Aspects & Impacts of Porous Pavements Essay -- Pavement Driving Surfac

Short Memo: Aspects & Impacts of Porous Pavements The purpose of this short memo is to discuss aspects of use, applicability, and environmental impacts of porous pavements as gleaned from practical findings and pertinent examples. A porous pavement is one with high enough porosity and permeability to allow rain and snowmelt to pass through it, thereby reducing the runoff from a site and surrounding areas. In intensely built up areas, pavements account for more than half of all the land, and for about two-thirds of total built cover (Ferguson, 2005, 2-3). Parking lots, in particular, account for the majority of paved areas. Pervious paving materials have the capability of providing a dual purpose in parking and other areas with low to moderate traffic; they serve both as a parking/traffic area and to manage stormwater. Components & Function There are several types of porous pavements, namely porous asphalt, porous concrete, and numerous modular paver systems. Both a construction material and a design technique, systems may be used individually or enhanced through a combination of types. Porous asphalt consists of an open-graded coarse aggregate bonded together by asphalt cement. The mixture contains fewer fines than traditional asphalt and sufficient void space between aggregate particles allows water to drain through quickly. Porous concrete also consists of an open-graded coarse aggregate, formulated with Portland cement and water. Modular porous pavers are structural units, such as concrete blocks or reinforced plastic mats, with void areas that are filled with pervious materials, to achieve a load-bearing permeable surface. The pervious fill materials include sand, grass turf, and gravel. Each of these surfaces is typical... ...rent purposes. Residential streets and interstate shoulders have been constructed of porous systems, and more extensive weight-bearing roads are functioning in Europe. More research and site study of porous paving techniques and specifications are needed to continue to increase knowledge and implementation of these systems, and to further their capacity for use. Works Cited Adams, Michele (May/June 2003). â€Å"Porous Asphalt Pavement With Recharge Beds,† Stormwater Magazine. www.forester.net/sw_0305_porous.html Ferguson, Bruce (2005). Porous Pavements. FL: CRC Press. Georgia Stormwater Management Manual (2001). â€Å"Porous Concrete.† Vol. 2, 3.3-33 - 3.3-40. Georgia Stormwater Management Manual (2001). â€Å"Modular Porous Paver Systems.† Vol. 2, 3.3-41 – 3.3-46. U.S. EPA (September 1999). Stormwater Technology Factsheet: Porous Pavement. Washington, DC: EPA 832-F-99-023.

Thailand and Hong Kong Religious Differences

Compare the religion in Thai and Hong Kong Introduction Religion is a way to review the cultural system of a country, it relates humanity to spirituality. Hong Kong and Thailand have a distinct history background, which interpret the big difference in daily cultural practices. This essay aims to provide a brief introduction of the religion in Thailand and Hong Kong and compares their differences and similarities. It will start from the history background and general information to the details of religious activities. General In Hong Kong, people are protected by the Basic Law, they have the religious freedom.There is a wide variety of religious groups such as Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam and so on. With 150 years of rule as a separate British colony, although most Hong Kong people are ethnically Chinese, Hong Kong has a unique local identity. Elements of traditional Chinese culture combining western in? uences have shaped Hong Kong as a city with mixed culture. Apart from th e Chinese and British cultural in? uences, Hong Kong is a free trade port with people from different countries staying there which have a large variety of religion beliefs and ways of thought.According to a Gullup poll in 2010, 64% of Hong Kong residents are either agnostic or indifferent towards religion. Buddhism and Taoism are the major religious with more than 1 million Buddhists and about 1 million Taoists. The second large religious group is Christianity, it has been in Hong Kong since 1841. There are about 843,000 Christians in Hong Kong, most of them are Protestant or Roman Catholic. Temples and churches are omnipresent and ubiquitous on the streets, few of them have been there for more than 700 years ago.Although Hong Kong is literally no religion background, there are some public holidays related to religious festivals such as Christmas, Easter and Buddha’s Birthday. Adherents hold special celebration or ceremonies on these occasions. Those major religious bodies ha ve established schools, hospitals and provides social welfare facilities. Theomania is rare in Hong Kong, religion con? ict has never occurred so far. In Thailand, Buddhism has long been it national religion, about 95% of Thais are Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. In fact, there is no of? ial state religion in the Thai constitution, people are guaranteed to have religious freedom. However, Buddhism has spread widely in Thailand since 3rd century BC, it led the Buddha’s teachings becoming very famous. There is no of? cial state religion in the Thai constitution, which guarantees religious freedom for all Thai citizens, though the king is required by law to be Buddhist. According to the last census (2000) 94. 6% of Thais are Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. Muslims are the second largest religious group in Thailand at 4. 6%.There are more than 600 temples in the HKSAR. [5] The history of some of these temples can be traced back to more than 700 years ago, while some o thers have been built in recent years. Notable temples include the Wong Tai Sin Temple located in the Wong Tai Sin District in Kowloon. This popular temple is dedicated to the Taoist deity, Wong Tai Sin. Besides that, the Chi Lin Nunnery in Diamond Hill is a group of temple structures in the Tang Dynasty's architectural style. It is now open to the public following the completion of its redevelopment in 2000.

Is life difficult? Essay

A data released by the American Association of Suicidology (2003) revealed that in the United States, 1 person kills himself every 16. 7 minutes. In addition to this, many people are seeking professional help to deal with depression and cope with stress and life crises. This situation calls for an understanding the perception of people with life and more importantly to answer the question, â€Å"is life difficult? † Two major perspectives are to be considered, the Biblical point of view, and the practical analysis of the situation. According to the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve lived worry free in the Garden of Eden where the couple need not till the soil for food nor experience pain, misery, and suffering. Life has been difficult since Adam and Eve first sinned as the couple was banished from the Garden of Eden as a punishment for eating the fruit from the tree of life. (The Holy Bible, Genesis 3:16-19) Some religions believe that this is the reason or the origin of life’s hardships and trials. One may even think that life itself is a punishment. One can only find true happiness when that person returns in the kingdom of God where all of life’s difficulties cease. An analysis of the present situation would show that people need to work to earn money for himself and his family’s basic needs, and education. Men are also made to suffer from the loss of a loved one or even inanimate things like a house or a car. Moreover, man’s quest for lasting happiness and contentment has been the reason why people endure such difficulties and hardships knowing that something better awaits for them in the near future. Yes, life is indeed difficult. Men can not do away with life’s difficulties. Men can not do away with life’s difficulties. However, this does not mean that people should give up and not face life’s challenges. In this world, man needs hope to in order to have the courage to move on and survive life’s inevitable difficulties. Works Cited U. S. A. Suicide: 2003 Final Data, McIntosh, John L. 2003, American Association Suicidology. September 12, 2006 The Holy Bible. New International Version. Biblegateway. com. September 12, 2006 .

Mattel’s China Experience: A Crisis in Toyland Essay

In 2007, Mattel a California based toy company shockingly recalled 19 million toys that had been manufactured in China. Mattel was founded in 1944, and has produced iconic toys such as Barbie and Hot Wheels. The company had a long established trust with their consumers that had been forged from decades of reliability. However, when the company recalled 19 million toys due to health and safety violations, consumer confusion and outrage soared. The public wanted to know how such an established company’s safety regulations could fail, how Mattel was addressing the issue, and whether consumers could trust Mattel to produce reliable toys in the future. Mattel had been a long time leader in the toy industry. Mattel and its main competitor Hasbro held control of over a third of the toy market, even in an industry with over 900 manufactures. However, there had been shifting trends in the toy industry. New electronics and video games were becoming increasingly popular among older children. Since Mattel manufactured classic toys such as dolls, the shifting trend forced the company to focus on marketing towards young children under the age of 12. While this segment responds well to Mattel’s products, they also are the most at risk of endangering themselves. The younger the children, the more likely they are to put toys in their mouth. This behavior puts children at risk of choking or ingesting harmful chemicals. Even with new adversities in the toy industry, Mattel remained a global leader. As seen in Exhibit A, a SWOT analysis of the company, Mattel had many different strengths that kept it a favorite among consumers. Some of its most significant strengths included its reputable brand name among consumers and its successful marketing of toys through children’s entertainment. Even with changing toy preferences, Mattel was growing internationally. In Exhibit B you can see Mattel’s global sales. While Asia only made up a quarter of Mattel’s sales, they were forecasted to grow 25% annually. Sales in Asia could help combat Mattel’s plateauing market in the United States. The company seemed like it was in a strong position. As early as the 1970s Mattel was manufacturing products in China in order to  take advantage of lower costs and enable corporate resources to focus on establishing the brand. By 2007, nearly 65% of Mattel products were produced in China. Mattel used a combination of company-run plants and a network of contract manufacturers. Exhibit C displays a simplified example of Mattel’s supply chain after moving production to China. Global production obviously had major benefits for Mattel, the country factors of China gave it a comparative cost advantage over producing in the U.S., and outsourcing enabled Mattel to remain profitable in an increasingly competitive toy industry. However, outsourcing does have disadvantages, a global supply chain increases the challenges to regulate and enforce quality. While Mattel had been a leader in safety standard and regulation, even collaborating with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) as well as establishing Global Manufacturin g Principals (GMPs) the regulatory standards in place were not thorough enough. In 2007, quality issues surfaced within Mattel as various products were found to contain levels way beyond U.S. federal toy safety regulations. During the year, other issues surfaced with Mattel products surrounding the safety hazard of magnetic pieces used in their toys. By the end of 2007 Mattel recalled over 19 million toys. The recall of such large quantities of product left consumers shocked and demanding to know how Mattel could be so unreliable. The reason for the safety hazards in Mattel’s products was do to their lack of direct oversight of contract manufactures in China. Mattel wanted to cut manufacturing costs and decrease lead time, which resulted in increasing pressure by their contracted manufactures to find inexpensive materials quickly. Under the same cost-saving initiatives, Mattel was increasing the amount of goods at distribution centers making it more difficult to preform thorough quality checks. Had Mattel ensured their contracted manufactures were sourcing from proper suppliers, and preformed quality checks before products went to retailers, the recall most likely could have been avoided. Instead, Mattel set guidelines, and hoped on little more than good faith that they GMPs were followed. Hasbro, Mattel’s main competitor has a similar supply chain in place, but avoided the lead paint crisis due to their commitment to inspection. Hasbro set standards for lead paint that were higher than U.S. regulatory standards, and took proper measures to make sure their foreign contractors were also following the same standard. Hasbro  placed their own quality assurance inspectors on factory floors, and inspects each product again before it went to retailers. Hasbro’s extra commitment to quality helps the company deliver a safe and reliable product to customers. Due to the lack of quality management Mattel announced a voluntary recall of some products. While they did report the safety hazard, they reportedly took months to gather information and investigate the problem before publically announcing it. However, under regulatory rules, even potentially hazardous products are supposed to be reported within 24 hours. Mattel did explain to the customers that the lead paint was due to bad behavior by their contracted manufactures in China, easing many parents minds that Mattel would correct the issue. Then, Mattel actually apologized to regulatory officials in China, taking the blame for the quality management issue, especially since the dangerous magnetic toy component was Mattel’s design. This action left many customers wondering who was at fault and if they could trust Mattel again. While Mattel’s contracted manufactures should have been following the GMPs regulations set by the company, it is ultimately the responsibility of the company to ensure their employees are preforming to the proper standard. Parents just want to be sure that their young children will be safe playing with Mattel toys, even if the child puts the toy in its mouth. Establishing quality checks similar to Hasbro will enable Mattel to deliver a better regulated, and ultimately safer product to their customers. Exhibit D shows how where Mattel should place quality checks in their supply chain. Quality check one will ensure that the materials being sourced meet U.S. regulatory standards, even abroad. These types of checks could have helped Mattel avoid the lead paint recall. Quality check 2 ensures the overall standard of the product; this type of check could have helped the company avoid the flawed magnetic design recall. Having a global supply chain gives companies like Mattel many comparative advantages, such as lower production costs, but also comes with more responsibility to ensure product quality regulations. When Mattel failed to  take the proper precautions to thoroughly inspect their products they put young children at risk of exposure to hazardous materials. While this significantly damaged Mattel’s public reputation, the company can still take measures to improve its process. By implementing more quality inspections throughout their supply chain Mattel can avoid future scandals like the 2007 recalls, and gain back the trust of their customers. Exhibits: Exhibit A Mattel SWOT Analysis Exhibit B Exhibit C Mattel’s Supply Chain Exhibit D Mattel’s Improved Supply Chain Work Cited Vollmer, Sabine. â€Å"How to Become One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.† How to Become One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. CGMA Magazine, 27 Mar. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. â€Å"Toy Safety.† Safe Kids Worldwide RSS. Safe Kids Worldwide, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. Hill, Charles W. L. Global Business Today. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2006. Print. Teagarden, Mary. â€Å"Mattel’s China Experience: A Crisis in Toyland.† Mattel’s China Experience: A Crisis in Toyland (2007): n. pag. Print.

Debating Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Debating Public Policy - Essay Example However, the role of such organizations has been largely unnoticed since they fund advocacy groups (Weissert, Knott, 1995, Pp. 275). The policy process can play a significant role in safeguarding minority rights which involve protection of basic human rights such as freedom of speech and expression, freedom to choose and follow religion of choice and beliefs, freedom of seeking equal protection under the law, and the liberty to participate with equal strength and vigor in the public life of the society. The protection of rights of minorities is essential to the governments and policy makers to enable them to substantiate the cultural identity of the minorities as well as their social practices and traditions. The minorities may involve people belonging to ethnic backgrounds, following different religious beliefs and customs, as well as those who are geographically located in areas where their community is less in number, and differentiated on the basis of their income. Such groups are encouraged to participate in the policy making process to facilitate smoother functioning of governmental organizations and to mai ntain national and political integrity (America.gov, 2008). The prime objective of any public decision process revolves around protection of their individual as well as collective rights through promoting welfare of their society. The choice of an appropriate and suitable public policy is the key to bringing about the desired reforms and facilitating implementation of the policies that promote and initiate welfare and overall socio –economic development of their societies. The establishment of a customary perception is assisted by increased familiarity of the social fabric of the community at large. The heightened knowledge about the existence of pre requisites which hampers the social life in a complicated metropolitan environment is reflective of conflict (Cohnstaedt, 1966,

PERSONAL PSYCHONALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

PERSONAL PSYCHONALYSIS - Essay Example She did not receive much of an education, finally receiving her GED while I was in the 8th grade, and ultimately still struggles with the idea of being a grandmother. I am currently continuing my education at age forty without much encouragement from her; she feels as though I should bet a â€Å"real† job like my sister. However, I will begin my life story from the beginning. My mother was a single mother who had four children of whom I am the oldest. We are each from different Biological fathers but were all adopted by the man who we have always known as our father, when I was nine years old. This man was truly a source of love and inspiration for me, though he is now deceased. I have often been told that I look a great deal like him and that at times I resemble him in actions and mannerisms. He was quite musically inclined and was also a retiree of the US AIR force. I feel that he has left a permanent impression on me and will always be missed. In high school, I was a cheerleader with an outgoing and jovial demeanor. I suffered however from bulimia nervosa, and was hospitalized because of it. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder which is characterized by bingeing and purging behaviors, with the most purging behaviors generally consisting of induced vomiting, fasting, laxatives, enemas, diuretics, and over exercising. This disease dominated my life from the ages of fourteen till sixteen. I did not date until after I left home. While my friends were out having fun, I worked in the fields at home. I did not attend my own prom. Throughout my childhood and teens, the answer to almost every question asked of my mother was â€Å"because I said so†. This left me feeling frequently frustrated and even ignored. During my teen years, my grandmother became rather ill, requiring my grandparents to move in with us. My grandmother and I shared a bed until one night when she passed away in her sleep. I feel that my mother

Reading Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Questions - Essay Example Education is the foundation of our current global economy which is driven by knowledge. Many Americans enjoy the privilege of obtain student visas to study in renounce universities outside the United States. Student visas foster professional development by allowing foreign people to study in the United States. The knowledge economy of the 21st needs more people to sacrifice themselves studying in order to improve themselves. There should be any imposition on student visas and the government should create new mechanism to make it easier for foreign student to stay in the US once the graduate. There is a shortage of talent in the US, thus keeping these professionals contributing to our economy once they graduate is in the US best interest. Based on the assumption that immigrants created cost for US taxpayers a remedy for this situation is to create a special tax bracket for illegal immigrants so that can contribute to our fiscal situation. Another way for immigrants to contribute to our economy is by creating special programs in which immigrants would have to volunteer their time free of charge to contribute towards social causes. Another way to generate income towards the national economy is to place a price on visas. For example a visa can cost a person $10,000; the money would not have to be paid up front in order to eliminate discrimination against poor people. The immigrants would have to pay the fee by working legally in the United States while their visa is valid. These strategies would be independent of the criteria to become a legal resident. There are differences between the immigrants now and the immigrants from a century ago. A100 years ago the United States was not as populated and it actually needed the immigrant labor to meet the demand for jobs. Nowadays the US economy is not even able to create jobs for its own residents. The