Causes of building collapes Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Causes of building collapes - Term Paper Example Three of the main causes of buildings’ collapse are; faulty design of structures by incompetent engineers, overloading of structures, and natural disasters. Considering faulty design as a cause for building collapse, the most common areas of defects include architectural design defects, civil design defects, construction-drawing defects, defects caused by consultant firm consultants as well as staff, and defects resulting from construction materials among others (Assaf et al., 1996). Among the main causes of defects, design defect is the second most severe from failure to select the most appropriate materials implying that design is at the top of the reasons behind building collapses. The defects that may result due to civil design may be caused by factors that include failure to provide adequate structure movement provision and ignoring other critical considerations that incorporate effects resulting from environmental aggression, weather situations, biological effects, soil condition variations, effects of the wind on structure, and load impact on the structure. Architectural defects that may be blamed for leading to building collapse s include failure to relate exterior materials with anticipated climatic conditions, narrow stairs, and failure to consider the local climate when designing the exterior shape. Maintenance practicality as well as adequacy may result in design defects through failure to consider exit equipment for the maintenance workers, deciding to design permanent fixtures instead of having removable ones, which are convenient when maintaining, and failure to consider maintenance in its entirety (Assaf et al., 1996). Construction drawing may lead to the development of dangerous faults due to lack of details, the existence of conflicting details, and lack of references that are critical in determining the success of the anticipated construction design. Considering the consultant firm administration, the main faults that may

LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

LAW - Essay Example Trademarks could be any combination of words, names or symbols that are used in commerce as brand names, tag lines, slogans, non-functional and distinctive packaging and labeling designs, etc. to indicate the source of a product or service. Only non-functional elements are protected by law as trademark rights Functional aspects of a product or service are covered under patent law with a limited term of protection whereas trademarks are not limited in term (except by nonuse) (Trademarks Basics, n.d.). The law that protects registered trademarks and trademarks registration in the UK is the Trademark Acts of 1994 as amended (Intellectual, n.d). In addition, the European Union has implemented regulations to harmonize the laws of trademarks among its member states, including the United Kingdom (The trademarks, n.d). If a trademark is not registered, the original creator does not necessarily lose all rights to his works. Under UK common law, it is possible to take civil action. To make a s uccessful claim, the owner must prove that the mark belongs to him, that the alleged owner has built a reputation using this mark and that he has suffered some damage because of the unauthorized use (Ibid). Trade marks can also be protected in the United Kingdom via common law rights established under what is called "passing off." The "passing off rights are established by the use of a brand and the establishment of goodwill (Registering, 2008). However, it is preferable to register a mark, as opposed to relying on common law passing off rights, as you have to prove that you have established goodwill to succeed in a passing off action. Also, passing off rights can be limited to a local area, whereas a UK Trade Mark registration automatically covers the whole of the UK (Ibid). The doctrine of Common law â€Å"passing off† works in a way that the owner of a mark can acquire some rights without registering his mark. A trader who uses a mark acquires â€Å"goodwill† in ass ociation with that mark. â€Å"Goodwill† has been defined as the quality, which causes a customer to go to one particular trader rather than any other (Ibid). The owner of a trademark can sue another trader who uses that mark in such a way as to confuse the public into believing that his goods are those of the owner of the mark. This is a â€Å"passing-off† action (The Basics, n.d.). At common law, a trademark is obtained by adopting and using the trademark, in association with goods or services offered for commerce ( Larson, 2003).. The mark must be placed in actual use before protection is available. Once the mark becomes associated in the mind of the public with the particular good or service, the common law trademark is established. Ordinarily, the geographic scope of the common law trademark is limited to the area of use. The three fundamental elements to passing off are reputation, misrepresentation, and damage to goodwill, which are sometimes known as the classi cal trinity, as restated by the English House of Lords in the case of Reckitt & Colman Ltd v Borden Inc [1990] 1 RPC1 341 1 (the Jif Lemon case) (Passing n.d). Passing off does not recognize them as property in its own right, but prevents one person from misrepresenting his or her goods or services as being the goods and services of another person or the plaintiff in infringement proceedings. The law of passing off is designed to prevent misrepresentation to the public

Self-Portraits. Journal. The Renaissance artists Titian, Rembrandt, Essay - 2

Self-Portraits. Journal. The Renaissance artists Titian, Rembrandt, and Durer have each painted - Essay Example Today a dear friend asked me to explain to them why I would want to paint a self-portrait? It struck me dumb. For how could I reveal my selfish motivations behind the brush? True, my talent exceeds those I was educated with, but it hasn’t brought me the burgher status I so deserve (Westermann, 2004, 89). However, the portraits I have been working on lately are being commissioned by more prominent citizens than before (Westermann, 2004, 156) and this certainly reflects kindly upon my public image (Cole, 1983, 27-28). In the end, I only explained to my friend that portraiture interested me as a way to record the likeness and expression of those who hired me to do so (Smith, 2004, 85) and that sketching over 85 self-portraits (Westermann,2004, 4) is merely practice. But truth be told, I am tired of this middle-class morality! I have finished a great tribute to Raphael and Titian! After long studying their compositions I have created Self-Portrait (1640) as way of expressing the desire to emulate my Italian predecessors (Westermann, 2004, 12). It has the muted tonality and modest costume arrangement that is found in Raphael’s work. Also, I have copied the introspective gaze, the luscious folds of fabric and a gentle turn of head, all in alignment with the great Titian (Westermann, 2004, 152). I applied small touches of red to the cheeks and nose to produce a sense of life beneath the off white skin. Highlights of white on the cheekbone, nose and forehead give strength to the three dimensionality of the face. I have portrayed myself with a quiet expression and a simple pose in order to emphasize my facial features. My aim is Cartesian in nature—to produce a direct relationship between the viewer and the portrait (Woods, 2007, 73). My self-portraits have begun to truly represent the outer manifestation of my growing self-awareness

Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scenario - Essay Example Nowadays, the sight of different non-governmental organizations actively participating in the community is a normal scenario. They become active members of the community as a means of generating change. The government, on the other hand, has its own plans on eliminating the different quandaries faced by the community. This is a way of fostering social responsibility. However, with the rise of individualism, man, who is a social being, diverts from the calling of his fellowmen. Thus, social responsibility is now in question. The clich statement, "no man is an island", greatly describes the need of man for others. Man is significantly affected by others' thoughts, feelings and behaviors whether or not others are present. It simply indicates that man is prone to social influence and can be manipulated by social situations. Therefore, man cannot separate himself from others since every thought, feeling, and action elicited by others, has a large impact on his very existence. The community is dealing with different predicaments, from poverty, political issues, diminishing values etc. The government acts as its chief protector against these problems. Poverty, which is said to be mostly the root cause of other problems, is dealt by the government by aiding the poor children in public schools with free breakfast.

Research on the composer Handel Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On the composer Handel - Research Paper Example Not only the uniqueness of his music but peoples attitude and his popularity made him an important figure of the Baroque period. In fact, this period left a significant imprint on his life as well as career, and it can be traced both in his biography and works. First of all, it is Handels biography that shows he is a representative of a period in which he was living. During the Baroque period, there were two main factors that influenced composers and their music: location and money, with the latter being, perhaps, the most important one. In order to be able to compose music and be heard, composers needed patrons who could support and put them forward as well as sponsor them. In life and work of Handel, such sponsors performed a very important role. The first person who influenced Handels future was the Duke of Saxe-Weisenfels. Despite the fact that he did not support the future composer materially, it was he who recognized the fact that music was Handels true mission even though Handels father felt like his son becoming a lawyer. The Duke once said to the composers father, â€Å"for his own part, he could not but consider it is a sort of a crime against the public to rob the world of such a Genius!† (Kivy 40). It was after Handels v isit to the court of Saxe-Weisenfels that he started taking lessons in playing the organ at Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (Kivy 40-41). Handel traveled a lot and during his traveling he met quite a significant number of influential people, many of whom were charmed by the composers talent. He spent about four years in Italy (1706-1710) as he was invited there by Prince Ferdinando de Medici of Florence. In Italy, Handel enjoyed great attention of music-loving prelates, such as Cardinal Pamphili and Cardinal Ottoboni. Not only they but other representatives of both aristocracy and clergy were eager to invite Handel to perform music at their palaces for they recognized his talent. Among such people were the Hanoverian Prince Ernst

Feminism in American Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Feminism in American Cinema - Essay Example One meaning is "films made by women" and the other meaning is "films made for women" (p. 27). The first pat of her article attempts to explain how each field within these traditional definitions was transformed by feminism over time, using the "woman at the keyhole metaphor" to show how women gained status from being objects of voyeuristic curiosity and into the curious voyeurs themselves. As Mayne argues (p. 28), there is a need to consider "what relationships women have had traditionally and historically, as filmmakers and as film consumers, to the medium" in order to "understand how women make movies". Nothing could be farther from the truth, but this one-sided argument founded on masculine logic hides a basic natural fact: that men and women are different, and thank heavens that they are, and that women and their feminist representation in cinema would be a constantly evolving and a permanently complex and elusive goal. Mayne explains (p. 33-34) that while it is true that having women at the other end of the keyhole is a typical sign of masculine voyeuristic tendencies, it is also true that women love being seen, watched, and admired. They want to feel and look beautiful, not for any reason or motive that is a sign of inferiority, but because that is how they are wired, and nothing is bad about that. It is only "not good" if such a natural human tendency is associated with a (blonde-haired or beautiful-faced) lack of intellectual capacity. This knee-jerk subjective reaction, no matter how one looks at it, and whether it is applied to women or men, is more a reflection of the one who makes rash judgments based on looks and appearances and not based on interior substance. Women are the ultimate dialecticians, Mayne declares, recalling Ruby Rich (p. 40), who declared that "for a woman today, film is a dialectical experience in a way that it never was and never will be for a man under patriarchy". Like Brecht's ultimate dialectician who lives the tension of two different cultures, "women bring into the movie theater a context and a certain coding from life outside the theater". This is perhaps the reason why women love different films in different ways, and why some films made by and for women reach their audiences in unique ways. Feminism in cinema has certainly shaped the way actors act and filmmakers - both men and women - do films, making the human experience richer and more sophisticated. This is good for all, not only for men and the patriarchy to understand women a bit better, but also for women to better understand themselves and how they look at the world. Making, watching and critiquing movies are, indeed, different and complex (p. 41-42), and reflect the innate and natural differences between men and women that provide the artistic cinematic world a dialectic tension that contributes to its magic. Mayne's ambivalent view of women's cinema is carried over to the definition of the feminine aesthetic by de

Religious Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Religious Terrorism - Essay Example However there is a major difference between sect and cult. A sect is a consequence of an established religion where mostly people either die off or expand into a major denomination so a sect-based religious group is more likely to play the role of the victim, not the aggressor.A cult, on the other hand, is a more dangerous, spiritually innovative group headed by a charismatic leader who usually motivates his group and has several aims other than to become a major denomination. Today's terrorists are ultimately more apocalyptic in their perspectives and methods. For many violent and radical organizations, terror has evolved from being a means to an end, to becoming the end in itself. The National Commission on Terrorism quoted R. James Woolsey: Another feature of religious cults that makes them incredibly dangerous is the personality-driven nature of these groups. Cultist devotion to one leader leaves followers less able to make their own moral decisions or to consult other sources of reasoning. If that leader is emotionally or mentally unstable, the consequences can be catastrophic. The more dangerous religious terrorist groups from traditional faiths may often share this feature of the cult as a charismatic leader who exerts a powerful influence over the members of the group. (Matthew J. Morgan, 2004) Again I would like to link the acts of religious terrorism to brainwashing, as to how it relates to terrorism. Cults usually possesses one main aspiration in mind i.e., to motivate and inspire their groups to the utmost till a stage comes where the groups no longer needs to be motivated and appear in one of the following categories: Intentional Brainwashing - the victim knows as to what he is doing in terms of rights and wrongs. He is aware of all the consequences and still likes to be brainwashed. Unintentional Brainwashing - the victim is deeply inspired by the aggressor to the utmost that he is unaware of his own condition. (Uncertainty) Causes It is important to distinguish religious terrorists from those terrorists with religious components, but whose primary goals are political. Religiously motivated terrorist groups grew sixfold from 1980 to 1992 and continued to increase in the 1990s. Hoffman asserted: "The religious imperative for terrorism is the most important characteristic of terrorist activity today." Today's terrorists increasingly look at their acts of death and destruction as sacramental or transcendental on a spiritual level. The pragmatic reservations of secular terrorists do not hold back religious terrorists. Secular terrorists may view indiscriminate violence as immoral. For religious terrorists, however, indiscriminate violence may not be only morally justified, but constitute a righteous and necessary advancement of their religious cause. As Hoffman observed, the constituency itself differs between religious and secular terrorists. Secular terrorists seek to defend or promote some disenfranchised population and to appeal to sympathizers or prospective sympathizers. Religious terrorists are often limited to their own constituencies, having no