A Risk Assessment on My Comrade's Suicide-Potential Essay

A Risk Assessment on My Comrade's Suicide-Potential - Essay Example I had, and continue to have, a good share of risks -- be it at school, work, home, or community for which I serve. However, there are still those risky experiences or scenarios which seemed to test my core values and character, as a whole. One particular scenario, which this paper attempted to examine, is an encounter with my comrade’s attempted suicide. Description My comrade had been deployed for the longest time (around six years) in Base X and considers the base his second home. Though, as a soldier, he recognized and was trained to understand the mobilized nature of a soldier’s life. He still felt unprepared after being informed of re-assignment. He was not only re-assigned to some far place, but also singled out of our troop (since only he was qualified for the particular mission). He was to spend one final week with us before his re-assignment. On the first two days, I observed his covert display of depression. With these observations, I resolved to profoundly ch eck on him. Potential Consequences Mandel (2007) defined risk as referring â€Å"to the expected loss associated with an event† (p. 14). At that time, it was what I saw as a consequence of my comrade’s depression and my probable lack of intervention -- the loss of his life and the guilt-stricken me. These potential consequences plagued and pushed me not to leave him alone and check on accessible firearms he could use. The Department of Health and Human Services (2001) acknowledged an individual’s â€Å"responsibility to intervene in a timely and effective manner† on suicide attempts (p. 78). Reflecting back, I seemed to strongly identify myself as having that responsibility. Probabilities Apart from his covert efforts in displaying depression, his words had a consistent sad tint in it. Though he tries to be elusive about how he feels or what he thinks, â€Å"out-of-character comments† would eventually slip. Phrases like, â€Å"it’s never go nna be the same,† or â€Å"I think I’m weary† got followed with deep sighs and a sarcastic or cynical smile. In other words, though my comrade made an effort on sounding alright, his body language illustrate how he genuinely felt. On the days that followed, he showed signs of withdrawal. Our troop-mates would shrug at this and say that his just preparing to get used to it. However, I just went more suspicious. At one time, I saw him clean his rifle; and though cleaning is part of our routine, I cannot help but notice the way he looked at it -- it was with reverence and gloom. All of my observations accounted to the higher probability of his suicidal attempt. Impact The risk factors I identified did not just have an impact on me and my comrade. The impact of the probable consequences will surely ricochet to his family, to our troop, and direct head. Though the possible taking of his own life is his decision; we, as part of our comrade’s support system, do h ave an immense culpability in fostering a ‘distanced environment’ that allows him to commit suicide. Risk Scale and Assessment On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is no risk and 10 is the devastating loss of material assets or life, my assessment of the risk involved in this solution (i.e. my intervention) is 8. If my theory was wrong (i.e. his not going to commit suicide), then he would just laugh it off, recognize me as a true, caring comrade, and I would be extremely relieved. If my theory was right, then it would be crucial to be careful in my intervention. If I were hasty, or

Political Institutions Essay Example for Free

Political Institutions Essay The parliament which is officially known as the European Parliament is the only union’s body that directly elected. It is made up of 785 members who are elected for five year terms by universal suffrage and are determined by the political loyalty. By virtue of being the only elected body of the union, parliament reflects the more than 500 million citizen’s wishes, however, it has relatively weaker power as compared to the council in some areas such having the absolute legislative   powers. Its powers include co-owning the legislative and budgetary authority of the union with the council. Further, it has power over the commission which the council do not enjoy and hence earning it the praises that it is the most powerful and democratic legislature in the globe. [Parliament overview, 2007] Its current president who also doubles as its speaker is Hans-Gert Pottering elected in 2007. The council of the European Union which was also known as the Council of Ministers due to its composition, it is composed of national ministers, one per nation, who meets various capacities depending with the issue to be discussed e.g. if it is security matters being discussed then the respective ministers in charge of security matters in every nation attends the council. It co-holds both the legislative and budgetary powers with the parliament, and further it holds the executive powers, making it the main decision making organ of the EU. The power of the council is however, kept at bay through a rotating kind of its leadership, its presidency rotates between the member states every six months and therefore preventing any attempts to override the mandate of the council over the other unions institutions. Again, the decision making is subject to voting with majority or unanimity being set as the requirements, with the votes being allocated by the ratio of population. The council’s power also extends to the control of the other two pillars of the union namely; the common Foreign and Security Policy and the Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal matters. [The Council of the European Union, 2007] The commission of the European Communities forms the executive arm of the union; its composition includes one member each from the union’s states i.e. twenty seven. The members are elected on condition that they will not represent their respective national interests. The body’s main duty is to draft all the law of the union and has a monopoly of legislative inventiveness within the European Community pillar; however, the laws are subject to approval by both the parliament and the council. Again, its powers extend to overseeing the daily  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   activities of the union and also it has got a duty to up hold the law and treaties and hence playing the role of a â€Å"Guardian of the Treaties† that makeup the union. Its powers are put to check by the fact that the president who is the commissions head is nominated by the council and approved by the parliament. Other members of the commission who are known as the commissioners are proposed by member states in consultation with the commission’s president and again approved by the parliament. The commission’s current president is Jose Manuel Baroso who together with his commission was elected into office in 2004. [Institutions: Commission, 2007]   This is the supreme court of justice of the European Communities also known as the European Court of Justice; it acts on Union law matters. It is composed of twenty seven judges one apiece from the member states, the court president is chosen (elected) from among the 27, currently Vassilos Skouris is the occupier of the post. The courts major role is to make sure that the Union law is adhered to by all the member states, its supremacy is seen on the fact that the Union law overrides national laws of members nations. For instance in 2001 it ruled that a section of the national constitution of Germany was not in order with the Union law because it barred women from engaging in military roles. [20] The court of justice does not act all alone in matters concerning the Union law; it is assisted by two lesser courts known as the Court of First Instance of the European Communities (CFI) and Civil Service Tribunal. [Institutions: Court of Justice, 2007] The sensitivity of fraud cases and the fact that the Union’s Budget involved large amounts of money, an auditing body was necessary; the court of auditors is responsible for the monitoring of the expenditure of the union and preparing yearly audits on the Union’s budget. Its name does not necessarily imply any legal or judicial powers but it gives views on legislations that involve financial matters. It is composed of one member apiece from the union members and who are appointed by the council every six years, with the president being elected every three years from among them, currently Hubert Weber occupies the seat. [Institutions: Court of Auditors, 2007] With new laws and treaties being enacted chiefly to accommodate new members and new ideologies and partly to streamline the functioning of the Unions institutions, new institutions have been proposed to be created. Under Lisbon Treaty of Changes the following institutions are proposed; the European Council, which has been formerly acting as an informal body under the Council â€Å"of ministers†. Its inception will see it assuming the executive powers that were initially the preserve of the council of ministers and therefore becoming the highest political body of the Union. Other powers will include delineating the Union’s policy agenda and creating the momentum for integration, other features will be similar to that of the council of ministers. The other proposed institution is the European Central Bank, this bank is tipped to represent the interests of the euro-zone i.e. the fifteen states that have adopted the euro, and the main idea behind the formation of this body is to induce fiscal controls in order to sustain price stability. Its governance will include a board made national bank governors and a president appointed by the European Council; currently Jean-Claude Trichet is the president. [Draft Treaty modifying, 2007] The European Union system of government though unique can be likened to other models of governance, for instance, Germany’s federalism and the Swiss federal council where power is principally shared between the state and the federal government with the states having a principal say in the decision making process even at the federal level unlike in US where powers are clearly divided between the state and the federal government with the state having limited say over decision making process. The rotating presidency, the choice of lesser cities to host the headquarters of the Community Institutions, the spreading of executive powers between the institutions, are some of the   equal representation measures employed by the EU. [Borzel, Tanja A, 2002]    References:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   EU Law Blog, available at;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://eulaw.typad.com, accessed on November 26, 2008 Merging of the executives, available at;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.enalu?lang=2doc=473, accessed on November 26, 2008 EUR-Lex: Treaties, available at;

Explore the range of linguistic and stylistic effects Essay Example for Free

Explore the range of linguistic and stylistic effects Essay Remind yourself of Act II Scene I beginning with the first speech by Owen, Now where have we got to? to the end of Hughs speech, Gentlemen. [he leaves]. Explore the range of linguistic and stylistic effects used here by Friel to bring out the central themes and issues of the play. In the play Translations Brian Friel explores many issues, one of which is the process of naming. The play is based on the introduction of the first Ordnance Survey, bringing with it the inevitability of anglicizing place names. In the extract naming is emphasised by constant references to various places in Ireland, and their English equivalents; for example Bun na hAbhann Burnfoot! . The link between a place and historical events is also emphasised; And you place names-what was the one we came across this morning? -Termon, from Terminus, the god of boundaries. The theme of naming is very closely linked to the loss which occurs as a result. As place names are anglicized, something is lost. Communities such as Baile Beag lose their cultural and political identities, and the original meaning is distorted. Friel used the theme of naming to highlight this loss of identity within the Irish community. The importance of names is also stressed in the repetition of place names: Owen: Bun na hAbhann Yolland: Again Owen: Bun na hAbhann Yolland: Bun na hAbhann Friel uses mapping, both literally and metaphorically, in order to convey his ideas. The actual mapping for the Ordnance Survey is maintained by Owens constant gesture of referring to the map which he and Yolland are working from. This is shown in the stage direction Owen returns to the map. Gestures such as this are used to great effect by Friel. Mapping is used metaphorically through Hughs speech, where, using the semantic field of geography, he talks of a linguistic contour and landscape of fact. The metaphor of codes is also used by Friel to express the complexity of language, and to express the idea that although one may learn a language, the true language of a community and the secrets which it holds are often difficult to decode. However, Friel does offer some hope, as Owen, Manus and Hugh have all learnt to decode the English language. Hugh is a character who, although is slightly self-deluded, is also a learned person. He speaks with intelligence, and always in Standard English; I like to think we endure around truths immemorially posited. Hugh often uses linguistic terms, such as a syntax opulent with tomorrows, and makes use of an analogy-you dont dispose of the cow just because it has produced a magnificent calf, do you? -in order to communicate his message to Yolland. Hugh is an educated man, who uses many literary features in his everyday speech, and is one of the few characters who realises Irelands inevitable future. This shows Friels desire to emphasise the importance of education for the new, modern world.

Transportation In Malaysian Context

Transportation In Malaysian Context Unlike most other Asian cities, driving is the main mode of commuting in Kuala Lumpur. Hence, every part of the city is well connected by highways. As the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur has a comprehensive road network that leads to the rest of Peninsular Malaysia. Public transport in Kuala Lumpur and the rest of the Klang Valley covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. Based on the article Prasarana to buy trains worth RM1.2bil by The Star in 2006, despite efforts to promote usage of public transportation, utilisation rates are low as only 16 percent of the population used public transportation. Rail transport in Kuala Lumpur encompasses light rail, rapid transit, monorail and commuter rail. Kuala Lumpur is served by three separate rail systems which meet in the city and extend towards other parts of the Klang Valley, namely RapidKL Light Rail Transit, KL Monorail, and KTM Komuter. These lines have underground, elevated or at-grade stations around the city. The main rapid transit hub is KL Sentral which facilitates as an interchange station for the rail systems. RapidKL is the operator of two light rail lines in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, namely Ampang Line and Kelana Jaya Line which connect Kuala Lumpur to its satellite city, Petaling Jaya. The issue of what transport system in Kuala Lumpur City Centre and Petaling Jaya has today is, people are too lazy. They are lazy to walk so they decided to park their car as close as they can to their destination. They are lazy to find car parks so they park at road shoulders, causing congestion to the drivers and also an obstacle for pedestrians and cyclists. They are lazy to walk a few miles to the nearest LRT station to go to city centre and opt to go there by car instead, despite the massive traffic especially during early morning and late evening. But they are okay with it. Because no matter how they said they hate the traffic, they would still go out using their cars, and put up hours on the road, wasting precious times. So why would these people, simply put up with the traffic that they hate so much and deceiving the fact that they have the multi-million Ringgit worth of PUTRA LRT, which is one of the most advanced rapid transit systems in the world, and at the time of construction was the worlds longest driverless metro. Because if they travel with LRT, it may not stop approximately at their destination. Theres this term, faced by the LRT users, which are called first mile and last mile. And Malaysian hates this. So they prefer to sit in their little air-conditioned steel boxes which move slower than a bike during peak hours. Because of peoples love for their cars, finding a solution to the question of access to these buildings, to avoid being surrounded by a sea of parked cars, is therefore an important part of the problem. According to Brian Richards in his book Future Transport in the cities (1960), he summed up the approaches that being used towards dealing with traffic problems in the cities by the authorities. These approaches are: There is a serious and effective grass roots opposition in most countries to more urban road-building on the basis that more roads mean more traffic. Within residential areas there has been the development of traffic calming and town yards. Controls on parking within city centres has effectively reduced and controlled the amount of traffic entering cities. Planning laws are banning more out of town shopping centres or random car-oriented developments. Public transport has been maintained and improved, without which any of the other measures would be effective. Although these measures were introduced, there are problems with the continuing growth of cars, the political strength of car lobby and the desire for people to own and use their own cars. In this selfish world, people love their cars. It gives them a retreat from the real world which partly accounts for their popularity. It provides them with a degree of comfort and privacy for the user, which public transportation did not have. It allows the user to go straight to their destination without having the hassle to change stations or switch mediums like public transportations do. As a result, these cars caused the most problems to city life. It is now that alternative ways must be sought to provide transportation systems that are good enough for people to opt out for it and leave their cars for major trips like going back to their kampung and road trips. Another reason that makes people opt for cars is the lack connectivity of LRT in Petaling Jaya area. Realising the problem, the Government of Malaysia is now working on a Malaysia Rapid Transit project. The proposal was announced in June 2010 and was approved by the government of Malaysia in December 2010. The newly-launched Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) will oversee and coordinate the entire MRT development in terms of cost and viability, alignment and integration, and will play the role of regulator once the project is completed. National infrastructure company, Syarikat Prasarana Negara would ultimately own and operate the MRT. A First Class Land Public Transport System Contributes to Social and Economic Development Historical data in Malaysia and around the world indicates a correlation between GDP and mobility growth increased population, employment and economic activity always translate into higher mobility requirements. In this context, a first class land public transport system is especially important given our immediate aims as outlined in the ETP: 6 per cent annual growth and 3.3 million new jobs by 2020. Travel vehicle demand grew from 13 million trips per day in 1991 to 40 million in 2010. Projections point towards this trend continuing in Malaysia, with the figure expected to reach a staggering 133 million in 2030.With urbanization expected to reach 70 per cent by 2020, there is a need to enable an efficient and smooth flow of people, which in turn also enables the growth of new urban areas through increased connectivity. Beyond satisfying a growing demand, land public transport plays a catalytic role in accelerating and shaping economic growth. Provision of effective public transport services has the potential of opening up new growth clusters, enhancing the attractiveness of existing clusters, and driving urban revitalization. And there are other positive spill-over effects of increased economic activity built upon an advanced land public transport network it yields employment and business opportunities in local economies by having synergies with other industries like advertisement, retail and property development. Malaysia has seen a surge in ownership of cars and motorcycles across the country, which is an indication of our countrys increased prosperity, but although private vehicles contribute to the mobility solution, sustainable and inclusive social and economic development cannot be overly dependent on private vehicles. As a general rule, public transportation is more affordable and mitigate traffic congestion as well as the attendant pollution problems caused by private vehicles on the road. All this puts tremendous pressure on the land public transport system to meet the mobility and connectivity requirements closely linked to the social and economic development agenda. Public Transport Masterplan which was being proposed recently. MY Rapid Transit (MRT) is a proposed three-line Mass Rapid Transit system in the Klang Valley. The MRT will be integrated with the LRT, Monorail, KTM Komuter and intra/ intercity buses and will help alleviate traffic congestion by increasing the number of people using public transport in the city centre. When operational, the system targets to carry 400,000 commuters daily. In 2020, it is estimated that the population in the Klang Valley will grow from the current 6 million to 10 million. This means that if every single trip is on private transport, the roads in the Klang Valley will be in gridlock. An effective public transport system is the only solution to this as it can move people in masses and it has an optimal usage of space to carry the same number of people. Rail-based public transport, such as the MRT, LRT or commuter train, always forms the backbone of a citys public transport system as it can carry large numbers of people and can move people quickly because it is not hindered by road traffic. Klang Valley currently has a shortage of rail-based public transport coverage compared with most public transport-oriented cities. It has less than 20km per million population. Public transport-oriented cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong and London have more than 40km of rail per million population. With the MRT, it will boost the rail-based public transport coverage in Klang Valley significantly. The first line of this project is the Sungai Buloh Kajang Line (SBK Line), which stretches 51km and have 31 stations. The line will pass through the city centre and will serve densely populated suburban areas including Kota Damansara, Mutiara Damansara, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Bukit Damansara, Cheras, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn and Balakong, with a total catchment population of 1.2 million people. Out of the 31 stations, 16 stations will be equipped with Park and Ride facilities: Sungai Buloh Maluri Pusat Bandar Damansara Kota Damansara Taman Bukit Mewah Bandar Tun Hussein Onn Taman Industri Sungai Buloh Plaza Phoenix Taman Koperasi Taman Tun Dr Ismail Taman Suntex Saujana Impian Seksyen 16 Taman Cuepacs Kajang Works on the MRT SBK line has begun in July 2011 and is expected to be completed by 2017. The Klang Valley MRT will not only significantly increase the current inadequate rail network but will also serve to integrate the existing rail networks and expectantly alleviate the severe traffic congestion in the Greater KL metropolitan area. The new MRT system is to radically improve and transform Kuala Lumpurs poor and sorely inadequate public transportation coverage and to propel the Greater Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area to be on par with that of a developed city. The new lines will increase Greater Kuala Lumpurs rapid rail network from 15 km per million people in 2010 to 40 km per million people once completed. The proposal also envisages a fivefold increase in rail ridership, in line with the governments target for public transport usage in the Klang Valley of 40% by 2020 from 18% in 2009. The Red Line will go from Damansara in the northwest to Serdang in the southeast of Kuala Lumpur, While the Green Line will be from Kepong in the northeast to Cheras in the southwest. Bot h lines will pass through the city of Kuala Lumpur and converge at the Dataran Perdana (Kuala Lumpur International Financial District) near Jalan Tun Razak. The underground MRT Line 2 looping around the city of Kuala Lumpur will serve an important role to tie-up and integrate the currently disjointed LRT and monorail lines. Under the Greater KL/ Klang Valley Land Public Transport Master Plan draft, MRT 2 would cater for orbital movements around Kuala Lumpur, provide linkages to existing areas such as the Mid Valley, Mont Kiara, Sentul Timur and Ampang, as well as proposed major developments identified in the DBKL City Plan such as Matrade. The master plan draft says the circle line would be developed in at least two phases The first, comprising 29km with 22 stations would be the western and southern sections linking Ampang with Mid Valley, Matrade and Sentul. The second phase (12km with 8 stations) would link Ampang with Sentul Timur, completing the northeastern sector of the circle line. The master plan also says MRT 3 or the north-south (NS) line would cater for a north-west corridor of the Greater Klang Valley, linking developing areas such as Sungai Buloh, Kepong and Selayang with the eastern half of the city centre (including Kampung Baru and Kuala Lumpur International Financial District), which was forecast to be overloaded in the future. Sustainably Enhancing Connectivity Public transport has an important role to play in Malaysias aspirations to develop holistically and sustainably. As populations in urban centres get denser, the problems of congestion and pollution will rise. Proper planning of public transport and land-use are essential to mitigate the ill-effects of population growth in urban areas and to make city-life a pleasant, healthy and environmentally sustainable one. Under the Final Draft of Malaysias National Land Public Transport Masterplan, chapter 3.7 ABOUT BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE states that policy 3.7.1 is to promote healthy living. One of the indirect benefits of using land public transport systems is that they indirectly promote healthier lifestyles. This is because when the public transportation hubs are well connected, the first and last miles of a public transport users journey are typically travelled by foot, rather than in a car or on a motorcycle. The stretch between the public transport station and the users origin or destination is crucial to reduce the barrier of using public transport in the first place. †¢ Pedestrian facilities improvement to bus stops and railway stations will be encouraged as part of the local authority development plans. Walking structures should be defined around transit stops to increase the convenience of those locations. To enhance the accessibility of KLà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s public transport network, a target has been set of having 75 per cent of the population live within 400 meters of a public transport stop. In addition to ensuring ease of access to the major transport nodes for pedestrians, fitting in cyclist-friendly infrastructure such as bicycle parking facilities and bicycle lanes will make it easier and more attractive for people to ride to the stations or interchanges. It will also increase the catchment area of these bus interchanges or rail stations as people living further away would not be put off by having to walk a distance to take public transport. policy 3.7.1 : Final Draft of Malaysiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s National Land Public Transport Masterplan First, lets take Singapore as a reference in terms of public transportation usage and connectivity. It is easy to take Singapore as a reference to this study because of its climate is the same as Malaysia and taking Kuala Lumpur City Centre and Petaling Jaya as a place of study, it is almost similar to Singapore in terms of urbanization. Then again, how did Singapore able to encourage their people to use their public transportation? Although the approach of Singaporean government is not through cycling, however, it is still beneficial to review their integrated transport system and compare with our own transportation system. In terms of connectivity, public transportation in Singapore is highly connected all over its main town to its suburbs. Since Singapore is a small town with a high density of population, it is possible to do so. Furthermore, because of its size, it is possible to enforce restrictions on private car ownership this, curbing congestion and pollution. To own a car, one must pay duty one and a half times the market value and bid for a Singapore Certificate of Entitlement which comes in very limited numbers. Therefore, according to Singapores department of statistics, only 1 very 10 people own a car. Within the absence of private cars, Singaporeans seems to live normally and manage their time effectively, to catch up with the public transportations schedule. Singaporeans usually travels either by bus, taxis, trains, or maybe a combination and some of them might cycle. Although according to Tan Mike Tze in a chapter of the book THE JOURNEY: Singapores Land Transportation Story (2005), he says Singaporeans does not like the idea of pedal-powered bicycle as it is too hot and humid, the traffic is dangerous to the cyclist and so on. Also, generally bicycles are used by construction workers, say some. In the book, Tan Mike Tze has this thought where he wants people to imagine a world where everybody goes to work by bicycles or walking or public transportation and their companies are encouraging it by providing showers and changing room facilities allow people to freshen up before starting their work. A world with dedicated lanes and protected side road reserves for the bicycles. A world where the roads are dominated by cyclists and pedestrians and cars have to give way to them. Imagine the health benefits, environmental friendliness and sheer graciousness in such a world. In Petaling Jaya, there are already bicycle paths and bicycle parkings at bus stops, being integrated as part of a residential areas streetscape in Damansara Jaya. Although not many people have come to know about these facilities, it is actually a part of Petaling Jayas Green City big plan, where they are trying to decrease the carbon footprints produced and reduce the use of private motorised vehicles on the road. The bicycle path in Damansara Jaya is the pioneer project which tries to communicates urban parks within the Petaling Jaya area. Even though it was meant for recreation, it indirectly helps the cyclist to safely commute within that area. Children can now cycle to school without having their parents to worry about their safety on the road, thus, reducing the number of cars on the road during 7.00 am to 7.30 am and 2.00pm to 3.30pm. It is a very good example set up by the Petaling Jaya Municipalities on how to manage traffic in urban areas. Singapores transport planners have occasionally toyed with this idea. The Registry of Vehicles stopped registering bicycles in 1981, but a 1955 estimate reckoned Singaporean owned about 240 bicycles per 1000 population. This puts Singapore sixth in a table with other developed countries, a table inevitably topped by the developing worlds most devoted cyclist, in Holland, with its 550 bicycles per 1000 people. But ownership does not equate with usage, of course. Most bicycles use in Singapore is recreational, and often the bikes belong to a child or teenagers but not working adults. There already is a good network of recreational bike paths in parkland areas. But only 1% of Singaporean trips were made on bicycles in 1995, way below the most other countries. In many admittedly cooler European countries, up to 50% of rail travellers and perhaps 20% of bus travellers may arrive at the station or terminus on a bicycle. There certainly are valid safety concerns, given the current configuration of Singapores roads; while only 1% trips were made by bicycle, the percentage of road accident casualties for cyclists is disproportionately large, at about 4%. But these conditions could be changed. The cyclist could be protected via dedicated lanes or paths among other strategies. Road planners, of course, panic that they are already short enough of land for road-building, without sacrificing any more for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-frills such as bicycle lanes. For engineers, all the glamour lies in rail. To some extent, this mindset can be seen in the 1996 White Paper A World Class Land Transport System. In this report, bicycles are relegated to a brief paragraph at the back, under the general heading Supporting Measures. The provision of more facilities for bicycles would encourage short trips of about 3km within housing estates, and possibly to the nearest MRT stations as well. It is the strength of this lobby to create future demand that ultimately will determine whether the planners really embrace the bicycle. The Land Transport Authority, had provided some 869 bicycles at 38 MRT stations by 1997, but it seems significant that bicycles did not feature in the LTA annual report after that, and that a search of the current LTA website under bicycle- does not yield any information. How much friendlier and nicer our roads and public spaces would it be if more of us paddled around on bicycles instead of sitting high and aloof in our four-wheeled steel boxes. It will require a national cycling strategy integrated into the national transport, health and environmental policy. The such master plan will provide for necessary infrastructure such as traffic signs and bicycle parkings, redesign roads and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾traffic calmingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ measures in built up areas and school zones to slow down motor traffic. It will require some changes to the law, most importantly, it will require safety education and training for all road users. Chin Yih Ling, Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s Today Newspaper, 17 January 2005 According to existing cyclists, cycling in early in the morning and late afternoon hours could be much more comfortable than walking as they can feel the breeze during riding the bike and the temperature of the surrounding is quite cool. It would extend the catchment of the LRT stations of more than 45% walking, thus making cycling a better option than walking. In Malaysia, people are allowed to take motorcycle license as early at the age of 16 and car license at the age of 18. Malaysia has cheap petrols, subsidized by the government, lots of highways and wide roads to occupy the needs of urban transportation. Therefore, people here cant seem to find a reason to not own a car or ride one. Thus, the existence of bicycle is forgotten. Even kids are demanding to be sent and invited back home by cars. Bicycles in Kuala Lumpur city centre and Petaling Jaya are now merely for recreations, where people brought their bicycle by cars, to the urban parks, and ride it there for the sake of heal th benefits they claim. There are even peoples, who strived the congested roads every day after work, for the sake of riding a stationary bicycle at the gym, also, for the health benefits. Figure 2.1.3 Copenhagen, Denmark, Mao showing 300km of cycle paths provided beside all existing regional roads and distributor streets, used by 30% of commuters daily. New cycle routes are being built, aimed at increasing the length of average cycle trips from 5 to 15km. For those who arent cycling, the idea of having a dedicated bike path would make them think as if it was a waste of space and resources. But looking things at a bigger picture, having dedicated bicycle paths would encourage more people to cycle as it ensures the cyclists safety on the road. When more people cycles, the dependency on private cars lessens thus, reducing the number of cars on the road, and releasing the traffics pressure, especially during peak hour. With just a few millions spent on providing bicycle-oriented facilities such as painting the paths and providing bicycle parking, and give 1.5 metre minimum from the existing roads to these bike paths instead of spending billions on building more highways and flyovers the government could save billions more and able to spend it to increase the performance of existing public transportations such as increasing the number of coaches to the train to allow more people to enjoy the ride, increasing the number of trains and platforms to allow more frequent trips and better connectivity to places throughout the city. 2.2 Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital of Malaysia. The city covers an area of 243KM ² and has an estimated population of 1.6 million as of 2012. At 1999, the administrative centre of Malaysia was shifted to Putrajaya as an approach to release the population pressure of Kuala Lumpur. Started as a tin mining town, Kuala Lumpur evolves rapidly as among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country, in terms of population and economy Malaysia. After the big flood swept through the town following a fire that had engulfed it earlier in 1881, Kapitan Yap Ah Loy restructured the building layout of the city into new brick buildings with clay tiles inspired by shophouses in southern China, characterised by five foot ways as well as skilled Chinese carpentry work. This resulted in a distinct eclectic shop house architecture typical of this region. A railway line increased accessibility into the growing town. As the development intensified in the 1890s, Kapitan Yap Ah Loy spent a sum of $20,000 to expand road access in the city significantly, linking up tin mines with the city, these roads include the main arterial roads of Ampang Road, Pudu Road and Petaling Street. Climate and weather Protected by the Titiwangsa Mountains in the east and Indonesias Sumatra Island in the west, Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya has a tropical rainforest climate which is hot and humid all year round. Average temperatures tend to remain constant between 31 and 33  °C and typically receives minimum 2,600 mm of rain annually. Flooding is a frequent occurrence in both cities whenever there is a heavy downpour, especially in the city centre and downstream areas. Dust particles from forest fires from nearby Sumatra sometimes cast a haze over the region. It is a major source of pollution in the city together with open burning, emission from motor vehicles and construction works. 2.3 Petaling Jaya Petaling Jaya is a city in Selangor originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur, comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district with First developed by the British on the former 486 hectares Effingham Estate,as an answer to the problem of overpopulation in Kuala Lumpur in 1952 and has since witnessed a dramatic growth in terms of population size and geographical importance. The migration from Kuala Lumpur to the Petaling area had indeed started before the town was officially named in 1953 as Petaling Jaya. The satellite town began to take shape in 1952 when 800 houses were built and another 200 under construction. By the end of 1957, there were well over 3,200 houses in Petaling Jaya, along with more than 100 shops and 28 operating factories. The year also saw the opening of the first phase of the Federal Highway (Lebuhraya Persekutuan) which divided Petaling Jaya into two. Linking Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Port Klang, it enhanced PJs reputation as a strategically located town, particularly in the eyes of industrialists and the affluent searching for prime residential land. Transportation facilities and infrastructure are well developed in Petaling Jaya. Bus services were initially provided by Sri Jaya between the early 1950s until the early 1990s. The mid-eighties saw the introduction of minibuses. The introduction of the IntraKota bus system by DRB-Hicom saw the replacement of Sri Jaya and the minibus by the early 1990s. At the same time, some of the Petaling Jaya-Kuala Lumpur bus routes were also serviced by Metrobus. The introduction of the Putra LRT service in 1998 saw the addition of the Putraline feeder bus services. The combination of Putraline and Putra LRT brought a relief to many Petaling Jaya residents especially those who had had to rely on public transportation. In 2006 RapidKL took over the operations of IntraKota as well as both Star and Putra LRT. Today, public transportation is provided by RapidKL in the form of buses as well as the KL Light Rail Transit System Kelana Jaya Line, which extends slightly into Petaling Jaya. There are five Kelana Jaya Line stations in Petaling Jaya.Petaling Jaya has three access points to the national highway system North-South Expressway via Kota Damansara, Damansara, and Subang. Internally, highways such as the Damansara-Puchong Expressway, Sprint Expressway and the Federal Highway also exist. There are plans for extensions to the existing Klang Valley light rail transit network with a new 30 km line from Kota Damansara in the northern part of Petaling Jaya to Cheras (southern Kuala Lumpur) with stops in Mutiara Damansara and Taman Tun Dr Ismail, to name a few. The extension line which would connect to Subang Jaya, the Kelana Jaya Line, will start operation on April 2011 and expected to be completed in 2013. 2.4 Cycling In The City Before the economy of Malaysia blooms and the first national car, Proton Saga, was launched in July 1985 by Malaysias then Prime Minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad, cars is a luxury to many, and cycle is the most common medium of transportation. Peoples daily travel distances were shorter and the city is more friendly towards people, rather than machines. People in those days treated cycling as part of their utility, rather than a hobby. Utility or transportational cycling generally involves travelling short and medium distances, which involves a few kilometres and not more, often in an urban environment. It includes commuting to work, school or university, going shopping and running errands, as well as heading out to see friends and family or for other social activities. It also includes economic activity such as the delivering of goods or services. In big cities, the bicycle courier has been often a familiar feature, and freight bicycles are capable of competing with trucks and vans particularly where many small deliveries are required, especially in congested areas. In Yokohama, Japan, bicycle also being used as a medium of public transportation through services called Velotaxi. Similar to the old days rickshaw, Velotaxi provides environmental friendly transport to its user and is actually one of the main tourist attractions in the city. Utility cycling is believed to have several social and economic benefits. According to a report by the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Cycling in Netherlandsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-, policies that encourage utility cycling have been proposed and implemented for reasons including: Improved public health Individual health and employers profits A reduction in traffic congestion and air pollution Improvements in road traffic safety Improved quality of life Improved mobility and social inclusiveness Benefits to child development In the Chinese city of Beijing alone, there are an estimated four million bicycles in use based on article à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢China ends bicycle kingdom as embracing cars, China Daily on 11th November 2004, which stated it has been estimated that in the early-1980s there were approximately 500 million cyclists in China). While in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢A Study on Measures to Promote Bicycle Usage in Japan Department of Civil Engineering, Utsunomiya University, as of the year 2000, there were an estimated 80 million bicycles in Japan, accounting for 17% of commuter trips, and also, in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Cycling in Netherlandsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- report, stated in the Netherlands, 27% of all trips are made by bicycle. Figure 2.4.3 A common type bicycle in Japan where it comes with front and rear-mounted child seats. Source: Authors own Factors That Influence Levels of Utility Cycling According to a book by Grà ©gory Vandenbulcke-Plasschaert, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Spatial Analysis of Bicycle Use and Accident Risks for Cyclistsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-, many different factors combine to influence levels of utility cycling.In developing economies, a large amount of utility cycling may be seen simply because the bicycle is the most affordable form of vehicular transport available to many people. In richer countries, where people can have the choice of a mixture of transport types, a complex interplay of other factors influences the level of bicycle usage. Factors affecting cycling levels may include: Quality of infrastructure, such as the availability of bike path, safe parkings,etc. Retail policy Marketing the public image of cycling Integration with other transport modes Cycle training Terrain condition which influences bikeability Distance to destin

Little Credibility Found in The Captain’s Quarterly Blog :: Website Evaluation Blog Blogging

Little Credibility Found in The Captain’s Quarterly Blog Captain Ed allows his emotions to overflow after Media Matters for America accuses Sinclair Broadcasting Group of partisan news programming. Sinclair airs The Point, a commentary featuring Mark Hyman, the spokesman and overseer of all of Sinclair’s Washington lobbing. Sinclair. Most of Sinclair’s 62 Stations are required to air every night during their local news. Captain Ed stated with an excellent argument, but quickly lost his credibility with name calling and childishness but even more with his ability to ignore logic and dispute truth with no relevant backing. Emotion can be a powerful tool in writing, if it can be harnessed and put into words. On the other side, emotion left unchecked, can destroy an entire work. The appeal of pathos and ethos in this essay did all the work for the opposing view. What is the best way to win an argument? Captain Ed will say it is to as quickly as possible call the people whom one is arguing against â€Å"lunatics† (Captains Quarters Blog 1). This is precisely what was done. When doing this the point that is being made is lost. It now has become a credibility issue. When writing an argument it is only logical to think the intended audience is the opposite view. Why would a writer blatantly attack its own audience? No the reader is trying to understand the other opinion not get verbally assaulted. Logic is necessary in any kind of argument. With out it the reader will only become confused and weary of any further reading of the authors. Captain Ed excellently points out that, â€Å"MMA and the rest of the lunatics seem to have overlooked one thing: The Point is a commentary, an editorial that does not pretend to be news reporting. Sinclair advertises it as such. In effect, MMA seeks to condemn Sinclair for doing exactly what newspapers and broadcast stations have done for decades -- editorialize as owners see fit† (Captains 1). This is an excellent example of a well written logos appeal. It is true commentary is editorial and bias but not news. However, the fact that was left out is really more important. These commentaries are aired during the local news. The local news is on every night for people to tune in and get a non bias report of what is going on around them. For Sinclair to force stations to air a biased commentary during the news is illogical.

Essay --

Statement of Purpose Program Applied: Computing Science MSc - Course Work Option I am writing this statement of purpose in order to throw light on my career and education till now and in order to tell graduate admission committee that why I am applying for MSc in Computing Science at Simon Fraser University. Studying at an institute of the level of excellence as of your esteemed institute has been my dream ever since I chose to make my career in computer science. International standard institutions are known to provide highly efficient faculty, best equipments, labs, latest software and hardware etc. which helps students to think big, explore new ideas and enhances their professional skills leading to success in all aspects of life. I think I will be one step close to my dreams if I get admission at Simon Fraser University and hence be given a chance to prove my potential. Since my school days Computer Science and Mathematics have always been my favorite subjects and I have always scored well in these subjects. I am very hardworking...

A comparison of Kern County and Sierra Nevadas Essay -- essays researc

Of Oak Stumps and Oil Pumps   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Sierra Nevadas and Kern County are two strikingly different faces of California. The Sierra Nevadas, a natural refuge for a sizeable number of California’s wildlife, houses opportunities for harvesting lumber, a spiritual place to camp or hike on, and simply as an aesthetic marvel in contrast to LA’s bustling city streets. Kern County’s industrial benefits come from Black Gold, oil. The Kern River discovery started an oil boom, and a forest of wooden derricks sprang up overnight. Kern County resembles a dry rocky land. A noticeable lack of movement except for a thousand oil pumps bowing incessantly like Buddhist monks in a trance of prayer. These two places are similar in that they are resource-full and beauties to behold, but, The foothills of the Sierra Nevadas outweighs Kern County through its natural majesty, its beauty; Kern County on the other hand, has more financial worth because of its rich oil deposits which give it its ind ustrial feel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The inhabitants of the Sierra Nevadas are inspired to live in a nature filled environment, away from busy city streets and bright neon lights. The Great Sierra’s geography outlines its beauty by being surrounded with a dry, hardwood conifer forest, drought-resistant shrubs and bushes in the canyons; as is described by Gary Snyder in â€Å"Cultivating Wilderness† (Snyder 256). This place brings a feeling of growth and provides agricultural ...