Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Essays

Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Essays Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Paper Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Paper Do you think Kappmeyer should sign the proposal, and why? What pushed USS to stay with conventional technology? My recommendation based on analysis of the case and understanding the basic nature of disruptive technologies, and their impact on the general industry is that Kappmeyer should not sign the proposal. The main reason for that is USS is tying itself to an existing, but dying business model and technology. While this plan may make sense in the short-term, it does not have long-term sustainability. The market has already indicated that it is changing, adapting to minimills, and this trend would likely continue. As minimill technology becomes more sophisticated, their quality and other disadvantages would reduce and they would start competing with integrated manufacturing even in the high-end markets. Unfortunately for USS, there is no silver bullet. Since USS is already invested in the market, they will have to go through a difficult, and expensive, change, or they will end up perishing as the industry changes around them. USS current decided to stay with conventional continuous casting technology simply because they were looking at the shorter-term future, and was not willing to take the financial hit and risk associated with a new disruptive technology. Additionally, they were tying themselves to the requirements of the current customers, and ignoring potentially new users for the future. Did the USS team get the right answer to the wrong question? What if, rather than asking whether USS should install CSP in Mon Valley, Kappermeyer has asked whether USS should invest in or participate in this technology? Would you have answered that question differently than you did when the problem was framed as a Mon Valley issue? My recommendation was that USS should not sign this proposal, and that remains the same whether the issue is addressed with respect to Mon Valley or independently. The main reason for disagreeing with investing in the proven conventional continuous casting process is that it would only commit USS to an older technology going extinct. While it may sense in the short-term foreseeable future, for long term survival USS would need to embrace the disruptive technology. Looking at CSP technology only from the Mon Valley perspective is a mistake – the current plant puts a lot of restrictions on the project. If the technology and market is looked at independently from Mon Valley, then my recommendation would be more concretely recommend investing in a new greenfield plant based on the minimills model. It may also be practical for USS to house the disruptive technology as an independent entity. As the market and industry changes, minimills and CSP would mature to improve quality, and further widen the gap between themselves and integrated producers such as USS. Sooner or later, USS would have to modify its production and business models to survive the industry. If it does not do that right now, there is a good possibility that it will be too late. What are other decision alternatives? What are the reasons of choosing each alternative? What will these reasons look like in five years? The company should follow a combination of the following options to maintain long-term competitiveness: Close Mon Valley: USS already has close to 25% of unused capacity. Currently (1990) they have approximately 14. 4 million tons of capacity. The Mon Valley plant would add another 3MM in capacity which is not necessarily needed. Maybe there is an opportunity to shift some (or most) of the orders from this plant to another plan, and even close this facility. In the worst case scenario, USS would loose $26. 3MM (%75,000 * 3,500 workers) for laying-off unionized workers. This number may be reduced if some of the workers could be relocated to an existing or a new Greenfield plant. Since USS is committed to invest in a continuous casting capacity at Mon Valley, this may be the only way to save $800MM investment, unless USS can renegotiate with the union. This plan would give USS some time and money to invest in one of the other options for CSP technologies. CSP at Mon Valley: USS had investigated the possibility of adding 3MM tons of capacity in CSP at Mon Valley through three or four caster strands. While difficult, maybe more investigation can make this process feasible. CSP technology would bring USS closer to Nucor’s projected low costs, but not all the way there. This would still be a short-term strategy if USS decided to increase capacity, as there are other cost advantages that Nucor’s minimill production model still has. NEW CSP greenfield project: Invest in new greenfield plant operating on similar models as the minimills. While this may not be very financially viable in the short run – given the success already enjoyed by minimills, it is necessary for USS to start shifting its assets in that direction for long term survival in the market. Through research and analysis conclude there may be the possibility to conclude that there will be ample demand and orders to pay back for this investment in conventional casting technology in approximately 10 years. Then they can consider signing this proposal, but keeping in mind that the disruptive technology would be improving at a faster rate. So as long as the disruptive technology does not catch up in 10 years, this may still be feasible. This may be hard unless USS can get customers to commit to long-term orders, and through more technical research conclude that Nucor’s lower product quality would prevent it from competing with USS’s products in the high end markets. oWhile this strategy may seem financially viable, it is not a long term strategy and should only be executed if USS can also follow one of the short-term strategies to pursue CSP technology. The question facing Kappmeyer at the end of the case is, What should USS’s next technological move be? Should USS take another â€Å"long shot† to leapfrog ahead of Nucor? Or should it â€Å"get on the ground† neck-to-neck with Nucor, employing a viable commercial technology as soon as possible incrementally improving CSP? USS would probably need to employ a combination of a long-term and a short-term technology strategy to remain competitive and survive the changing market. Ideally, USS should invest in research to take a leapfrog ahead of Nucor in order to redefine the market with its disruptive technology and set the new standard in its favor. But given the time that may require, it may not be possible. Competing neck-to-neck with Nucor employing a commercial technology may not be the best idea considering the rate of improvement of the disruptive technology is far higher than the rate of improvement of the proven technology. In fact, that’s exactly what the conventional continuous casting technology would have been. It would have given a short term incremental advantage to USS at best for the high end markets, but it would not be sustainable.

Information Graphic Memo Essays

Information Graphic Memo Essays Information Graphic Memo Essay Information Graphic Memo Essay The current map that M Street Apartments provides underlies the most basic information about the community whereas this map entails several unique details that residents wouldnt know about unless they were informed about them. The main focus of this enhanced map draws to the cautionary details. These are details that residents wouldnt be aware of Just by entering and exiting the neighborhood. Layout The map is displayed landscape, with the top part of the neighborhood facing west. I made sure to add extra detail and description to the areas that are more than Just visual. For example, anyone can see there are several entrances to the neighborhood, but I added extra description because each entrance is unique (pedestrian entrance, quest and residents only entrances) and one wouldnt be able to decipher that without the information graphic. Details Unaccounted M Street Apartments is a clean and well-maintained community. It is obvious by looking around the neighborhood that the maintenance staff works to their full potential. This, however, is not displayed in the information graphic. The visual is very informative to new residents, but it is very basic in that it doesnt correlate to the neighborhoods character. The importance of the visual is not to promote the neighborhoods essence, but to assist its client in important details that they may eve not initially known. Questions 1. Is it necessary to inform residents about the hazards and flaws of the information I provided is informative, but questionably subjective. Im curious to know if the residence would actually consider using my information graphic as a guide for their current residents. 2. Are all residents satisfied with their experiences of the neighborhood; do residents feel well informed of their surroundings upon moving into the neighborhood? After living in the apartment for a full month, there was so much that I personally had learned about where I live that I didnt know before.

Good species Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Good species - Essay Example Second is the United Nation which replaced the League of Nation established in the year 1945 purposed to promote peace and stop chaos between nation-states. Third, is the global World Trade Organization (WTO), established to encourage free trade between nations. Fourth, are the regional organizations e.g. EU, NATO, AOS and AU and Product-specific IGOs like OPEC (Campbell, MacKinnon, and Stevens 51-121). NGOs, on the other hand, are private and individualized organizations that are free from government involvement. There are three classes of NGOs that are the environmental, humanitarian/Human rights and development. Environmental NGOs have obligations to promote clean and natural environment globally. Environmental NGOs duties involve the initiation of water, land and air clean-up; animal, landscape and resource preservation; and maintainable land use and resources (Campbell, MacKinnon, and Stevens 51-121). Development NGOs offers aid to promote social, political and economic growth in third world countries. Its efforts are on the expansion of economic and social structures, which enhance communities and terminate poverty in the society. Development NGOs duties involves school establishment, offering small loans to individuals, establishment of health-care amenities and programs, and providing farming education to the communities (Campbell, MacKinnon, and Stevens 51-121). Humanitarian/ Human rights NGOs have the obligation to supervise and report all abuses to human rights. Amnesty International is the most eminent NGOs responsible in researching and taking actions to stop and prevent human rights abuses. The organization carry out its duties with the guidance of rights reserved in Universal Declaration of Human Rights; rights that ask all the governments and other potent bodies obey the law. The organization duties involve various operations formulated to terminate women violence,

City of Atlanta Water Quality Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

City of Atlanta Water Quality Report - Essay Example Microbial contaminants can come from sewage treatment plants, livestock, and wildlife. Inorganic contaminants are salts and metals and can be naturally occurring in soil and river beds. Organic chemicals can be synthetic and volatile and are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production (http://www.atlantawatershed.org/pdf/WQR2009.pdf). They can also come from gas stations or septic systems. The EPA has strict guidelines regarding pollutants in water, the food and drug administration provides guidelines for bottled water that is sold to citizens. The main source of the Atlanta water supply is the Chattahoochee River, providing 75 % of the drinking water, processed by two water plants. Total coliform detected in the water supply was 1.4 % in 2009. The detected level of turbidity was 0.4 %, both of these are within acceptable range and likely explained as naturally occurring. Turbidity was found in 100% of samples, probably a result of runoff. Turbidity is the cloudiness of the water or unsettling of sediment. Both copper and lead were well below the threshold of the action level, which is when this contaminant would require some further treatment. Chlorine and fluoride are additives and within their respective proper ranges of detection. Organic contaminants noted were likely the byproduct of drinking water and naturally occurring. Water pollution of unacceptable adulterants do not appear to be a problem with Atlanta and they have consistently been well within limits. The Atlanta regional commission and the Metropolitan North Georgia water planning district both sponsor and collaborate for the ‘Clean Water Campaign’ which focuses on public education and the negative effects of soil runoff and water pollution (http://www.atlantaregional.com/environment/water/clean-water-campaign). It is estimated that over a thousand stream miles are in Atlanta violate state standards.

The Chosen One Essay Example for Free

The Chosen One Essay Choosing the right university is one of the most important aspects that an incoming college student should consider besides the choice of course to pursue. Many institutions emerged in Cavite because it is one of the most industrialized provinces in the country. Some of well-known universities established here are: De La Salle University in Dasmarià ±as, Cavite State University Main-Campus in Indang (other campuses are located around the whole province), Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Maragondon, Far Eastern University in Silang, Lyceum of the Philippines University in General Trias, and many more. There are lots of eligible institutions to choose from but why did we choose Lyceum of the Philippines University? One of the reasons why we choose LPU is because of its good reputation earned through the years. An institution without good management will never make its way in this industry nor will it survive. The Lyceum of the Philippines University system has five affiliate campuses located at Intramuros, Manila; Batangas City, Batangas; Calamba City, Laguna; City of Makati and General Trias, Cavite. Even though Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite-Campus just opened its doors to the public at year 2008, the numbers of enrollees boost because of its accessibility for us Caviteà ±os. The institution is located at the center of Cavite, targeting students from different parts of the province from Bacoor to Tagaytay. Lyceum of the Philippines University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in various fields of study, including law, liberal arts, diplomacy, international trade and journalism, as well as engineering, business and accountancy, mass communication, tourism and hotel and restaurant management. Another reason why we chose LPU is because it offers in demand courses that produce competent professionals globally. The university was called as The First and Only Resort Campus in the Philippines due to its modern and elegant design. Aside from its unique structure, it also has complete facilities that would be really helpful for students practical learning. All rooms are air conditioned and its sizes are just enough to accommodate an average number of students. The university has different laboratories for outside class discussions such as Computer Laboratory, Mac Laboratory, Bayleaf Mini Hotel, Moot Court, Drawing Room, Dance Studios, Gymnasium and that which enhance students talents and abilities. The university has two buildings named after Sotero H. Laurel and Jose P. Laurel that was connected by a new building forming the laurel leaf structure, earlier this year. The Academic Resource Center or the University Library was relocated and just opened its doors to students last summer of this semester. The employees in this institution are really approachable and friendly. The security and maintenance personnel are always around the vicinity and it really shows that they are really dedicated to their work. The professors are professionals in their chosen field. They are highly competent to produce another generation of professionals from this university. To sum up this, there are lots of aspects to take in to consideration in choosing the right educational institution. The university that you will choose will be a great influence in enhancing your knowledge and abilities but most importantly, your character the moment you enter college until you face the real world. We chose Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite Campus as our alma mater because we believe that this educational institution will mold us into what we want to be. Viva Larga Pirata!

Don Quixote Essay -- English Literature

Anyone who reads Don Quixote for the first time inevitably has some preconceptions about it, beginning with the dictionary def MIGUEL DE CERVANTES SAAVEDRA was born in Alcala de Henares in Spain near Madrid in 1547. Nothing is certainly known about his education, but by the age of twenty-three, he enrolled in the army as a private soldier. He was maimed for life in the battle of Lepanto and was taken captive by the Moors on his way home in 1575. After five years of slavery, he was ransomed; and two or three years later, he returned to Spain. He settled in Madrid and began a moderately successful literary career, in which he wrote poetry, published a pastoral romance, La Galatea(1585), and had some twenty to thirty plays performed without, as he puts it, â€Å"offerings of cucumbers or other throwable matter.† Failing to attain financial success, he obtained an employment in the Government office as a commissioner of food supplies for the Armada expedition. He later became a tax collector, a position that he held until 1597, when he was imprisoned for a shortage in his accounts due to the dishonesty of an associate. The imprisonment on this occasion lasted until the end of the year, and, after a period of obscurity, he issued, in 1605, his masterpiece, El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de La Mancha (The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha). Cervantes confesses to having ‘engendered’ Don Quixote in the prison. Its success was great and immediate, and its reputation soon spread beyond Spain. The enthusiastic reception of Part à Ã¢â‚¬   spurred him to unchecked literary activity until his death- a gloriously creative old age in which he completed Don Quixote Part à Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬   (1615), his twelve Exemplary Novels (1613), ... ...’ position, the female characters such as Marcella and Dorothea in Don Quixote speak forcefully in defense of women's rights. Loose in structure and uneven in workmanship, it remains unsurpassed as a masterpiece of witty humor, as a picture of Spanish life, as a gallery of immortal portraits. It has in the highest degree the mark of all great art, the successful combination of the particular and the universal: it is true to the life of the country and age of its production, and true also to general human nature everywhere and always. With reference to the fiction of the Middle Ages, it is a triumphant satire; with reference to modern novels, it is the first and the most widely enjoyed. In its authorÂ’s words: â€Å"It is so conspicuous and void of difficulty that children may handle it, youths may read it, men may understand it, and old men may celebrate it.†

The Name “Trifles” and Its Significance

The name Trifles and its significance John Wright was murdered in his bedroom; someone had took a rope and put it around his neck and strangled him. All the men, the sheriff, the country attorney, and the neighbor, thought his wife was the one killed him. This play is based on events that happened in the early 20th century. Susan Glaspell, the writer, uses the word trifles appropriately when naming this play, and she uses this play to establish that women were taken for granted.First, you can see the meaning of the word â€Å"trifles† and the reasons behind why it is an appropriate title. You can first start to figure out the word’s meaning shortly after the play begins. Mrs. Peters tells the men that Mrs. Wright is worried about her fruit jars breaking during the cold winter night. Mr. Peters, who is the sheriff, responses with, â€Å"Well, you can beat the woman! Held for murder and worryin’ about her preserves† (1369). Mr. Hale states, â€Å" Well, wom en are used to worrying over trifles† (1369). Mr. Hale and Mr.Peters refer to Mrs. Wright worrying about the fruit preserves as something of little importance compared to being held for murder. The County Attorney, George Henderson, judges Mrs. Wright of being a poor housekeeper when he tells everyone else, â€Å"Not much of a housekeeper, would you say ladies? † (1369). He is criticizing Mrs. Wright instead of thinking about how this small detail can help solve the investigation. The kitchen is considered to be a woman’s domain, so the men look everywhere else but there and the living room.The wives notice the quilt; Mrs. Hales mentions to Mrs. Peters,† †¦look at this sewing! All the rest of it has been so nice and even, And look at this! It’s all over the place! Why, it looks as if she didn’t know what she was about† (1371). The women worry over the small things around the house; the women are able to figure out the motive of why Mrs. Wright killed her husband, because of all the small, simple details they discovered. Trifles is an appropriate title, because it is the little things that are very sufficient.Finally, Susan Glaspell, the writer, uses the title to express her theme. This play was written in the early 20th century in a man dominated society. Women did not have a say when it came to important decisions. When Mr. Hale is telling the sheriff and the county attorney why he had stopped by that morning he states, â€Å"†¦I said to Harry that I didn’t know as what his wife wanted made much difference to John† (1367). Men made all the decisions and women were to be seen and not heard. Mrs. Hale found the bird in a box that was hidden in Mrs. Wright’s quilting basket.When they opened the box and found the bird, they noticed the bird’s neck was wrung. Mrs. Hale tells Mrs. Peters, â€Å" I wonder how it would seem never to have had children around. No, Wright wouldn’ t like the bird- a thing that sand. She used to sing. He killed that, too† (1373). Mrs. Hale came to the conclusion that Mr. Wright was abusive to his wife and that’s why she changed; this is the reason why she killed him. The county attorney tells Mrs. Peters, â€Å"For the matter a sheriff’s wife is married to the law. Every think of it that way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (! 374). Mrs.Hale protects Mrs. Wright by taking the pretty box with the pretty bird inside. Mrs. Hale knows the difference between the law and justice. She gave justice to Mrs. Wright when no one else was going to. The title Trifles is an appropriate name for this play, because it’s the small, simple details that are the evidence for solving this murder. Susan Glaspell uses this play to show how women were treated in the early 20th century, and how the husbands took their wives for granted. She wanted justice for the women, and she makes an incredible argument in this play.

Foundation and Empire 17. The Visi-Sonor

Ebling Mis's house in a not-so-pretentious neighborhood of Terminus City was well known to the intelligentsia, literati, and just-plain-well-read of the Foundation. Its notable characteristics depended, subjectively, upon the source material that was read. To a thoughtful biographer, it was the â€Å"symbolization of a retreat from a nonacademic reality,† a society columnist gushed silkily at its â€Å"frightfully masculine atmosphere of careless disorder,† a University Ph.D. called it brusquely, â€Å"bookish, but unorganized,† a nonuniversity friend said, â€Å"good for a drink anytime and you can put your feet on the sofa,† and a breezy newsweekly broadcast, that went in for color, spoke of the â€Å"rocky, down-to-earth, no-nonsense living quarters of blaspheming, Leftish, balding Ebling Mis.† To Bayta, who thought for no audience but herself at the moment, and who had the advantage of first-hand information, it was merely sloppy. Except for the first few days, her imprisonment had been a light burden. Far lighter, it seemed, that this half-hour wait in the psychologist's home – under secret observation, perhaps? She had been with Toran then, at least. Perhaps she might have grown wearier of the strain, had not Magnifico's long nose drooped in a gesture that plainly showed his own far greater tension. Magnifico's pipe-stem legs were folded up under a pointed, sagging chin, as if he were trying to huddle himself into disappearance, and Bayta's hand went out in a gentle and automatic gesture of reassurance. Magnifico winced, then smiled. â€Å"Surely, my lady, it would seem that even yet my body denies the knowledge of my mind and expects of others' hands a blow.† â€Å"There's no need for worry, Magnifico. I'm with you, and I won't let anyone hurt you.† The clown's eyes sidled towards her, then drew away quickly. â€Å"But they kept me away from you earlier – and from your kind husband – and, on my word, you may laugh, but I was lonely for missing friendship.† â€Å"I wouldn't laugh at that. I was, too.† The clown brightened, and he hugged his knees closer. He said, â€Å"You have not met this man who will see us?† It was a cautious question. â€Å"No. But he is a famous man. I have seen him in the newscasts and heard quite a good deal of him. I think he's a good man, Magnifico, who means us no harm.† â€Å"Yes?† The clown stirred uneasily. â€Å"That may be, my lady, but he has questioned me before, and his manner is of an abruptness and loudness that bequivers me. He is full of strange words, so that the answers to his questions could not worm out of my throat. Almost, I might believe the romancer who once played on my ignorance with a tale that, at such moments, the heart lodged in the windpipe and prevented speech.† â€Å"But it's different now. We're two to his one, and he won't be able to frighten the both of us, will he?† â€Å"No, my lady.† A door slammed somewheres, and the roaring of a voice entered the house. Just outside the room, it coagulated into words with a fierce, â€Å"Get the â€Å"Ga-LAX-y out of here!† and two uniformed guards were momentarily visible through the opening door, in quick retreat. Ebling Mis entered frowning, deposited a carefully wrapped bundle on the floor, and approached to shake Bayta's hand with careless pressure. Bayta returned it vigorously, man-fashion. Mis did a double-take as he turned to the clown, and favored the girl with a longer look. He said, â€Å"Married?† â€Å"Yes. We went through the legal formalities.† Mis paused. Then, â€Å"Happy about it?† â€Å"So far.† Mis shrugged, and turned again to Magnifico. He unwrapped the package, â€Å"Know what this is, boy?† Magnifico fairly hurled himself out of his seat and caught the multi-keyed instrument. He fingered the myriad knobby contacts and threw a sudden back somersault of joy, to the imminent destruction of the nearby furniture. He croaked, â€Å"A Visi-Sonor – and of a make to distill joy out of a dead man's heart.† His long fingers caressed softly and slowly, pressing lightly on contacts with a rippling motion, resting momentarily on one key then another – and in the air before them there was a soft glowing rosiness, just inside the range of vision. Ebling Mis said, â€Å"All right, boy, you said you could pound on one of those gadgets, and there's your chance. You'd better tune it, though. It's out of a museum.† Then, in an aside to Bayta, â€Å"Near as I can make it, no one on the Foundation can make it talk right.† He leaned closer and said quickly, â€Å"The clown won't talk without you. Will you help?† She nodded. â€Å"Good!† he said. â€Å"His state of fear is almost fixed, and I doubt that his mental strength would possibly stand a psychic probe. If I'm to get anything out of him otherwise, he's got to feel absolutely at ease. You understand?† She nodded again. â€Å"This Visi-Sonor is the first step in the process. He says he can play it; and his reaction now makes it pretty certain that it's one of the great joys of his life. So whether the playing is good or bad, be interested and appreciative. Then exhibit friendliness and confidence in me. Above all, follow my lead in everything.† There was a swift glance at Magnifico, huddled in a comer of the sofa, making rapid adjustments in the interior of the instrument. He was completely absorbed. Mis said in a conversational tone to Bayta, â€Å"Ever hear a Visi-Sonor?† â€Å"Once,† said Bayta, equally casually, â€Å"at a concert of rare instruments. I wasn't impressed.† â€Å"Well, I doubt that you came across good playing. There are very few really good players. It's not so much that it requires physical co-ordination – a multi-bank piano requires more, for instance – as a certain type of free-wheeling mentality.† In a lower voice, â€Å"That's why our living skeleton there might be better than we think. More often than not, good players are idiots otherwise. It's one of those queer setups that makes psychology interesting.† He added, in a patent effort to manufacture light conversation, â€Å"You know how the beblistered thing works? I looked it up for this purpose, and all I've made out so far is that its radiations stimulate the optic center of the brain directly, without ever touching the optic nerve. It's actually the utilization of a sense never met with in ordinary nature. Remarkable, when you come to think of it. What you hear is all right. That's ordinary. Eardrum, cochlea, all that. But – Shh! He's ready. Will you kick that switch. It works better in the dark.† In the darkness, Magnifico was a mere blob, Ebling Mis a heavy-breathing mass. Bayta found herself straining her eyes anxiously, and at first with no effect. There was a thin, reedy quaver in the air, that wavered raggedly up the scale. It hovered, dropped and caught itself, gained in body, and swooped into a booming crash that had the effect of a thunderous split in a veiling curtain. A little globe of pulsing color grew in rhythmic spurts and burst in midair into formless gouts that swirled high and came down as curving streamers in interfacing patterns. They coalesced into little spheres, no two alike in color – and Bayta began discovering things. She noticed that closing her eyes made the color pattern all the clearer; that each little movement of color had its own little pattern of sound; that she could not identify the colors; and, lastly, that the globes were not globes but little figures. Little figures; little shifting flames, that danced and flickered in their myriads; that dropped out of sight and returned from nowhere; that whipped about one another and coalesced then into a new color. Incongruously, Bayta thought of the little blobs of color that come at night when you close your eyelids till they hurt, and stare patiently. There was the old familiar effect of the marching polka dots of shifting color, of the contracting concentric circles, of the shapeless masses that quiver momentarily. All that, larger, multivaried – and each little dot of color a tiny figure. They darted at her in pairs, and she lifted her hands with a sudden gasp, but they tumbled and for an instant she was the center of a brilliant snowstorm, while cold light slipped off her shoulders and down her arm in a luminous ski-slide, shooting off her stiff fingers and meeting slowly in a shining midair focus. Beneath it all, the sound of a hundred instruments flowed in liquid streams until she could not tell it from the light. She wondered if Ebling Mis were seeing the same thing, and if not, what he did see, The wonder passed, and then- She was watching again. The little figures-were they little figures? -little tiny women with burning hair that turned and bent too quickly for the mind to focus? -seized one another in star-shaped groups that turned – and the music was faint laughter – girls' laughter that began inside the ear. The stars drew together, sparked towards one another, grew slowly into structure – and from below, a palace shot upward in rapid evolution. Each brick a tiny color, each color a tiny spark, each spark a stabbing light that shifted patterns and led the eye skyward to twenty jeweled minarets. A glittering carpet shot out and about, whirling, spinning an insubstantial web that engulfed all space, and from it luminous shoots stabbed upward and branched into trees that sang with a music all their own. Bayta sat inclosed in it. The music welled about her in rapid, lyrical flights. She reached out to touch a fragile tree and blossoming spicules floated downwards and faded, each with its clear, tiny tinkle. The music crashed in twenty cymbals, and before her an area flamed up in a spout and cascaded down invisible steps into Bayta's lap, where it spilled over and flowed in rapid current, raising the fiery sparkle to her waist, while across her lap was a rainbow bridge and upon it the little figures- A palace, and a garden, and tiny men and women on a bridge, stretching out as far as she could see, swimming through the stately swells of stringed music converging in upon her- And then – there seemed a frightened pause, a hesitant, indrawn motion, a swift collapse. The colors fled, spun into a globe that shrank, and rose, and disappeared. And it was merely dark again. A heavy foot scratched for the pedal, reached it, and the light flooded in; the flat light of a prosy sun. Bayta blinked until the tears came, as though for the longing of what was gone. Ebling Mis was a podgy inertness with his eyes still round and his mouth still open. Only Magnifico himself was alive, and he fondled his Visi-Sonor in a crooning ecstasy. â€Å"My lady,† he gasped, â€Å"it is indeed of an effect the most magical. It is of balance and response almost beyond hope in its delicacy and stability. On this, it would seem I could work wonders. How liked you my composition, my lady?† â€Å"Was it yours?† breathed Bayta. â€Å"Your own?† At her awe, his thin face turned a glowing red to the tip of his mighty nose. â€Å"My very own, my lady. The Mule liked it not, but often and often I have played it for my own amusement. It was once, in my youth, that I saw the palace – a gigantic place of jeweled riches that I saw from a distance at a time of high carnival. There were people of a splendor undreamed of – and magnificence more than ever I saw afterwards, even in the Mule's service. It is but a poor makeshift I have created, but my mind's poverty precludes more. I call it, ‘The Memory of Heaven.'† Now through the midst of the chatter, Mis shook himself to active life. â€Å"Here,† he said, â€Å"here, Magnifico, would you like to do that same thing for others?† For a moment, the clown drew back. â€Å"For others?† he quavered. â€Å"For thousands,† cried Mis, â€Å"in the great Halls of the Foundation. Would you like to be your own master, and honored by all, wealthy, and†¦ and-† his imagination failed him. â€Å"And all that? Eh? What do you say?† â€Å"But how may I be all that, mighty sir, for indeed I am but a poor clown ungiven to the great things of the world?† The psychologist puffed out his lips, and passed the back of his hand across his brow. He said, â€Å"But your playing, man. The world is yours if you would play so for the mayor and his Trading Trusts. Wouldn't you like that?† The clown glanced briefly at Bayta, â€Å"Would she stay with me?† Bayta laughed, â€Å"Of course, silly. Would it be likely that I'd leave you now that you're on the point of becoming rich and famous?† â€Å"It would all be yours,† he replied earnestly, â€Å"and surely the wealth of Galaxy itself would be yours before I could repay my debt to your kindness.† â€Å"But,† said Mis, casually, â€Å"if you would first help me-â€Å" â€Å"What is that?† The psychologist paused, and smiled, â€Å"A little surface probe that doesn't hurt. It wouldn't touch but the peel of your brain.† There was a flare of deadly fear in Magnifico's eyes. â€Å"Not a probe. I have seen it used. It drains the mind and leaves an empty skull. The Mule did use it upon traitors and let them wander mindless through the streets, until out of mercy, they were killed.† He held up his hand to push Mis away. â€Å"That was a psychic probe,† explained Mis, patiently, â€Å"and even that would only harm a person when misused. This probe I have is a surface probe that wouldn't hurt a baby. â€Å" â€Å"That's right, Magnifico,† urged Bayta. â€Å"It's only to help beat the Mule and keep him far away. Once that's done, you and I will be rich and famous all our lives.† Magnifico held out a trembling hand, â€Å"Will you hold my hand, then?† Bayta took it in both her own, and the clown watched the approach of the burnished terminal plates with large eyes. Ebling Mis rested carelessly on the too-lavish chair in Mayor Indbur's private quarters, unregenerately unthankful for the condescension shown him and watched the small mayor's fidgeting unsympathetically. He tossed away a cigar stub and spat out a shred of tobacco. â€Å"And, incidentally, if you want something for your next concert at Mallow Hall, Indbur,† he said, â€Å"you can dump out those electronic gadgeteers into the sewers they came from and have this little freak play the Visi-Sonor for you. Indbur – it's out of this world.† Indbur said peevishly, â€Å"I did not call you here to listen to your lectures on music. What of the Mule? Tell me that. What of the Mule?† â€Å"The Mule? Well, I'll tell you – I used a surface probe and got little. Can't use the psychic probe because the freak is scared blind of it, so that his resistance will probably blow his unprintable mental fuses as soon as contact is made. But this is what I've got, if you'll just stop tapping your fingernails- â€Å"First place, de-stress the Mule's physical strength. He's probably strong, but most of the freak's fairy tales about it are probably considerably blown up by his own fearful memory, He wears queer glasses and his eyes kill, he evidently has mental powers.† â€Å"So much we had at the start,† commented the mayor, sourly. â€Å"Then the probe confirms it, and from there on I've been working mathematically.† â€Å"So? And how long will all this take? Your word-rattling will deafen me yet.† â€Å"About a month, I should say, and I may have something for you. And I may not, of course. But what of it? If this is all outside Seldon's plans, our chances are precious little, unprintable little.† Indbur whirled on the psychologist fiercely, â€Å"Now I have you, traitor. Lie! Say you're not one of these criminal rumormongers that are spreading defeatism and panic through the Foundation, and making my work doubly hard.† â€Å"I? I?† Mis gathered anger slowly. Indbur swore at him, â€Å"Because by the dust-clouds of space, the Foundation will win – the Foundation must win.† â€Å"Despite the loss at Horleggor?† â€Å"It was not a loss. You have swallowed that spreading lie, too? We were outnumbered and betreasoned-â€Å" â€Å"By whom?† demanded Mis, contemptuously. â€Å"By the lice-ridden democrats of the gutter,† shouted Indbur back at him. â€Å"I have known for long that the fleet has been riddled by democratic cells. Most have been wiped out, but enough remain for the unexplained surrender of twenty ships in the thickest of the swarming fight. Enough to force an apparent defeat. â€Å"For that matter, my rough-tongued, simple patriot and epitome of the primitive virtues, what are your own connections with the democrats?† Ebling Mis shrugged it off, â€Å"You rave, do you know that? What of the retreat since, and the loss of half of Siwenna? Democrats again?† â€Å"No. Not democrats,† the little man smiled sharply. â€Å"We retreat – as the Foundation has always retreated under attack, until the inevitable march of history turns with us. Already, I see the outcome. Already, the so-called underground of the democrats has issued manifestoes swearing aid and allegiance to the Government. It could be a feint, a cover for a deeper treachery, but I make good use of it, and the propaganda distilled from it will have its effect, whatever the crawling traitors scheme. And better than that-â€Å" â€Å"Even better than that, Indbur?† â€Å"Judge for yourself. Two days ago, the so-called Association of Independent Traders declared war on the Mule, and the Foundation fleet is strengthened, at a stroke, by a thousand ships. You see, this Mule goes too far. He finds us divided and quarreling among ourselves and under the pressure of his attack we unite and grow strong. He must lose. It is inevitable – as always.† Mis still exuded skepticism, â€Å"Then you tell me that Seldon planned even for the fortuitous occurrence of a mutant.† â€Å"A mutant! I can't tell him from a human, nor could you but for the ravings of a rebel captain, some outland youngsters, and an addled juggler and clown. You forget the most conclusive evidence of all – your own.† â€Å"My own?† For just a moment, Mis was startled. â€Å"Your own,† sneered the mayor. â€Å"The Time Vault opens in nine weeks. What of that? It opens for a crisis. If this attack of the Mule is not the crisis, where is the ‘real' one, the one the Vault is opening for? Answer me, you lardish ball.† The psychologist shrugged, â€Å"All tight. If it keeps you happy. Do me a favor, though. Just in case†¦ just in case old Seldon makes his speech and it does go sour, suppose you let me attend the Grand Opening.† â€Å"All right. Get out of here. And stay out of my sight for nine weeks.† â€Å"With unprintable pleasure, you wizened horror,† muttered Mis to himself as he left.

How to Face It †English Literature Essay

How to Face It – English Literature Essay Free Online Research Papers How to Face It English Literature Essay Often it’s hard to make the right decision. It’s much easier for people to go out and have fun rather than stay home and fix dinner for their children. A lot of people just go out and get a divorce rather than try to work things out with their spouse. It’s easier to stop going to school after finishing high school as opposed to going on to college. People who make better decisions end up doing better in life. Decisions and problem solving are the subject of many articles, books, and poems, such as Stephen Dobyns’ poem â€Å"How to Like It.† â€Å"While many of the poems have the illusion of an almost documentary objectivity, they reveal instead the soulful confessions of one individual in turmoil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  says Andy Brumer about Dobyns. In â€Å"How to Like It† the man in the poem is having trouble facing a problem of life, but ends up making the right decision in the end. There are several lines that indicate that the man is trying to avoid a problem. He wants to run away when the narrator says â€Å"like an unsettled feeling in the blood,/The desire to get in a car and just keep/driving† (Dobyns 6-8). The man is trying to run away from a problem or situation that he does not want to deal with. The dog says â€Å"Let’s go downtown and get/crazy drunk† (Dobyns 10-11). Drinking is a way many people use to forget or avoid their problems. Then the dog says, â€Å"Let’s tip over all the trashcans we can find† (Dobyns 12) as if the man is distraught and has an urge to trash everything in his life. He wants to leave everything behind and start new, which is symbolized by â€Å"†¦will be the lights/of a city entirely new to him† (Dobyns 71-72). It’s as if he wants to go where no one knows him to remind him of his problem. The man may be remembering something that happened to him earlier in life and its causing him distress. The narrator says, â€Å"†¦the man/is struck/by the apprehensiveness of his past†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dobyns 15-17). The man apparently always has memories of his past but now they are coming in clearer to him, as if he’s been thinking about them more than usual. This is shown by the lines â€Å"†¦how memories/which were shifting and fluid have/ grown more solid† (Dobyns 17-20). Then the man looks into the trees â€Å"until it seems he can see remembered/faces† (Dobyns 21-22). He is seeing people that he knows â€Å"caught up among the dark places/in the trees† (Dobyns 23-24). The word choice that the narrator uses is dark places and since dark is usually a symbol of evil or bad then these are not good memories that the man is having. Possibly he tries to block these memories out but on this night, he has been unsuccessful. Tonight they have come out to haunt him. Another part of this poem that shows the man is having trouble facing a problem is the dog. The dog seems to be the man’s conscience. When the dog speaks to the man, he is usually giving the man ways to get around the problem at hand without actually facing it. For instance the dog says, â€Å"Let’s pick up some girls/and just/rip off their clothes† (Dobyns 25-27). Going out and picking up women would be a way to try and have fun now and forget the problem until another time. Later in the poem the dog says â€Å"Let’s stuff ourselves on burgers† (Dobyns 46). People often eat when they are lonely although the food only makes them feel full physically, not emotionally. Then the dog says, â€Å"Let’s go to sleep. Let’s lie/down/by the fire†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dobyns 57-59). People often go to sleep as a way of escaping their problems. While it may help somewhat, it is still just a way to run away from them. Everything the dog sugge sts is a way of feeling good right now with no regard to the consequences that will happen later, until the last few lines. Then the man’s dog, or his conscience, seems to have a change of heart. The dog says, â€Å"Let’s just go back inside. / Let’s not do anything tonight† (Dobyns 73-74). So they go up the steps and back into the house, which is a symbol for going in to face the problem. The man chooses in the end to stand and fight, instead of running away. He is left â€Å"staring into the refrigerator/as if into the place where the answers/are kept† (Dobyns 88-90). The man isn’t sure of the answers, but he has made the decision to stick around and try to find them. The narrator says the man is looking for â€Å"what comes next and how/to like it† (Dobyns 95-96). The man is trying to deal with his problems in a way that is bearable to him. Problems occur in peoples’ lives all the time. Often when the situation seems unbearable, there is a struggle to not run away, or to not take the easy way out. Possibly he has realized that a superficial solution never really solves the problem; it just delays the time for having to face the music down the road. Brumer, Andy. â€Å"Dobyns, Stephen.† Contemporary Authors 18 (1986): 120-121. Dobyns, Stephen. â€Å"How to Like It.† ENG113 Poetry Handout. Fall 97. Research Papers on How to Face It - English Literature EssayThe Spring and AutumnThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetStandardized TestingInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalResearch Process Part OneComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

How to Manage and Identify the Mimosa Tree

How to Manage and Identify the Mimosa Tree The scientific name for the mimosa is  Albizia julibrissin,  sometimes called Persian silktree and a member of the family Leguminosae. The tree is not native to North America or Europe but was brought into western countries from Asia. Its  genus is named for the Italian nobleman Filippo  Albizzi  who introduced it to Europe around the middle of the 18th century as an ornamental. This fast-growing, deciduous tree has a low branching, open, spreading habit and delicate, lacy, almost fern-like foliage.  These leaves have a beautiful wispy green look during a normally moist summer but start to dry up and drop in early fall. The leaves express no fall color but the tree does display a showy pink flower with a pleasant fragrance. The flowering process starts in the spring and continues throughout the summer. The fragrant, silky, pink puffy pompom blooms, two inches in diameter, appear from late April to early July creating a spectacular sight. Mimosas leaf arrangement is  alternate and the leaf type is both bipinnately compound and odd-pinnately compound. The leaflets are small, are less than 2 inches in length,  have a lanceolate to oblong shape and their leaf margins are ciliate to entire. The leaflet venation is pinnate. This silktree grows to a height of 15 to 25 feet and has a spread that reaches 25 to 35 feet. The crown has an irregular outline or silhouette, has a  spreading, umbrella-like shape and is open and yields a filtered but not full shade. Growing best in full sun locations, Mimosa is not particular as to soil type but has low salt-tolerance. It grows well in both  acid and  alkaline soils. Mimosa tolerates drought conditions well but has a deeper green color and more lush appearance when given adequate moisture. So Whats Not to Like About Mimosa Unfortunately, the tree produces numerous seed pods that are trashy in the landscape when they fall. The tree harbors insect including webworm and a vascular wilt disease that eventually causes the trees death. Although short-lived (10 to 20 years), Mimosa is popular for use as a terrace or patio tree for its light shade and tropical look but also produces a honey-dew drip on property underneath. The trunk, bark, and branches can be a major problem in the landscape. Its trunk bark is thin and easily damaged from mechanical impact.  Branches on mimosa droop as the tree grows and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy multiple trunks. Breakage is always a problem with this multi-trunked tree  either at each crotch due to poor collar formation, or the wood itself is weak and tends to break. The litter problem of the blooms, leaves, and especially the long seed pods requires consideration when planting this tree. Again, the wood is brittle and has a tendency to break during storms though usually, the wood is not heavy enough to cause damage. Typically, most of the root system grows from only two or three large-diameter roots originating at the base of the trunk. These can raise walks and patios as they grow in diameter and makes for poor  transplanting success as the tree grows larger. Unfortunately, Mimosa vascular wilt is becoming a very widespread problem in many areas of the country and has killed many roadside trees. Despite its picturesque growth habit and its beauty when in bloom, some cities have passed ordinances outlawing further planting of this species due to its weed potential and wilt disease problem. Mimosa Is a Major Invasive The tree is an opportunist and  a strong competitor to native trees and shrubs in open areas or forest edges.  The silktree has the  ability to grow in various soil types, the ability to produce large amounts of seed, and an ability to resprout when cut back or damaged. It forms colonies from root sprouts and dense stands that  severely  reduce the sunlight and nutrients available for other plants. Mimosa is often seen along roadsides and open vacant lots in urban/suburban areas and can become a problem along banks of waterways, where its seeds are easily transported in water.   Here are the methods of control: Mechanical Control -  Trees can be cut at ground level with a  power or manual saw and is most effective when trees have begun to flower.   Because mimosa will sucker and resprout you will have to do a follow-up chemical  treatment but on a much smaller scale.Chemical Control - Trees can be controlled by applying a 2% solution of glyphosate (Roundup ®). A  thorough  foliar  application of this herbicide will kill entire plants through leaf and stem uptake to actively growing roots that prevent further cell growth.

Public Speaking and the Youth of Todayv Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Public Speaking and the Youth of Todayv - Essay Example Since we do and cannot exist on our own we will need to effectively communicate our desires or messages (as this will be referred to later in this paper) to obtain the response we expect and make the communicative act more rewarding. No one is alike in its desires, opinions on certain things, acceptance even in non-acceptance of an idea for everyone is brought up in different environment by different significant others and are exposed to different stimuli. Engaging in a communicative act is, in effect, creating a common ground that will serve as a spring board for consequential interactions. We may study communication or the communicative act in two ways: either as a process and or as an activity. On the one hand, if it will be studied as a process, communication will be explored based on the basic principles involved: thinking, the verbal as well as non-verbal form of communication, the elements involved in the process (i.e source, message, channel, and the receiver), and factors affecting each element in the communicative act. ... Finally, if the communicative act is seen as an activity, the result or the effect of the communicative act will likewise be examined after engaging in a specific form of communication. In a group discussion, for example, emphasis will be on the result-i.e whether a solution has been made. In a persuasive discourse, however, whether the audience is convinced of the ideas presented by the speaker. All of these will be explained in this paper, except, of course the actual presentation of each form. Much of the discussion, however, will focus on public speaking and its effect on one of the most difficult to persuade audience: the youth. The basic guiding principles that will motivate such genre of receiver will be given emphasis in the later part of this paper. The communicative act, as specified earlier, may take different forms. The most common form, so common that it tends to be given least consideration, is intrapersonal communication or "the processes which operate within the individual (Intrapersonal Communication)."In this level of communication an individual acts as both the originating and the responding communicator. It ranges from simply thinking, meditating, and reflecting to talking to one's self or writing oneself a memo. Then there is what is called the interpersonal level of communication. While in the intrapersonal level, both the source and the receiver of the message pertain to an individual, interpersonal communication involves another person. It may take the form of a conversation, a dialogue or an interview. As you might have guessed, two personae are now actively participating, affecting and being affected in the process. The success in this

Paraphrasing report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Paraphrasing report - Essay Example Designing and assessing PD controller output response features of compensated system requires the estimation of initial features of uncompensated mechanism. The characteristics of a DC motor mechanism can be presented as Obtaining response characteristics involved calculation of the second order approximations and reading the real step response from the MATLAB graph. The resultant equations were fixed to the MATLAB code on the basis of users’ damping ration, dominant pole, p (f), z as well as gain, K. Steady state error was obtained as In the experiment, there is need to determine the point that corresponds to a response outcome bearing 0.5s settling duration. The MATLAB code below can be applied to determine the point ‘zc†, which adds a zero, yielding a new function for transformer Gc(s). The operating point of the compensated system bears a similar damping ration as the uncompensated system. Compensated system portrays more negative real parts compared with uncompensated, thus the settling time for compensated system is shorter. Use G(s) as a function of the uncompensated system to graph root locus and assess where it crosses the ratio line (0.8) from which the gain and selection point, Ps, can be determined. Identify the gain selection point, Po and graph step response using MATLAB then obtain percentage OS, Ts, Tp, ÃŽ ¾, ωn and Kpos. The uncompensated system gain is lower than lead compensated systems while the operating points are similar. The peak times, damping ratio as well as the settling times of compensated system is lower than that of the uncompensated system. The % overshoot is lowered to 0 percent to lead compensated systems from uncompensated. As such, Zc=1.8 increases after the initial lead compensation. The steady-state error is lowered from uncompensated to compensated systems, Zc=-2.5 and increases at Zc= -2.8. Storage tanks are often used for numerous