Stress Essays

Stress Essays Stress Essay Stress Essay Stress is the loading applied   Ã‚  on the material while strain is the deformation that results due to application of load or stress. By this definition, it is obvious that stress and strain are related and that relationship can best be explained by considering a stress-strain curve (Figure 1). Building materials have their own corresponding stress-strain curve which can be obtained by recording the amount of deformation (strain) upon application of tensile or compressive loading. Curve results reveal the behavior or properties of materials when load (weight) is applied.Figure1. Stress-Strain curveConsider the Stress-Strain curve of building materials in Figure 1. For concrete materials, its curve is almost a straight line and ends rather abruptly. This means that concretes easily fractures or fails (brittle material). Likewise, the resulting curve for cast iron is straight indicating that it too is brittle. However, as the graph indicates it can withstand higher stress before failure than concretes do. Nevertheless, both of these materials will fail or fracture with little warning once their limits (maximum loading) are exceeded. Mild steel on the other hand, has a gentle curving at the top. This means that mild steel has different properties than cast iron or concrete. The gentle curving signifies that after certain point mild steel will continue to strain (in the case of tension, to stretch) as the stress (the loading) remains more or less constant. This indicates a high ductility. However, at certain point, or maximum bearable loading, the material will not continue to stretch but will ultimately fail.Stress can be applied to building materials in two ways: by compression or stretching (tensile).     Ã‚  Compressive strength is the maximum stress that a material will bear when it is subjected to a load that pushes it together. Tensile strength is the maximum stress a material will bear when it is subjected to a stretching load (Luebkeman 1997).ReferenceLuebkeman, Chris H. and Donald Peting. (1997). Stress-Strain Curves. Retrieved 12 October 2007 from http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~struct/courseware/461/461_lectures/ /461_lecture24/461_lecture24.html Stress Essays Stress Essay Stress Essay Over the years, stress has been studied by members of the medical, psychological, business, and even academic professions. The reason for this is that the problem occurs on a very wide scale. The scope of the problem even extends to the definition, as even this has been the cause of several stressful debates. There are also three kinds of stress: acute, episodic acute, and chronic stress (APA, 2004). Despite the disagreement about its definition, however, many have accepted that credited to Richard S. Lazarus: â€Å"a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize† (Mindtools). Although stress often derives from a person’s feeling about a situation or problem (specifically, that it might be too great for him or her alone to handle), it also has considerable physical implications. It affects several of the major systems of the body, including the digestive, immune, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Evidence of this can be seen in the form of diarrhea, increased cardiovascular activity, and increased susceptibility to diseases (MayoClinic, 2005). Since stress can cause damage to the vital systems of the body, it is often crucial to recognize it early and takes steps to control it. There are several ways to reduce stress without the help of medication, and these have mainly to do with attitude and lifestyle. According to the article â€Å"How can I manage stress?† by the American Heart Association, ways to reduce stress include changing one’s response to difficult situations and learning to decline offers. These are indeed psychological solutions to a problem that affects people on a physical level, but it is not to be forgotten that stress often is as a result of psychological issues. Therefore, though stress is a health hazard, it is both preventable and curable. However, one has to have the mind to do it. (Consultation with one’s doctor is recommended, especially for people with a family history of heart disease or strokes.) The causes of stress are variable and its effects are often damaging, both psychologically and physically. However, as its causes are mainly psychological, the effects can often be reduced by a â€Å"simple† change in lifestyle. When signs and symptoms of stress are perceived, action should be taken immediately to avoid its numerous health risks. Support from family and friends might be of great help in a stressful time, and any help offered should be promptly accepted. References â€Å"Different kinds of stress, the† (2004) APA Help Center 8. Nov. 2005 [Online], Available: apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=21 How can I manage stress? (2004) American Heart Association. 8 Nov. 2005 [Online], Available: americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/110167971464923%20HowCanIManageStress.pdf Stress management Mindtools 8 Nov. 2005. [Online], Available: mindtools.com/stress/UnderstandStress/StressDefinition.htm Stress: Why you have it and how it hurts your health. (2005, September 7) MayoClinic.Com [Online], Available: mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001 nbsp;

What to Wear to a Job Interview

What to Wear to a Job Interview When you head off to a job interview, in whatever guise, what you wear is just as important as what you say. Look at it this way – your clothes and the way you present yourself are a reflection of who you are, your personality, how seriously you take yourself and life, and in the end, how seriously you would take the job you’re being interviewed for. It’s for this reason that you need to pay serious attention to what you wear to your upcoming interview. We know that interviews themselves are scary things, but you can put yourself ahead of the competition if you present yourself in the right way. Of course, you could be attending an interview in a variety of different circumstances, be it for a part time job on top of your studies, in order to earn a little extra cash, or it could be that you’re looking to start your career on a full-time basis, and you’re being interviewed for your first job. Whichever of these you fall into, or somewhere in the middle, check out these suggestions for what to wear to power you to success. Research the company It’s not just about what to say or write in cover letter when you are interviewed in terms of the company and its ethos, but also about what their dress code is. You need to fit in with this as soon as possible, and that starts at the interview. Google is your friend here, so do a little investigating and put yourself ahead of the game. This shows initiative and will stand you in good stead. Some companies have a more relaxed dress code for work, but that doesn’t mean you should adopt this for your interview, simply try and incorporate it, whilst still being smart and well turned out. Which leads us onto †¦. being smart and well turned out Clothes should be in good condition, no rips or tears, and they should be ironed to get rid of any creases. If ripped jeans are in, don’t wear them – think smart and you won’t go far wrong. Basically, your appearance has to reflect your work ethic, but also hint at your own personality too, in a subtle but clear way. It’s a fine line, but one which when done correctly, works very well indeed. For instance, if you’re going for a part time job on top of your studies in a coffee house and you’re being interviewed for a barista job, power dressing won’t be the way forward; instead, you need to think about being smart, but also showing that you are an individual yourself and you can connect with the people you will be working with. It’s hard to give suggestions, because everyone’s personality is different, but a pair of black trousers with a brightly coloured shirt could show personality, however don’t go for neon because that doesn’t look good on anyone! Laid back but smart would be the way forward here, perhaps a patterned scarf would hint at your quirky nature. Don’t be inappropriate Flashing the flesh will not win you any fans, and it will probably turn your interviewers right off. Whilst you might be under the (rather false) impression that a cleavage on show might get you remembered, bear in mind that you will be remembered for the wrong reasons. Think classy and sophisticated, rather than trashy. As we hinted at before, you can express your personality, but tone it down! Nobody said you had to totally avoid showing your personality in your dress, but don’t be too ‘out there’ because it may not translate the same meaning as you intend. Clothing needs to be age appropriate, as well as appropriate for the situation. For instance, if you’re going for an interview for a law internship, you need to stick to the very professional and smart rules, such as a suit, tie, and dress shoes for the men, and a trouser suit, skirt, or dress to the knee or below for the girls. On the other hand, if you’re heading off for an interview in a funky art gallery, being too smart might not win you the right look. Grooming is just as important What you wear is imperative, but your general upkeep is too! Of course, we are talking about personal hygiene, having clean, tidy hair, having a shave for the boys amongst you, and generally smelling fresh and flowery, rather than as though you have just pulled a study all-nighter. Don’t forget this important step! Dressing for your interview is about knowing what kind of job you’re going for and tailoring what you wear accordingly. Do your research, show your personality a little, but always be smart. Good luck!

The World According to Miranda July Research Paper

The World According to Miranda July - Research Paper Example While she attended U.C. Santa Cruz only for a few years, her subsequent move to Portland, Oregon began the catalyst that would push her career forward and convince her to pursue her creative impulses as a career, whether in film, writing, performance art or music (Durbin 2005). Â  Portland was an artist-friendly location where Ms. July could flourish and grow as a performance artist. In 1996, now an experimental filmmaker, she began a project called Joanie4Jackie as a way to inspire and showcase the works of female filmmakers, soliciting short films that would then be put on videotape and distributed as a cinematic chain letter (Wenclas 2010). She later created a second collection of submitted films called the Co-Star series. The Joanie4Jackie series would eventually find a larger audience through screenings at film festivals and DIY events. Her level of creative success and the productive nature of her portfolio would continue to grow. Â  Why the newly defined focus on filmmaking? For Ms. July, the move was a natural progression as she matured creatively and understood that the power of film allows the author a unique means of expression that other creative mediums may lack. As she told an interviewer for Believer Magazine: Â  I became really interested in how much I could show this hard-to-articulate, kind of magical or somewhat ephemeral things through really worldly, grounded ways. And it just seemed like this medium was good for that. (Horowitz 2005) Â  Artistically preoccupied with the human condition, primarily the weight of loneliness and our desire to relieve that burden through some type of personal connection, Ms. July breathes life into the mundane.

A new tourist market, Costa Rica Research Paper

A new tourist market, Costa Rica - Research Paper Example The term alternative tourism is easily explained by describing the setting and activities undertaken at alternative tourist sites. Is this because alternative tourism is not an independent phenomenon but that, it was crafted out of the traditional type of tourism, commonly referred to as mass tourism. Newsome, Moore & Dowling (2002) describe alternative tourism as â€Å"the existence of small or medium companies, created by families or friends, where there is the possibility of more contact with the communities and where most of the times there is a respect for the environment.† This means that alternative tourism is best seen in the set up of a particular tourist site and the kind of activities that go on there. Alternative tourism is therefore the opposite of the traditional form of tourism which is characterized by companies are property of big transnational corporations, where one expects the same type of service and facilities all around the world.In this form of tourism, the owners of tourist sites barely have any connection with the local community. As far as they are concerned, they are into business and the tourist is their greatest assert. So where as mass tourism is set up by big companies and corporations, alternative tourism is set up by relatively small groups of people, mostly family-owned. Again, whereas mass tourism has relatively nothing to do with the local community, alternative tourism focuses on the local community, what the community is made up of, its culture, its arts, its history and so on. As tourists around the world look for diversity in their visitations, most of them have resorted to alternative tourism for this variety. Countries around the world have therefore began giving alternative tourism a lot of attention. One of such countries is Costa Rica. Background of alternative tourism in Costa Rica In recent years, Costa Rica has embraced alternative tourism. This is seen in the springing up of several well resourced alterna tive tourism destinations in the country. The specialty of these tourism destinations are in the fields of native arts and crafts. These are aspects of tourism that helps in the promotion of the rich culture of the country. Barker (2010) observes that â€Å"In recent years, however, artists across the spectrum have found a new confidence and are shaking off rigid social norms, exciting for a country long dismissed as a cultural backwater.† This is to say that the promotion of art and culture as part of the unique identity of Costa Rica was relative impoverished in the country until recently when the urge to promote art and culture was taken over by alternative tourism in the country. Presently, the alternative tourism industry is taking great advantage of the country’s abundant natural resource gift. Todras-Whitehill (2009) notes that Costa Rica is â€Å"enclosed in tropical lines of latitude, with appropriate squiggles for mountains, coasts and interior borders, it's an inkblot for projecting travel fantasies. Beach lovers trace the craggy coasts and see hammocks swinging in the sunset breeze.† The tourism industry in Costa Rica has capitalized on this to promote alternative tourism in the area of culture heritage, events, showcasing beauty of nature vacation travels. Among all tourist destinations in Costa Rica, one destination site that has been hailed as the most preferred is the Manuel Antonio National Park Manuel Antonio National Park, an outstanding alternative tourism destination in Perspective Manuel Antonio National Park is in the alternative tourism business in Costa Rica. It is found in the North Puntarenas Province of Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio Na

the coach :: essays research papers

I had been running track all through high school and was just about to start my senior season. I had never been great, but good enough to make states last year in the middle distances. Up until this year our only coaches were your typical, out of shape, over the hill, middle aged women who only coached track because they were either mean old biddies who liked to boss around young women or were athletes themselves before they let themselves go and now wanted to relive their fantasies of victory through our hard work and sweat. This spring though, things changed. We had a student teacher that offered to help out with the track team. She had run track in both high school and college but had used up her last year of eligibility and now was working on her Masters of Education. Her name was Naomi and she was assigned the runners since she obviously was better at it than any of our other coaches. Not only that, but she was faster than anyone else on the team except our top girl in the 100. She could easily beat everyone else in any distance up to the mile. Add to that the fact that she was prettier than most of the girls on the team and our fragile egos were taking a beating. If she hadn't been one of the nicest and most helpful people in the world things might have gotten ugly. Instead, she became one of our best friends, as well as our coach and some of our teacher. I don't know exactly why, but Naomi seemed to make me her special project for the season. From the first day of practice she pushed me harder than anyone else, spent more time with me and made sure that I pushed myself. Maybe it was because I ran the same distances she ran, but then again so did a few of the other girls. Maybe it was because she saw something in me that none of the other coaches had. I wasn't sure what it was, but at times I enjoyed the extra attention, at other times I hated it when she made me run the extra distance or work extra hard. She seemed to be able to know exactly how to get the best out of me though because by mid season she had me running the best times I had ever run and even a few college scouts were starting to stop by at our meets to check me out.

Anylasis of three extracts

The three extracts I am comparing are written by three different authors. The first extract I am going to tell you about is written by a famous author called ‘Terry Pratchett'. The second extract is written by a children's author ‘Charles Dickens'. And finally, the third extract I am going to explain, is written by another well-known author, ‘Eoin Colfer'. With these three extracts, I am going to inform and describe how the characters and settings are developed. In the first extract the characters are well described using many adjectives. For example ‘Mr Horsefry' was described as a ‘youngish man, not simply running to fat but vaulting, leaping and driving towards obesity. He had acquired at thirty and impressive selection of chins, and now they wobbled with angry pride. ‘ I can picture this man with so many chains and not being able to speak properly. This is a funny description and makes the reader want to read on and see what else the reader writes about Mr Horsefry. Terry Pratchett' also writes that Mr Horsefry is: ‘Despite his expression, which was that of a piglet having a bright idea, and his mode of speech, which might put you in mind of a small, breathless, neurotic but ridiculously expensive dog, Mr Horsefry might have been a kind, generous and pious man. In the same way, the man climbing out of your window in a stripy jumper, a mask and a great hurry might merely be lost on the way to a fancy-dress party, and the man in a wig and robes at the focus of the courtroom might only be a transvestite who wondered in out of the rain. When I read this description I was laughing, and I could imagine a man dressed up as a woman who has god knows how many chains and seeing him wondering in the rain. Also listening to him when he speaks, it would be difficult to understand him because his chins would get in the way. This is a very good and clear description of ‘Mr Horsefry' and enjoyable to read and if someone reads this description they would know what ‘Mr Horsefry' looks like and what his personality is like. Also in this extract, it is a shame that ‘Terry Pratchett' didn't describe the settings as much as he describes ‘Mr Horsefry'. For example the quote, â€Å"Ah, this would be . . . what is it now . . . the glass ceiling? † said lord Vetinari brightly. â€Å"No, my lord. That is something else. I believe you may be thinking about the ‘Agatean Wall†. This quote tells me what the ceilings and the walls may look like, but it doesn't tell me what else the place looks like. The writer could have described what the canary looked like or what time of year it was, for example was it in the middle of winter, or was it in late summer. But I don't know because this wasn't explained in the extract. However ‘Terry Pratchett' could have explained this in the beginning of the story or later on in the story, I'm not to sure. Describing the setting would make the story a lot better and when the reader reads this extract they would be able to picture what is going on and where the characters are, as that is what happening now, I am confused where the characters are and I am thinking of a completely different place to what the writer is thinking of when he wrote this book. In the second extract ‘Charles Dickens' describes the character, ‘The Ghost of Christmas Past' as: ‘It's hair, which hung about its neck and down its back, was white, and if with age; and not yet the face had not a wrinkle in it, and the tenderest bloom was on the skin. The arms were very long and muscular; the hands the same, as if it hold were of uncommon strength. Its legs and feet, most delicately formed, were, like those upper members, bare. It wore a tunic of the purest white; and round its waist was a lustrous belt, the sheen of which was beautiful. It had its dress trimmed with summer flowers. But the strangest thing about it was, that from the crown of its head there sprang a bright clear jet of light, by which all this was visible; and which was doubtless the occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a great extinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its arm. ‘ This is a brilliant description of the sprit and I can picture what ‘The Ghost of Christmas Past' looks like. I know exactly what her hair, skin, feet, legs and what she was wearing. This is also a very clear description as well. It is easy to understand and easy to see what the ghost looks like. In this extract ‘Charles Dickens' does not describe the setting as much in detail as he did with the character ‘The Ghost of Christmas Past'. For example the quote: ‘Not the curtains at his feet, nor the curtains at his back, but those to which his face was addressed. The curtain of his bed drawn aside;' this quote tells me a little bit about Cosmos room and the curtains. However I find this quote quite confusing as I am not to sure whether or not the curtains are in Cosmo's room and where else are the curtains. Also I am not sure where he is, is he in his room? Or is he somewhere less? For example, is Cosmo in a huge empty mansion? Or is he in some hall way? Who knows? That is why it is important to tell the reader where the character is otherwise the reader gets lost. The finial extract is written by anther well known author ‘Eoin Colfer'. He has developed his characters in his story by using a few adjectives. He describes a character, Cosmo who is a young boy aged fourteen years old as: ‘Cosmo receives his schooling from education software, his teeth were whiter that white and his hair was lustrous and flake-free, but his insides felt like they were being scoured with a radioactive wire brush. Eventually Cosmo realized that the orphanage was slowly killing him. It was time to get out. ‘ ‘Eoin Colfer' didn't use as much adjectives as the other writers did. The description of Cosmo was not that clear, as I didn't know exactly what he looked like. However the quote: ‘†¦ aby Cosmo was discovered swaddled in an insulated Cheery Pizza envelope on Cosmonaut Hill in Moscowtown. The state police swabbed him for DNA, search for a match in the Satellite mainframe and came up blank. Nothing unusual about that, orphans turn up every day in the city. So the newly christened Cosmo Hill was dipped in a vaccine vat and sent on a tube to the Clarissa Frayne Institute or Parentally Challenged Boys Freight. ‘ This quote tells me that Cosmo was an orphan and was found on ‘Cosmonaut Hill in Moscowtown'. This quote many not tell me what Cosmo looks like but it does tell me about how he was found. So this is a pretty good description of where he was found. Also in this extract ‘Eoin Colfer' has used many descriptive words to develop the setting. For example the quote: ‘Satellite City was not part of any welfare state, so the institution had to raise funds any way they could. Clarissa Frayne's speciality was product testing. Whenever a new modified food or untested pharmaceutical product was being developed, the orphanage volunteered its charges as guinea pigs. It made perfect financial sense. The orphans got fed and cleaned, and the Frayne Institute got paid for the privilege. This quote tells me about the orphanage and ‘Clarisse Frayne'. This quote may not describe the settings as much as the other stories did but it tells me a lot about the orphanage, but at least that is something. So overall I have realised that it is important to describe the character in the stories, otherwise the reader would think of something else that the writer may not be thing of. Also this is the same for the settings. You have to explain but the area is like and where the characters are. This is important as well so that the reader can picture what is going on without getting confused.

Understanding String Literals in Ruby

String objects hold ordered sequences of bytes, typically characters, usually to form pieces of human-readable text. Theyre a very common object type in all programming languages, and Ruby has a number of high-level and a few low-level ways to create, access and manipulate String objects. Strings are most often created with a String literal. A literal is a special syntax in the Ruby language that creates an object of a specific type. For example, 23 is a literal that creates a ​Fixnum object. As for String literals, there are several forms. Single-Quotes and Double-Quoted Strings Most languages have a String literal similar to this, so this may be familiar. The types of quotes, (single quote, apostrophe or hard quote) and (double quote or soft quote) are used to enclose string literals, anything between them will be turned into String objects. The following example demonstrates this. But there are some differences between single and double quotes. Double quotes  or soft quotes enable some magic to happen behind the scenes. Most useful is interpolation inside strings, useful for inserting the value of a variable into the middle of a string. This is achieved by using the #{ †¦ } sequence. The following example will ask you for your name and greet you, using interpolation to insert your name into the string literal thats printed. Note that any code can go inside the braces, not just variable names. Ruby will evaluate that code and whatever is returned it will attempt to insert it into the string. So you could just as easily say Hello, #{gets.chomp} and forget about the name variable. However, its good practice not to put long expressions inside the braces. Single quotes, apostrophes, or hard quotes are much more restrictive. Inside of the single quotes, Ruby will perform no interpolation or escape sequences other than escaping the single quote character and backslash itself (\ and \\ respectively). If you dont intend to use interpolation, its recommended to use single quotes more often than not. The following example will attempt to interpolate a variable inside of single quotes. If you run this youll get no error, but what will be printed? The interpolation sequence was passed through uninterpreted. When Should I Use Single and Double Quotes This is a matter of style. Some prefer to use double quotes all of the time unless they become inconvenient. Others would rather use single quotes unless the interpolation behavior is intended. Theres nothing inherently dangerous about using double quotes all of the time, but it does make some code easier to read. You dont need to read a string when reading through code if you know there are no interpolations in it  because you know the string itself wont have any side effects. So which string literal form you use is up to you, there is no real right and wrong way here. Escape Sequences What if, in a string literal, you want to include a quote character? For instance, the string Steve said Moo!  wont work. And neither will Cant touch this!. Both of these strings include the quote character inside of the string, effectively ending the string literal and causing a syntax error. You could switch quote characters, like Steve said Moo!, but that doesnt really solve the problem. Instead, you can escape any quote character inside the string, and it will lose its special meaning (in this case, the special meaning is to close the string). To escape a character, prepend it with the backslash character. The backslash character tells Ruby to ignore any special meaning the next character may have. If its a matching quote character, dont end the string. If its a hash sign, dont start an interpolation block. The following example demonstrates this use of backslash to escape special characters. The backslash character can be used to remove any special meaning from the following character but, confusingly, it can also be used to denote special behavior in double-quoted strings. Most of these special behaviors have to do with inserting characters and byte sequences that cannot be typed or represented visually. Not all Strings are character strings  or may contain control sequences intended for the terminal, and not the user. Ruby gives you the ability to insert these types of strings using the backslash escape character. \n - A newline character. The puts method does this automatically, but if you wish to insert one in the middle of a string, or the string is destined for something other than the puts method, you can use this to insert a newline in a string.\t - A tab character. The tab character moves the cursor over (on most terminals) to a multiple of 8, so this is very useful for display tabular data. However, there are better ways of doing this, and using the tab character is considered a bit archaic or hackish.\nnn - A backslash followed by 3 numbers will denote an ASCII character represented by 3 octal digits. Why octal? Mostly for historical reasons.\xnn - A backslash, an x, and 2 hex digits. The same as the octal version, only with hex digits. Youll probably never use most of these, but know that they exist. And also remember that they only work in double-quoted strings. The next page discusses multi-line strings and an alternate syntax for string literals. Multi-Line Strings Most languages dont allow multi-line string literals, but Ruby does. Theres no need to end your strings and append more strings for the next line, Ruby handles multi-line string literals just fine with the default  syntax. Alternate Syntax As with most other literals, Ruby provides an alternate syntax for string literals. If youre using a lot of quote characters inside your literals, for example, you may want to use this syntax. When you use this syntax is a matter of style, theyre usually not needed for strings. To use the alternate syntax, use the following sequence for single-quoted strings  %q{ †¦ }. Similarly, use the following syntax for double-quoted strings  %Q{ †¦ }. This alternate syntax follows all the same rules as their normal cousins.  Also,  note that you can use any characters you wish instead of braces. If you use a brace, square bracket, angle bracket or parenthesis, then the matching character will end the literal. If you dont want to use matching characters, you can use any other symbol (anything not a letter or number). The literal will be closed with another of the same symbol. The following example shows you several ways to use this syntax. The alternate syntax also works as a multi-line string.