1860 Presidential Election Essay Example for Free

1860 Presidential Election Essay Every four years, each presidential candidate proclaims that the problems facing the nation this year is graver and more important than any other time in American history. The 1860 Presidential election stands alone as the most important presidential election in American history because this actually was the case. There have been other elections that have been important. If Wendell Wilkie had beaten Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 election or if Al Gore had beaten George W. Bush in the 2000 election, this world may have been very different. But that probability was brought to the light months or years after the election was over. The chief difference with the 1860 election was that the country knew that the nomination of each candidate along with who would be elected would have immediate and then long term results for the country. The 1860 presidential election saw four distinct candidates, all trying for the most important office in the land at our most important time. Abraham Lincoln, a Republican from Illinois, his rival for the 1856 senate race, Stephen A. Douglas representing the Northern Democrats and also from Illinois, John Bell, a Constitutional Unionist and John Breckenridge a Southern Democrat were all in the race. The fact that the Democrats had split over the issue of slavery, forcing members to walk out of two Democrat conventions forced the party to have to send two different candidates and thus, increase the chances that the election would go to Lincoln.   The nomination of Abraham Lincoln for the Republican ticket was unsure from the start and even Lincoln assured himself that he would lose. In the bestselling book Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin details in fascinating fashion, the list of more qualified, more educated and possessing more resources, fought for their nomination for president. But Lincoln was chosen because he was a moderate on the number one issue of the day: slavery.† I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with slavery in the States where it exists, said Lincoln early in the conflict.[1] Seward and Chase, two of the others who brought competition to the field, were seen as either too radical or apathetic towards the issue of slavery and made their displeasure known. While Seward was taking a European tour, Lincoln was meeting and greeting the people. His attendance and speech at New York’s Cooper Union in 1860, solidified him as a man of the people. The Democratic Nomination was complicated as well. The Democratic Party was split over the issue of slavery in the same way the country was. At their convention in April of 1860, fifty Democrats walked out to form their own faction of the party.[2] John Breckenridge was nominated by the Southern Democrats and Stephen A. Douglass was nominated by the Northern Democrats. The Democrats met again on June 18 and this time 100 delegates walked out and would not adopt a resolution supporting slavery in the territories. The Northern Democrats nominated for their candidate Stephen A. Douglass, Senator from Illinois. Douglass had been involved in the famous Lincoln Douglass Debates for the senate. In this senate race, Douglass won but in the process, alienated the South by saying that popular sovereignty could prevent slavery from being enacted in the new territories. The South remembered this and would make sure that his answer would come back to haunt him in the election. This was a chief motivating factor which caused the split within the Democratic Party, thus giving an advantage to the Republican Party which took advantage of such factions. For years, Democrats had united behind the doctrine of popular sovereignty. It was this fact which helped Douglas get elected to the senate in the 1858 debates with Abraham Lincoln. The idea behind this was that slavery within a new territory was up the majority of people within that state. Popular Sovereignty also promised to keep the future of slavery out of the hands of the politicians in Washington as they were distrusted for the most part by the people within the slave states. On the surface, the idea seemed to be a sound and practical compromise to the threat of a civil war. Most Northern Democrats assumed that slavery would not be allowed to spread into the West due to natural impediments. The climate, terrain and the swift movement of Free State settlers into the West would discourage slaveholders from entering the territories. While Southerners demanded that the Democratic Party come out with a platform that defended slavery, Douglas and his supporters could not agree. Despite the fact that the convention went through 54 ballots, Douglas failed to achieve the needed 2/3 vote to receive the nomination of a single Democratic party. However, once the Southern Democrats walked out of the convention, Douglas did receive the needed 2/3 vote from the delegates that were present.[3] Only then was did he receive the nomination of the Northern Democrats. It was a hollow victory. However, his nomination resulted in the splitting of his party and another candidate would only help to confuse the issue as well as spread out the limited number of electoral votes available. The Republicans, after seeing the problems that had been caused within the Democrats, saw this as an opportunity that they could use to their advantage. They were confident, going into their convention in Chicago, that they had a real chance of winning.   The only question was who was going to be nominated. William Seward was considered the front runner.   He was more established, had a classical education, the money and proper connections that prompted the party bosses, at first, to consider him a viable candidate for the nomination. But this all changed at the convention. Alienated factions seemed to arise and served as an unmistakable impediment for Seward and his hopes of becoming the Republican nomination for the 1860 Presidential election: an occurrence which seemed like a foregone conclusion just six months earlier. Delegates were concerned that Seward was too closely identified with the radical wing of the party. Also, Seward, being deeply religious, saw the issue of slavery as an issue that was above that of the Constitution as he called for a higher law to dictate the end of slavery. 19th century America was a deeply religious age but such beliefs seemed to pull him to the right of center in this regard. â€Å"Over the years, his angry phrases calling upon a ‘higher law’ than that of the Constitution that had come from men of freedom†¦ had alarmed Republicans moderates in the West. This only proved that Lincoln was the man to elect.†[4]Compared to Seward, Lincoln had more of a chance to help avoid a civil war as he was seen as more of a moderate within the Republican Party on many issues that were troubling the country and the Southern states at this time. But this did not being much comfort to the Southern States because the main position that the Republican Party he ld on slavery was not in doubt. The key to the success of the Republican Party was its position on slavery as well as the fact that the Democrats were now split. The Republican Party opposed the expansion of slavery and many within the party condemned it as an immoral institution. Republicans thought that by limiting its expansion would put slavery on the road to eventual extinction. Even though this stance was made public, the Republican base rejected a more radical stance that would have Southerners associate them with the abolitionist cause. So in this fact, Republicans upheld slavery within the states where it already existed. Also, there was a faction of the party which included Lincoln, which was willing to support a Constitutional amendment that would guarantee slavery forever in the hope that a civil war would be avoided. In this fact, Lincoln’s announcement in September 1862, that he would be issuing an Emancipation Proclamation, came to the shock of his cabinet because it was contrary to what the platform of the Republican Party during the 1860 election.[5] Republicans would be willing to compromise a great deal with regard to the issue of slavery in order to avoid a civil war and in the process, distance themselves from the abolitionists who were seen as too radical from both the South and even parts of the North. However, as long as the strong Republican base and their beliefs on slavery served as an impediment and a threat to the South and their protection of slavery, either Lincoln or Seward would have garnished a negative response from the Southern States. Since it was essential to carry the West and because Lincoln had a national reputation from his debates and speeches, most notably, the 1858 debates with Stephen A. Douglass, Lincoln won the party’s nomination. This is true also because Lincoln was seen as a moderate on the issue of slavery. It would not be until the Civil War was well under way when Lincoln became more certain that slavery must not continue. But at this time, Lincoln had said that he would leave slavery alone if it meant that the Union would be saved and a civil war would be avoided. The party platform states that slavery would not be allowed to spread any further. This was heavily unpopular in the South but it was in line with what Lincoln believed. The containment of slavery was the best that the moderates within the Republican Party could hope for while at the same time, avoiding a civil war. Doris Kearns Goodwin, in her book Team of Rivals, spoke to the appeal that Lincoln had among the people and the cha racteristics that helped Lincoln, an unlikely candidate in many ways, secure the nomination. â€Å"Lincoln was aware that being a man of the people was an advantage, especially in the raw Western states critical to the election of a Republican candidate Lincoln was astute enough to capitalize upon this invaluable political asset.†[6]   It was also seen that Lincoln was more of a candidate for the people and on the surface, it did not seem that he was as hungry for the office as the others and therefore, would remain true to his own self instead of saying and doing only what was needed in order to get elected. â€Å"Though Lincoln desired success as fiercely as any of his rivals, he did not allow his quest for office to consume the kindness and open heartedness with which he treated supports and rivals alike, nor alter his steady commitment to the antislavery cause.†[7] These are the characteristics that helped endeared Lincoln as a man of the people. The campaign was an interesting one that garnished a great deal of interest among the country. The turnout from the 1860 election would be one of the highest in history as the country knew all too well, that the results may lead to a civil war. Stephen A. Douglas became the first presidential candidate in history to undertake a nationwide speaking tour; something that is now seen as essential in order to win within contemporary candidates. Douglas traveled to the South even though he did not expect to win many votes. He spoke for the maintenance of the Union and would so until the official start of the Civil War. The 1860 Campaign, despite the presence of four separate candidates was more organized than the 1856 campaign. In 1856, John C. Freemont, the first Republican candidate,   crusaded zealously against slavery and these efforts were then countered with the warnings of civil war. As a result, James Buchanan was elected and did absolutely nothing to either speed up or curtail the threats towards a civil war. What also helped the chances of the Republicans was the 1857 Supreme Court Decision regarding the Dred Scott Case. This resulted in a clear advantage in the 1858 general election which gave a commanding lead to the Republicans. By 1860, every observer could see that the Republicans had an almost unbeatable advantage in the Electoral College as well since they dominated every Northern state. This would come to fruition as the number of popular votes that Douglas got in relation to the number of electoral votes he received was far below that of Lincoln’s. The election was held on November 6, 1860. The notable difference was the exaggerated sectionalism of the vote. In nine southern states, Lincoln’s name did not even appear on any of the ballots. Also, the importance of the Electoral College would be as important as any other election history, second only to the 2000 election. Due to the fact that there were four candidates, it would be unlikely that any one candidate would receive the popular majority. While Lincoln only captured 40% of the vote, the division of the Electoral College allowed him to capture 17 states plus four electoral votes from the state of New Jersey to receive a total of 180 electoral votes and the win. Although the three-way split among the non Republicans complicated the issue, Lincoln would have still won the election because he won the majority of the electoral vote. Lincoln also won a popular majority in every state that cast its electoral votes for Lincoln. He finished the campaign with 1,865,908 vot es. Douglas finished second with 1,380,202 votes but because of the split in the electoral votes throughout the country, he only received twelve electoral votes, far short of the 152 needed to win.[8] He received nine electoral votes from Missouri and three of the seven electoral votes from New Jersey. Bell won Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia while Breckenridge won every slave state except for Missouri. The result of the 1860 election was almost an immediate one. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina voted to succeed from the country.   The southern states had been waiting for an excuse to break away from the country and the election of Lincoln fit the bill. Stephen A. Douglas threw his support behind Abraham Lincoln and went on a speaking tour to try to stop a civil war from coming. He died in this process in April of 1861 and neither his efforts, nor the efforts of any single man, could stop what the country knew was about to come. With the succession of South Carolina in December 1860. â€Å"Not surprisingly, South Carolina acted first. There is nothing in all the dark caves of human passion so cruel and deadly as the hatred the   South Carolinians profess for the Yankees,[9] With the following of twelve more states, the Civil War had become a foregone conclusion. With the attack on Fort Sumter in April of 1865, despite the only casualty being a Union horse, the Civil War had started and only after four years and 620,000 casualties, did the war finally come to and end as did the institution of slavery within the country forever. The end of the Civil War also led to the assassination of President Lincoln and his Vice President, Andrew Johnson serving as an impediment to the Reconstruction of the South. The 1860 Presidential Election was one of the most important elections in the country’s history. The main difference with this election over others, was that the entire country knew that the outcome of the election had a direct impact on whether or not there would be a civil war, how the civil war would play out and what would be included in peace. Abraham Lincoln, right before the end of the Civil War, said: ‘With malice towards none and charity for all,†[10] in talking about the need for the North and South to come together as one people again. History knows that the people made the right choice that November day in 1860. And all those that are motivated by his speeches and actions are the benefactors of such wisdom and future generations will continue to do the same. WORKS CITED Burns, Ken. 1989.   The Civil War. Boston: PBS Video. Burns, Ken. 1992. The Civil War Companion Book.   Boston: Alfred Knoff Publishers Goodwin, Doris Kearns. 2006. Team of Rivals. New York: Harper Collins McPherson, James. 1998. Battle Cry of Freedom. London: Oxford University Press. [1] McPherson, James. 1998. Battle Cry of Freedom. London: Oxford University Press. [2] Goodwin, Doris Kearns. 2006. Team of Rivals. New York: Harper Collins p. 142. [3] Goodwin, Doris Kearns. 2006. Team of Rivals. New York: Harper Collins p. 167 [4] Goodwin, Doris Kearns. 2006. Team of Rivals. New York: Harper Collins [5] Burns, Ken. 1989.   The Civil War. Boston: PBS Video. [6] Goodwin, Doris Kearns. 2006. Team of Rivals. New York: Harper Collins [7] Goodwin, Doris Kearns. 2006. Team of Rivals. New York: Harper Collins p. 178. [8] Burns, Ken. 1992. The Civil War Companion Book.   New York: Alfred Knoff Publishers [9] McPherson, James. 1998. Battle Cry of Freedom. London: Oxford University Press. P.641 [10] Burns, Ken. 1992. The Civil War Companion Book.   Boston: Alfred Knoff Publishers p. 321

Strategic Management at News Company

Strategic Management at News Company The performance of different companies has been affected by internal and external factors. These environmental factors specifically affect or impact management functions. One of the approaches that the management should consider is the implementation of strategic or effective management function. Primarily, the main goal of this paper is to analyse The News Corporation through the given case study. Herein, the Paper will provide information about the strategic position of News Corporation through the use of SWOT analysis. Furthermore, this paper will also evaluate the rational and motivation behind the News Corporation strategy of diversifying into satellite broadcasting and evaluate the advantage and disadvantage of acquisition as method of development with particular reference to the acquisition undertaken by The News Corporation. Lastly, this paper aims on providing a recommendation for a strategic development plan for TNC from 2006 to onwards. Overview of the Company Accordingly, News Corporation is a publicly traded media corporation that provides media services all over the world. The company is originally an Australian corporation but when they have reincorporated in 2004, News Corporation moves its headquarters from Adelaide, Australia to New York City of the United States. After the reincorporation, the corporation has been able to add to the SP Index in later part of 2004 and have been able to generate about 75% of its revenues as well as its profits in the United States. The companys business portfolio includes television programming, motion picture production, TV, cable and satellite broadcasting, publishing of newspaper, book and magazine as well as the distribution and promotion of advertising campaign materials and services. The major shareholder of the corporation is the family of its founder which is Chairman Rupert Murdoch who has been able to spend his 50 years with the company. Murdochs family controls 30% share of the company. Murdoch has been able to build a media empire starting with his ownership of the Adelaide news, which his father has established. In 1964, he founded The Australian which is the first national daily newspaper and then acquired British and American media properties to expand his business portfolio. The subsidiaries of the News Corporation include Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Entertainment group movie studio. In addition, the corporation has also 34% stake in the DIRECTV Group and also have the ownership of over 30 American television stations, Boston Herald and New York Post newspapers and various Britain largest ciculation newspapers which include The News of the World, The Sun and The Times. Moreover, the corporation has the extensive business operations across Europe, Aust ralia, Asia and Latin America. News Corporation also brought Intermix Media Inc in July 2005 which is the owner of the largest social networking portal in the World Wide Web MySpace.com and about 30 other websites. It is said that with this approach and with the formation of the Fox Interactive Media, the acquisition of Intermix underscores the companys commitment to expand their business operations in the internet. In the latter part of 2007, the company has been able to acquire Dow Jones Company which is the publisher of The Wall Street Journal and other companies in news and information. In 2006, the News Corporation revenue was reported to be $25.3 billion in 2006 (Murdoch, 2008). Strategy Options The most dominant strategic or effective management paradigm in recent years is known as the strategies model (David, 2001). Porter (1998) claims that the intensity of competition in an industry is neither a matter of coincidence or bad luck. Rather, competition in any business industry is rooted in its underlying economic structure and goes well beyond the behaviour of current rival companies. In general, strategy refers to the long-term plan of actions which is established to enable companies to achieve their organizational goal. It is the basis which will serve as a standard for the company to efficiently achieve their goal. Based on the give case, it can be said that the main strategic approach of the company is with regards to their ability to transform the entire corporation into a company that provides the latest in the media corporations accordingly, the main goal of News Corporation is to create an industry which is unified, logical and creative. The goal of the management is to build an industry with the agility and alertness to find strategic opportunities when they arise, with the notion to anticipate and intervene challenges through the use of conventional wisdom. With the mission of the company to provide the highest quality content through the most convenient of distribution channels among various customers, the company has been able to provide quality and state of the arts media services and productions that suits the needs of the people in the global market. Theoretical Framework This part of the paper will analyse News Corporation through the use of Business model and Analytical tools. The business model to be considered is the strategic option to diversification and the analytical tools will be the use of SWOT analysis. Business Model (Motivation for Diversification to Satellite Broadcasting) Accordingly, Strategic or effective management is known as the process of formulating, implementing and assessing cross-functional decisions which enables different firms to achieve their organizational objective (Drejer, 2002). With this definition, strategic or effective management is said to give focus on integrating marketing, management, finance, research and development production/operations and computer information system to sustain competitive advantages. This definition is said to be in the contemporary business, however, in line with the perspective of the top management, strategic or effective management is the ability of the firm to choose the markets in which the companys distinctive capabilities gain competitive position. In addition, the management views strategic or effective management as the one which is adaptive and incremental in nature and aims on fulfilling the expectation of the stakeholders. Accordingly, stakeholders are composed of the management of the compa ny, the employees and staff the customers, communities and other shareholders and rivals. The management aims on having a strategy which enables them to provide the needs of these stakeholders (Campbell, 2002). In doing so, the management is trying to find ways to meet the needs of the stakeholders and this is done through constant communication. By means of communication, the management has been able to clearly relay the purpose of the company to sustain competitive advantage. It has been also believed that key to having strategic or effective management is through empowering their stakeholders, allowing them to be part of the decision making process and enabling them to be part of the business operations (David, 2001). The management perspective of strategic or effective management is to deliver superior stakeholder experience through direct, comprehensive stakeholder relationship and support programs tailored to satisfy stakeholders need. In the case of The News Corporation, it can be said that the company has been able to use a strategic business model to be able to stay in their competitive position and to be able to provide quality services to their target audiences. One of the business models used by the company is the diversification of their business portfolio into satellite broadcasting. Accordingly, the main goal of the News Corporation to diversify is to cater to the emerging needs of the market. In this regard, the News Corporation has been able to launch the UK Sky Television on February 5, 1989. The Sky television is a direct-to-home satellite broadcasting. The main motivation of News Corporation to diversify is to anticipate the intensifying communication in terms of communications satellite broadcasting services. In addition, News Corporation also diversify to become more innovative in providing their services and media coverage to their target audience in terms of switching from analogue to digital and to consider multichannel broadcasting. Furthermore, another motivation of the News Corporation to diversify into Satellite broadcasting is to provide a new strategy in terms of programme material distribution. Through this diversification the company has been able to provide opportunities for any broadcaster to increase their channel distribution which allows the distribution of different programmes to different countries. Analytical Tool This part of the paper will analyse the strategic position of News Corporation through the use of SWOT analysis. Based on the given case, the strategic position of the News Corporation specifically their BSkyBs position has been challenged because of the changing situations of the media market. Rival industries of the company has been able to announced the establishment of the first quadruple play media company in the global market which offers television, broadband, fixed line and mobile communications. The announcement of this company affects the strategic position of the entire News Corporation. In order to make sure that the company will not be left behind, News Corporation has been able to involve themselves into the expansion to technological developments. Through the use of SWOT analysis, the strategic position of News Corporation in 2006 will be analysed. Strengths. As a competitive and globally recognised media corporation, News Corporation has been able to have strategic position in the global market. In fact, when News Corporation streamlined in 2003 to 2006, it already had the advantage of size. With several consecutive years of multibillion profits, the company has outshined its major rival companies to become a model firm. Also, News Corporations decision to focus on diversified market and by considering satellite broadcasting and entering the internet market through MySpace.com was a courageous one, but it has led to its current position as one of the top global brands. The firm has likewise been characterised by many analysts to have an ability to adapt to changing market conditions in order to maximise profit. Listening to and identifying with consumers has allowed News Corporation to construct a corporate culture that bears little resemblance to the News Corporation of the past. The ability to continuously renew and improve their service in the media, internet and communication while effectively managing the needs of their target audience is the key to maintaining News Corporations leader status and the key for succeeding in having strategic position. Weaknesses. Not all of diversification and approach have been successful and this can be considered as one of the flaws or weaknesses of the company. Analysts have accused the company of focusing too much on their high-end acquisitions and diversification in spite of the risky effects of such decisions. Opportunities. The basis for long-term competitiveness is the ability to develop continuously new generations of more advanced media products and services. Therefore one of the companys opportunities is to tap into more markets as a result of the innovations being introduced in the media and television and internet industry Localised capabilities enabling or even enhancing such co-operation will always make a difference when it comes to first-mover advantages. The opportunity to penetrate new growth markets where internet media adoption still has room to go, Leveraging News Corporations infrastructure business to get first choice and stronger position against rivals is also an opportunity. They also have the opportunity to get ahead of their rival companies, and this should be the case, since the said market is a potential sizeable source of income. The trend of considering the internet market also show cases new opportunities for the company specifically with their acquisition of th e MySpace.com Threats. Rival companies are major threats to the business. News Corporation, in contrast, started out in other lines of business and entered broadcast and media capabilities of the company. The firms inability to keep up with innovations, or recognise its demand, creates a threat for them, a risk that they could be displaced by other industry leaders. The legal and political environment in the countries where they operate in could potentially affect the business negatively. Their apparent complacence could be used by their rival companies to their advantage, and take News Corporation by surprise, with the latter realising too late that they are not the industry leader anymore. Application (Advantages and Disadvantages of Acquisition Method) With regards to the largest media deals from 1981 to 2002, The News Corporation has been involved in one of these media deals. The company has been able to acquire Gemstar-TV Guide and TNC also acquire DirecTV and also brought small stakes of 20th century fox and other local TV stations. In addition, the company started a satellite TV system for their UK subscribers and also invested in another TV system in Asia which is Star and has their cable Fox News Network. The latest acquisition of the News Corporation is their acquisition of MySpace.com which is the largest social networking website in the World Wide Web. Primarily, the acquisition approach of News Corporation has taken some advantages and disadvantages to the overall performance and strategic position of the company. Accordingly, there are two basic models of acquisition, one is through cash and the other is through the stock swap. Based on the given case, one of the advantages of acquisition in News Corporation is in terms of market growth. With the acquired company, News Corporation has been able to diversify their products and business portfolio and meet the needs and demands of their target audience. In addition, through the acquisition, the company has also been able to see their potentials in different market including the internet market. The management has also been able to grow in terms of investment and grow in terms of market shares. The company has more opportunities to provide the latest products or services in the interactive media which may lead to further success of the company. Although the company has some advantages with their acquisition, News Corporation also faced some disadvantages. One of this is the threat of not fulfilling the needs of the acquired company which results in major downturn or bankruptcy of the entire industry. In addition, with so much company at stake, the management is being challenged to be able to meet all the needs of each of the company acquire to stay competitive in the market position. The acquisition entails large values of financial resources involved and if the company would not be able to manage the acquired industries strategically, all their hard work will end to major fallback for the entire industry. In order to maximize the advantage and minimize or eliminate the disadvantages, the company must be able to use strategic management approach to handle all their subsidiaries and acquired industries. Analysis Based on the given analysis, it can be shown that with the management approach of the News Corporation, the company has been able to grow in the media market efficiently and successfully. With the ability of the management to visualize what is needed to grow in the media and broadcasting market, the management considered different approaches and business models such as diversification and acquisition approach. Analysis also shows that with the aim of the company to stay in the competitive and strategic position, they are able to anticipate major challenges and maximize their strategic abilities to meet the needs of their target audience and outgrow rival industries in the global market. Findings Based on the findings, the following are the strategic development plan for the company from 2006 onwards. Strategic Planning is part of the marketing approach wherein the management team determines ways and techniques to initiate the corporate discount in a corporate unit. Strategic planning can be used in when an organisation intends to instigate or initiate a certain marketing decisions that will enhance the competitiveness of the organisation (Elkin, 1998). With proper implementation of such plan and with the strong commitment of the management as well as the employees with this plan, growth, stability and competitive advantage will be achieved by the corporation. For this strategic development plan, it is recommended that the management of News Corporation should focus on managing all the conglomerate and subsidiaries of the company. In addition, to be able to maximize their advantage in acquiring MySpace.com, the management should be able to manage this strategically. In line with the marketing development, the company should maximize the use of their financial resources in the latest trends in the market environment. They also need financial resources, to sustain their strategic development in considering employee trainings to ensure that the changes in line with their interactive media planning sill be successful. In this strategic development, it can be said that the commonness of the two is the initiation of the strategic planning. Accordingly, strategic Planning is part of the strategic development wherein the management team identifies ways and techniques to initiate the development or execute their objectives. Strategic planning can be utilised when an organisation intends to instigate or initiate a certain project, in this case the News Corporation information technology development and interactive media development and the marketing strategy development that will enhance the competitiveness of the organisation (Elkin, 1998). The strategic plan for each development, specifically in terms of their resource planning, assures that the company only utilised a strategic planning approach that will benefit the company to achieve its goal. In this manner, the management of News Corporation should be able to incorporate strategic planning and implementation in line with its resources for both strategic developments. Conclusion It can be concluded that the management must be able to know what is happening in the internal and external environment of the business. This is also done to know if changes are needed to meet the needs of these factors and to avoid problems in terms of the four management functions. Hence, strategic management through proper planning, organizing, leading, and controlling is needed. Through this, the management will also be able to counter the negative impact of globalization, technology, innovation, diversity and ethics.

Bridge expansion joints †performance and materials

Bridge expansion joints – performance and materials 1.1 Introduction Expansion joints are used in bridges to allow movements like expansion and contraction between the bridge deck spans and abutments. These movements are caused due to temperature, soil settlements, vehicle acceleration and other reasons (Klaiber, et al., 1987 and Dagher, et al., 1993 as cited in Thippeswamy, 2002). Expansion joints are subjected to severe loading due to the direct impact of the wheels. They are a very important component of a bridge structure and if carefully designed, properly installed and reasonably maintained will give a trouble free performance for many years. Though joints are made of various materials like rubber, silicone and polymer they deteriorate since they are constantly exposed to impact, vibration of traffic and natural elements like water, dust, ultra violet rays and ozone (Chang Lee 2002). The durability of expansion joints is a major concern to bridge owners. The maintenance cost of joints is relatively high than the initial cost .This led to the de sign of jointless bridges. Jointless bridges do not develop stress due to corrosion of joints, accumulation of debris and differential elevation of joints (Thippeswamy, 2002). The behaviour of the jointless bridges not known and the designs being complicated are not implemented in spite of their advantages. This literature review deals with: characteristics of a good expansion joint that must be noted while design a joint, defects observed in expansion joints, survey studies conducted on existing joints to study their behaviour and some manufactures of bridge expansion joints in the industry. Studies on improving the performance of expansion joints is conducted, research on reducing the cost of maintenance of the joints should be conducted. 1.2 Characteristics of a good expansion joint A bridge expansion joint for proper functioning must have the ability to: accommodate movements in vertical and horizontal direction; withstand applied loads; resist skid and corrosion; operate silently with less maintenance (Lee, 1994). Price (1984) suggests that the performance of a joint is influenced by structural movements of the joint in horizontal and vertical direction, traffic loading, materials used, condition of the substrate, weather and temperature during joint installation, workmanship and performance of bearings. 1.3 Commonly observed joint defects Guzaltan (1993) as cited in (Chang Lee 2002) studied some commonly observed defects in expansion joints. They include damaged seals, accumulation of debris in the joint components, rusting of metal plates and nuts, cracking of concrete, corrosion of steel reinforcement, water leakage, improper joint alignment and joint vibration during vehicle passage. Fincher (1983) as cited in (Chang Lee 2002) presents the results of a survey conducted by Federal Highway Administration during a five year evaluation period which demonstrated that 60% of the expansion joints examined leaked. Additionally, Wallbank (1989) as cited in (Lee, 1994) explains that in a survey conducted on two hundred bridges by The London Department of Transport, the deterioration of the expansion joints was caused due to leaking and faulty drainage details. Chang and Lee (2002) conducted a study to observe the performance of joints in Indiana and found that some joints failed due to cracks in the seal and suggested test ing it before installation. Fault tree modelling was used for qualitative explanation of bridge element interaction but could be used only for catastrophic failures (Attoh- Okine Bowers 2006). These models are not applicable to bridges since they fail over an extended period of time. Fault tree models were also prepared by LeBeau and Wadia-Fascetti (2000) and Sianipar and Adams (1997) as cited in (Attoh- Okine Bowers 2006). A new deterioration modelling based on belief networks that effectively capture and illustrate the hierarchical, interaction and uncertainty factors present in bridge deterioration was developed by Attoh- Okine and Bowers (2006). Belief networks are also called Bayesian belief networks and are based on Bayes theory. The belief network approach is more appropriate than fault tree analysis since it can be used to investigate the components of a bridge including deck material, girders, bearings and abutments have a great influence on deterioration. 1.4 Studies conducted on the performance of existing expansion joints Chang and Lee (2002) conducted a study to observe the performance of the different joints used in the highway bridges in Indiana. Five popularly used joints were: compression seal (B.S), strip seal (S.S), integral abutment (I.A), poured silicone (X.J.S) and polymer modified asphalt (P.M.A). The data was obtained from questionnaire survey, analysis of Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) roadway management data and expert interviews. Questionnaire survey was conducted by giving questionnaires to the state bridge inspectors and engineers around Indiana. The problems with joints were encountered and possible improvements were suggested. The analysis of historical data using logistic regression approach found that S.S joint had the best performance. The expert interviews consider I.A joint to offer good results and suggest improvement of B.S and S.S joints. An inspection campaign was conducted on 150 expansion joints of 71 road bridges in Brisa, Portugal where the maintenance cos t reached a peak of 25% (Lima Brito 2009). The joints installed within the traffic lane of the bridge were considered. The expansion joints were characterised based on their type, and age of the bridge. It was recorded that the joints used more frequently included reinforced elastomeric cushion joints, elastomeric flexible strips, and asphaltic plug joints. The data obtained from the inspection campaign was statistically analysed. The results showed that joints that were replaced mostly frequently were elastomeric joints and that different joints have specific maintenance needs. The transition strip and the anchorage cavities of the expansion joint are the parts that require more maintenance. It was also observed that the errors during installation and lack of maintenance caused pathology of the joint. The results of campaign conducted show that there was a lot of improvement in the commercial expansion joints and suggests investigation on the new or improved systems and materials. It also suggested that simple systems with fewer components are more reliable and require less maintenance. Asphalt bridge expansion joints when used in cold countries cracked within the first two years. To improve the performance the commercial MEIJIA asphalt binder was modified with polymers: thermoplastic rubber and rubber (Yu, et al., 2009). The polymers were used in various combinations, and their performance at low temperatures is evaluated by conducting tests including: ductility, penetration, indirect tension and bending tests. The data from ductility and penetration tests performed on binders indicated that the strength and deformation capacity at low temperatures improved. Four expansion joints made with the modified asphalt mixtures were installed on two bridges in a cold region and found that the joints showed good performance. 1.5 Assessment of expansion joint performance using monitored data A study was conducted by to develop a procedure for verification of the design and evaluating the condition of expansion joint by monitoring joint displacement and bridge temperature on a long term (Ni, et al., 2002). This method was applied to Ting Kau, cable stayed bridge in Hong Kong. The service life and replacement of joint depends on the cumulative displacement. An accurate prediction of the cumulative displacement will provide the time interval for joint inspection or joint replacement. Monitoring the thermal movements at the expansion joints and comparing them with the design values provide verification on design. The whole system had more than 230 sensors like anemometers, accelerometers, displacements transducters to measure displacements located at the ends of the deck, temperature sensors, strain gauges, weight in motion sensors and global positioning system. A good correlation between the movement of the expansion joints and effective temperature was observed. The daily average cumulative displacements of the expansion joints in the bridge are much less than design values. Additionally monitoring systems had been implemented on many bridges in different countries by (Andersen Pedersen 1994; Cheung et al. 1997; Barrish et al. 2000; Sumitro et al. 2001; Mufti 2002; Koh et al. 2003; Wong 2004) as cited in (Ni et al. 2002). 1.6 Effect of SSI and ground motion spatial variation Chouw and Hao (2008(a)) studied the effects of soil-structure interaction (SSI) and ground motion spatial variation effect on bridge pounding responses for bridges with a traditional expansion joint between adjacent girders. The study was conducted on two adjacent bridge frames. It was confirmed that structures that are built on stiff soils may experience larger pounding forces than those on soft soils. It was also examined that decrease of ground motion correlation caused larger pounding responses. Numerical simulation was conducted by nonlinear dynamic response analysis and investigated pounding mitigation and prevention of unseating in the highway bridges due to seismic forces (Raheem, 2009). It was observed that seismic pounding generates significantly higher magnitude and short duration acceleration pulses than typically assumed design magnitude. This results in severe impact forces that damage structural members like the deck or pier. Additionally the effects of SSI and bridge pounding response for bridges with modular expansion joint system (MEJS) were observed (Chouw Hao 2008(b)). It was concluded that the girders with a large gap of a MEJS caused stronger impact forces. It was found that significance of nonuniform ground motions depends on the properties of the ground motions, subsoil and the structures. 1.7 Types of Expansion Joints 1.7.1 Selection of joint type The type of joint is selected depending on the movement expected for serviceability limit state. More than one type of joint may be suitable for a particular range of movement. The movement range that should not be exceeded for each expansion joint is given in Table 1. Table 1. Selection of joint type (Department of Transport, 1989) Joint Type Total acceptable longitudinal movement Maximum acceptable vertical movement (mm) Maximum (mm) Minimum(mm) Buried Joint under continuous surfacing 5 20 1.3 Asphaltic plug joint 5 40 3 Nosing joint with poured sealant 5 12 3 Nosing with preformed compression seal 5 40 3 Reinforced Elastomeric 5 * 3 Elastomeric in metal runners 5 * 3 Cantilever comb or tooth joint 25 * 3 * Maximum value varies according to manufacturer or joint type 1.7.2 Modular bridge expansion joint Modular expansion joint is used when the joint movement exceeds 100mm.The modular expansion joint has many advantages including: water-tightness, corrosion protection, great potential as they increase the life of concrete and steel bridges (Crocetti Edlund 2003), greater movements in translation and rotation. It can accommodate the three dimensional movements without generating additional stresses or strains in the load-bearing members or in adjacent bridge or abutment structures. 1.7.2.1 Noise generation in a modular expansion joint The traffic generates more noise on bridges than on roads, as sound is produced on the top and bottom of the deck. The noise generated from a modular expansion joint under vehicle passage is louder than those of ordinary expansion joints (Ravshanovich, et al., 2007). The mechanism of noise generation for a modular bridge expansion joint which causes noise pollution was studied by conducting tests on a full scale model of a joint. A series of car-running experiments were conducted on the joint and studied its noise and vibration characteristics. A modal analysis of the joint is performed using finite element modelling. It was observed that the frequency of the noise generated above the joint varies from 500 to 800Hz due to sudden change in air pressure within the gap formed by rubber sealing with the middle beams. The frequency is less than 200Hz below the joint caused by the sound radiation due to the bending vibration modes of the middle beams being excited by an impact force from t he car wheels. Likewise a numerical investigation was conducted on a modular expansion joint of an expressway bridge to understand the generation and radiation mechanism (Ghimire, et al., 2009). The numerical analysis was conducted using finite element method. 1.7.2.2 Performance of Modular expansion joint Modular joints have the ability to cope with large thermal expansion and contraction of large bridges (Chouw Hao 2008(b)). They are capable of preventing girder pounding during strong earthquakes. A complex joint was modelled to study the dynamic response of a modular bridge expansion joint (Crocetti and Edmund, 2003). The vertical loads perpendicular to the roadway plane were considered. Horizontal loads were eliminated since the excitation mechanism was sophisticated and the behaviour of the joint in the horizontal direction was stochastic in character. A single fatigue test was performed. Data from the field tests including measurement of wheel load distribution factors, horizontal and vertical wheel loads, determination of damping and natural frequencies were obtained from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The result of the fatigue test conducted agreed with the S-N curve plotted for welded connection between the support bar and the centre beam suggested by Dexter, et al. (1997) cited in (Crocetti Edmund 2003). Additionally an experimental investigation was performed to study the fatigue performance of a welded multiple support bar modular bridge expansion joint (Chaallal, 2006). The welded multiple support bar modular bridge expansion joint was used in the rehabilitation of Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal. The vertical and horizontal loads were considered unlike (Crocetti Edmund 2003) which is more practical since the expansion joints are subjected to both vertical and horizontal loads. Experimental tests were conducted on three subassemblies of the modular joint for various loads and S-N curve was plotted. 1.8 Manufacturers of Expansion joints 1.8.1 The Bridge Joint Association Bridge Joint Association (BJA) prepares standards and current practice sheets. It comprises of manufacturers and installers of bridge expansion joints which include: ASL CONTRACTS LTD, FREYSSINET LTD, GRACE CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS LTD, Highways Maintenance Specialists LTD and MAURER LTD (Bridge Joint Association, 2009). 1.8.2 Watson Bowman Acme Corporation Watson Bowman Acme Corporation (WBA) found in 1950 isa recognized innovator in the development and manufacture of expansion joint controlsystems. Some of the joints manufactured by WBA include: Wabo ®Crete SiliconeSeal This is a high performance expansion joint system that uti ­lizes a two-part sealant between elastomeric concrete headers made of Wabo ®Crete II capable of absorbing impact loads. The headers are coupled with Wabo ®SiliconeSeal make it an ideal expansion joint system that is adopted in the industry for new construction or repair of existing joints. Wabo ®Crete II elastomeric concrete is widely used in header applications for bridges and parking structures. Polyurethane is used in the header material to minimize edge spalling associated with high impact loads while achieving superior bonding capabilities. The Wabo ®SiliconeSeal is a cold applied self levelling sealant requires no priming which simplifies acceler ­ates the installation process. Wabo ®Crete SiliconeSeal system is licensed under US Patent No 5.190.395. This joint is adopted for applications with a maximum movement range of +100% / -50% of the joint gap (Watson Bowman Acme, 2007) . Wabo ®Crete FlexFoam This is an armorless expansion joint system that is designed with closed-cell foam joint seal installed with epoxy adhesive between an impact absorbing elastomeric concrete header. The high impact absorbing, ambient cured and self-levelling properties of the Wabo ®Crete II joint header allows for the joint system to mono ­lithically bond to the deck creating a watertight system. Using an elastomeric concrete joint header achieving superior bonding ca ­pabilities and minimizing edge spalling (Watson Bowman Acme, 2007). Wabo ®Expandex This is a flexible asphaltic plug joint system designed to accommodate minimum structure movement while providing a smooth transition between the ap ­proach pavement and the bridge deck. Wabo ®Expandex is used typically at abut ­ments or asphalt overlays due to its unique asphalt compatibility. The system combines the use of a traffic bearing plate with special aggregate reinforced modified elastomeric material (Watson Bowman Acme, 2007). Jeene ® This joint system comprises of a neoprene profile, which is air-pressurized and bonded in place with a specially formulated epoxy ad ­hesive. With properly installation, the Jeene ® joint system will not tear away, protrude out of, or slip from its original position on exposure to repeated mechanical or thermal movements. Complete adhesion of the epoxy to the profile and joint wall is achieved due to the air inflation during installation. Jeene ® is the most durable, versatile, cost-effective and watertight expansion joint (Watson Bowman Acme, 2007). Wabo ®HSeal This is a pre-compressed elastomeric coated expansion joint system de ­signed to provide a permanent weather tight seal. The system is sealed in place with an epoxy, which allows it to accommodate horizontal, vertical, and skew expansion joint movements. Wabo ®HSeal consists of a micro-cell, stable to UV, polyurethane foam impregnated with a hydrophobic polymer and topped with a traffic grade elastomeric coating. The im ­pregnated foam provides a valuable secondary water tight seal in case the primary elastomeric coating is damaged. This system is supplied in pre-compressed sticks for easy installation (Watson Bowman Acme, 2007). Wabo ®Flex This is a molded rubber cushion expansion joint which is designed to accommodate structure movements from 2 inches up to 13 inches. In Wabo ®Flex system the molded rubber cushions are steel reinforced and imbedded with corrosion-resistant aluminium wear plates. Tongue and grooves at the end of each rubber cush ­ion ensure a watertight connection and prevent uplift or separation (Watson Bowman Acme, 2007). Wabo ®TransFlex This is an original reinforced elastomeric molded rubber expansion joint system. All sections feature tongue and groove fittings for tight end-to-end mating across decks and at curbs and are steel reinforced. It can be installed in new decks, or in older structures on rehabilitation projects. These joint systems readily adapt to skew angles. Wabo ®TransFlex system will accommodate anticipated thermal movements reject debris and create a level, smooth-riding, wear-resistant surface if properly installed (Watson Bowman Acme, 2007). Wabo ®Seismic WeatherSeal This is a pre-compressed elastomeric coated ex ­pansion joint system that works under its own constant internal pressure to provide a weather resistant seal. The system contains an open-cell foam seal im ­pregnated with a hydrophobic polymer sealing compound. Wabo ®Seismic WeatherSeal can be used on applications which cause simple thermal movements or on applications where seismic movement is anticipated. The Wabo ®Seismic WeatherSeal system is recommended for use on all in ­terior and exterior wall, ceiling and soffit expansion joint applications (Watson Bowman Acme, 2007). The joint systems manufactured by Watson Bowman Acme Corporation are compared as shown in Table 2, with respect to their features and their recommended area of implementation. Table 2: Comparison between the various joints manufactured by WBA. Joint Features Recommended for Wabo ®Crete SiliconeSeal Watertight system, rapid installation, Cold applied, Expansion joint applications with a maximum movement range of +100% / -50% of the joint gap Horizontal expansion joint applications on bridges and highways. Wabo ®Crete FlexFoam Accommodates movement cycle through compression and tension, Minimizes dirt or debris accumulation Horizontal expansion joint applications on bridges and interstate highways. Wabo ®Expandex. Provides smooth riding surface, can be milled or planed during resurfacing operations, joint openings with movements up to +/- 0.75 at time of installation Sealing joints on secondary highway bridge structures. Joint Features Recommended for Jeene ® . Accommodates forces associated with multi-directional movements, resists hydrostatic pressure, Accommodates thermal movement Sealing joints on bridges roadways and tunnels. Wabo ®HSeal Can accommodate horizontal, vertical and skew expansion joint movements, easy installation Sealing joints on bridges, sound wall barriers Wabo ®Flex maximum friction, prevents debris accumulation, reduces deflection under traffic load ­ing, maximum movement of 13 inches Bridge decks and ramps, Low height joint sealing restrictions Wabo ®TransFlex Watertight connection, prevent uplift or separation maximum movement of 13 inches Low height joint sealing restrictions bridges, decks and ramps Wabo ®Seismic WeatherSeal seismic movement capability, weather resistant, self-expanding non-laminated construction, accommodates movement up to +/- 50% Stadiums, parking garages, Replacing failed joints 1.8.3 Universal Sealants Limited Universal Sealants limited (USL) focuses on construction of bridges, tunnels, rail and other major structures. It manufactures supplies and installs specialist construction products including: bridge expansion joints; membranes for bridge deck waterproofing; protective coatings; concrete repair and car park refurbishment work. Some expansion joints offered by USL include: Uniflex expansion joints This system uses a butyl rubber membrane, bonded to the concrete and asphalt surfaces with Uniflex epoxy adhesive to provide an efficient and permanent joint that is easily installed. The system accommodates a variety of conditions from those experienced on an asphalt-covered traffic-free roof, to bridge decks with sheet membrane, spray on coating or asphalt waterproofing, also it can be used with two layer mastic asphalt or brick paving systems. The Uniflex system is chemically inert and completely impervious to water and water vapour. In buried joints the membrane is completely protected by the wearing surface. Uniflex membrane will not deteriorate during its service and the combination of a simple design and proven components makes the system naturally long-lasting and well up to the requirements of modern building and civil engineering practice (Universal Sealants UK Ltd, 2009). Febajoint This joint is fully registered with the Highways Agency, Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembley (BD 33/94: Joint Type 2) suitable for all class roads and motorways. The joint is nominally 500mm wide and not less than 100mm deep which will provide optimum movement capacity of +/- 20mm. The materials are applied hot and in a fluid condition, with temperatures up to 180 °C. Careful considerations should be made by the engineer before using this joint. Binder compounds use thermoplastic materials which contain polymer modified bitumen, mineral fillers and chemical additives (Universal Sealants UK Ltd, 2009). FEBA HM expansion joints The system is fully registered with the UK Highways Agency for type 2 application. It is a high modulus flexible, waterproof asphaltic plug joint. The main feature of this system includes a resistance to wheel tracking. This joint is suitable for a maximum horizontal design movement of  ±20mm. The FEBA HM system should be considered in places of high traffic volumes, constant standing traffic or heavy loading. The materials are applied hot and in fluid condition, with temperatures up to 180 °C. Binder compounds are classified as thermoplastic materials and contain polymer modified bitumen, mineral fillers and chemical additives (Universal Sealants UK Ltd, 2009). Nosing Joint (NJ) system This joint system is an ideal for maintenance situations and has been developed to provide a whole life economic solution for applications where asphalt plug joints are unsuitable and is registered with the UK Highways Agency, The Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly. A surface mounted nosing joint with an elastomeric insert bonded to the rapid curing elastomeric compound known as Britflex ® Resin Mortar (Universal Sealants UK Ltd, 2009). The Transflex, Waboflex and Euroflex These joints are registered with the UK Highways Agency, the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly for use on highway bridge decks (BD 33/94: Joint Type 5). These joints are reinforced elastomeric comprising of steel angles and a steel bridging plate system encased in a flexible elastomer. The movements that can be accommodated vary from 38mm to 330mm in structures including: All types of highway structures, car park decks, footbridges and podium decks (Universal Sealants UK Ltd, 2009). The Britflex ® BEJ Expansion Joint These joints are registered with the UK Highways Agency, Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembley for use on bridge decks on all classes of roads and motorways. (Department of Transport BD33/94: Joint Type 6). This system is ideal for maintenance projects where there is a need to replace failed systems. The major benefit of this system is its speed of assembly on-site (Universal Sealants UK Ltd, 2009). Londitudinal Joint (LJ) system This system has been developed to provide an effective method of sealing longitudinal expansion gaps and soffits. This joint accommodates both longitudinal and vertical movement and also provides a substantially watertight seal. The LJ joint system can be used as a waterproof cover joint or as a drainage channel under joint with the facility to install drainage outlets into the system (Universal Sealants UK Ltd, 2009). Table 3: Comparison between the various joints manufactured by USL. Joint Type Features Uniflex Expansion Joints Type 1-Buried joint under continuous surfacing Impervious to water and water vapour, long-lasting, simple design Joint Type Features Febajoints Type 2-Asphaltic Plug joint Provides optimum movement capacity of +/- 20mm, joint for use on highway bridges FEBA HM Expansion Joints Type 2-High Modulus Asphaltic Plug joint Can accommodate impact loads, maximum horizontal design movement of  ±20mm Nosing Joint system Type 4-Nosing with preformed compression seal Rapid Installation, No drilling of deck, can only be used in the situation where the gap at carriageway level does not exceed 65mm. Transflex, Waboflex and Euroflex Expansion Joints Type 5-Reinforced Elastomeric Accommodating movement from 38mm to 330mm. used for car park decks, footbridges, podium deck. Britflex ® BEJ Expansion Joints Type 6-Elastomeric in metal runners Rapid on site assembly, less future maintenance costs, easy to install Longitudinal Joints Longitudinal Joint System can accommodate both longitudinal and vertical movement, rapid installation, low maintenance, cost effective , watertight seal 1.8.4 Stirling Lloyd Stirling Lloyd specialise in the development, manufacture and application of high-performance waterproofing and structural protection membranes and systems. They deal with road and rail bridge decks and tunnels, to commercial building developments, car parks and highway maintenance solutions. Some of the joints manufactured by Stirling Lloyd include: Sentinel ® B This joint consists of a PVC flashing strip designed for various movement ranges. The flashing is bonded across the expansion gap and incorporated into the Eliminator ® water proofing system to form a continous waterproofing detail below

Life of Robert Hooke Essay -- Biography

A cell is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing. The discovery of cells eventually led to the discovery of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, the invention of antibiotics to help fight disease, and ultimately founded the basis for what people know as medicine (â€Å"Hierarchy,† 2011). Robert Hooke, the man who suffered from smallpox at a young age and was not expected to live more than a few years, later grew up to attend the prestigious University of Oxford where he studied alongside famous scientists. Hooke made several important discoveries in the fields of science and medicine, including the invention of the microscope and the discovery of cells. As a result of Hooke’s discoveries, doctors today can understand how the body works on the smallest scale in order to treat diseases more efficiently. Ever since he was a child, Hooke always found a way to exceed everyone’s expectations. Hooke was born on July 18, 1635, on the western end of Isle of Wright in England. In the article â€Å"Robert Hooke Biography,† Hooke was described as â€Å"a sickly child who was stricken with smallpox at an early age and was not expected to survive more than a few years† (2011). Due to his poor health, Hooke was allowed to spend his free time studying things that interested him like science and mechanics. Since he was forced to stay indoors for most of his childhood due to illness, Hooke found a source of enjoyment in disassembling and reassembling mechanical devices. Hooke possessed the ability to recreate mechanical toys on his own like working clocks and toy ships with fully functioning miniature guns (Farrell, 2006). Hooke not only had an interest in mechanics but also had a great amount of talent in that area as well. His... ...pot, the universal joint which is still used in cars today, and the balance spring which is a main component in the watches we wear (2009). Most of Hooke’s major inventions are still around and used in every day life. By 1665 Hooke was appointed professor of geometry at Gresham College. The standard policy at Gresham was to never marry, so Hooke remained single and lived in his Gresham apartment for the rest of his life. Hooke’s mental and physical health began to decline rapidly with the death of his niece, Grace, whom he lived with and was very fond of. After Grace passed, Hooke began to isolate himself and began writing bitterly (Farrell, 2006). Hooke finally passed away on March 3, 1703. Hooke’s invention of the microscope and the discovery of cells ultimately laid down the basic building blocks for further discoveries in medicine and the study of disease.

Mary Shelley and Parallels :: Free Essay Writer

Mary Shelley and Parallels Novels, are they parallels of the authors lives’? The story of Frankenstein is the first articulation of a woman’s experience of pregnancy and related fears. Mary Shelly, in the development and education of the monster, discusses child development and education and how nurturing of a loving parent is extremely important in the moral development of an individual. Thus, in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley examines her own fears and thoughts about pregnancy, childbirth, and child development; hence a link between her and the novel is created. Pregnancy, childbirth, as well as death, played an integral role in the young adult life of Mary Shelley. She mothered four children a miscarriage that almost lead to her death, all before the age of twenty-five. Only one of her children, Percy Florence, survived to adulthood and outlived her. In June of 1816, when she had the waking nightmare, which became the catalyst of the tale, she was only nineteen and had already had her first two children. Her first child, Clara, was born prematurely February 22, 1815 and died March 6. Mary, as any woman would be, was devastated by this and took a long time to recover. The following is a letter that was written by Mary to her friend Hogg the day that the baby died. 6 March 1815 My dearest Hogg my baby is dead – will you come to see me as soon as you can – I wish to see you – It was perfectly well when I went to bed – I awoke in the night to give it suck it appeared to be sleeping so quietly that I would not wake it – it was dead then but we did out find out till morning – from its appearance it evidently died from convulsions – Will you come – you are so calm a creature and Shelley is afraid of a fever from the milk – for I am no longer a mother now Mary What is informative and devastating about this letter is that Mary turned to Hogg because Percy was so unsupportive. Actually Percy didn’t really seem to care that the child was dead and even went out with Claire, leaving Mary alone to suffer in her grief. William, Mary’s second child, was born January 24, 1816. (William died of malaria June7, 1819.) Subsequently, at the time that Mary conceived of the story, her first child had died and her second was only 6 months old.

Existentialism and Human Emotions Essay

I SHOULD LIKE on this occasion to defend existentialism against some charges which have been brought against it. First, it has been charged with inviting people to remain in a kind of desperate quietism because, since no solutions are possible, we should have to consider action in this world as quite impossible. We should then end up in a philosophy of contemplation; and since contemplation is a luxury, we come in the end to a bourgeois philosophy. The communists in particular have made these charges. On the other hand, we have been charged with dwelling on human degradation, with pointing up everywhere the sordid, shady, and slimy, and neglecting the gracious and beautiful, the bright side of human nature; for example, according to Mlle. Mercier, a Catholic critic, with forgetting the smile of the child. Both sides charge us with having ignored human solidarity, with considering man as an isolated being. The communists say that the main reason for this is that we take pure subjectivity, the Cartesian I think, as our starting point; in other words, the moment in which man becomes fully aware of what it means to him to be an isolated being; as a result, we are unable to return to a state of solidarity with the men who are not ourselves, a state which we can never reach in the cogito. From the Christian standpoint, we are charged with denying the reality and seriousness of human undertakings, since, if we reject God’s commandments and the eternal verities, there no longer remains anything but pure caprice, with everyone permitted to do as he pleases and incapable, from his own point of view, of condemning the points of view and acts of others. I shall today try to answer these different charges. Many people are going to be surprised at what is said here about humanism. We shall try to see in what sense it is to be understood. In any case, what can be said from the very beginning is that by existentialism we mean a doctrine which makes human life possible and, in addition, declares that every truth and every action implies a human setting and a human subjectivity. As is generally known, the basic charge against us is that we put the emphasis on the dark side of human life. Someone recently told me of a lady who, when she let slip a vulgar word in a moment of irritation, excused herself by saying, â€Å"I guess I’m becoming an existentialist.† Consequently, existentialism is regarded as something ugly; that is why we are said to be naturalists; and if we are, it is rather surprising that in this day and age we cause so much more alarm and scandal than does naturalism, properly so called. The kind of person who can take in his stride such a novel as Zola’s The Earth is disgusted as soon as he starts reading an existentialist novel; the kind of person who is resigned to the wisdom of the ages-which is pretty sad-finds us even sadder. Yet, what can be more disillusioning than saying â€Å"true charity begins at home† or â€Å"a scoundrel will always return evil for good†? We know the commonplace remarks made when this subject comes up, remarks which always add up to the same thing: we shouldn’t struggle against the powers that-be; we shouldn’t resist authority; we shouldn’t try to rise above our station; any action which doesn’t conform to authority is romantic; any effort not based on past experience is doomed to failure; experience shows that man’s bent is always toward trouble, that there must be a strong hand to hold him in check, if not, there will be anarchy. There are still people who go on mumbling these melancholy old saws, the people who say, â€Å"It’s only human!† whenever a more or less repugnant act is pointed out to them, the people who glut themselves on chansons realistes; these are the people who accuse existentialism of being too gloomy, and to such an extent that I wonder whether they are complaining about it, not for its pessimism, but much rather its optimism. Can it be that what really scares them in the doctrine I shall try to present here is that it leaves to man a possibility of choice? To answer this question, we must re-examine it on a strictly philosophical plane. What is meant by the term existentialism? Most people who use the word would be rather embarrassed if they had to explain it, since, now that the word is all the rage, even the work of a musician or painter is being called existentialist. A gossip columnist in Clartes signs himself The Existentialist, so that by this time the word has been so stretched and has taken on so broad a meaning, that it no longer means anything at all. It seems that for want of an advanced-guard doctrine ,analogous to surrealism, the kind of people who are eager for scandal and flurry turn to this philosophy which in other respects does not at all serve their purposes in this sphere. Actually, it is the least scandalous, the most austere of doctrines. It is intended strictly for specialists and philosophers. Yet it can be defined easily. What complicates matters is that there are two kinds of existentialists; first, those who are Christian. among whom I would include Jaspers and Gabriel Marcel, both Catholic; and on the other hand the atheistic exi stentialists among whom I class Heidegger, and then the French existentialists and myself. What they have in common is that they think that existence precedes essence, or, if you prefer, that subjectivity must be the starting point. Just what does that mean? Let us consider some object that is manufactured, for example, a book or a papercutter: here is an object which has been made by an artisan whose inspiration came from a concept. He referred to the concept of what a paper-cutter is and likewise to a known method of production, which is part of the concept, something which is, by and large, a routine. Thus, the paper-cutter is at once an object produced in a certain way and, on the other hand, one leaving a specific use; and one can not postulate a man who produces a paper-cutter but does not know what it is used for. Therefore, let us say that, for the paper-cutter, essence-that is, the ensemble of both the production routines and the properties which enable it to be both produced and defined-precedes existence. Thus, the presence of the paper-cutter or book in front of me is determined. Therefore, we have here a technical view of the world whereby it can be said that production precedes existence. When we conceive God as the Creator, He is generally thought of as a superior sort of artisan. Whatever doctrine we may be considering, whether one like that of Descartes or that of Leibniz, we always grant that will more or less follows understanding or, at the very least, accompanies it, and that when God creates He knows exactly what he is creating. Thus, the concept of man in the mind of God is comparable to the concept of a paper-cutter in the mind of the manufacturer, and, following certain techniques and a conception, God produces man, just as the artisan, following a definition and a technique, makes a paper-cutter. Thus, the individual man is the realization of a certain concept in the divine intelligence. In the eighteenth century, the atheism of the philosophers discarded the idea of God, but not so much for the notion that essence precedes existence. To a certain extent, this idea is found everywhere; we find it in Diderot, in Voltaire, and even in Kant. Man has a human nature; this human nature, which is the concept of the human, is found in all men, which means that each man is a particular example of a universal concept, man. In Kant, the result of this universality is that the wild-man, the natural man, as well as the bourgeois, are circumscribed by the same definition and have the same basic qualities. Thus, here too the essence of man precedes the historical existence that we find in nature. Atheistic existentialism, which I represent, is more coherent. It states that if God does not exist, there is at least one being in whom existence precedes essence, a being who exists before he can be defined by any concept, and that this being is man, or, as Heidegger says, human reality. What is meant here by saying that existence precedes essence? It means that, first of all, man exists, turns up, appears on the scene, and, only afterwards, defines himself. If man, as the existentialist conceives him, is indefinable, it is because at first he is nothing. Only afterward will he be something, and he himself will have made what he will be. Thus, there is no human nature, since there is no God to conceive it. Not only is man what he conceives himself to be, but he is also only what he wills himself to be after this thrust toward existence. Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself. Such is the first principle of existentialism. It is also what is called subjectivity, the name we are labeled with when charges are brought against us. But what do we mean by this, if not that man has a greater dignity than a stone or table? For we mean that man first exists, that is, that man first of all is the being who hurls himself toward a future and who is conscious of imagining himself as being in the future. Man is at the start a plan which is aware of itself, rather than a patch of moss, a piece of garbage, or a cauliflower nothing exists prior to this plan; there is nothing in heaven; man will be what he will have planned to be. Not what he will want to be. Because by the word â€Å"will† we generally mean a conscious decision, which is subsequent to what we have already made of ourselves. I may want to belong to a political party, write a book, get married; but all that is only a manifestation of an earlier, more spontaneous choice that is called â€Å"will.† But if existence really does precede essence, man is responsible for what he is. Thus, existentialism’s first move is to make every man aware of what he is and to make the full responsibility of his existence rest on him. And when we say that a man is responsible for himself, we do not only mean that he is responsible for his own individuality, but that he is responsible for all men. The word subjectivism has two meanings, and our opponents play on the two. Subjectivism means, on the one hand, that an individual chooses and makes himself; and, on the other, that it is impossible for man to transcend human subjectivity. The second of these is the essential meaning of existentialism. When we say that man chooses his own self, we mean that every one of us does likewise; but we also mean by that that in making this choice he also chooses all men. In fact, in creating the man that we want to be, there is not a single one of our acts which does not at the same time create an image of man as we think he ought to be. To choose to be this or that is to affirm at the same time the value of what we choose, because we can never choose evil. We always choose the good, and nothing can be good for us without b eing good for all. If, on the other hand, existence precedes essence, and if we grant that we exist and fashion our image at one and the same time, the image is valid for everybody and for our whole age. Thus, our responsibility is much greater than we might have supposed, because it involves all mankind. If I am a workingman and choose to join a Christian trade-union rather than be a communist, and if by being a member I want to show that the best thing for man is resignation, that the kingdom of man is not of this world, I am not only involving my own case-I want to be resigned for everyone. As a result, my action has involved all humanity. To take a more individual matter, if I want to marry, to have children; even if this marriage depends solely on my own circumstances or passion or wish, I am involving all humanity in monogamy and not merely myself. Therefore, I am responsible for myself and for everyone else. I am creating a certain image of man of my own choosing. In choosing myself, I choose ma n.

The Handphone Influences People’s Behaviour

The handphone influences people’s behaviour Behaviour is not be formed by a thing constantly, but it is formed by many things continously. Because, everything what people saw, listened, and said forms his behaviour. One of them is one of media of communication, which is called handphone. Hand phone is one of the tool of communication between a person with others. Today, it is used by both adult or child, rich or poor, and because of necessery or style in our society. But, their behaviour is influenced unconsious by using it. The phone gives the big role to influence people’s behavior.First, it neglects the user. Usually it is happened in the users who can not control their self such as the students. For examples, when the teacher is teaching in the class they are busy by playing the game or texting a message to their friends. They are serious in their doing, sometimes they are laught and smile by theirself. Moreover, the the teacher does not give the rule or punishment for them. So, they will get nothing in the class. Besides, if the parents do not control, they also do not study or do homework. Second, disturbs the childen’s development or maturity.Because, there are many things in the phone. Such as camera, games, pictures, and others. Which changes the student’s attention and concentretion, both in the class or in the home. Moreover, it gives dishonest way. Exmple, in the examination they should cheat with others by sending message or searching the material about etc. In addition, by using handphone lets the students to send or receive everything is not good and educated. So, if we let them to use it free without controling, they will be the educated of technology, but not educated of knowledge or attitude.Third, it contibutes the people to be arrogant. Because, everyperson is different personality. Basicly, the phone is used for communication with others. But, some person are use it not only for communication but also for style. As we know, today are many merks and types of phone. Such as BlackBerry, Android, Nokia, Samsung etc. Some of us compete to buy the more expensive, exis and newer. Sometimes, they more emphasize to buy the new phone than other things. Example, the students able to buy the new phone, but do not able to buy the book.This is very bad to their maturity, which compete in the extravagance. Overall, the phone gives many good function for us. There are to communicate with others, save the things as a memorial, share information etc. But, we have to release that phone is same as another technology also has the negative effects should influence the people behaviour. Forthat, we have to be wise in using it, control and tell our family, student and society the positive and negative effects. Because the phone influence the people’s behaviour.