Compare and contrast Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastranism Essay

Compare and contrast Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastranism - Essay Example To begin with, it must be noted that all three religions in question are monotheistic (Fisher, 2014). Indeed, it must be noted that several thousand years ago, the majority of religions that were spread in the world were polytheistic; that is why faith in one God should be seen as a rather progressive worldview. Thus, in the set of religious coordinates, Ahura Mazda is the supreme God that people should worship. In the view of Judaism, there is also one God that freed this nation from slavery in Egypt and led them to the Promised Land. Finally, Christianity is also monotheistic religion; however, it features the so-called Trinitarian monotheism which stands for one God in Three Persons. So, one might suggest that the first feature that these religions share is belief in one God. The second aspect that should be taken into account is the afterlife. Thus, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity believe that after death the soul of a person does not disappear, but goes to a different world. According to the former religion, the conditions in which a soul will find itself after death are determined by the manner on the early life. As one can clearly see, there is a similar aspect in Christianity when our deeds determine our afterlife. It must be noted that the position of Judaism on the issue of afterlife is not fully determined, but it would not be a mistake to suggest that as a religion it fully rejects it. That is why the existence of afterlife is another point that these religions share. Finally, the common ground of Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity may also be found in what is usually referred to as the Golden Rule. In spite of the fact that I may be formulated in different ways, the original message behind it is similar: one should treat others in a way one wants to be treated. There is no doubt that this is a rather

Race and gender assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Race and gender - Assignment Example But Crashs weaknesses far outweigh its strengths. It fails to delineate and explain the differences between forms of bias found in different communities, reduces discussions of race to discussions of feeling and bias, ignores social institutions and different access to privilege and resources, and focuses discussion on race while masking other important factors such as class and gender. Jensen and Wosnitzer explain, â€Å"The central theme of the film is simple: Everyone is prejudiced -- black, white, Asian, Iranian and, we assume, anyone from any other racial or ethnic group. We all carry around racial/ethnic baggage that’s packed with unfair stereotypes, long-stewing grievances, raw anger, and crazy fears. Even when we think we have made progress, we find ourselves caught in frustratingly complex racial webs from which we can’t seem to get untangled†. This is a fair enough point, but is it true? Is everyone equally embroiled? No. Internalized racism is certainly a problem, as is racialized resentment towards a dominant class (e.g. whites, men, etc.) But not all groups are made equal when it comes to their expression of racism and bias. Blacks express the desire to live in integrated communities overwhelmingly; it is whites who are opposed (Defina). Further, more subtly, there is a big difference between the prejudiced attitudes of those who are the oppressed, the underdogs, of societys social structure, and the attitudes of those who are on top. It is the difference between the hatred that the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto felt for the Nazis and the hatred the Nazis felt for the Jews. The hatred might be equally virulent and violent, but the first is defensive and is in response to the perceived actions of the second. The Jews did not think that Nazis were genetically or culturally inferior, vermin who needed to be extinguished; blacks did not think whites were too stupid to manage their own affairs and deserved to be enslaved. It is the dominant group that

How the Black Death Transformed the Role of States Essay

How the Black Death Transformed the Role of States - Essay Example This paper discusses the impact of the Black Death on the role of states. The Response of the State to the Black Death From the 16th century, the state had persuaded the city government, the London Corporation, to take steps to stop the pestilence and other maladies. The frequently recommended solution was a kind of quarantine, where the afflicted were prohibited to leave their homes.ii Theodore de Mayerne, the king’s physician, produced a statement in the 1630s indicating a stricter regulation for food distribution, removal of beggars, and widespread cleansing. Furthermore, he suggested that a public health centre be formed, with power over issues of beggars, cleanliness and sanitation, and health assistance.iii Even though the physician received due respect from the king’s counsellors, his recommendations were immediately overlooked after the plague had stopped. In the period after the 1640s deaths from pestilence were unusual, and the ‘pesthouses’ where the afflicted were confined had been renovated for other functions. A lot of physicians, by 1665, had never observed the typical indications of the epidemic, and London stayed defenceless.iv The Royal College of Physicians, the certifying association for physicians, had been licensed by Henry VIII and had been an esteemed organisation. However, by 1665, its power was greatly diminished due to its historical connection with the state, oppositions from other associations, like the Society of Chemical Physicians, and the reality that only a few Royal College physicians were working in the city, and several doctors could simply be identified as frauds whose certification had been coerced by King Charles on the Royal College.v Yet, when the Black Death stormed, the Royal College suggested medications and public health actions to mitigate the predicament. The Royal College also financially supported medications for the infected people who could not pay for them. Additional pesthouses were hurriedly constructed, and alleged ‘plague nurses’ were assigned to look after the afflicted, even though many thought that their major interest was to speed up their demise so they could steal from them.vi As usual, the state attempted to fight the pestilence by removing beggars and wandering merchants from the streets, shutting down courts, schools, and other establishments, and implementing quarantine on the afflicted and their families. London’s economic being was plunged into pandemonium, and countless animals were exterminated due to suspicions that they carry the virus.vii State-supported exterminators were hired to eradicate cats and dogs and received two pence for each animal as wage. This was a big pay at that time, and Daniel Defoe, who presented a description of the pestilence, assessed that 200,000 cats and 40,000 dogs were killed, and usually the remains were left to rot in the streets, hence worsening the already revolting reek in the city.viii Th ese actions only made the rat population bigger, because nobody knew in during this time that these pests were the main virus-carriers. In September, the state ordered the kindling of flares to expel the epidemic from the air. Countless were dying successively that burying the deceased became a serious hygiene problem. Digging of mass graves was the initial response of the state, but there were very few gravediggers.ix At last, when the October weather chilled, the number of deaths dropped and

Strong and stubborn Maggie Essay Example for Free

Strong and stubborn Maggie Essay After Hobson enters the house Maggie commands him not to be late for dinner. Hobson doesnt like Maggie trying to order him about because she is female, but Maggie doesnt back down. Maggie and Hobson have a battle for dominance because neither one will take orders from the other this shows how strong and stubborn Maggie and her father can be, they have a very similar character but Hobson is sometimes a bit of a snob unlike Maggie. Later on Maggie asks here father how much a week does he give her. Her father answers, Thats neither here nor there. This means it doesnt really matter you still get money, but really they get very little except when they get new cloths every year which Hobson pays ten pounds for each of them which is a lot of money, food and a shelter over their head. Maggie took control of this situation making sure her father would think that he doesnt give them any money which is very wise but also very cunning. Later on in the passage Hobson decides to try and find a wife for Alice and Vicky, but completely excludes Maggie. Even though Maggie is very strong willed and minded this is still very hurtful because she is getting excluded by her own father, this shows how horrible Hobson can be. Even though Maggie is assertive and asks were she comes into this. Hobson is astonished by this and laughs at her, thinking Maggie will never get married. Hobson tells Maggie the brutal truth saying she is a proper old maid, this is saying she is too old to marry. After Mrs. Hepworth enters the shop, she asks who made these boots. Hobson is made a fool when he cant give Mrs. Hepworth a direct answer, but Maggie gives her a direct answer as recognised by Mrs. Hepworth. This shows how Maggie works in logic Mr. Hobson doesnt want to say who because he is proud of how he makes the boots on the premises buy he doesnt make them. Maggie realises how much of a Treasure Willie is, this is the turning point of the play were Maggie thinks of her plan to make a business and move away from her father. Hobson said that Maggie is useful to part with, he recognises her qualities as a business woman but he doesnt treat her with that respect. This shows Maggie is very useful if Hobson can say this because his is a greedy man only looking to make as much money as possible. Maggie tells Willie, Youre a natural born Genius at making boots. Maggie is telling him about how talented he is which shows her nice side but in the same sentence she said Youre a natural fool at all else. Maggie can be nice to him and insult him with no thinking, she doesnt even notice that she insulted him. This may be because she speaks her mind and she just thought it was true. Willies life is ruled by fear because he wont move to a better shoe shop because he fears the fine places, Maggie wants to help him to give him the confidence to be able to go into a better shop, and she is the liberator that wants to help all including her. Willie tells Maggie that she is a wonder in the shop, this may be because Maggie complimented him earlier or he was telling the truth and thinking on the same wavelength as Maggie for a second. As Willie dives to the trap Maggie stops him, this could be symbolic that Maggie is getting him out of Hobsons trap but he is now trapped with Maggie, this is worse because Maggie is a lot cleverer than Hobson and also a lot more demanding. Maggie steps out of the stereotype of women when she asks Willie to marry her. This shows how Maggie is a woman out of her time she is too demanding and cant wait until someone else does it so she has to do it, this shows she is very brave and can do things without thinking of the consequences. Maggie knows this is her last chance to get out because life is so scarce she needs this chance. Willie is worried about what Hobson will say, he is too frightened to hurt someone. This also shows how again he is living in fear, Maggie has brought back the fear because she has put him in an strange situation. Maggie tells him When I make arrangements, my lad, theyre not made for upsetting. This is telling him I wont take no for an answer you are marrying me I have made plans for the future with you and I am going to make them true whatever the cost. This shows hoe determined Maggie can be and also how vicious she can be because she if forcing him to harry her even though he is very reluctant about marrying someone. Later when Ada is mentioned Maggie calls her the sandy haired girl, this could be because sand is easy to find saying she is one of thousands not an individual like Maggie, but straight away Willie said Golden haired is Ada. Gold is a lot less common than sand which makes her to look like an individual and not someone who follows everyone elses tastes. These two comparisons show how they both see this woman Willie sees her in the eyes of a lover but Maggie sees her in the eyes of someone who is maybe jealous at his moment. Maggie later says Ive seen her and I know the breed. The one word that stands out in the sentence is breed, Maggie is comparing Ada to an animal which has with no feelings, this is very cruel and aggressive, this is Maggies aggressive side which is very really seen in the play but when it is seen it is not meant to be liked. Maggie said to Willie its a desperate woman thatll look for protection to the likes of you. This is insulting both Ada and Willie which Maggie found quite easy to do. Maggie is being very cruel to Ada which many people who are watching the play with think is wrong thinking Maggie is a bully like her father. The sympathy for Maggie is shifted to Ada because of Maggie abusive attitude towards her, Maggie doesnt even treat her like a normal human being. Maggie later says shes born to meekness. This is continuing to be abusive to Ada maybe trying to have an argument with her, but Maggie knows that she will walk all over her. Maggie tells Willie that he will be an eighteen shilling bookmaker for the rest of his life, this is to tell him if you marry Ada you will be poor forever but if you marry me I will be able to help you. This is very cunning of Maggie knowing that Willie wants to make the most in his life and he knows he will be stuck in Hobsons for the rest of his life without Maggie, on a wage so low he cant afford the things that he makes. Maggie also tells Willie Youll be a slave, and a contented slave. This is telling him youll be stuck her forever owned by Hobson and if you try to escape youll have to come back just to earn money, you are trapped here without my help. This is showing Maggie hurting someone to help someone and herself which is how her. The play is showing how she is a liberator breaking the chains off Willie and setting him free in the world with her. Maggie said Ive got my work cut out. This shows how she isnt giving up saying I will convince you sooner or later which shows her character as being very strong willed and what she said goes without a question. When Willie wants to be left alone Maggie said So does the fly when the spider catches him. This could be interpreted as Maggie catching him so he is not a free man Maggie has just took him in as a trap like Hobson had him, Maggie may do it with a lot more lenience but still not enough for him to be a freed man. Maggie also says You are my man. This is indicating that she owns him like a slave which is just what her father done but in a worse way, it could be very demining as well because Willie could think that he isnt worth anything being tossed about from Hobson to Maggie like an item of trade. When Maggie tells Willie to hold your hush. This is telling him to shut up using an imperative, many men those days would not allow women to command them to shut up but because Willie is feeble he has no choice so he just goes on with it.

A Study On The Petronas Towers Construction Essay

A Study On The Petronas Towers Construction Essay Supertall buildings are a relatively recent addition to the history of the cities around the world. Technology of the nineteenth century made their development possible. Steel, concrete and masonry materials have existed for a long time in the history of civilization but not in such a configuration. Masonry is the oldest material. Concrete in its present form is the youngest of these three basic structural materials of construction. Concrete, unlike any other structural building material, allows the architects and engineers to choose not only its mode of production, but its material properties as well. Although steel will continue to be the structural material of choice for many tall buildings for its strength and ductility, we may expect to see more and more concrete and composite high-rise structures shaping the skylines of major cities of the world in the forthcoming years. As a result, the field of concrete tall building construction is rapidly changing and its limits are constantly being tested and stretched. The introduction of composite construction to tall tubular buildings has paved the way for supertall composite buildings like the PETRONAS Towers. 1. INTRODUCTION Much of the technological change in concrete construction was in the first half of the 20th century. Advances in formwork, mixing of concrete, techniques for pumping, and types of admixtures to improve quality have all contributed to the ease of working with concrete in high-rise construction. There were main four periods in the development of skyscraper which began around 1808 and ended in 1960s where structures were usually vertical and dominant. During 1970s the international modernism in construction started to rise and this introduced a renewed interest in silhouettes and symbolic potential. The most efficient construction coordination plan for a tall building is one that allows formwork to be reused multiple times. Traditionally, formwork was made of wood but as technology has advanced, the forms have become a combination of wood, steel, aluminum, fiberglass and plastic, to name only a few materials. Each set may be self-supporting with trusses attached to the exterior or may need additional shoring to support it in appropriate locations. New additions to the family of forms include flying-forms, slip forms, and jump forms. The PETRONAS towers are a good example of this latest period. The techniques improved continually till now when pumping of concrete is considered even for small jobs. In recent years, concrete pumping has reached new heights. The builders for the Jin Mao Building in Shanghai, China, boast of pumping high strength concrete as high as 1200 ft (366 m). For such great heights, a high-pressure unit is needed. Great thought must be given to the properties of concrete and how it will react when pressure is applied in a pipe. All these factors demanded innovations in concrete technology. 2. THE SKYSCRAPERS Already a well-argued case between Architects and Engineers is to build a environment with minimal impact on natural environment and to integrate the built environment with ecological systems of the locality. This proposition of the skyscraper as an ecologically- responsive building might well appear to be a conundrum for some.Afterall; Skyscraper is the citys most intensive building-type of enormous size. The council on tall Buildings and Urban habitat in USA defines the skyscraper as a tall building whose built form that by virtue of its height requires its own special engineering systems. Figure 3. PETRONAS PETRONAS was incorporated on 17 August 1974 as the national oil company of Malaysia, vested with the entire ownership and control of the petroleum resources in the country. It has since grown from merely being the manager and regulator of Malaysias upstream sector into a fully integrated oil and gas corporation, ranked among the FORTUNE Global 500 ®Ã‚  largest corporations in the world. The national oil company along with investors and federal government of Malaysia decided to construct the PETRONAS Towers which will be a major headquarter for the company along with other offices mentioned above. PETRONAS in the best possible way tried to balance and integrate economic, environmental and social considerations into their business decisions. These considerations include, among others, strong HSE management and performance, continuous development has made a holistic contribution to the society. Below is the graph that shows the financial outlook of the company Figure 4. HISTORY Designed by Argentine architects Cà ©sar Pelli and Djay Cerico under the consultancy of Julius Gold, the PETRONAS Towers were completed in 1998 after a seven year build and became the tallest buildings in the world on the date of completion. They were built on the site of Kuala Lumpurs race Because of the depth of the bedrock; the buildings were built on the worlds deepest foundations. The 120-meter foundations were built within 12 months by Bachy Soletanche and required massive amounts of concrete. Its engineering designs on structural framework were contributed by Haitian engineer Domo Obiasse and collegues Aris Battista and Princess D Battista. PETRONAS took the challenge to develop the PETRONAS Twin Towers in 1991. The project is an integral part of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), a carefully planned development to provide the capital city with an efficient and modern centre for urban activity, trade and commerce encircling a vast, open green lung. It brought together the worlds leading practitioners of engineering, building technology and construction. Construction planning began in January 1992. By March 1993, the excavators were hard at work digging down to 30 meters below the surface of the site. The extent of excavation required over 500 truck-loads of earth to be moved every night. The next stage was the single largest and longest concrete pour in Malaysian history: 13,200 cubic meters of concrete was continuously poured through a period of 54 hours for each tower. This record-breaking slab, together with 104 piles forms the foundation for each of the towers. From this floor rose a 21-metre high retaining wall, with a perimeter length of over 1 kilometer. This concrete shell and the basement area it enclosed required two years of up to 40 workers on site all day and night. The final product is the basement car park offering a total of 5,400 parking bays on five levels beneath the podium wrapping the towers. As an added consideration, two different contractors were chosen for each tower to allow cross-monitoring of construction values and techniques with one coming to the aid of the other should problems arise. The construction of the superstructure commenced in April 1994, after rigorous tests and simulations of wind and structural loads on the design. 5. PETRONAS TOWERS The PETRONAS towers are part of a massive real estate development on a 100 acre site in Kuala Lumpur which eventually after completion now has office buildings, a retail centre, hotels, residential buildings and substantial public parks, gardens and lakes. The twin PETRONAS towers are linked by a sky bridge at mid height. It consists of 216,901 square meter of total floor space, 88 levels rising to a height of 450m above street level. This was the first project in Malaysia where high strength concrete was specified. To achieve completion of the structural frame in approximately 28 months every floor needed to be constructed in approximately 4.3 days putting great pressure on the contractor to achieve rapid, delay free construction. The main structural system for the super structure and foundation were selected after a rigorous study and evaluation by the design and project management team. The structural approach in the tower frame combines the most favorable aspects of concrete and steel construction. Figure 6. PRECONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY Due to the nature of the project, being the first super tall structure of its kind in Malaysia and very limited experience with the use of high strength concrete, the contractors were required to demonstrate that the requirements of the project could be successfully achieved prior to actual construction of structural elements. The contractor Samsung-Kukdong-Jasatera joint ventures were to do it. The major engineering and structural design teams were a collection of eminent international companies and consultants including such notables as Cà ©sar Pelli Associates, Hazama Corporation, Adamson Associates Architects, Solà ©tanche Bachy, RSP Architects Planners Engineers, Samsung Engineering Construction, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Syarikat Jasatera Sdn Bhd., and several dozen other major international firms. Legions of support engineers and designers in an array of specific disciplines contributed over the course of the years. 7. SITE AND DESIGN The site for PETRONAS Towers is the Golden Triangle. Around it radiates the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysias capital. The jewel of this 100-acre site are the towers. Working within mixed-used development plan by U.S firm of Klages, Carter, Vail and Partners. The design drawings show a complex of buildings growing from an intimate relationship with the site, generating from its core. The concert halls provide an important gathering space. Figure Map showing the Kuala Lumpur City Centre PETRONAS Towers I II Concert Hall Suria KLCC Retail Complex Office Tower (Menara Maxis, Menara Esso) Mandarin Oriental Hotel Future Buildings 8. FLOOR PLAN PETRONAS towers floor plan when viewed appears as two overlapping squares to create an eight pointed star which is further refined with half-circles between star points. The spirit of geometry is Islamic which dominant Malaysian culture is. Other eastern forms are woven into towers form. The towers are placed on a central axis. Figure 9. DESIGN METHODOLOGY The design for the PETRONAS Towers was not a written document or a set of drawings for the contractors to follow when building the structure.   It was instead an evolving process that took place over the course of many years.   This enormous amount of communication and the design considerations that were discussed produced a final result that differs considerably from the plan that won the first Kuala Lumpur City Center design competition held in 1991. The number of designers, engineers, and building contractor management personnel that took part in the design process is about the same as the number of workers that actually built the towers. About 7,000 construction workers took place in the actual building of the towers, as there was a great concern for the congestion that would occur in the busy Kuala Lumpur city center.   7,000 design workers talking constantly among themselves for five or six years designed the building.   It was certainly an impressive conversation.   Although much of this talk took place directly between individuals, this project probably would not have been possible before the development of the Internet or sophisticated project and communication management software.    Every phase of the process, from the drawings and engineering research down to the daily work orders was accomplished with cutting edge software that was in many cases as technologically innovative as other parts of the project. The high quality of the PETRONAS Towers is the result of the quality of the design team.   Although Cà ©sar Pelli was the titular designer and he served as the lead visionary, the design contributors included Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir, businessman T. Ananda Krishnan, senior managers of the PETRONAS company, the Kuala Lumpur City Center planning manager Arlida Ariff, and many high ranking national and local politicians.. The design process itself was as much a marvel as are the physical towers visible today.   When construction began the design did not call for the tallest buildings in the world and the entire foundation was moved after excavations had already begun. The parking garage was located up inside the towers in Cà ©sar Pellis first drawings and the powerful Skybridge was absent from the original 1990 Klages Carter Vail Partners plans for the Kuala Lumpur City Center development that first called for two towers.   These and many more features of the project changed as the design for the project evolved continuously over the life of the project and the final result is a testament to the efficiency of the whole multi-year design process. 10. CONSTRUCTION One of the first challenges that were faced during the towers constructions was anchoring the towers to the ground. The bedrock beneath the site was very irregular and thornton-tomasetti,the structural engineers suggested to relocate the towers about 200 ft to be able to bear on soil. The towers were framed with concrete walls and columns. In Malaysia the contractors were comfortable working with steel and concrete, concrete and steel actually helps in reducing the wind sways and minimize vibrations. Construction of towers was fast paced, because it was a decision to have two contractors one for each tower that created a competitive environment and work commenced at a faster phase. One of the most dramatic feats was placement of the two story sky bridge, which was built on the ground and hoisted to its location joining the 41st floor and 42nd floors. The construction of the PETRONAS Towers was a model of cooperation and efficiency and in some respects even more spectacular than the final result. Figure Figure After a year of planning, the construction phase began in March 1993 with the excavation work for the foundation. The originally selected location was moved 60 meters due to the configuration of the bedrock exposed during the excavations. The excavation for the foundation went 30 meters below the soil surface, with work proceeding only after sunset and more than five hundred dump trucks full of soil being removed from the site each night. For each of the two towers, more than one hundred foundation piles were poured next. Once the forms were in place, the slabs for the foundation of the two towers were poured in two continuous pours lasting about two and a half days each and using over 13,000 cubic feet of concrete for each of the two slabs. On top of these slabs a perimeter wall over a kilometer in total length and 21 meters tall was created to form the shell that would become the five-level underground car park. The contract to construct the two towers was given to two different contracting companies and their friendly competition resulted in both remarkable speed and valuable cooperation as each team shared with the other information gained during the building process. Tower One, which houses the PETRONAS headquarters, was built by a group led by the Japanese Hazama Corporation along with J.A Jones Construction of Charlotte North Carolina, and the Mitsubishi Corporation, MMC Engineering, and Ho Hop Construction of Japan. Tower Two was constructed by the SKJ Consortium, composed of Samsung Engineering Construction and Kuku Dong Engineering Construction from Korea, Dragages and Bachy-Soletanche from Singapore and Syarikat Jasatera and First Nationwide Engineering Sdn Bhd from Malaysia. Work on the tower structures started in April 1994 was completed by June 1996, with the first tenants moving into the buildings in 1998. The Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohammad presided over the opening ceremonies for the towers on Aug. 31, 1999, which coincided with the celebration of Malaysias Hari Kebangsaan holiday that marks the unification of the country and the establishment of the Malaya Federation in 1957. Although many foreign firms participated in the construction process, a great deal of the work was done by local Malaysian companies. It is estimated that sixty percent of the materials used in the construction were obtained locally. All of the concrete and construction timber was Malaysian in origin as were many of the interior finishing materials including marble, ceramic tiles, and drywall materials. Many of the more complex features such as escalators, electrical fixtures and components and furniture were also supplied by Malaysian firms. 11. DETAILED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS The functional structures of the PETRONAS Towers were designed by the structural engineers Thornton-Tomasetti, with headquarters in New York, and Ranill-Berskutu of Malaysia. The core structure of each of the towers is composed of a ring of sixteen cylindrical columns of high strength reinforced concrete. The columns vary in size from 2.4 meters in diameter at the lower areas to 1.2 meters in diameter at the top, and are placed at the outside corners and additional arcs of the eight pointed star shape that gives the buildings their classic Islamic shape. In a staging of six increments, the columns slope slightly inward as they rise, resulting in the tapered form of the final buildings. The columns are linked with a series of concrete core walls and ring beams and the architect Cà ©sar Pelli has described these movement-resistant and damper-free structures as a pair of soft tubes. There are actually two concentric pressurized cores in the structures, and the two cores unite at the 38 th floor of each tower. A significant choice of building materials was made early in the project, and it was decided to use reinforced concrete instead of the structural steel that is more common in other skyscrapers. This choice was made not only because local Malaysian contractors were more experienced building with concrete than with steel, but also because the cost of importing all the steel would have been prohibitive, whereas the concrete could be obtained locally. The final towers weigh more than twice what they would have had steel been used, but it was additionally felt that the use of concrete would more effectively dampen sway in windy conditions and reduce vibrations within the towers. The structural plan liberates additional floor space inside the towers by locating the mechanical services for the towers in two bustles that are 43 story tall buildings located immediately adjacent to the towers. After completion, the exteriors of the two concrete soft tubes were clad in stainless steel and glass with a design that originated in the classic geometric patterns of ancient Islamic art. The foundations for the structures are huge concrete cores and are considered the deepest building foundations in the world. The two 73-meter tall pinnacle structures of the towers were, like the towers, constructed by two different contractors. One of the pinnacles was fabricated in Japan and the other in Korea. Built of structural steel and then disassembled and shipped to Kuala Lumpur, the pinnacles were reassembled and mounted atop the towers in yet another delicate operation that required several months of practice before the final installation. The two pinnacles are clad in brushed stainless steel. Each tower used 11,000 tons of reinforcement steel, 2,825,120 cubic feet of high-strength concrete, almost 7,500 tons of structural steel beams and 830,000 square feet of glass windows. Figure 12. SKYBRIDGE The towers feature a  skybridge  between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors, which is the highest 2-story bridge in the world.  It is not directly bolted to the main structure, but is instead designed to slide in and out of the towers to prevent it from breaking during high winds.  The bridge is 170  m (558  ft) above the ground and 58  m (190  ft) long, weighing 750 tons.  The same floor is also known as the podium, since visitors desiring to go to higher levels have to change elevators here. Figure 13. THE LIFT SYSTEM The main bank Otis Lifts is located in the centre of each tower. All main lifts are double decker with the lower deck of the lift taking passengers to odd numbered floors and upper deck to even numbered floors. From the ground floor, there are three groups of lifts. The short haul group of 6 lifts takes passengers to floors between level 2/3 and level 16/17. The mid haul groups of 6 lifts take passengers to floors between level 18/19 and level 37/38. There is also a set of shuttle lifts that take passengers directly to levels 41/42. To get to levels above 41/42, passengers must take the shuttle lifts, and then change to lifts to the upper floors. These connecting lifts are directly above the lifts that serve levels 2 to 38. The pattern now repeats with the upper levels, one set serving levels 43/44 to 57/58 and one set serving levels 59/60 to levels 73/74. Apart from this main bank of lifts, there are a series of lifts to take people between the groups. Unlike the main lifts, these are not the double-decker type. Two lifts are provided to take people from levels 37/38 to levels 41/42 (levels 39 and 40 are not accessible as office space). This spares someone in the lower half of the building from having to go back to the ground floor to go to the upper half of the building. The lifts contain a number of safety features. It is possible to evacuate  people from a lift stuck between floors by manually driving one of the adjacent lifts next to it and opening a panel in the wall..  During an evacuation of the buildings, only the shuttle lift is allowed to be used, as there are only doors at levels G/1 and levels 41/42; therefore should there be a fire in the lower half of the building, this enclosed shaft would remain unaffected. Firefighter lifts are also provided in case of emergency 14. MATERIALS USED The composite structure of the Towers employs both the flexibility of steel and the rigidity of high-strength concrete. Each component material was used to best effect in constructing the 452 m-high buildings. About 80,000 cubic meters of high strength concrete with 37,000 tons of steel were used to form the frames of both Towers. Of particular importance was maintaining the verticality of the structures throughout the full height as they were being built. The reasons for this, besides reinforcing the aesthetic design, were to ensure structural load integrity and the safe passage of the high-speed double-decker elevators. The determination of verticality was monitored by international specialist surveyors who, with the aid of global positioning systems, checked alignments every day and every night. The same surveyor used the same instrument at the same time in every 24 hours, thereby minimizing any element of differences in judgment. Construction works were done primarily at night and finishing works were done primarily during the day (to minimize the cost of artificial lighting). As a result, the entire management and construction team redefined the Malaysian industry standard of fast-track. The PETRONAS Twin Towers were finally encased in steel and glass and could be viewed as complete in June 1996. The construction process also drew extensively from the local industry, with the finished towers having over 60 percent local material content. Malaysian made items included raw materials such as concrete and timber; finishing materials such as marble, ceramic tiles and glass; pre-fabricated materials including dry-walls, doors, suspended ceilings, and metal decking; equipment ranging from escalators to light fittings and sanitary ware; also furniture of all types from work-stations to custom-designed suites. Much of these materials were used in the process of internal finishing, which was then the focus of work teams until the end of 1996.The PETRONAS Towers complex is the tallest building on Kuala Lumpurs horizon, symbolizing Malaysias determination to be a for ward looking and technologically developed country. 15. RECORD BREAKING Since they were constructed in 1997 the towers have held the world record as the highest twin building on land. Until 2004, when they were eclipsed by Taipei 101 in Taiwan, they were the worlds highest building. In spite of being built by different companies the towers are exactly the same height standing at 452m.The Towers are built from super-high strength reinforced concrete, which is reputed to reduce the sway that tall buildings are prone to. However this made the building twice as heavy as a traditional reinforced steel building, necessitating extra deep foundations 120m. 16. COMPARISION WITH OTHER TOWERS Several other buildings are technically taller than the PETRONAS Towers.   The Sears Tower has 110 floors, but is only 442 meters tall.   The Shanghai World Financial Center has 101 floors, and is 492 meters tall.   The Taipei 101 Tower has 101 floors and is 509 meters tall.   As of 2009 several other buildings are proposed or under construction that will be taller.   The proposed Lotte World II in South Korea would be 512 meters tall with 107 floors.   The Burj Dubai is under construction and is planned to be an astounding 818 meters tall with 162 floors. The PETRONAS Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world until Taipei 101 was completed in 2004, as measured to the top of their structural components .Spires are considered integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The PETRONAS Twin Towers, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were the worlds tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004, when their height was surpassed by Taipei 101. The towers remain the tallest twin buildings in the world. Figure Building Location Year Stories Height Chief Architect M. Ft. Burj Khalifa  (Burj Dubai, or Dubai Tower), Dubai, UAE 2010 162 828 2,717 Skidmore, Owings Merrill Lotte World II Busan S. Korea (proposed) 2013? 110 510.55 m 1,680 Stephan Huh, Parker Design International Taipei 101 Tower Taipei, Taiwan 2004 101 509 1,670 C.Y. Lee Partner Shanghai World Financial Center, China 2008 101 492 1,614 Kohn Pedersen Fox International Commerce Centre (ICC),  Hong Kong, China  (under construction) 2010 118 484 1,587.9 Kohn Pedersen Fox Xujiahui Tower, Shanghai, China (proposed) 2010 92 460 1,509 John Portman Associates PETRONAS twin towers 1998 88 452 1,483 Cesar Pelli 17. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS The research and knowledge in concrete gained in the first half of the twentieth century benefit technologies today. This paper has provided a broad overview of different historic developments for concrete high-rise buildings. To summarize, the first users of concrete date before 1200 BC and include societies like the Phoenicians, Minoans, and Egyptians, to name only a few. The late 1700s and early 1800s found a renewed discovery of and interest in reinforced concrete as a building structure. Americans and Europeans used it in large warehouses, factory buildings, apartment buildings and homes. New delivery systems, changes in formwork, high-strength concrete and other admixtures were invented which improved concretes strength and workability. Structural systems which go beyond the traditional post-and-beam construction of the Ingalls Building and the introduction of high-strength concrete mixes have together allowed reinforced concrete skyscrapers to grow to heights of the PETRONAS Towers and the Jin Mao Building never dreamed of in Elzners and Ransomes day. Little more than a century ago, reinforced concrete was invented. In that short period of time, reinforced concrete has gone from being a very limited material to one of the most versatile building materials available today. The first reinforced concrete buildings were heavy and massive. Valuable floor space was taken up by the massive concrete structural systems. Today, due to our increased knowledge and improved technology, reinforced concrete buildings can be tall, graceful and elegant. Due, in part, to the use of shear walls, innovative structural systems and ultimate strength design, very little usable floor space is occupied by the structure. HSC and lightweight structural concrete allow us to use smaller member sizes and less steel reinforcement. Because of the rapid developments of concrete construction and technology, with every passing year the use of concrete for tall buildings is becoming a constant reality. The mold ability of concrete is a major factor in creating exciting building forms with elegant aesthetic expression. Compared to steel, concrete tall buildings have larger masses and damping ratios that help in minimizing motion perception. A heavier concrete structure also provides better stability against overturning caused by lateral loads. New structural systems including the composite ones that are popular now have allowed concrete high-rises to reach new heights during the last four decades. Although steel will continue to be the structural material of choice for many tall buildings for its strength and ductility, we may expect to see more and more concrete and composite high-rise structures shaping the skylines of major cities of the world in the forthcoming years.

Essay --

â€Å"The founding fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the Bald Eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America† –John F. Kennedy (Home). Bald Eagles have a unique way of living that makes them a strong symbol of the United States. First, the Eagle has certain traits about it that makes it such a unique and majestic bird. The bird’s Latin name is the Haliaeetus Leucocephalus which translates to â€Å"Sea Eagle with a white head† (Bald). As far as the bird goes, it has a life span of about 30 years living at the top of the food chain. An Eagle has a few weapons for hunting that make them a dangerous predator. Those weapons include the beak and talons which are both made from the substance human fingernails are made of; Keratin. The beak has a hook at the tip which is used for tearing, which creates a â€Å"scissor effect†. The talons are a powerful weapon, yet they are delicate enough to groom and feed their young. Talons are also used to kill the Eagle’s prey by penetrating its fle...

Professional Athletes and Illegal Steroid Use

Athletes of the modern sports are pushing their body to the limits, not only through rigid practice and training, new techniques and strategies but also by enhancing or altering the body’s physiological make up.   Admittedly, the use of drugs in today’s sport is widespread.   Statistics show that athletes even the amateur ones as young as 12 years old are already taking steroids or drugs to enhance their performance in their respective fields. In a survey conducted by the NCAA in 2004, it was reported that among 19-22 year-olds, 18.9% of them responded that they knew friends within the same age bracket who are taking steroids and who are playing a sport and 3% of high school seniors are using steroids as performance enhancers, how much more for the professional athletes who have a lot more at stake than just name, reputation, medal and trophy.So what are steroids and why has it raised so many clamors, not only among the field of sports but also among the field of sc ience?   If an athlete takes steroids, would it be tantamount to cheating as he is not utilizing his own body’s capabilities but that of a drug?  Ã‚   Drugs commonly referred to as steroids are classified as anabolic, androgenic, and corticosteroids.   Corticosteroids are used to control inflammation.   Anabolic steroids which have been the object of media attention are the kind of drugs which is used by athletes and body builders to improve and bulk up their profile and body’s physiology. Anabolic is a Greek word which means to â€Å"build up† and these are synthetic hormones that cause the body to produce more muscle at the same time preventing muscle break down.  Ã‚   In the United States, it is illegal to take anabolic steroids without prescription from a doctor.   Androgenics or androstenedione (andros) is a lesser or weaker kind of anabolic steroid.   It primarily works by increasing testosterone and muscle proteins and many of weigh lifters take this steroid.The Benefits of SteroidsThe human body produces steroids naturally.   In the case of anabolic steroids, they resemble the chemical structure of the male sex hormone testosterone.   It facilitates the development of the male secondary sexual characteristics as well as facilitating muscle growth.   [Hobart, Sarah]. But just like any other development in science, steroids were not developed in order to enhance an athlete’s capabilities.   Rather it was developed in the 1930s in order to treat hypogonadism.   People with such disorder do not produce enough testosterone and the use of steroid helps replace the much needed testosterone.   Such success caught up with the athletes.   In 1956 Olympics, Russian athletes who used steroids were observed to be using catheters when urinating.   Ironically, the athletes had trouble urinating because their prostates have enlarged because of the excessive use of the drug.Subsequent observations and studies ha ve manifested the benefits of the use of steroids by professional athletes.   Weight lifters who used steroids were seen to have increased their muscle strength and muscle growth. In comparison to those weight lifters who used steroids, those who took placebo or did not take anything at all showed a very slow increase in muscle growth and strength.   Steroids not only enhance the athletic performance of athletes, it also provide for the development of a physically fit, tighter and toner body not only for men but also for women.The Risks and EffectsJust like any other drug, steroids have also its share of risks and side effects.   One of the particular concerns of health officials over steroid use for a prolonged period is liver damage, increased risk in heart disease.   The side effects of the steroid use are also severe.   For men who use steroids, they tend to develop â€Å"breasts† or gynecomastia, painful prolonged erection (priapism) and edema due to water and sodium retention.   In the case of the Russian athletes in 1956, they had trouble urinating due to the enlargement of their prostates.  Ã‚   Cardiovascular problems also occur due to the increase of â€Å"bad† cholesterol or the low-density lipoprotein levels instead of enhancing the â€Å"good† cholesterol or the high-density lipoprotein levels.   With these harmful physical effects, psychological problems also come up.   There was an indication that man who takes steroids showed behavioral changes like being aggressive.On the other hand, women who use steroids suffer irreversible damages unlike the men who can correct what ever side effect they have after discontinuing the use of such drug.   Women develop facial hair growth, enlarged clitoris, and coarser skin.   They also increase the same cardiovascular problems like the men do.   Women also are at risk of infertility and other reproductive disorders.   Admittedly, professional athletes both men an d women still continue to use illegal steroids disregarding the risks even death because of their desire to win.EthicsThe debate of the use of steroids is not only limited to the health concerns.   Rather, the use of steroids by professional athletes is centered on ethics. One argument over steroid use by professional athletes is that it is a form of cheating.   When using steroids as performance enhancing drugs, they tend to depend on the drugs capability instead of their own.   Athletes using performance-enhancers seek to increase their athletic ability via drugs rather than through the training process, which requires true commitment and effort on the part of the athlete (â€Å"Steroids: Play Safe,† 2004).The athletes who are the center and the heart of the game use steroids to win or better their chances in winning, they gave into the power of the drugs over them instead of wielding and showcasing their strengths.   This is ultimately being unfair to other athlete s and professional players who only depend on their prowess, not of the drugs.   And since professional athletes play to win, as they are paid to do so, those who do not use steroids are extremely pressured to use them too in order to compete with the other athletes who have exceedingly enhanced performance.Another point raised on the ethical perspective of the use of steroid is that such use of a performance-enhancing drug allows professional athletes to tap into their undiscovered potentials. Although as discussed above, the athletes are the hearts of the game and they should be the one controlling it, not some drug, still with the aid of the drug, they are only harnessing their potentials to full use.   The privacy and the rights of the athletes to do to his body whatever he thinks is beneficial to him must be respected. Providing a stricter regulation on the use of steroid among professional athletes will not solve the problem.The decision to use or not to use such drug must be left to the discretion of the athlete.   The use of steroids among professional athletes may ultimately have been the result of â€Å"media hype†, and the ban on the use of such has been based on moral panic. By the making the use of steroids criminal, through drug testing may be even the cause of more health risks for the athletes.   As it is impossible to acquire the drug through a doctor, they instead turn to the underground or black market.   Instead of providing adequate help to the athletes who may limit or control the use of such drugs, banning it is ultimately forcing them to continue using steroids thereby driving them to further health risks in the first place.Athletes especially the professional ones are the role models of society especially the youth.   They have been looked up to by the society as pillars that are looked up to.   While each individual have the rights to do what he thinks is best for his own self, the state or the government can stil l impose regulations among its citizens especially if it concerns the health of many. The question of ethics should not come first but the health concerns.Although there have been reports and studies about the long time effects of the use of steroids, published cases of tumors and cancer-related cases, health experts and researchers do not exactly know the consequences   of steroid abuse   Ã‚  Even with all the data and reports submitted by researchers and users alike, still this are not conclusive and may be inaccurate. And so the federal government has issued a ban on the use of such.   Possession of steroids with the intent of distributing it is considered illegal and punishable by law.   Likewise, the use of steroids in sports is considered to be a violation of sports leagues and councils even the ethics of sportsmanship.But even with all the ban and regulation made by the government for the use of steroids especially in professional sports, many athletes still continue to use it despite warnings of its risks.   As drug testing is one way of determining whether an athlete is using steroids or not, professional athletes have found a way to go about and escape such drug testing. Just like the Ben Johnson who failed to bring home the gold in the 1988 Summer Olympics when he tested positive for steroids.   The catch is, he took 19 drug tests before that before he failed in the Seoul Games which eventually led to the forfeiture of his gold medal.   Ultimately, it is really up to the athlete whether he will use steroids to enhance his athletic performance or not notwithstanding the ban and regulation made by the federal government and the question of ethics as well.Reference:Bahrke, M.S., and C.E. Yesalis.   â€Å"The Future of Performance-Enhancing Substances in Sport.† The Physician and Sports Medicine , 2002, 30(11):1-21.Chuey, Daniel, Introduction to Benefits and Risks     www.biodavidson.edu accessed 1/30/06Chyka, P.A.. â€Å"And rogenic-anabolic steroids.† Clinical Toxicology. Philadelphia.WB Saunders, 2001, 595-601.Hobart, Sarah, â€Å"Athlete Use and Abuse of Performance Enhancing Drugs â€Å"www.biodavidson.edu accessed 1/30/06NCAA. â€Å"NCAA Drug-Testing Results 2002-2003.† Accessed 01/30/06 2003.2004. â€Å"Steroids: Play Safe, Play Fair.† American Academy of Pediatrics. . 1 Oct. 2004.