Bonnie and Clyde(Penn, 1967) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bonnie and Clyde(Penn, 1967) - Essay Example Bonnie and Clyde can be easily put under the genre of crime films. These are the movies that have a plot revolving around the life of a criminal. The character could be someone as real life as conceivable or someone so villainous that the viewer feels that he could not possibly be real. Then there are some which are based on the lives of actual felons. Often, films portray the life of criminals to be exciting and glorified, and this movie is one of those. It gives a glimpse of how life as a wanted person could be like, all the rush and adrenaline and yet the worry that must be constantly at the back of their mind of being caught even if they are arrogant and act otherwise. Such movies give the watcher an inside look to how a criminal’s mind could be like (Barsam and Monahan). The story is set during the times of the Great Depression when practically everyone was unemployed and money was short. In turn, these events resulted in a rise of criminal activity since the only way tha t the people could afford to put some food in their belly was by stealing the food. One of those persons was Clyde Barrow. It is whilst he is trying to steal a car when he meets Bonnie Parker, a waitress who is, surprisingly, the daughter of the owner of the very same car – â€Å"Hey boy, what you doin' with my Mama's car?† (Newman, Benton and Towne). However, instead of creating an outcry, she helps Clyde and they manage to run away in the car. That makes her first crime stealing her mother’s car but Bonnie has no regrets as she is quite excited and is looking forward to a new way of life. As Arthur Penn explains, â€Å"the American negro has the same kind of attitude of 'I have nothing more to lose' that was true during the Depression for Bonnie and Clyde.... He really is at the point of revolution -- it's rebellion, not riot† (Friedman 84) The duo start small, they go around gas stations and such. However, when their increasingly expensive lifestyle re quires them to have more money, they raise the scales. They start robbing banks, figuratively spitting on authority that turned its back to them and so many others despite all their promises made in the past, even introducing themselves as â€Å"This here's Miss Bonnie Parker. I'm Clyde Barrow...We rob banks† (Newman, Benton and Towne). Throughout the movie, the viewer may notice the subtle way that the Robin Hood theme has been continuously showcased. The two are stealing money from those who shut themselves down and refused to lent money to the poor in their times of need. In fact, the banks collapse and with them sink all the money that the ordinary people had cashed in their accounts as savings for the future. There is also a scene during one of the robberies at the bank when a farmer who had dropped by is allowed to keep all his money with him. It is through these little gestures that they show that are just ordinary folk. They are two thieves stealing money and living t heir life as they want it to be despite the terrible times and all the uncertainty that the normal public are feeling. It is clear since the beginning of the movie that Bonnie and Clyde are instantly attracted towards each other. Romance taking place in the future is a definite yes. The pair have a fun time together, meeting people they like and dislike but enjoying life to the fullest. Still, it is not all

Psychological Aspects of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism Essay Example for Free

Psychological Aspects of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism Essay Though the most of the teachings followed by the different sects of Buddhism vary and conflict with each other, the general core values set by Buddha are still followed by all Buddhists. In regard to this we examine two Buddhism sects namely Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. Whilst Theravada is psychologically oriented, Mahayana is idealistically oriented. The two sects have varying perceptions of the reality and the world besides the concept of being. There are many inherent differences between the two sects of Buddhism though the two seem to broadly agree on the original teachings of Buddha. Firstly, Theravada Buddhism denies the existence of any true being behind any given phenomenon and consequently avoids making metaphysical statements unlike Mahayana which teaches an Eternal Absolute included in many names. In this sense, Mahayana holds that all beings in all forms are identical with the absolute in their cores. Moreover, Mahayana sees Gautama as seeing through the projection of the absolute though it holds or possess a mortal frame of illusion which is frail. On the other hand, Theravada consider Gautama as a natural teacher or a superman at most. In the teachings of Theravada, liberation can only be achieved through an individual’s effort as opposed to the teaching of Mahayana which holds that liberation can be achieved through the help of outside assistance and deliverance through the power of others (Paul, 1999, 45). Moreover, Theravada Buddhism teaches it followers to set their ultimate goal to be the achievement of nirvana as opposed to the case of Mahayana which its ultimate goal is defined in following the ways of bodhisattva in leading all other human beings especially the sentient beings to liberation. In addition, Theravada Buddhism sees Hinayana as the final exit from the world while the same to Mahayana Buddhism is considered as achieving consciousness of an individual absolute nature and gaining mental aloofness state from all suffering. As seen in the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, it attitudes are organized in such a way that an individual or a follower should endeavor to help the world and unselfish to it. On the contrary, Theravada attitudes are such that it followers should always endeavor to defeat the world through analysis strategies employed on its elements and through using knowledge and experience of an individual conduct. Mahayana Buddhism sometimes referred to as Northern Buddhism or the great wheel (vehicle) is mostly found in china, Vietnam, Japan, Korea and Nepal. It is usually followed by monks and lay. In essence, the Monks follow the rules set by Vinayas and which constitutes the prescriptions for monastic life in the Tipitaka also known to be Theravada sacred canon. However, they do this via the interpretation of Mahayana. In addition, the Monks also take vows to strive attain bodhisattva, with those who pursue esoteric practices of Tantric Buddhism taking Tantric initiations and vows (Michael, 2003, 56). In essence, Mahayana Buddhism is founded on speculations of metaphysical nature in respect to the nature of reality or what can be termed as enlightenment in addition to the core values set by Buddha. The general idea of Mahayana Buddhism is that when one achieves enlightenment, such a person returns to the world as a Bodhisattva to join other human beings. In this context, this branch of Buddhism emphasizes that the duty of a Buddhist who has achieved enlightenment is compassionately work in an effort to help end the sufferings of other Buddhists. In addition, Mahayana Buddhism holds the argument that through enlightenment, all creatures which can be considered as sentiment will finally achieve Buddhahood (Christopher, 1999, 23). Mahayana Buddhism is commonly divided into philosophical schools which are known to be influential not only to the Mahayana Buddhism but also to the Shankara and Advaita Vedanta as well. In this regard, the dialectic school also known as Madhyamika constitute one of the two schools of Mahayana. In essence, this school emphasizes negation of every possible phenomenological reality through logical reducto-ad-absurdum means in an effort to achieve Shunyata which can be seen as ineffable absolute or void and which is considered as the only reality. The concept of Shunyata was introduced in an effort to refute the delusions caused by separate enduring egos. Moreover, the concept was adopted to emphasize the ways in which everything in the universe is connected to each other. The second school is a consciousness doctrine also known as Vijnanavada. This school uses mediation process in an effort to prove that consciousness constitutes the ultimate reality. Unlike the other school, Vijnanavada has a number of occult and metaphysical conceptions including an emanationist which psychologically oriented but similar to Samkhya which is on the contrary cosmologically oriented. Mahayana Buddhism is centered on the noble Bodhisattva ideal which guides the enlightened Buddhists while dealing with the sentimental beings. In definition, a bodhisattva can be seen as a being who is in constant search of means of achieving or attaining Buddhahood in order to benefit sentiment beings. The conception of bodhisattva was developed from the idea of a Buddhist who differs with the ultimate goal of extinction also referred to as nirvana so that such a person can often make his or her way back to the world of suffering and help end the suffering of sentient beings (Michael, 2003, 59). In essence, the idea of bodhisattva is considered as demonstrating selfishness in the doctrine of Mahayana Buddhism largely because a bodhisattva having not reached nirvana, postpone enlightenment so as to help the sentient beings. On the other hand, Theravada Buddhism is seen as the oldest surviving school of Buddhist school and began first in India. It is also known as Hinayana and is relatively close to original Buddhism and conservative as compared to Mahayana Buddhism. Different from the teachings offered by Mahayana, Theravada emphasizes on the concept of Vibhajjavada or Pali which is literally used to mean the teaching of Analysis. According to this teaching, insight comes from the experience of the aspirant coupled by reasoning instead of by blind faith and critical investigation. Despite this teaching, the scriptures adopted by Theravada Buddhism emphasizes on the need to heed to the advice of the elders or the wise. In essence, heeding to the advice given by the elders and evaluation of one’s experience are considered to be the two vital tests on which the judgment of practices adopted by any given follower should be based. In Theravada Buddhism, the cause of human suffering and existence is identified as tanha or a craving which constitutes all the defilements inclusive of sensual desires, anger, ill will, jealousy, fear, hatred among others. In this context, the level of defilement can be coarse, subtle or medium. In essence, the phenomenon of defilement in Theravada Buddhism is seen as arising temporary, taking hold for a short time and then vanishing all together. In this respect, the doctrine of Theravada Buddhism believes that defilements are harmful not only to the person who commits them but also to others and that they are the force behind all the inhumanities committed by any given human being. Moreover, the followers of Theravada Buddhism holds the believe that defilements constitutes habits which are born out of ignorance afflicting the minds of the unenlightened human beings. Being under the influence of defilements, human beings are believed to cling to them by ignoring the established truth. On the other hand, these defilements are considered to be nothing but taints afflicting the mind of human beings consequently creating stress and suffering. Furthermore, the doctrine of Theravada Buddhism believes that the unenlightened human beings tends to cling to their bodies with the assumption that it is their self while on the contrary it present itself as an impermanent phenomenon which is formed on air, fire, water and earth. In this context, it is believed that the body will decompose and disperse after death. Moreover, it is believed that the mental defilements’ continuous and frequent manipulation and instigation of human mind prevents it from seeing the true nature of reality. These defilements according to Theravada Buddhism are further strengthened by unskillful behavior and that if a human being follow a noble eightfold path, he or she can weaken or overcome these defilements. The doctrine of Theravada Buddhism believe that those who are unenlightened experience the world through imperfect six senses inclusive of the ears, the eyes, nose, tongue, mind and tactile sense. They then goes on to use the mind which is by then clouded by much defilement in forming their interpretations, perceptions of reality and conclusions. In essence, the conclusion reached is based on the perceptions of these individuals in regard to the reality. On the other hand, the five physical senses are inactive to unenlightened person and consequently, the defilements are further strengthened unlike in the case of an enlightened person where the senses are wholly active thus suppressing any defilement. In order for any human being to overcome the stress and suffering caused by these defilements one must strive to overcome the defilements first. The defilements in this context are believed to be initially restrained through mindfulness in regard to preventing them from taking over the bodily and mind action. To uproot them therefore, one need to undertake internal investigation and to analyze and at the same time understand the experience and the true nature of such defilements through the use of jhana. The process of uprooting the defilements need to be performed on each kind of defilement if optimal results are to be achieved. Consequently, the mediator will realize four noble truths as believed by the Theravada doctrine which will help him in achieving enlightenment and overcome the defilements completely (Prebish, 1994, 67). In essence, the doctrine of Theravada Buddhism consider enlightenment and Nibbana as their ultimate goals. In this sense, Nibbana is thought of as the perfect bliss through which a person is freed from the cycle of birth, illness, aging and death. The doctrine believe that each and every person should be held personally responsible for their own liberation and self-awakening. In this context, every individual is the one responsible for the consequences of his or her actions as well as those specific actions. As such, by simply believing and striving to learn the truth as provided for by the original Buddhism, an individual cannot fully be awakened but rather he or she must strive to know and conceptualize such reality through direct experience. In this regard, the individual has to follow the teachings of Buddha in respect to the noble eightfold path in an effort to individually discover the truth. According to the doctrine of Theravada, gods, Buddhas, or even deities are not capable of offering awakening to any human being and as such are incapable of lifting from freeing them from the samsara cycle of birth, ageing and death. According to the beliefs held by followers of Theravada Buddhism, Buddhas are only teachers while the gods and deities are subject to anger and other forms of defilements (Robinson, 2005, 46). Theologically, Theravada Buddhism is founded on the four noble truths which are also referred to as the four sublime truths. In essence this can be disseminated as defining the problem, the cause of the problem, the solution to such a problem and the methods and ways that must be followed to attain that solution. Firstly, Theravada Doctrine takes suffering or Dukkha as one of the four noble truths. In this regard, we can have inherent suffering which includes all forms of suffering undergone by an individual as a result of worldly things . On the other extreme, we can have suffering that results from change and finally suffering that is caused by one’s failure of recognizing that he or she is an aggregate definite with an identity that is unsusceptible to change. Secondly, we have the cause of the suffering referred to as Dukkha Samudaya and which can be defined as a craving that leads an individual to worldly bondage and attachment thus causing suffering for such an individual. In this regard, Kama Tanha is the act of craving for any given pleasurable object as a result of the body senses. On the other hand, Bhava Tanha is when an individual crave to be attached to a particular ongoing process such as the longing for existence. Still, Vibhava Tanha is when an individual crave to be detached from any given ongoing process such as the longing for self annihilation. The third truth called Dukkha Nirodha can be seen as a cessation for suffering. According to this truth, it is impossible for one to adjust the entire world in order to fit in his or her taste in an effort to free from suffering. On the other hand, one must adjust his or her mind through detachment process so that any occurring change will have no effect on the peace of mind of such an individual. In other words, the elimination of the craving or the cause will help in eliminating the result. The final truth is a pathway to freedom from suffering and is known as Dukkha Nirodha Gamini Patipata. It is commonly known as the noble eightfold pathway towards Nibbana or freedom. It constitutes the right intention, speech, actions livelihood among other right things that an individual needs to do to free from suffering. According to the doctrine of Theravada Buddhism, all conditioned phenomena including physical qualities, knowledge, theories adopted and the physical characteristics are subject to change with time. This is referred to as Anicca which can also be taken to mean impermanence. Moreover, the teachings of Theravada holds that suffering or Dukkha is caused by craving in the sense that whatever is craved for is subjected to change, transition and perishing. In this regard, the impermanence of the craving object causes sorrow and disappointment in the long run. Since individuals are the one involved in labeling the objects to be liked and those to be disliked on one hand and the comforts and discomforts in the world on the other hand, they are the ones who create suffering in the first place. In this context, if an individual succeeds in overcoming the tendency to label thing in the world, he or she will be free from suffering (Prebish, 1994, 68). Still, Theravada Buddhism uses the concept of anatta in referring to the lack of unchanging and fixed identity. In this regard no specific phenomenon constitutes any individuals’ essential and permanent self. In essence, any human being is composed of five aggregate elements. First, there is the rupa which includes the feelings and other forms of sensations also known as vedana, sanna which includes all the perceptions held by an individual, sankhara which is the mental formations arising from the perceptions and vinnana or the consciousness. All of this cannot be identified as ones’ self but rather together forms the core of an individual. The realization of anatta, dukkha and anica enables one to achieve freedom and to reach nibbana, a state in which one is complete and ultimately free. In regard to meditation, Theravada Buddhism sees it as a way of positively reinforcing the mind of the individual in question. In this respect, mediation is categorized into two. Samatha which in literal terms mean making something skillful includes the acts of achieving visualizing or tranquilizing reality through meditation. Vipassana can be defined as insight or abstract understanding through meditation. In essence, samatha helps one to skillfully concentrate the mind while vipassana helps in seeing through the veil of ignorance (Paul, 1999, 47). In conclusion, while it is easy to disseminate the psychological orientation and aspects of Theravada Buddhism, it is hard to identify the psychological perspectives of Mahayana Buddhism. This is because as stated earlier Mahayana is idealism as opposed to Theravada Buddhism which is psychologically oriented. The teachings of Mahayana Buddhism are those of metaphysically assisting other human beings to achieve enlightenment though the one helping need not have fully achieved it himself. In other words, it teaches it followers to be unselfish to the others and to the world as a whole. It teaches its followers to strive to attain enlightenment and to help others who have not attained it do so. On the other hand, Theravada teaches its followers to strive to overcome the world through individual efforts other than relying on external assistance. In essence, Theravada Buddhism encourages its followers to find effective means of overcoming their defilements and thus to free themselves from sufferings. It holds that the suffering undergone by any individual starts with that individual himself and thus he or she is the only one who can liberate himself from such suffering. Work Cited: Christopher Brown. Can Buddhism Save? Finding Resonance in Incommensurability. Cross Currents, Vol. 49, Summer 1999, pp. 23 Michael Pye. Skilful Means: A Concept in Mahayana Buddhism. London, Routledge Publishers, 2003, pp. 56, 59 Paul Groner. A History of Indian Buddhism: From Sakyamuni to Early Mahayana. China, University of Hawaii Press, 1999, pp. 45, 47 Prebish Charles. Buddhism: A Modern Perspective. United States, Pennsylvania State University Press, 1994, pp. 67, 78 Robinson R. Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction. Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 2005, pp. 46.

Explore the Stylistic Conventions of Both - Notes from a Small Island - :: English Literature

Explore the Stylistic Conventions of Both - Notes from a Small Island - and - In Patagonia - and account for their different audiences. Bill Bryson and Bruce Chatwin both participate in the ability to Travel write. Travel writing is were one would travel and then list in chronological order what they have experienced. Bill Bryson is able to do this in an entirely different fashion, to Bruce Chatwin. Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. Bryson settled in England in 1977, and lived for numerous years with his British wife and children in Yorkshire. Bryson then went back to America, but has now returned to England. As well as writing ‘Notes from a small Island’ Bryson has also written ‘down Under’ ‘Notes from a big Country’ ‘A walk in the Woods’ ‘Made in America’ ‘Neither here nor there’ and ‘The lost Continent’.[1] Bruce Chatwin was born in Sheffield in 1940. After attending Marborough School he began work as a Porter at Sotheby’s, which is an auctioneer. Chatwin became one of the youngest directors at Sotheby’s and then Chatwin abandoned his job to explore the world, as his dedication was travel writing. During 1972 and 1975 Chatwin worked for the Sunday Times and quickly announced his departure for in a telegram; ‘Gone to Patagonia for six months’. This journey motivated to write the first of his books which was simply named, In Patagonia. In Patagonia won The Hawthornden Prize and the E.M. Forster award and launched his writing profession. Two of Chatwins films have been made into feature films, The Viceroy Oiudah (retitled Cobra Verde) directed by Werner Herzog and the British film. Bruce Chatwin has also written ‘On the Black Hill’, ‘The Song Lines’ ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’.[2] Before Bryson’s begins his story, he writes a prologue of his first encounter with Britain and how inviting it was for him. Bryson elaborates on why he returned to England in 1995. Bill Bryson gives an interpretation of his first time in England which was more exclusively Dover in 1973. In the front of Bill Bryson’s book is an image of Britain surrounded by small sketches. Once I had read I became conscious that this map mirrored the style of writing used in the book, light-hearted. Chatwin developed an interest for Patagonia at a young age. Chatwin tells us about his earliest memories of his grandmother, and being at her house; ‘In my grandmother’s dining room was a glass-fronted cabinet†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢[3] Chatwin is talking about his personal experience directly, although he doesn’t begin with his journey in Patagonia. Chatwin is unfolding this tale to his audience in great detail; this story helps the reader

Project Report on Bamboo

Chapter-1 PREFACE A growth oriented Entrepreneur will always be in search of opportunities, which can generate income, enhance long-term value and command recognition and respect in the society. Looking at the present upbeat atmosphere in the NE Region for development of industry, thrust by Government of India for the development of environment friendly alternate resources and last but not the least, the spectacular progress made by China in the bamboo based industry – The KOTHARI group has decided to put up a unit in Guwahati to manufacture Bamboo Flooring, Board & related products.During the exploratory phase, we reviewed reports & journals published by forest department / NGOs on Bamboo resource in NE Region, visited & discussed with the Bamboo growers, met with machinery manufacturers in India & abroad, attended seminars, studied market for flooring and its development potential, consulted technocrats from India and abroad about the possibility of making flooring in India using India Bamboo. We received encouraging response and could feel the potential. Now we are determined to put up project and this report provides details on various aspects of the same.Chapter-II PROJECT AT A GLANCE PRODUCT : Bamboo Flooring & Bamboo Panel Boards. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Bamboo flooring/board is the newest and most revolutionary products in the flooring and interior decoration concept. The unique Bamboo grain provides an exotic oriental beauty to the interior of any room, and the high quality of Bamboo compared to wood guarantees a lifetime of enjoyment. Bamboo Flooring and Bamboo Board is also the most environment friendly construction material available.Although Bamboo looks and behaves like a superior hardwood, it is actual a grass. Unlike wood forests, which take decades to regenerate, the Bamboo groves only take a few years to renew themselves. As consumer (especially in developed markets such as North America, Europe and Japan) become increasingly environment c onscious, this has become a strong marketing aspect of Bamboo products. Bamboo’s natural versatility is suitable to a variety of environments. The finished product is all-around coated and protected against insects and fungus.It is suitable for all residential and commercial installations- in bedrooms, living room, kitchens, offices, schools and hospitals. PRODUCT FEATURES : Bamboo Flooring & Boards are made from 100% renewable resource, which saves precious timbers. Apart from this, it has so many salient features- Incredible tensile strength.Light weight . Excellent appearance. Harder and more stable than wood. Easy to install. Creates friendly atmosphere for Asthma & Allergy patients. Excellent insulator of heat/cold. Environment friendliness Water- resistant. Numerous uses. MARKET POTENTIAL : The demand for Bamboo Flooring & Bamboo Panels are expending from South- East Asian Countries to European and American markets.The international market for bamboo flooring is esti mated at Rs. 750 cores and it is expending at a rate of 50% p. a. Current trends in the interior decoration industry are ‘back to nature’ i. e. away from synthetics and towards more natural products such as wood / bamboo. Due to health reasons, wood/ bamboo floors are taking away the market share from carpets (bamboo floors are hypo-allergenic and as a consequence, do not suffer from dust mite infection like other floor coverings. In addition, wood sources are becoming increasingly depleted and the consumer is becoming environmentally conscious, the market for bamboo products has increased exponentially- for flooring, paneling, and a variety of products limited only by the imagination such as doors, frames, table tops, gift items, photo frames etc. Market response to Bamboo flooring is more than encouraging particularly for its look, strength and high-class protective coating. With support from international agencies and technical experts we are very optimistic about ac hieving quality standards.INDIAN SCENARIO: With booming construction activities, scope for interior decoration activities has increased substantially. Of late, growth in use of marble and granite is reducing as Interior decoration industry always looks for new products. There have been imports of wooden and laminated floors but prohibitive duties and resultant landed price is restricting growth of such alternative products. In the domestic market, the size of the organized flooring market has been estimated at Rs. 1500 crores for all type of flooring. As the supply creates its own demand nd if the Bamboo flooring can capture even 6-7 % of the market for flooring, it will mean a market of Rs. 100 Crores to being with and it is likely to grow at a rate of at least 15% per annum. Source: INBAR Report Our initial market survey has given has us all the reasons to be excited about huge potential not only for flooring but also for wall panels where there is absolutely no new product since last decade. Moreover, a product made in India will have better acceptability to larger cross section of price sensitive India consumers.PROPOSED CAPACITY : Bamboo Flooring / Panel 60000 Mtr2 / p. a. LOCATION : Export Promotion Industrial Park, Guwahati. CAPACITY UTILISATION : 1st Year 70% p. a. 2nd Year 80% p. a. 3rd year & onwards 90% p. a. COST OF PROJECT : (Estimated) (Rs. n Lakhs) (a) Land & Development 19. 68 (b) Building 51. 76 (c) Plant & Machinery 245. 52 (d) Misc. Fixed Assets 57. 10 (e) Preliminary Expense 0. 0 (f) Preoperative Expenses 49. 29 (g)Technical Know how & training 15. 91 (h) Margin for Working Capital 26. 07 (i) Contingencies 24. 81 MEANS OF FINANCE Contribution by the Promoters: Equity by promoters 97. 3 Grant from NEC 50. 00 Contribution by the Funding Agencies: (i) Technology Development Assistance from TIFAC 245. 00 (ii) Term Loan by Institution 98. 31 490. 44 Guarantee: Apart from above, Guarantee in favour of Government of India to the tune of Rs. 0 La cs for import of machines under EPCG Scheme at concessional Customs duty. Subsidies and other incentives of capital nature have not been considered while deciding means of finance. The same can be directly reimbursed of loan. PROFITABILITY The profitability projections are as follows: [III year / normal year of operation] (Rs. in Lakhs) Sales Proceeds 494. 0 Cost of Sales 338. 18 Gross Profit Before financial expenses 155. 92 Financial Expenses 34. 59 Depreciation 28. 53 Operating Profit 92. 0 Profit After Tax 91. 18 Note: Incentives such as transport subsidy etc. have not been considered in the cost of production. The same can be directly reimbursed (as and when due) to the lending institutions as per-payment of loans. This will improve working of the company substantially. Chapter –III INTRODUCTION Flooring plays a vital role in the total appearance of any house /shop / building, whereas, very little emphasis was given in improvement and innovation of flooring materi al in India.Since last few years the awareness about the importance of flooring has increased amongst Indian consumers and now there is a visible shift from conventional cemented or mosaic flooring to Granite, Marble, Italian Marble, and Glazed Ceramic Tiles etc. for many advantages over traditional flooring. Of late, due to ease in import, demand for wooden flooring and laminated flooring is also increasing. Since most of these products are imported hence higher cost and we are sure environmental awareness will always keep Bamboo flooring ahead of wooden flooring.There is huge market potential of Bamboo Flooring and Boards in India as well as abroad. As per the ‘Country Report India’ prepared by International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) on Bamboo Value-added industry, size of the domestic organized flooring market has been estimated at Rs. 1500 Crore for all types of premium flooring. Architects are of the opinion that since supply creates its own demand, it would be possible for Bamboo Flooring to capture 6-7 % of the market. This will result in a domestic market size of Rs. 100 Crore to begin with.Growth of the industry is estimated at 15% in the Indian market. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT AND USES World over Wooden Flooring is considered to be more up market compared to cement, marble, tiles etc. It enhances the warmth of any house and complements the decor of room. However with scarce timber resources and increasing environmental awareness people are shifting towards Bamboo Flooring, which is equally attractive and technically better than Wooden Flooring. The natural grains of Bamboo show up clearly and look very attractive. It looks very unique, elegant, and serene.The flooring is resistant to moisture, pressure, and scratch. It is flexible and lasts longer than wood. It also acts as sound and heat insulator. Bamboo flooring/board is the newest and most revolutionary product in the flooring and interior decoration industries. The uni que Bamboo grain provides an exotic oriental beauty to the interior of any room, and the high quality of Bamboo compared to wood guarantees a lifetime of enjoyment. Bamboo Flooring and bamboo board is also the most environmental friendly construction material available.Although Bamboo looks and behaves like a superior hardwood, Bamboo is actual grass-unlike wood forest, which take decades to regenerate, the Bamboo groves only take a few years to renew themselves. As consumers (especially in developed markets such as North America, Europe and Japan) have become increasingly environmentally conscious, this has become a strong marketing aspect of Bamboo. Bamboo’s natural versatility is suitable to a variety of environments. The finished product is all-around coated and protected against damp, insects, and fungus.It is suitable for all residential and commercial installations – in bedrooms, living rooms, offices, showrooms, hotels, restaurants, banquet halls, discotheques etc. Standard Bamboo flooring is manufactured as an all around tongue and groove board; a variety of sizes can be produced, the most popular being 900 mm X 90mm X 15mm, 600mm X 90mm X 15mm. Among the many possible lamination, the most common are protected with 3-layers of UV coating. COMPETING PRODUCTS Marble Granite Wooden Flooring Carpet PVC Flooring Ceramic Tiles Laminated Flooring ADVANTAGES OF BAMBOO FLOORING ) Bamboo is harder than various species of wood. It is 25% harder than oak, 23% harder than Rock Maple. So it is more stable. Tensile strength of Bamboo is 28000 psi, which is even more than steel. ii) Bamboo floors are hypoallergenic and as a consequence, do not suffer from dust mite infection like other floor coverings. It creates friendly atmosphere for Asthma & Allergy patients. iii) It is an excellent insulator. So in cold climate it helps by keeping the room temperature warm, and in air-conditioned atmosphere, it helps in power saving by maintaining room temperature. v) Bamboo flooring is U. V. Coated, which is very hard, scratch resistant, moisture resistant. v) It is easy to maintain. It can be easily cleaned with vacuum cleaner. vi) It has got excellent appearance. vii) It is lightweight and easy to install. viii) Bamboo flooring are impregnated with chemicals which makes it termite proof. ix) It is made from 100% renewable resource, which saves precious timber. So it is environment friendly too. THE LOCATIONAL ADVANTAGES The proposed unit is to be set up in the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), Amingaon ,Guwahati.We have considered different factors while selecting the site and found that there are various advantages of putting up the unit in Guwahati. Some of them are as under- a) Availability of raw as material: Due to high volume and low weight, any Bamboo related production has to be near the source. Major raw material, Bamboo is abundantly available in and around Guwahati. Bamboo can be procured from farmers in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Agartalla and North Bengal. b) Availability of Skilled Manpower: The local people of Assam have gained natural skill of Bamboo craft.They understand bamboo vary well. For these reasons, it will be much easier to train a local person. c) Availability of Land: This unit requires a converted shed of 8000 sq. ft. and additional space for storage utility and for future expansion. AIDC has confirmed availability of required land at EPIP, Amingaon. d) Availability of Utilities: Power: Uninterrupted power supply is available to all the units set up in EPIP. This will be an advantageous situation. Water: Water is also easily available. Steam:Steam will be required for manufacturing of Bamboo Flooring, which is planned to be produced by putting up a coal-fired boiler. Good quality coal is available from Meghalaya at a very economical price. e) Availability of Transport: EPIP, Amingaon is located adjacent to Guwahati dry port. All the dispatches to overseas market can be booked from there itself. Moreover, Guwahati is well connected by rain and road links with other parts of the country hence; transportation of finished product & raw material will have no difficulty at all. f) Subsidies & Incentives:Government of India & Governments of Assam is giving various incentives and concessions for the new unit put up in Assam such as Sales Tax exemption. Excise exemption, Income tax exemption, and various other subsidies. g) Infrastructure facility: Guwahati, the proposed location of the unit, is the capital city of Assam which has got all the required amenities such as schools, hotels, hospitals, colleges and other entertainment facilities. Chapter –IV RAW MATERIAL BAMBOO AN INTRODUCTION As the name suggest, the Bamboo Flooring are manufactured using Bamboo. Bamboo is an immensely useful and highly renewable natural resource.It has been used by people – most notable in Asia – since time immemorial, and its remarkable versatility as raw material is attested to in our day by a list of products which is as long as that of the 1,573 known bamboo species. From food, folder, fencing and fuel to flooring and furniture to flutes, fishing rods and even false teeth, bamboo products are used by an estimated 2. 5 billion people, or almost half of the world’s population. Although we in India are using Bamboo in various application but not much has been done for technical improvement of the manufacturing process of various products made by Bamboo.Comparatively a lot of research has been done in China to make better products. Value addition to Bamboo has been negligible in India. Bamboo, the world’s most useful plant, is a very large grass rather than a tree, yet has a timber-like quality when used as a construction material. It is the fastest growing plant in the world and certain species can reach heights of over 100 feet at rates of up to 5 centimeters per hour. It is harvested for commercial usage after three to five year s.This botanical cousin to rich and corn has over 1,000 species of varying sized and characteristics makes it amazingly versatile it may be used for building whole houses, furniture, cases, baskets, screens, farm tools, fishing rods, windmill blades, boat building, record needles, paper, kites, blowguns, polish, diesel fuel, scales, food, medicine, chopsticks, incense sticks, musical instruments, blinds, concrete reinforcement, plastic reinforcement, scaffolding, cables, both substitutes, piping, bike frames, various other structures and a host of other durable, useful, crafted items. Bamboo is also used for brewing beer.An Edison light bulb in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D. C. has a bamboo filament, which is still capable of burning after more than a century. The bamboo cable-supported Min Bridge in Szechwan is over 1,000 years old. BAMBOO AND ITS USES China: In a remarkably short span of time, the bamboo sector in China has transformed technologically and structurally . The last decade has seen China emerge as a pioneer in bamboo utilization and a market leader offering a variety of new products and processing techniques. The latest development in China has been the usage of bamboo as a viable replacement for wood.Bamboo mat boards have been acknowledged as an excellent substitute for plywood. Rapid growth of the bamboo plywood industry has instilled a new vibrancy in the sector. Bamboo has also been used to substitute plastics, steel and cement in new application in construction of houses, and manufacturing of furniture and agricultural tools and implements with application of sophisticated design, knowledge and use of improved composite technologies. Bamboo has an important industrial role in paper & pulp manufacturing in China. With a large and expending market, China is the world leader in bamboo shoot production and consumption.Growth of significant scale in China bamboo sector has been possible through coordinated research and its applicati on, incentive regimes, provisioning of support services, changes in agro forestry practices, and the fostering of close linkages with markets. Other Southeast Asian Countries: In other Southeast countries, however, apart from Thailand, which now boasts of bamboo shoot export equivalent to that of China, there has been little or on progress. It is still only the rural poor who continue to be principal users of bamboo. In Bangladesh, 80-90 % of rural houses are constructed from bamboo, as are many rural dwellings in India.Philippines, Nepal and Thailand. South America: In South America, bamboo utilization is small compared to Asia, except in localized areas. A large bamboo specie – Guadua anaustifolia, has been used for a housing programme in Costa Rica through a large-scale internationally funded bamboo project. All Central American countries have shown interest in this project. South Africa: Bamboo is valued in Kenya for soil stabilization. It is used to some extent in constr uction and fuel. India: In India, the principal usage of bamboo is in the paper industry, as scaffolding in construction material or in the handicrafts sector.Among other uses, bamboo splits or wholes are used as a fencing material and for making various types of tool handles, ladders, and scaffolding. Splits as well as slivers types of tool handles, ladders, and scaffolding. Splits as well as slivers are used to make a wide range of products such as baskets, the core of incense-sticks, kites and toys, flutes and a large number of handicraft items. They are used to make cages for poultry, drying, packaging, and transport of grains. Bamboo slivers are woven into mats and used to manufacture mat boards. However there is very limited value addition that takes place on these products.Also, since there is no automation in the manufacturing process, the manually made products are often of non-standard sizes. The majority of these products are consumed and sold at the local market-level on ly. The bulk utilization of bamboo in industry is in the manufacture of paper & pulp. The 13. 47 million tones of bamboo harvested annual gets utilized industrially in paper mills, as scaffolding in fencing, for internal consumption in bamboo-growing householders, handicrafts and miscellaneous items like incense-sticks, ladders, ice-cream sticks, agricultural implements etc.Again, no reliable estimates of quantities are available for any of these items. The estimate of consumption in each of the above categories is based on primary information and on an analysis of the industry size and growth rates. Paper: The total production of paper in India is 205 million tones. Paper industry experts have indicates that 25% of the raw material requirement of the industry is currently met through bamboo. Hence, the quantity of wet bamboo required for this is 2. 5 million tones (4 kg of wet bamboo is needed to produce 1 kg of paper. )Internal Consumption: According to the survey among grower hou seholds in the NER, internal consumption for fencing, baskets, temporary structure, fishing rod etc. is 10% of the harvest. Of 13. 47 million tones, this translates to 1. 35 million tones approximately. Scaffolding: The value of scaffolding is 0. 1% to 0. 5% of the total value of the construction industry. The total value of the construction industry in India comprising the residential, commercial, industry and infrastructure segments is currently estimated as Rs. 292,000 crore. Assuming 0. 25% value of bamboo scaffolding in the residential and commercial segments and 0. % in industrial and infrastructure construction, the total value of bamboo used for scaffolding is Rs. 340 crore (for 3. 4 million tones-price of one tone of bamboo is Rs. 1000) Handicrafts: About 5. 9 million tones of bamboo is utilized in commercial consumption in the paper industry and for scaffolding purpose. Taking a ratio of 3. 2 for commercial to internal consumption and making of handicraft, etc. the figure arrived at is 3. 9 million tones. Of this, 1. 35 million tones are used for internal consumption, leaving a balance of 2. 55 million tones, which is used for handicraft.These include baskets for decorative as well as packaging purpose (for carrying fruits, vegetables and livestock, etc. ), sericulture trays, mats, wall coverings, and furniture items such as stool, chairs, tables etc. Miscellaneous: Bamboo is also used for incense-sticks, ice-cream sticks, toothpicks, chopsticks, agricultural props in field, implements and tools, ladders, lathis, walking-sticks, fishing rods, boat masts, bows and arrows, flag poles, paddles, kites, fire crackers, etc. Agrabatti (Incense-stick): About 1,000,000 million incense-sticks are produced annually.Since 1000 sticks weight 1 Kg, the weight of 1,000,000, million sticks is 1 million tones. The weight of bamboo in 1 million tones of incense-sticks amounts to 0. 33 million tones. To produce 1 Kg of bamboo sticks, for incense-sticks, 2 Kg of bamboo is needed. Thus 0. 67 million tones of bamboo is consumed by the incense-sticks industry. Ladder: The construction industry is currently valued at Rs. 292,000 crore, if 0. 02% is attributed to ladders used for construction the value of the ladder industry is in the reign of Rs. 58 crore which is equivalent to 0. 29 million tones of bamboo.As per Hindu custom, biers are used to carry the dead to the cremation ground. The death rate is currently 7. 8% which amounts to 7. 8 crore deaths per year. If bamboo biers are used in 5% of the cases, there would be a requirement of 400,000 bamboo annually, which is equivalent to 0. 08 million tones of bamboo (assuming 20 Kg bamboo per bier). The total bamboo consumed in ladder production is 0. 37 million tones. Other Application: Ice-cream sticks, chopsticks, toothpicks, agriculture props, implement and tool handles, walking sticks and lathis, boat masts and paddles as well as fishing rods, etc. onsume at least another 0. 93 million tones of bam boo annually. The total consumption of bamboo for miscellaneous purposes thus amounts to 1. 97 million tones. Illegal Exports: Of the total harvested quantity of 13. 47 million tones, 11. 77 million tones are used as described in the foregoing. The balance 1. 7 million tones could be attributed to the illegal trade between the NER and neighboring countries (Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar). BAMBOO STOCK POSITION [1995 TO 2001] Experts suggest that 150 million tones of bamboo was available in the year 1995.There are limits to the regeneration of bamboo since it can be regenerated only to the extent of the harvesting that takes place. The growing stock of bamboo is 150 million tones, of which 2. 35 million tones harvested from private forest can be assumed to depleted every year from forest. The current net availability of bamboo is 133 million on as â€Å"as-is basis†. However, all of this is not in usable from. There are certain factors that have to be used to discount the quan tity of available bamboo. CHARACTERISTIC OF BAMBOO CULMSThickness of the culms: The culm of the bamboo is hollow in most cases and its wall thickness varies across species. Different species of bamboo have different wall thickness. A few species of bamboo, however, are solid. The general properties of the bamboo culm vary according to its anatomical, chemical, physical and mechanical characteristics Bamboo is particularly strong at the node where there is an inner disc called septum, which connects the outside walls, strengthening the stalk and separating it into compartments. Bamboo is widest at ground level, but is quite consistent in diameter throughout its length.Anatomical structure of the culms: The bamboo culm consists of two epidermal layers, the inner one is thicker and highly lignified while the outer one is covered by a cutinised layer with a wax coating. The outside portion of the culm wall is dense, containing about 5 percent silica. It has an exterior waterproof film o n the softer interior portion as well. The cells in the culm are axially oriented in the inter-nodal region and provide transverse interconnections in the nodal region. There are no radial cell elements and therefore, lateral movements of nutrients or liquids is greatly hindered.The internodes of almost all bamboo species have a culm wall of varying thickness surrounding a large cavity called a lacuna. The density of bamboo varies from 500 to 800 Kg/m3, depending on the moisture content. It increases progressively from the central to the peripheral parts of the culms. Chemical characteristics of the culms: The culm are consists of about 50% parenchyma, 40% fibar and 10% conducting tissues with some variation depending upon species. The major chemical constituents of a bamboo culm are cellulose; hemi cellulose and lignin while minor constituents are resins, tannins, waxes and inorganic salts.The chemical composition various with species, condition of growth, age, season, and part of the culm. The nodes contain less water-soluble extractives, pentosans and lignin but more cellulose than internodes. The silica content is high in the epidermis, very little in the nodes and none in the internodes. The nodal portion of a clum has tower hemi hemi cellulose content, but a higher content of extractives, pentosans, lignin and ash than the inter nodal portion. As a result the node is not elastic enough for splitting or for making strips and matting.Bamboo culms for weaving are therefore chosen from species that are easy to split and are not old enough to be brittle (preferably below two years). Physical characteristics of the culm: One aspect of the structure of bamboo is noteworthy: unlink wood it does it does not have any â€Å"rays† (the dark spots on the surface). Rays transport and store food, mostly sugar, but they weaken the material. Consequently, bamboo is stronger than wood, especially in shear. The wall thickness and length of the bamboo makes it natura lly durable. The basal portion is therefore more durable than the top.Bamboo possesses very high moisture content, which various with age and the season of felling. The moisture content also various from bottom to top and from the innermost layers to the periphery, and decreases with age. The shrinkage is related to wall thickness and culm diameter. Mechanical characteristics of culms: Bamboo is known for its high tensile strength. To reach its optimum strength there is an age of maturity for each species. In air-dry bamboos depending on the species, the moisture content various from 7 to 18%, specific gravity from 0. 428 to 0. 17, fiber stress at elastic limit from 16 to 120 N/mm2 modules of rapture from 33 to 160 N/mm2, modules of elasticity from 3 to 22kN/mm2 and compression strength parallel to grain from 26-78N/mm2. The Physiological Structure of Bamboo: The vegetative parts of a bamboo plant consist of roots, rhizome, culm, culm-sheaths, branches, and leaves. Roots: The profus e, fibrous roots from a dense network in the soil. Rhizome: The basal portion of the culm, which grows horizontally under the soil surface with short internodes, is called the rhizome. In its natural habitat, the bamboo plant grows from seeds or rhizomes.Unlink trees bamboo does not have a central trunk; the rhizomes provides the foundation. The extensive rhizome system stores the nutrients required for the plant’s rapid growth. The rhizome branches out from the root facilitate the vegetative propagation. This reproductive characteristic makes bamboo an â€Å"active spreading plant† which â€Å"unless inhibited will extend growth over a large area†. There are two types of rhizome system namely Sympodial and Monopodial. In the sympodial system, the apex of the rhizome gives rise to a shoot that grows into a culm, the woody stem of bamboo. These culms grow together as clump.In the monopodial system, the lateral bud from each internode develops into a clum or a rhi zome. As the apex of the rhizome grows horizontal to the ground at a distance from one another. Culm: A shoot of bamboo is usually hollow except at the nodes, which are often swollen. A young shoot is protected by a number of sheaths, which fall off as the shoot grows into a mature culm. In the hollow inner area, there are some horizontal partitions called diaphragms. On the outside these partitions have a ring around the culm. The diaphragm and the ring outside together from a node. Branches grow from these nodes.The part between two nodes is called an inter-node. The internodes of most bamboos are hollow, that is, they have a cavity. The wall of the culm is simply the clum wall. Chapter V MARKET POTENTIAL The Bamboo Flooring is becoming popular because of its better look and superior quality over other flooring materials. THE INDIAN SCENARIO The materials commonly used for flooring in India are Granite, Marble, Mosaic, Cemented floor etc. Since last few years, wooden flooring has also becoming popular in India. These different types of flooring are available in wide range of prices starting from Rs. 0 per sq. ft to Rs. 700 per sq. ft. The use of wooden is increasing particularly for application in offices & showrooms, banquet halls, discotheques, hotels, restaurants, conference rooms etc. There is a myth among the consumers that it is not suitable for Indian climate whereas wooden flooring is considered to be very convenient and it also helps in power saving particularly in the air-conditioned atmosphere. The consumers are required to be educated about the advantages of these flooring. Bamboo flooring has not yet been introduced in the Indian market.But considering its advantages over Wooden as well as bring shift from some of premium flooring presently available in the market. Bamboo flooring which is less expensive than other premium flooring is scratch & moisture resistant because of high quality U V Coating, there should be good demand for the product in India. As per the Country Report: India published by International Network for Bamboo And Rattan (INBAR) on Bamboo Value-added Industry, the total market for Bamboo flooring in India has been estimated at Rs. 200 Crores which is likely to grow at a rate of at least 15% per year.THE INTERNATIONAL SCENARIO There is an export potential, which can be realized for bamboo-based flooring. There is Rs. 750 Crores market for Bamboo flooring which is growing at a rate of 50% per annum. Indian companies can trap this growing demand. China is a major player in the filed of Bamboo flooring. They have been constantly researching on the manufacturing technique of Bamboo flooring & related products and hence they have an edge. However, for India companies, it will not be a problem to compete technically with China considering developed wood working industry in India.Moreover the species of Bamboo available in India are also considered better for manufacturing of Bamboo flooring because these are h arder than the species available in China. Chapter VI TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY TECHNICAL KNOWHOW Although not much been done in India respect to technicalities of Bamboo Flooring manufacturing. We feel Indian machinery manufacturers will have no difficulties in providing most of the machines by modifying there existing machines as per process requirement. Moreover, well-developed wood working machinery industry in India will be an additional advantages.All the basic machines required for this project are either readily available in India or needs little modification to make them suitable for this specific application only very few finishing machines are proposed to be imported from Taiwan/Europe. In 2001, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) established Cane & Bamboo Technology Center (CBTC) in Guwahati which helps in implementation of Bamboo & Cane related project, delivers technical assistance and arrange for training of man power required for this project.The U nited Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assisted â€Å"Cane and Bamboo Technical Up gradation and Networking Project†, covering the seven North Eastern States of India. The Cane and Bamboo Technology â€Å"Project† is a sub-programme of the large Technology Management Programme (TMP). The Development of Science and Technology, Government of India is the Executing Agency for the TMP. While the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the assigned Implementation Agency. The CBTC acts as the secretariat and coordination body of the Network and is the conduit for the network’s linkages.OBJECTIVES: The Cane and Bamboo Technological Up technologies and Networking Projects envisages the following as its major areas of interest: Identification, adaptation and dissemination of technologies for economic enhancement of craftspeople small entrepreneurs in the Cane and Bamboo Sector of North East India. Strengthening existing institutions by enhancing their networking capacities and linking them with specialized institution in India and abroad through the Cane and Bamboo Technology Center (CBTC).Enhancing access of craftspeople and small entrepreneurs to improved technology and knowledge thereby promoting employment opportunities and income generation ROLE OF THE CBTS: The CBTS is expected to play multiple roles, which constitute: Acting as a repository of information and technologies Playing out the role of a coordinator of sub-programme activities Being a vehicle for the sharing of information amongst resource and support institution, entrepreneurs, craftsmen and villagers. Acting as a platform for networking amongst constituent elements of the sectorPerforming as a catalyst to enhance the scale and depth of economic activity in the sector FOCUS AREAS: Generally speaking, the primary and secondary areas of focus are firstly, on promoting poverty eradication and sustainable livelihoods, and secondly on generation of sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities. The main focus areas are: The need to evolve and promote a better understanding of the sector Set agenda for coordinated R & D activities, strengthen institutions and agencies and create coordination mechanisms for the sectorReview the regulatory and access regime-in forest areas, for agro-forestry and at the household/homestead level Disseminate technologies and knowledge Provides support services for the sector MANUFACTURING PROCESS The process for manufacturing of Bamboo Flooring can be divided into three parts: 1. Making of Bamboo Strips: a) Straight, 4-5 years matured Bamboo is cross cut into the required length. b) Out-side knots are removed. c) Bamboo is put through a splitting machine to split the strips of required width. d) Inside knots and outside skin is removed. ) Strips are boiled and treated in a mixture of water, hydrogen peroxide and boric acid to remove sugar, starch, mildew, and pests. f) Strips are put in Impregnation pla nt where chemicals are injected under high pressure to protect the same from insect/pest attack for lifelong. g) After open drying, the strips the same are further dried in a Kiln to bring down the moisture level to 8-10%. h) For giving darker brownish shade to final products, strips can be given Carbon treatment by putting the same under high heat/pressure causing coloration impregnated throughout the sticks. ) Each strip is then passed through Four-side planning machine to get accurate rectangular shape. 2. Making of Bamboo Board: After thorough sorting, i) Strips are cut into the required length in the sizing machine. i)Glue is applied in the Gluing machine. i) Glued strips are assembled together into rough board. i) These rough boards are given required pressure in Hot Press (specially designed for this process). i) Boards are put into a Chilling Press for something till the temperature comes down to normal. i) One surface of duly pressed boards is finished on Planing machine. . Making of Bamboo Parquets: a) The specific size of Bamboo boards is passed through a rip saw to make one side plain. b) The side tongue & groove is milled into the board. c) The board is passed through a cutting and shaping machine where the end tongue & groove is milled. d) The parquet is passed through a wide belt sander for the top sanding. e) UV Basecoat is sprayed on the bottom and side of the parquets to make it moisture resistant and then again through a roller coater for top coating of UV Basecoat. f) Painted parquet is passed through U. V. Curing machine for hardening of the chemical (coat). ) It is again passed through a wide belt sander for smoother sanding. h) The above process (e, f & g) is repeated again for better finishing. i) U. V. finishing coat is applied on the Parquets through Roller Coating machine. j) Parquets are passed through U. V. Curing machine for hardening. k) Each and every parquet is thoroughly inspected and the same is packed in the corrugated boxes . Process flow has been shown in the next Sheet. EFFLUENT TREATMENT There will not be any Water/Air/Sound pollution. It has been proposed to install. Dust collectors for the collection of Dust generated in the process.The Bamboo dust can later be used for manufacturing of Particle Board. Similarly Dust collector & Chimney will be installed with the coal boiler. AVAILABILITY OF RAW MATERIAL The major raw material required for this project is Bamboo, which is abundantly available of bamboo in India, particularly in North East Region. India has the second largest reserve of bamboo in the world out of which NE Region accounts for 54% In NE Region, apart from the Bamboo available in the forest, there is a tradition to grow bamboo in the homestead, garden, field barriers etc.AVAILABILITY OF MACHINERY Different machines required for the primary processing of bamboo are available in India. Other machine such as Strip Sizing Machine, Gluing Machine, Bamboo Board Joining Machine. One Side Pla ner, Rip-Saw etc. are available in India particularly for wood working however, the same can easily be modified to make them suitable for this specific application. Some important finishing machines such as Five Side Grinding Machine, Double end Cutting Machine, Wide Belt Sanders, U V Coating Machine etc. Are being proposed to be imported.Wherever possible, we have opted for the Indian machines so that after-sales services and spares can be made easily available as and when needed and it will also reduce the cost of the project and thereby reduces the financial burden. We are ensuring better machines without compromising the quality. Selection of the plant and machinery has been done considering different stages of manufacturing process and balancing the capacity. PROPOSED PLANT CAPACITY The manufacturing capacity of the proposed plant will be 60000 meter2 per annum. This is the minimum viable capacity. The same can be increased in shorter duration.It is unlikely for a new unit to a chieve maximum capacity utilization in the initial years of operation owing to various factors like stability in process coordination, training of working, supply of required quality of raw material and consumables etc. therefore, all the calculation have been made of 70%, 80%, 90% capacity utilization in 1st, 2nd, & 3rd year onward respectively. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS The Bamboo flooring are available in different styles, colours, finished and sizes, which are as under- A) styles: I Horizontal: Bamboo strips are joined horizontally. II. Vertical:Bamboo strips are joined vertically. B) Colours: Coffee 7 Natural There can be different shades from normal to dark brown. C) Finish: Matte & Glossy. Other finish such as semi-gloss, 65:35 Matte & Gloss etc. can also be made as per the market demands. D) Sizes: 900 mm X 90 mm X 15 mm. 600 mm X 90 mm X 15 mm 900 mm X 90 mm X 12 mm 600 mm X 90 mm X 12 mm These are the sizes commonly sold in the market but Parquets can be manufactured in diffe rent sizes and thickness. MAN POWER REQUIREMENT Total requirement of manpower can be broadly divided into two categories: 1. Technical Personnel:The technical personnel include engaged in production, maintenance, running of utilities and services facilities etc. These can further be categorized as: a) Factory Staffs b) Workers Chapter VII ECONOMIC VIABILITY h) Land & development: The plant is proposed be put up in Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), Amingaon, guwahati, developed by AIDC. We have already approached AIDC for availability of land and they have assured us land as per our requirement on long-term lease (60 years). Various other expenses on site development such as land leveling, boundary wall, internal roads, etc. ave been considered while calculating the total cost of land and site development. The details of which are shown in the table below- h) Building: A covered shed of 8000 sq, ft. will be required for smooth operation of the plant. Apart from this, a semi pu cca shed will be required for preliminary Bamboo processing and space will be required for administration, storage, utilities etc. We have planned the layout for the building considering different areas of operation, safety regulation, provision for ventilation, free movements of men and material etc.The building construction cost has been estimated based on the offers received from local builders. The total cost of building is estimated at Rs. 51. 76 Lacs as explained in the Table below- c) Plant & Machinery: The selection of Plant & Machinery has been done based on the offers received from various machinery suppliers, their technical competitiveness, price, after-sale service simplicity of operation, efficiency of the machine, guarantee etc. The total cost of Imported & Indigenous Plant & machinery are shown in the Tables on the next sheet. d) Miscellaneous Fixed Assets:Apart from the main plant & machinery, various other equipment will be required such as Boiler, D. G. Set, Compr essor, material handling equipments, fire fighting equipments, furniture & fixtures, office equipments etc. We have worked out the requirements of such equipments, the details of which are as under: e) Preliminary & pre-operative expenses: This includes the expenses for company formation, interest during construction period, initial expenses on traveling, communication and other basic expenses during the pre-operation period. Total preliminary expenses are Rs. . 30 Lacs and preoperative expenses has been estimated at Rs. 49. 29 Lacs. f) Contingencies: Provision has been made towards contingencies in the total cost of project. The details of which is as under: g) Technical Know-how & Training: The total cost for Technical Know-how, Training of technical personnel & consultants’ fee has been estimated at Rs. 15. 91 Lacs. The detailed calculation has been shown in the next table. h) Margin money for working capital: The total requirement of working of capital is estimated at Rs. 6. 07 Lacs. The detailed calculation of requirement of Working capital has been shown in the next table. SOURSES OF FUNDS The total long-term fund requirement of the proposed unit is estimated to be Rs. 490. 44 Lacs, which is proposed to be financed as under: Subsidies & other incentives of capital nature have not been considered while deciding means of finance. The same can be directly reimbursed to the finding institutions towards repayment of loan. We seek equity participation from institutions for reducing interest outgo at least for a period of 3-5 years.The same can be brought back by the promoters at mutually agreed terms. TOTAL COST OF MANUFACTURING: It has been calculated by calculating cost of raw material, salary & wages, power & fuel, consumables, repair & maintenance, factory overheads etc. These calculations are based on certain assumption during the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd years & onwards of operation has been assumed to be 70%, 80%, & 90% respectively of the installed capac ity. The installed capacity of the proposed unit is estimated at 60000 meter2. the cost of various items has been calculated as per the prevailing rates in the market.Incentives such as transport subsidy, D. G. Set subsidy etc. have not been considered. The same can be directly reimbursed, as and when received, to the lending institutions as prepayment of loan. This will improve the working of the cost of manufacturing estimated for the next 10 years. RAW MATERIAL: Bamboo is the main raw material for making Flooring. We have worked out requirement of Bamboo after considering wastage. Farmer have to be educated to harvest our required quality of Bamboo which may take some time.It is therefore estimated that in the 1st year of operation we shall have higher wastage. Such wastage will gradually reduce. We shall have incentive scheme to encourage farmers for regular flow of homogeneous quality of Bamboo. This will lead to lower wastage, reduced cost of production and smooth operation on the machine. We assume after 3rd year we shall get advantage of regulated supply of Bamboo clums. CONSUMEABLE AND STORES: This includes Glue, U V coating material, various chemicals for pre processing of bamboo, packing material, stores & spares etc.Requirement of the same at 100% capacity utilization has been shown below: POWER: The total annual requirement of the proposed unit works out to 791900 KVA at installed capacity. Calculation of requirements of power and cost has been shown as under: FULE: The total annual requirement of Coal for running the boiler has been worked out at 1408 MT per annum at installed capacity. Calculation of requirements of Coal and cost has been shown as under: SALARY & WAGES: The requirements of Skilled, Semi skilled and unskilled labour has been orked out as per the production process and machine hours. The requirement of Technical & Supervisory personnel & their total Salary & Wages has been calculated in the Table on the next sheet. We have also es timated an annual increases of 5% in the Salary & Wages and have also provided for Fringe benefits @ 25% of Salary & Wages. REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE: The repair and maintenance of the capital assets has been taken at 1%, 2%, & 3% of the total cost of fixed assets in the 1st year, 2nd year, and 3rd year & onwards respectively.FACTORY OVERHEADS: Overheads such as Rent and Taxes, Insurance, miscellaneous expenses have been considered on best judgment basis to make adequate provision in the total cost of production. These have been estimated at Rs. 13. 74 Lacs in the first year of operation. We have also made a provision of increase in this cost @ 10% per annum. ESTIMATE OF COST OF SALES, AND PROFITABILITY The estimate of cost of sales, realization & profitability for the next 10 years of operation has been shown as under: ADMINISTRSTIVE & SALES SALARY:The requirements of Administrative & Sales personnel & total Salary & Wages has been calculated as under: We have also estimated an annua l increase of 5% in the Salary & Wages and have also provided for Fringe benefits @ 25% of Salary & Wages. ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEADS: Adequate provision has been made for administrative overheads and estimated at Rs. 12. 83 in the subsequent years. SELLING OVERHEADS: Being a consumer product planned sales promotion and regular advertising will be essential apart from organizing sales meet and participation in fairs.Total sales expenses have been estimated at Rs. 33. 68 Lacs in the first year of operation. This includes 7% of sales realization of finished goods towards advertisement & publicity and balance towards miscellaneous sales expenses. A provision of an annual increase of expenses at 10% has been made in the subsequent years. PRODUCTION SALES REALISATION: Calculations of the sales realization are based on the prevailing selling price of the product in the international market. The details of sales realization at 100% capacity utilization are as under: INTEREST:Interest on term loans for capital investment and bank borrowing for working capital has been worked out as under: Working capital from Bank – 15. 00% Term loan from Financial Institution – 15. 00% Technology Development Assistance from TIFCA – 4% The details of repayment of term loan and interest thereon have been shown in the next two tables. FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS Various financial projections calculated for the proposed unit which confirm the economic viability of the project, are: . CASH FLOW STATEMENT: The cash estimates for 10 years are given in the table below- 2. BREAK-EVEN ANALYSIS The details working on break-even point has been shown in the table below: We have taken the figures of 3rd year of operation i. e. optimum year for the purpose of calculating break-even point. 3. UNIT COST OF PRODUCTION: Total Works Cost of Sales, Contributing & Net Contribution of each square meter/Square feet has been shown in the table below: 4. BALANCE SHEET: Project Balance Sheet for n ext 10 years of operation is as under: SWOT ANALYSISStrengths: Vast Bamboo source for commercial exploitation at competitive price. Local people with skill to make Bamboo handicraft will be suitable for this project. Same set of machines can produce other related products such as ceiling boards, door panels, wooden flooring etc. Weakness: There is no defined goal or policy for encouraging planned bamboo cultivation. Wastage will be higher in the initial phase. Farmers have to be educated for maintaining quality requirements. Opportunities: The usage of wood is on an increases but wood resources are declining in India.Moreover the Supreme Court has banned felling of timber in North East region resulting in closure of plywood units. Wood import can be reduced if Bamboo-based products. Threats: Bamboo Flooring industry is well established in China. Their product is already acceptable in the international market. We will have to compete with them in future. There can be shortage of part icular of Bamboo after flooring, which is likely to take place between 2003-2007. Poor infrastructure in the North East. SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS Sensitivity Analysis gives an indication of how sensitive the project is to changes in certain assumptions.This analysis has been carried out to see how the profitability would change if there is certain change in the factor concerned. This sensitivity shows the effect of increases and reductions in raw material price, capacity utilization, selling price, publicity expenses and the profitability shows the impact of that particular factor. PEST ANALYSIS The following analysis gives an overview of the environment in which the Bamboo flooring industry will have to operate. We have analyzed the Political, Economic, Socio-cultural and Technological environment for the industry.POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT I Finished Product Even if Bamboo flooring is imported at ‘0’ duty from China, the landed cost is quite high compared to our proposed selli ng price. The local selling price in Nepal market is also quite high due to higher Bamboo procurement price to them. Hence we do not see any threat from imported Bamboo Flooring. We may however have to compete with the other Bamboo Flooring manufacturers in the country but that would also add to overall market growth and awareness of the product. II Import Duties on ConsumablesImport duty on consumables is also very high. The only consumable, which is required to be imported at the initial stage, is U V coating. Cost of U V Coating to the total cost of production is 3. 50% only (including duty), hence it will not significantly affect the profitability. III Other Levies Since this unit is being put up in Assam, products will be exempted from Sales tax & excise duty. Thus it will be at an advantageous position as compared to any other unit, which may come up in other parts of the country. IV Ban on falling of Trees Supreme Court of India banned felling of trees in NE Region.This will make wooden flooring a costly substitute. In the recent years, Government of India is giving all thrust for adding value and creating awareness about uses of Bamboo. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT I Disposable Income of the Population With the sustained growth in the GDP of approximately 5-6% in the last few years there has been a high rate of growth in the disposable income of the Indian households. The NCAER data reveals that the middle (annual household income between Rs. 62,000 and 86,000) and the high (annual household income higher than Rs. 6,000) income segments have growth at a compounded average growth rate of 13% and 17% respectively between 1989-90 and 1993-94. This increases demand for the luxury products. II Availability of Easy Housing Finance Housing finance has picked up substantially in India as the rate of interest for housing loan has been reduced substantial. It has gone down to as low as 10%. Moreover there are other income tax advantages too for the investment made in ho using. Hence the construction industry is bamboo. This will in turn boost demand for various products that obviously includes flooring material.As is evident from above Tables, India has about 157. 2 million households of which about 52 percent fall in the low income (upto Rs. 20. 000) category; a further 20 percent mane purchasing power of about Rs. 9,000 p. a. constitute another 12% of total. Conclusions drawn from the NCAER data is of great significance from the point of view of the purchasing power of the consumer. When compared with the data from the previous estimates it appears that the upper middle and high-income segment of the population has been growing faster. Since a major chunk of demand for this sector is expected to get larger in the near future.Within the upper middle and high-income segment, the rural households are growing at a far more impressive rate than their urban counterparts. Roughly about 137 million people belong to upper middle and high-income categories i. e. income of Rs. 34,500 p. a. This is a fairly large size indicating that the marketing of ‘niche’ products can be the promising area. II Lifestyle Changes With more and more workingwomen in the Indian families, there participation in decision making at home is increasing. Women are always expected to be connoisseur of rich test & beauty.Bamboo flooring being user friendly, easy to clean & maintain shall get attention of women and help shift from other flooring materials. The Indian families are on the lookout for alternate ways to do household chores. Also declining supply of household workers has led to demand for products, which required less maintenance. Bamboo flooring does not required mopping, cleaning etc. It can be easily cleaned with Vacuum Cleaner. This will have an impact on the mental makeup of women in particular & in the urbanized in general. III Health Consciousness Pollution is one of the main reasons for Asthma and Allergy.People with these disease s have started avoiding woolen / synthetic carpets because these diseases these carpets become the storehouse of dust mites, which aggravates their problem. Part of the market for carpet will definitely shift towards Bamboo flooring. TECHNOLOGICAL I Life Cycle Every product has lifecycle. With technological department everyday new products are introduced in the market, but customers prefer the product, which meets their requirement. Bamboo flooring, which looks better & makes one feel better will create its own niche market.Being a natural product, it is unlikely to loose its charm for long time to come. II New Development Manufacturing of Bamboo flooring is comparatively a new technology. There is likely to be continuous research on the subject and regular improvement in all aspects of manufacturing. The areas, which require attention, are a) Saving on wastage b) Further mechanization c) Better & economical coating material d) Alternative uses. This will result in better flooring a t a reasonable price. So it will further gear up to meet any challenge from any new products.

School Prayer

Amy Hua English 1A TTh 1:45-3:10 Professor Marvin School Prayer Annie Laurie Gaylor argues against school prayer in her article â€Å"The Case against School Prayer† (Elements of Arguments, 679). When religion is included in daily school routines, it divides students into different beliefs. Public schools are meant to be open for all people to get an education, but not to influence them into a new religion. Requiring students to practice prayer in public schools is a violation of Freedom of Religion.Public schools should not practice prayer because there is a diversity of religions in the United States and the Constitution of the First Amendment. Students in public schools get distracted from judgment of religion, but that is why there are places where schools may freely practice religion, such as private schools. Due to the diversity of religions, along with dissimilar practices, schools should continue their public structure leaving religion entirely out. Public schools educ ate the belief of God, which might (for example) be the religion of Catholicism.High schools, Middle schools, and maybe even Elementary schools that practice a certain religion might offend or hurt other religions. â€Å"When religion has invaded our public school system, it has singled out the lone Jewish student, the class Unitarian or agnostic, the children in the minority† (Gaylor 679-680). The United States has a vast variety of religions that include Buddhist, Christian, Catholic, Hinduism, Islam, etc. There are also those Atheists who do not believe in any God. Each belief practices different events that may contrast.For instance, Christians rejoice to the Lord on Christmas day as a result of the birth of Jesus Christ, whereas, Buddhists pay their respects to the dead. â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. (First Amendment, Bill of Rights, U. S. Constitution)† The First Amendment is th e Freedom of Religion, press, and expression. Praying at schools not only excludes the students who do not believe in God, but also disrespects them by not allowing freedom of other religions.Forced into prayer does not verbally influence the student to believe in God, but it still implies that you cannot or should not practice a different religion. Most of the rules in public schools are useful: do not use profanity, attend school, and do your best at anything you set your mind to. No matter what the religion, these rules are useful to everyone and are universal to all countries because each one agrees with them. Teaching students about religion would be equivalent to converting them towards the American Republican Party or Democratic-Republican Party.For schools today, it is dishonest for teachers to promote subject during class period. Instructors cannot force what is not universal because of the different beliefs each religion practices. There will be disagreements among singula r religions because there is not only one type of prayer system. There is a place for religion in schools. Private schools were made to eliminate the government from its system, so they are independent. Although students in public schools should be allowed to have personal prayers, there are also private schools and universities that focus on certain viewpoints on religion.If required, some private schools are given permission to freely practice their own religion. For example, Messiah College and John Brown University concentrate on Bible studies as much as other electives. It is more of an option to attend private schools, like Messiah College, so the student should know what he or she is signing up for. However, public schools are for all students to learn gender education. Therefore, no assumption of religion should be taught as a part of general education.As a child, I was enrolled into private Christian school by my parents. My parents and I were aware of the education I was b eing taught by the teachers and the sharing of general education and Bible studies. In â€Å"The Case against School Prayer†, Gaylor says â€Å"People should be judged by their actions, not by what religion they believe in or how publicly or loudly they pray† (82). Not only do people get distracted from judgment, but also from their studies from far most important subjects.With religion being in the same studies as Math and Science, students are unable to concentrate in studies that will mainly shape their future. Prayer can be harmful in many ways, depending on how much the school interoperates it daily. When I attended a Christian school during Kindergarten through fifth grade, I was required to announce the Pledge of Allegiance. But when my parents decided to take me out of Christian school and enroll me into public school, the Pledge of Allegiance was still mandatory to say.My parents, who converted into Buddhism, were offended that I still had to intentionally wor ship God. Annie Gaylor and, not to mention, Jesus had the same opinion for not allowing public schools to teach religion. â€Å"†¦when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret† (Bible, Matt. 6:5-6). School prayers add conflict to education in many ways. As a result of the vast amount of religions in the United States, there are conflicts caused my disagreements of religion. Japan, where no one prays at school, had the lowest crime rate of any developed nation† (Gaylor, 683). Religion should only be taught in private schools or organizations. The First Amendment was made for Freedom of religion, press, and expression, meaning that everyone has a right to pray, but not for public schools to convert the students into believe a certain religion. I strongly agree on Gaylor’s viewpoints of school prayers because I was felt in the same situation in the past. Public schools should stay open to diffe rent religions.

Free Essays on Gender Roles In Toy Land

Gender Roles in Toy Land A parent’s responsibilities include but are not limited to: being a role model, leading by example, implementing a confident and genuine perception of self-awareness, as well as protector and disciplinarian when appropriate. One of the most important concepts for a parent to consider is to let their children be just that: children. Childhood goes by entirely too fast as it is, why hasten the process? Explaining to a child in adult terms why he or she should not play with certain â€Å"gender specified† toys is pointless. What an adult mind intends and an innocent child perceives, are not in the same universe, let alone the same ballpark. A parent’s job description does not include â€Å"toy nazi.† Parents should mediate playtime rather than control it. Children should be allowed to play freely and without the burden of adult social stereotypes. Is an action figure not a doll? Is it safe to assume that a boy who receives a Barbie doll as a gift may not grow up to be homosexual? Is it not also possible that the same child may instead, become greatly interested in anatomy and pursue a career as a sculptor or an orthopedic surgeon? As children, we are often provided with a vast number of fallacies that are often imbedded in the psyche as gospel. Such lies include, boys play shop, girls play house, crying is for sissies, dolls are for girls, and your face will stick that way if you don’t stop. (The latter being the least harmful.) Is it really going to hurt a boy to play with an Easy bake oven? Ask any woman if they appreciate a man who knows his way around a kitchen. Inversely, are girls not to play with Hotwheels or follow dad around the lawn while he’s mowing, bubble mower in tow? There is no harm in a little girl playing with a toy tool set as opposed to a play kitchen. Parents should not concern themselves with the gender associated with a toy, but the toy’s ability to captu... Free Essays on Gender Roles In Toy Land Free Essays on Gender Roles In Toy Land Gender Roles in Toy Land A parent’s responsibilities include but are not limited to: being a role model, leading by example, implementing a confident and genuine perception of self-awareness, as well as protector and disciplinarian when appropriate. One of the most important concepts for a parent to consider is to let their children be just that: children. Childhood goes by entirely too fast as it is, why hasten the process? Explaining to a child in adult terms why he or she should not play with certain â€Å"gender specified† toys is pointless. What an adult mind intends and an innocent child perceives, are not in the same universe, let alone the same ballpark. A parent’s job description does not include â€Å"toy nazi.† Parents should mediate playtime rather than control it. Children should be allowed to play freely and without the burden of adult social stereotypes. Is an action figure not a doll? Is it safe to assume that a boy who receives a Barbie doll as a gift may not grow up to be homosexual? Is it not also possible that the same child may instead, become greatly interested in anatomy and pursue a career as a sculptor or an orthopedic surgeon? As children, we are often provided with a vast number of fallacies that are often imbedded in the psyche as gospel. Such lies include, boys play shop, girls play house, crying is for sissies, dolls are for girls, and your face will stick that way if you don’t stop. (The latter being the least harmful.) Is it really going to hurt a boy to play with an Easy bake oven? Ask any woman if they appreciate a man who knows his way around a kitchen. Inversely, are girls not to play with Hotwheels or follow dad around the lawn while he’s mowing, bubble mower in tow? There is no harm in a little girl playing with a toy tool set as opposed to a play kitchen. Parents should not concern themselves with the gender associated with a toy, but the toy’s ability to captu...

The Marshall Plan - Rebuilding Western Europe After WW2

The Marshall Plan - Rebuilding Western Europe After WW2 The Marshall Plan was a massive program of aid from the United States to sixteen western and southern European countries, aimed at helping economic renewal and strengthening democracy after the devastation of World War II. It was started in 1948 and was officially known as the European Recovery Program, or ERP, but is more commonly known as the Marshall Plan, after the man who announced it, US Secretary of State George C. Marshall. The Need for Aid The Second World War severely damaged the economies of Europe, leaving many in a parlous state: cities and factories had been bombed, transport links had been severed and agricultural production disrupted. Populations had been moved or destroyed, and a tremendous amount of capital had been spent on weapons and related products. Its not an exaggeration to say the continent was a wreck. 1946 Britain, a former world power, was close to bankruptcy and had to pull out of international agreements while in France and Italy there was inflation and unrest and the fear of starvation. Communist parties across the continent were benefiting from this economic turmoil, and this raised the chance Stalin could conquer the west through elections and revolutions, instead of having lost the chance when Allied troops pushed the Nazis back east. It looked like the defeat of the Nazis might cause the loss of the European markets for decades. Several ideas to aid the rebuilding of Europe had been proposed, from inflicting harsh reparations on Germany- a plan that had been tried after World War I and which appeared to have failed utterly to bring peace so wasnt used again - to the US giving aid and recreating someone to trade with. The Marshall Plan The US, also terrified that communist groups would gain further power- the Cold War was emerging and Soviet domination of Europe seemed a real danger- and wishing to secure European markets, opted for a program of financial aid. Announced on June 5th, 1947 by George Marshall, the European Recovery Program, ERP, called for a system of aid and loans, at first to all nations affected by the war. However, as plans for the ERP were being formalized,  Russian leader Stalin, afraid of US economic domination, refused the initiative and pressured the nations under his control into refusing aid despite a desperate need. The Plan in Action Once a committee of sixteen countries reported back favorably, the program was signed into US law on April 3, 1948. The Economic Cooperation Administration (ECA) was then created under Paul G. Hoffman, and between then and 1952, over $13 billion worth of aid was given. To assist in coordinating the program, the European nations created the Committee of European Economic Cooperation which helped form a four-year recovery program. The nations receiving were: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and West Germany. Effects During the years of the plan, receiving nations experienced economic growth of between 15%-25%. Industry was quickly renewed and agricultural production sometimes exceeded pre-war levels. This boom helped push communist groups away from power and created an economic divide between the rich west and poor communist east as clear as the political one. The shortage of foreign currency was also alleviated allowing for more imports. Views of the Plan Winston Churchill described the plan as â€Å"the most unselfish act by any great power in history† and many have been happy to stay with this altruistic impression. However, some commentators have accused the United States of practicing a form of economic imperialism, tying the western nations of Europe to them just as the Soviet Union dominated the east, partly because acceptance into the plan required those nations to be open to US markets, partly because a great deal of the aid was used to purchase imports from the US, and partly because the sale of ‘military’ items to the east was banned. The Plan has also been called an attempt to persuade European nations to act continentally, rather than as a divided group of independent nations, prefiguring the EEC and the European Union. In addition, the success of the plan has been questioned. Some historians and economists attribute great success to it, while others, such as Tyler Cowen, claim the plan had little effec t and it was simply the local restoration of sound economic policy (and an end to vast warfare) which caused the rebound.

Separate Pigments Using Chalk Chromatography

Separate Pigments Using Chalk Chromatography Chromatography is a technique used to separate components of a mixture. There are many different types of chromatography. While some forms of chromatography require expensive lab equipment, others can be performed using common household materials. For example, you can use chalk and alcohol to perform chromatography to separate the pigments in food colorings or inks. Its a safe project and also a very quick project, since you can see bands of color forming within minutes. After youve finished making your chromatogram, youll have colored chalk. Unless you use a lot of ink or dye, the chalk wont be colored all the way through, but it will still have an interesting appearance. Chalk Chromatography Materials chalkalcohol (isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol seems to work best)ink, dye, or food coloringsmall jar or cupplastic wrap Apply your ink, dye or food coloring to a piece of chalk about 1 cm from the end of the chalk. You can place a dot of color or stripe a band of color all the way around the chalk. If you are mainly interested in getting bands of pretty colors rather than separating individual pigments in the dye, then feel free to dot multiple colors, all in the same place.Pour enough rubbing alcohol into the bottom of a jar or cup so that the liquid level is about half a centimeter. You want the liquid level to be below the dot or line on your piece of chalk.Place the chalk in the cup so that the dot or line is about half a centimeter higher than the liquid line.Seal the jar or put a piece of plastic wrap over the cup to prevent evaporation. You can probably get away with not covering the container.You should be able to observe the color rising up the chalk within a few minutes. You can remove the chalk whenever you are satisfied with your chromatogram.Let the chalk dry before using it for writing. Heres a video of the project, so you can see what to expect.

Medical School Essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medical School Essays - Essay Example My undergraduate course at the UC-Berkeley, Public Health, has given me thorough exposure to social issues that affect the provision of healthcare. Given the opportunity, I would like to share my expertise with a large, metropolitan city (i.e. inner city). This setting would be ideal for gaining practical medical expertise, due to the thorough exposure to a wide variety of medical needs. Perhaps, more importantly, this opportunity would permit me to develop accountability and autonomy, commensurate with my abilities. Moreover, this setting will allow me to help as many people as possible, especially those in deprived areas who do not have access to proper medical care. Apart from helping them through my medical expertise, I also want to develop them spiritually and morally. Again, this setting would allow me make a difference in more lives. I have a wealth of experience living in an urban setting, which is accounted for by my eight years of residence in San Francisco. During this time, I went to school, worked full-time and engaged in volunteer opportunities. My volunteer experience at the California Pacific Medical Center and the American Red Cross Mobile are noteworthy, because I have seen first hand the suffering that is undergone by the underprivileged, including disease, lack of basic commodities and resources, and even discrimination. My volunteer experience at the American Red Cross Bloodmobile gave me the opportunity to use my proficiency in the Spanish language to help minority blood donors understand and clarify their concerns with medical staff and fellow volunteers. It is also during these experiences that my resolve to pursue a medical career has been reinforced. I feel fulfilled interacting with patients from diverse and multi-cultural backgrounds, and has allowed me to personally witness the existing dis parities in the urban healthcare system. I have