Public Library - Architectural Essay Example for Free

Public Library Architectural Essay * Introduction * Definition A library (from French librairie; Latin liber = book) is an organized collection of information resources made accessible to a defined community for reference or borrowing. It provides physical or digital access to material, and may be a physical building or room, or a virtual space, or both. A librarys collection can include books, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, films,maps, prints, documents, microform, CDs, cassettes, videotapes, DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, e-books, audio books, databases, and other formats. Libraries range in size from a few shelves of books to several million items. * A public library â€Å"should encourage the following uses: browsing, seeking, studying, meeting, and borrowing. Major trends likely to influence library design in the foreseeable future include: a 30% increase in pensioners by 2025, and a significant diminution in those of working age; a significant increase in those with a higher education; more part- time work; more jobs in knowledge-based areas, and fewer in manufacturing. * History The concept of the ‘public library’ evolved from the Guildhall Library in 15th century London. In the 17th and 18th centuries, most libraries were created by gift or endowment, but by the beginning of the 19th century, these had generally been superseded by either institutional (e. g. those attached to mechanics’ institutes or literary and philosophical societies) or subscription libraries. The Public Libraries Act of 1850 was one of several social reforms of the mid- 19th century, and was generally intended to create ‘free libraries’, available to all classes of society throughout the country. The first two purpose- designed public libraries were Norwich and Warrington, in 1857. The Public Libraries Act of 1919 further extended library provision. Besides the lending library and the reading room, most libraries now had a reference department, and many had separate children’s departments. After 1918 there was a considerable increase in technical and commercial libraries (over 115 by 1924). By the 1930~~ most libraries had adopted open access (as opposed to books being available over a counter via the library staff), which required more sophisticated classification and cataloguing systems the Dewey system was generally adopted. Increasing literacy and leisure time plus the ‘information explosion’ make it important to plan for maximum flexibility and for future expansion. New techniques are changing methods of control, indexing and retrieval. The growing availability of computerized information (particularly on compact discs and on-line electronic systems) means there is a change in emphasis from book storage to information exchange utilizing computer equipment. These require additional ventilation and secure power supplies, and suitable lighting levels for users. The wide availability of computers means that the problem of space, and particularly the location of a library in a single building, may no longer be critical. * Space Requirements * Public services A central library may serve in the region of one million customers per year, with a peak daily count of approximately 5000 to 6000 people and a peak hourly count of up to 400. The following service areas may be provided * Branch library May be included as a discrete section of a central library, probably near the entrance, and cater for more popular books and related material. There will be only a few thousand volumes, acting as a ‘taster’ invitation to what is available elsewhere in the library. The library may be divided into subject areas, perhaps with defined enquiry points. Study spaces, browsing areas, and publicly available computer terminals can also be provided in each subject area. The various areas may be open plan, but must be visually defined (possibly by variations in lighting, different finishes and planting). * Older teenage section An area for this group is desirable (fiction and non-fiction) and should be  located between the children’s library and main lending library (literature and humanities sections). * Children’s library Occupying approximately 300 m2, with roughly 12000 volumes for ages up to 14 and their careers, this area should have its own identity, and demonstrate to all children that visiting the library is a safe and enjoyable experience. There must be good visibility to maximize child security and safety; it should also be difficult for children to wander out of this area. * There should be a sequence of information books for all ages and sections for: * pre-school (there should be ‘kinderboxes’, shelves with picture books, novelty cushions, child chairs) * early school years (easy-reader books, with appropriate shelves and browser units) * primary school years (stories, with appropriate shelves and browser units) m young teenage (novels, with appropriate shelves and browser units). Spoken-word cassettes and other media should also be available. In addition, provide ten study places, eight browsing seats and an enquiry desk for two staff. * Children‘s activities room A room for up to 35 children may be required for a variety of activities (63m2). * Exhibition area Easily accessible from the main entrance, but with a distinct identity and with suitable security, an area for exhibitions is desirable (40m2). * Lavatories The requirement for customers is 38m2 and also 15m2 for the children’s library, which should include a nappy changing room. Depending on the overall plan, one or two sets of staff lavatories will be required (each of 32m2). * Meeting rooms- Include one room for 100 people (200m2 in total), with divider to separate the room in a proportion of 60:40. Chair storage and simple catering facilities are also required. A small room for about six people is also required. Access may be required when other parts of the library are shut; good access from entrance(s) is therefore required. * Special collection library This area may be required in larger or specialized libraries. An adjoining librarian’s office is necessary. * Refreshments/coffee bar For 50 customers maximum, providing drinks, snacks and light meals (105m2). * Sales point An area to promote sales is required (this may be no more than a display case): the strategic location is important, but it may be combined with another area (13m2). * Study desks These should be suitable for use with personal computers (which may be the customer’s own machine, necessitating simple plug- in compatibility). The integration of PCs with study furniture is very important. Two power sockets are also required. * Art in architecture Libraries are often considered excellent places in which to display local (or national) art, either in the form of permanent murals or sculpture, designed as an integral part of the building, or in facilities for temporary exhibitions. * Subject departments Organization of a library into subject departments has always been a consideration. * Related Local Projects * Bohol Provincial Library and Information Center New Capitol Complex, Marapao Street, Tagbilaran City, Bohol * Alaminos City Library Alaminos City Hall, Alaminos City, Pangasinan * Butuan City Library J. Rosales Ave. , Butuan City. * Cavite Provincial Library Legislative Building, Provl Capitol, Trece Martires City * Leocadio Alonsagay Dioso Memorial Public Library (Municipal Library of Pandan, Antique) Pandan, Antique, Philippines * Marikina City Public Library V. Gomez St. cor. Shoe Ave. , San Roque, Marikina City * National Library of the Philippines T. M. Kalaw Ermita 1000, Philippines * Quezon City Public Library (Several Branches) * San Carlos City Public Library (Negros Occidental) 610 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070 * Raul S. Roco Library (Naga City Public Library) City Hall Compound, J. Miranda Ave. , Naga City * Zamboanga del Norte Public Library. Santa Cruz, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines * Supporting Datum * A possible arrangement of a central library could typically be as follows (The Architects’ Handbook) * Business At 184m2, this department contains 2100 volumes covering all aspects of business information (local, national and international). Customers will include: those hoping to set up their own business, those undertaking research to develop their existing business, and students. Some queries may come via fax or phone. Computerized information resources will probably be more prevalent here than in other departments. Includes 40 study places and an enquiry point for two staff. * Community With 9000 volumes (300m2), this holds social sciences and all quick-reference works (e. g. directories, yearbooks, timetables, etc. ). Includes 30 study places and an enquiry desk for three staff. Customers will be coming for both quick fact-finding and for longer-term study: any potential conflict therefore needs to be resolved. * Humanities Department for arts, recreational pursuits (e. g. gardening), religion, music (books and scores), sound recordings (music cassettes and compact discs), and videos for hire. With 495m2, 22 000 volumes, 9000 recordings (including videos), and 10500 sheet music. Includes 12 study spaces, four browsing seats and an enquiry desk for three staff. Note that there is a noise problem with customers browsing through music cases, which can be distracting in the study areas. * Literature and language Department for adult fiction (9000 volumes), large-print fiction, spoken- word cassettes, multi-media, drama (9000 volumes), single copies and play sets (286m2), covering English and foreign languages. Includes 12 study spaces, four browsing seats and an enquiry desk for two staff. Local studies/history 3000 volumes on public shelves (230m2); 50 study places; enquiry desk for three staff. This area will be used by short-term browsers (e. g. tourists) and for long-term study (students and researchers). It will also be used by those wanting information about local statutory agencies, and those looking for a quiet study area. Environmental conditions for this area must be designed in accordance with BS 5454: 1989. * People and places For information books on travel (guides and travel/adventure), biographies, and human geography. 15000 volumes (240m2); 15 study places; four browsing places; enquiry desk for two staff. * Science and technology Area with 11000 volumes (200m2), covering computing and pure and applied sciences: 20 study places; no browsing seats; enquiry desk for two staff. Access and circulation areas generally As mentioned above, generally all public and staff areas should be accessible to people with disabilities, particularly those with sight or hearing impairments. * Other considerations are as follows (The Architects’ Handbook) * Customer services/reception An informal and welcoming atmosphere is required, as this is the first major point of contact for new customers and where existing customers can resolve queries (e.g. about availability and overdue books); space is required for three staff (51m2). Estimated peak daily level of registration updates is approximately 200; estimated peak level of enquiries, approximately 600. The area should allow for satisfactory queuing arrangements. The general layout requirements are for: a professional, inviting and efficient reception area; clear layout and instructions for customers; maximum flexibility in staff resources; suitable supervision of customers; and suitable staff security. * Internal circulation The flow of people and materials (particularly the two-way flow of trolleys) should be made as easy as possible. Note that circulation areas provide opportunities for vandalism and concealment of theft, and should therefore: be kept to a minimum; follow a logical route; allow visual control by staff (closed-circuit TV may be installed); allow segregation of staff and public areas; allow segregation to enable secure out- of-hours use to specified areas; and allow easy emergency evacuation. * Internal vertical circulation This should be by lift and stairs, and possibly escalator. Lifts should: allow movement of staff, books and materials to all floor levels; be linked with the book sorting office; provide public access to main lending floors; provide suitable access for out-of-hours use. No more than four lifts should be provided. Security generally The key those wanting information about local statutory agencies, and those looking for a quiet study area. Environmental conditions for this area must be designed in accordance with BS 5454: 1989. * People and places For information books on travel (guides and travel/adventure), biographies, and human geography. 15000 volumes (240m2); 15 study places; four browsing places; enquiry desk for two staff. * Science and technology Area with 11000 volumes (200m2), covering computing and pure and applied sciences: 20 study places; no browsing seats; enquiry desk for two staff. Access and circulation areas generally As mentioned above, generally all public and staff areas should be accessible to people with disabilities, particularly those with sight or hearing impairments. * Other considerations are as follows (The Architects’ Handbook) * Customer services/reception An informal and welcoming atmosphere is required, as this is the first major point of contact for new customers and where existing customers can resolve queries (e. g. about availability and overdue books); space is required for three staff (51m2). Estimated peak daily level of registration updates is approximately 200; estimated peak level of enquiries, approximately 600. The area should allow for satisfactory queuing arrangements. The general layout requirements are for: a professional, inviting and efficient reception area; clear layout and instructions for customers; maximum flexibility in staff resources; suitable supervision of customers; and suitable staff security. * Internal circulation The flow of people and materials (particularly the two-way flow of trolleys) should be made as easy as possible. Note that circulation areas provide opportunities for vandalism and concealment of theft, and should therefore: be kept to a minimum; follow a logical route; allow visual control by staff (closed-circuit TV may be installed); allow segregation of staff and public areas; allow segregation to enable secure out- of-hours use to specified areas; and allow easy emergency evacuation. * Internal vertical circulation This should be by lift and stairs, and possibly escalator. Lifts should: allow movement of staff, books and materials to all floor levels; be linked with the book sorting office; provide public access to main lending floors; provide suitable access for out-of-hours use. No more than four lifts should be provided. Security generally The key considerations concern the control of access between staff and public areas (both during and outside opening hours), and prevention of theft. These issues can be addressed by: strategic location of staff enquiry points, with line-of- sight control; CCTV cameras; electronic book sensors at exit points; and security personnel. * Trolleys Allowance must be made for trolleys: for instance, by providing suitable protection to prevent damage to wall surfaces, adequate door widths, and suitable flooring (studded and ribbed flooring is not suitable). * Entry/access areas One main entrance and two others are required, preferably separate: * Main entrance foyer/lobby: ( 190m2) should be clear and inviting, and be sufficiently spacious to cater both for visitors who have a specific destination and those who may wish to wander around. * Public out-of-hours entrance: must provide a short and secure access route from the street to the meeting rooms etc. It could be combined with the main entrance, but a lift solely for out-of- hours use is not acceptable. * Staff/service entrance: to be a safe and secure area, particularly for staff leaving after dark. Queuing space should be allowed for 40 people to wait (at 0. 5 m2/person, 20m2 is required). * In-counters (51m2) There will be one central counter for the whole building, after which customers will either move to other departments, move to customer reception, or leave. Peak hourly levels of customers are approximately 250-300, with a peak hourly level of returns of approximately 1000 items. Space is required for three staff plus computer terminals for customers. The layout must allow for clear and direct flows. * Out-counters (38m2) All items issued or renewed will be from the out-counter and there may be more than one, depending on overall layout. Note that some customers may wish to return to other areas of the library (e. g. the coffee bar) after visiting the out- counter. Peak levels are as for the in-counter. Space is required for two staff plus computer terminals for customers. The layout must allow for clear and direct flows: in particular, customers not wishing to borrow items must be able to avoid becoming involved with this area. * Library returns bin This is required in the entrance area for returns during times when the library is closed. It must be a secure unit. * Self-issue terminals The space required is 3 m2/terminal and at least three terminals are required at various points in the library. * Smartcards The inclusion of a ‘smartcard’ system is increasingly likely, to allow customers to pay for services (e. g. photocopying, overdue charges, borrowing videos, etc. ). The machines will be located throughout the library. * Admin and staff accommodation In addition to a general admin office space of roughly 53 m2, provision will also include the following. * Enquiry desks These should ideally be located so that they can service more than one department at quiet times or during staff shortages. * Librarian’s office (20m2) The base for the manager in charge of the whole building, the room must be close to the administrative support and interview rooms. Apart from everyday managerial tasks, the room will be used for small discussions with up to two people and project work. * Library manager‘s office ( 13m2) This includes one office for two assistants, shared desk, and also room for small meetings of one to three people. Privacy is necessary, although easy access/overview is required for counters and customer services. The office should be located near the branch library. * Delivery area (16m2) There will be a daily ‘in’ delivery of boxes containing: books from this library, but returned to other libraries; books requested from other libraries; and new books. The ‘out’ delivery will be of books sorted in the sorting office, and books requested by other libraries. This area will also act as a short-term reception and dispatch area for other equipment, furniture, exhibition equipment, etc. , and sufficient space should be allowed for this. * Interview room (14m2) To be used by all staff for private meetings, appraisal interviews, meeting the public and recruitment interviews, the room must accommodate up to four people and ensure confidentiality is maintained. * Local studies reserve stack ( 150m2) Most local studies stock will be reference only, in closed-access storage areas, obtained by staff on customer request: access systems therefore need to be quick and simple. (Book stacks must be designed in accordance with BS 5454: 1989. ) A local studies workroom (38m2) will usually be required adjacent to the local studies area. * Reserve stacks (155m2) Certain sections of stock will be housed in closed-access rolling stack storage, including: seasonal overflow (fewer items are borrowed during the summer and over Christmas); reference stock; music sets; play sets. The weight of rolling stack storage is substantial and will need to be taken into account in structural calculations. * Secure area for exhibits A secure storage area is  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœsmartcard’ system is increasingly likely, to allow customers to pay for services (e. g. photocopying, overdue charges, borrowing videos, etc. ). The machines will be located throughout the library. * Admin and staff accommodation In addition to a general admin office space of roughly 53 m2, provision will also include the following. * Enquiry desks These should ideally be located so that they can service more than one department at quiet times or during staff shortages. * Librarian’s office (20m2) The base for the manager in charge of the whole building, the room must be close to the administrative support and interview rooms. Apart from everyday managerial tasks, the room will be used for small discussions with up to two people and project work. * Library manager‘s office ( 13m2) This includes one office for two assistants, shared desk, and also room for small meetings of one to three people. Privacy is necessary, although easy access/overview is required for counters and customer services. The office should be located near the branch library. * Delivery area (16m2) There will be a daily ‘in’ delivery of boxes containing: books from this library, but returned to other libraries; books requested from other libraries; and new books. The ‘out’ delivery will be of books sorted in the sorting office, and books requested by other libraries. This area will also act as a short-term reception and dispatch area for other equipment, furniture, exhibition equipment, etc. , and sufficient space should be allowed for this. * Interview room (14m2) To be used by all staff for private meetings, appraisal interviews, meeting the public and recruitment interviews, the room must accommodate up to four people and ensure confidentiality is maintained. * Local studies reserve stack ( 150m2) Most local studies stock will be reference only, in closed-access storage areas, obtained by staff on customer request: access systems therefore need to be quick and simple. (Book stacks must be designed in accordance with BS 5454: 1989. ) A local studies workroom (38m2) will usually be required adjacent to the local studies area. * Reserve stacks (155m2) Certain sections of stock will be housed in closed-access rolling stack storage, including: seasonal overflow (fewer items are borrowed during the summer and over Christmas); reference stock; music sets; play sets. The weight of rolling stack storage is substantial and will need to be taken into account in structural calculations. * Secure area for exhibits A secure storage area is required, with easy access to both the delivery area and the exhibition area. * Security control room (17m2) This acts as the base for control attendants, and for the closed- circuit TV system. * Sorting office (63m2) Required for sorting all returns. The main divisions are: for return (by trolley) to the various departments; for return to other libraries; for special requests (e.g. customer reservations); and for particular processes (e. g. book repair). Wall shelving for 1000 items is required for temporary storage during peak flows or staff shortages. This area also acts as a supervisory area for the counters and the customer reception, allowing the easy allocation of additional staff when necessary and for general troubleshooting duties. * Staff room (115m2) With a total staff of approximately 50, the staff room should accommodate seating for 30 and also be suitable for relaxation, social gatherings and informal meetings. During special events, staff will work outside normal working hours so there should be an adjacent kitchen area suitable for making light meals and drinks; a dishwasher may be desirable. Staff lockers (25m2) are ideally located in a separate room and storage for wet clothing is also required. * Stock workroom (127m2) For four to five staff, its functions are: processing books from the delivery area; repairing stock; binding requirements; stock exchanges; inter-library loans for music sets. Wall shelving is required for approximately 2000 books. * Subject staff workroom (152m2) Required for processing complex enquiries and selecting new stock, these rooms are needed in humanities, literature and science libraries; for six librarians and support staff (maximum). Wall shelving will be required. * System room (38m2) Needed to house computer equipment for library circulation and other information systems. * Training room (58m2) Required for meetings and training sessions, facilities must be suitable for current technology and equipment. * Shelf storage Typical examples based on 900mm shelf module are: adult non-fiction37 vols/900mm run of shelving adult fiction 30 sheet music 60 junior fiction 44 junior non-fiction 74 All shelving units should be four shelves high except: local studies 6 shelves high music scores 3 (overall height to be as four-shelf unit) children’s non-fiction ditto * Other areas * sick room (10m2) * stationery store (25m2) * general stores (four; approximately 1000m2 in total) * cleaners’ room/store (29m2) * WCs; shower if possible. * Preferred space standards, from the Follett Report, are: * one space for 6 full-time-equivalent students. * 2. 39m2 per reader (subsequent research indicates that 2. 5-3. 0mZ may be required) * reader modules to be minimum of 900 x 600mm * information technology (IT) spaces to be 1200 x 800mm. * Building Services (The Architects’ Handbook) Heat reduction is a major problem, and is exacerbated by the use of computers. Air- conditioning is expensive and environmentally undesirable and should therefore only be used where essential, natural ventilation being the preferred option (traditional window ventilation, however, can be a security risk). Service zones are required above ceilings and below floors: ventilation systems, heating and electrical fittings, and information technology units, must be designed to allow flexibility of layout, and must allow for movement of shelving without causing disruption. Distribution cabling for networked computer systems and terrestrial/satellite aerials also needs to be allowed for. Noise in libraries is a problem, both from external sources and between different activity areas within the building. Acoustic considerations must therefore be carefully considered. * Maximum Floor Area Allowance per occupant (occupant load factor) from International Building Code Reading rooms 50 net Stack area 100 gross * The loading applies to stack room floors that support nonmobile, double- faced library book stacks, subject to the following limitations (International Building Code) * The nominal book stack unit height shall not exceed 90 inches * The nominal shelf depth shall not exceed 12 inches for each face * Parallel rows of double-faced book stacks shall be separated by aisles not less than 36 inches wide. References/s: * TIME-SAVER STANDARDS FOR BUILDING TYPES 2nd edition, International Edition Edited by JOSEPH De CHIARA and JOHN HANCOCK CALLENDER 1983 by McGraw-Hill Book Co-Singapore 2nd printing 1987 * The Architects’ Handbook Edited by Quentin Pickard RIBA 2002 Blackwell Science Ltd * 2012 International Building Code First Printing: May 2011 Second Printing: June 2011 * http://readphilippines. com/Forum/viewtopic. php? f=33t=74 * http://paarl. wikispaces. com/Libraries#Public%20Libraries * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Library * http://web. nlp. gov. ph/nlp/.

Religion And Politics In The Revolutionary Era :: essays research papers

The Christians objective is not this world-certainly not the world of politics-but the Kingdom of God. Christianity is therefore essentially other-worldly. Jesus himself was entirely apolitical, and we, his, followers, must similarly hold aloof from the political arena. However, God is a political God, and a belief in God requires political involvement. (Davies 9) Consequently, the entanglement of politics with religion is inevitable. This concept is supported in Jon Butler’s article, Coercion, Miracle, Reason. Several colonies including Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware that lacked any kind of establishment used the law to uphold Christianity in general terms. For example, the Quakers in Pennsylvania forced office holders to affirm their belief in Christ’s divinity, banned blasphemy, forbade Sunday labor, and urged settlers to attend church so â€Å"looseness, irreligion, and atheism may not creep in under pretense of conscience.†(Butler 5) A s if evident, the age of Revolution had motivations and justifications that were concerned with religion. The question is not whether politics and religion go hand in hand- that is apparent-but to what extent? Examining Christianity and its basis, the Bible or scripture, supports the notion that politics is unavoidably involved with religion. Looking at the Bible on can find a plethora of references that evade to the fact of God being political and that the acts in history. God is referred to as lord, king, and ruler, one who sit on a throne. He has made them a people, having delivered them from slavery, entered into a covenant with them and given them a land or country. He was to give freedom to the captives and the oppressed, to have all things subject to himself and he will reign as one having supreme authority. But if politics is what God is doing, then equally politics is what people must do in response to God. (Davies 11-12) According to Davies politics should and will be involved and such that to the extent of where it is used serving God and only God. How can one say that religion (especially Christianity) be aloof of politics and vice-versa when it is obvious that the two work tog ether. This is evident in biblical history as mentioned above. Nevertheless, what does it mean to be a Christian? Some feel that saying their prayers and going to Church constitutes one as being a Christian. However, the Bible does not emphasize strictly religious acts but upon obedience to God in everyday life.

Growth Strategy for Vincor Essay

Vincor needs to align itself in the marketplace such that it can continue to be a market leader and grow internationally. The Canadian wine market is stagnant with limited growth opportunities in a few segments – red, premium, varietal, and ice wines. Supply is always a big concern and government regulations for the sale of alcohol must be considered. As a result of the changing environment, new prospects in the market and strategic growth in external markets (international) should be analyzed. Going forward, Vincor’s growth strategy needs to focus on markets where they can have substantial market penetration and be highly successful. The opportunities are as follows: 1) Expand into international markets via acquisition and restructure the current debt to reduce interest costs. Capitalize on the popular brand name in the new market to achieve significant foreign growth. 2) Varied approach to cost reduction and focus on niches within Canada. Recover a portion of the emerging grey market by developing new product packaging for the low-end wines (plastic or boxes). 3) Build mutually beneficial partnerships with new glass bottle suppliers and develop a sales channel that will induce economies of scale for the price of bottles and increase margins; or renegotiate with current suppliers to reduce costs and provide incentives by signing an exclusivity agreement. 4) Zero in on the ice wine consumers by meeting the demand. Exploit the Inniskillin brand in the Canadian premium wine market in order to gain market share. 5) Develop a new product internationally through a partnership with a winery or vineyard by leveraging Vincor’s strong management team, international award status and proven sales force to sustain Vincor’s growth pattern. Expanding internationally through the acquisition of a company with strong branding would prove the best alternative, both in terms of timing and future growth potential. Developing a partnership in order to produce new products would take years and considerable time and effort before any gains would be realized. The varied approach would not produce enough growth to support an IPO, but many of these avenues will be addressed to reduce costs over the next several years. First six (6) to twelve (12) months: †¢ Set up the team that will conduct an international market study to determine which market, and more specifically, brand to penetrate. The team will include: 1. Jones and a market insight team (utilize services of a consulting firm that specializes in foreign winery acquisitions) 2. Jackson and his mergers and acquisition (M&A) team 3. Munroe for sales and marketing 4. Investment banker †¢ The market insight team will gather the data and develop a sound understanding of the targeted wineries and knowledge of the regulations of the country †¢ Recommendations will be made to M&A team Next twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months: †¢ Once a decision is reached, the investment banker and M&A team will contact the companies, begin their due diligence process and conduct the final purchase †¢ The new winery will be integrated into Vincor’s portfolio and Munroe with his sales and marketing team will be responsible for its growth The international acquisition will expand Vincor globally and provide for significant growth in its portfolio. At the same time, the desired Canadian relationships with suppliers will be cemented to reduce cost of sales and increase margins.

Essay on Congenital Neonatal Infections in Vertical HIV

Congenital Human Immunodeficiency Virus, also called Vertical HIV, is a serious epidemic arising from passage of the virus to an infant from a maternal infection. The disease can have severe symptoms for the infected newborn and is almost always fatal to the child. The fetus has a 25% chance of infection while in utero and a 20% - 50% ( depending of the country) chance of infection during the birthing process although a cesarean birth significantly lowers the probability of neonatal infection. The severity of the mothers HIV infection determines the chances of a fetal infection meaning the more advance the disease in the mother the high the possibility of transmission through placental cord blood. Infection can also occur from†¦show more content†¦The juxtapositional co-receptor attachment to the host membrane encourages the GP41 protein to initiate fusion by collapsing into a hairpin loop structure bringing the two membranes in close proximity. The virus then injects the co ntents of the virion including machinery enzymes and the RNA genome into the host cell where a dsDNA molecule is made and integrated into the host. The reverse transcription process has a high mutation rate because the viral reverse transcriptase enzyme is unable to detect or repair any mistakes as it forms the dsDNA. After the new dsDNA molecule is made it is transported to the nucleus of the host and integrated into the host genome. The HIV genome will either remain in a lysogenic state within the host or if actively stimulated new HIV viruses will be constructed and released to infect neighboring cells. The ability of the virus to choose its co-receptor is called viral tropism and determines its virulence and disease progression rate. If the virus binds with the co-receptor CCR5 it is called macrophage-tropic (M-tropic) and characterizes most HIV infections. The M-tropic variant is regarded as less virulent because it is nonsyncytial. 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Deforestation And Its Effects On The Environment - 1616 Words

Background Webster dictionary defines deforestation as the action or process of clearing of forests. It occurs when humans desire to make use of land covered by forest for other purposes. This clearing of tree is concerning due to the fact that trees are being cut down at a rate much greater then they can grow back. This is called overshot, and can have a devastating impact on the environment. There is an estimated loss of 18 million acres of forest each year. That is roughly equivalent to the size of the country Panama. That is equivalent to a loss of 36 football fields of forest every minute. This leads to the destruction of the habitats of thousands of animals, and plays a huge role in climate change. Deforestation is believed to be the leading cause of climate change, contributing 1.6 billion tons of greenhouse gases, roughly 30 percent, of annual greenhouse gas emissions. This is a global issue, however usually tropical rainforests are targeted. Countries with the most significa nt deforestation include Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the most deforestation is Indonesia. In the last century, Indonesia has lost 16 million hectares of forest. The World Resources Institute estimates that most of the world’s remaining indigenous forest is located in Canada, Alaska, Russia and the Northwestern Amazon basin. Deforestation has been happening since the beginning of civilization. Scientists estimate that half of the world’s tropical forestsShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Deforestation On The Environment845 Words   |  4 Pagesdo to protect the environment? Our planet is shifting, we need to help it change for the better. There are many effects that can change our Globe in a shocking manner but, the good news is each individual can contribute to make a better world for our children. People across the world acquired, use, and dispose enormous multiplicity of products which helps to build our lives easier and more comfortable. However, the outcome of this can make massive damage to our environment. Working together withRead MoreEffects Of Deforestation On The Environment1389 Words   |  6 PagesDeforestation is one of the many problems this world faces today. Many people are unaware of how harmful deforestation can be towards the environment and the animals that inhabit the area. Many people don’t even know what deforestation is and that it’s actually happening. To sum it all up, deforestation is the process of destroying forests by cutting them down or burning the trees down, destroying hundreds of acres in order to make more land available for other uses thinking that the benefits outweighRead MoreThe Effects Of Deforestation On The Environment1379 Words   |  6 Pagesyou no choice but to run through the forest. Being separated from family members, all alone in the african desert with no home left. This issue is happening all over the place for many beloved animals yet not much is being done about it at all. Deforestation is a major issue for animals, forests are a huge source of oxygen for the wildlife surrounding them. â€Å"80% of the animals in the world live in or around forests†(National Geographic, Munita) there has been a huge increase for many species goingRead MoreDeforestation And Its Effects On The Environment1120 Words   |  5 PagesTo start off, thirty percent of the world’s land are forests. (Anonymous, para. 1). However, the number of forests are dwindling down due to the deforestation that happens every year. Deforestation is â€Å"the act or result of cutting down or burning all the trees in an area† (Anonymous). Unfortunately, this damages the land. Deforestation has many factors of what causes the loss of trees. There are agriculture farmers that cut down trees to have more acres to grow more plants or to have more livestockRead MoreThe Effects Of Deforestation On The Environment915 Words   |  4 Pageson going environmental issues, which include water shortages, soil erosion and deforestation. The soil erosion has been caused by an excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers. Deforestation has been a detrimental issue because of the large amounts of agricultural and land clearing, and not to mention the over use of wood products for fuel purposes, without replanting new growth. Another leading cause of deforestation is forest fires caused by man, whether it’s intentional or accidental. Water shortagesRead MoreDeforestation And Its Effects On The Environment912 Words   |  4 PagesRainforests today are disappearing at an alarming rate as a result of deforestation for commercial purposes such as logging, agriculture, and livestock and the probable solution are becoming far from realistic as the expansion becomes bigger and bigger. Every year, an estimated 18 million acres are destroyed for various reasons, including paper, timber. An average of two football field sizes of pre cious rainforest are torn down, killing millions of animals and destroying valuable pharmaceutical plantsRead MoreThe Effects Of Deforestation On The Environment953 Words   |  4 PagesAir Pollution Deforestation has been an ongoing activity in both the North and South Island in relatively equal measures. Since New Zealand was inhabited, Maori and European settlers have exploited the forests in New Zealand, reducing them from 82% to 23% of the surface area throughout the country. (Ewersa et al,, 2006). This is a great volume of vegetation which has been removed from the earth’s surface. In return, many harmful impacts are being imposed on the environment. One of these is the increasedRead MoreDeforestation of Our Rainforests931 Words   |  4 PagesThe most destructive and harmful tragedy that our rainforests, specifically the Amazon, suffer from is deforestation. Deforestation is the clearing or destruction of land throughout forests. Unfortunately, human beings are the number one cause of deforestation throughout the world. The reason if this is simply because we use the wood mainly for things like hydroelectric dams that power communities, palm oil for its biofuel res ourcefulness, and the mining for diamond and gold. Another reason wouldRead MoreDeforestation And Environment1402 Words   |  6 Pages Deforestation is an increasing global crisis and is mainly caused by human actions. Forests cover approximately 31% of the area on the planet (Deforestation, n.d.). Deforestation is the destruction of a wide area of forest land into a cleared land that is used for a variety of reasons. The impact on the environment from cutting down, burning and damaging forests is very detrimental and there are severe consequences for the environment and future generations due to deforestation. According to theRead MoreCause And Effect Of Deforestation1259 Words   |  6 Pages2 28 October 2015 Cause and Effect of Deforestation Deforestation is a problem that does not concern many people, but it is an issue that the people of Earth need to deal with. In the past 50 years deforestation has increased a significant amount, but people around the world have been removing the forests since the 1600s. The forests remaining are in danger as the human population goes up, the need for resources will also increase and this will make the deforestation of the last forests come quicker

`` Questing For Monsters `` By John Mueller, An American...

In â€Å"Questing for Monsters to Destroy,† John Mueller, an American political scientist, says American policymakers put â€Å"a truly massive emphasis on exquisite theorizing and on defense expenditures,† because these policymakers, â€Å"became mesmerized by perceived threats that scarcely warranted the preoccupation and effort,† of actual military action (p 117). He argues that American decision makers constantly saw Russia’s actions as bigger threats than they really were and acted accordingly, which resulted in the U.S. spending money and troops to fight wars they should have never been involved in. In the Communist invasion of Korea in the summer of 1950, Stalin believed North Korean leader, Kim Il Sung when he said he was â€Å"absolutely certain of success.† However, Stalin made it clear the USSR would not be footing the bill for a war in Korea if Sung was wrong, and he was. Once the United States sided with the South Koreans, the war became a fiasco instead of the quick, easy, and cheap spread of Communism Stalin thought he was signing on for, and Korea has never been stable since. Similarly, on September 11, 2001, al Qaeda underestimated American retaliation when they orchestrated and executed terror attacks on U.S. soil. Since Americans started a â€Å"war on terror,† al Qaeda’s efforts have become â€Å"desperate self-promotion† and most of â€Å"their† attacks have been made by affiliated and never again had such a catastrophic impact as 9/11 (p 123). Although the perpetrators of both theShow MoreRelatedJohn Mueller And The United States Essay1860 Words   |  8 Pagesspread of their ideals for selfish and self-righteous reasons. John Mueller and Odd Arne Westad share their arguments as to what the United States’ actions have produced during the Cold War in Eastern Europe, Korea, and Vietnam and during the post-9/11 period in the Afghanistan and Iraq. While some of their arguments are valid, others are flawed. In â€Å"Questing for Monsters to Destroy,† John Mueller, an American political scientist, says American policymakers put, â€Å"a truly massive emphasis on exquisite theorizing

Biodiesel in Malaysia free essay sample

In the United States, the majority of biodiesel is made from soybean or canola oils, but is also made from waste stream sources such as used cooking oils or animal fats. Biodiesel is a diesel replacement fuel that is manufactured from vegetables oils, recycled cooking greases or oils, or animal fats. History of biodiesel around the World Transesterification of a vegetable oil was conducted as early as 1853 by scientists E. Duffy and J. Patrick, many years before the first diesel engine became functional. Rudolf Diesels prime model, a single 10 ft (3 m) iron cylinder with a flywheel at its base, ran on its own power for the first time in Augsburg, Germany on August 10, 1893. In remembrance of this event, August 10 has been declared International Biodiesel Day. Diesel later demonstrated his engine and received the Grand Prix (highest prize) at the World Fair in Paris, France in 1900. This engine stood as an example of Diesels vision because it was powered by peanut oil a biofuel, though not biodiesel, since it was not transesterified. He believed that the utilization of biomass fuel was the real future of his engine. In a 1912 speech Diesel said, The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of the present time. During the 1920s, diesel engine manufacturers altered their engines to utilize the lower viscosity of petrodiesel (a fossil fuel), rather than vegetable oil (a biomass fuel). The petroleum industries were able to make inroads in fuel markets because their fuel was much cheaper to produce than the biomass alternatives. The result, for many years, was a near elimination of the biomass fuel production infrastructure. Only recently have environmental impact concerns and a decreasing cost differential made biomass fuels such as biodiesel a growing alternative. Research into the use of transesterified sunflower oil, and refining it to diesel fuel standards, was initiated in South Africa in 1979. By 1983 the process for producing fuel-quality, engine-tested biodiesel was completed and published internationally.An Austrian company, Gaskoks, obtained the technology from the South African Agricultural Engineers; the company erected the first biodiesel pilot plant in November 1987, and the first industrial-scale plant in April 1989 (with a capacity of 30,000 tons of rapeseed per annum). Throughout the 1990s, plants were opened in many European countries, including the Czech Republic, Germany and Sweden. France launched local production of biodiesel fuel (referred to as diester) from rapeseed oil, which is m ixed into regular diesel fuel at a level of 5%, and into the diesel fuel used by some captive fleets (e. g. public transportation) at a level of 30%. Renault, Peugeot and other manufacturers have certified truck engines for use with up to that level of partial biodiesel; experiments with 50% biodiesel are underway.During the same period, nations in other parts of the world also saw local production of biodiesel starting up: by 1998 the Austrian Biofuels Institute had identified 21 countries with commercial biodiesel projects. 100% Biodiesel is now available at many normal service stations across Europe. In September of 2005 Minnesota became the first U. S. state to mandate that all diesel fuel sold in the state contain part biodiesel, requiring a content of at least 2% biodiesel. History of biodiesel in Malaysia One such fuel, which has been gaining prominence in recent years, is biofuel. Clean and renewable, biofuel has been touted as the answer to the issue of the diminishing of energy reserves. It was led by Yang.Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Dr Yusof Basiron, former Director General of MPOB, MPOB has been the pioneer and is at the forefront in researching into palm biodiesel project. Since the 1980s, MPOB in collaboration with the local oil giant, PETRONAS, has begun to develop a patented technology to transform crude palm oil into a viable diesel substitute. This process involves the transesterification of crude palm oil into palm oil methyl esters or palm biodiesel. It has also been successfully demonstrated in a 3000 tonnes per year pilot plant located in the MPOB headquarters. Palm biodiesel has been systematically and exhaustively evaluated as diesel fuel substitute from 1983 to 1994.These included laboratory evaluation, stationary engine testing and field trials on a large number of vehicles including taxis, trucks, passenger cars and buses. Exhaustive field trials with 30 Mercedes Benz of Germany mounted onto passenger buses have been successfully completed with each bus covered 300,000 km, the expected life of the engines. Biodiesel in Malaysia In Malaysia, biodiesel called the Envo Diesel was launched by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Tuesday 22 March 2006. Malaysia currently produces 500,000 tonnes of biofuel annually and the government hopes to increase this number this year. Envo diesel blends 5% processed palm oil (vegetable oil) with 95% petrodiesel. In contrast, EUs B5 blends 5% methyl ester with 95% petrodiesel.Diesel engine manufacturers prefer the use of palm oil methyl ester blends as diesel engines are designed to handle 5% methyl esters meeting the EN14214 biodiesel standard, which palm oil cannot meet. Malaysia announced that it will build three plants to produce biodiesel from palm oil, as part of efforts to reduce its dependency on foreign oil and increase demand for domestically produced palm oil. Palm biodiesel is set to become a viable alternative to petroleum diesel, Commodities Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui told an international palm oil congress in Kuala Lumpur. Palm biodiesel is attractive when oil is above $43 he added. Crude oil is currently trading around $65 a barrel.With fossil oil fuel becoming lesser and lesser and ultimately depleting the world over, it might be wise for Malaysia to adopt and implement the use of these renewable fuel resources early, as such the national oil company, PETRONAS, must take th e foremost initiative first to tap this resource by making research on the blending palm oil diesel with fossil diesel to the best possible combination so that all diesel engines in this country could start using this blend or just purely palm oil bio-diesel which has been found to be an equally efficient and effective replacement. The initiative will be the first in the world on a national scale, since Malaysia is a gross producer and net exporter of both palm oil and also of fossil oil, there is no disadvantage whether Malaysia export less palm oil or more fossil oil which is value added in the form diesel and petrol. Whether or not it is economical or practical to implement this is purely a matter of policy by the government.If export fossil diesel fuel to be consumed ; used in Malaysia alone including subsidies Malaysia could increase their foreign reserves and offset the opportunity cost created by the palm oil price fluctuation and direct export earnings from palm oil. This policy implementation should be long term and will benefit future generations of Malaysians because palm oil diesel cannot be depleted owing to the fact it is a renewable resource and when in use in diesel engines it will be environmentally friendly. Whereas fossil oil diesel can be depleted and also can cause environmental damage. Th e cost for producing palm oil diesel could be reduced if used cooking oil from big consumers like KFC, Mc Donalds and other fast food chains could contribute used cooking oil for recycling into diesel for consumption by diesel engines.The cost of producing bio-diesel or palm oil diesel could be a fraction compared to producing fossil diesel, as crude or palm oil of the lowest grade such as soap making fats and also palm oil sludge waste could be used and it could be converted easily into bio-diesel for engine consumption on a very large scale and if there is an economy of scale the production cost could be further reduced. much research have been done by others including the King of Thailand; and the results observed have been proven to be viable and positive and therefore Malaysia should pursue this policy of implementation as the first on the national scale to enjoy the economy of scale. In etrol engines, pure bio-ethanol has been found to be an efficient and effective alternative replacement for the petrol fuel or if necessary also by blending both with less of petrol and more of ethanol as engine fuels, the optimum combination ratio to be determined by further research for all types of petrol engines; much research have also been done by others who have found this advantage, recently in china, a province which is a renown corn producer has been successfully producing ethanol from old and outdated stock of corn for consumption by petrol engines in its pure form without blending on large scale, that is consumption by the whole province, they are also burning bio-residues ; wastes from the fermentati ons plants for distilling the alcohol ethanol.Bio-ethanol could be produced by a local company using proven foreign technology on a large scale, by using bio-mass from wood wastes from forest industries, plants wastes from orchard trimmings ; also all types of wastes from sugar, maize, tapioca, palm oil ; rubber plantations ; also from reeds, grass ; rice husks from padi fields; garbage, rubbish and other wastes in the modern waste disposal incinerators could fuel the distilling of the ethanol and also produce electricity if the excess heat could be further harnessed. most of our fossil petrol and fossil diesel to be used ; consumed in the country could then be exported to earn foreign exchange reserves or the fossil oil reserves themselves be preserved for our future generations or whichever way is truly feasible and viable. Savings and conservation of our natural resources and establishing of Malaysia’s own renewable non-depleting alternative resources of fuels could be ach ieved using the two methods said above if implemented by the Malaysian government on a large scale basis could result with whole new industries that could offshoot from these initiatives.These initiatives could be realised to produce and distribute bio-ethanol and palm oil bio-diesel on a large scale, from biomass, made available from the said waste resources mentioned above, this will involve investments of about between US$1 billion to US$10 billion which Malaysia can attract outside investors interested in this program because of the large biomass waste resources available in Malaysia. The end products could even be exported to other countries lacking such resources like for example Singapore at a price cheaper than fossil fuel. Disadvantages of Biodiesel in Malaysia Projects requiring Malaysian and Indonesian palm oil as feedstock have been criticized by some environmental advocates.A Friend of the Earth has published a report asserting that clearance of forests for oil-palm plantations is threatening some of the last habitat of the orangutan. Over the past decade, Malaysia has converted large tracts of tropical rainforest to palm oil plantations on the island of Borneo. Recently, several Malaysian firms were implicated in illegal burning in Indonesia that produced a polluting haze that choked residents of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysias remaining old growth forests are, biologically, some of the richest on the planet and are home to a number of endangered species including forest elephants, rhinos, orangutans, tigers, monkeys, and tapir. The government has been working to encourage ecotourism but still struggles policing its own forests.