Confessions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Confessions - Essay Example Before confession, an old woman named Ryan, who was also his teacher, was the main person who framed his views about religion and the hereafter. She was the one who would mention hell every now and then. She always had a candle in her purse, which she used to symbolize hell. She would ask boys to hold a finger in the flame, and would tell that it was nothing as compared to eternal burning in hell. â€Å"Then she asked were we afraid of holding one finger-only one finger! - in a little candle flame for five minutes and not afraid of burning all over in roasting hot furnaces for all eternity† (O’Connor 2) was what she would tell the boys. Jackie got the idea that religion was all about burning people who did wrong deeds. He knew that life did not matter, as all that mattered was the hereafter in which God had to burn people in â€Å"hot furnaces† (2). Ryan was responsible for outlining these ideas of Jackie’s, as she would say, â€Å"All eternity! Just thin k of that! A whole lifetime goes by and it's nothing, not even a drop in the ocean of your sufferings† (2). Jackie’s perception of confession before the priest was also very pessimistic, and this perception had also been granted by the off-putting Mrs. Ryan. She had mentioned an account of a man who had made a bad confession. He stayed in guilty for many days to come, and finally went to priest for correcting his confession; but, he got burnt the night before the confession. For Jackie, that was the consequence of a bad confession, because he says, â€Å"This story made a shocking impression on me† (2). Hence, he believed that a bad confession led to horrible death. Moreover, he also believed that he was a great sinner, as Ryan would mention, off and on, that it was important to examine the conscience to be a good person. She would ask the boys if they loved their parents and other people whom they knew; and, Jackie knew that he was an ultimate sinner because he hated his grandmother and his sister. â€Å"I had no hope of ever doing anything else† (3) means that Jackie had become hopeless because his perception of religion had been deteriorated in a very bad way. That is why, the day he was going to confess, he looked back at the houses and metaphorically thought that it was like â€Å"Adam's last glimpse of Paradise† (4). However, Jackie confessed. It was a heart-wrecking experience for him. He could not find the courage in the first instance; but, he confessed before the priest the second time he got the chance to speak it all out. To Jackie’s surprise and contrary to what Nora had told him, the priest proved to be very understanding. He listened to Jackie’s intentions of killing the grandmother and Nora, and gave him three Hail Marys. That changed the world for Jackie. Previously he had thought of religion as a freaking thing that intended to give punishments only; but now, he understood that religion was not scary. He says, â€Å"I knew now I wouldn't die in the night and come back, leaving marks on my mother's furniture† (9), which shows that he was not worried of burning due to a bad confession or burning in hell anymore. Before confession, his state of mind was upsetting, which shows when he says, â€Å"the wind whistled outside so that the silence within seemed to crackle like ice under my feet† (4); but, after the confession his mental state had totally changed, which shows when

A Major Problem In Palm Oil Mill Effluent Engineering Essay

A Major Problem In Palm Oil Mill Effluent Engineering Essay In Malaysia, for example, 9.9 million tons of solids wastes consisting of empty fruit bunch , fibre and fruit shell and approximately 20 million tons of palm oil mill effluent (POME) are generated every year. In response to this, there has been increasing efforts to manage the wastes generated from mills. A major problem in Palm Oil Mill Effluent is their Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) characteristic in final discharge (waste water). BOD is a chemical procedure for determining how fast biological organisms use up oxygen (through degradation of organic material) in a body of water. COD is to determine the amount of organic pollutants found in surface water. The purpose of this study was to minimize the BOD and COD level in waste water treatment plant using the Sequencing Batch Reactor Process (SBR) system. The capability of treatment efficiency was proven during the system is widely used in other industry. As Malaysia forges ahead with its plan to become a fully developed nation, palm oil mills will have to adapt to various new challenges, including more stringent environmental regulation, labor shortage and competition from other lower cost palm oil producing countries. Basically milling technology has not changed in terms of developing a new sustainable and economics process to extract more oil and kernel. This may sound odd with so many new mills built and best time to incorporate new technology being to start on a green field. Anyway new technology has developed with concentrated on better mechanical handing, higher throughput, and more durable and reliable equipment with longer intervals between failure and renewal. The extraction of palm oil and kernel from the palm fruit is a commonly known in palm oil process. But this extraction process also produces a brown effluent which can devastate any aquatic life if dumped directly into our river. It is estimated that for every tone of palm oil produced, 2.5 tons of wastewater is generated. Thus, with Malaysias palm oil production is standing close to 8 million tons per annum , the amount of palm oil mill effluent ( POME ) generated would be equivalent to that of sewage discharged by a population of 22 million people Palm oil mill effluents are high volume liquid wastes which are non toxic but have an unpleasant odor. They are highly polluting. The Biological and Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD COD) of this effluent is very high and goes for the Total Nitrogen, Ammonia Nitrogen and Oil Grease. The effluent also acidic. The nature of raw effluent, it is hot, has a bad aroma and brown in color. An effluent with its quality and quantity were to be discharged into river, all aquatic life will perish. At present there are many methods to treat this raw effluent. The most common method of treatment being employed is the biological treatment. This method of treatment is by using a combine effect of the aerobic, anaerobic and facultative ponds; where at the end of the treated effluent is dumped into a river. Alternatives treatment methods have propped up in the recent past. In this case, proposed a method which involved Sequencing Batch reactor ( SBR ) Technology with aerated oxygen enriched air. The sequencing batch reactor (SBR) is a batch process for treating wastewater. This process is capable to minimized BOD and COD in a reactor. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Typical Flow Charts Typical Palm Oil Mill Schematic Flow Diagram As the palm oil industry grows rapidly, the number of palm oil mills also increases significantly especially in Malaysia. Therefore, one of the major problems arises from this industry is the large amount of wastes generated during the processes. Generally, operation of the palm oil mill generates many by-product and liquid waste which may pose a significant impact on the environment if they are not dealt with properly. The most common method is biological effluent treatment system (ponds). 2.2 Effluent Treatment Plant The function of the biological effluent treatment plant is to treat the mill liquid waste to levels within the prescribed limits set by the Department of Environment (D.O.E). The method of biological treatment in the mill is the anaerobic process. This process comprises three stages: The anaerobic digestion in the acidification phase The anaerobic digestion in the methanogenic phase The quiescent facultative stage of aerobic digestion. The complete anaerobic digestion or bio-degradation of the mill effluent is a complex operation as this process requires the acid forming organisms to grow in harmony with the methanogenic formers. Any imbalance of activities of these two organisms would upset the digestion process. The acid producing bacteria and their associated enzymes degrade most type of organic material into fatty acids. The methanogenic bacteria convert the soluble products of the acid produces into methane and carbon dioxide. The acidification stage is controlled to promote the growth of the acid formers. While in the second stage i.e. the methanogenic phase, the environment is optimum to form the methane formers. The biological effluent treatment plant in the mill comprises of the following: De-oiling tank 2 Acidification ponds 1 primary anaerobic pond 2 anaerobic maturation ponds 2 facultative ponds De- sludging facilities De-oiling tank/ sludge pit Sludge waste from this mill is pumped into the tank. The purpose of this tank is to trap remnants of free oil and permit solids to settle out. Solids settled here should be removed on a regular basis in order that working levels be maintained. Regular checks should be made and any trace of oil here must be removed. Acidification ponds There are 2 ponds and these are operated in parallel. The acidification stage is a very rapid process converting the organic components of the waste water into volatile fatty acids (vfa) and depresses the pH of the system. However recycling of the anaerobic liquor is done here for buffering i.e. Obtaining the desirable pH level Cooling to obtain the desired temperature Seeding i.e. introducing active organisms population The above is practiced at this stage to prepare the feed before entering into the anaerobic ponds. Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) here in each pond is 2 days Temperature: 35ËÅ ¡c 45ËÅ ¡c PH: 4.0 to 5.5 Vfa: 5000 mg/l Primary anaerobic In this stage the strictly anaerobic bacteria called methanogen converts the volatile acids to methane, CO2 and other trace gases. Destruction efficiencies are high here wherein from a high B.O.D. of 24,000mg/l B.O.D. levels of the supernatant at the pond outlet are reduced to 300mg/l. Temperature at Anaerobic 2 outlet is approx. 30-35ËÅ ¡c with a pH in the region of 5.5 to 6.5. Vfa=1000 to 2000 mg/l. Alkalinity = 1500 to 2000 mg/l. Anaerobic Maturation Pond This is a final step of the methanogenic anaerobic stage where further reduction of BOD is made possible. BOD at this stage is down to about 200mg/l . Temperature at the outlet end is 20 to 30ËÅ ¡c with a pH in the region of 7.0. Vfa is approximately 700mg/l and alkalinity above 1500mg/l. Facultative Ponds The use of anaerobic digestion alone would not be sufficient to meet the standards stipulated by DOE hence further treatment of effluent is necessary in the facultative. These facultative ponds are for quiescent aerobic respiration of the aerobically treated waste water. These 3 ponds are in series and in these ponds sufficient oxygenation to the waste water is introduced. The effluents after sedimentation in these ponds are allowed to discharge into the water course, with BOD levels below 110 ppm as required by the Dept. of Environment. Temperature at the outlet of the Facultative is 25 to 30ËÅ ¡c with a pH of 7.0 9.0. Vfa less than 100. Alkalinity in the region of 1000mg/l. De-sludging of the ponds The ponding system is operated at low rate with organic loading ranging from 0.2 to 0.35 kg BOD/cu.m/day. Because of the size and configuration of the ponds mixing is hardly adequate. Also the rising biogas will bring along with them fine suspend solids and therefore it is common to find islands of solids floating in the anaerobic pond. This often results in dead spots which will lead to short circuiting in the ponds. Undoubtedly it is very labor intensive to maintain the ponds in satisfactory condition at all times. It is also imperative to ensure that as little oil as possible be allowed into the ponds as the oil will agglomerate with the rising solids brought up by the biogas and from a scum which is difficult to remove. Due to the inadequate mixing by biogas, solids build up at the bottom of the ponds, especially the anaerobic ones. Excessive solids built up at the bottom of the ponds will reduce the effective design capacity and consequently shorten the hydraulic retention time. This will adversely affect the treatment efficiency of the system. In view of the above regular desludging of the ponds is a must. A de-sludging pond is made available for this purpose. Solids from the ponds are pumped using submersible pumps into this desludging pond and water liquid recycled while solids are left to dry out and subsequently removed. 2.3 Operation procedures Sludge pits / Fluming tank Supervisors / operators are to visually check the pit on a regular basis throughout processing and ensure that a trace of oil is recovered soonest possible. Also when excessive trace of oil is sighted, immediate measures must be taken to trace and arrest the source of this excessive oil loss. Schedule cleaning of the sludge pit and tanks must be instituted to remove solids / sands and any debris on a scheduled basis. Pumps in this area must be checked to be in good operating condition. Any faults or malfunction noticed must be reported for immediate repair. Buffering Ponds Ensure that recycling of anaerobic liquor is carried out as per instruction. Remove any solids scum / oil traces on a daily basis. Ensure free flow into and out of the ponds. Anaerobic ponds Monitor visually ponds bacteria for any signs of fouling. Solids removal should be carried on a regular basis. Ensure stirrer / mixers are operated as per instructions. Ensure that in flow and outlet discharge is proper and feed to downstream ponds is regulated as required. Facultative ponds Regulate final discharge as necessary. Ensure solids recycling where necessary. Desludging ponds Ensure that pumping of solids into the pond is monitored. Ensure that excessive liquid is recycled to the anaerobic ponds. 3.0 METHODOLOGY 3.2 Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) Technology Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) is an activated sludge biological treatment process. The process uses natural bacteria and when the bacteria are aerated, they grow and multiply using the organics or pollution as food. This purifies the wastewater before it is discharged to the environment. The process is managed in a fill and draw, or batch fashion. This process allows for exceptional flexibility and controls which results in a highly treated effluent that will not harm the environment when it is discharged. Generally the SBR process can be conveniently described in five distinct steps: Step 1: Fill/React The treatment Reactor contains bacteria or biomass that processes the wastewater. The cycle starts with the Reactor at least half full of activated sludge. When the wastewater enters the Reactor, air is intermittently supplied by a blower, to maintain an aerobic (air enriched) environment. The pollution in the wastewater is consumed by the biomass as food. The biomass grows and multiplies during this treatment process assuring the system is sustained for further treatment. This cycle of filling and intermittent aeration continues until the Reactor has filled. Step 2: React only During this step incoming wastewater is diverted to a second Reactor or is stored. The full Reactor is aerated or mixed continuously during this step. The React only step provides time for additional treatment or polishing of the wastewater to meet required discharged consents. The duration of the react only step is easily adjusted at the computerized control panel. Step 3: Settle The biomass in the Reactor must be separated from the treated liquid or supernatant, so there will be sufficient biomass remaining for treatment of the next batch of wastewater. In the SBR system the Reactor becomes the settling device or clarifier when all the pumps and blowers are turned off. This creates quiescent settling conditions to allow the biomass and the treated liquid to separate. After settling, the treated clarified liquid is discharged or decanted from the Reactor. Step 4: Decant The treated clarified liquid is discharged or decanted using pumps which have their intake located at the midpoint of the Reactor depth. This assures that any floating debris or settled biomass is not discharged from the Reactor. A non-return valve on the pump intake prevents the entry of solids into the Decant pump and piping during the aerated treatment steps. Step 5: Idle When the Reactor has decanted, and there is no wastewater waiting to be pumped to the Reactor enters an idle or waiting phase. In idle, with no wastewater load, it is not necessary to run the blowers at the same rate as during the filling stage. The blowers automatically reduce the volume of air at idle, saving energy. When the Reactor receives more wastewater, it automatically switches back to the Fill/React step, and the entire cycle repeats. Sludge waste Since the biomass continues to grow or increase in volume during each treatment cycle it is necessary to remove excess biomass from the Reactor on a regular basis. The biomass volume is always maintained below the pump intake and at the proper level by means of automatic sludge waste pumps. The excess biomass is pumped to the Trash Tank at the end head end of the plant where it is anaerobically (without air) decomposed. Regular sludge wasting ensures that enough biomass remains in the Reactor to treat the next batch of wastewater, but does not increase to the point where it would be pumped out of the reactor during the Decant cycle. 3.3 FLOCCULATION TREATMENT Raw effluent from facultative pond (last pond) is pump into vertical steel clarifier. Flocculation agent and pH correction agent is dose into the pipe line before entering clarifier to ease coagulation process. PRE AERATION The clarified raw effluent will over flow into the 1st holding tank. Filling is estimated for 3 hours. While in the holding tank, the raw effluent is subjected to pre aeration for 2 hours before transfer to the reactor tank. Pre-aeration is done through fine air bubbles passes through an array of disc type diffuser at tank base. SBR PROCESS The pre-aeration effluent from holding tank is transferred into the reactor tank via transfer pump. The SBR process inside the reactor tank will be control through a present time for 24 hours operation based on the following activity: Filling 3 hours Slow aeration 4 hours Fast aeration 10 hours Settling 2 hours Discharge 2 hours Filling Pre-aerated anaerobic liquid is pump from holding tank. During start up, seeding of bacteria is carried out. The quantity from of seeding is depending on the MLSS concentration in the reactor. Slow aeration While filling up of the pre-aerated anaerobic liquid half of the diffuser inside the reactor tank will activate, via control valve install at the distribution header. Fast aeration Filling completed and full aeration processes activate. Settling To allow solids and liquids are separated under true quiescent conditions. Discharge The treated or clarified supernatant is pump into a final treated effluent tank for storage. The excess sludge will settle and remain in the reactor tank. Desludging will depend on the MLSS concentration, not to exceed 20-30 % by ratio of the pre-aerated anaerobic liquid. This can be done by taking sample and allow to settle naturally. Standby The reactor tank is ready for the next batch. The treated water will overflow through a constant level flexible outlet into a transfer (clarified) water tank. The clarified water enters an activated carbon filter via booster pump, which act to polish the water before discharge out to river. At this stage the BOD level should be à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 20 ppm. A reject line is installed to return treated effluent into anaerobic pond if the BOD level exceeds 20 ppm. 3.4 NOPOL- diffuser The NOPOL system has a suitable diffuser for any wastewater application. Reliable construction The main component of the system is the NOPOL dual layer polyethylene disc. This has a thin fine top for maximum oxygen transfer efficiency. All deposits are easily removed by the formic acid. The NOPOL disc aeration system is ideal for all biological processes. An aeration system covering the entire bottom of the basin gives the desired oxygen content throughout. Mixing energy is evenly distributed throughout the basin. Uniform mixing prevents any sludge sedimentation. Adjustment range-volume of air per diffuser is wide enough for any load variation. The disc aeration system does not cool down the activated sludge or produce any harmful aerosols. 3.5 SBR system tank and pipe layout 4.0 ANALYSIS 4.1 A BASIC DESIGN OF SBR SYSTEM Capacity : 1080 m ³ / day Influent BOD: 200 ppm Discharge BOD: 20 ppm Basic design data Actual waste water quantity discharged from plant : 1080 m ³ / day ( max ) Design waste water quantity : 1080 m ³ / day or 45 m ³ / hour BOD : 200 mg / l COD (assume) : 300 mg / l PH : 7.2 Temperature : 26 ËÅ ¡c Suspended solids (assume) : 300 mg / l Oil grease (assume) : 20 mg / l Sequence of operation of SBR reactor tank No.1 or 2 Filling and slow aeration time : 8 hours Fast aeration time : 12 hours Settling time : 2 hours Discharge of treated effluent : 2 hours Sizing of tanks Based on the above operation sequence and the two trains of SBR tank operating alternatively, the sizes of the holding tank and reactor tanks are as follows: Holding tank Tank required : 1 unit Waste water flow rate : 45 m ³ / hour The retention time for the holding tank : 6 hours Volume of tank required : 270 m ³ Selected holding tank size is 8700 m Ø ÃÆ'- 7.62 m height Capacity : 400 m ³ Reactor tanks Wastewater flow rate : 45 m ³ / hour No of tanks required : 2 units Retention required for reactor vessel : 12 hour Volume of waste water in each reactor tank : 540 m ³ Volume of activated sludge to be retained in reactor tank : 20 % of the waste water Therefore required volume of reactor tank : 648 m ³ Selected reactor tank size is 11650 mm Ø ÃÆ'- 7.62 m height Capacity : 800 m ³ Calculation of air required for aeration at reactor tank Process utilized : Palm Oil Mill Effluent Type of waste : Industrial Design flow : 1080 m ³ / day BOD5 : design 200 mg / l = 216 kg / day Temperature of waste : 26 ËÅ ¡c Dissolved oxygen to be maintained in waste water ( CÃŽÂ » ) : 2.0 mg / l Oxygen to BOD5 ratio : 1.5 (assume) Oxygen required per hour : (216 ÃÆ'- 1.5) / 12 = 27 kg / hour Oxygenation capacity required per hour = 02 required per hour / correction factor Correction factor = ÃŽÂ ± [(ÃŽÂ ²) (Cà Ã†â€™) CÃŽÂ »] 1.024 (à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾-20)/ Cà Ã†â€™H20 Cà Ã†â€™ H20: oxygen solubility factor ÃŽÂ ± = 0.9 ÃŽÂ ² = 0.95 Cà Ã†â€™ at 26ËÅ ¡c at 200 ft elevation = 8.1 1.024 (à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾-20) at 26ËÅ ¡c = 1.153 CÃŽÂ » = 2 ppm Therefore, oxygenation capacity required per hour = 27 / 0.7289 = 37.04 kg / hour Density of air at 26ËÅ ¡c = 1.18 kg / m  ³ Volume of air required taking oxygen content in air is 20% by unit weight = (37.04ÃÆ'-5m ³/hr)/1.18 = 157 m ³ / hour Efficiency of aeration by using Nopol diffuser at 4m water dept = 18 % at 4m ³ / hr per unit Flow rate of air blower required = 157 m ³ / hr / 18 % = 872 m ³ / hr Use air blower = 900 m ³ / hr No. of diffuser required = 900 / 4 = 225 pcs Therefore, No. of diffuser installed per reactor = 225 (for 1080 m ³/day) operating at 12 hours Determination of number of diffusers per tank for holding tank The required aeration for waste water in holding tank is to ensure saturation concentration of oxygen dissolved in water. Based on temperature of 26ËÅ ¡c, the saturation concentration of oxygen in water is = 8.11 mg/l With influent flow rate = 45 m ³ / hour Total oxygen required = 364.9 g / hour Allow 20% extra air to ensure saturation, the actual aeration rate = 438 g / hour No. of diffusers at 1 m ³ / hour per unit at 18 % = 11 nos. No. of diffusers installed at holding tank for primary aeration and mixing to saturation point = 30 nos. (At 0.4 pc/m ² distribution density) Total diffuser used for 2 trains system = 510 nos. Selection of two ( 2 ) units of surface aerator Model = EEE FA- 1010 Specifications are enclosed. The application of these surface aerations installed at facultative pond is for: Proper mixing of the effluent before pumping to the effluent treatment plant To supply some aeration to the facultative pond so as to minimize the inlet BOD to the effluent plant and at the same time to improve the bacteria activity. Selection of one ( 1 ) unit activated carbon filter at treated effluent discharge point Dimension = 2420 mm Ø ÃÆ'- 1828 mm SL Surface area = 4.59 m ² Flow rate = 60 m ³ / hour Flow velocity = 13.0 m / hour Volume of activated carbon = 4.1 m ³ The activated carbon filter acts as a polishing filter for the final treated effluent. 5.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION A more responsible biological treatment process through a proven automated operation program responding on time every situation and alarm in a reactive way so that the plant performance can be maintained regardless of the operator attendance and equipment failure. Lower investment and recurrent cost, as secondary settling tanks and sludge return systems are not required. Lower space requirements. Better settling, as settling conditions in an SBR are Ideal while the sludge population changes towards better settle able micro-organisms. Improved effluent quality. Improved operational reliability. Hardly any or no smell problems. Better temperature control. Lower effluent COD and BOD. The batch nature process and high organic concentrations (feast) during Fill encourages the growth of organisms with high organic uptake rates. The famine period at the end of React encourages the utilization of recalcitrant organics. The combined effect of the feast and famine periods is the optimal removal of BOD and COD. Better settling sludge. The feast-famine conditions that naturally occur in each cycle promote the growth of floc-forming organisms and disfavor filamentous organisms, thereby eliminating the need for polymers. In a number of situations the application of an SBR system will thus result in lower investment as well as operational costs. Critical in this respect are the load and concentration of the wastewater, the design and the local situation. 6.0 SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER WORK At this study, Sequencing Batch Reactor process, raw effluent from facultative pond (last pond) is pump into clarifier in system. Thereby, the pond still need for this system due to oil recovery in first 2 ponds. In future study, the pond system which consumed a large area needs to remove. The wastewater from the mills, directly pump to SBR system tanks for further treatment. The new method for oil recovery in SBR system will be taken in action. The discharge water which in brownish color need to be analyze due to remove the color.

The Real King :: essays research papers

Riley B. "B.B." King (guitarist/singer, born September 16, 1925, Itta Bena, MS) The most touching bluesman of our time, and the most influential electric guitarist ever, the "King of the Blues" sums up his message with some simple advice. "I would say to all people, but maybe to young people especially--black and white or whatever color--follow your own feelings and trust them, find out what you want to do and do it, and then practice it every day of your life and keep becoming what you are, despite any hardships and obstacles you meet." So hard to follow yet so good to live by, those words also describe the course of the musician's extraordinary career. The obstacles in his path were many: He was born during the Great Depression in the poorest of American states, the son of black farm laborers. Only talent, hard work, and an unstoppable artistic vision can account for King's journey out of the Mississippi Delta, through the roadhouse joints of the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South to the legendary Apollo Theater in New York, into the recording studio, to the hearts of millions. Praising his "apparently inexhaustible reserve of creativity," as he presented B.B. King with the National Medal of Arts in 1990, President George Bush hailed the blues musician as a "trailblazer, an authentic pioneer who literally helped shape his art form." Riley B. King (the extra "B" came later and doesn't stand for anything) spent his childhood all over the state of Mississippi. When his parents separated in 1929, the boy went to live with his maternal grandmother in Kilmichael; his mother died when he was nine and, in 1940, B.B. joined his father's new family in Lexington for two years before returning to Kilmichael. He took on farm work in Indianola in 1946 but, after wrecking a tractor, decided his future lay in Memphis, Tennessee. A fan of the bluesman Bukka White, young B.B. looked him up for advice and found himself working as a street corner bluesman in Memphis. In 1948 he worked up the nerve to audition for WDIA, a hillbilly radio station that was about to change its format to cater to the black community. He got the job. He cut his first record in 1949, "Miss Martha King," followed by "Three O'Clock Blues" and "She's Dynamite" in 1951. Both reached Number One in Memphis. By 1955, King decided to put together his own band, and a steady string of hits followed that included "Recession Blues," "Rock Me, Baby," "How

The Importance of Organizational Ethics

In today's world, it is all too prevalent to see more and more people hungry to gain success at an ever-increasing rate. Modern culture can and indeed is labelled ‘greedy' and ‘thoughtless'. Through my relatively short time spent in business, I have encountered many of these types of people. But who are they hungry for? Who benefits from their thoughtlessness, and why do they do what they do? More importantly, who is to blame when things don't go according to plan? These are all questions asked constantly in the business domain, questions that often seem to include the word ‘ethics' in their answer. Whether we look to consequentialism and always consider the outcome of a particular action, or conform to a more deontological form of ethical thinking and focus on always acting in a manner that seems ‘right', I believe that a person cannot always be ‘ethical', all of the time. If it were that easy, ethics would be a very small area of study. So what does the word ‘ethical' mean? To me, it is to take into account every aspect involved in any given situation, peoples' feelings, thoughts and well-being, both now and in the future, and act as best one can to achieve the most satisfactory outcome for all concerned. From my viewpoint, acting in an ethical manner comes from each and every individual, each having learned from the environment in which they have grown and developed. Should the judgement, therefore, always be left to the individual? This is certainly not the case, as more and more organisations in the business world develop codes of ethics that they expect each member to follow. This definition and management of ethics can be seen as a control-oriented position. This control paradigm for organisational ethics is largely concerned with extracting the best possible results for the organisation as a whole. When acting within a certain environment, be it local, national or global, the organisation must be seen to be ‘socially acceptable'. I believe this idea of control of the organisation's self-interest together with maintaining a good standing in the public eye to be the main factor for preparing these ethical codes. Both of these can only be achieved through clearly defined codes of ethics from which individuals' roles can conform through a manner of standardisation. However, through the enforcement of ethical codes, people revoke to a basic level of thinking, judgement and acting as identified in Lawrence Kohlberg's pre-conventional level. When put simply, it allows little room for individual thought or expression, only rewarding good actions and punishing those that are bad. Can it be right to control tasks that involve ethical reasoning by individuals? This is certainly much different than, say, controlling how someone operates a particular machine. Conversely, the autonomy paradigm, present in some organisations' ethical policies, is put in place to promote individual critique through their moral thought and judgement. It emphasises a feeling of a ‘moral community', seen before in Kant's work, and from which Kohlberg developed his post-conventional level, that allows people to apply their own reasoning to daily situations. As Durkheim suggests and with which I agree, individuals submit to the environment in which they work and how others have previously cast out norms and values. This applies to general situations and therefore the majority. At other times, in more complex situations, an individual would then be left to choose their own actions. McMahon identifies that the legitimacy of managerial authority lies within a contract or promise. An employee, therefore, willingly submits to the thoughts and ideals of the organisation when they sign the contract of employment. â€Å"That is, the exchange of labour for wages in which employment consists involves a promise on the part of employees to accept the directives of managers. To be sure, employees may be expected to use their own judgement in carrying out the tasks assigned to them. But if a managerial directive conflicts with an employee's judgement, the directive must take precedence. Otherwise the employee is attempting to renege on a morally binding agreement† (McMahon, 1989). Whilst this in law is true, I feel that it should be left wholly to the individual's own moral judgement. What is to say that those who have prepared the code of ethics for a particular organisation are better ‘ethically equipped' to make the decisions for others? That is to say, why is a senior manager more ethically right than a lower employee? I don't believe that as a rule he/she is, more they and others responsible for making the decisions would like to think they are. Yes they may have more experience in their particular industry or even technical and conceptual skills, but that does not make them better suited to exert their moral judgement over another individual's. Once again, this control is clearly forcing employees back down to a Kohlbergian pre-conventional level. In such free-speaking times as we now live therefore, why do organisations attempt to dictate our thoughts and actions? As I earlier identified, the organisation does not want to be seen to be ‘socially unacceptable' whilst simultaneously achieving the best possible results. Therefore, from where do the key decisions originate? Should it be left to the managers to ensure that employees follow an ethical code or should it be left to the individual's judgement? In my view, autonomy is the generally the best approach as I am a firm believer in individual expression. We have moved from such times as to rule with an iron fist, we should go on from here and not regress. Do many organisations simply issue a code of ethics because it is the ‘done thing', a reactive gesture rather than a proactive exercise? Is it the case that they are only acting merely not to appear unethical? This certainly is the case in many organisations in my opinion. What is left to examine is which organisation subscribes to which approach and for what reasons? I consider the major factor in this to be the issue of responsibility. The term responsible is â€Å"firstly, sometimes used to mean ‘trustworthy' or ‘dependable'†¦ second, the term is used to mean ‘obligation'. Third, responsibility is sometimes used to indicate that an action or its consequences are attributable to a certain agent† (Velasquez, 1983). It is this third explanation that I shall focus on. Can corporations have moral responsibility? This is a question that certainly needs addressing here, and one that has been previously considered by Richard De George. He focused on collective responsibility as it related to organisations, and identified two views, the organisational view and the moralistic view. â€Å"The organisational view maintains that moral responsibility cannot properly be assigned either to a corporation, nor to the agents of a corporation when they act as corporate agents. As legal entities corporations can be legally restrained and can have legal responsibility. But they cannot logically be held morally responsible or have moral responsibility. For they are not moral agents or entities† (De George, 1981). His moralistic view, as he claims, is extremely outrageous. In essence, it states that organisations have moral immunity, whereby an individual could be morally condemned for their actions, they could not if they were pursuing the goals of their organisation. De George lists the example of morally condemning a murderer for their actions, but how â€Å"Murders Inc. cannot be faulted from a moral point of view for pursuing its goal, nor can its agents for doing what is necessary to achieve the organisation's ends. Whilst this addresses the issue of whether organisations can be morally responsible, it does not answer the question. Therefore, we have to determine whether it is the organisation that acts, the management or the people. â€Å"Whenever organisations act, people act, and for every act of an organisation there are at least some acts of individuals such that if these individuals had not performed their acts, and no one else had, then the organisation would not have performed the act attributed to it† (Haworth, 1959). This quote, in my opinion begins to attribute responsibility wholly to individuals, and thus removes any need for a control-oriented approach. Since the organisation as an entity cannot be held responsible, why then should any body of people seek to control the moral judgement and actions of others? If I am likely to be held accountable for my actions, then I know I want to exert my own moral judgement before acting. Therefore, as it appears to me, it is the actions of the people (be it a manager or a cleaner) that are accountable, and consequently the people who are responsible! So why do some organisations take this control-oriented approach? I'm sure that with some it is simply to keep the power in their own hands; these people think they need to have power in order to be successful. However, I think a more pertinent reason as to why some organisations take this approach is to hide behind the organisation themselves. Many individuals within organisations are scared of the book stopping with them so they create a ‘code of ethics' which, in terms of blame, is large enough to hide behind. Surely then, with the control-oriented approach the organisation should be responsible? On the contrary, with an organisation that employs the autonomous approach, each individual must be responsible for their own actions since they are solely attributable for every part of every move they make. In listing these two types of approaches and the degree of control that they attempt to possess, can it be said of any one organisation that it has successfully adopted a control-oriented or autonomous approach, and that there is no middle ground? I believe there to be a large scope for contention with any organisation that states outright it has employed one of the two approaches in its entirety. Perhaps the two approaches are simply styles of operating, maybe even ideal? Having looked into the two different styles, therefore, I think that to control someone's moral and ethical thinking with the ultimate aim to enforce them to acting in a particular way is wrong. Each individual, unless impaired by disability, has the power to determine what is right for them in a certain situation and therefore should have the opportunity to act accordingly. A person should not be told what to think simply for the corporate ‘good'. â€Å"If we are to deter corporate wrongdoing and be assured that corporate members will comply with our moral and legal norms, our blame and punishment must travel beyond the corporate veil to lodge with those who knowingly bring about the corporation's acts† (Velasquez, 1983). In conclusion, if we as individuals want the power to think and judge for ourselves then we must accept the consequences of our own actions. Organisations should give us this choice.

People Resourcing and Rewards

There are a number of different ways in which psychometric testing can be used by employers in the recruitment process. The importance attached to the recruitment process by employers as well as employees make it extremely important for reliable measures to be put in place to ensure that the recruitment process and therefore the employment process brings forth the best of employees to a company. It is a crucial stage in starting because the kind of employees employed in an organization goes along way to determine the kind of workforce the organization the will have. Psychometric testing refers to a method which is used by employees to select the most suitable applicants to fill existing vacancies. Psychometric tests have been discredited due to the fact that, information gathered from them is not generalizable and therefore they cannot be relied upon in making selections for particular kinds of jobs. Another demerit associated with psychometric tests is that, they are more useful for top positions requiring high skills such as those involving graduates as well as highly qualified candidate. While this is an advantage to the employers seeking to fill vacancies for highly qualified staff. It is however challenging to apply the tests when recruiting for manual vacancies . High costs associated with the psychometric tests have been pointed out as a major impediment to the usability of the psychometric tests. Employers invest quite a large amount of money in order to secure and use psychometric tests. The direct costs involved in the tests include the training that has to be offered to the staff of the company requiring using the tests for recruitment since these are to administer the tests during actual interviews. The other cost involved in the test is that of the annual fees required for employers or companies which would want to use the tests. This is a demerit in that; companies have to invest heavily on the tests. To obtain and use the tests, employers are not only required to subscribe yearly something which can really strain a company’s income. Merits associated with the tests include the fact that, the tests are very objective . Objectivity is a crucial quality for any interview and therefore the fact that, these tests offers that advantage makes them very attractive and suitable for employees. Since subjects may jeopardize any chances of recruiting the best applicants, the objectivity associated with this method makes it very attractive to employers. Usually the common interview methods which traditionally have been used by recruiters have been known to be prone to subjectivity. Therefore objectivity associated with the psychometric tests is seen as a plus by the employers. Reliability is another merit associated with the test. According (EIRR, 2000p. 8-88), psychometric tests are more likely to filter out all unsuitable and unwanted applicants at early stages of the interviews thus saving the employers time and money. This is especially necessary in this era whereby un reputable schools have come up and also the underworld supplies quite a big percentage of fake certificates in circulation today. A good percentage of the fake certificates go unnoticed and undetected. In light of the above challenges, psychometric tests have become the better option for employers in detect ing dishonest applicants. The increasingly common fight for employment as well as gender mainstreaming in the labor market has effectively resulted in a more unbiased ways of recruitment and selection. This coupled with other factors have warranted a more sober approach to the recruitment process. The fact that many states have come up with legislation requiring equal job opportunities for all and without any form of discrimination has further served to ensure that, organizations go for psychometric testing during the staffing process (EIRR, 2000p. 0-90), cites a more professional human resource body as also a factor which can be linked to the increasingly popularity of the psychometric testing. Another merit of psychometric testing is that, they are very good in predicting cognitive ability of candidates something which is very useful for managerial jobs as well as high skilled jobs. Since the psychometric tests measure abilities as well as personal traits and personal attributes of people this makes them ve ry useful when hiring for highly competitive vacancies which attract applicants form well qualified professionals. Psychometric tests are also useful in that they assist employees to land jobs which suit their personalities and therefore are more likely to offer happiness to both employees and employers. This according to (EIRR, 2000p. 80-100), is useful in ensuring that employees perform to their peak hence contributing positively to their organizational growth. Psychometric tests also help employees not to pursue unsuitable careers in which their chances of succeeding in such are limited. Therefore psychometric tests offer employees an opportunity to carry out a self assessment and therefore plan better their career paths. Although the tests are not 100 % reliable they are useful in making sure that, an employee does not recruit employees whore are likely to end up quitting the job after being hired. Finally, psychometric test are useful in preparations to switch careers since such a step can make or break ones career path. Psychometric tests comes in hand to make sure that, people do not miss out on opportunities neither do they waste out of opportunities in pursuit of careers which do not suit them in the first place.

Commercial Drivers License Guide New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut

Commercial Drivers License Guide New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut If you live in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, learn the guideline for getting your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) below. For information regarding other states, TheJobNetwork has published a very comprehensive guide on how to apply for a CDL in all states. New YorkTo apply for a Commercial Driver License (CDL), you must have a New York state driver license (Class D, Class E, or Non-CDL C) or a valid CDL from another state.  When you apply for an original NYS CDL (Class A, B, or C) you must:Certify you have not held  a driver’s license in any state except New York or in the District of Columbia in the last 10 years orReport every state (or the District of Columbia) where you have held a driver’s license in the last 10 yearsProve your legal presence in the United StatesIf you are not U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident, your CLP or CDL document will have â€Å"NON-DOMICILED† printed on documents issued on it. The â€Å"TEMPORARY VISITO R† and the expiration date of your legal status documentation will continue to be displayed on the CLP and/or CDL document.The DMV will check for any open suspensions or revocations you may have in any state; your application will be rejected if you have an open suspension or revocation.What do I need to do to get a CDL?Obtain the New York State Commercial Driver’s Manual (CDL-10), which will have a section covering the type of CDL you need describing the classes, restrictions, and endorsements of CDLs.Apply for a CLP  at a DMV office. You must pass the written CDL test for your vehicle. There is $10.00  application fee, which allows you to take all written tests (knowledge and endorsement) required for your desired permit and license. There is a $40.00 fee to take the CDL road test (skills test), which you must pay before you can schedule your road test.Prepare for your road test and practice with a supervising driver who has a license valid to drive the commercial motor vehicle you use for practice.Schedule your road test using the Road Test Scheduling System; you must wait  at least 14 days from  being issued a CLP. If you do not pass the road test, you must pay $40.00 before you can schedule another road test.The following CDL restrictions may affect CLP holders taking a Skills Test in a vehicle without full airbrakes and/or a manual transmission:E- No Manual Transmission Equipped CMVL- No Airbrake Equipped CMVZ- No Full Airbrake Equipped CMV restrictionsIf the vehicle used for your skills test has:An automatic transmission, and CDL, and this is your first road test in a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), you will be given an E restriction.No form of airbrakes and this is your first road test in a CMV, you will be given an L restriction.Air over hydraulic brakes and this is your first road test in a CMV, you will be given a Z.If you have a CDL with an L restriction and you test in a vehicle with air over hydraulic brakes, you will be upgr aded from an L to a Z restriction.New JerseyCDL RequirementsBe at least 18 years oldHave a basic  New Jersey driver license  (Class D)Have 20/40 vision in each eye (with or without glasses)Be able to recognize the colors red, green, and amberBe physically fit.  Federal law requires commercial drivers to carry a medical examiner’s fitness statement at all times and renew it every two years.Application ProcessAfter preparing for the exam, you will   visit your local MVC Agency. You will be asked to:Pass the 6-Point ID VerificationPresent a Social Security card for an initial commercial permitPay $125 CDL permit fee (non-refundable)Take the CDL knowledge test and the CDL road test, as requiredNote: CDL applicants under 21 years old may only travel within New Jersey and may not receive HAZMAT or passenger endorsements.ExemptionsThe following do not need a CDL:  Taxi drivers (carrying less than eight passengers) and ride-sharing van driversFirefightersOperators of rescue or first-aid squad vehiclesFarmers hauling their own products and equipment within 150 miles of their farmsNon-civilian operators of military equipmentOperators of construction equipment not designed for operation on public roadsOperators of recreational vehicles, provided the vehicle is being operated only for personal useConnecticutThe Connecticut road test includes pre-trip inspection, an off-road course, and a road test.To  obtain a Connecticut CDL, you must  complete a written exam. The written exam is given on a walk-in basis at select DMV offices.  To prepare ,   study the  Connecticut Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Manual.You will need to bring the following items with you to the DMV office on your testing day:A CT driver’s licenseA  Social Security card or your most recent W-2 form.A physical examination dated within the last 2 years, reported on by a physician on an  Examination to Determine Physical Condition of Driver form  or a  Medical E xamination Report  (Form 649-F)A completed  Application for Commercial Driver’s License  (Form CDL R-229a).Printed confirmation of notice of self-certification with the DMV

12 Surprising Facts About Starfish

12 Surprising Facts About Starfish Starfish (or sea stars) are beautiful marine animals found in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. All starfish resemble stars, and though the most common have only five arms, some of these animals can grow up to 40 arms. The amazing sea creatures- part of a group of animals known as echinoderms- travel using their tube feet. They can regenerate lost limbs, and they can swallow large prey using their unusual stomachs. Sea Stars Are Not Fish Carlos Agrazal/EyeEm/Getty Images Although sea stars live underwater and are commonly called starfish, they are not true fish. They do not have gills, scales, or fins like fish do. Sea stars also move quite differently from fish. While fish propel themselves with their tails, sea stars have tiny tube feet to help them move along. Because they are not classified as fish, scientists prefer to call starfish sea stars. Sea Stars Are Echinoderms Starfish and purple sea urchin. Kathi Moore/EyeEm/Getty Images Sea stars belong to the phylum Echinodermata. That means they are related to sand dollars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and  sea lilies. Overall, this phylum contains over 6,000 species. Many echinoderms exhibit radial symmetry, meaning their body parts are arranged around a central axis. Many sea stars have five-point radial symmetry because their body has five sections. This means that they do not have an obvious left and right half, only a top side and a bottom side. Echinoderms also usually have spines, which are less pronounced in sea stars than they are in other organisms such as  sea urchins. There Are Thousands of Sea Star Species Colorful sea star in the Galapagos. Ed Robinson/Getty Images There are about 2,000 species of sea stars. Some live in the intertidal zone,  while others live in the  deep water  of the ocean. While many species live in tropical areas, sea stars can also be found in cold areas- even the polar regions. Not All Sea Stars Have Five Arms Sun star with many arms. Joe Dovala/Getty Images While many people are most familiar with the five-armed species of sea stars, not all sea stars have just five arms. Some species have many more, such as the sun star, which can have up to 40 arms.   Sea Stars Can Regenerate Arms Sea star regenerating four arms. Daniela Dirscherl/Getty Images Amazingly, sea stars can regenerate lost arms, which  is useful if the sea star is injured by a predator. It can lose an arm, escape, and grow a new arm later. Sea stars house most of their vital organs in their arms. This means that some species can even regenerate an entirely new sea star from just one arm and a portion of the stars central disc. It wont happen too quickly, though. It takes about a year for an arm to grow back. Sea Stars Are Protected by Armor Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) on Coral Reef, Phi Phi Islands, Thailand. Borut Furlan/WaterFrame/Getty Images Depending on the species, a sea stars skin may feel leathery or slightly prickly. Sea stars have a tough covering on their upper side, which is made up of plates of calcium carbonate with tiny spines on their surface. A sea stars spines are used for protection from predators, which include birds, fish, and sea otters. One very spiny sea star is the aptly named crown-of-thorns starfish. Sea Stars Do Not Have Blood Closeup of the arms of a sea star under a pier, showing its tube feet. pfly/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 Instead of blood, sea stars have a circulatory  system  made up  primarily of sea water. Seawater  is pumped into the animals  water vascular system  through its sieve plate. This is a sort of trap door called a  madreporite, which is often visible as a light-colored spot on the top of the  starfish. From the madreporite, the  sea water moves into the sea stars  tube feet, causing the arm to extend. Muscles within the tube feet are used to retract the limb. Sea Stars Move Using Their Tube Feet Tube Feet of Spiny Starfish. Borut Furlan/Getty Images Sea stars move using hundreds of tube feet, which are located on their underside. The tube feet are filled with sea water, which the sea star brings in through the madreporite on its top side. Sea stars can move quicker than you might expect. If you get a chance, visit a tide pool or aquarium and take a moment to watch a sea star moving around. It is one of the most amazing sights in the ocean. Tube feet also help the sea star hold its prey, including clams and mussels. Sea Stars Eat With Their Stomachs Inside-Out Karen Gowlett-Holmes/Getty Images Sea stars prey on bivalves like mussels and clams, as well as small fish, snails, and barnacles. If youve ever tried to pry the shell of a clam or mussel open, you know how difficult it is. However, sea stars  have a unique way of eating these creatures. A sea stars mouth is on its underside. When it catches its food, the sea star will wrap its arms around the animals shell and pull it open just slightly. Then it does something amazing. The sea star pushes its stomach through its mouth and into the bivalves shell. It then digests the animal and slides its stomach back into its own body. This unique feeding mechanism allows the sea star to eat larger prey than it would otherwise be able to fit into its tiny mouth. Sea Stars Have Eyes Common Sea Star (visible eye spots circled). Paul Kay/Getty Images Many people are surprised to learn that starfish have eyes. Its true. The eyes are there- just not in the place you would expect. Sea stars have an eye spot at the end of each arm. This means that a five-armed sea star has five eyes, while the 40-armed sun star has 40 eyes. Each sea star eye is very simple and looks like a red spot. It doesnt see much detail but it can sense light and dark, which is just enough for the environments the animals live in. All True Starfish Are in the Class Asteroidea Marcos Welsh/Design Pics/Getty Images Starfish belong to the animal class Asteroidea. These echinoderms all have several arms arranged around a central disk. Asteroidea is the classification for true stars. These animals are in a separate class from brittle stars and basket stars, which have a more defined separation between their arms and their central disk. Sea Stars Have Two Ways to Reproduce Doug Steakley/Getty Images Male and female sea stars are hard to tell apart because they look identical. While many animal species reproduce using only one method, sea stars are a little different. Sea stars can reproduce sexually. They do this by releasing sperm and eggs (called  gametes) into the water. The sperm fertilizes the gametes and produces swimming larvae, which eventually settle on the ocean floor, growing into adult sea stars. Sea stars can also reproduce asexually through regeneration, which is what happens when the animals lose an arm.