Blog Archive Managing the MBA Interview What If I Am Stumped

Blog Archive Managing the MBA Interview What If I Am Stumped With the release of first-round interview invitations and the subsequent increase in pressure on MBA candidates, we present a five-part series with our friends at Vault to help applicants decompress and thoughtfully manage the MBA interview process. In this third entry in the series, mbaMission founder Jeremy Shinewald explains what you should do if you find yourself “stumped” by a question your interviewer asks. In our first entry in this series, we were very clear that admissions interviewers are not seeking to stump you.   Still, regardless of the interviewer’s approach, many business school applicants still worry that, during their interview, they may be asked a single challenging question which leaves them awkwardly silent and that such a moment will be the symbolic end to their candidacy at the target school. Although such an experience would certainly be uncomfortableâ€"and we suggest, of course, that you definitely do your best to prepare for your interview so as to avoid this kind of predicamentâ€"sometimes even well-prepared candidates can be “stumped,” and we can assure you that an awkward pause in an interview will not cancel out all the positive elements of your application. Still, being ready for such a situation, should one occur, is important, so we offer the following tips on how to mitigate an awkward moment: Resist the urge to launch into a story. Your instinct may be to just start speaking, hoping that you will find the right story as you progress. This is a high-risk strategy because, if it goes wrong, it can compound the problem. Instead, you might consider a pensive pause and take a moment to search for the story internally. You might even say, “That is a good question. I am going to have to think about it for a moment,” before answering. Take a sip of water. Many interviewers will offer you a glass of water at the beginning. Take the water and use it throughout the interview as a buffer to buy time or allow yourself to slow down. If you get stumped, the water can offer a brief opportunity to pause naturally, alleviating any awkwardness before you begin. Maintain your poise. If you absolutely cannot answer a question, you should not get overly apologetic or grovel. Simply acknowledge that you are having trouble with the question and politely ask if you might come back to it at the end. This is not a best-case scenario, but it is certainly far better than rambling and apologizing. A confident approach during a tricky moment may even impress! Forget about it. If you cannot answer a question, accept it and move on. If you spend the rest of the interview thinking about that moment, you will be distracted and struggle with any subsequent questions. Share ThisTweet Managing the MBA Interview

Technology Evaluation - Big Data Analytics Free Essay Example, 1000 words

This is because experts would have to find ways in which this system does not compromise the privacy and security of the information that is being analyzed. On this basis, this evaluation study plan seeks to answer the following questions, Is information derived from Big Data Analytics confidential? What are the protective mechanisms adopted to ensure that information derived from Big Data Analytics are protected from third parties? Is this information well documented, with the most relevant information properly stored? How available is information derived from Big Data Analytics? Is it possible to tamper with the authenticity of information emanating from Big Data Analytic procedure? Methods: In reviewing this technological innovation, the method used is the technological acceptance model. This is a type of information systems theory that explains how users would use and accept a given technology. According to this model, when users of technology are presented with a new technology, there are a number of factors that will play a role in influencing their decisions on when and how they would use the technology under consideration (Krynicki, 1995). One of the major factors influencing their decisions is the perception of the usefulness of the technology under consideration. We will write a custom essay sample on Technology Evaluation - Big Data Analytics or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now This refers to a situation whereby an individual believes that by using a particular technology, then his or her job performance would increase. For example, Sue and Ritter (2012) maintain that one of the advantages of Big Data Analytic is that it makes information to be easily available for managers and business leaders (Ohlhorst, 2013). This is an important usefulness of this technology, and hence business leaders would seek to use this technology in analyzing information touching on their business operations. Through this method, the researcher aims at carrying out an electronic survey, for purposes of asking how useful this technology is to its users. It is important to denote that the questions contained in the survey forms, would aim at providing an answer on the five major research questions identified. Teo (2011) further gives another characteristic of technological acceptance model. Under this characteristic, a user would evaluate a given technology based on the perception on how easy it is to use the technology under consideration. Under this concept, a user would be attracted to a technological knowhow, based on the knowledge that it is not complicated, and it is efficient in meeting the objectives of the individual concerned.

Young Women s Accounts Of Intimate Partner Violence...

Ceirra Myles 10/12/2015 Citation Reynolds, F. C. (2011). Young women s accounts of intimate partner violence during adolescence and subsequent recovery processes: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Psychology Psychotherapy: Theory, Research Practice, 84(3), 314-334. Statement of purpose The purpose of this study was to explore three young women’s understandings of why they had been vulnerable to IPV in their mid-to-late adolescence years, what their experiences of IPV were like, and to find out how they developed their recovery processes. The study also provides a view on the resilience process amongst these women as well. There’s an aim towards the exploration of the reflection they had on their negative experiences with IPV from their adolescents years and throughout their recovery phases. Methodology This study consisted of three women between the ages of 21-25. Two of these women were social work students, while the other was a receptionist. Their experiences with IPV occurred during their adolescent years between the ages of 15-19. All of these women were white, unmarried and were residents of London. They each described having a good relationship with at least one of their parents prior to the abusive experiences. Six women were recruited based on having endured a psychologically traumatic experience during their adolescent from which they had recovered. Once chosen, they were interviewed and recounted various traumatic events. This particular studyShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesand permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, m echanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturersRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pages including built-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong

Clarkson Lumber Company Experienced Significant Sales Growth

From 1993 through 1995, Clarkson Lumber Company experienced significant sales growth – 19.0% from 1993 to 1994 and 30.0% between 1994 and 1995. Profitability also increased, but not nearly at the same pace as sales revenue. Net income rose from $60,000 in 1993 to $68,000 in 1994 (a 13.3% increase), to $77,000 in 1995 (13.2% increase). This increase in sales and profitability demanded growth in working capital and fixed assets to finance the growth, creating a need for cash that outpaced free cash flow into the firm. Furthermore, Mr. Clarkson’s buyout payments to Mr. Holtz in 1995 and 1996 only added to the liquidity predicament. Thus, Clarkson was compelled to draw upon his line of credit with Suburban National Bank and begin relying heavily on trade credit, quickly maxing out his bank credit line by the end of 1995. The financial strength of Clarkson Lumber has deteriorated between 1993 and 1995. Clarkson had a free cash flow to the firm of +$2,000 in 1994, but that dropped to -$159,000 for 1995. EBITDA increased over the period, but not matching the pace of net debt increases; Clarkson’s leverage (Net Debt / EBITDA) was 1.21 in 1993, increasing to 2.31 and 2.95 in 1994 and 1995, respectively. First quarter 1996 statements annualized over the entire year projected leverage to increase to 4.94 by the end of 1996, assuming no credit line cap and no other changes. The trade discount of 2% provides a very attractive opportunity for Clarkson Lumber to dramatically increaseShow MoreRelatedClarkson Lumber Case Analysis Essay802 Words   |  4 PagesStatement of the Problem At first glance, Clarkson Lumber appears to be a healthy company. However, despite rapid growth and increasing sales Clarkson Lumber finds itself searching for additional funding to compensate for a shortage in cash to fund its expanding business. Clarkson Lumber is in this situation for a number of reasons. The companys inability to receive payments from customers in a timely manner created a severe impact in the companys cash flows. The age of account receivablesRead MoreClarkson Lumber2050 Words   |  9 Pages29, 1996 Clarkson Lumber Company After a rapid growth in its business during recent years, the Clarkson Lumber Company, in the spring of 1996, anticipated a further substantial increase in sales. Despite good profits, the company had experienced a shortage of cash and had found it necessary to increase its borrowing from the Suburban National Bank to $399,000 in the spring of 1996. The maximum loan that Suburban National would make to any one borrower was $400,000 and Clarkson had been ableRead MoreMarketing Principle Quiz20161 Words   |  81 Pageswell it made the soap and not on what customers wanted from a bar of soap. It had a _____ orientation. | | | | | Selected Answer: |   a.   production | Correct Answer: |   a.   production | Feedback: | The production orientation forces a company to build whatever it builds best, that is, whatever it has the experience and expertise in doing. | | | | |   Ã‚  Question 2 | 1 out of 1 points    | | Redefining the business mission of a mattress manufacturer as â€Å"a good night’s sleep,†Read MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesMANAGERIAL PROCESS Published by McGraw-Hill/Irwin, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10020. Copyright  © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or

Biomedical Engineering Bone Repair Tissue Engineering

Question: Discuss about the Biomedical Engineering for Bone Repair Tissue Engineering. Answer: Introduction A vibrant tissue with competency to cure, maintain and restructure itself is popularly known, as Bone of our body is really an ultimate smart tissue. The elaboration, conservation and restoration of this tissue depend on three categories of cell that are osteoblasts, osteocytes and osteoclasts. As per global context, there are roughly more than 100 million cases of bone defects each year leading to the requirement of bone repair procedures. The autologous and allogeneic bone grafts are traditional methods of bone repair but they persist certain limitations and poor outcomes. However, the advances of tissue engineering process in last few decades have increased the possibility of in vitro bone repair and regeneration (Enderle and Bronzino, 2012). In a simple understanding, tissue engineering is a combination of life sciences plus biological engineering approaches to develop biological substitutes. In comparison to traditional biomaterials approach the tissue engineering provide an advantage of innovative purposeful tissue construction instead only providing the implant of new replacement part making this technique an innovation in medical sciences (Reis and Cohn, 2012). Figure 1: General process of Bone tissue engineering (Source: Enderle and Bronzino, 2012,p.34) The dynamic qualities of bone and advance processes of bone tissue engineering show a great compatibility to overcome the persisting bone disorders. Currently, after blood, bone is the second tissue-engineering transplant forming a hope for medical science. But, still this technique also involves certain challenges (Enderle and Bronzino, 2012). In this essay, a detailed study on management and progress of tissue engineering in bone repair followed by the challenges and future aspects of this technique are done. Tissue engineering management and progress for repairing bone defects According to Amini et al. (2012), the specific goal of bone tissue contriving is to raise in vitro bone culture possibilities by applying innovative engineering approaches. In few recent decades, a wealthy progress is achieved in bone tissue engineering related to cell sources, biodegradable scaffolds, biocompatibility achievements, advanced bioreactors and identification of specific growth factors to produce bone in artificial conditions as well as natural conditions. The bone tissue engineering process simply involves three major aspects that involve processes to select stem cells, scaffolds formation and biological conditions development to achieve ideal, robust, reproductive and functional bone repair. Correia et al. (2012) studied that bone tissue engineering firstly involves the formation of scaffold that is a medium providing specific architecture and environment for tissue regeneration. There are various materials like ceramic, metals and polymers that are widely used for sca ffold formation until the emergence of biodegradable polymers. Bose et al. (2012) opine that there are natural occurring as well as artificially constructed biodegradable polymers that are ideal for scaffolds formation in tissue construction persisting properties like osteoinductivity, biodegradability, biological compatibility and porosity. The use of these biodegradable polymers in TE scaffolds formation is the most important achievement in bone tissue engineering process. The biodegradable scaffolds are formed from different materials that perform functionality with specific culture cells. Some of the most commonly used biodegradable scaffold materials are collagen, chitosan, starch, polyhydroxybutyrate, fibrin etc. A more determined biodegradable scaffolds are considered as the future trend in tissue engineering progress. Liu et al. (2013) studied that in initial times of tissue engineering the production of scaffolds remained a complex issue the traditional grafting technique provided less compatibility with biological materials. However, in recent times, the use of phase inversion, fibre bonding, high-pressure methods and freeze-drying are miracles in the tissue-engineering arena. Correia et al. (2012) opine the method of PLGA-poly (lactide-co-glycolide) scaffold formation using the phase inversion techniques. The scaffold produced through this technique is wide used in tissue engineering process. Figure 2: PLGA scaffold formation by using phase inversion technology (Source: Correia et al. 2012, p.2484) Further, the use of fibre bonding, injection moulding, melt-based technologies etc. is a progressive technique for scaffold formation. Amini et al. (2012) indicated that the limitations of using osteoblasts as an inducer of tissue engineering are overruled by the incoming of stem cells technology in artificial bone construction field. The use of stem cells is considered as most valid and promising solution for tissue making processes. Construction of bone from mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) is one of the recent developments in tissue engineering field. The MSC being adult stem cells are widely present in bone marrow further named as BN-MSCs cells. These cells are widely used in tissue engineering to produce bone graft through applying technique of making artificial tissues in scaffolds that further undergo oestrogenic culture. Correia et al. (2012) further studied the practice of Adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) in tissue making processes is another advantage because these stem cells have capabilities to critical size defects repair in both femoral and calvarial bone segment defects (Zhang et al. 2012). Bose and Tarafder (2012) studied the advances in bone tissue engineering by getting exceptional growth factors that work to produce in vitro bone cultures. The absence of effective growth factors limited the process of bone regenerations like cell adhesion, migration and differentiation. But, now the use of insulin growth factor III and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs),and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-) provides effective bone regeneration process. Further, Shin et al. (2012) indicated that the custom of bioreactors for making tissues artificially works as a new advancement to mimic the in vivo environment dynamics. These bioreactors are constructed to develop conditions and architectures that support tissue regeneration. Some of the most successful bioreactors till date are spinner flask bioreactor, static flask bioreactor, and rotating wall container bioreactors in bone tissue engineering. Figure 3: Static flasks, spinner flask and rotating wall vessel bioreactor used for in suit bone tissue construction (Source: Shin et al. 2012, p.260) The need of an experimental model to test the performance of technique is an essential component as well as limitation in biological research. Getting appropriate experimental models is a tough process in experimental science, Szpalski et al. (2012) stated that use of animal models is a new advancement to test the reliability of bone tissue engineering protocol. The experimental model should be feasible and should have high similarity index. Some of the most widely used animal models are subcutaneous model from rats and rabbit calvarial models that are widely used these days for testing the bone tissue engineering protocol. Tripathi and Basu (2012) studied that collaboration of gene therapy with bone tissue engineering helps to overcome the genetic defect along with bone disorder. The basic process involves delivery of specific proteins through viral vectors in the bone regeneration stages. Barriers in bone repair tissue engineering The bone tissue engineering process is the future of transplantation technology and is emerging as a new medical treatment approach but still it persist certain limitations that are holding back the progressiveness of this technology. Szpalski et al. (2012) studied that surgeon on everyday basis faces common challenges like reabsorption, infections, immunogenic reactions and insufficient vascularization while performing bone grafting in tissue engineering process. Liu et al. (2013) studied that bone tissue engineering is a highly expensive process that is not affordable on the regular basis due to an expensive high-quality bone, lack of donor, repeated failure of bone graft and use of expensive instruments. Making this technique cost-effective is becoming a challenge for scientists. Marolt et al. (2012) indicated in their study that failure of bone graft is a major challenge that is essential to get controlled in tissue regeneration process. The reason behind the failure of bone graf t still remains a mystery. Sometimes it is considered as a failure of appropriate biomaterial selection, wrong scaffold or improper in vitro conditions or growth factors delivery making the establishment of bone graft a challenge in technology. Szpalski et al. (2012) identified the confronts in artificial bone construction protocol that involves premature aging and differentiation of osteogenic cells, lack of control over cell viability and proliferation in 3D scaffolds, lack of knowledge on control parameters for cultivated human bone marrow behaviour under in vivo environment. Further, Liu et al. (2013) stated that in vivo transplantation of regenerated bone tissue is another barrier in establishing successful bone tissue engineering process. There are unknown biological processes that refuse the in vitro bone graft in animal model experiments. Future aspects in bone repair tissue engineering The bone tissue engineering technology is considered to be a complex and complicated structural arrangement process. There are different cell types, biomaterials, MSCs, growth factors and other factors that work together in this process. However, in last few decades, tissue engineering attained a considerable progress in utilizing bioactive factors, scaffolds development, getting potent cell source, suitable biomaterials and bioreactors. But now the future relies on overcoming the challenges of technique. Liu et al. (2013) studied that currently the shift of scientific minds is to develop improved vascular creation in this field if artificially created bones because it is the priority essential factor for graft existence. Nguyen et al. (2012) neo-bone tissue always survive in regions having the vascular network, therefore, it is important to induce vascularization under in vitro conditions of bone formation. Liu et al. (2013) stated that induction of angiogenesis and vasculogenesis is another future emerging theme because these processes work at in vivo conditions to develop new blood vessels. The development of artificial angiogenesis and vasculogenesis will help to control the in vivo graft rejection. Therefore, it is another important future aspect of bone tissue engineering process. According to Szpalski et al. (2012), there are on-going researches to establish scaffold that promotes vascular formation. Marolt et al. (2012) studied the research is done to utilize stem cells for neo-vascularisation where endothelial progenitor/stem cells are been utilized for generating vascularized bone graft by co-culture systems and combined linkages with osteogenic cells in different scaffolds to produce neo-vascularisation as a future trend in bone tissue construction process. Conclusion In present era, there is essential requirement of effective clinical treatments for severe bone defects at global scenario but there are limitations in established technologies like autograft and allograft. In last two decades that has been a remarkable positive progress in bone tissue engineering process annually making it a hope for getting better clinical treatment for bone repair. In the recent times there are remarkable achievements in bone tissue engineering procedures and technologies but still this field of medical science is in its developing state. More concentration is required to overcome the deficits in technologies like better scaffolds, more effective bioreactors, better stabilizing enzymes and laboratory condition to get 100% in suit transplantation or bone grafting done successfully. Tissue engineering holds a promising approach to provide better medical treatment for disease like cancer, diabetes etc. which are still in incurable state. The so far success for this technique is encouraging, whereas the challenges and future aspects are giving this technology a new height in clinical application. It is expected that in near future tissue engineering will acquire a successful in vivo bone graft transplantation and bone fracture repair treatment. References Books Enderle, J.D. and Bronzino, J.D., 2012.Introduction to biomedical engineering. Academic press. Reis, R.L. and Cohn, D., 2012.Polymer based systems on tissue engineering, replacement and regeneration(Vol. 86). Springer Science Business Media. Journals Amini, A.R., Laurencin, C.T. and Nukavarapu, S.P., 2012. Bone tissue engineering: recent advances and challenges.Critical Reviews in Biomedical Engineering,40(5). Bose, S., Roy, M. and Bandyopadhyay, A., 2012. Recent advances in bone tissue engineering scaffolds.Trends in biotechnology,30(10), pp.546-554. Bose, S. and Tarafder, S., 2012. Calcium phosphate ceramic systems in growth factor and drug delivery for bone tissue engineering: a review.Acta biomaterialia,8(4), pp.1401-1421. Correia C, Bhumiratana S, Yan LP, Oliveira AL, Gimble JM, Rockwood D, Kaplan DL, Sousa RA, Reis RL, Vunjak-Novakovic G. 2012. Development of silk-based scaffolds for tissue engineering of bone from human adipose-derived stem cells. Acta biomaterialia, 8(7), pp.2483-92. Liu, Y., Lim, J. and Teoh, S.H., 2013. Review: development of clinically relevant scaffolds for vascularised bone tissue engineering.Biotechnology advances,31(5), pp.688-705. Marolt, D., Campos, I.M., Bhumiratana, S., Koren, A., Petridis, P., Zhang, G., Spitalnik, P.F., Grayson, W.L. and Vunjak-Novakovic, G., 2012. Engineering bone tissue from human embryonic stem cells.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,109(22), pp.8705-8709. Nguyen, L.H., Annabi, N., Nikkhah, M., Bae, H., Binan, L., Park, S., Kang, Y., Yang, Y. and Khademhosseini, A., 2012. Vascularized bone tissue engineering: approaches for potential improvement.Tissue Engineering Part B: Reviews,18(5), pp.363-382. Shin, S.H., Purevdorj, O., Castano, O., Planell, J.A. and Kim, H.W., 2012. A short review: recent advances in electrospinning for bone tissue regeneration.Journal of tissue engineering,3(1), pp. 260-65. Szpalski, C., Wetterau, M., Barr, J. and Warren, S.M., 2012. Bone tissue engineering: current strategies and techniquespart I: scaffolds.Tissue Engineering Part B: Reviews,18(4), pp.246-257. Szpalski, C., Barbaro, M., Sagebin, F. and Warren, S.M., 2012. Bone tissue engineering: current strategies and techniquespart II: cell types.Tissue Engineering Part B: Reviews,18(4), pp.258-269. Tripathi, G. and Basu, B., 2012. A porous hydroxyapatite scaffold for bone tissue engineering: Physico-mechanical and biological evaluations.Ceramics International,38(1), pp.341-349. Zhang, Z.Y., Teoh, S.H., Hui, J.H., Fisk, N.M., Choolani, M. and Chan, J.K., 2012. The potential of human fetal mesenchymal stem cells for off-the-shelf bone tissue engineering application.Biomaterials,33(9), pp.2656-2672.

Death As A Theme In Modern Poetry Essays - Guggenheim Fellows

Death As A Theme In Modern Poetry Death has been and always will be an interesting and compelling topic among poets and authors alike. Death sheds a mysterious vale over life and is often avoided or dreaded within people causing diversity among the reactions of modern poetry and thought. Mortality can be treated as a crisis, a destination, with significance or without, as well as (sadly) by some as a goal. Death provides a wide spectrum of ideas that can be expanded upon with dignity or as a magnanimous ideal. The poets that I have read and pondered deliver an array of insight on the topic; from its grotesqueness to its humbleness. They approach or meditate upon death with disgust as well as with nonchalance. Overall I think that although the poets each dissect and interpret our inevitable encounter in variation they all would agree in its mystery and finality. To live, especially with comfort and respect, can often be, and is usually, a difficult as well as unavoidable task. Dying can be viewed in much the same way. Although you sometimes have a choice, often death is sudden and miserable and can end a life with little or no grace. I think Randall Jarrell would agree with me on this point. In his poem The Death of a Ball Turret Gunner Jarrell explicates upon a situation that although is sometimes forced at a person, is often (especially within his time-period) viewed with high regard in the population. What would be a better way to die than defending one's nation and doing your part in freeing millions of oppressed people? But this brave act by a man who is terrified ends in what I would see as humiliation. His parents or friends would not view his death as disgraceful or anything but the way in which his remains were desecrated would have surely been disgusting. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. The idea of somebod y washing the flesh and guts of a recently deceased person portrays how pathetic the finality of one's live can be. This frightened man who fell into the State straight from his mother's sleep was possibly given a hero's burial but at the same time his carcass remains were hosed out of the turret. This is an almost obscene gesture. Isaac Rosenburg analyzes a death in war in much the same way. In his poem Dead Man's Dump he remarks, A man's brains splattered on A stretcher-bearers face; this hideous observation points out to us how un-heroic death on a battlefield actually is. Death as thought about by Jarrell and Rosenberg is not beautiful but messy and possibly even an event of degradation. Is death a fate that is left up to us? Or do we die as the direct result of action, or possibly inaction of others? This is a question that will probably always be argued and probably never be answered; the conclusion will at least not be ascertained by us mere mortals. In the poem Not Waving But Drowning this issue is touched upon either directly on indirectly by Stevie Smith and is possibly more of a backdrop than a theme. The man who dies in the poem (which is I would also call a story) does have control over his fate in this situation. Perhaps if he were a better swimmer or would not have eaten so much before he went out he would not have been in this predicament, but that is beside the point. I was much further out than you thought, she says (and to make my point I am taking all of this in the literal and not figurative form) with a sort of shame. This suggests that the speaker of this narrative had some control over this man's death but was either to careless or not observant e nough to save his life. This man's fate therefor was not completely in his own hands, although it was not necessarily in total control of the narrator either. This to me basically implies that although fate does rest in our hands to some extent, it also lies (at least aspects of it) in the hands of

Measuring Earthquake Intensities Using Seismic Scales

Measuring Earthquake Intensities Using Seismic Scales The first measuring tool invented for earthquakes was the seismic intensity scale. This is a rough numerical scale to describe how severe an earthquake is in the place where youre standing- how bad it is on a scale of 1 to 10. Its not hard to come up with a set of descriptions for intensity 1 (I could barely feel it) and 10 (Everything around me fell down!) and the gradations in between. A scale of this kind, when its carefully made and consistently applied, is useful even though its based entirely on descriptions, not measurements. Scales of earthquake magnitude (the total energy of a quake) came later, the result of many advances in seismometers and decades of data collection. While seismic magnitude is interesting, seismic intensity is more important: its about the strong motions that actually affect people and buildings. Intensity maps are prized for practical things like city planning, building codes, and emergency response. To Mercalli and Beyond Dozens of seismic intensity scales have been devised. The first to be widely used was made by Michele de Rossi and Francois Forel in 1883, and before seismographs were widespread the Rossi-Forel scale was the best scientific tool we had. It used roman numerals, from intensity I to X. In Japan, Fusakichi Omori developed a scale based on the types of structures there, such as stone lanterns and Buddhist temples. The seven-point Omori scale still underlies the Japanese Meteorological Agencys official seismic intensity scale. Other scales came into use in many other countries. In Italy, a 10-point intensity scale developed in 1902 by Giuseppe Mercalli was adapted by a succession of people. When H. O. Wood and Frank Neumann translated one version into English in 1931, they called it the Modified Mercalli scale. That has been the American standard ever since. The Modified Mercalli scale consists of descriptions that range from the innocuous (I. Not felt except by a very few) to the terrifying (XII. Damage total . . . Objects thrown upward into the air). It includes the behavior of people, the responses of houses and larger buildings, and natural phenomena. For instance, peoples responses range from barely feeling ground motion at intensity I to everyone running outdoors at intensity VII, the same intensity at which chimneys begin to break. At intensity VIII, sand and mud are ejected from the ground and heavy furniture overturns. Mapping Seismic Intensity Turning human reports into consistent maps happen online today, but it used to be quite laborious. During the aftermath of a quake, scientists collected intensity reports as fast as they could. Postmasters in the United States sent the government a report every time a quake struck. Private citizens and local geologists did the same. If youre into earthquake preparedness, consider learning more about what quake investigators do by downloading their official field manual. With these reports in hand, investigators of the U.S. Geological Survey then interviewed other expert witnesses, such as building engineers and inspectors, to help them map zones of equivalent intensity. Eventually, a contour map showing the intensity zones was finalized and published. An intensity map can show some useful things. It can delineate the fault that caused the quake. It can also show areas of unusually strong shaking far from the fault. These areas of bad ground are important when it comes to zoning, for instance, or disaster planning or deciding where to route freeways and other infrastructure. Advances In 1992, a European committee set out to refine the seismic intensity scale in the light of new knowledge. In particular, we have learned a great deal about how different kinds of buildings respond to shaking- in effect, we can treat them like amateur seismographs. In 1995 the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS) was widely adopted across Europe. It has 12 points, the same as the Mercalli scale, but it is much more detailed and precise. It includes many pictures of damaged buildings, for instance. Another advance was being able to assign harder numbers to intensities. The EMS includes specific values of ground acceleration for each intensity rank. (So does the latest Japanese scale.) The new scale cannot be taught in a single lab exercise, the way the Mercalli scale is taught in the United States. But those who master it will be the best in the world at extracting good data from the rubble and confusion of an earthquakes aftermath. Why Old Research Methods Are Still Important The study of earthquakes gets more sophisticated every year, and thanks to these advances the oldest research methods work better than ever. The nice machines and clean data make for good fundamental science. But one great practical benefit is that we can calibrate all kinds of earthquake damages against the seismograph. Now we can extract good data from human records where- and when- there are no seismometers. Intensities can be estimated for earthquakes all the way through history, using old records like diaries and newspapers. Earth is a slow-moving place, and in many places the typical earthquake cycle takes centuries. We dont have centuries to wait, so deriving reliable information about the past is a valuable task. Ancient human records are much better than nothing, and sometimes what we learn about past seismic events is almost as good as having seismographs there.