolinus was the oldest and most sacred temple of Rome. "Historians beleive that Rome once had as many as three hundred temples. The best known of these was the Pantheon, which was the temple to all the gods. The Pantheon became the Christian Church of Santa Maria Rotonda in 608 AD.This circular domed church is today is the most perfectly preserved of all the anciant roman building."(1:721)

Crime Rates and Perceptions of Crime

Sociological Problem The public perception of crime is that it has increased whilst official statistics show that overall, crime has decreased over the years. In this ‘risk society’, a fear of victimisation has become part of our lifestyle and we are constantly reminded of the potential dangers of becoming victims of crime. The famous study by Stanley Cohen (Folk Devils and Moral Panics (1972)) is a prime example of how society is encouraged to worry about certain groups and use them as a scapegoat to blame society’s problems on.Sociologists are concerned with this topic as the fear of crime is becoming a bigger problem to tackle than crime itself. 1. 2 Research Question Why has the fear of crime increased when statistics indicate a fall in crime? What influences people’s perceptions of crime and to what extent do these perceptions impact on society? The central concern of my research is to discover the reasons behind the growing fear of crime and if there is a causal link between newspaper readership and perceptions of crime.As (Blackie 2009: 77) suggests, my research question is to understand, explain and evaluate the reasons behind this problem. This is a topic of interest to sociologists as media’s ‘construction of reality’ creates a distorted view of crime, with people more out of touch with the reality of crime than ever. 2. Data Selection The first table I have selected shows the sources most influential on the changes of perception of crime over the past few years (see Appendix 1), and the second table reflects the correlation between newspaper readership and perceptions of crime (see Appendix 2).I collected these tables from the Home Office’s British Crime Survey on (‘Perceptions of crime, engagement with the police, authorities dealing with anti social behaviour and community payback’ (Chaplin et al, 2011)). This information was gathered by a national face to face victimisation survey of people aged 16 and over from households in England and Wales where people were asked their experiences of crime. 3. Methodology The data I am analysing is quantitative data, since ‘it is not possible to become a social scientist without an understanding of statistics’ (Diamond and Jefferies, 2001: 1).It is also a form of secondary data analysis as the data I am looking at are derived from official statistics. When analysing table 3. 02 (see Appendix 2), I discovered a bivariate relationship between the type of newspaper read, and the public’s perception surrounding the amount of crime. There is a causal relationship here; depending on what newspaper you read your perception of crime is likely to differ. As (Bryman, A and Cramer, D 2000) note, it is important to establish the cause prior to the effect. An effect cannot come before a cause. In table 3. 01 (see Appendix 1) there is a dependent variable and an independent variable.The dependent variable is the pub lic’s perception of crime and the independent variable is the type of source they hear it from. From analysing the variables within the tables I have come up with a hypothesis that media representations of crime can influence people’s view of crime. What I want to discover is if this amplifies people’s fear of crime. Firstly, I will be using formal content analysis to measure the amount of space devoted to crime and the types of crime covered in newspapers. I will then use thematic analysis to look for themes which underlie the content.My third and final analysis will be textual analysis where I will be closely examining the text used in newspapers to see how it encourages a particular reading and creates an impression. Some of the advantages of using secondary data analysis include firstly it is more structured and standardised which gives us more reliable and repeatable results. It allows us to study larger numbers which gives results that are more representat ive of a population. As it is a detached and objective method, the researcher merely manipulates the variables and records the results.Their subjective feelings have no effect on the outcome of the experiment. If subjectivity becomes involved it could interfere with the outcome. In the British Crime Survey they used interviews to find out people’s views. This made the results easy to quantify especially when answers are pre coded. This also makes them suitable for hypothesis testing. However, there are also disadvantages to using quantitative data. As we are analysing from a secondary source, there is a lack of familiarity with the data which may cause confusion with the data presented.It does not allow the researcher to be personally involved, thus they produce a more superficial understanding. The British Crime Survey 2010/11 gives us an overall view of the statistics involved; however it does not give a deeper understanding and a more valid picture of the other factors tha t may be relevant. The results of quantitative data are limited as it produces numerical descriptions as opposed to a detailed narrative which gives us a less detailed account of the public’s perception on crime. 4. Analysis The world appears to have become a dangerous place to live, there is a ‘fear of crime’ and a ‘fortress mentality’.The increased sense of insecurity makes many unable to deal reasonably with the problem of crime. One of the reasons crime has decreased is the privatisation of public space in recent years. CCTV are used to control how people access these public areas. The police have also become confined to certain parts of towns and cities due to ‘tipping’ which allows them to keep a watchful eye on a specific area. Baldwin and Bottoms (1976) looked at the process of ‘tipping’, which is when councils put all antisocial together in the same place.This leads to concentration of crime in a given area, which c an also have the opposite effect of creating more crime. The process of tipping is similar to the broken window theory of Wilson and Kelling (1982). It’s a zero tolerance where there is no acceptance even of the smallest crimes. This will not allow them to grow into bigger problems. The media devotes a great deal of time and coverage to crime and deviance. They are accused of giving a distorted image of crime, criminals and policing. There are studies that indicate that the proportion of news devoted to crime has increased over the past 50 years.An example is a study that found the proportion of space given to crime reports in the Daily Mirror and the Times from 1945 to 1991 increased from 8% to 21% (Reiner et al. , 2000). The coverage of violent and sexual crimes is significantly greater than their incidence as measured by official statistics, victim studies and self report studies. Homicide accounts for one third of all crime news. William and Dickinson’s (1993) stud y of 10 national newspapers in 1989 found 64. 5% of crime stories were about violence against a person, whereas the British Crime Survey only showed 6% of crimes reported by victims in 1989 about violence.The amount of violent and sexual crimes tended to be more frequent the more ‘down market’ the newspaper. Although murder stories attract much of the public eye, it only accounts for 600 or 700 offences a year, with most of these being domestic violence. Table 3. 03 (see appendix 2) shows the difference between tabloid newspapers and broadsheet newspapers and people’s perception of crime. 81% of people who read ‘popular’ newspapers believed crime had increased, in comparison to 59% of people who read ‘broadsheet’ newspapers.This shows how the type of newspaper affects people’s view of crime and how the media want certain groups to worry about crime more than others. If the working class are living in fear of crime, they are less l ikely to rise and revolt, as they are too busy fearing the ‘vicious’ streets. Crime news focuses on the actual incident of the crime rather than the causes. However broadsheets such as the Guardian are more likely to contain an analysis of the causes of crime (Carrabine et al. , 2002). Tabloid readers are mostly working class as they tend to prefer the cheaper and less intellectual types of newspapers.(Simmons and Dodd, 2003) discovered tabloid readers are twice as likely to be ‘very worried’ about burglary, mugging, physical attack and rape. An important fact is that the victims of crime are mostly the poor, working class and ethnic deprived groups. Much crime is done by the working class on the working class. Ironically, the media shows victims being mainly women, white people and high status individuals. This shows how the media are manipulating our view of crime, making us believe the working class are committing the crimes whilst the privileged are suf fering from the crimes.However, there is another view. The British Crime Survey found that people who live in inner-city areas and council estates are particularly concerned about crime, particularly violent crime. These are the areas where most working class people live and the areas where violent crime is more likely to happen. Tabloid newspapers may merely be reflecting their concern with crime rather than shaping it. As Crawford et al. , (1990) says, ‘in inner city areas, mass media coverage of crime tends to reinforce what people already know. ’ From looking at table 3.01 (see Appendix 1) it shows the major sources that influence people’s perceptions of crime is news programmes on TV/radio, local newspaper and tabloid newspapers. Different sources of information affected the different perceptions of crime. The people who thought crime had increased nationally were most likely to find out about crime through TV programmes or radio (62%), local newspapers (35% ) or tabloid newspapers (35%) as their source of information. Both tables are ordinal data as the events are ‘placed in ordered categories along a single dimension’ (Fowler Jr., 2004).The main sources of crime news derive from the police and courts. However, it is important to note that the way the statistics were collected may affect the data. There is a dark figure of crime that does not get reported and that the police consider not worthy to be recorded. Not all crimes are reported and the police record an even smaller proportion of property crime. The official crime index excludes for offences ranging from drunk driving to white collar violations. Marxists believe capitalism exploits the working class and this gives rise to crime.Capitalism encourages the middle class to be greedy and self interested. This sometimes leads to corporate and white collar crime however this is not the media’s main focus. Marxists also argue street crime is disproportionally prose cuted, that the poor commit compared to the white collar crime that the middle class commit. Stuart Hall’s (Policing The Crisis (1978)) study applied a fully social theory of deviance to the study of mugging. Hall’s study shows how the media will focus on a particular minority and create a moral panic, often to cover another problem.The myth of the black mugger served as a scapegoat to distract attention away from the real causes of problem such as unemployment. The black mugger came to symbolise the disintegration of the social order. This is also apparent in today’s society as we are encouraged to fear the ‘hoody’ youth and believe the majority of them carry a knife. Journalists are dependent on official sources for their information. These sources have become primary definers – they define what counts as crime, what counts as justice and what they believe to be significant.In doing so, they reflect the concerns of the powerful – the agents of social control and the state (Hall et al. , 1978). The British Crime Survey includes questions about perceptions of crime and the concerns. It also asks questions about newspaper readership. Findings from the surveys from 2001 to 2003 show that over the three years, a growing proportion of respondents thought that the national crime rate had risen ‘a lot’ (25% in 2001, 30% in 2001/02 and 38% in 2002/03). In comparison, the British Crime Survey indicated a steady fall in crime over these years.The 2002/03 survey shows that 43% of those who read a tabloid newspaper believed the crime rate had increased ‘a lot’ compared to 26% of broadsheet readers (Simmons and Dodd, 2003). The news media tend to portray a positive picture of the Criminal Justice System. Things such as the success and justice of the police are often exaggerated. There are some stories of the corruption of the police however this is presented as an individual’s failings, rathe r than the Criminal Justice System (Chibnall, 1977). The legitimacy of the Criminal Justice System is protected.This underlies many news reports on crimes. The mean ‘is the average of the distribution of the variable’ (Seale C 2004: 327). The most common expression for the mean of a statistical distribution with a variable is the average of all the terms. In order to discover the mean, you simply add up the values of all the terms and then divide by the number of terms. There are other expressions however these forms are hardly used in statistics. ‘The median is the number positioned in the middle of a distribution, below which half the values fall’ (Seal C 2004: 328) The median for table 3.01 (see appendix 1) is Broadsheet newspapers at 20% . The mean for table 3. 03 (see appendix 2) for the tabloid newspapers are The Daily Mail and The Daily Star both at 81% saying crime has increased. The median for the broadsheet newspapers are The Times and The Financi al Times at 60% and 50%. The mode is defined as ‘being the most frequently occurring value in a distribution’ (Seal C 2004:328). The mode for table 3. 01 (see appendix 1) this is the variable that occurs most often. The variable that occurred most often in both tables was the newspapers and more specifically tabloid newspapers.5. ConclusionIn conclusion, the tables and data provided have proved there is an obvious causal relationship between newspaper readership and perceptions of crime. It has effected society as we have almost become reliant on sources of secondary data such as newspapers to feed us with knowledge of crime, which has created a distorted view. We become sucked into the manipulation of the media and believe what we read to be fact, even if we do know at the back of our minds it is an exaggerated version of the truth.Crime has always been a staple ingredient of human’s fascination and it will always make headlines. The main influence of peopleâ₠¬â„¢s perception of crime comes from the media. The media has a huge part to play in shaping the way we think and hear about things, therefore they are also able to manipulate our view, but ultimately it is our choice to believe it or not. For Durkheim (1893) ‘Crime is normal and an integral part of all healthy society. ’ It is also important to realise that we do need crime in society as it affirms our cultural values and norms and promotes social unity.

Movie and Personality Theory Analysis Essay

John Q is a movie about a desperate father who finds himself in an impossible situation when his son, Michael, collapses during a baseball game and turns out to be in need of a heart transplant. John Q. Archibald discovers that his health insurance does not cover such an expensive procedure, and unable to raise the 75,000 dollar deposit needed to place his son in the donor list, John resorts to taking the staff and patients of the hospital’s emergency room hostage and held at gunpoint. The hospital administrator then decides to place Michael in the donor list and Michael is soon given a new heart. John, as described by his wife Rebecca, â€Å"is a sweet kind man†. His personality does not pinpoint to violent tendencies, and yet the radical decision to seize part of the hospital and take the people in it as hostage are not indicative of a meek and pleasant individual. It is therefore worth remembering that genes can influence the behavior only in people who live in some kind of environment. Without an environment there would be no behavior at all, regardless of what genes were present. And the reverse is true about the environment: without a person built by genes to affect, no behavior can occur, no matter what the environment. In the determination of personality, genes and the environment interact (Funder). Thus, John with his genetic instinct to love and protect those that he loves combined with the injustice of his circumstances induced him to go against his sweet nature as an attempt to remedy the situation in any way he can. One theme of the movie is self-sacrifice, this is apparent when John decides to give his own heart to his son when he finds no other options available, fortunately he is stopped before he pulls the trigger when a heart arrives for his son. John’s complete devotion and his willingness to do everything for his son can be partly explained by the evolution theory. A theory that endeavors to illuminate how patterns of behavior that characterize all humans originate from the survival value these characteristics provide over the history of the species. Specific to this theory, is the tendency to aid close relatives to ensure the survival of ones own genes into succeeding generations, an outcome called inclusive fitness (Funder, 2002). Evolutionary theory has also been used to explain why self esteem is so important for human beings. Our feelings of self-esteem evolved to monitor the degree to which we are accepted by others, a principle most exemplified by Gus Monroe, the Chicago Chief of Police, as he basks in apparent joy by the adulation of the media and the crowd. The hospital director Rebecca Payne is most notable in the rationalizations that she uses to distance herself from the unfairness of the situation. Rationalization is the usage of contrived explanations to conceal unworthy motives for ones behavior. Ms Payne deftly suggests that John accept his son’s impending death and strive to make Michael’s remaining days a happy time. She stands by the financial rules of the hospital and claims that her hands are tied by the fact that the family is unable to come up with the amount of money needed for their son’s surgery. But when Denise Archibald expresses her dislike for Rebecca, the hospital director changes her mind and announces that Michael will be placed at the top of the donor list. When we detect signs of not being adequately valued or respected, our self-esteem goes down, motivating us to do things that will cause others to think better of us so we can think better of ourselves (Funder) A subplot in the movie is the relationship between two hostages, Julie, who needs treatment for a broken arm and her boyfriend Mitch, who has no wounds aside from scratches in his arm. Mitch claims that a car crash had caused it, but due to a number of dubious elements in their narrative, John and another hostage named Lester is able to conclude that the two are lying and that Mitch had in fact beat Julie up. The fact that Julie lied and helped Mitch in covering up the event indicate signs of a battered woman in the stage of denial, where the woman refuses to admit, perhaps even to herself that there is a problem in her relationship, she calls it an accident and may believe that it will never happen again. However, during the course of the movie, when Julie sees Mitch helpless on the ground she seizes the opportunity to douse his eyes with a caustic agent, and as Mitch screams in pain Julie announces that what she did was revenge for the physical hurt he caused her. This is a tacit admission that she will no longer submit to Mitch’s violent ways. On the other hand, Mitch’s personality demonstrates arrogance, an overblown ego and a tendency for stress and hostility as shown by his attempted attack on John. Mitch’s controlling tendency is revealed when Julie screams she will â€Å"no longer be his Barbie doll† and rips of her blonde wig as an indication that he wants specific physical attributes for his girlfriend. The movie also touches on the subject of death and loss when a patient adjacent to Michael’s hospital room dies and her family is shown grieving and inconsolable. Depression that follows a social emptiness such as the death of a loved one is characterized by pain and crying. Weeping is a useful way of seeking social support and fatigue and pessimism can prevent one from wasting energy and resources on fruitless endeavors. (Funder) This is further discussed by claims of psychologists Matthew Keller and Randolph Nesse that in the same way that blocking fever may prolong infection, blocking normal depressive symptoms could increase the risk of negative life situations. When John Archibald is faced with the actual possibility of his son’s death, he engages in the ego-defense mechanism called denial of reality, wherein the individual protects the self from an unpleasant reality by refusing to perceive or face it. In this case however, John’s belief that his son will not die is compounded by his extreme actions and the decision to offer his own life, if need be, for his sons survival. The movie also involves the occurrence of Stockholm syndrome, a phenomenon wherein positive feelings are developed by hostages towards their captors that appear strange in light of the danger or risk endured. This happened when John showed kindness towards the hostages and when they understood the circumstances that forced him to take drastic measures. A psychological perspective towards an existential movie like John Q offers a unique understanding of the film, revealing philosophic and scientific dimensions that enrich a person’s comprehension of the world. This enables one to engage in analytic thinking and to apply classroom theories to real-world situations. Works Cited Funder, David C. The personality puzzle, fourth edition. W. W. Norton & Company, 2007. John Q. Screenplay by James Kearne, Dir. Nick Cassavetas. , Perf. Denzel Washington, Kimberly Elise and Daniel Smith. New Line Cinema, 2002.