Tuesday, August 6, 2019

The History of Chocolate Essay Example for Free

The History of Chocolate Essay Do you like chocolate? Who doesn’t like chocolate? Chocolate is a favorite food of many people, but only few people know about the history of chocolate. That is why I am going to ask you to explore the history of chocolate by reading this essay. The history of chocolate begins with a plant whose scientific name is theobroma cacao which means â€Å"food of the gods†. According to the historians, the Mayan in Central America is the first who learned to plant the cacao plants around 2. 000 years ago. The Maya took the cacao trees from the rainforests and plant them around home. They cooked the cacao seeds then crushed them into a soft paste. They mixed the paste with water and flavorful spices to make an unsweetened chocolate drink. Cacao and chocolate were an important part of Maya culture. There are many images of cacao plants found on Maya buildings and art objects. Royal families drank chocolate at ceremonies. Even poor families of Mayan could enjoy the chocolate drink once in a while. Historians tell us that cacao seeds also used in marriage ceremonies as the sign of the union between a husband and wife. The Aztec culture in Mexico also valued chocolate. Unfortunately, cacao plants could not grow in the land where the Aztec lived, so they traded to get cacao plants. They even used cacao seeds as money to pay taxes. Only the very wealthy people of Aztec that could afford to enjoy chocolate drink because cacao was very valuable. The Aztec authority, Montezuma, believed that they had to drink 50 cups of chocolate drink every day. Some experts believe that the word â€Å"chocolate† came from the Aztec word â€Å"xocolatl†, which means â€Å"bitter water† in the Nahuatl language. It was spelled variously as â€Å"chocalatall†, â€Å"jocolatte†, â€Å"jacolatte† and â€Å"chockelet†. Others believe the word â€Å"chocolate† was formed by combining the words of Mayan and Nahuatl. When the explorer Christopher Columbus did his fourth trip to Central America in 1502, he encountered a great Mayan trading canoe on the island of Guanaja, Honduras, carrying a cargo of cocoa seeds. Then Christopher Columbus brought cacao seeds to Spain. He presented the King and Queen of Spain with the cacao seeds, but Ferdinand and Isabella saw no worth in them. It was Hernando Cortez, a Spanish, who understood that chocolate which was made from cacao seeds, was valuable and could be commercialized. In 1519, Cortez arrived in Mexico. He believed that chocolate drink would be popular with Spaniards. Then, chocolate became very popular in Spain, so they needed to supply more cacao seeds. When the Spanish soldiers defeated with the Aztec empire in 1527 or 1528, the Spanish soldiers won the war, so they were able to seize the supplies of cacao, equipments and recipes from the Aztec to bring them home. Later, Spain began planting the cacao seeds in its colonies in order to supply the large demand for chocolate. Before, chocolate drink was made unsweetened, and it was Spanish court of King Charles V and the wealthy people in Spain who became the first people that enjoyed chocolate drink in sweetened version. It was greeted with excitement. At first, monks, hidden away in Spanish monasteries, are appointed as the processors of cocoa seeds to keep chocolate a secret for nearly another century. Hernando Cortez built a cocoa plantation to â€Å"grow money† in the name of Spain, beginning a Spanish cocoa monopoly that lasted two centuries. It made a profitable industry for Spain, which planted cocoa trees in its overseas colonies. In 1585, the first official shipments of cocoa seeds began arriving in Seville from Vera Cruz, Mexico. Later, the popularity of the chocolate drink spread throughout Europe. The English, French, and Dutch began to plant cacao trees in their own lands. Until the 18th century, none but the rich and noble people could afford to drink chocolate. During the period known as the Industrial Revolution, new technologies helped to produce chocolate in less cost. After the Industrial Revolution, not only wealthy people, but also mediocre people, even poor people can enjoy the sweetness of â€Å"food of the gods†, chocolate. Farmers grow cacao trees in many countries in Africa, Central and South America. The trees grow in shady areas of rainforests near the Earth’s equator, but these trees can be difficult to grow. They require the exact amount of water, warmth, soil, and protection. After about five years, cacao trees start producing large fruits called â€Å"pods†, which grow near the trunk of the trees. The seeds inside the pods are harvested to make chocolate. Growing cacao is very hard work for farmers. They sell their harvest on futures market. This means that the economical condition outside of the control can affect the amount of money that they will earn. Today, chocolate industry officials, activists, and scientists are working with farmers. They are trying to make sure that cacao can be grown in a way that is fair for farmers and safe for the environment. To become chocolate, cacao seeds go through a long production process in factory. Workers must sort, clean and cook the seeds. Then they break off the covering of the seeds so that only the inside fruit (nibs) remain. Workers crush the nibs into the a soft substance called chocolate liquor. This gets separated into cacao solids and a fat called cacao butter. Chocolate makers of different chocolate factories have their own special recipes in combining the chocolate liquor with exact amount of sugar, milk and cocoa fat. The finely crush this crumb mixture, so it becomes smooth. Then the smooth mixture goes through two more processes before it is shaped into a mold form. Pour the smooth mixture into molds or a large pan that then the chocolate can be cut into small bars. Let the chocolate cool and harden in a room temperature or in a fridge covered by foil. Then the chocolate can be packed and sold. That is the chocolate that a modern people consume.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Value Management in UK Construction

Value Management in UK Construction Abstract This dissertation of project will investigate how the value management is being utilised in todays construction industry in United Kingdom and to investigate how the value management was used in the UK construction industry. The project will consider how the connection between the size of the project and the level of use of value management. The project will also aim to discover whether there is a connection between the size of a company and the level of value management utilization. It is so hard to find the company as complete however the level of importance of value management in a company places can be judged to a certain by the level of its use within a company, and also whether an organisation provides its employees with vale management training and as such this piece of work shall aim to uncover if there is a n association between the size and type of a business, and the level of training which it provides. The main things involved were about the business and the projects. The data will be collected through questionnaire sent to a sample of construction professionals in Dubai, Srilanka and in UK. The study will conclude that there is an association between the size of a project or business and the level of use of value management. It will also conclude that there is no any association between the type of construction organisation and the level of training provided to employees; however there is a association between the size of an organization and level of training provided to employees. Chapter 1: Problem Statement and structure of Dissertation 1.1 Problem Statement The value management is the thing which is prepared for the estimating and the classification of the project scope and the means which there can be obtained by the value for money using a specialist facilitator and workshop techniques. According to the institute of value management, the value management has their principles of approaches; A continuous awareness of value for the organization, establishing measures of estimates of value, monitoring and controlling them; A focus on the objectives and targets before seeking solutions; A focus on function, providing the key to maximize innovative and practical outcomes The concept of value is on the association between the satisfaction of many differing needs and the resources used and the most satisfaction of needs, more the value. Stake holders, internal and external clients may all hold different view of what the value is. The aim of the value management is to resolve these differences and enable an organization to achieve the greatest progress towards its stated goals with the use of minimum resources which you can (see the figure below) What is necessary for desired user Satisfaction of needs Use of resources = Value Everything that is required to satisfy needs It is very important to understand that value may be better by more the satisfaction of need even if the resource used in doing so increase provided that the satisfaction of need increases more than the increase in use of resources. Nowadays in construction, customers are mostly concerned with achieving value for money in their construction projects. In response to this demand, a developed number of companies claim to offer the value management as a service, however there is a confusion what actually comprise what actually comprise the value management with some commentators going as far as questioning whether value management differ from the established produce of cost management (Green, 1992) The previous day the value management is not that it is a cost cutting exercise, or a methods which is to be budgeted within a projects, rather as a mean of achieving best value for money to client value management may raise procurement costs and the price of a project up front, If it means it will increase the value/function ration (Kelly et al, 2002) Ahsworth and Hogg (2000), claim that for a 1% fee on construction cost, it is possible that a total saving between 10%-15% on construction costs can be achieved. It is hard to prove how accurate this estimate is, however the benefit to client are widely touted, with the Egan report of 1998, also claiming a saving of up to 10% possible. However other the commentators such as palmer (1996) say that the effectiveness of value management depends mostly on the personalities involved, the timing of the study, the interaction of the team and the role of the client and the input of the design team, whilst going on to say that as functional analysis often gets ignored the whole value management process is often no more than a cost cutting exercise. Most professionals would agree however that value management does have its merits. What this in mind it would seem senseless were value management not to be utilised to its full potential. However difference sources were seem to suggest that the case is that not all, or really very few organisations use value management its full potential ( Fong,2005) This is because of lot of understanding of value management or it is being realize at the wrong time. Kelly (2002).States that the previous value management is realising that the more effective it will be. If the limits of the construction scheme are clear from the Inception, then the design and briefing can be associated with the time, cost and quality constraints of the customer. With all these points in mind this piece of work aims investigate how value managements being utilised in todays construction industry in the UK. Furthermore, to investigate the views of organisation and individuals in the industry with regard to value management. 1.2 Aims The aim of this dissertation is to investigate how the value management is being utilised in todays construction industry in UK, and to investigate the views of companies and industrials in the industry with regards to value management, by examining how it is spread widely the use of value management, It will be useful to spread projects up into categories based on size to determine whether there is a connection between the project value and the probability of value management being used, and as such test the suggestion, S1: Value management is important in larger projects. The scope of this piece of work furthering work by Hogg (1999) and Hander son (2006) whether there is a relationship between the size of a company and the level of value management utilization and in doing so testing the suggestion. S2: Value management was not utilised in smaller UK construction industry rather than the larger companies. It is hard to measure the view of a company entirely even though the level of importance a company places on value management can be judged to a certain extent by the level of its use with a company, and also the company should need the employees with value management training to design between companies, they will be separated into groups based on size and type and as such the following suggestion can be tested; S3: There is no any group between the type of a company and whether value management training is given. S4: There is no any group between the size of company and whether value management training is given. 1.3 Objectives The objectives can be realised in meeting some of these intends are; To expose whether the value managements basic principles are understand amongst construction professionals in the UK, and to employ a testable definition to make it possible to distinguish whether authentic value management is being employed. To research an investigate the distinguish of boundaries between small, medium, large and very large companies in order to investigate whether there is a connection between the companies size and utilisation of value management. To research an investigate the distinguish of boundaries between small, medium, large and very large projects in order to investigate whether there is a connection between the companies size and utilisation of value management. 1.4 Structure of dissertation Chapter 2 of this research will aim is to carry out a comprehensive critical review of literature and past research, incorporation with both accepted and historic literature but also the most up to date material relevant to the topic the literature, in particular the methodologies, data, analytical techniques etc. So as to ensure the objectives evaluation takes place. A different views and theories will be presented through synthesis and evaluation this section of the research will aim to provide a theoretical framework by; Essential of topic and terms Noting items of theory Noting major references Executing searches for literature appropriate to the topic and problems Obtaining and reviewing a range of sources Produce a review of the material This research will aim investigate whether or not value management is being fully utilised in the construction industry, in the learning of a range of professionals from differing background s in the construction industry .To measure a general opinion on the topic, it will be necessary to gather research which is relevant to the aim, objectives and the suggestion . This research was done by the journals, books, e-journals, the internet and publications such as building magazine. Chapter 3 will assessed by the possible mean of data collection, which is that the most appropriate method can be implemented this chapter of the research will be to find the most suitable method of measure the thoughts and views of construction professionals from different backgrounds, to determine whether value management is there knowledge of experience is being used fully in the construction industry. In this chapter will also evaluate the type of data that will be collected. There are two types of data which can be collected in order to test the assumptions namely quantitative data and qualitative data which is a combination of both plan may help to achieve a more conclusive end result; Naoum (2003) describes qualitative research as subjective with an emphasis on meanings, experience and description with (Fellows and Liu, 2003) describing qualitative research as subjective whilst providing a richness of data that cannot be obtained from quantitative data. And finally this section of the dissertation will measure of formal inference to determine which method is most appropriate given the type of data to be collected. In the chapter 4 of this dissertation the method which we discussed before will be implemented to produce and analyse a primary data, and enabling the earlier outlined aims and objectives to be met. When the results have been fully examined and checked, they will be visually presented in the form of tables, charts, diagrams and graphs. This will allow the answers of results of the tests to be visually conveyed. Statistical inference is employed which is to be done by the applicability of the results to the issues under examinations. The results will be use to prove or disprove the suggestion. In chapter 5 will be the results to conclude in the context of the theory to conclude in the context of the theory and literature review, and in light of the aims objectives set out at the beginning of the project. The finding will be considered in light of theory with the scope by advancement of knowledge. A critical review of what has been achieved throughout the course of the study will be carried out. This will allow the recommendation to make for the further works to be carried out. 1.5 Principal related work Ashworth and Hogg K (2000) Added value in construction. Essex, Pearson Education Ltd Hogg K (2000) Factors inhibiting the expression of value methodology in the UK construction sector : SAVE international conference proceedings available at; http://www.value-eng.org/pdf_docs/conference_proceedings/2000/2012.PDF Male, S Kelly, J (1998) the value management Benchmark; A good practise framework for clients and practitioners. Thomas Telford. Chapter 2: theory: Secondary Data 2.1 Introduction This was originally came from the manufacture Industry in the 1950s,The value analysis tool has came through different names and concepts into value management process as we all know it today which the key industry drivers was used to manage that of cost, time and quality. Value management include design management concepts of whole life costing, risk management and human resource management (Green, 2002) and is principally aimed at achieving the best value of money (in terms of both, decision arising from the process of value management, the following product and the process itself) to certify a best use of time and resources. Research and development work was brought out by Kelly and male (1998) together with Green (1990) and palmer (1992) which gave consideration to the application of the philosophy and the process within value management in the UK construction industry. Value management at this time was addressed commonly with passion and seen to have significant importance in the development of a move efficient and reasonable construction industry (hogg, 2000) Certainly in later years the UK construction industry has came under heavy scrutiny and has received high analysis from major sources. In 1994 the Latham Building the team Identified the inefficient built in an adversarial construction industry setting a challenge for change and developments. These analysed coupled with clients increasing demand for achieving value for money have seen designed and contractors take up the gauntlet and improve different types of business relationships and evolved new methods of good practices, and methodologies to develop effectiveness and value to the client. The meaning of value management was more highlighted when another government endorsed report, Rethinking Construction, (Construction Task Force.1998) Which also criticised ineffectiveness in the UK construction industry was presented the deputy prime minister. The report highlighted value management as a mean developing performance describing it as: A structured method of eliminating waste form the brief and the design before binding commitments are made.value management can also reduce costs by up to 10% (Construction task force;1998, P13) 2.2 What is Value Management? The value management was defined in order to which the idea of value must be understood firstly. The idea of value relies on the relationship between the satisfaction of many differing needs and the resources used in doing so. The less of the resource used or the greater the satisfaction of needs, the greater the value. Stakeholders, internal and external clients may all hold differing views of what represents value. The scope of value management is to reconcile these differences and enable an organization to achieve the greatest progress towards its stated goals with the use of minimum resource (which you can see in figure below) What is necessary for desired user = Satisfaction of needs Use of resources Value Everything that is required to satisfy needs It is important to understand that value may be improve by increasing the satisfaction of need even if the resources used in doing so increase, provided that the satisfaction of need increases more than the increases in used of resources(I.V.M. 2007) Value Management has a variety of meaning, but the basic principal of adding a value to the project in terms of the customer to remain the same. Kelly and Male (1998) defined value management as a service which maximises the functional value of a project by a managing its development from concept to completion and commissioning through the audit (examination) of all decisions against a value system determined by the client.They advice that the value system of the customer might be made explicit using functional analysis to expose the relationship between time, cost and quality. Value management is a planned approach to the recognition and valuation of project objectives and of the means by which these may be achieved is order to obtain value for money using a specialist facilitator and workshop techniques. According to institute of value management, the value management approach involves in three root principles; A continuous awareness of value for the organization, create measure or estimates of value, monitoring and controlling them; A focus on the objectives and targets before seeking solutions; A focus on function, providing the key to maximize innovative and practical outcomes. Value management utilizes workshop techniques, in which the customers and their advisors seek to identify the customers needs and objectives. These workshops, help by a value manager use brainstorming techniques and functional analysis to increase value in light of the clients need and requirements by certify that design solutions evolve in accordance with the agreed objectives. A consistent and chronological path is achieved through the use of job plan these workshops, following a five step process: The workshop begins with an information phase n which details of the project are presented in participants. This phase should give a clear due to all parties as to what the clients needs, wants and limits are the smart method of value management may be utilized at this stage. SMART value management is based upon technique known as the simple multi-attribute rating technique SMART value management understand that it is not sufficient merely to achieve the required function cost-effectively firstly it is necessary to ensure that the key project stakeholders have developed a share understanding of the strategic objectives, with is both the sound in its theory and practical in its implementation (Green, 2003) The next phase is the speculation phase, which involves generating alternative solutions and ideas. This phase of the workshop is usually performed with the aid of brainstorming and other creative thinking techniques such as the Gordon Technique to encourage the contribution of suggestion to improve value. The evaluation phase is used to assess the merits of the ideas generated during the creative phase, and compare the various ideas, which have been put forward. A list of best ideas is then carried forward for further development. The improvement phase considers in detail all of the ideas accepted from the evaluation phase to determine whether or not an idea should become a firm proposal. It should be developed in detail which is of ideas and then need to be priced in order to make a decision whether to present the ideas. The completion stage is the presentation phase which the teams proposals are presented to the client and their representatives. Diplomacy is an essential part in proposing changed to the original design. The ability of the catalyst is central to the success of the value management process. The success of the value management process. The facilitators role is to advising upon the selection of value management team, co-ordinating pre-workshop activities (E.g. issue of relevant information to selected value management participants), deciding upon the timing and duration of workshops, managing the workshop process and preparing reports. The management of the workshop can be a difficult task requiring a variety of skills. These include; the ability to adhere to an agenda; identifying the strengths and weakness of team members and promoting their positive interaction; motivating and directing activity; overseeing functional analysis; promoting an atmosphere conducing a disciplined structure (Ashworth Hogg, 2000). Which the test created by Kelly and male (1998) where the test created by Kelly and male (1998) where the outlines of a member in criteria, which is to be met, in order to conclude the authentic value management is being carried out .Those criteria are as follows; The workshop should consist of a multi disciplinary team. It use of a qualified value management as a facilitator. Implemented the brainstorming techniques. Implemented of functional analysis (as detailed below) Observance to a job plan (as detailed below) In this piece of work the above test together with the proceeding definition. Shall be use to define whether value management is being carried out. 2.3 Functional Analysis Functional analysis will mainly give the idea of identifying the common functions of an item, and in terms of construction, It identifies the clients need in terms of function. It is simple and effective with underlying the principle of functional analysis. when the technique applied to a building component on element it invites the question what does it do as opposed to what is it with this in mind, when searching for alternatives, we look for something that will perform the required function rather than attempt to find a substitute for the previous solutions (Palmer, 1992) FAST is an analysis process that was developed by Charles Bythway. It builds upon work by miles and allows functional analysis to be modelled and used as a means of multi disciplined communication. The application of fast is universal. It is based upon logic and allows aims and objectives to be translated into action Green (1994) indicates that the functional analysis system technique(FAST) is best used for the hard technical problems associated to value engineering which are normally carried out at later stage in the design process than more strategic SMART model used in value management functional analysis, which is central to the FAST technique, forces conciseness and eliminates ambiguity. FAST were also examines the cost Vs worth aspect, allowing full consideration of varying functions of one component. The aim of FAST is identifying the clients wants in terms of function not things (Bythway, 1992) One method of carrying out FAST analysis is use of a FAST diagram. This is a power ful technique in identifying the functional requirements of a project. 2.4 Value Management in Practice The recent years the UK construction Industry has come under heavy research, and has got heavy criticism from major sources. During the 1990s the Lathan and Egan reports Building the team and Rethinking construction identified the inefficiency inherent in an adversarial construction industry. In particular Rethinking construction set a challenge for change and improvement. These criticism coupled with clients increasing demand for achieving value have seen designers and contractors take up the gantlet and develop different types of business relationships and evolved new methods of good practice, and methodologies to improve efficiency, and value to the client. To this end, a growing number of companies claim to offer value management as a service, incorporating design management concepts, whole life costing, risk management and human resource management ( Kelly and Male, 2002) and is principally aimed at achieving best value for money (in terms of both, decisions arising from the value management process, the ensuring product and the process itself) to ensure best use of time and resources. However there could appear to be some confusion as to what actually constitutes value management. The modern day agreement for value management is not that it is a cost cutting exercise, or a method of keeping projects within budget, rather as a means of achieving best value for money to the client. Kelly and Male (2004) describe value management as the process by which the functional benifits of a project are made explicit and appraised consistent with a value system determined by the client value engineering, on the other hand, is concerned with achieving a given function at minimum cost. This there is some confusion between the vaue engineering and the value management. That as the value management will do achieve a high value to the client, in terms of meeting client objectives, which the value engineering will contrast looks to improve value in monetary terms by reducing cost, after analysis of function. In other words its aims are to achieve the function, at the least possible cost. That it may not lead to the greatest added value to the client. (DellIsola 1982) This confusion in terms has the lead some commentators to go so for as to question whether the value management differs from the established procedures of cost management (Green, 1992) The lot of majority of material studied however, were of the opinion that value management is a useful tool in identifying the clients needs, and utilising functional analysis to formulate a plan how best to meet these needs. In 1995 the RICS publication, Improving value for money in construction It is stated value management must be undertaken as part of the part of the process of establishing the clients business case in to ensure that the project address real needs and adds value. In todays UK construction industry, the use of value management is touted as having increased competition and encouraged growth by allowing better, more informed decisions to be made by IVM (Institute of Value Management,2000) In project delivery opportunities for such improved decision making exist through a project inception, design, construction and disposal (Kinnan and Martin,1997). Allowing value management to be introduced at any stage of project, with the later stages being used to assist project Integrating and procurement, often through the use of builadability concepts and partnering (Hyan,1997) without value management, however, significant additional costs can be incurred in late design changes (DellIsola,1982) as well as; Outcomes that represent poor value for money; In appropriate strategic for providing service need; Poor definition of service needs; An asset operation that cannot support service delivery; In effective communication among client/owners; Deficient project briefs; and Lack of project ownership by end users and managers. (Daddow and Skit more, 1993). Therefore to find the unsurprising the value management in construction industry has received attention and support from the government since the early 1990s (Institute of value management, 2000) and for more it use in becoming a requirement in the development and assessment of projects. whether this will ultimately lead to value management being a mandatory requirement in similar way to quality management in the 1980s is not yet known.(Daddow and Skitmore,1993) Indeed the RICS voice that value management should be made mandatory. Stating value management should be an automatic part of every project and not be an option in the 1995 publication, Improving value for money in construction. (RICS, 1995, P29) In the USA for example, a system of incentives and rebates, referred to as value management incentive and rebates, referred to as value management incentive clauses, are increasingly being introduced into contracts to formalise the arrangements between parties, for sharing the costs involved in implementing value management (Thiry,1997). The degree of success, which value management is touted to achieve is also varied. That the most easy source to quote is Sir John Egans report (1998) rethinking construction; presented to the deputy prime minister, in which a figure of a 10% saving on the contract sum, being forecast as figure to reasonable expected. As previously mentioned, this particular report was damming in assessing the UK construction industry current state, with regards to inefficiency and waste. However value management in particular was singled out, as one of the ways to address these problem, describing value management as a structured method of eliminating waste from the brief and from the design before building commitments have been made(Egan, 1998; p13) Ashworth Hogg(2000) to back this figure up somewhat, claiming that for a 1% be on construction cost, It is possible that a total saving of up to 10%-15% on construction costs can be achieved, should the correct procedures take place. How accurate the es timates are, is hard to prove, and in all likelihood vary from case to case, with many variables determining the success of the value management process. There are various differing reports from other leading commentators such as Palma (1992) who although not rejecting the advantages of value management, suggest that is not as clear at as deciding to implement value management. Palmer states that effectiveness of value management depends largely on the personalities involved, the timing of the study the interaction of the team and the role of the client and the input of the design team, whilst going onto say that as functional analysis often gets ignored the whole value management process is often no more than a cost cutting exercise. That of man paper seems to agree that there are numbers variables which affect the success of the value management process. Koo et al (2005) suggest the success the key reasons for failure of a value management exercise being; Lack of experience and skill of the facilitator. Improve use of functional analysis. Lack of purpose of purpose of FAST diagramming and no description of FAST diagrams. Unsatisfactory and impromptu function analysis of the value engineering project was performed in order to get results quickly, easily and superficially. The table below illustrates the causes and reasons for unsuitable FAST analyse according to Koo et al (2005) Causes and reasons of the unsuitable function analysis Description Causes Reasons Functional Analysis Function Definition Unrelated function definition for the project Deficiency of purpose and methodology of function analysis Unsuitable function definition Lack of recognition of function analysis Lack of community between function definition and follows Lack of education an experience of value engineering team members Job plan Unsatisfactory understanding of value engineering project Function Classification Classification confusion of the main and secondary function definitions Lack of understanding of value engineering object Lack of objectives for function selection Too much or too little secondary and function description relating to the main function Fast diagramming Lack of purpose of FAST diagramming Difficulty and lack of expertise for diagramming No description of FAST diagram. Lack of adaption value engineering diagramming logic

Sunday, August 4, 2019

The Meaning of Love Essay -- Papers

The Meaning of Love Love has many different meanings to different people. For a child, love is what he or she feels for his mommy and daddy. To teenage boy, love is what he should feel for his girlfriend of the moment, only because she says she loves him. But as we get older and "wiser," love becomes more and more confusing. Along with poets and philosophers, people have been trying to answer that age-old question for centuries: What is love? One definition of love in The Merriam-Webster dictionary is "attraction based on sexual desire" (439). Some people believe that love and sex are one in the same. If two people are in love, they should be having sex. And, on the flipside, if two people are having sex, they must be in love. However, this assumption is obviously not always true. Whether it is right or not to have sex without love is irrelevant; the fact is it happens. Just because a person is sexually attracted to another person and has the desire to have sex with that person does not necessarily suggest that this person is in love. He or she could very well be...

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Essay --

I chose to discuss clean eating for this assignment as I truly believe that nutrition is the cornerstone for good health. I believe this statement based on science and facts, and not what is trendy or currently being discussed during the evening news. Science has shown us that our bodies work on a cellular level, and if we feed those cells poorly in the forms of high-fat, high-calorie, processed foods, which offer no nutritional value, then the cells cannot do their jobs properly and have a negative impact on health. The term clean eating has different meanings to different people; however, all agree that at the heart of the phrase, it shows that people recognize that nutrition plays a vital part in health. So how and why does nutrition play a vital part in health? This paper will discuss the aspects. First, begin by eating whole foods. This one is pretty straightforward -- instead of a banana nut muffin, eat a banana and some nuts! The primary principle of eating clean is to replac e processed foods with fresh and natural foods. To me, this means foods that haven't had anything added to them, and haven't had anything valuable taken away. So, even if you're not growing quinoa in your back yard, you can buy this whole grain in the bulk section of your market, or in a box, where the only ingredient is quinoa, and only quinoa. That's a far cry from a refined grain, that's been stripped of its fiber-rich bran (outer skin) and nutritious germ (the inner part that sprouts into a new plant), bleached, and doctored up with preservatives. Let ingredients guide you I don't think it's realistic to never eat anything that comes out of a jar, box, or bag, but when you do, the very first thing a clean eater looks at is the ingredient list. ... ...l, the phrase "you are what you eat" is literally true, so being thoughtful about your food just makes sense. Nutrients create the foundation for the structure and function of every cell in your body, and because your body is in a continuous state of maintenance and repair, the health and functioning of your cells is directly determined by what you've been eating. Whole, natural foods provide the building blocks that go to work to uphold your muscles, bones, organs, immune system, and hormones. So cleaning up your diet is a lot like starting to build and support your body with the highest quality raw materials. For these reasons, I've seen a commitment to clean eating truly transform my clients' lives, from clearer, glowing skin and shinier hair to more energy, better mood and sleep quality, clearer thinking, less aches and pains, and even a greater sex drive.

Shifting Efficiency Essay -- essays research papers

Shifting Efficiency One of the most important and life-altering inventions in history is the creation of the automobile. The first model was built with a manual transmission, meaning the operator of the vehicle was responsible for manually changing gears to increase speed. This method of acceleration, while efficient, required the complete attention of the operator, and it sometimes took away the enjoyment of driving. This led to the invention of the automatic transmission, a method by which the operator of the vehicle no longer had to switch gears, as this was done automatically. Since the development of the automatic transmission, there has always been conflict about which method of acceleration is more efficient. Driving a vehicle with an automatic transmission allows for multitasking such as talking on a cell phone or eating a meal while driving. This, however, is not always a safe way to drive, especially in traffic when frequent stopping and going is necessary. This method of driving, though dangerous to many if it is not undertaken carefully, seems to be popular to most people who enjoy the freedom of multitasking. Driving a vehicle with a manual transmission makes it almost impossible for the operator to talk on a cell phone or do other tasks because the use of both hands is required to direct the vehicle and shift gears at the same time. To some people, this is a much safer method of driving, because it requires the driver to focus more, which reduces the risk of a...

Friday, August 2, 2019

Judicial Issues in Chapman’s “The Prisoner’s Dilemma”

World history recounts many differences between the East and the West. In spite of the consideration that both are unique in their own culture and tradition, the issue on who is better and more civilized still remains. In â€Å"The Prisoner's Dilemma,† Stephen Chapman compares and contrasts Eastern and Western punishment practices under the criminal justice system. In his view, the Western claim that their practices are less cruel and barbaric is contestable owing to the issues related to the multiple years of incarceration. To elaborate his view, Chapman compares the punishment methods used in Eastern and Western countries. He mentions some punitive practices among Islamic countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Among these practices include flogging, or ta zir, a punishment usually given for general offenses. This form of punishment, among others, is endorsed by the Koran itself. Another practice is stoning, which is usually bestowed upon individuals who are found to be adulterous or who engage in non-marital sex. This form of punishment causes severe injury to offenders, causing their deaths. In the website Religious Tolerance. org, several reports on stoning show how Islamic countries apply this practice in varied terms. One report describes how a man dies ten minutes after being stoned while his alleged partner is hit by a large rock on the head after stoning. In addition to these two methods, Islamic countries also apply amputation, beheading, and other forms of execution. Considering these, Chapman contends that Islamic ways of punishment are some forms of â€Å"barbaric rituals. (364) Aside from their hideous method of exterminating criminals, what makes these methods seem more barbaric and cruel is the gathering of the crowd that gawks at the offender’s misfortunes. As Chapman illustrates, Westerners smirk at these practices and claim that theirs are far more humanitarian. In the West, criminals are sentenced to prison for varying number of years based on the gravity of the offense. For instance, Chapman elaborates that a person charged with robbery can be sentenced to six or 30 years imprisonment under the Western judicial system. Based on this, the author implies that a general offense which merits one-time flogging in Islamic countries can cost a person’s lifetime in the West. Moreover, he also cites that with the long trials that each case takes and the cost of maintaining a penitentiary, the government spends too much on procuring justice for the victims. Moreover, the author inductively cites that the practices in the East were the same ones practiced in the West during earlier times. He mentions some cases where criminals were cut in several parts, and tortured by bearing off internal organs while the criminal is in conscious state. Given these former practices, Chapman convinces the readers to reconsider Islamic practices such as those mentioned, which are less grotesque than former Western practices. To convince his readers, Chapman uses both comparison and contrast between the two cultures. Mostly, he gives the contrast, emphasizing more the practicality of the Eastern culture in dealing with punishments. Also, by establishing comparison and claiming that Western civilization once employed even worse practices of amputation, the author appeals to the logic of the readers to assert the issue with valid reasoning. Clearly, Chapman uses logic or logos in his comparison and contrast. He attempts to convince the audience that Western practices are just as evil as the Eastern ones. By impeding criminals to prison, they are likewise subjected to overcrowding, illness, filthy conditions, and routine violence. Sentencing a criminal to life in the prison cells is similar to subjecting him to eventual death or to sacrifices similar to flogging. Also, as mentioned above, keeping criminals in prison implies a big government funding, for the government will have to feed and clothe the prisoners, and hire authorities to look after them. Likewise, Chapman claims that prisons do not serve their purpose for detaining individuals. To illustrate his point, he mentions the five functions of imprisonment. Among these functions, Chapman emphasizes that detention does not serve the third function, which is general deterrence. Although some may be afraid to go to jail, the thought of it does not totally threaten criminals to make them avoid ill-doings. The present crime rate demonstrates that in truth, offenders are not afraid to go against the law, thus making others like the author skeptical about the observance of the third function. Conversely, he notes that encountering a man with just one arm could bring more shrill to those who are trying to plot a crime. In addition, the author also points out that imprisonment does not serve its fifth function, that is rehabilitation. Keeping criminals behind bars and making them face the consequence of acquiring infectious diseases is far from rehabilitative. For others, this function may only be served if criminals are given a better living condition or are endowed by a beautiful experience, such as allowing them to get married, to undergo counseling and psychotherapy, or giving them a job or a vacation (Menninger as mentioned in Chapman 368-369). Considering the disadvantages of imprisonment, sentencing a criminal to keep him from contact with the public seems to be the only consolation that incarceration brings. In addition to logos, the author also uses pathos by citing the dilemma experienced by offenders and victims alike. The long wait for the court to give its sentence is one aspect that causes much shame to Western judicial system. While the case is in process, the victims undergo torment seeing the criminal spend days in freedom. The truth and relevance of this point makes this the subject of TV and film courtroom drama. The same agitation may be true for the criminals or those who are charged but innocent of the crime. As justice is prolonged, so is the torment that the concerned individuals suffer. The use of logos and pathos in establishing comparison and contrast is likewise accompanied by ethos as the article appears in the textbook. The article’s introduction includes a simple biography of the author, telling his achievements as a writer and a Harvard University graduate. This establishes credibility of the author, thus affecting the audience’s stance on the matter. While the logos and pathos that Chapman uses are quite weak to defy religious values, the ethos somewhat helps convince the audience that the words they are reading come from a knowledgeable and well-experienced source. Overall, the points made by the author show his partiality to Western practices. He tries to convince the audience to favor Eastern practices due to their practicality and immediacy. Considering his point, authorities should look into the possibility of adopting these practices; however considering too how people react to changes, Chapman’s proposition may fail to convince many people, especially those who advocate love and reverence for the body.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

A Taste of Honey Essay

‘A Taste of Honey’ is a kitchen sink drama, set in the late 1950s. It follows the volatile relationship of a mother and daughter, and the problems that they have to overcome. ‘A Taste of Honey’ presents the harsh reality of what life was like for the working classes. The play explores a variety of controversial issues, which especially in the 1950s, only happened behind closed doors, and would have raised serious questions in society. In ‘A Taste of Honey’ Helen is portrayed as a bad mother, she cares more about drink and men than her own child and there are several preferences to Helen’s alcoholism throughout the play. In a strict and traditional society, it would have been almost unforgivable for a teenage girl to have a child and raise it on her own as Jo ends up doing and Helen did before her. Racism also plays a factor in the play as the father of Jo’s unborn child was black and people felt very strongly about this sort of thing at this time, including Jo’s mother. ‘A Taste of Honey’ shows an insight to the problems and strains that can be brought on by the above issues and those that the working class suffered. In the opening scene of ‘A Taste of Honey’ you are introduced to Jo and Helen’s new flat. It is a run down, dingy, old place and is all that Helen can afford. The optimism that Helen carries is shown right away as when Helen first walks in she is optimistic about the situation by saying, ‘Well! This is the place’. Which shows she has quite an easy-going approach to life as long as she has the necessities in life. Jo then replies with, ‘I don’t like it’, which straight away shows the conflict between the pair and how different their personalities are from one another. You can clearly see form the dialogue between the pair that Helen has never taken care of Jo properly, Jo: ‘I don’t owe you a thing’, and Helen: ‘Do you want me to carry you about?’ which is basically saying look after yourself. At this point Helen is already drinking and Jo says, ‘You make me sick’, in reference to her drinking, which shows that, she disapproves and that it sickens her. It also makes you ask the question, why does Helen drink? Jo also addresses her mum as Helen, this shows us that there is nothing maternal between the two and Jo obviously doesn’t see her as a motherly figure. They also both talk to the audience in third person about one another saying things such as, Helen: ‘Wouldn’t she get on your nerves’ and Jo: ‘She’d lose her head if it was loose’, you cannot see an inch of respect between them and although some people don’t always have a very good mother and daughter relationship there isn’t a trace of any bonding or caring between them. However you do see Helen show a genuine interest in Jo when she sees how good her art work is, although as she stumbles upon it by mistake it shows the distance they have from one another as Jo has never shown her the work before and Jo is quite taken aback by the interest from her mother and says, ‘Why are you so suddenly interested in me anyway?’ which reflects the lack of support that Jo has received. Though language, humor and sarcasm used between them you can see the lack of respect and their clear differences such as Helen being a lot more optimistic and wild to Jo’s more realistic and practical approach to life. You can see Helen’s wild side through her drinking problem, references to men, ‘ Handsome, long-legged creature – just the way I like ’em’, her outbursts of singing and the basic fact that she was obviously out doing her own thing when she should have been taking care of her daughter and not kicking her out of bed w hen she had male company! Also when Helen finds out that her daughter stole the bulbs she is happy and approves, this shows Helens true colours and how she goes about life; she doesn’t mind taking things that aren’t hers as long as she gets what she wants. Helen’s life runs along the same lines as you only live once, as she lets nothing set her back and she also makes regular comments about death and doesn’t look upon it as a big thing really. This contrasts to Jo’s comment in Act 2, scene 2 where she says, ‘We don’t ask for life, we have it thrust upon us’. I think that Jo’s out look on life is that it is hard and unfair; she has always had to fight for her self as Helen has never been there for her, and so she doesn’t expect the good things to happen in her life. Jo and Helen’s relationship about men in Act 1, scene 1 is also very strange, as Helen has clearly had many men in her life as when Peter is introduced Jo says in a very matter of fact way, ‘What’s this one called?’ Jo doesn’t seem to think of men as a necessary object in life and seems to think of men in a more romantic way than Helen and mentions love as well. However in Act 2, scene 2 she has Geoff and although she isn’t linked to him in a romantic way at all she still likes the stability of a man looking after her in her life and would rather have a man than a woman present at the birth of her child. In Act 2, scene 2 where the birth of Jo’s child is looming, Helen isn’t there but comes back before she has it and she shows a different approach towards Jo. Although she shows her true side by being nasty to Geof for no reason when she owes it to him to be nice as he has been taking care of her daughter, she does show genuine concern for Jo, ‘How are you, love?’ and makes enquires about the birth and her pregnancy. She has also made an effort to buy things for the baby and seems to be a lot more motherly towards Jo now. This time round it is Helen making the effort to make the place look nice, and Jo doesn’t seem to care about her living arrangements which is a mirror to the attitude of Helen in Act 1, scene 1. Helen’s effort that she puts into her relationship with Jo is much more motherly and dong things such as, stroking her hair, caring for her, also by saying things such as, ‘we’ll get morbid,’ this is showing a different side to Helen as in Act 1, scene 1, she is very open about death and talks about it on a regular basis. This is also ironic as she is usually the one that is being morbid, not Jo. Also by talking about the children outside shows a total change in character and you see the nice side of Helen. Whereas Jo seems to have turned more like her mum, by not really caring and expecting others to do things for her, such as Geof; although Jo is never nasty towards him. Although Jo and Helen don’t get on with one another in Act 1, scene 1 and Act 2, scene 2 you can see the differences between them. In Act1, scene 1, Helen is very distant from Jo, which Delaney shows through the dialogue and language used between them. She also shows this through the use of talking in the third person, ‘wouldn’t she get on your nerves?’ However in Act 2, scene 2 she seems to be trying to come closer to her daughter, by taking an interest in her and just genuinely being more caring. You also see a change in character with Jo, who in Act 1, scene 1 Delaney portrays her as the parent, with her doing things such as cleaning, but by Act 2, scene 2 when she is about to become a mother herself she is more childlike, this can be shown through the stage directions of Jo throwing the pretend doll that Geof gets her because it’s the wrong colour. She acts like a spoilt child who comes across as ungrateful and shows no maturity in her at all. I think that in Act 2, scene 2 their relationship has progressed form Act 1, scene 1 as Helen is more of a mother figure towards Jo. However I don’t think that they will have a good relationship, as Helen isn’t very supporting when she finds out about the colour of the baby. When she is asked what she’ll do she replies, ‘drown it,’ and she goes back to her old ways of drinking. This also suggests that she drinks to drown her sorrows. Also she leaves Jo on her own at a time that she needs her and there is some uncertainty about whether or not she is coming back. This sums up their relationship as one that is rocky and that there is no stability at all. ‘A Taste of Honey’ Essay Act two, scene one is an important part of the play because Jo is near the end of her pregnancy and Helen comes back to visit her but only because Geoff had asked her too. Previously in the play Helen had married Peter and had gone to live with him, Jo got engaged to a black boy in the Navy, she became pregnant but he didn’t come back after going away with the Navy. Jo didn’t have a very good relationship with her mother and they had moved about a lot as Helen ran every time she couldn’t pay the rent. Jo met Geoff who is a homosexual. He hasn’t had sexual relations with a man but he knows he is gay because he has had liaisons with other men. Jo has left school and was going to work in a pub part-time. The play is ‘A Taste of Honey’ and I am doing part of Act two scene one where Jo, Helen and Geoff are the main characters. This play is mainly set in Jo and Helen’s flat where the time is around the 1950’s. Helen and Jo weren’t very well off so the flat is in a poor condition. It is dirty and there is a lot of dust. The house looks like it is uncared for because clothes are on the floor and the bed isn’t made. It is a comfortless flat. If I was in the audience I would see the settee in the middle of the flat with Geoff’s bedding on it, to the left of the stage would be Jo’s unmade bed it might have some clothes lying untidily on top of it. To the right I would see the kitchen, the sink full of dirty plates and cups, and there would be lots of things scattered about the kitchen sides. In this section of the play the characters use actions in different ways to portray their emotions and feelings. For example: at the beginning of this section Geoff says ‘Let me kiss you’ this lets us know that Geoff likes Jo as more then a friend unfortunately she does not feel the same way. This is shown when she struggles as Geoff forces himself on her. Another show of Geoff’s feelings towards Jo are when he asks her to marry him, Jo just dismisses the idea and tells Geoff ‘†¦I’m not marrying anybody’. When Helen arrives she tries to be motherly towards Jo but Jo doesn’t really want to know as Helen hasn’t really been there for her whilst she has been growing up. I don’t think she understands why Helen suddenly wants to be a proper mother so Jo starts an argument by saying ‘what blew you in’ as soon as Helen comes in to the room. But Helen still tries to by friendly by asking about Geoff, she also tries to change the subject at that point when Jo asks her how she came to know about her pregnancy she replies ‘Come on, aren’t you going to introduce me to your boy friend? Who is he?’. I think at that point Helen hadn’t come to argue with Jo and had come to see if she was alright. When Jo and Helen are angry they both speak their mind and tend to shout when arguing. Jo talks in a steady voice and when speaking to Geoff she talks in a soft voice but her voice is stern when she is speaking to Helen as I feel she is resentful towards her. Helen talks to Jo as if she regrets having her and wishes she’d aborted her like all the others, in this scene though Helen starts off friendly but finishes by chasing Jo around the room trying to hit her. Geoff is the calm one; he doesn’t stand up for himself much but tries to protect Jo. When Geoff is told to do something he does it without complaining. This play is important to theatre history, as it was the first play ever seen about real life and the problems that came with it like poverty, racism, teenage pregnancies and homophobia. This play had them all in. At the time this play was written Britain was just recovering from shortages and rationing, the rationing ended in 1952. Housing was scarce so many people had to live in flats even if they could afford better and bomb sites were still derelict. Shelagh Delaney was the author of this play and she was 19 years old when she wrote it. It was written in 1956 and censorship from the stage was removed in 1963. ‘A Taste of Honey’ is what you would call a ‘kitchen-sink’ drama because it is based on real life, problems, poverty and the working class. A Taste of Honey Essay This essay is about a young woman called Jo. Jo has a mother known as Helen and her boyfriend peter; Jo also has a boyfriend called Boy and a close friend called Geoff who is gay. Jo is pregnant with her boyfriend Boy, Boy is a black sailor, and it was common in those days for sailors to have girlfriends for a short while and then leave them as they go on to other places, and as Jo says â€Å"He’s gone away. He maybe back in six months, but then again, he may†¦Ã¢â‚¬  here she gave the impression that he may not be back. In this case he left her pregnant as well which just adds to Jo’s problems. At the beginning of the play all Jo could think about is the condition of the flat and Jo’s first words were â€Å"And I don’t like it† as Helen said, â€Å"Well this is the place.† At the beginning their opinions of the flat are very different as Helen tries to see the better side as Jo just keeps on criticising the flat, which in way brings th em closer together rather than further apart, they just need to respect each other more. Jo is really serious about her thoughts of the flat whereas Helen is trying to look at the good side although she knows its horrible and even gives into Jo later and says, â€Å"It is a bit of a mess isn’t it.† The author uses Helens cold to revel Helens character by the words that she uses like â€Å"Its running like a tap† she says about her nose. Both characters rely on men to get affection as they don’t really get it from each other. Helen does care about Jo’s future as she shows when she discovers the drawings that Jo had drawn; she says, â€Å"I didn’t realize I had such a talented daughter.† As Peter enters Helens reaction is an unwelcoming one, and she even says, â€Å"Look what the winds blown in. † Helen wants Jo to go away now that Peter had entered and she said to Jo â€Å"Turn yourself into a bloody termite and crawl into the wall or something.† The first impressions of peter are that he’s very arrogant and he treats Jo like a slave as he is telling her what to do as soon as he walked through the door. Jo’s behaviour tells us that she doesn’t like Peter. Helen thinks that Jo is jealous of her because she has a man as Helen says, â€Å"she’s jealous†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They then admit that they never given each other affection as Jo says, â€Å"You’ve certainly never been affectionate with me.† Act two, scene one. Jo suspects that Geoff wants to move in as he said, â€Å"Isn’t this place a bit big for one Jo?† but I think Jo wants Geoff to move in as she invites him to stay the night. Jo later denies the fact she wants marriage as Geoff asked, â€Å"You want taking in hand† an she replied with, â€Å"no, thanks† even though she’s been asked. When Jo told Geoff about the baby he kept asking questions like, â€Å"how are you going to manage then† he says this to suggest that he wants to help. Jo has changed since the start of the play as she is beginning to let some of her feelings out to Geoff. When Helen came back she called the flat â€Å"the same old miserable hole† despite at the beginning of the play she said it was good. A Taste of Honey Essay Human development is a continuous process, but there may be critical periods in our development during which adaptational success or failure heavily influences the course of later development in the life cycle. Adolescence clearly is one of these critical developmental transitions. The number of extent of changes that occur simultaneously during adolescence present major challenges to the development of mature and effective coping strategies. In Shelagh Delaney’s â€Å"A Taste of Honey,† we can observe this adolescent development or the stages of adolescence in the life of the protagonist, Jo. In the beginning, the protagonist is already able to demonstrate some characteristics of early adolescents. She starts to show an attitude where an individual is easily frustrated and anxious. Jo tells her mother, â€Å"Why should I run around after you?† Her mother responded â€Å"Children owe their parents these little attentions† but she instantly defended herself and said â€Å"I don’t owe you a thing.† Somehow, Jo has a rigid concept of what is wrong or right, reflecting traces of being in the early adolescence stage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The protagonist in the story is seventeen years old. At this age, she would express characteristics or behaviors of those in the middle adolescence stage. Usually, at the middle adolescence stage, most of the changes due to puberty already took place. Considering this, Jo would already be very concerned with her living environment, especially with regards to how she looks or how she is presented in the society. Jo states in the beginning â€Å"Can’t be soon enough for me, I’m cold and my shoes let water.† Then she adds â€Å"What a place and we’re supposed to be living off her immoral earnings.† This emphasizes a characteristic of middle adolescents who are able to use speech in order to convey their feelings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Jo was driven out of their apartment, she manages to confide in the arms or care of a black sailor and she engaged in a one night stand. Due to conflicts at home, the protagonist tried to find love from other people. In addition to this, it can be said that because of her pursuit for love, the risk for sexual intercourse increased. Later on, she was forced to find a job and move to a new place. She had enough with her mother and her interferences and decided to live an independent life; part of being at the middle adolescence stage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In her new place, she was able to meet a homosexual named Geoffrey who was also like her; shy and lonely. Eventually, she finds out that she is pregnant. A good thing about it is that she gains a sense of maturity from the mistake which she committed irrationally. At an early age, she begins to think of her future and her child’s future as well. So she works hard in order to keep herself and her baby alive. At this time, she is already able to make independent decisions for herself and takes pride in everything that she does. Geoffrey on the other hand, despite being homosexual, gains further understanding or development of his sexual identity. He proposed a marriage to Jo, taking full responsibility of the child she is bearing; something which is really admirable for a homosexual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The reappearance of Jo’s mother in their lives stirred the peace, but Jo was already strong enough to defend herself and her new found family. She has greater ability to tell the things which she feels and thinks. Her ability to embrace causes with conviction made her step up the ladder of adolescent development. When her mother volunteered to change their flat to the way she (Jo’s mother) likes, â€Å"I’m going to make it just the way you (referring to Jo, which is a form of irony) like it.† Jo steps up and tells her â€Å"Oh no!† She tells her that she likes their place the way it is right now. Somehow, Jo’s experiences and maturity definitely honed her up to stand to challenges and cope with life. Works Cited Delaney, S. (1956). A Taste of Honey. New York: Grove Press.