Sampoong Disaster research paper Essays

Sampoong Disaster research paper Essays Sampoong Disaster research paper Essay Sampoong Disaster research paper Essay There have always been extreme groups of people who wish to do harm to others, and this certainly inflicted a great deal of harm to the citizens of Seoul. It also bore some telltale characteristics of terrorist attacks, such as the fact that there was no obvious cause of the collapse. An internal explosion, perhaps from a terrorist bomb, would have accounted for why the building fell, but upon investigation, it was revealed that there were only small fires fueled by gasoline from cars in the parking garage as opposed to the huge infernos that usually accompany bomb blasts. Sampson) Also, the debris from the structure fell straight down instead of outward, like an explosion would have caused, so a terrorist attack was quickly ruled out. (Superstore Collapse) With this news, investigators would need to look to the structure itself for answers. The building was constructed in the late sasss and was completed in 1989. (Mclean, Anderson, Petersen, Del voice) It was originally planned to be an office building, but late in construction, the owners opted to change their structure into a department store-a fact that would later prove to be vital to the case. Superstore Collapse) The building was built on an old landfill site, so the integrity of the foundation was obviously suspect to failure, but after in depth testing, it was revealed that the alluding had a solid foundation that remained in place and did not fail. (Mclean, Anderson, Petersen, Del voice) Investigators began to research into the history of the structure, which they learned had originally been planned as office space. The sasss were booming for South Korea. Their economy was rapidly growing, and Seoul was to host the 1988 Olympic Games. (Mclean, Anderson, Petersen, Del voice) The combination of these two factors led to a boom in construction in the late sasss (the era that the Sampson Department Store was constructed) that was too great for the builders of Seoul to Andre, and since international construction firms were not allowed to sign contracts, the firms in Seoul were overloaded and as a result, many buildings had cut corners and were less than desirable. Mclean, Anderson, Petersen, Del voice) to build the entire office building, but after Sampson executives proposed drastic changes in the plans, the situation was complicated. The owners of the building decided they wanted to change the building into a department store, which meant they would need escalators on each floor. This meant cutting into the main columns supporting the structure. On top of this, they wanted to add a fifth floor to house a skating ring, to which the Housing crew refused, saying that the building wouldnt support the changes. Superstore Collapse) They were fired and an in house construction company was hired to finish the Job. They carried out the changes, and accidentally MIS-aligned the columns on the fifth floor with the columns below, so instead of the weight being shifted straight down the columns and into the ground, the weight was shifted across the 5th floor and down to the fourth floor columns. (Superstore Collapse) The building was changed to a department store, with awakened columns and the added load of a fifth floor. Mclean, Anderson, Petersen, Del voice) On top of this, Sampson executives changed their minds again later, changing the top floor into 8 traditional Korean restaurants instead of a skating ring. Since Korean tradition is to eat on the floor, the floor had to be thickened by 4 feet to allow for heavy heating elements, which pushed the building dangerously close to its limit. (Superstore Collapse) The faults were adding up and pointed to a general disregard for building codes and safety, but there was still no definite answer for what caused the collapse until a reengineering discovery was made. Three 1 5-ton air conditioning units on the roof (which was of insufficient width to hold that much weight) (Mclean, Anderson, Petersen, Del voice) had been re-positioned some 2 years earlier. Standard practice would have been to hire professionals with expensive cranes to lift the units, and gently set them down into their new positions, but in order to cut costs, they were placed on rollers and dragged across the roof. (Mclean, Anderson, Petersen, Del voice) This caused an enormous amount of weight to shift across the whole roof, causing tress, fractures and huge visible cracks throughout the concrete slab. Mclean, Anderson, Petersen, Del voice) After vibrations from the badly placed air conditioning units caused the cracks to widen over the years, the building finally reached its breaking point on that tragic day. The Sampson building had been planned as office space, but late in construction, executives decided to change the building into a department store. After firing Housing Construction for refusing to carry out the changes, an in house construction company was hired. The columns were weakened to allow for escalators, ND the columns added to the slab above the 4th floor were not aligned with the columns below. The heaviest floor in the building was added on top of these MIS- aligned columns, and on the roof, the heavy air conditioning units. After they were dragged across the insufficient roof, huge fractures in the slab should have warned Sampson executives that they had a problem, but instead of taking action, they simply ignored the huge structural flaw for 2 years. For 2 years, every time the air conditioning units turned on, workers reported feeling the whole building vibrate; Hess vibrations caused the cracks in the roof and 5th floor slab to widen around the MIS-aligned columns. Oases coming from the upper levels of the building, but he took no action. Workers reported huge cracks in the fifth floor slab that had formed overnight and the sagging ceiling that morning, but instead of closing the whole building, only sections of the fifth floor were closed. (Superstore Collapse) A meeting was held behind closed doors between the building owner, the structural engineer who oversaw const ruction of the building and the store manager. Superstore Collapse) The engineer urged the en to close the store immediately for urgent repairs, as he believed the building was in danger of collapse, but the men ignored his warnings (although they themselves were allowed to go home early after that meeting). A few hours later, at about 5:50 p. M. , a powerful showplace shook the whole building. Workers sounded alarms to evacuate the building, but by now it was too late. At 5:57 p. M. The roof around the air conditioning units gave way, and the air conditioning units crashed down onto the already overloaded and weakened 5th floor. This caused each floor to pancake down onto the floor beneath it, and in 20 seconds, the building had gone from a 5-story superstore to a pile of rubble with almost 1 500 people trapped inside. This event shook South Korea to the core, where intensive building code modifications were made. It was discovered that 14% of Korean buildings were unsafe, while 84% needed repair work. Only 2% of the buildings in Korea were up to par with the new building codes. The Sampson Department Store was only one of the 14% of the buildings in Korea that were unsafe at the time, and this event brought that into the publics eye.

The Amazing Sixth Sense essays

The Amazing Sixth Sense essays With obvious gifts for directing children, creating atmospheric stories, and working honestly with deeply felt themes about the role of the dead in our lives, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan has followed up last year's touching Wide Awake with an even better film about a boy in the grip of loss and fear. Bruce Willis stars as child psychologist Malcolm Crowe, who is shot by a former patient who claims Crowe did nothing to alleviate his supernatural childhood terrors. Months later, Crowe is a changed man, isolated, remote from his wife (Olivia Williams), and quietly bent on helping another boy named Cole (Haley Joel Osment) who seems to be undergoing similar traumas to that of the gun-wielding assailant. For most of the film, young Cole seems like a sharp but terribly frightened child, his slight frame a natural metaphor for an inability to cope with some awful, invisible force in his life. He tells Crowe he has learned to deflect the worries of his single mother (Toni Collette) by drawing happy pictures instead of the horrifying ones he actually sees, and he has even made a deal with a local bully to pretend to be his friend. Crowe sees through Cole's facade, but it takes a long time before the boy reveals what's ailing him: he has an unwanted gift for seeing the dead, particularly those who have died violent, unjust deaths and seem to be seeking him out. While The Blair Witch Project is more primal in its suggestive scares, The Sixth Sense has an old-fashioned Gothic touch that Shyamalan uses with effective economy. For most of the film's running time, all the director really needs to do is frame certain shots with an airy anticipation and throw in a few evocative details: chilled breath, leaves blowing along a street, the hint of a spectre rushing past a doorframe. (Interestingly, Cole often seeks refuge in a makeshift tent in his room, which ends up amplifying his and our fear in much the same way as in Blair Witch.) By ...

Preparing a job structure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Preparing a job structure - Research Paper Example A number of objectives and goals will guide this process of job evaluation. These objectives will be increasingly crucial in guiding the process of evaluating the jobs and ranking them according to their importance. These goals included: 1. To collect sufficient information and data in regards to the description of the job, specification of the job and specifications of employees for the different kinds of jobs in the deli. 2. To make a comparison between the responsibilities, duties and demands of a job with those of other job descriptions. 3. To determine the grades, ranks or positions of the jobs. 4. To find out the arrangement and position of jobs in the deli. In coming up with the job structure below, several principles were followed. First, the employee was not the one to be rated but the job. Based on the demands of the job, several elements were selected and rated. It was crucial to identify which jobs were to be evaluated first before commencing with the job evaluation proce ss. Nine different jobs were identified that had to be evaluated and ranked. There were two methods selected to evaluate the jobs. The first was the factor- comparison method, and the second is the point factor technique. It is crucial to note that two key goals of carrying out a job evaluation are to create internal principles of comparisons and to measure virtual significance or price of a job to a business. This evaluation focused on the above methods of evaluation and how to choose the compensable factors for determining the worth or value hierarchy of a job. When carrying out a quantitative job evaluation, it is crucial to choose the applicable compensable factors first. Compensable factors are the criteria used to provide a platform for judging the value of a job, the element utilized to measure the worth or a job or the intrinsic elements in jobs increase the worth or value of an organization. Four key compensable factors were used to evaluate jobs in this case. These include skill, responsibility, effort and work conditions. These compensable factors were chosen after identifying the internal values of the organization, after reviewing the content of the jobs of each work- group. The four compensable factors for job evaluation seemed useful after identifying several potential elements that show the internal value of the company. It was clear that the company values skills, knowledge, effort, ability to handle responsibilities and different working conditions. It was crucial for the evaluation that the compensable factors be developed. This was achieved by first identifying the lowest and highest levels of all factors of interest and then creating intermediate stages by identifying a rational progression that shows logical differences. After this, it was easy to create a hierarchy reflecting the worth of each job consistent with the perception of the management of the relative worth or value of the job. In constructing this job structure, it was also si gnificant that the compensable factors be weighed. This was done by first considering the nature of the job performed and ranked the elements or factors chosen according to their priority as perceived by the organization. The factor- comparison technique for evaluating jobs was crucial in constructing the job structure. The method allowed for the selection of several factors as reflected by the job

Different essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Different essays - Essay Example Therefore, they mate with members from a diverse population. Thus, a new species may develop (Alcamo & Schweitzer, 2011). It implies evolution is devoid of have a particular goal that it intends to realize (Simon, 2015). They just evolve meaning they have a capability of changing their structure and reacts on the problems the environment presents at the specific times (Simon, 2015). For evolution to occur, mutation has to take place though it is an extremely slow progression and cannot be rapidly (Simon, 2015). The genes may shift from one population to another and the nonrandom mating may occur quickly but the generic drift occurs by chance randomly. Therefore, it might take a while before this happens. Moreover, selection varies in different genotypes. It may take a while for individuals in a population to be varied (Simon, 2015). Some bacteria have a mutation that makes them possible to survive the penicillin (Simon, 2015). Moreover, the administration of the penicillin changes the environment in which the bacteria reside. The bacteria with resistance genes will survive this new environment. The resistance genes pass over to several generations due to natural selection (Simon, 2015). Due to the usage of penicillin for many generations, the resistant bacteria increase over time. This makes penicillin less effective (Simon,

Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Review - Essay Example The article mentions that in the year of 1999, 38% of the teenagers in the United States spent their money in churches. The article states that young adults have lower income resources and financial stability as compared to adults of the society and still, in 2004, the researchers found that 3 out of every 10 young adults donated money to churches as compared to 6 out of 10 adults. So, we see that the rate of donor young adults is almost half of the older adults, which is very good for the age of young adults. The article further mentions that the government of the United States expects to project nearly $15 trillion as an â€Å"intergenerational transfer of wealth† between years 2006 and 2021. This is a significant amount of money that is transferred among the peers of a generation, and the generation being discussed here is the young adults. This means, that young adults of the society are responsible enough to think how to save extra bucks and spend them in charities so tha t some poor person is helped out of his miseries. This is actually the actual love for humanity which is the real essence of philanthropy. The article also suggests that young adults tend to give more volunteer time as compared to older adults, if they have very little to donate to charities.

The Divided Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Divided Kingdom - Essay Example In Samaria which was the capital of Israel at the time, people fed on their children (2 Kings 6:25-30). According to Collins, for both Judah and Israel, the offences against God were: idol worship, religious syncretism, desecration of the temple with idols, a litany of social and economic injustices and moral decadence. All these problems persisted because of Israel and Judah’s failure to listen to God’s word which came through the prophets. Bad leadership may also have exacerbated this unfortunate state of affairs. All the kings of Israel were not faithful to YHWH, while the bad kings in Judah were Rehoboam (930-913 BC), Abijam (913-911 BC), Jehoram (848-841 BC), Ahaziah (841 BC), Queen Athaliah (841-835 BC), Uzziah (781-740 BC), Manasseh (697-642 BC), Amon (642-640 BC), Jehoahaz (609 BC), Jehoiakim (609-598 BC), Jehoiachin (598-597 BC), Zedekiah (597-586 BC). The good kings of Judah were Asa (11-870 BC), Jehoshaphat (870-848 BC), Jehoash (835-796 BC), Amaziah (796-781 BC), Jotham (740-736 BC), Hezekiah (716-687 BC) and Josiah (640-609 BC) (Collins, 75). Question 2: The history outlined in 1 and 2 Kings is a theological history rather than an accurate accounting of events because therein, the authors were interested in giving an explanation for the division of Israel into two; the reason for the captivity; and hope for the future, rather than an accurate blow-by-blow chronicles of events. The Deuteronomistic History clearly shows that both Judah and Israel succumbed to unfaithfulness to YHWH, and that total destruction of both empires was the appropriate punishment. Again, there are those who trace Deuteronomistic History back to the Babylonian Exile of 585 BC, as the place and time of authorship. The gravity behind this standpoint is that the authors of these books may have been written out of retrospection, and not at the time the actual events contained in Deuteronomistic History materialised. This is to the effect that writing from memory may not be as detailed as a writing which may have been composed at the actual time an incident happened. While this absence of much specific detail may accost the books in Deuteronomistic History, it is not to be misconstrued as to mean contradiction. Instead, details such as exact timeframes and more details concerning Judah are characteristically missing from Deuteronomistic History. Being in Babylon, the authorship behind the Deuteronomistic History may have written to explain the reason behind God’s people being in exile, in lieu of giving a blow-by-blow account on the details which built up, in the run-up to the Exile. In another wavelength, other theorists such as Thomas Romer, a French scholar, have come to see a distinct party of authors who may have had different views (Raymond, 130). 3: David and Solomon as Both Good and Evil Kings Both David and Solomon are remembered simultaneously as both good and evil kings because their regimes were marked with faithfulness and u nfaithfulness to God. The good exploits David and Solomon exacted emanated from faithfulness to God, while their negative acts were are a result of their unfaithfulness to God. David’s goodness is exemplified in the fact that he is the only king, who presided over a united Israel, transported the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to Jerusalem, established Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, drove away Israel’s enemies from Jerusalem and Israel, extended mercy to Mephibosheth (the house

Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus Essay Example for Free

Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus Essay Life is wonderful, but also hard. We struggle to find the meaning in our lives, but we can not accomplish it. There are many kinds of thoughts or philosophies of life; some think that life is already determined by God or destiny when they were born, while others think that they decide what they do by themselves. In the stranger, Albert Camus creates Meursault as a protagonist, who does not think about anything deeply. Because of that, he can not really enjoy his life. However, finally, he thinks about his life when he faces death; he truly realized how to face to the absurd world, and thus becomes Camus perfect existential hero. Meursault is indifferent, and he thinks he perfectly enjoys each moment; however, the reality is he just wastes time and does not even know that. Meursault thinks that emotion is ridiculous because people are controlled by it, and regret or feeling sorry is a waste of time. Thus, even when he faces his mothers death, he does not feel anything. He does not have interest in his mothers death, so he does not even know when his mother died. Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I dont know(3). Usually, ones mothers death significant and people think about their lives through her death. Even though it is not his, and he knows that he can not find it, he should think about what his life means from the relationship between death and life. However, it is possible that he does not care about it too much because he can not do anything in her death, but he does not care about his marriage, too. He has a girlfriend, named Marie, and when she asked him to get married with her, he was still indifferent, Then she pointed out that marriage was a serious thing. I said No'(42). He dos not know what is important in life. It is not because he has different sense of values but because he does not care about anything seriously. He has not had a big problem in his way, but his way to live is now problem. When he takes Arabs life away, he does not really realize what he did. Even when he was in the police station, he does not understand what he did, thus, c I was even going to shake his hand, but I remembered that I had killed a man(64). He treats everything as a fact, so he does not really have an  emotion. He thinks it is the way to enjoy his life, but it makes his life more meaningless. He does not think deeply. Also, he thinks death is death, so there is no future after death. Then, he shot the Arab four times more, but he does not know what it means, Then I fired four more times at the motionless body where the bullets lodged without leaving a trace. And it was like knocking four quick times on the door of unhappiness(59). He does not feel good about shooting four more times, but it is not worth death at all. Taking human life is same as knocking the door of unhappiness for him; his way to live, which is without emotion makes his life horrible later, but at this time, he does not understand anything. Life without emotion is easy because an emotion does not make sense, so he can make sense with everything in his life. However, it also makes his life colorless. Because he is different from others, the society beats him; the world does not help him, so he now has to create meaning in his life by himself. When he is on trial, he testifies honestly because he always follows his heart and does what he wants; however, it does not fit the society, then people judge him from their subjective justice. @ @When he honestly testifies about why he killed Arab, people did not listen seriously, cI blurted out that it was because of the sun. People laughed(103). People do not understand him, and then they do not treat him as usual. They beat the stranger; there is nobody to help him. Moreover, they think they are right, so people rid from the society and make him look worse. The prosecutor does not want Meursault to live in the society, which the prosecutor lives and to have the same human heart. He stated that I had no place in a society whose most fundamental rules I ignored and that I could not appeal to the same human heart whose elementary response I knew nothing of(102). He denies Meursaults human right. He should be in trouble, but in the trial, there are only people who think they are normal and right, so they are the same as him. Thus, they do not notice that the prosecutor is wrong. Their personality is horrible because there is no exception. Meursault thinks about this judgment and the machinery of justice(108). It is exactly correct. They follow their own common sense, and treat him as a stranger. The consequence is a death penalty. However, ironically, this situation, which makes him face death and being aware that nobody helps him, makes him  think about his life and notice that he has to find it by himself. Right before his death, he realized the meaning in life. People do not know why they are living, but they laugh at him because they think he is stupid and better than him; however, ironically, he understands his life. When he accepts the absurd world, he can create meaning of his life; there is no future, so he has to think about every single moment carefully and enjoy it. Ironically, he does not have time any more. However, he thinks, I had been happy and that I was happy again(123). Actually, he enjoys his life because he did not know that he has lived indifferently. His life is hard for ordinary people to understand, but for him, it totally makes sense. Moreover, he understands everything now, so he feels happiness again. Also, he feels a sense of superiority because he knows that people who look down on him do not know. There are many thought about world, and he wants to see the absurd world, and show them his way to live, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate(123). He notices that nobody seriously cares about him, but still they come to his execution. Playing the game is ridiculous for him, but people can not live without it. Nobody really has a grudge against him, but they follow the others. Being apart from society is scary and alone, so usually people can not do that. He also feels that, so he wanted to die in the crowd. Also, he is proud of his life, so he wanted to show how he lived. Now, he really enjoys his life. The life is meaningless; he realizes it when he faces death. If people know that, they give up everything; however, for Meursault, everything makes sense. There is no clue in the world, so what he can do is creating the meaning by himself. Life is hard because nobody helps him, but he decides everything and what he does has meaning. He can enjoy his life fully, so his life is wonderful. He has to enjoy his life while he is living because there is nothing after death. There is no meaning in the world, so he creates it. Everything is to be happy.