Ethics and Nanotechnology

Collapse Hotel and Hyatt Regency Hotel Essays

Collapse Hotel and Hyatt Regency Hotel Essays Collapse: Hotel and Hyatt Regency Hotel Essays In 1976, Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation initiated a project for designing and building a Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City Missouri, Gillum-Colaco was selected as the consulting structural engineer for the project. This tragedy resulted from the conflictual and controversial communication between the Havens Steel Company and G.C.E International Inc. The fact that these two professional engineering companies obviously were not able to communicate each other in professional boundaries and haven’t acted in a responsible way and understood the importance of the job they were doing this project resulted in a disaster. A set of structural drawings and specifications for the project were prepared in late 1977. On July 17, 1981, the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, held a videotaped tea-dance party in their atrium lobby. With many party-goers standing and dancing on the suspended walkways, connections supporting the ceiling rods that held up the second- and four th-floor walkways across the atrium failed, and both walkways collapsed onto the crowded first-floor atrium below. The Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkways collapse left 114 dead and in excess of 200 injured.G.C.E. was responsible for preparing structural engineering drawings for the Hyatt project: three walkways spanning the atrium area of the hotel. Wide flange beams with 16-inch depths (W16x26) were used along either side of the walkway and hung from a box beam (made from two MC8x8.5 rectangular

Ashoka and Emperor ashoka ( choose heading) Essay

Ashoka and Emperor ashoka ( choose heading) - Essay Example However, a look at some of the stone pillars in some part of the modern-day India proves that such an empire existed. For example in Bihar, India, there are stone pillars that are inscribed with the Emperor’s statues and edicts. Ancient Sanskirt literature also shows that there was a great Emperor called Ashoka. In Sarnath city which is also in India, there are statues of lions which are now part of India’s National emblem (Rao 96). These are the Ashoka lions, of course named after the Emperor Ashoka. He Emperor ordered installation of these pillars (Joshi 60). A look at the statues and some of the stone pillars shows that the Emperor had them inscribed with merciful laws. Based on the evidence from Joshi’s book and a history professor called B.V. Rao, Emperor Ashoka waged a constant war for the first eight years when he was in power. It is also clear that the Emperor had inherited a large empire, which he expanded in his reign to include some of the other Indian subcontinent. He also expanded his empire to the modern-day borders of Burmese eastern border, western side of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Iran (Rao 94). It was only Sri Lanka and other southern parts of India which remained out of the Emperor’s reach. However, despite the ancient Kalinga kingdom, north of India, being out of his reach, he attacked the kingdom in year 265. He took advantage of the fact that it was his second wife’s homeland, Kaurwaki. The Mauryan Emperor had sought refuge from his hostile half-brothers, in the Kalinga kingdom. He gathered the largest army in Indian history to attach Kalinga, which crumbled after losing most of its warriors. After going through the story about this Emperor and his dynasty I got surprised after discovering that he was one of the many ruthless rulers in human history to change into one of the most respected rulers. I expected to find a

Racism in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Racism in America - Essay Example Therefore, racism respites on a pedestal of discrepancy worth of human beings and the authenticity of imbalanced behavior in accordance to supposed dominance and lowliness. (Johnson) America's Viewpoint towards Racism The issue of "Racism" is a threat which has weighed down USA all through its subsistence as a supreme country. (Johnson) In years subsequent the zenith of the "Civil Rights movement" of the 60's this threat has both augmented and retreated. (Johnson) In the United States of America, race beliefs commenced budding in the late 17th century, in combination with the lawful establishment of slavery for Africans and in the 18th century it eventuated in 3 main groups that were approximately definite and categorized i.e. "European Whites, Native Americans [Indians], and "Negroes" from Africa." (Ma) Regardless of lawful and societal endeavors to ban intermarriage or inter-mating, a number of genetic mixture still transpires. In retort, the United States resorted to a law to aid conserve the uniqueness of the "White/Black racial" as well as societal dichotomy. (Johnson) North Americans characterize anybody as "Black" who comprises African ancestors, an observable fact identified and introduced by historians over half a century back as the "one drop rule". (Ma) There is no communally endorsed in-between cataloging, albeit the census of 2000-01 allowed individuals to recognize two or more racial heritages. In the year 1940, the South Africa due to its chronological causes formed an outsized middle group of class so that basically three more or less elite races were recognized in law and every year, a governmental board was set to assess racial personalities and... This essay not only discusses the present situation with racism in the U.S., but also tries to develop the successful strategy for prevention of racism. These issues by the majority of close â€Å"black-white† acquaintances indicates that the sore and explosive severance have continued to persist among black and white Americans. The fact that this essay presents of both these authenticities highlights the requirement to publicly converse about the racism and its affects, rather than to overlook them. The essay also highlights the fundamental relationship among racial fascination and color-blindness. As a substitute of representing a turn down in the significance of race, the color-blind philosophy concurrently obfuscates and supports the American obsession on race. It is an undeniable fact that racism still exists in the United States of America. Over the centuries, the viewpoint of American whites for diversified races had not changed, making it difficult to fill the gaps bet ween populace. American people’s obsession with ethnic classifications is a consequence of that differentiation and not an origin of it. There is an intense need to raise the level of awareness and stop discriminating people on behalf of their culture and race. However, the last presidential elections were won by the â€Å"Barack Hussein Obama,† a black man, lighting the torch of hope that the ice of hatred between white and blacks have started to melt and in modern America the people are judged by their qualifications and talents and not by their race.

Week5 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week5 - Article Example In this article, the author argues that public representation is a worthwhile aim of public policy because public service has always been a driver of social mobility for groups that have been excluded in labor market. Further, it means a symbolic commitment equal access to authority or power. In addition, the author argues that bureaucracy should be more reflective of the economic status of citizens than elected officials since it has an influential role in the policy making process. Active representation is also significant because the operations and policies of diverse institutions will appear distinctively from what they would be if the institution’s employee were homogeneous (Selden, 2006). The United States has always been on the forefront in search of a diverse workforce via an emphasis on affirmative action policies and equal opportunity. To some proponents, moving away from affirmative action as the main tool for bringing both active and passive representation in the U.S would go against the constitutional principles of the U.S constitution. They argue that it is irrational to ignore the ugly remnants of ethnicity, race, and gender in the recruitment, promotion and retention decisions in the private, non-profit and public agencies of the U.S. Research conducted by Gallup in 2005 showed that through affirmative action, minority rights and relations were defended since affirmative action calls for the rights of racial minorities. To some opponents, affirmative action is viewed as an equally division model of reverse biasness or discrimination that is not required because of the progress that has been made in the antidiscrimination area. I agree that to some extent, affirmative action has at least tried to address the issues of ethnicity and race based on the ethnic composition of modern population (Selden, 2006). In sum, from the article, it can

Religious Right in US Politics

Religious Right in US Politics Examine and assess the political impact of the religious Right on US politics under the presidencies of George W. Bush. The political impact of the religious Right throughout the George W. Bush Presidency was powerful and multi faceted. This essay will outline the religious milieu from which George W. Bush emerged, as well as assess those who reinforced and strengthened religious perspectives and influences within the Executive throughout this period. In addition to this specific assessment, this essay will examine the remarkable influence religion had in Bush’s campaign. It will argue that the Bush Administration used political techniques in order to pass largely religious platforms without the controversial labels, thus minimizing opposition. After having lived a life marked by substance abuse George W. Bush believes he had a deep religious conversion. As a result, he would refer to God in public addresses, and openly stated a number of times that he sought guidance from god during his presidency. With statements like these, it is inaccurate to state that George W. Bush and his administration were a completely secular body. Furthermore, we must address the fact that his major appointees were also highly religious. This specifically relates to a number of key positions held by men such as Dick Cheney Vice President, Michael Gerson, appointed Chief Speech Writer, John Ashcroft, Attorney General, and Jerry Boykin appointed Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for Intelligence. All of these roles are profoundly influential and were all given to Evangelists.[1] The rhetoric of George W. Bush and his administration was undeniably religiously influenced. The notion that the State and the Church is entirely separate was not present in this presidency. However, due to ambiguity, political jargon, exaggeration, and a plethora of other political techniques, the true religious foundations, that inspired, decisions, discourse, policies and platforms, were somewhat avoided and concealed. An example of this is George W. Bush’s comments in relation to Gay Marriage. Unlike the Evangelicals who simply state that they oppose it on the grounds that ‘it was against God’s Will,’[2] the President stated that he opposed it because ‘marriage is an institution so fundamental to society that it should not be changed.’[3] This example outlines that the President, although opposed the view, did not clearly refer to any religious standings. However, due to the fact that he was openly religious, it is almost impossible to beli eve whether the view he publically offers, is not at all swayed by religious reasoning and rationale. The Bush Administration was fundamentally religious. It was based on these set of principles, and as a result, were largely supported by those who shared the same belief. This claims do not stand alone, over the years there has been a very large number of critics, all of which hold the same view that the Bush Administration was led by a body who rejects the separation of church and state. Labelled a ‘messianic militarist,’[4] George W. Bush, and the religious Right brought forward many faith based policies, which had considerable effects on the American population. The religious right of the Bush Administration is considered to have changed or attempted to change many aspects of American life. This neo-conservative, ultra religious body within the Bush executive hold a specific set of principles and beliefs, all of which considerably blur the lines of separation between Church and State. A significant and highly controversial example of this is the ‘concerted efforts to teach creationism or its more presentable replacement â€Å"Intelligent Design† in public schools.’[5] However, the examples don’t just relate to education, there are a number of aspects whereby the religious Right of the Bush Administration promote their Evangelist perspectives. Probably the most controversial, was the topic of abortion, to which President Bush, ‘wholeheartedly opposed.’ [6] The religious undertones of the Bush Administration were forefront and obvious. Members of the cabinet ‘spoke of overturning the Supreme Court decision in Roe V Wade which made abortion legal in 1973.’[7] This just highlights that not only was the Bush Administration open in presenting their controversial, and highly religious perspectives, but that they significantly contradicted the very foundations upon which the American model of democracy was based. The American Government as a democracy, prides itself on the notion of equality, freedom and accountability. If a Government acts solely on a religious, somewhat personal agenda and thus unable to remain impartial, how can they regard themselves as a democracy? The fact is, the Bush Administration did cross the line between Church and State, and the religious Right within the Administration was almost entirely responsible. In order to truly highlight the perspective of the religious Right, and thus outline the political impact they had during this period, the perspectives that surfaced post 9/11, when the so called ‘War on Terror’ was in full motion, must be analysed. The American religious Right, were anti-Islam. They voiced this openly and proudly. These opinions – whether valid or not – were present throughout the entire executive. They believed that ‘Christ is the response to evil in all societies,’[8] and therefore, when this war on terror was declared, they viewed their fight as one based upon spiritual foundations. On these grounds, the Christian Right approved of torture, and grave violations of human rights. Men of great power in the American Political sphere, such as General Jerry Boykin, justified anti-Islamic thoughts and actions. He along with many other Evangelists and Neo-Conservatives held the belief that George W. Bush was put in the White House by God for the sole purpose of reaching victory in a ‘battle against idolatrous Muslims.’[9] These opinions were supported by millions of American evangelicals, thus highlighting the impact the Christian Right had within this period of time. Their views, no matter how controversial, were always supported by a large number of American citizens, thus allowing the Bush Administration to continue to act in an anti-secularist manner. The next aspect of the Bush Administration that must be examined is what is referred to as the ‘Faith Based Initiative.’ This initiative aimed at giving public funds to religious institutions to provide social services. The Bush Administration placed this ‘Faith Based Initiative’ as a top priority of domestic policy. However, even prior to taking office, as the Governor of Texas, Bush promoted this notion. It was later created through a series of executive orders, however under the name of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, so named because the state can’t legally discriminate between secular and religious charities.[10] The Faith Based Initiative reinforces this papers contention, that the Bush Administration acted anti-secularist, and based decisions and policy platforms upon religious foundations. The Bush Administration can be considered to have acted unconstitutionally, as the Faith Based Initiative somewhat infringes on the First Amendment, that is ‘The Establishment Clause’ which states; government shall make â€Å"no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.†[11] Essentially, no American should be compelled through taxation to subsidize any religion. By blurring the lines of separation between Church and State, the government is not allowing Americans the right to make their own decisions in relation to religion and matters of faith. In order to examine and assess the influence the Religious right had within the Bush Presidency, we must look at the influences within the administration, and the viewpoint of the religious right in the time of campaigning. Ever since the early days of his campaign, when he declared in the primaries that his ‘favourite philosopher was Jesus Christ,’[12] his support was high amongst the Evangelical Christians. He was considered by this large constituency to be on a ‘divine plan,’[13] and is branded by many, including journalists, supporters and even non-supporters, as the ‘leader of the Religious Right.’ In order to fully illustrate the presence of faith within this election campaign the group, formed by Televangelist; Pat Robertson, known as the Christian Coalition must be discussed. Firstly, in 2000, Bush’s campaign was publicly endorsed by Robertson and his Christian Coalition. This was a largely influential group that this essay conten ds, was a driving force that lead to Bush being inaugurated. The Christian Coalition openly opposed John McCain, stating that they would go to all measures to prevent him from becoming the Republican party nominee. In fact, Robertson stated on record that; ‘if he [John McCain] became the nominee of the Republican Party, the Christian Coalition, which is a voluntary organization, would not put out 75 million voter guides and would not urge its membership to vote for anybody in the general election.’ This highlights the power of this Christian Coalition at that time, and the power Robertson possessed. It also illustrates that Bush’s campaign was heavily influenced by the Religious right. In fact, his campaign advisor, Ralph Reed, was the Executive Director of the Christian Coalition. These claims of religious connotations and underlying notions of faith not only confirm the religious sway of this administration, but the complete lack of secularity within this time in American political history. Despite the United States being based on foundations of freedom, there was obviously a contradiction and an infringement on these rights. The scope and impact this Christian Coalition had within the United States was extraordinary. Robertson and his Christian Coalition used a variety of methods to deliver their message. He voiced his opinions on his national TV program to influence voters, issued out flyers and publicly spoke about Bush’s views on topics such as Abortion, Gay Marriage and condom distribution. The power and influence the Conservative Christians had in this election was colossal, although four million religious conservatives did not vote, there was still fifteen million religious conservatives who did. This just reinforces the fact that the religious aspect played a major role in the 2000 election. However, the methods employed to garner votes was where the true influence was shown. Their strategies were incredibly sophisticated. Rather than creating a completely Right wing perspective of Bush, which would only appeal to those following the Christian Coalition, Robertson urged his supporters not t o ‘force Bush too far to the right’ as this would not appeal to a larger majority of American Citizens. He knew that once he was elected, Bush’s platform would be completely in line with his own perspectives, and as this essay will continue demonstrate, ultimately he was correct. The policy direction of the Bush Presidency was largely influenced by the Christian right. Behind a series of platforms was underlying tones of Religious extremism, and Conservative Christianity. An example of this is the enforcement of the ‘Global Gag Rule,’ also referred to as the ‘Mexico City Policy.’ This policy places heavy constraints on foreign nongovernmental organizations that receive U.S. family planning funds. The constraints and restrictions included those F.N.G.O’s that ‘provided legal abortion services, lobbied their own governments for abortion law reform, or even provide accurate medical counselling or referrals regarding abortion.’[14] This policy, which was reimposed on January 22, 2001, which was Bush’s first business day in office and ironically ‘the 28th Anniversary of Roe V Wade the landmark U.S Supreme Court Abortion Case,’ is entirely influenced by the Religious Right. It is fundamentalist in al l aspects, and an illustrious example, of how influential this religious presence was within the Bush Administration. The influence the religious Right had within U.S politics under the George W. Bush Presidency was profound. As this essay has illustrated, the presence of this religious body was evident in all stages of the Bush Presidency. They were a driving force in the campaign stages, securing George W. Bush’s position as President, and were largely influential within the policy direction taken by this administration. On review, it is accurate to state that the U.S Government during the George W. Bush Presidency definitely did blur the lines between state and religion. There was a contradiction of constitutional rights, and an anti-secularist presence throughout the entire administration. References Barker, David C., Jon Hurwitz, and Traci L. Nelson. 2008. Of Crusades and Culture Wars: Messianic Militarism and Political Conflict in the United States. Journal Of Politics 70, no. 2: 307-322. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed May 27, 2014). George, Susan. ‘Hijacking America: How the religious and secular Right changed what Americans think.’ Cambridge, UK ; Malden, MA : Polity. 2008. Pg 28. Kaplan, Ester. ‘With God on their side: how Christian fundamentalists trampled science, policy, and democracy in George W. Bush’s White House.’ New York : New Press: Distributed by Norton. 2004. Page 39. Kenneth D. Wald Allison Calhoun-Brown. ‘Religion and Politics in the United States.’ Lanham, Md. Rowman Littlefield Publishers, 2007 Priscilla Smith, Kathy Hall Martinez and Tzili Mor. ‘The Global Gag Rule: A Violation of the Right to Free Speech and Democratic Participation.’ Human Rights, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Summer 2002), pp. 12. Ribuffo, Leo P. George W. Bush, the faith-based presidency, and the latest evangelical menace. Journal of American and Canadian Studies 24 (2006): 17+. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 May 2014. Page 17 The Economist. â€Å"A hot line to heaven; George Bush and God. 18 Dec. 2004: 39(US). Academic OneFile. Web. 26 May 2014 The Constitution of the United States, Amendments, Amendment 1, ‘The Establishment Clause.’ Julian E. Zelizer, ‘The Presidency of George W. Bush: A First Historical Assessment.’ Princeton University Press (September 13, 2010) Page: 229 Bush has new role: de facto leader of the religious right. (People Events). Church State 55.2 (2002): 15. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 26 May 2014. [1] Ribuffo, Leo P. George W. Bush, the faith-based presidency, and the latest evangelical menace. Journal of American and Canadian Studies 24 (2006): 17+. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 May 2014. Page 17 [2] A hot line to heaven; George Bush and God. The Economist 18 Dec. 2004: 39(US). Academic OneFile. Web. 26 May 2014. [3] Ibid. [4] Barker, David C., Jon Hurwitz, and Traci L. Nelson. 2008. Of Crusades and Culture Wars: Messianic Militarism and Political Conflict in the United States. Journal Of Politics 70, no. 2: 307-322. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed May 27, 2014). [5] George, Susan. ‘Hijacking America: How the religious and secular Right changed what Americans think.’ Cambridge, UK ; Malden, MA : Polity. 2008. Pg 28. [6] Kenneth D. Wald Allison Calhoun-Brown. ‘Religion and Politics in the United States.’ Lanham, Md. Rowman Littlefield Publishers, 2007 [7] George, Susan. ‘Hijacking America: How the religious and secular Right changed what Americans think.’ Page 58 [8] Ibid. Page 134 [9] Ibid. Page 136 [10] Ester Kaplan. ‘With God on their side: how Christian fundamentalists trampled science, policy, and democracy in George W. Bush’s White House.’ New York : New Press: Distributed by Norton. 2004. Page 39. [11] The Constitution of the United States, Amendments, Amendment 1, ‘The Establishment Clause.’ [12] Julian E. Zelizer, ‘The Presidency of George W. Bush: A First Historical Assessment.’ Princeton University Press (September 13, 2010) Page: 229 [13] Bush has new role: de facto leader of the religious right. (People Events). Church State 55.2 (2002): 15. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 26 May 2014. [14] Priscilla Smith, Kathy Hall Martinez and Tzili Mor. ‘The Global Gag Rule: A Violation of the Right to Free Speech and Democratic Participation.’ Human Rights, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Summer 2002), pp. 12.

Sustainability Essay -- Environment Human Nature Papers

Sustainability Sustainability is a term frequently used by our leaders (and planners) but is often not questioned or defined. The root word sustain implies that it means making something last. However, what does it really mean to sustain something and what is it that we are talking about sustaining-- nature, our environment, our world? These are all very abstract terms themselves. Around the time the term sustainability arose, scientists had discovered a series of threats to our environment and viewed these as a major problem to the endurance of human population. The question then became: "How can we sustain humanity in today's world?" The American Heritage dictionary defines sustain as "supplying with necessities or nourishment," which addresses the key point of sustainability: what are the necessities to ensure that human will be around for future generations? Another way to look at it, which is suggested in the publication Caring for the Earth (a joint publication of the IUCN, UNEP, and WWF-I) i s that sustainable development means "improving the quality of human life while living within the caring capacity of supporting ecosystems." It is perhaps important to note that this definition suggests that the quality of human life can only be improved if it is done with careful attention to its impacts on the environment both natural and social. A practical approach to sustainability does not place responsibility on one sector and not the other. The goal for all agencies and groups affecting society should be to work simultaneously toward the common vision of sustainability. This allows the various sectors to work effectively within their respected areas of expertise and spheres of influence, but specific to the purposes that ea... .... New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc., 1983 Elkington, John. Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of the 21st Century. New Society Publishers, Stoney Creek, CT, 1998 Hawken, Paul. The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability. New York: Harper Collins, 1993 Hawken, Paul and L. Hunter and Amory Lovins. Natural Capitalism. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1999 Hodgkinson, Virginia, and Richard W. Lyman. The Future of the Non-profit Sector. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1989 O'Neill, Micheal. The Third America: The Emergence of the Nonprofit Sector. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1989 Shumacher, E.F. Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. New York: Harper & Row Inc., 1973 Shuman, Michael H.. Going Local: Creating Self-reliant Communities in a Global Age. New York: Routledge, 1998