None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 39

None - Essay Example The product offers a fast and convenient way of making a tea latte at home or office. Therefore, marketing Ms. Latte is supposed to create a distinct perception in the customers mind that it is a product meant to save time and money. The cost of a product determines its positioning in the market. During the implementation stage, the first rollout package will be positioned among medium income earners. This is because this market segment represents the largest population. In addition, the medium income earners are likely to perceive a tea latte as a basic necessity because of their busy lifestyles and the need to spend little money on living. The rich people may afford to order a latte from Starbucks whenever they want but the medium income earners want to run a busy lifestyle, save on living cost and still be able to use modern equipment such as Ms. Latte. Therefore, Ms. Latte will be positioned as an affordable product. However, after spending time on the market, the product can be developed further and differentiated into two models, an expensive for high-income earners and a basic one for low-income earners. The overarching gap in the market of Latte products is availability of time-saving latte product. Therefore, the primary attribute we would want the customer to see in Ms. Latte is the â€Å"time saving† attribute of this product. Marketing campaigns would actually need to focus more on the time saving aspect of the product. Positioning Ms. Latte within this context will make the product appealing to busy lifestyle populations especially in large cities and towns. However, this time attribute will need to be matched with the freedom attribute as well. It is not possible to dictate in a coffee shop, the amount or type of milk, sugar or other ingredients when ordering a latte. However, with Ms. Latte it is possible to alter all the ingredients depending on personal’s tastes and preferences. This gives freedom of taste

Discussion 9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion 9 - Essay Example Aside from time, I think that the type of problem being addressed by the decision-making process is also determinative. When the problem addressed is broad and involves several units in the organizational structure, or when the problem involves profound policy formulation and implementation that will be applied in the long term, then decision-making is preferable. The resultant decision shall be implemented by a large part of the organization, therefore: (1) the feedback concerning possible repercussions in their respective areas must be considered; and (2) their cooperation must be engendered to make the long-term adjustments among and between the units successful. An example of this is the merging of a new acquisition into the existing structure of the surviving organization. On the other hand, if the decision is constrained by the circumstances such that negotiations among the units cannot be accommodated, or if the problem addressed is localized or requires moderate adjustments, then command decisions are best. An example is the order by the parent firm for a subsidiary to implement a global marketing strategy. Reference: Mezey, G (2004) Crisis management decision making. Atlantic Association for Research in the Mathematical Sciences (AARMS), 3(2): 267-288 2. Consider your work environment and responsibilities.   How do you avoid the problem of "bounded awareness" in the decisions you make at work? Bounded awareness is defined by Chugh and Bazerman (2004) as ‘an individual’s failure to â€Å"see† and use accessible and perceivable information while â€Å"seeing† and using other equally accessible and perceivable information’ (p. 2). Some people would call this ‘tunnel vision’ in the figurative sense, in so far as the person focuses on certain details or elements to the exclusion of other equally important, or even more important aspects. A person may be predisposed to looking only at select details for many r easons, such as a mental fixation or mindset, prejudicial presumptions, or lack of education or training in recognizing or appreciating what is important in a certain situation. In my own work environment, there is a tendency for medical representatives like myself to be fixated on our own particular product line-up, regular clientele, or the service area we are assigned to that we do not see how a specific decision or regulation could affect other product offerings, other clients, and other service areas. A new supervisor promoted from one of the subordinate units is often seen to exhibit a keen understanding of the circumstances of the unit he/she came from but a lack of understanding concerning other units now under his leadership. The best way one may avoid bounded awareness is of course forming a decision or advisory team to discuss and analyze the various facets of a problem and arrive at alternative recommendations before the final decision is made. There are many considerati ons that may not be apparent to an individual decision-maker because his attention is circumscribed by the aspects of management he/she is experienced in. In due time and with practice, bounded awareness may be addressed by developing a wider perspective of the

Conversion of Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conversion of Energy - Essay Example Thirdly, fission and fusion reactions possess the capacity turn the energy associated with ordering of subatomic particles into nuclear energy. Fossil fuels pertain to fuels formed out of the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals that undergo natural process of anaerobic decomposition and these fuels are chiefly comprised in coal, gas, and oil. It normally takes nearly 700 million years for decaying plant and animal matters to be fossilized upon exposure to extreme levels of heat and pressure into usable fossil fuels which are mostly rich in carbon with coal, natural gas, and petroleum by composition. Being a non-renewable source of energy, fossil fuels may be volatile or non-volatile as materials ranging from those of minimal C to H ratios as methane gas and liquid petroleum to materials with heavier carbon content than hydrogen as in the case of anthracite coal. In modern times, fossil fuels are confronted with the perils of continuous depletion at a rate that alarmingl y exceeds that of their production which implies that renewable substitutes with equivalent advantages ought to be discovered and settled at for corrective resolution. Besides being a flexible non-renewable energy source, based on their structure, depositional environment, and thermal reactions, fossil fuels draw a potential attraction due to the fact that most of world’s reserves of oil and natural gas come from deformed rocks whereas a great quantity of coal may be derived from sedimentary rock layers that do not undergo deformation. Sediments are readily found everywhere on which are comprised marine organic matter filled with oil and gas in high proportions to make opulent fossil fuel amounts. Because of low oxygen concentration on environments in which massive deposits are preserved and coal forms that gather toward bogs and swamps, fossil fuels can be acquired with much convenience. Under natural circumstances, fossil fuels are made beyond human intervention since therm al processes may occur spontaneously after decomposing organics goes through preservation to become fossil fuels at a later time. Aside from fossil fuels, biofuels like the ones based on algae are a renewable alternative fuel used in producing electricity. Besides the renewably drawn energy derived through biomass, geothermal energy, hydroelectric energy, wind, and solar powers, good fuel alternatives are present as well in bioalcohols, non-fossil methane and natural gas, ammonia, and vegetable oil. These safer options create possibilities of reducing air pollution since less hazardous substances are involved during the crucial stages of extraction and emission processes. This way, state investments may be allocated for concerns other than for setting up regulations. In particular, heat derived from the earth by means of a natural geologic process has been widely attributed to ‘geothermal energy’ (with Greek words geo meaning earth and therm for heat) and is treated as a remarkable alternative to fossil fuels or other non-renewable ene

Francisco De Goya's The Third of May and Eugene Delacroix's Liberty Research Paper

Francisco De Goya's The Third of May and Eugene Delacroix's Liberty Leading The People - Research Paper Example How the bodies are displayed and the forms of the hands are highly significant. Light, color and the use of movement will be shown as a force of submission and success in continuing the discussion of each revolution. To conclude, it will be summarized how Delacroix's Liberty, Leading the People and Goya's 3rd of May, 1808 are two different revolutions not from a historical perspective but from an artistic perspective giving each social and artistic significance. Delacroix's painting is memory of the revolution of 1830. King Charles X had been dethroned in 1830. The government was dissolved. The country was in recession. The people were hungry, angry and in the streets. When Napoleon took over, Delacroix painted his famous painting, which is full of symbolism. The young woman took on mythological form as she contrasted the light against her body. (Ringbom 273) "The young boy is also at the side of Liberty, where he stands as a page in classical mythology. (Ringbom 273)The man in the t op hat was said to be Delacroix. As there is much controversy, it can be said that the painting has many social classes. Personally, he would not be allowed to hold a musket if he were one of the bourgeois. The painting was done during the romantic period. The woman on the mound with her breast showing is an indication that the school still exists. She is romantic goddess who saves the nation. The painting is full of energy and emotion. There is movement. Though there are bodies that are merging into each other, they are realistically portrayed. This is the beginning of the realist school, which is to come during Delacroix's life. The bodies in the painting show no blood. Two of them are soldiers and one is a civilian without pants in which the symbolism could be the change of a nation keeping the culture of that nation (blue sock). It is the same blue of the flag, the jacket and the sock. The feet and the bodies are in proportion with each other. Though the one body is missing clot hes and is in the position of Jesus, it has been repositioned in a very different angle. The refreshing blue and red help create light. There is no fear and the victorious are the people rather than the soldiers. The man looking up to the Liberty Lady is dressed in red white and blue. The other side of the Seine is a white cloud of smoke. The blue sky is covered. Delacroix makes a difference between the position of the people's bodies and the soldier's bodies. Some of the soldiers are lying on their stomachs. The hands of the dead soldiers are old and shriveled. They show that they have been dead for a while or that they are old and no longer have a position in society. This use of symbolism shows that the French people are tired of the old rule. The hands of those who are dead or alive have hands that are perfectly proportioned. Both buildings are visible in their respective painting. Delacroix has more perspective than Goya by the use of lighting. His painting is during the day. H is background is lighter and more precise. Delacroix was a storyteller in his paintings. It is felt by his vibrancy. The buildings are also a sign of the future to come. It is not to destroy society but to destroy those who control society. Goya's portrayal of the people is more in romanticism. Though he was able to capture emotion, his portrayal of figures was proportional but he did not draw them with details in which Delacroix used. His painting is far more emotional. "The Spanish Guerillas persisted as despite the

Why Does Gender Pay Inequality Persist?

Why Does Gender Pay Inequality Persist? With the increasing trend of the remarkably importance of the gender pay equality during the past few decades, organisations and many commentators have been paying particular attention to the relative trends, legislations, news, economy and global labour market as a whole to address the persistence of the gender pay inequality occurred nowadays. Pay equity is defined as a particular strategy for reducing or eliminating the wage gap between or among groups such as women and men, or various ethnic groups (Thomas 2006). It was mentioned in the CONSAD Research Corporations paper (2009) that there have been significant increase for women to participate in the labour force, to acquire higher education level and to make substantial real earnings. For instance, Lander ONeill (1991) indicated that Australian women participation rate in the labour force has doubled since 1947. Moreover, it was showed in the Education Internationals report (2010) that the average female graduation rate in high er education in OECD countries is 16 percent more than the male graduation rate. Yet the challenge is that women have been earning less than men all through the developed countries around the world even they are well educated and actively participate in the workforce (Hatt1997). Taking an example in Australia, women earn approximately 80 percent of mens wages (Lander ONeill 1991). The persistence of the gender pay gap is puzzling although the gender pay equity ratio has been steadily rising and a wide range of legislations such as Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action were implemented to address the issue (Smith 2009; Lander ONeill 1991). This paper will briefly demonstrate the historical overview with respect to the topic. It will proceed to identify the comprehensive reasons for the existence of gender pay inequality. It will then illustrate the advantages of having pay equality worldwide. Last but not least, the paper will recommend some of the strategies which or ganisations can best address the challenge by utilising appropriate non-discriminatory workplace practices and policies. Historical Overview The ancient time of keeping women staying and working at home while men were responsible for earning a living had passed after the World War II (Amaram 2010). The participation rate of women joining the labour force has greatly boosted due to the establishment of some legislation to remove obstacles of womens employment and to allow women working in certain kinds of work such as metal industry (ODonnell Hall 1988). The booming economy and labour shortage triggered the fact that women were encouraged to replace men, who were resisting in the war, in the labour market (ODonnell Hall 1988). Campaigns were also formed by many womens organisations to fight for the equal pay between men and women (ODonnell Hall 1988). Some supporters advocate the theory of comparable worth that there should be equal pay for jobs entailing similar skill, effort, responsibility and work conditions, and that this parity should occur regardless of respective job market values (Grider Toombs 1993). However, even there were legislation, theories and womens organisations to protect women from getting unequal pay; the gender wage gap has been existed for many years. To explain this gap, there are a couple of complex reasons which directly and indirectly result in the gender differences in pay. Occupational Segregation One of the primary reasons for the gender pay differences is due to occupational segregation. Men and women are not evenly allocated in all occupational categories. Women tend to be distributed in low-paying industries or occupations which directly affect their average earnings (Smith 2009; Hatt 1997; McAuley 1981; Mumford 1989; Lander ONeill 1991; Education International 2010; Curlew Weber 2010). It was pointed out that women were mainly employed in community services, the wholesale and retail trade, clerical work and catering; whereas men were generally employed in mining, electricity, gas and water, manufacturing as well as construction industries where men are more likely to receive well above average pay (ODonnell Hall 1988; Hatt 1997). The consequence of setting women apart in certain occupations with low-status and low-paid partially results in the gender pay gap. Vertical Segregation Rather than constraining women in particular occupations or industries, vertical segregation occurs in both public and private sectors when women are located in lower positions and men are placed in more senior positions such as executive or managerial roles (Mumford 1989). Women are given very few opportunities to engage in promotion to higher positions, and therefore women are constrained their mobility upwards to the organisational hierarchy and they are under-represented at senior positions in all occupations (Hatt 1997). This phenomenon is closely related to the glass ceiling effects for women that refer to those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organisational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organisation into management-level positions (U.S. Department of Labour 1991). Hence, vertical segregation is another factor that leads to the gender pay gap. Family Responsibility As a result of the family obligation to give birth as well as take care of the children and elders at home, there has been a greater percentage for women to participate in more flexible part-time and casual employments than men who tend to have full-time employments (Smith 2009; CONSAD Research Corp 2009; Curlew Weber 2010; Amaram 2010). It was indicated in Amaram (2010)s study that pregnancy leading to the absence of women is 36 percent more than men and married men are more likely to work longer hours to make up the loss of the earnings for the family. Undoubtedly, it was claimed by many reporters that part-time employment pays relatively less than full-time employment, thus the unbalanced participation in part-time works causes women to be classified in lower level of income groups without adequate chances for skill advancement and promotion opportunities (Education International 2010 Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia 2009). Womens Tendency of Education and Work Choices and Patterns The educational paths that men and women decide for their majors in higher education or universities are different, indirectly affect the real earnings between men and women in the workforce (Amaram 2010). Amaram (2010) showed in his paper that men generally prefer sciences as their majors whilst women prefer humanities and education. The assumption is that men and women are likely to choose their desired majors at colleges or universities that can reflect what they are going to choose for their careers in the future, which leads to the conclusion by Hartmann (2004) that the pay of the male-nominated occupations tends to be higher than female-nominated occupations. One of the explanations can be attributed that women tend to choose a safer work environment such as being a secretary, teacher or receptionist and they are willing to accept less-paid jobs (Education International 2010 Farrell 2005). In addition, based on the GAOs report (2003) showing that women normally work fewer hour s and take more breaks away from work than men, women are therefore less work experience and human capital at work that brings about the consequence of earning less income. Historical and Social Stereotypes of Under-Valuating Womens Work and Skills Based on the historical overview mentioned in the first section, up until the Second World War, women were supposed to stay at home for cleaning and bringing up the children while men were taking the main role to be the breadwinner for the whole family (Amaram 2010; Elias Purcell 1988). According to Press (2006), companies advertised for job vacancies in the newspapers listed separately for men and women, as well as womens pay was greatly lower than men. In no doubt, the historical factors generated the hypothesis that womens works are semi-skilled and unskilled (Smith 2009). This hypothesis was supported by Lander ONeill (1991) and Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia (2009) that womens skills and works are always under-valuated and unrecognised, which causes the social stereotypes on the perception of females capability to work in certain occupational categories. In other words, women may earn less than men as a result of their skills and works were devaluated by the commu nity and organisations based on the social stereotypes. Direct Gender Discrimination There are many theorists agreed that direct gender discrimination partly account for the gender wage gap (Curlew Weber 2010; Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia 2009; Hatt 1997 McAuley 1981). It happens when women and men are treated unequally facing the same job requirements with the same educational level and work experience (Education International 2010). Although it is unlawful to discriminate women from being recruited in male-nominated occupations in most of the developed countries, gender discrimination indeed moderately initiates the gender pay differences. It was even reported that gender discrimination and bias comprise half of the gender pay gap (Lander ONeill 1991). Consequently, no matter the organisational and societal sex discrimination is intentional or unintentional, it is clear that gender bias is an essential element of the persistence of wage gap between men and women. Other Reasons Apart from the major factors brought up previously, there are other reasons which should account for the wage gap as well in terms of the problem of the merit-type payment systems, union affiliation, and womens value on non-wage benefits such as health insurance. Firstly, it is important to understand the rise of the individual contracts together with the meaning of less collective bargaining like the decline of trade unions at workplaces (Bamber, Lansbury Wailey 2004). Also, merit-type payment including merit increments and merit bonuses is the most popular individual performance pay plans that are widely used in the USA and many other Western countries today (Shields, 2007). One of the disadvantages of the merit-type payment systems is that it lacks of transparency of the pay structure, hence, it is always up to the managements discretion of any individual performance and pay where there are probably the existence of discriminatory components (Grider Toombs 1993). Secondly, it wa s claimed that the formation of a trade union will bring a wage rate of 17.6 percent up for union members (Hatt 1997, Amaram 2010). With the significant rising trend of women participating in part-time and casual employments stated earlier, it is less possible for women to become union members that they comparatively earn less than men who normally work as full-time employees and are union members. Lastly, research was also done by the CONSAD Research Corporation (2009) that there is a greater probability that women may relatively value more on non-wage benefits and other employee benefits such as childcare, health insurance and advisory services when comparing to men. Accordingly, women may value other aspects of benefits other than wage that may cause the gender wage differences. Advantages of the Existence of Gender Pay Equality Despite the limitations acknowledged which block the way to gender pay equality, there are a series of advantages for individuals, families, organisations and economy as a whole provided that gender pay equity exists. Pay equality increases the empowerment of women and reduces the chances of womens experience to harassment, violence and exploitation at work (Cornish 2008). Additionally, it brings positive effects to the well-being and wealth of the families as a result of the increased income, which ultimately improves the situation of poverty, economy and social justice (Lander ONeill 1991; Education International 2010 Curlew Weber 2010). For the organisations, staff morale and productivity will be increased and absenteeism will be decreased if gender pay equity exists in the workplace because employees feel fairness among others (Curlew Weber 2010). Thus, organisations should proactively take actions to address the problem of the persistence of gender pay inequality in order to benefit itself, employees, community and other stakeholders involved. Organisational Strategies for Tackling the Challenge Although governments intervention of implementing fair pay legislations among male and female employees is indispensable, as Smith (2009) claimed that the legislative reform alone is not enough. Strategic non-discriminatory workplace practices and policies should be carefully planned, designed, implemented and monitored at the organisational level in order to build positive images to the public without violating any relative discriminatory issues, as well as maximise the benefits of balancing the gender pay differences. Therefore, human resource management teams play major roles in making every single decision to align with the organisational strategies. First of all, it is recommended to use objective, systematic and consistent process of job evaluation systems to deal with gender-based inequities in pay (Lander ONeill 1991). De Corte (1993) suggested a model-based approach to job evaluation to calculate the probability to gender bias related to pay at work. Secondly, male and fema le recruiters should be involved in the recruitment and selection stages so that female candidates will not be excluded in a discriminatory way. Thirdly, training and development should be regularly provided to all employees with the intention that women are given chances to promotion in a higher hierarchical level in the organisations. Fourthly, mentoring programs with professional consultants or management should be offered to female employees, who have competent knowledge and capabilities, to encourage them participating in senior positions (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency 2010). Fifthly, flexible workplace arrangements such as home-based assignments as well as childcare services should also be available to allow female employees having work-life balance (ODonnell Hall 1988). Lastly, organisations should conduct a gender pay audit annually, which provides detailed information regarding the gender pay structure and figures of the whole organisation and the per centage of female employees being promoted to the senior positions (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency 2010). The strategies proposed above are only few subtle pieces of a complex jigsaw puzzle; beyond doubt organisations should proactively look for other approaches to address the problem of gender pay inequality. Conclusion The condition of gender pay inequality has been steadily improved in the last few decades. However, in reality it does persist due to an array of complex reasons in terms of occupational and vertical segregation, parenthood, womens propensity of education and occupation choices and patterns, historical stereotypes and under-valuation of womens skills and work, direct gender discrimination, the setback of the merit-type payment systems, union affiliation, and different values on wage and non-wage employee benefits between men and women. These factors illustrated are merely the key causes and further research should be done to elaborate the thorough formation of the wage gap. It is clear that the pursuit of gender pay equality brings individuals, families, organisations, community and economy positive effects. Consequently, organisations should better equip themselves and contribute to the attainment of eliminating the gender wage gap. Systematic and appropriate non-discriminatory work place practices and policies should be well implemented to encourage fairness among male and female employees in pay and promotion according to their knowledge, skills and competencies. On account of the increased staff morale and happiness at work, organisations can also build a healthy and positive public image that in turn increasing the organisational attractiveness and competitive advantages in the labour market. In conjunction with the practical support by government, community and unions, it is believed further reduction of the gender wage gap is feasible.

Vernacular Architecture In Norway

Vernacular Architecture In Norway All forms of vernacular architecture are built to meet specific needs, accommodating the values, economies and ways of living of the cultures the produce them. It may be adapted or developed over time as needs and circumstances change. Paul Oliver (Dwellings) Vernacular architecture relates to available resources and their environmental context, and they are usually owner- or community- built, using traditional technologies. (Dwellings) There is not a number of how many dwellings there is in the world today, but between 90 and 98% of these buildings are vernacular. Traditional buildings in most parts of the world often reflect the knowledge of a climate, an activity typical of its culture, and a building material, and this is evident in Norways architecture. Norwegian wood (16) The know-how and sensibility, the skills and the capability to build successfully in response to the climate, the land, and the resources to hand, have been passed on between generations. (Dwellings) It progressed to meet the requirements of a distinct way of life, and lies integrated into a distinct terrain. Norwegian Wood (15) In contrast to the Mediterranean countries stone culture, Norway belongs to a Nordic wood culture. Reima Pietila, a Finnish architect, ass erted that the vision of Nordic man was a cave of wood. The need for a cave was for protection against a tough climate. It had to be made of the warm material wood to offer comfort during the long winters, and colourful to make people remember the flowers and the green trees of the summer. Norwegian Wood (7-8) Norway had no urban traditions until the nineteenth century. But from the Middle Ages until the Industrial Revolution it had a strong rural class. Norwegian architecture and art were therefore influenced mainly by local sources. Then because of its rural traditions, Norways highest accomplishments in both building and art were executed in the same medium: wood. Norwegian Wood (15) Norways traditional architecture had a remarkably long history, which began earlier then the Middle Ages. The buildings that developed in Norway are inspirational because they show an intimate marriage between refined techniques and native materials, placed within a distinct landscape. Stave churches in Norway (23) In the wooden acres area of the northern world, the tree provided the Nordic man his building. Norway was a massive forest belt. The upper Europes landscape was covered with woodland, and a strong wood-building culture grew from the fifth century. Norwegian Wood (15) Vernacular architecture in Norway (Log construction) The Norwegians built well-crafted wooden structures for 800 years, and they developed buildings that were suitable for their activities. The use of similar structures for such a long time was dictated by Norways agriculture way of life and the environment. Norways traditional architecture is represented by two groups of wooden buildings: farms and stave churches. Norwegian wood (16) There was two technical methods used by the Norwegian builders; the log and stave construction. In the stue (dwelling house) the horizontal logs created a cave of wood; in the stave church the vertical staves made the association to heaven obvious. Norwegian Architecture (50) The farms were skilfully built to suit their specific needs. The pride of each farm was the loft, a two-story building that was used as storage on all traditional Norwegian farms. The best woodworking skills were applied on this structure during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, which therefore signified the highest achieveme nt of Norwegian wood-building techniques. The lofts companion was the stue, the traditional dwelling, which reflected the lofts character in its advanced log construction. Norwegian wood (17) Norways restricted economy up until the seventeenth century made it harder to import building materials other than wood. Wood was plentiful, although the labour required preparing it, transporting it, and shaping it was not. Tough conditions forced the culture to collect a lot of knowledge about their native material. This collection of cultural wealth inspired the creative powers of the craftsmen for several generations. Norwegian wood (18) Tradition is the heart of any vernacular. The Norwegian tradition is the great degree of craftsmanship. The Norwegians inherited an understanding about form and proportion from the natural properties of wood. The craftsmen of the Viking ships (ca.900 AD), the stave churches (ca.1200 AD), and the farms (ca.1700 AD) used the same resources, lived on the same land, and constructed the same sorts of structures for centuries. Not unexpectedly, a thoughtful handling of the wood is evident in Norways structures. Norwegian wood (19) The rural traditions in Norway continued to be strong well into the nineteenth century, and the farmers continued to stay close to nature. The topology also resulted in comprehensive climatic conditions, which had significant consequences for its building patterns. That Norway is located in north Europe leads to short summer and long winter seasons. The winter could last up to nine months some places; this meant that there were no second chances if one did not pay attention to the elements. Norwegian Architecture (28) I was nearly a life-and-death battle between man and nature in some parts of Norway. In a numerous of places, life was an endless battle against cold, starvation, and disease, a element that steered builders to select their site wisely. Norwegian wood (30) Norwegian craftsmen had a precise awareness of the performance and weathering of the wood. The two building techniques; stave and log construction, have been modified for several building types from culture to culture for a long period of time. In stave construction the builders used vertical planks to make the walls. It was originally fixed to the ground with no supporting frame. They were later raised and positioned on foundation beams. The logs that were notched at the corners were used for log construction, and were horizontally stacked on top of each another. Less wood were necessary on stave buildings than on log buildings, but their walls were thinner and retrained less heat. Log walls were the main construction of the dwelling, the stue, and the storage building, the loft, was constructed with a combination of both stave and log work. The craftsmen chose stave construction to build churches that would rise beyond the tall pine trees and also connect the structure to a rough ground. Norwegian wood (62) Log construction is a quite simple building technique: one log stacked horizontally on top of another offers a robust wall and a solid connection at the corners. The integration of the log technique allowed for tighter and more compact structures. Norwegian Architecture (50) The common use of the log technique, or laft technique as it is known in Norwegian, began in the period after the Viking era. The earliest surviving farm buildings date from this time. A new era of building began after the Black Death, around 1535. During this time, the Reformation in Norway created contact with other European countries; this led to an increase in the Norwegian economy. The wider international communication and trade led to a highpoint of folk and building arts that culminated in the 1700s when log construction reached its highest expression in Norway. Norwegian wood (67) Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden in 1814, and that was the beginning of Norways modern history. When the industrial revolution began in the 184 0s with the paper and textile industries, farming was already a business, and the agricultural techniques were modernized. But the expanding economy could not keep up with the rapid growth in the population. In the late half of the century, many emigrants, mainly from agricultural communities, left for America. The way of life had then changed, one could not farm on a family scale anymore, and traditional building techniques had been replaced by mass-production processes. Norwegian wood (68) Stave Churches Norway has always been a lightly populated country, and there were few public structures during the medieval times. The rare exception was the stave church. The stave churches were built between 1030 and 1350. They usually stood unaccompanied against a group of farms and represented the sacred aspect of medieval life. The stave churches of Norway are some of the finest wooden buildings in Europe and are, at the same time, some of the oldest. They express some of the most advanced farming methods preserved in wooden architecture, and it is not shocking that this amount of complexity is apparent in a religious building. The stave churches confirm the extraordinary technology achieved by wooden construction techniques during the Middle Ages. It is surprising that these structures have lasted for so long, even more surprising when one realizes that most medieval structures left today were constructed in stone. Norwegian wood (17) Norway had no church-building traditions to draw upon when Christianity was introduced in the eleventh century. They had to trust their instinctive and extensive knowledge of the landscape to find a suitable site for these buildings. Norwegian architecture (27) The stave churches represent the transition that the Norwegian people had in the eleventh-century, they went from pagan and animism worship to Christianity. Norwegian wood (103) The Old Norse building techniques were customized the Christian usage in the stave churches. It received many Romanesque features; the basilica shape is similar with the old Romanesque basilica. The circular arcs wad used in most of the stave churches from the Middle Ages, mainly for construction and dà ©cor. The dà ©cor could be found on gables, portals and in the interior. The dà ©cor were mostly animal ornamentation, interspersed with Christian motifs. Norske stavkirker (19) The appearance of the stave church is unlike anything else. They have a very simple basic constructional system, but its extrapolation has created complex and extravagant architecture. Some of the churches contain of more than 2000 individual elements, without counting the roof shingles. The church rests on horizontal beams of wood that rests on a stone foundation. The vertical poles, the staves, wraps around the central square. The staves are joined to each other by clamping beams, usually with additional St Andrews crosses and knee braces to make the frame more solid. The pitched roof of the central part of the church is then supported by this frame. Norske stavkirker (13) Stave churches were often built in the best stored pine. The builders used different techniques to make the wood more solid. One of these techniques were to not cut down the tree, but to only cut the top of the tree off, all the branches and remove the bark, and then let it stand there for sevral years. The tree then tried to survive, but became more and more covered in resin. The more resin it came on the wood, the more solid it became. Stil og interià ¸r (70) The Nordic sky is low and mostly grey, compared to the high, burning sun of the Mediterranean countries. This means that in Norway the sun casts long shadows. The interior in the stave churches was dark and mysterious, and the light was dimmed, this expressed the environmental quality of Norway. The staves rise like the pine trees of the woodland toward the dark ceiling, and the people coming from the closed horizontal stue are transported into a superior world. Stave Churches in Norway (13) The wood also helps to create the quietly mysterious atmosphere, together with the structural pattern rising towards the sky, which contrasts the hard undecorated effect of the material and technique of stone architecture so radically. Stave churches in Norway (20) After the Reformation many churches became too small for their congregation and had to be enlarged. The liberal pastors also though the churches were to dark, and there for had windows built in. They also often lowered the ceilings in order to preserve more heat in the winter. Stave churches in Norway (26) The Black Death swept through Norway in 1349, with catastrophic consequences. Between half and two-thirds of the population died. It was to take 300 years for the population to return to its original size. By the time new churches were built again, the knowledge of complex stave construction seems to have been lost. Architecture in Wood It was built more than 1000 stave churches in the thirteenth century, but today only 22 remain. Norwegian wood (52) Todays architecture The union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905 and Norway became an independent nation. Most countries in the turn of the nineteenth century experienced a romantic, nationalist movement, also Norway, this was caused by a longing for the greatness of its past. The building styles that emerged were an imitation of the stave churches, but the period also recognized the lost art of the laft construction. As a result, remarkable buildings built in the old log technique were moved from several farms and assembled into open-air museums. The need to describe building as an art quickly arose. As a result of the peoples national feeling, the open-air museums came to be regarded as folk museums. What was called folk art in other European building cultures was Norways main form of expression and was being produced even as late as 1900. Norwegian wood (68) The Norwegian folk museum in Oslo, known as Norsk Folkemuseum in Norwegian, is the largest museum of Norwegian cultural history. It has a collection of over 150 buildings from all around the country, and it represents how people lived in Norway from 1500 to present time. These buildings represent different regions, different time periods, and also the differences between town and country, and social classes. The stave church located in the open-air museum is Gol Stave Church, dating from 1200, this is one of five medieval buildings at the museum. (http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/target-groups/About-the-Museum/) In earlier times beauty was an expression of the people; today it is the expression of each persons personality. However, one instinctively feels that beauty is not either old or new, it is timeless. Medieval buildings have the quality of beauty that one can rarely see in contemporary architecture. My readings have led me to determine that the idea of beauty exists, and was always used prior to modern times. The concept of beauty seems to have been lost in todays building culture, because of the loss of good craftsmanship. The characteristics of Norways traditional buildings were the remarkable ornamental qualities. This shows the importance of the craftsmanship process when construction was still considered an art and a craft. The marriage between fine materials and good craftsmanship seems to have been forgotten by todays builders and architects. This marriage offers the greatest inspiration for the building art. The past contrasts the present-day in many ways, and its constructors naturally had fewer choice of materials. But the lessons and knowledge given by a vernacular building culture are still valid. Norwegian Wood (9) One of the most important qualities for an architect is the response to the physical surroundings. It requires an understanding of the land to solve the problem of how to dwell in a particular area. The end result, generally for most traditional architecture, can be a quality linked to a specific site, or to a particular landscape. The mountains that generate wind or rain, the seasons that bring snow, the way that sun shines, or does not shine, are all important in determining a settlement social events are not the only thing that create its character. How a builder responds to these issues reflects his ability to build within a certain landscape. Norwegian wood (27) The vernacular buildings reflect the skill of building when tradition, and not new inventions, inspired builders: the beauty of this was that the tradition uncovered existential meaning. This is missing in todays building culture, together with the drive of the craftsmen and the joy of constructing. Vernacular buildings have a breathing uniqueness, independent of its con structor, and because the builders highlighted this unique individuality in all its elements, a wonderful building appears. The Norwegian architect, Gunnar Granberg, said, the craftsmens knowledge was a given: rather than thinking about it, they simply built the buildings. Norwegian Wood (9) Learn from vernacular architecture Older buildings have many features that we can learn from and leverage further, both in modern construction and the maintenance of older buildings. Older buildings are often built with materials that are locally produced and lightly processed. The production of these materials has required little energy and caused little environmental impact. This is an argument both to preserve older buildings and to use their knowledge for new construction. One should take advantage of the material properties, which means the right capacity and quality at the right place and function. This means that this part of the building will be more effective for a longer period of time, and one is then resource efficient when using the best qualities where it is most needed. Good craftsmanship is all about good material knowledge, good practices, knowledge of what is going to last, and how to perform the work. Each part of the buildings life span has great importance when thinking about resources. Old buildi ngs are often constructed of materials and building components that are built to last, without losing function or become aesthetically undesirable. How long a building can be used depends on the original quality, and whether it can be maintained in an appropriate manner. Traditional materials and building components are often very easy to maintain because the materials are lightly processed, and because the components are easy to get to and remove from the building. (Book) Many modern materials are presented as maintenance-free, but in reality they do not last and must be replaced more often. Many modern building elements consist of different materials which cannot be taken apart, which means that it is the material which has the shortest life span that determines the building component longevity. This is a poor use of resources. In older buildings not all rooms are heated to the same temperature. The hallways could often be colder than the living rooms, and some rooms were closed off in the winter. It was also common to furnish the center of the room or up against the fireplace, so that the breeze from the windows was not so infuriating. The indoor temperature was also kept lower. This was who they saved energy. Traditionally the natural ventilation made a good indoor climate. Wood heating and air channels create negative pressure, and fresh air is drawn in through leaks or vents in the winter. Venting through open windows in summer is also a simple and good solution. Natural ventilation provides ventilation without the need for energy input to operate the fans and heat exchanger, etc. When using a ventilation system the durability of the system corresponds to the durability of the building. The current building regulations make it almost impossible to build for natural ventilation. The tighter and better in sulated a building is, the more energy is required for ventilation and the more dependent one is that the advanced technical equipment works, maintained and used properly. Development of natural ventilation will give us knowledge and solutions that contribute to energy efficiency also in modern construction. (book) Modern construction relies on as tightly insulated as possible and represents with other words, a completely different building physical principle the traditional buildings. It is therefore important not to think modern when working with old buildings as it can cause major structural damage over time. A very thick insulation layer requires efficient sealing of the house. This is challenging both during construction and later in their life cycle. Leaks may lead to rot and mold problems. A well-insulated house is totally dependent on a properly functioning ventilation system at any time. The physical principles in traditional buildings can provide useful knowledge in the de velopment of new construction that looks more into these challenges. Traditional buildings are often characterized by the fact that there were few resources when they were built. Everything had to be done by hand, transportation was cumbersome, and the processing was often done on site and was limited. We then developed a tradition of building energy and resource efficient based on passive measures. This stands in contrast to the current to todays trend towards ever more advanced technical solutions and energy-intensive processes. (http://www.riksantikvaren.no/Norsk/Tema/Energisparing/Hva_kan_vi_lare_av_eldre_hus+/) Older houses are often less isolated and leakier than the requirements set in the current building regulations. They therefore require more energy in the production phase. The reason for the increasingly stringent energy requirements is the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is often difficult to isolate older houses so that they meet the regulations without destroying the heritage values. The Directorate in Norway are working towards trying to compensate the use of renewable energy for the higher energy consumption in older houses. This will help achieve the goal of reducing CO2 emissions while preserving the cultural historical values. Wood as a building material causes little environmental impact compared to for example the production and use of concrete and steel. This relates to the entire life cycle (production, transport, maintenance, durability and disposal etc.). Using more wood in buildings as a replacement for less environmentally friendly materials will help to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. (http://www.riksantikvaren.no/Norsk/Tema/Energisparing/Bruk_av_tre_i_et_miljoperspektiv/) It is essential that vernacular building traditions are supported; to assist local builders in matter of sanitation and disaster preparedness, while same time learning and benefiting from their experience, knowledge and skills. Paul Oliver Conclusion By investigating vernacular architecture we can recover much accumulated wisdom. The ever-growing number of vernacular studies that has kept on appearing since the nineteenth century, these has improved our knowledge and understanding of historic and modern vernacular traditions. (Built to meet needs) Housing the ever-growing global population is one of the biggest problems we are facing today, but this has not yet caught the same attention as issues of food, health, climate change or the reduction of biodiversity. This problem has to be recognized for the future well-being of the people to be ensured. The survival of the vernacular will help not only with housing, but also sustainable techniques. (Vernacular Architecture in the 21st Century) Architects and builders should look at vernacular knowledge and performance to respond to the over-growing demands for housing and natural disasters. Studying vernacular traditions will give us better adaptation knowledge. Many traditions from the vernacular have been an associated with poverty, underdevelopment and the past; this became apparent in the process of urbanization, globalization and modernization. It is not viewed as a work of architecture that is well-adjusted to its local surroundings, cultures and economies, but rather as a wo rk in progress. This has led to the replacement and abandonment of many unique and distinctive vernacular buildings. (Atlas of Vernacular Architecture) It is important to take care of the local traditions. And in Norway that means that we need to use more wood in modern buildings. The challenge with timber is that it takes a long time to warm them up, but when they are warm, they stay warm for a long time. If we unite the old log technique with the best of new heating technology it will be big changes. The question is not old or modern building technique, but more use of timber. The vernacular buildings still standing today should be preserved and learnt from. In the case of Norway, some measures can be made, if all the Norwegian boroughs that have houses from 1650 and earlier built houses in this tradition, the Norwegian heritage buildings could be saved, and young people would then also learn how to construct in a traditional and sustainable way. This would make a radical change considering the environment; when one kilogram timber can bind 1.7 kg CO2, and a house made in log technique with locally produced timber have a lifespan on 800-900 years. This is what I call sustainability! Take it easy and be completely focused on the task. Remember, in the end, no one asks how long it took. What is crucial is that what you have done is correct. Arne Berg (http://www.vl.no/kultur/var-byggekunst-er-doende/)

The Sacrament of Baptism Essay -- Christianity

In the United States Christianity is the largest religious group followed by Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism (Kohut and Rogers). According to the Pew Research Council Christianity was comprised of over 82 percent of the population in America as of March 2002 (Kohut and Rogers). Most of the world’s Christians live in the America’s and Europe (Pew Research Center). However, the population of Christians that currently live in the America’s and Europe is significantly lower than in the early 1900’s (Pew Research Center). Christianity is divided into three main branches: Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants. The Protestants make up the largest branch of the Christian religion in the United States and totaled fifty-two percent of the American population in 2002 (Kohut and Rogers). Catholics come in a close second comprising twenty-four percent of the American Population in March of 2002 (Kohut and Rogers). The majorities of the Christian denominations popular today developed during the five hundred years after the protestant reformation and are part of the protestant denomination (Pew Research Center). Many of the Christian denominations share a lot of the same beliefs; however, there are quite a few topics they disagree on such as the sacrament of baptism. Many Christian denominations practice the tradition of baptism. However, many denominations differ widely on the meaning and significance of the sacrament or ordinance of baptism. Baptism in the Old Testament is used as a symbol of a believer’s devotion to God by washing with water as a sign of purification and consecration. There are many different meanings and techniques to baptism that have been observed by many faiths over thousands of years. Many of the customs and b... .... "Baptism (in the Bible)." New Catholic Encyclopedia. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 56-60. Gale World History In Context. Web. 30 Dec. 2011. Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Zondervan New International Study Bible. Ed. Kenneth L. Barker. 2008. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002. Pew Research Center. Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population. 19 December 2011. December 2011 . "Sacrament." World Religions. New York: Macmillan Library Reference USA, 1987. Macmillan Compendium. Gale World History In Context. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. Sacrament of Baptism. 2003. .

Invisible Man :: Essays Papers

Invisible Man In the novel, The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, the narrator of the story, like Siddhartha and Antonius Blok, is on a journey, but he is searching to find himself. This is interesting because the narrator is looking for himself and is not given a name in the book. Like many black people, the narrator of the story faces persecution because of the color of his skin. The journey that the narrator takes has him as a college student as well as a part of the Brotherhood in Harlem. By the end of the book, the narrator decides to hide himself in a cellar, thinking of ways he can get back at the white people. However, in the novel, the man learns that education is very important, he realizes the meaning of his grandfather’s advice, and he sees the importance of his â€Å"invisibility.† Through this knowledge that he gains, the narrator gains more of an identity. The narrator of the story knows that education is important, however in the novel he learns just how important it is. The first thing his education brings him is a briefcase made of calfskin, which was given to him by the superintendent for the achievements he had accomplished. Because of this, the briefcase becomes very important to the narrator and he hangs on to it for the whole book, and it is the only thing that he brings with him when he retreats to the cellar to plot against the whites. In the briefcase is a scholarship which was awarded to the narrator to an all black college, which he attends. The scholarship made the narrator very happy because he now had the opportunity to continue his education in an institute of higher learning. Many of the blacks at the time were not well educated and he wanted to do all that he could to not be included in this bunch. Because of his furthered education, he can now be placed a bit higher in the pecking order of society, above the other stereotypical blacks who lacked education due to a small amount of funding, or because of anything else. The narrator knew the importance of education and wanted to do all that he could to get everything possible. Another realization that helps the narrator gain more of an identity is the realization of his grandfather’s advice.

Economics and B. Government C.

1. Which of the following is not a key trade-off faced by society? A. who gets good and service? B. whether or not to produce. C. how to produce? D. which goods and services to produce. 2. Most microeconomic models assume that decision markers wish to A. act selfishly. B. make themselves as well off as possible C. make others as well off as possible. D. none of the above. 3. What links the decisions of consumers and firms in market? A. coordination’s officials B. government C. prices D. microeconomics 4. The price of a good or service is: A. Always equal to the cost of producing the good B. Never affected by number of buyers and seller.C. Usually determined in a market. D. None of the above. 5. Economists make many assumptions to simplify their models because. A. they are lazy B. no one would understand complex models. C. the real world is too complex to analyze fully. D. none of the above. 6. Which of the following is an example of a positive statement? A. if you consume this good you, will get sick. B. since this good is bad for you, you should not consume it. C. if this good is bad for you, you should not consume it D. none of the above. 7. Which of the following is true. A. A normative economic stament is a testable hypothesis about cause and effect.B. a positive stament concerns what somebody believes should happen; a normative stament concerns what will happen. C. A normative stament concerns what somebody believes should happen; a positive stament concerns what will happen. D. none of the above are true. 8. Microeconomic models used to. A. evaluate policy alternatives. B. make predictions. C. explain real life phenomena D. all of the above 9. Which of the following choices is an example of a negative externality. A. educations B. mercury emissions from a coal-fired power plant C. your neighbor is trimming the hedge between your houses. D polio vaccinations

Han China vs. Gupta India Essay

The Chinese Han Empire, which date from 206 BC to 220 AD, and the Indian Gupta Empire, which date from 375 AD to 550 AD, were elaborate kingdoms that thrived during their time. Although Han China and Gupta India were politically stable, Han China’s developing bureaucracy was centralized, while Gupta India was much more regionalized. Han China and Gupta India both featured extensive internal trade; however Gupta India was more involved with trade. Both empires had many intellectual achievements but Han China had much more innovative achievements, as in improving things, while Gupta India was much more dynamic, meaning the Indians worked on theories and then proved them. Something the Gupta Empire and the Han Empire had in common was that the emperors of these empires both believed they were chosen from the gods to rule. Han China had a very centralized bureaucracy which meant the emperor ruled over China, and this helped the rulers rule over a vast amount of land. The bureaucracy was capable of carrying out the duties of a complex state. In Gupta India, however, their government was regionalized meaning there were many local rulers ruling over certain regions. There was not much emphasis on politics in Gupta India so they did not develop solid political institution, like Han China did. There were very few formal political values or institutions besides regionalism so the political culture was not as involved or intricate. Despite the fact that both Han China and Gupta India had a deal of internal and external trade, the Gupta Empire was much more involved in trading overall. In Han China, much of the trade focused on luxury items for the upper class, such as silk, jewelry, leather goods and furniture. They also traded food and copper coins once they began to circulate. The Gupta Empire traded things such as cotton, silk, dyes, drugs, gold, ivory and more, getting in return pottery, wine, metals, slaves and gold. The merchants in the Han Empire were not as respected as they were in the Gupta Empire because of the Confucian emphasis on learning and politics, not on money-making. In the Gupta Empire, merchants were of relatively high class according to the caste system. Even though the Gupta and the Han both were involved in trade, both were largely agricultural societies so they depended greatly on the peasant class. The two empires, Han and Gupta, both had many intellectual achievements, although it could be argued that the Indians had much more of a variety. The Gupta Empire was more dynamic than the Han, meaning it was open and branched out much more. During the time of the Gupta Empire, they developed pieces of literature and Indian drama flourished. Their most notable intellectual achievements were the Indian numbering system, the concept of zero, and the decimal system. In the Han Empire, people were encouraged to not stray away from practicality. Chinese scientists were always improving their machinery and they invented a seismograph. The Han focused more on how things worked, which is why Chinese scholars would study the mathematics in music. One may assume that Han China and Gupta India were only different but that is not the case. As well as their many differences, such as a bureaucracy in China and a regionalized government in India, both empires were politically stable with rulers that believed they were chosen by the gods to rule. Despite Gupta India having more emphasis on trading, both empires were agricultural societies which depended on the peasant class. The Gupta Empire and the Han Empire both had an abundance of intellectual achievements although the Gupta Empire was much more dynamic while the Han Empire was restraint. Both empires blossomed in their time because of the many characteristics that make an empire great such as their economy, their intellectual achievements and their political institutions.

Alternative Fuel Vehicles Feasibility Study Essay

As a leader in the rental vehicle industry for the past 30 years, ABC Rental Cars has continually remained a step ahead of its competition. To continue to set the pace for other rental agencies to follow, and to ensure ABC Rental Cars’ dominant position in the marketplace, alternative fuel vehicles (AFV), or more specifically, hybrid vehicles, should be evaluated as to the feasibility and consumer interest of introducing these types of vehicles into our fleet. Currently, gasoline prices are at an all-time high. The United States’ dependency on foreign oil is also at an extremely high level, and with the ever-shifting Middle Eastern political climate teetering at volatile levels, hybrid vehicles are an important avenue to be considered. While hybrid car sales currently lag behind sales of conventional vehicles, J. D. Power & Associates, a market research firm, estimates that hybrid vehicle sales will increase to half a million by the year 2006. In addition, nearly 20 new models of hybrid cars, SUV’s, and trucks will be rolled out to consumers in the next few years (Mossy Automotive Group, 2004). ABC Rentals can reap the rewards of providing these vehicles to its consumers, provided the cost associated with this program is mutually beneficial to both parties. Initially, the types of fuels that are available need to be researched to determine the viability of introducing hybrid vehicles into our fleet. While there are several options of alternative fuels available, most are not practical. The fuels analyzed included natural gas, biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, Fischer Tropsch, liquefied natural gas, methanol, and propane. Ultimately, the research concluded that the only practical, economical, and accessible fuel currently available is electricity, when used in the hybrid concept. There are many vehicles that use electricity. The most popular concept is used in hybrid vehicles. These vehicles have an electric motor, with a separate gasoline motor. One of the benefits is fuel economy. According to an EPA report, hybrids â€Å"can more than double the gas mileage of conventional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. † Also, this use of energy reduces emissions because gasoline consumption is reduced. Next, the gasoline motor charges the battery as the car is running, nullifying the need for recharging stations. Ultimately, the most practical fuel that can be considered at this time is electricity combined with gasoline, which is used in hybrid vehicles. (EPA, 2003) As a means to gauge consumer interest in these types of vehicles, we also needed to research our competitors to distinguish if hybrid vehicles would be a practical addition to our fleet. Currently, EV Rental Cars is the only company in the United States to rent hybrid cars to the public. At this time, there are a total of eight locations with hybrid vehicles: four locations in California: Los Angeles, Burbank, Ontario and San Diego, one location in Phoenix, Arizona, two locations in Virginia: Dulles and Arlington, and one in Washington D. C. With all of the locations above in mind, EV Rental Cars has grown in fleet size to more than 400 cars throughout the eight different locations (www. evrental. com, 2001). One of the vehicles available to rent at EV Rentals is the Toyota Prius, which is a full size family sedan. This vehicle rents for $49. 99 per day, or $299. 94 per week, and EV Rentals offers 150 free miles per day and . 25/mile thereafter (www. evrental. com, 2001). The Prius achieves 60 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on the highway (autos. yahoo. com, 2004). Comparatively, Honda has introduced the Honda Insight, which in the rental vehicle industry is considered to be a standard size car, and the Honda Civic hybrid, which is considered to be a compact car. These two cars are offered by EV Rentals at a similar price to the Toyota Prius (www. evrental.com, 2001). The Honda Insight achieves an EPA highway mileage of 66 mpg and 60 mpg in the city, while the Honda Civic hybrid can travel 650 miles with a full tank of gas (www. honda. com, 2004). As indicated above, these three cars are not only great when it comes to mileage, but another advantage they enjoy is that they are also environmentally friendly. For example, the Prius produces 90 percent less harmful emissions than a traditional car (www. ineed2know. org, 2004), which is important to those individuals that are concerned about the environment. Even President Bush seemed to agree that alternative fuel vehicles needed to be further investigated when he endorsed the concept of alternative fuel vehicles and allocated more than a billion dollars toward the transition to hydrogen fuels (www. evrental. com, 2001). On the other hand, these types of cars are not a practical investment if cost and availability are issues. Not only is the price higher, but due to limited interest in hybrids by consumers at this time, there is only a small geographic area where hybrids are being rented. Most locations are situated in California, Arizona, and Washington; therefore, if ABC Rental Cars is looking for a new rental opportunity that could expand quickly, hybrid vehicles may not be the ideal choice. Initial startup costs and maintenance costs are also important factors to consider. The price of a hybrid automobile is higher than that of a comparable gasoline engine powered automobile. According to the Website ineed2know. org, a consumer can expect to pay from $3,500 to $6,000 more for a hybrid vehicle. The money a consumer saves in purchasing a hybrid depends greatly on the cost of gasoline. For example, if gas is priced at $1. 80 per gallon, it might take the average driver between 10 and 15 years to make up a $3,500 increase in the initial price. The higher the gas prices go, the less time it will take to recoup the higher price of purchasing a hybrid (ineed2know. org, 2004). However, statistics detailing the amount of time needed to recoup initial investment costs for businesses were not available at this time. Batteries for hybrid vehicles cost considerably more than conventional car batteries. Hybrid batteries sport a price tag of $1,000 – $2,000, more than 10 ? 20 times that of a gasoline powered vehicle (ineed2know.org, 2004). While most hybrid batteries are covered under the vehicle warranty, once the warranty expires it will be the owner’s responsibility to cover the cost of a new battery. Below are some specific pricing examples of hybrids that are currently on the market: The Toyota Prius has a suggested retail price of $21, 708, which is comparable to the Corolla that retails at $15, 580. The hybrid Honda Civic cost $20, 650. That’s about $2,300 more than the Honda Civic with a gasoline powered engine. (Phelan, 2004) Eartheasy. com lists the Honda Insight with a base retail price of $19,080 to $21,280. (2004) The Pontiac Website (2004) lists the comparable Vibe at $17, 165. The Ford Website (2004) boasts the hybrid 2005 Ford Escape, available in August 2004, which will have a retail price of $26,970 for the front-wheel drive SUV. The four-wheel drive hybrid SUV will retail at $28,595. Comparable Ford Escapes with gasoline powered engines retail for $19,995 and $21, 605 respectively. Renewable energy has become the focus of many markets in today’s society. From solar panels to hybrid vehicles, Americans are interested in purchasing these types of technologies, but need financial help from the government in the form of tax credits and rebates. Hybrid vehicles are costly to manufacture, and automakers pass on this higher cost to consumers in the form of higher retail prices of the vehicle. To help offset these higher prices, automakers are encouraging the federal government to provide tax credits to those consumers who purchase hybrid vehicles. The reason for this push is there is currently no alternative technology planned for the future. In a speech given to the Automotive News World Congress, Ford Motor Company’s CEO William Ford stated: â€Å"Hybrid vehicles are a very good bridge between today’s technology and fuel cells. Fuel cells ? as promising as they are ? come with a tremendous infrastructure challenge. We do not have hydrogen on every corner like we do gasoline, and we also have storage issues. With hybrids, we do not have to invent anything ? we know they work. † (Kiley, 2004) To date, there are two types of tax credits available to those who purchase alternative fuel vehicles: ? If you purchase a certain type of electric vehicle, you may be entitled to a tax credit. ?If a vehicle qualifies as a â€Å"clean-fuel† vehicle, you may be entitled to a deduction from gross income. Currently, any clean-fuel vehicles that are manufactured after June 30, 1993 and before January 1, 2007, qualifies the owner for a deduction off of their gross income for a portion of the cost of the vehicle. Examples of these vehicles are natural gas, hydrogen and any fuel that is composed of at least 85% ethanol, alcohol or ether. Electric vehicles receive a 10% tax credit, based on the purchase price. The maximum dollar amount cannot exceed $4,000. These credits will be phased out gradually ? 25, 50 and 75 percent in 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively, until it is phased out completely in 2007 (www. taxguide. completeax. com, 2004). These tax credits are targeted to the individual consumer, and not for rental vehicles. With the price of gasoline currently hovering around $2. 20 per gallon, the hybrid vehicle appears to be an attractive alternative. However, without a tax credit geared towards the business market, it is not a feasible option. Unfortunately, even with a tax credit, it would take years for the population to change their driving habits. To summarize, marketing alternative fuel vehicles to the consumer can be challenging, and most consumers are not aware of the types or manufacturers of these vehicles. If people are knowledgeable at all about alternative fuel environmental friendly vehicles, they may not be certain of where they can purchase or rent one of them. Purchasing an environmentally friendly vehicle is getting easier to do, with more car manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon. Honda and Toyota have led the way with hybrid vehicles, and Ford has also been in the market with its Ford Crown Victoria natural gas vehicles, with upcoming plans to debut their 2005 Ford Escape hybrid in August 2004. Pontiac is also throwing their hat into the ring with their new hybrid vehicle, the Vibe. Most consumers that are in the market for alternative fuel vehicles are looking at the new hybrids, which use both a combination of electricity and gasoline and can achieve 50 to 60 miles per gallon. The batteries on these vehicles automatically recharge themselves; consequently the vehicles never are required to be plugged in. Renting an alternative fuel vehicle can be more challenging than purchasing one, since at this time there is only one viable rental agency; EV Rental Cars, who has partnered with Budget Rent a Car, a major player in the rental car industry. If a person lives in, or is visiting California, Arizona or Washington D. C. , they can rent one of these vehicles at one of the major airports. The cost is $10 to $20 dollars more per day than renting regular gasoline powered vehicles. Most can be rented or reserved on the Internet, but some alternative fuel vehicles cannot. Consumers must request these in person at rental locations. There are a small amount of benefits for the consumer. For example, drivers can travel in the carpool lane even if they are driving alone in California, Arizona, Virginia and Georgia, thereby saving time. Additionally, when returning traditional rental vehicles, a renter is usually required to return the vehicle with the same amount of gas as was in the vehicle when first rented. Conversely, alternative fuel vehicles can be returned empty, incurring no extra surcharge. As far as refueling these vehicles, charging electric vehicles is free at the rental car recharging stations. Also, hybrid vehicles are more economical because they get more than 60 miles per gallon. Looking at the limited benefits, the overall cost and lack of convenience of purchasing or renting one of these alternative fuel vehicles, and the fact that there is limited availability, does not make it very appealing to the consumer. To investigate a hybrid vehicle consumer’s point of view concerning these types of vehicles, we conducted an interview with Dr. Mark Looper, a hybrid car enthusiast who operates the website altfuels. org. Dr. Looper holds an MS and PhD in physics from the California Institute of Technology, and an AB in physics from Princeton University. He has owned alternative fuel vehicles since 1993, and rents hybrid vehicles from the local EV Rental agency in his area. His website offers reviews of these rental vehicles, as well as real-life experiences of Dr. Looper’s travels utilizing alternative fuel vehicles. Dr. Looper’s primary reason for renting AFV’s is to provide information about alternative vehicles to the general public in the form of his reviews, as well as to promote and gain support for these vehicles with his friends, colleagues, and anyone interested enough to learn about alternatives to gasoline powered vehicles. While Dr. Looper’s rental charges exceeded the cost of gasoline powered vehicles, he stressed that cost was not much of a factor in his decision. Instead, Dr. Looper was far more interested in providing useful information to the visitors of his website. One of the questions asked of Dr. Looper was his comfort level while renting AFV’s. Specifically, did he feel nervous that alternative fuel may not be available, or that the vehicle would not handle as well as a traditional vehicle, two concerns of traditional vehicle owners. His reply was that while he was initially nervous when he decided to drive the vehicle across the country, he has never felt nervous while driving in his area. Fuel was always available, as were charging sources. Dr. Looper has stated that he would continue to rent alternative fuel vehicles, to not only â€Å"promote AFV’s by enhancing market demand and visibility,† but to also provide important feedback to consumers considering purchasing or renting these vehicles. Dr. Looper also feels very strongly about environmental issues, and considers this when making a decision of which vehicle to rent. If an alternative fuel vehicle is available, he will always choose this path, as opposed to the traditional vehicle. In conclusion, our research reveals that ABC Rental Cars should not consider introducing alternative fuel vehicles into its fleet at this time. The initial investment costs are much higher than those of traditional gasoline powered vehicles, and costs associated with the upkeep of these vehicles are also prohibitive. In addition, while tax breaks are available to consumers purchasing hybrid vehicles, our studies failed to reveal any tax savings for businesses purchasing, or renting hybrid vehicles. Furthermore, Dr. Looper’s enthusiasm and knowledge notwithstanding, the demand for hybrid vehicles is not currently at a level that would justify the amount of capital necessary to launch this program. However, ABC Rental Cars should continue to monitor developments in the hybrid vehicle industry, as well as gauge consumer interest in these vehicles, and be prepared to move forward with this program should it become economically feasible in the future. References Eartheasy. com (2000 – 2004) The new hybrid cars. Retrieved June 19, 2004 from http://www.eartheasy. com/live_hybrid_cars Environmental Protection Agency, (March 2003). Clean Alternative Fuels: Electric Vehicles. Retrieved, June 18, 2004 from http://www. epa. gov/otaq/consumer/fuels/altfuels/altfuels. htm#fact EV Rental Cars (2002) Website. Retrieved June 19, 2004 from http://www. evrental. com/index. html Fordvehicles. com (2004) Escape Hybrid. Retrieved June 19, 2004 from http://www. fordvehicles. com/escapehybrid/home/index. asp? bhcp=1 Ineed2know. org (2003 – 2004) We Know: 5 important facts about hybrid cars. Retrieved June 20, 2004 from http://www. ineed2know. org/hybrid_cars. htm Kiley, D. (April 8, 2004) Top auto execs turn to tax code to boost fuel efficient vehicles. USA Today Looper, M. , (2004) Owner and Webmaster of www. altfuels. org Interviewed June, 2004 Mossy Automotive Group, (January 22, 2004). Alternative fuel vehicles would add powerful new dimensions to any auto fleet. Mossy Automotive Group Online. Retrieved June 24, 2004 from http://www. mossy. com/news_show. html? item_num=10 Phelan, M. (June 3, 2004). Cutting the hybrid hype. The Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 20, 2004 from http://www. freep. com/money/autoreviews/hybrid3e_20040603. htm Pontiac. com (2004) Pontiac Vibe. Retrieved June 19, 2004 from http://www. pontiac. com/vibe/index. jsp? brand=home&pagename=home Taxguide. com (2004) Website. Retrieved June 18, 2004 from http://www. taxguide. completetax. com Yahoo! Autos (2004) 2004 Toyota Prius. Retrieved June 22, 2004 from http://autos. yahoo. com/newcars/toyota_prius_2004/3809/model_overview. html.

Gender Roles in America Essay

The distinction between the roles of men and women in America is a modern societal dichotomy. What were once the black and white duties of the 1950’s had paled into various shades of grey by the 21st century. The Ozzie and Harriet roles of the 1950’s and early 1960’s were challenged, redefined and sometimes ignored through the decades that followed. Women were demanding and being granted the opportunity to advance professional careers, explore alternative lifestyles, or forego the classic marriage family and be a single parent. In other cases the parenting roles were completely reversed as pointed out by Glenn Sacks in his essay Stay-at-Home Dads (277). During the 1950’s, traditional American society expected women to marry young, have children and support their husband’s career. There was a sort of stigma associated with the 30 year old spinster addressed with the title Miss. This position was reinforced with the social media of the time. Books like Dr. Spock’s, Babies and Child Care argued that women working outside the home actually risked their children’s mental and emotional health! The primary social media of the time, television and movies, also promoted the division of roles with actresses like Doris Day, Harriet Nelson and Barbara Billingsley playing the supportive wife and caring mother; while the likes of Ozzie Nelson, Hugh Beaumont and Cary Grant were the successful dominating male with the last word in all subjects. Men were expected to be a successful all knowing and authoritative figure, working the classic nine to five job. Those who did not fit this mold were considered by society as unmanly, lazy, failures, or just plain no-good. The only acceptable exception to this model of the male persona was the dashing consummate bachelor portrayed by actors such as John Wayne, William Shatner, and Sean Connery. Women had no such exception. The unmarried female of the time was usually portrayed as Gidget (Sandra Dee), Jeannie (Barbara Eden), Sister Bertrille (Sally Fields) or That Girl’s Anne Marie (Marlo Thomas). Over the course of the next few decades women made dramatic strides towards social equality. Bras were burned, the pill brought on sexual freedom and the no-fault clause in divorce helped free women from the repressive shackles placed on them by the male dominated societal norm. Slowly and somewhat grudgingly, society responded to the female pressures by accepting more and more crossover roles by both women and men. The social differences between he roles of men and women began to blur as less value was placed on the traditional and both sexes began to appear in the workplace in what had previously been opposite gender roles. Areas like engineering, construction and manufacturing saw a permanent influx of women; jobs held temporarily by females during the war years of 1941 to 1945. Concurrently, men began to gravitate towards roles as nurses, teachers, and homemakers. In spite of all the work towards equality and sameism (a word I coined to describe the merging of the gender roles) men are still primarily locked into the role of provider and modern women are painted into a corner; expected to do all the female things and most of the male things while still being athletic, sexy, willing, attractive and smart. According to author Steven Hinshaw, â€Å"Our teenage girls are baffled, distressed, and overwhelmed (by) a set of impossible, contradictory expectations† (301), a situation he terms as a triple bind. Conversely young men are now expected to be seen as strong, brave, successful, sensitive, insightful, supportive and totally accepting of the woman’s new role while still knowing when to open doors and pay for the movie tickets. As we now enter the second decade of the 21st Century, there is no shortage of women doing men’s jobs or vice-versa. The blending of traditional male-female roles has become the norm and the old-style well defined roles of breadwinner and housewife are all but extinct. There is however, a growing trend of the liberated woman moving back into the traditional role of homemaker as they age and decide that they have missed something and now wish to express their maternal feelings. Thus, although modern society fosters the acceptance of more gender neutral roles through education, training and non-discrimination laws it also emphasizes the traditional roles as the desired outcome. So we find ourselves faced with the blurry gray dichotomy of how to meet the politically correct demands of society and still meet the individual needs of the members of that society.

Societal Separations essays

Societal Separations essays Southern economic growth was different then that of the North. Northerners looked down towards the Southern way of living. The South was still mainly a rural area, while industry was growing hastily in the North. Some Southerners wanted industrial growth, but the factories in the South were unlike the rising industry of the North. The ways of the North and South were beginning to deviate. The Southern factories were smaller then the Norths because they had trouble raising the finances to build. In order to raise the money to build they needed to sell slaves. This was an alternative that the Southerners were not prepared to take. Southern industry also brought around anti-slavery beliefs through Northern whites which caused dissension with slave owners. Another reason that the South was diverging from the North was the difference in public education systems. Southerners did not want to tax land to support education and they rejected required education. They did not make use of written documents often nor did they communicate with educated Northerners. The South did not see the need for better education. Northerners saw the South as if it were regressing due to their belief that industrial growth brings enrichment. Although the southerners did not grow as the North was accustomed, they were still successful in agricultural areas. By the year eighteen-sixty, southern agricultural developments brought their income above the national average. Regardless of Northern views, southerners counted on cotton as their cash crop, as well as other crops, and benefited from them significantly. ...

The Comparison and Contrast of Martin Luther King Jr. essays

The Comparison and Contrast of Martin Luther King Jr. essays The Comparison And Contrast of Dr. Martin Luther King And Malcolm Xs Life Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were great African-Americans that base their lives to stop the discrimination of people who were different than the whites (mainly African-Americans) . In my essay I will compare and show you how different their lives where from each other . I will talk about how their styles were , and how I thought about their accomplishments . Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta , Georgia . He was born his name was actually Michael Luther King Jr. , but he later changed to Martin . When Dr. King was in school he was very smart , because finished high school at the age of fifteen , got his Bachelors degree at the age of 19 from Morehouse College . Then three years after he of studying theological at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he was elected president of a predominantly white senior class . He was presented his B. D. in 1951 , and he went on to peruse the rest of his education . In Boston he met his wife to be Coretta Scott which was as smart as he was , and married her , and had two sons , and two daughters . In 1954 , Martin Luther King Jr. accepted the pastoral of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery , Alabama . King was a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People(NAACP) , which is the leading organization of its kind in the nation . Dr. King was a great person and I will talk more about his accomplishments in the compare and contrast . Malcolm X was born with the name Malcolm Little , but changed his last name ,because he didnt want to have the last name of a white man that owned his ancestors. Malcolm X was born in Omaha , Nebraska on the date of May 19 , 1925 . Even though Malcolm was ...

Measurement Definition in Science

Measurement Definition in Science In science, a measurement is a collection of quantitative or numerical  data that describes a property of an object or event. A measurement is made by comparing a quantity with a standard unit. Since this comparison cannot be perfect, measurements inherently include error, which is how much a measured value deviates from the true value. The study of measurement is called metrology. There are many measurement systems that have been used throughout history and across the world, but progress has been made since the 18th century in setting an international standard. The modern International System of Units (SI) bases all types of physical measurements on seven base units. Methods of Measurement The length of a piece of string can be measured by comparing the string against a meter stick.The volume of a drop of water may be measured using a graduated cylinder.The mass of a sample may be measured using a scale or balance.The temperature of a fire may be measured using a thermocouple. Comparing Measurements Measuring the volume of a cup of water with an Erlenmeyer flask will give you a better measurement than trying to gauge its volume by putting it into a bucket, even if both measurements are reported using the same unit (e.g., milliliters). Accuracy matters, so there are criteria that scientists use to compare measurements: type, magnitude, unit, and uncertainty. The level or type is the methodology used for taking the measurement. Magnitude is the actual numerical value of a measurement (e.g., 45 or 0.237). Unit is the ratio of the number against the standard for the quantity (e.g., gram, candela, micrometer). Uncertainty reflects the systematic and random errors in the measurement. Uncertainty is a description of confidence in the accuracy and precision of a measurement that is typically expressed as an error. Measurement Systems Measurements are calibrated, which is to say they are compared against a set of standards in a system so that the measuring device can deliver a value that matches what another person would obtain if the measurement were repeated. There are a few common standard systems you may encounter: International System of Units (SI): SI comes from the French name  Systà ¨me International dUnità ©s.  It is the most commonly used metric system.Metric System: SI is a specific metric system, which is a decimal system of measurement. Examples of two common forms of the metric system are the MKS system (meter, kilogram, second as base units) and CGS system (centimeter, gram, and second as base units). There are many units in SI and other forms of the metric system that are built upon combinations of base units. These are called derived units.English System: The British or Imperial system of measurements was common before SI units were adopted internationally. Although Britain has largely adopted the SI system, the United States and some Caribbean countries still use the English system for non-scientific purposes. This system is based on the foot-pound-second units, for units of length, mass, and time.

Answers to Questions About Commas #4

Answers to Questions About Commas #4 Answers to Questions About Commas #4 Answers to Questions About Commas #4 By Mark Nichol Here are several questions about punctuation from DailyWritingTips.com readers, including two about too, and my responses. 1. I was taught to always put a comma before the word too. I realize this is a technical part of punctuation, but I see several instances where no comma precedes too. Is there an absolute rule for this, or are there times when the comma isn’t necessary? A trend toward open punctuation, a minimalist approach to commas that includes omitting punctuation before too, has prevailed in informal writing for some time. However, I support closed punctuation and advise always retaining the comma to set off too, regardless of the degree of formality of the prose. 2. Should you place a comma before too when it’s at the end of a sentence? â€Å"He decided to go, too,† or â€Å"He decided to go too†? Does it depend on the context of too? Some writing handbooks advise that inserting the comma in such sentences is optional; it’s necessary only to signal emphasis. But in that case, it would be better to state, â€Å"He, too, decided to go.† When too is at the end of the sentence, a comma to signal emphasis might be inserted when the word indicates an additional action or thought, rather than a similar one: â€Å"He watched her jump, and he jumped too,† but â€Å"He decided to hop and skip. He jumped, too.† But these distinctions, I think, are too complicated. My solution is to always insert the comma. 3. In the sentence â€Å"The subdimensions that were measured were accessibility and responsiveness and security,† responsiveness and security go together. How should I punctuate it to give clarity to the reader? Here are several options to clarify the subdimensions; I prefer the third one, which is more direct and concise, is in active voice, and omits intrusive punctuation or numeration: a) â€Å"The subdimensions that were measured were accessibility, and responsiveness and security.† b) â€Å"The subdimensions that were measured were 1) accessibility and 2) responsiveness and security.† c) â€Å"The test measured accessibility, as well as responsiveness and security.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?How to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and TricksWood vs. Wooden

Motives for Murder in Edgar Allan Poes The Black Cat

Motives for Murder in Edgar Allan Poes The Black Cat The Black Cat  shares many characteristics with Edgar Allan Poes The Tell-Tale Heart: an unreliable narrator, a brutal and inexplicable murder (two, actually), and a murderer whose arrogance leads to his downfall. Both stories were originally published in 1843, and both have been widely adapted for theater, radio, television, and film. For us, neither story satisfactorily explains the murderers motives. Yet, unlike The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat makes extensive attempts to do so, which makes it a thought-provoking (if somewhat unfocused) story. Alcoholism One explanation that comes up early in the story is alcoholism. The narrator refers to the Fiend Intemperance and talks about how drinking changed his formerly gentle demeanor. And its true that during many of the violent events of the story, hes drunk or drinking. However, we  cant help but notice that even though he isnt drunk as hes telling the story, he still shows no remorse. That is, his attitude on the night before his execution isnt very different from his attitude during the other events of the story. Drunk or sober, hes not a likable guy. The Devil Another explanation the story offers is something along the lines of the devil made me do it. The story contains references to the superstition that black cats are really witches, and the first black cat is inauspiciously named Pluto, the same name as the Greek god of the underworld. The narrator deflects blame for his actions by calling the second cat the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder. But even if we grant that this second cat, who appears mysteriously and on whose chest a gallows seems to form, is somehow bewitched, it still doesnt provide a motive for the murder of the first cat. Perverseness A third possible motive has to do with what the narrator calls the spirit of PERVERSENESS- the desire to do something wrong precisely because you know its wrong. The narrator posits that its human nature to experience this unfathomable longing of the soul to vex itself- to offer violence to its own nature- to do wrong for the wrongs sake only. If you agree with him that humans are drawn to break the law just because its the law, then perhaps the explanation of perverseness will satisfy you. But were  not convinced, so we continue to find it unfathomable not that humans are drawn to do wrong for wrongs sake (because were not sure they are), but that this particular character is drawn to it (because he certainly seems to be).    Resistance to Affection It seems to me that the narrator offers a smorgasbord of possible motives partly because he has no idea what his motives are. And we  think the reason he has no idea of his motives is that hes looking in the wrong place. Hes obsessed with cats, but really, this is a story about the murder of a human. The narrators wife is undeveloped and virtually invisible in this story. We know that she loves animals, just as the narrator supposedly does. We know that he offer[s] her personal violence and that she is subject to his ungovernable outbursts. He refers to her as his uncomplaining wife, and in fact, she doesnt even make a sound when he murders her! Through it all, she is unfailingly loyal to him, much like the cats. And he cant stand it. Just as he is disgusted and annoyed by the second black cats loyalty, we  think he is repulsed by his wifes steadfastness. He wants to believe that that level of affection is possible only from animals: There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man. But he himself is not up to the challenge of loving another human being, and when faced with her loyalty, he recoils. Only when both cat and wife are gone does the narrator sleep well, embracing his status as a freeman and looking upon [his] future felicity as secured. He wants to escape from police detection, of course, but also from having to experience any real emotions, regardless of the tenderness, he brags he once possessed.