Can Fancy Trucks Attract New Drivers

Can Fancy Trucks Attract New Drivers CareersInGear has rounded up several of the latest innovations luxury truck manufacturers are turbo-loading into new rigs:Â  In-truck bathing and toilet facilities! The most popular features? KitchenettesTables and boothsEntertainment centers set up with surround sound, DVD players, video game consoles, and flat screen TVsLarger, non-folding bedsHow are the entertainment centers not a terrible idea? But anyway, the thing to remember with all these action-packed palaces on wheels is the weight. Balance your need for amenities with the number of loads you want to make, the mileage you’ll be accumulating (and the fuel costs that go with it), and the frequency of the runs you’ll be making. Companies like TryHours are piloting 20 big rigs in their fleet with more extravagant features, but in order for these upgrades to be reasonable across the industry they’ll need to be scaled down appropriately. More comfortable beds, absolutely! Xbox? Maybe not so much!Have you se en any of these luxury rigs on the road yet? Â  Would the increased convenience of stopping less and enjoying more privacy be worth the compromises on load-bearing? Weigh in in the comments!

Environmental Risks From Mine Tailings

Environmental Risks From Mine Tailings Tailings are a type of rock waste from the mining industry. When a mineral product is mined, the valuable portion is usually embedded in a rock matrix called ore. Once the ore has been stripped of its valuable minerals, sometimes through the addition of chemicals, it is piled up into tailings. Tailings can reach immense proportions, appearing in the form of large hills (or sometimes ponds) on the landscape. Tailings deposited as large piles can cause a variety of environmental problems: Slumps, landslides. Tailing piles can be unstable, and experience landslides. In 1966, in Aberfan, Wales, a hill of mining debris famously collapsed onto buildings, resulting in 144 deaths. There are also cases where wintertime avalanches occurred on tailings, with loss of life for residents below.Dust. Dry tailing deposits contain small particles that are picked up by the wind, transported, and deposited on communities nearby. In the tailings of some silver mines, arsenic and lead is present in the dust in high enough concentrations to cause serious health problems.Leaching. When rain falls on tailings, it leaches away materials that can create water pollution, for example, lead, arsenic, and mercury. Sulfuric acid is sometimes produced when water interacts with tailings, or it can be a by-product of ore processing. As a result, highly acidic water leaks from the tailings and disrupts aquatic life downstream. Tailings from copper and uranium mining often produce measurable levels of radioactivity. Tailing Ponds Some mining wastes become very fine after they have been ground up during processing. The fine particles are then generally mixed with water and piped into impoundments as a slurry or sludge. This method cuts down on dust problems, and at least in theory, the impoundments are engineered to let excess water flow out without leaking tailings. Coal ash, while not a type of tailing, is a coal burning by-product stored the same way, and carrying similar environmental risks. In reality, tailing ponds also carry several environmental risks: Dam failure. There have been numerous instances where the dam holding back the impoundment collapsed. The consequences to the aquatic communities below can be serious, for example in the case of the Mount Polly Mine Disaster.  Leaks. Tailing ponds can be hundreds of acres in size, and in those cases, leaks into surface and ground waters are probably inevitable. The heavy metals, acids, and other contaminants end up polluting groundwater, lakes, streams, and rivers. Some very large ponds in Canada’s tar sands operations leak large amounts of tailings in the underlying soil, in the aquifer, and ultimately into the nearby Athabasca River.Wildlife exposure. Migrating waterfowl has been known to land on tailing ponds, and in some cases with dramatic consequences. In 2008, about 1,600 ducks died after landing on a tar sands tailing pond in Alberta, contaminated by floating bitumen, a tar-like substance. However, simple deterrent measures can reduce that risk significantly.

Cause and Effect of Online Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cause and Effect of Online Education - Essay Example People throughout the nation are looking for ways to cut their costs of living without sacrificing what they already have. Students who are trying to get an education are not typically interested in cutting out going to school so that they can get a job now. Many studies have actually shown that such a move is counter-productive in the long-run. When a student takes the time to get a degree, their earning power exponentially increases. Therefore, when an individual makes the decision to stop going to school in order to work full-time, they are actually limiting their earning potential. There is also truth in the idea that you must train to get the job you truly want rather than just the job you’ll accept. On-campus educations can cost several thousand dollars a year depending on which institution you attend. So, many students are turning to online education in order to cut back on cost while still continuing toward their degree. At Oregon State University, the average cost of full-time attendance for one year is $9435.01 while living off-campus, and $21430.01 if the student is living on campus (â€Å"Oregon State University†). Conversely, while attending the same university entirely online, the cost of one full-time year is only $8460 (â€Å"Oregon State University†). Conversely, while attending the same university entirely online, the cost of one full-time year is only $8460 (â€Å"Oregon State University†).   Therefore, we can clearly see that online education can save money. Nearly every class in the United States has felt the squeeze of the tough financial situation.   Families who used to subsist on one income have had to see their partner return to work.   Numerous High School students are balancing work and school to help out their families.   College students, who used to be able to go to school full-time with the help of financial aid, are finding themselves in the position of having to work as well.     Ã‚  

Managing Information Technology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing Information Technology - Coursework Example An added feature of executive Information system is its support for the graphical functions representation. Unlike the predecessor solution providers that only provided data figures, this system through the help of graphs, comparison charts and other similar displays make it possible understanding the scenario in a better manner. Integration of the internal data with the external variables is another feature function of E.I.S. Creating a budget that is in line with the needs of the organization is also made possible through this utility feature system. Owing to their excellent output, their increased productivity and reduced hassle, the larger enterprises and front runner business trend setters have adopted these systems into their networks. Data mining is a modern trend that has emerged with the evolution of the information technology based support systems. As the name would imply, it is the investigation and assessment of the different variables and different data sheets and facts through a certain critical viewing and perspective. The two concepts are equally intertwined, while data mining is related to the dissected and detailed investigation and assessment of the overall facts and data at hand, the data warehouse in contrast serves as a repository of information and overall monitoring level tool and software support system. Number of techniques and strategies can be adopted with regard to the data mining process and utilization of the software. Two of the most commonly used techniques include clustering and classification techniques. Through the technique of clustering different set of variables may be brought together for a cumulative assessment of key variables. The cluster technique allows targeting and segregating two set of variables and responders in a data set collected from a survey or any other observational study undertaken. Pre determination

Art Exhibit on Nature Essay Example for Free

Art Exhibit on Nature Essay The planet earth is the only known habitat for humankind. For millions of years, it served as the home to numerous living things such as animals, plants and people. More so, it has been a witness to many events that have shaped the course of world history. Because of this, it is suffice to say that our beloved Mother Earth has played a vital role in nourishing and sustaining the existence of humans. In return for all the benefits and nourishment that Mother Earth has provided to humans, human beings have showed their gratitude by expressing their appreciation and admiration for the beauty and splendor of nature. For centuries, human beings have captured the magnificence of the diversity and uniqueness of the environment which was shown using various art forms such as painting, sculptures, photography, architecture and many others. In line with this, throughout history, several art movements have emerged. There were the Classical, Renaissance, Baroque, Modernism and many others. The dominant and styles and themes differed in these art periods. However, there was one theme that has remained constant until the present day. This is known as landscape or nature art. This form of art is defined as the illustration of mountains, flora and fauna, bodies of water and the sky. More so, it is a celebration of the majestic beauty of nature. This trend in the art world has continued to persist throughout the ages. Aside from this, it has also evolved in terms of styles and techniques. Every part of the globe has developed their own approach on how to translate the beauty of nature into a canvas. Because of the variety in culture and tradition, nature and landscape artworks have surfaced as distinctive copies of the wonders of the environment. With this, nature had become a worldwide art phenomenon and these artworks have made nature a timeless masterpiece that will be forever treasured and recognized. On the other hand, due to changing times, the seemingly everlasting beauty of nature is apparently gradually diminishing. If before humans respected the significant role of Mother Earth in the cycle of life, nowadays, humans have abandoned their vital task of being the steward. Instead of taking care of the natural wonders of the world, humans have opted to obliterate it. This sudden change was caused by the desire to improve the ways of living of people. Initially, the intention may seem innocent and harmless but if one would look closely, traces of selfishness and greed can be uncovered. People wanted to advance the human race but at the expense of damaging the environment. Because of this, a drastic natural occurrence has been plaguing the contemporary society. This has claimed lives of many people and destroyed millions worth of properties. This phenomenon has been labeled as climate change or global warming. In the recent years, Mother Earth has been experiencing unusual changes such as the increase in temperature of the atmosphere, extinction of some animal and plant species, loss of land mass and many others. These alterations have posted an alarming threat to the existence of many living things. If humans would permit this condition to carry on, in time people would be left homeless and without any nourishment. To help intensify awareness on the present state of the environment, an art exhibit will be put up. This exhibit will showcase the nature artworks of American artist, Ansel Adams, French painter, Paul Cezanne, and a Japanese artisan named Hokusai. The objective of the exhibit is to help the viewers realize the importance and connection of nature with the existence of humans. More so, this nature-themed art exhibit will explore the various perceptions of artists on nature from different periods. It will demonstrate how people saw and appreciated the beauty of the environment during their respective eras. By incorporating artists from different continents such as North America, Europe and Asia, viewers will also be given a 360 degrees view of the world’s most beautiful places. Hopefully, after they have seen the exhibit, the viewers will have a new-found respect on the beauty and vigor of Mother Earth. Ansel Adams is an American photographer who has mastered the artistry of capturing wonderful shots of landscapes in scenic places strewn all over the United States. Aside from being an artist, he was also a dedicated environmentalist â€Å"who encouraged understanding of, and respect for, the natural environment. † Even though he initially got noticed as a noted photographer in commercial photography, he excelled in the field of landscape photography (Notablebiographies. com). The black and white landscape photographs have become Adams’ trademarks. Two of Adams most recognized photographs are the â€Å"The Tetons and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming† and â€Å"‘Old Faithful’ geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming† (TheHistoryPlace. com). Adams was commissioned to take these pictures for the National Park Service in 1941. The photographs were intended to be used to make the â€Å"photo mural for the Department of the Interior Building in Washington, DC. † The main theme was focused on showcasing nature â€Å"exemplified and protected in the U. S. National Parks† (U. S. National Archives and Records Administration). These two photographs have illustrated the grandiose and picturesque beauty of the mountain ranges and national parks in the US. Furthermore, he used his creativity to â€Å"preserve the wilderness and one of the first to promote photography as an art form† (TheHistoryPlace. com). Paul Cezanne is considered as one of the masters of post-Impressionism. He is also well-known for pioneering an avant-garde movement then called cubism in the late 1800s. Because of his quirkiness and modern styles, Cezanne was misunderstood by the people. But this did not discourage him to advance his creativity. He â€Å"grew out of Impressionism and eventually challenged all the conventional values of painting in the 19th century through its insistence on personal expression and on the integrity of the painting itself. † Through these innovations, he was recognized as the â€Å"father of modern painting† (Pioch). But before Cezanne ventured into cubism, he created several simple yet exquisite landscape paintings that â€Å"immortalized the Provencal countryside† in France. In his two paintings, â€Å"Etude: Paysage a Auvers† (Study: Landscape at Auvers) and â€Å"Jas de Buffan† (The Pool), Cezanne was able to depict nature as real as he can. These two oil paintings were generated in 1873 and 1876 respectively. For Cezanne, nature cannot be accurately duplicated in a canvas. He tried to link the natural and artistic worlds by showing his own perceptions about nature. In relation to this, most of his artworks are advised to be seen as a whole and not per part in order to fully appreciate their artistic essence (Pioch). Hokusai is a famous Japanese painter. Compared to the previous artists, his choice of material for painting is unconventional. Hokusai used wood as his canvas to celebrate the beauty of nature. A native of Edo, which is now called Tokyo, Hokusai is regarded as â€Å"one of the outstanding figures of the Ukiyo-e or pictures of the floating world (everyday life), school of printmaking† (Pioch). In the â€Å"The Breaking Wave Off Kanagawa or The Great Wave,† Hokusai illustrated the splendor of the sea. Since Japan is surrounded by water, this painting has become the quintessential representation of Japanese aesthetics. This seascape painting with a Japanese natural landmark, Mt. Fuji, had represented the Asian geography. More so, it showed the combination of western and eastern influences with regards to art production. Moreover, this particular Japanese art have preserved its authenticity and oriental aesthetic by â€Å"flattening the texture and using color surfaces as an element. † On the other hand, this painting also showed how nature can be so powerful which was expressed on the giant which was on the verge of devouring the people aboard the two boasts (Andreas. com). Works Cited â€Å"ANSEL ADAMS Biography. † 2007. Notablebiographies. com. 12 December 2008 http://www. notablebiographies. com/A-An/Adams-Ansel. html. â€Å"Ansel Adams Photograph. † n. d. U. S. National Archives and Records Administration. 12 December 2008 http://www. archives. gov/research/ansel-adams/. â€Å"Best of Ansel Adams. † 1999. TheHistoryPlace. com. 12 December 2008 http://www. historyplace. com/unitedstates/adams/. â€Å"Hokusai. † 2008. Andreas. com. 12 December 2008 http://www. andreas. com/hokusai. html. Pioch, Nicolas. â€Å"Cezanne, Paul. † 19 September 2002. Webmuseum, Paris. 12 December 2008 http://www. ibiblio. org/wm/paint/auth/cezanne/. Pioch, Nicolas. â€Å"Cezanne, Paul: Landscapes. † 19 September 2002. Webmuseum, Paris. 12 December 2008 http://www. ibiblio. org/wm/paint/auth/cezanne/land/. Pioch, Nicolas. â€Å"Hokusai, Katsushika. † 19 September 2002. Webmuseum, Paris. 12 December 2008 http://www. ibiblio. org/wm/paint/auth/hokusai/.

Canterbury Tales :: English Literature Essays

Canterbury Tales There is a great deal of useful information to be found on the Internet but sorting through it can often be a hassle. There are some sites that are useful and give a great deal of helpful information but there are also many sites that just don't meet up to those standards. Since anyone can put information on the web, it is often hard to tell a good site from a bad one. Today, I am going to go through a few sites relating to Geoffrey Chaucer and his book The Canterbury Tales and give examples of good and bad sites relating to them. One fantastic site that is on the web is The Litrix Reading Room at http://www.litrix.com. This site, which is edited by Sam Jones, gives free electronic distribution of books for use by readers. It gives a list of authors and the books that they have from them. This site has a great number of books and some of the choices are American, Horror, Misfits, Mr. Holmes, Mystery, Sci-fi and Westerns. This site is very helpful in the reading of The Canterbury Tales because it has an updated, translated version of the book that makes it easier to understand and follow the story line. I would recommend litrix.com greatly. One very good site, which relates to Geoffrey Chaucer is http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/chaucer.html. This site is large in depth with many features that will keep any Chaucer fan busy for hours or help students find whatever they may need. Some of the features include: different quotes from Chaucer, a paragraph summary of his life, links to many of his works, audio excerpts from The Canterbury Tales, discussion groups and links to other Chaucer pages. This site was created by Anniina Jokinen and it is clear that she did a very good job. Another fantastic site that relates to Chaucer is http://www.media.wright.edu/studorgs/english20403/chaucer.html. This site has all the links that a person may ever need for Chaucer. Some of the many links that are offered on this site is his biography, Chaucerian language, online reports, and online texts of The Canterbury Tales and medieval sites. Each main link has a few choices beneath it so a person can pick and choose between different sites and writing styles, which is always helpful. Getting different perspectives on different topics relating to Chaucer can only help a person in receiving a better grade and better understanding the material.

Discuss Wharton’s presentation of the character development of Newland Archer

The character of Newland Archer is presented in this passage through his meditations on a range of issues. The scene is set directly after an Archer family dinner with a friend, Sillerton Jackson. Archer's reflections give us a glimpse into the way he thinks and the sort of person he is. Initially we learn about Archer himself and his background, he is from a wealthy family, with ever â€Å"vigilant † servants, â€Å"bronze† statuettes and his own study. We can also see from the description of the study that he is cultured, intelligent and well read. The passage allows us to see a little of his history, especially of the tale of his romance with May Welland. Her â€Å"large photograph† has displaced all others on his table, signifying that she and no other is first in his affections. Archer's view of their impending marriage is initially that he will be her â€Å"soul's custodian†, showing that it will be a very traditional relationship, that she is naive compared to him, and that he must protect and enlighten her. He was taught that marriage to May would be like â€Å"safe anchorage† in life but he tells us his belief is changing, that he believes it may be like a â€Å"voyage on uncharted seas†. This clear nautical imagery lets us see how Archer is coming to doubt his previously unquestioned conventional beliefs – â€Å"old settled convictions† – and that it may be dangerous for him to go into this marriage so unprepared. He is moving on, intellectually, questioning what he once held firm. Archer's attitude to his relationship with May is inextricably linked to his basic conventional traditional mindset. He sees himself and May as key players in a courtship ritual that they possibly could become stereotypical examples of people â€Å"linked by ignorance on the one side and hypocrisy on the other†. In a way he believes this is inevitable due to the society they both belong to, but it is not what he wants from marriage. He desires â€Å"passionate and tender comradeship† with May in their marriage; he loves her â€Å"sincerely†. However her attitude to her character shows that he does not fully understand her. He sees her as partly as an † artificial product† produced by her family, her up bringing, making her innocent and frank. He feels this is wrong that she has somehow been denied the right to be a full person, as she has been denied the experience of life, social, cultural and sexual, that he has been allowed to explore. He feels what has been created in her personality is false, but somehow we get the impression that this is something that has been hard for him to come across. He sees her as less than him intellectually, as she is not educated as he has been, in the arts and literature, and therefore senses her comprehension is less, when really it may just be her lack of exposure to his amount of learning. Newland Archer's relationship with the women soon to be his cousin through his impending marriage to May, Ellen Olenska, is that this point in the novel, still slight. He knows her partially through acquaintance but mostly through gossip. The way he thinks of her as â€Å"Countess† shows the distance and formality between them and he does believe that she has done something reprehensible that requires â€Å"championship†. This shows that although he believes † Women should be free†, this will never really apply to New York standards and he resents the â€Å"coil of scandal† her arrival has placed him in. Her arrival and the talk surrounding it seems to have acted as a catalyst to his thought patterns, hinting of a deeper relationship to come. She is this woman with foreign ways who could be â€Å"free† as men are, and she makes Newland aware of the implications and reality of his betrothal. Newland Archer's character development is presented throughout the passage as a struggle between what he did believe in and what he is coming to doubt the validity of through new experiences and thoughts. His attitude to society is important as it stands for his old conventional self, and his reactions to its dictates, especially on the theme of marriage, show how he is maturing and thinking independently. The imagery he uses to describe New York society are important, â€Å"conventions that tied things together and bound people down† – this rope imagery suggests the constricting nature of tradition and how it hods all subject to it captive. The irony betrayed by Edith Wharton's' tone in the presentation of the conscious thoughts of Newland Archer shows the slightly ridiculous nature of New York society. The situation Archer is in regarding his own defence of Countess Olenska is ironic, as he would be forced to condemn May should she ever behave similarly to her cousin. Another irony in the passage is the description of the state of typical New York high society marriages as having an â€Å"enviable ideal† when frankly they are in a pitiable state. Lefferts is described as the â€Å"high priest of form† when really he has no substance or true beliefs and is truly hypocritical, especially in regard to his treatment of Beaufort's affairs. The behaviour of Mrs Welland's simulated reluctance at the announcement of the engagement when really she expected it is sarcastically commented on showing the double standards between what is said and what is expected throughout New York society. Edith Wharton uses conflicting ideas within Newland Archer's mind to effectively present a man who is changing and developing into a deeper way of thinking about his own life and society in general.