Global Climate Change and Climate Protection

From September 6 to 10, 1997, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) held a Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign – U.S. workshop in Atlanta, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The City of Atlanta, The Climate Institute, and The Turner Foundation. ICLEI is the international environmental agency for local governments. It believes from concrete experience that local actions can have a global impact. ICLEI was established in 1990 through a partnership of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA), and the Center for Innovative Diplomacy. ICLEI's World Secretariat is in Toronto. ICLEI also has offices in Freiburg, Tokyo, Harare, Santiago, and Berkeley. ICLEI's purpose and mission are to: 1) serve as an international clearinghouse on sustainable development and environmental protection policies, programs, and techniques being implemented at the local level by local institutions; 2) initiate joint projects or campaigns among groups of local governments to research and develop new approaches to address pressing environmental and development problems; 3) organize training programs and publish reports and technical manuals on state of the art environmental management practices; and 4) serve as an advocate for local government before national and international governments, agencies, and organizations to increase their understanding and support of local environmental protection and sustainable development activities. By ICLEI's 10th anniversary in the year 2000, ICLEI aims to establish a global system to achieve, measure, and report on tangible improvements in the global environment through the cumulative local performance improvements of ICLEI's member municipalities. ICLEI members include more than 265 local governments of all sizes from around the world from 50 countries, all of whom share a common purpose: to take a leadership role in identifying and implementing innovative environmental management practices at the local level. ICLEI's CCP campaign started in 1990 and consists of about 200 cities from Abu Dhabi to West Hollywood. The cities that sign on to the CCP campaign commit to: 1) estimate their 1990 carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent (CO2e) emissions, 2) develop a CCP plan to reduce their CO2e emissions by 20 percent of their 1990 emissions by the year 2020, 3) demonstrate progress towards reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, and 4) update and implement their plan. Others are becoming involved in the CCP campaign. On September 19, 1997, Ted Turner of Turner Communications announced he would contribute $1,000,000,000 to the United Nations to address the issue of global climate change. On October 6, 1997, President Clinton held a White House Summit on Global Warming to help develop U.S. policy for the planning meetings in Bonn on October 20, 1997, and for the International Meeting on Global Climate Change to be held in Kyoto in December, 1997. Climate change is now recognized as a serious global issue by thousands of environmental professionals, atmospheric scientists, government officials, medical doctors, and health and property insurance companies. Climate change is serious because its adverse human health and physical effects, if unabated, will have vast and undesirable social, economic and political impacts. Ross Gelspan, prize-winning author of The Heat Is On: The High Stakes Battle Over Earth's Threatened Climate (1997. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., New York) was the featured dinner speaker at the CCP workshop. Cause and Effects of Industrialized Climate Change Because of industrialization, the earth's surface and atmosphere is heating up to our peril as a species. The key issues in global climate change are expanding industrialization which burns carbon fuels in power plants and internal combustion vehicle engines to generate greenhouse gases beyond the capacity of the oceans and the biosphere to absorb the excess gases. These excess gases capture heat from the sun and cause global warming, increase air pollution, induce glacial and iceberg melting, sea level rising, unstable and more extreme and long-lived weather conditions, and shifting, prolonging and intensifying floods, droughts, hurricanes and El Nià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½o episodes. These effects lead to increases in respiratory diseases, habitat alterations, destruction of forests and wetlands, agricultural shifts, coastal erosion and flooding, societal dislocations and unrest, and perhaps, the demise of democracy as governments become more authoritarian to combat the emergencies induced by climate change. What lies ahead if the developed world cannot reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and the developing world seeks to industrialize and increase its greenhouse gas emissions? Greenhouse Gases, Their Properties, Sources and Emission Rates The major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halocarbon and related compounds (fluorocarbons CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113; hydrocholorofluorocarbons HCFC-22; hydrofluorocarbons HFCs; perfluorocarbons PFCs; and sulfur hexafluoride SF6), and the criteria pollutants — carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and non-CH4 volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) [U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration (EIA). October 1997. Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1996 DOE/EIADOE/EIA-0573 (96). Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting, Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia or http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/frntend.html]. CO2 has a carbon equivalency of 0.273, CH4 has a higher carbon equivalency of 5.73, and N2O has an even higher carbon equivalency of 83.2. This means that CH4 has about 21 times the warming effect of CO2 and N2O has about 305 times the warming effect of CO2. SF6 has a very h igh global warming potential (GWP) of 23,900 times the effects of CO2. The currently estimated 1996 U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions are about 1,753 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, or an increase of 8.3 percent over 1990 (EIA 1997). About 98.5 percent of U.S. human-made or anthropogenic CO2 emissions are caused by the combustion of fossil fuels to provide energy; U.S. anthropogenic CH4 emissions are due primarily to production and transportation of coal, natural gas and oil; anaerobic decomposition of municipal waste in landfills and raising livestock. N2O emissions are primarily from agricultural soils associated with fertilizer use, industrial process emissions, and emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Carbon dioxide. CO2 emissions are by far the largest percentage of greenhouse gas. Caused primarily by the combustion of fossil fuels to provide energy from energy plants and internal combustion engines, anthropogenic CO2 emissions are also produced by forest, agricultural, and other fires. At 1,496 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, about 85.3 percent of the currently estimated 1996 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are as CO2, based on GWP, or an increase of 8.8 percent over 1990 (EIA 1997). Methane. CH4 emissions are dwarfed by CO2 emissions (a ratio of 1 ton of CH4 for every 175 tons of CO2). Because the heat-trapping capacity of CH4 is about 21 times that of CO2, the overall effect of CH4 on global climate is significant. There is, however, substantial uncertainty in estimates of emissions from most U.S. CH4 sources, ranging from 25 percent to as high as several hundred percent. CH4 emission trends from each source tend to be more reliable than their overall estimated magnitude. At 177 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, about 10.0 percent of the currently estimated 1996 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are as CH4, based on GWP, or a decrease of 2.2 percent over 1990. Nitrous oxide. Compared to CO2 or CH4, N2O is released in small quantities from anthropogenic sources; however, N2O's 100 – year global warming potential (GWP) of 305 makes it a significant contributor to atmospheric warming. Although there are many known natural and anthropogenic sources, N2O emissions have been difficult to quantify on a global scale because it has been one of the least-studied greenhouse gases. The largest source of anthropogenic N2O emissions is energy use, which includes mobile source combustion from passenger cars, buses, motorcycles, and trucks, and stationary source combustion from residential, industrial, and electric utility energy use. The second-largest source of N2O emissions is agriculture, primarily fertilizer application and a small amount released from the burning of crop residues. However, there is substantial uncertainty and debate regarding the emissions implications of use of N-based fertilizers. Models used for estimation are based on limited sources of experimental data. Another important source of N2O emissions is industrial production of adipic acid and nitric acid. At 38 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, about 2.2 percent of the currently estimated 1996 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are as N2O, based on GWP, or no net change over 1990. Halocarbon and Related Compounds. CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, PFCs and other compounds that act as greenhouse gases are emitted from their use as refrigerants in cooling equipment, as solvents, or as blowing agents, or from fugitive emissions from industrial processes; these halocarbon compounds are being phased out under pollution prevention measures because they damage the stratospheric ozone layer. The best known class of synthetic greenhouse chemicals are the CFCs, particularly CFC-12 (trade name Freon -12). CFCs have many desirable features: they are relatively simple to manufacture, inert, nontoxic, and nonflammable. Because CFCs are chemically stable, they remain in the atmosphere for hundreds or thousands of years. These synthetic molecules absorb reflected infrared radiation at wavelengths that would otherwise be largely unabsorbed, and they are potent greenhouse gases, with a direct radiative forcing effect hundreds or thousands of times greater than that of CO2. Though molecule for molecule, CFCs absorb many hundreds of times more infrared radiation than carbon dioxide, their net warming effect is reduced because of their effect on ozone. Ozone (O3), beneficial in the stratosphere for its ability to absorb harmful ultraviolet radiation, is also a potent greenhouse gas. While the direct effect of CFCs is a warming potential far greater than that of CO2, their indirect effect on ozone reduces their net radiative forcing effects by half. SF6 is used as an insulator for circuit breakers switchgear and other electrical equipment; it also occurs as a fugitive emission from certain semiconductor manufacturing processes. At 42 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, about 2.4 percent of the curr ently estimated 1996 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are as HFCs, PFCs and SF6, based on GWP, or an increase of 68 percent over 1990. Criteria Pollutants. CO, NOx, and NMVOCs are reactive gases, which usually decay quickly in the atmosphere. Most CO emissions result from incomplete oxidation during combustion of fuels used for transportation. NOx emissions are related to air-fuel mixes and combustion temperatures during the burning of fuels evenly split between transportation and stationary sources. NMVOCs are a main component in the chemical and physical atmospheric reactions that form ozone and other photochemical oxidants. About half of the NMVOC emissions come from solvent-related industrial processes and most of the remaining emissions are from combustion of transportation fuels. Climate Protection Strategies The remedial strategies all have unintended consequences. These strategies are 1) greenhouse gas source reduction (Gelspan, 1997; ICLEI, September 1997, web page at http://www.iclei.org); 2) ocean modification to absorb more greenhouse gases (Joos, F., J.L. Sarmiento and U. Siegenthaler. 1991. Estimates of the effect of Southern Ocean iron fertilization on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Nature, Vol. 349, No. 6312, p. 772-774); and 3) forest, wetland, and agricultural practices to sequester more gaseous CO2 (Hodges, Carl N., T. Lewis Thompson, James L. Riley and Edward P. Glenn. November 1993. Reversing the Flow: Water and Nutrients from the Sea to the Land. Ambio, A Journal of the Human Environment, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Vol. 22, No. 7, p. 483-496). The most likely success strategy is greenhouse gas source reduction. Greenhouse gas source reduction activities include: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Replace greenhouse gas generating activities such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas burning power plants with non-CO2 emitting power plants like nuclear, solar, wind, wave, hydraulic, and geothermal. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Reduce the amount of paper and other carbon-rich discards that go to landfills, which generate CH4 by source reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting and/or mulching of organic discards. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Control industrial plant greenhouse gas emissions. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Prevent and control forest and agricultural fires that generate CO2. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Replace internal combustion vehicle, tools, and power sources with electrical, compressed natural gas , and hydrogen sources. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Recover greenhouse gases, such as from landfills, for reuse and treatment prior to release to the atmosphere. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Improve the greenhouse gas sequestering mechanisms of the vegetative cover by restoring and enhancing landscape trees, forests, wetlands, gardens, and agricultural practices. Do we have a reason to be optimistic? We have reason to be cautiously optimistic about climate protection. Human history is full of examples where we learned from our mistakes, misfortunes, or undesirable trends. The agricultural revolution of the 18th century, the discovery of bacteria in the 19th, and the invention of vaccines in the 20th are some of the examples of what humanity can achieve when challenged with a seemingly unsolvable problem. True, we must overcome several hurdles, the resistance of political and profit-centered structures which have short-term benefits in an economy based on carbon fuels. But these barriers can be overcome in the 21st century through education and promotion, successful cases, and the inherently superior economics of a sustainable and renewable energy and resource based society. We will need political leadership at all levels to make it happen.

Weighted Average Cost of Capital and Midland Energy

Executive Summary: Midland Energy Resources, Inc. is a global energy company with a broad array of products and services. The company operates within three different operations including oil and gas exploration and production (E&P), refining and marketing (R&M), and petrochemicals. Midland has proven to be a very profitable company, with reported operating revenue of $248. 5 billion and operating income of $42. 2 billion. The company has been in business for over 120 years and employed more than 80,000 individuals.Janet Mortensen, the senior vice president of project finance for Midland Energy Resources, has been asked to calculate the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) for the company as a whole, as well as each of its three divisions as part of an annual budgeting process. Midland’s Three Divisions: Exploration & Production Oil exploration and production (E&P) is Midland’s most profitable business, and its net margin over the previous five years was among the hig hest in the industry.With oil prices at historic highs in early 2007, Midland anticipated heavy investment in acquisitions of promising properties, in development of its proved undeveloped reserves, and in expanding production. They also needed to account for competition from areas such as the Middle East, Central Asia, Russia, and West Africa. Refining and Marketing Midland had ownership interests in forty refineries around the world with distillation capacity of five million barrels a day. Measured by revenue, this side of the business was Midland’s largest. The relatively small margin was consistent with a long-term trend in the industry.Margins had declined steadily over the previous twenty years. Petrochemicals Petrochemicals is Midland’s smallest but most promising and undervalued division. Midland owned twenty-five manufacturing facilities and five research centers in eight countries around the world. Capital spending in petrochemicals was expected to grow in th e near term. [Midland Energy Case Analysis] Managerial Finance 1 In order to find the cost of capital for Midland Energy Resources and each of the three divisions within the company, we will need to use the formula or weighted average cost of capital (WACC) which is: ( )( rd= Cost of debt re= Cost of equity D= Market value of debt E= Market value of equity V= D+E= Value of the company (or division) T= Tax rate First, we can calculate â€Å"rd† for each division as it is outlined in the case by adding a premium/spread over US Treasury securities of a similar maturity. In other words: ( The two tables in the case are as follows: Table 1 Business Segment Consolidated E&P R&M Petrochemicals Credit Rating A+ A+ BBB AATable 2 Maturity 1-Year 10-Year 30-Year Rate 4. 54% 4. 66% 4. 8% Debt/Value 42. 2% 46. 0% 31. 0% 40. 0% Spread to Treasury 1. 62% 1. 60% 1. 80% 1. 35% ) ) ( ) *For my calculation, I used the 30-year maturity for E&P, R&M, and Midland as a whole as they take on longer term projects. I used the 1-year for petrochemicals as they tend to take on short term projects. [Midland Energy Case Analysis] Managerial Finance 2 Calculations are as follows: rd for Exploration & Production: rd for Refining & Marketing: rd for Petrochemicals: rd for Midland: Second, we need to calculate â€Å"re† for the three divisions as well as Midland as a whole.To find â€Å"re†, we will use the CAPM model outlined in the case: ( ) In order to solve this equation, we need to find beta for the three divisions. The case already outlines Midland’s overall beta at 1. 25. However, the case does not state the beta for the three divisions. We can calculate this using beta for publicly traded companied outlined in the case. Using the following formula, as well as exhibit 5 in the case, we can calculate beta for the three divisions: * ( ) ( )+ [Midland Energy Case Analysis] Managerial Finance 3 Exhibit 5(from case) Exploration & Production: Jackson Energy, Inc.Wi de Plain Petroleum Corsicana Energy Corp Worthington Petroleum Average Refining & Marketing: Bexar Energy, Inc. Kirk Corp. White Point Energy Petrarch Fuel Services Arkana Petroleum Corp. Beaumont Energy, Inc. Dameron Fuel Services Average Midland Energy Resources Equity Market Value 57,931 46,089 42,263 27,591 Net Debt 6,480 39,375 6,442 13,098 D/E 11. 20% 85. 40% 15. 20% 47. 50% 39. 80% Equity Beta 0. 89 1. 21 1. 11 1. 39 1. 15 LTM Revenue 18,512 17,827 14,505 12,820 LTM Earnings 4,981 8,495 4,467 3,506 60,356 15,567 9,204 2,460 18,363 32,662 48,796 6,200 3,017 1,925 -296 5,931 6,743 24,525 0. 30% 19. 40% 20. 90% 12. 00% 32. 30% 20. 60% 50. 30% 20. 30% 1. 7 0. 94 1. 78 0. 24 1. 25 1. 04 1. 42 1. 2 160,708 67,751 31,682 18,874 49,117 59,989 58,750 9,560 1,713 1,402 112 3,353 1,467 4,646 134,114 79,508 59. 30% 1. 25 251,003 18,888 Again the calculation to find Asset ? is: * Equity ? for Midland= 1. 25 ( ) ( )+ Equity ? for E&P= 0. 93*[1+ (1-39. 73%)*85. 19%] =1. 41 Equity? for R&M= 1. 05*[1+ (1-39. 73%)*44. 93%] = 1. 33 *85. 19% and 44. 93% come from Exhibit 1 in the case In order to get Equity ? for Petrochemicals, we will need to take a weighted average of the three divisions.The equation would be as follows: (w1, w2, w3 are based on the total assets of a division divided by Midland’s total assets). To find this, we will use the numbers from Exhibit 3 in the case: [Midland Energy Case Analysis] Managerial Finance 4 2004 E&P 76,866 R&M 60,688 Petro 19,943 Midland 157,497 2005 125,042 2006 140,100 Avg 114,002. 67 91,629 93,829 82,048. 67 28,000 28,450 25,464. 33 244,671 262,378 221,515. 33 Calculation for w1-3: W1= 114,002. 67/221,515. 33= 0. 51 W2= 82,048. 67/221525. 33= 0. 37 W3= 25,464. 33/221,515. 33= 0. 2 Now we can use the formula from before to find the ? for Petrochemicals: Lastly, we need to find EMRP to find â€Å"re† for Midland and the three divisions. We can find our EMRP number by looking at exhibit 6 in the case: Period 1987-2006 1 967-2006 1926-2006 1900-2006 1872-2006 1798-2006 Average excess return US Equities – T-Bonds 6. 4% 4. 8% 7. 1% 6. 8% 5. 9% 5. 1% Standard Error 3. 7% 2. 6% 2. 2% 1. 9% 1. 6% 1. 2% I will choose to use the average return from the time period of 1798-2006. That is the longest sample size in regards to time, as well as having the lowest standard of error.I will round down to 5% for ease of calculation: [Midland Energy Case Analysis] Managerial Finance 5 ( â€Å"re† for Midland= 4. 98%+5%*1. 25= 11. 23% â€Å"re† for E&P= 4. 98%+5%*1. 41= 12. 03% â€Å"re† for R&M= 4. 98%+5%*1. 33= 11. 63% â€Å"re† for Petrochemicals= 4. 54%+5%*0. 32= 6. 14% ) With this information, we are able to finally calculate the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) for Midland and the 3 divisions of the company. The formula and calculations are as follows: ( )( ) ( ) *D/V are provided in Table 1 for Midland, E&P, R&M, and Petrochemicals. They are 42. 2%, 46. %, 31. 0%, 40. 0 % respectively. WACC-cost of capital we need: WACC for E&P: ( =8. 32% WACC for R&M: ( =9. 29% WACC for Petrochemicals: ( =5. 10% WACC for Midland: ( =9. 17% [Midland Energy Case Analysis] Managerial Finance 6 ) ) ) ) The cost of capital (as shown above) will differ for the three divisions because the business operates in different industries. By being in different industries, the companies have different risk exposure and betas, while also having different credit ratings. All of these components will affect a company’s cost of capital differently.Further Analysis: Mortensen’s estimates were used for many things including performance assessments, mergers and acquisition proposals, stock repurchases, asset appraisals, and financial accounting. As stated in the case, cost of capital is a very important component in WACC calculations. These calculations were being used to evaluate at a divisional level as well as at a corporate level as a whole. In my calculations for the case, I solved for both levels. In regards to Midland’s corporate WACC, Mortensen computed the cost of debt for each division by adding a premium (or â€Å"spread†) over U.S. Treasury securities with an appropriate maturity depending on the division. For Exploration and Production (E&P), Refining and Marketing (R&M), as well as Midland as a corporation, Mortensen used a 30 year maturity TBond assumption as those divisions tended to focus on longer term projects. She decided on a 1 year T-Bond maturity assumption for Petrochemicals as they tended to focus on shorter term projects. Another assumption was that the tax rate (39. 73%) remained constant throughout the case as well as an EMRP of 5%.The EMRP was based on exhibit 6 of the case which examined TBonds during a certain period of time and with a certain standard of error. With a very low standard of error (based on the chart) and advisors, bankers, and investors covering the industry agreeing with 5% as an estimate, I believe the estimate to be appropriate. Analysts on the industry, bankers, and investors tend to have a broader look on companies within an industry as a whole. Lastly, Midland should not use a single corporate hurdle rate for evaluating investment opportunities in all of its divisions because each division is different.Midland is too large of a corporation, with different divisions, each containing its own unique set of risks. Due to the fact that the risk for each division will be different, I believe the corporate hurdle rates for those divisions should also be different to reflect a more accurate corporate assessment. I believe Mortensen did a great job with the information she was presented with in the case and I believe Midland Energy will continue to be a prominent company within the industry. [Midland Energy Case Analysis] Managerial Finance 7

The Human Brain and Philosophy

As early as the 70s science had established right brain superiority at performing visual and spatial tasks, such as drawing three-dimensional shapes, and left brain specialization for language, speech, and problem solving. (Gazzaniga,1996). By 2005, Gazzaniga said scientific research has proved that the brain could insists on created belief. He said research findings tend to show that the left-hemisphere interpreter is not only a master of belief creation, but it will stick to its belief system no matter what.In this context the scientist in effect is also warning us that the brain could serve to make humans slaves of their philosophical or religious belief: Any time our left brain is confronted with information that does not jibe with our self-image, knowledge, or conceptual framework, our left-hemisphere interpreter creates a belief to enable all incoming information to make sense and mesh with our ongoing idea of our self. The interpreter seeks patterns, order, and causal relation ships. (Gazzaniga, 2005).The implications for religion and philosophy are tremendous, but more striking with recent findings is that ancient philosophers without the aid of neuro-cognitive science research have long before seen some semblance of similarity with what science now is uncovering. Philosophy of the rationalist schools of thought expounded extensively on how we can perceive truths: through experience or by reason, and/or a combination of both. (Empiricism, Rationalism, or a mix of both thinking. ) The dialogue ranged from the point that reason determines knowledge to the extreme position that reason is the unique path to knowledge.Brain and Philosophy 2 But going even further back to ancient philosophy, Socrates expounded long ago on the Greek belief that the soul had an irrational and a rational side, and that the ideal would be to develop the rational dominating the irrational. The Platonic dictum of know thyself, is in effect the rational mastering the modern brain to mean man's full potential. Descartes later also upheld reason and the scientific method, asserting that such empirical experiences such as dreams (among the experiential but unreliable illusionary reality) cannot determine reality.Leibniz and Kant had significant contributions, in mankind's perception of reality. In trying to make sense of the many opinions on reality and experience, Leibniz at one point argued that the universal reality is the best that the Creator can make out of the universe—a case or sort of optimization — explanation that seemed to have tried to make sense out of the rational and empirical explanations of what the mind perceives as chaotic. Philosophy tries to make sense out of everything, using argument or reason — and experience, but as Socrates seemed to have proved long ago, we always ended up in the inquiry where we began.Ultimately what common source all these arguments come from is clearly the brain itself, whose physiology and funct ions are magnificently being unraveled by science. Ironically Gazzaniga seemed to be also warning us that what inhibits the unraveling is right there in our brains too, in the left hemisphere which resists the inconvenience of new findings that challenge our long held beliefs. . If we shall let the full flowering of the rational to proceed, as Plato and Socrates had long espoused, it looks like we're the better for it. This unites the end of philosophy with what our scientists are trying to help us find out.(2005) Brain and Philosophy 3 References 1 Gazzanga,M. â€Å"Whole Brain Interpreter†: Science News, February 24, 1996. Retrieved October 15, 2008 http://pegasus. cc. ucf. edu/~fle/gazzaniga. html 2 Gazzanga,M. The Ethical Brain by Michael Gazzaniga . (Chicago. : Dana Press 2005) ,145-55. Retrieved October 15,2008 from http://www. press. uchicago. edu/Misc/Chicago/1932594019. html 3. Definitions of rationalism and empiricism used the Stanford encyclopedia Retrieved October 15,2008 http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/rationalism-emp

Is the pessimistic views of nick sons justified Essay

Is the pessimistic views of nick sons justified - Essay Example The root of this issue centres from, among others, widespread problems inherent in the recruitment of workers in the industries. Existing HRM gaps within the industry have caused a myriad of human resource problems that have ultimately resulted in negative outcomes in labour turnover. Widespread labour problems in the industries is hugely attributable to issues such as poor working and pay conditions, which have long been considered as reasonable, but are now emerging as poor and impractical. The industries typically serve customers who take time out for recreation, which is often spent in travel, lodging, cruises, and amusement parks. In order to serve their customers’ needs effectively, these industries need to maintain a high level of variety of employees, from maintenance staff to customer service representatives. In addition, both industries require massive numbers of employees (Nickson 2013, p. 81). However, the reality of the industries reveals that the industriesâ€⠄¢ labour relations are not up to standard. Compared to other industries, a dwindling number of employees in the tourism and hospitality industries express the desire to continue working for their present employers. The causes of extensive labour turnover in the industries range from insufficient employee supervision and employees having inadequate responsibilities to the repetitiveness of most jobs. This speaks to extensive inefficiencies in the industries’ HRM, which have not only resulted in poor employee engagement, but widespread gaps in labour-related issues within the two industries (Nickson 2013, p. 6). For instance, in an endeavour to streamline their processes, most tourism and hospitality businesses hire additional employees, including seasonal staff, to ensure that each employee concentrates extensively on a single, minute task and executes it within minimal mistakes. Although this HRM strategy may prove effective in enhancing diverse aspects of the services provi ded by the industries’ employees it also enhances employee disengagement in their work. Employees typically require the opportunity to start at the bottom and climb the corporate ladder while also gaining experience. Therefore, repetitiveness is a major demoraliser. A lot is required from businesses in the tourism and hospitality industries to retain their employees. However, their HRM strategies are inefficient, and this contributes significantly to the industries’ unique issue with turnover. However, to be fair, the high labour turnover is not necessarily indicative of a problem with organisational strategies if this is the typical system in which the business operates. Nonetheless, labour turnover becomes a major problem when HR managers are constantly obligated to, without prior notice, rehire and train new employees for positions that the business deemed would be held for the long-term (Nickson 2013, p. 67). This is the problem that typifies the vast majority of t ourism and hospitality businesses. High labour turnover is particularly problematic in developed economies such as the UK where employees are able to acquire alternative employment when dissatisfied by the HR strategies of their present employers. Low pay The tourism and hospitality industries are some of the most successful and highly profitable industries in the economy. This would typically imply that the industries’ employees are highly paid in light of the high profit margins

Bankruptcy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Bankruptcy - Research Paper Example At times, due to poor planning or other reasons, debtors are unable to plan their financial transactions well, leading to an inability to honor their credits.Such insolvency or an inability to repay the creditors is known as â€Å"bankruptcy† (Newton 134). It is for times like these that bankruptcy laws have been instituted. Since the nineteenth century, bankruptcy laws have been continually formulated and improved with an insight not to discourage entrepreneurship in the region. There were three brief periods in which federal bankruptcy laws were implemented in the United States. The first bankruptcy law was enacted in the 1800 called the â€Å"Bankruptcy Act of 1800† which was aimed to handle the situation of involuntary bankruptcy of traders (Hansen). During this period, the request for bankruptcy could be initiated by the creditor. This law was modeled after the English bankruptcy law. This law was abused by several debtors calling for â€Å"friendly† credito r initiations. Thus this law was repealed in 1803 (Skeel). After a long gap since 1803, the next bankruptcy law was passed in 1841 titled â€Å"Bankruptcy Act of 1841†. In the meanwhile, states were following their own bankruptcy systems without the presence of a formal federal law. This act allowed the debtors to voluntarily file for bankruptcy and receive discharge of debt. Following this law, debtors continually opted for discharge of debt and the creditors were faced with immense problems. Therefore this law was also repealed within two years in 1843 (Skeel) on accounts of being abused and being oppressive for the creditors. It is important to notice that laws pertaining to debtor-creditor settlements have been important and their formulation has been exceptionally problematic. If lenient laws were inculcated in the favor of debtors like the Bankruptcy Act of 1841, it posed risks and threats to the creditors and would have eventually led into the decrease of credit and ul timately affected commerce industry and economy. On the other hand, if too strict laws were enacted as were previously done – imprisonment to coerce payment of debt – it would discourage entrepreneurial ventures and experimentation on behalf of existing businesspeople. This means that failures which were converted into huge successes gradually would never have survived the law system (Hansen). Thus striking the balance between the debtor and creditor rights without discouraging either has evolved over a century of deliberations. After the Bankruptcy Act of 1841 which was repealed in 1843, the country was distraught with the occurrence of the American Civil War of 1861. The northern ‘union’ and the southern ‘confederate states of America’ fought a bloody combat for four years which left most of the Southern America and their infrastructure destroyed (McPherson). The financial distress caused by the Civil War fueled the demand for the formulatio n of another bankruptcy law. The next bankruptcy law was enacted in 1867 immediately after the end of the Civil War. The law was titled â€Å"Bankruptcy Act of 1867†. This law was longer lived than the previous laws but was nevertheless repealed in 1878 after 11 years of amendments and replacements. Bankruptcy Act of 1867 was more detailed and covered several situations. For the first time it was allowed voluntary bankruptcies for all individuals and not only traders and merchants

Teamwork and Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Teamwork and Motivation - Essay Example Innovation and increased productivity are possible if employees are trained and educationally motivated. Continuous learning and employee training should be planned by the organization through their tenure at some regular interval of time. This not only results to higher motivation but also lower turnover. Training also prepares employees to assume more control over their jobs and less supervision, thus building better employee loyalty, satisfaction, and motivation.In the motivation plan, continuous evaluation in a specific cycle should be a must do for the primary aim of measuring progress and determining needs for improvements. This will entail measurement of attitudes, morale, and workforce motivation to determine ways in which the design and implementation of the plan at least once for a year (Deming, 2013).A true competitive advantage for an organization is achieved through well trained and motivated human resource co-ordinating their efforts and energy vitally for the entityâ⠂¬â„¢s goals of accelerating performance, lowering turnover and increasing productivity.In supporting the elements the two-factor theory (Hygiene-theory) by Fredrick Herzberg can be used in order to understand the factors influencing peoples' attitudes and work. According to this theory, satisfaction is caused by (satisfiers) factors related to work itself, achievement, recognition, and responsibility. He argues that motivation is an inner force driving individuals to personal and organizational goal attainment.

Representation of Women in Charles Dickens Great expectations Essay

Representation of Women in Charles Dickens Great expectations - Essay Example The women who influence Pip are not good role models for him and others around them. They have set standards for him that are unattainable and lead to an empty, unfulfilled life. Charles Dickens represents the majority of the women in Great Expectations as cruel, hard and domineering. Pip, a young boy living in the marsh country in South East England, has never had a mother figure to nurture or guide him. His formidable sister raises him ‘by hand’; Mrs. Joe Gargery who is a dominating force in both Joe and Pip’s lives (Dickens 7). Pip had the general impression that she must have forced Joe to marry him by hand (Dickens 7). Mrs. Joe is represented as being a cold and cruel woman who threatens Pip and Joe with her cane that she has nicknamed the tickler. Mrs. Joe is unhappy as the blacksmith’s wife construed to illustrate the notion that women in the Victorian era assumed the social status of their husbands. She is resentful of this and longs for more an emo tion that is captured in her statement â€Å"Perhaps if I warn’t a blacksmith’s wife, and (what’s the same thing) a slave with her apron never off, I should have been able to hear the carols’ (Dickens 20). Perhaps her resentment, for her present social status, is the reason for her attitude towards her husband and her brother. Her constant abuse towards him and unhappiness in her station greatly influences Pip. Mrs. Joe is brutally attacked by an unknown attacker, and this attack eventually leads to her demise. This brutality and justice are representative of Charles Dickens’s portrayal of women in Great Expectations. Ms. Havisham is another authority figure in Pip’s life, also meets her demise in a brutal way, but unlike Mrs. Joe, she dies after being caught in what appears to be a fire she started herself. Each death is punishably slow which can be construed to mean that Dickens meant to illustrate the atonement of their cruelty and evil deeds in life. Ms. Havisham is a scorned woman living in a decaying moldy house, and she could still be suffering from the shock of her fiance leaving her on her their wedding day. This left her with everything in its original place, including the time on the clocks, which is a good illustration of her denial and refusal to accept what had happened to her. Her denial and difficulty in accepting her position is echoed by Mrs. Joe who metes out her frustrations on her husband and brother. The generational inheritance of unattainable goals in life from their mother’s makes the Victorian era woman a dissent and unsatisfied woman. The pain in their lives is compensated for by their hard stance in life, cold and cruel behavior and attitudes towards people around their lives. Ms. Havisham’s rejection by her fiance leaves her mentally unstable and terrorizing her adopted daughter, Estelle and Pip. On Pip’s first encounter, he saw that everything within his environment, which used to be white long ago, had lost its luster, and was faded and yellow. He saw that the bride within the bridal dress had withered like the dress and the flowers, and had no luster left, but the brightness of her sunken eyes. Pip saw that â€Å"the dress had been put upon the rounded figure of a young woman and that the figure upon which it now hung loose, had shrunk to skin and bone† (Dickens 52). Ms. Havisham and Mrs. Joe are represented as domineering forces in the lives of people close to them, which brings a lot of pain and suffering to these individuals. Ms.

Marketing strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing strategies - Essay Example This paper applies different marketing concepts and strategies to analyze Starbucks Cafà ©. Starbucks Cafà © is a world leading retailer in specialty coffee drinks with over 15,000 stores across 43 countries (Annual Report: Starbucks, 2007). Last year the company total global amounted to $10.31 billion (Yahoo, 2008). The company follows two major marketing philosophies which are the customer concept and the societal marketing concept. The application of the customer concept at Starbucks is achieved through the company vision of providing the best customer service in the industry. At Starbucks customer service is not just a business function it is integrated into the corporate culture. This company whose core business is selling quality coffee beverages has become a global icon of popular culture in the United States and worldwide. At Starbucks coffee is not just a drink, it is a complete experience. People go to Starbucks because it offers an eccentric comfortable atmosphere that is created by the company’s partners (employees). Starbucks offers a variety of the best tasting top quality coffees in the world. The clients are enticed to stay around the stores and hangout to enjoy some of the company’s other products and services such as coffee merchandise, fresh foods, consumer and entertainment products which include high speed wireless internet access (Starbucks). In 2006 Starbucks was ranked number ten in customer service in the world by BusinessWeek for their friendliness, knowledge and availability (Businessweek, 2007). Customer service is a strategy that is integrated in the entire supply chain. At Starbucks the customer service philosophy starts with the coffee farmers & makers and its suppliers of materials. Starbucks builds close relationships of mutual benefit with its suppliers to ensure the company obtains the possible price and on time delivery. The

Case report for Harvard Business School Case and solutions to problems Essay

Case report for Harvard Business School Case and solutions to problems in the case - Essay Example At times, there are different other factors apart from these budgeting methods, which should also be kept in mind while making decision. Because when we talk about investment there are two major components; return and risk. The budgeting method used in the cases will help the decision maker in critically analyzing all the available alternatives and choosing the best among them, so that they can achieve profitable cash flows in future. Investment is defined as present commitment of dollar for a specific tenure in order to generate future stream of cash flows which will be greater than current dollar amount1. The investor can be an individual, an organization, a government or a pension fund. In addition to this, investor expects a rate of return on the investment as compensation for the time for which they have made investment2. However, there might be some deviation from expected rate of return from certain investments and such deviation is known as investment risk. Therefore, where there is investment there is return and risk. Investment can be of two types; financial investment and economic investment. A financial investment refers to commitments in terms of monetary terms in order to generate better future cash flows which can be in a form of interest, premium, dividend etc. However, economic investment refers to making fund commitment which will result in increase of capital stock which includes goods and services. Furthermore, investors are looking for investment opportunities that will increase the current pool of funds in future. Hence, investment analysis refers to finding and opting for investment opportunity that will be giving highest rate of return and is having minimum risk. Thus, investors needs to evaluate all the available investment options and should come up with the best possible scenario3. Organizations encounter many investment opportunities but the main issue is opting and evaluating the options. Therefore,

Ashford University Essay Example for Free

Ashford University Essay Pornography is very addictive and can destroy someone’s marriage and life. This addiction can, and in many cases, lead to someone committing very serious sexual crimes. People who look at porn often look for more perversity in different areas. The resources from which I found my information on is the Ashford Library and a couple credible internet sites. There are several reasons why people turn to porn. Some reasons are for seeing their own fantasies acted out because they can’t act them out with their own partner / spouse, some people want to avoid intimacy within their own relationship for personal reasons, some just do it for personal pleasure. But for whatever reason, there is always a consequence that will follow. According to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 56% of divorces occur because one spouse keeps returning to a pornographic website. These men / women feel as though they are being compared to these people in the pornographic films or pictures. Whether it’s the man or the woman who is watching porn inside the marriage, in most cases, they are doing this against their spouses wishes. This leads to lack of intimacy, low self esteem, shame, and lack of trust. This also makes the spouse feel as if they are no longer found attractive. â€Å"Just ask your spouse how confident they feel being naked in front of you after you’ve looked at pornography and you’ll understand this one.† ( http://www.debttolife.com ). Many people say that they introduce porn into their marriage to spice their love life up but in the end all this does is slowly destroy the intimacy that was there. After watching pornography people’s views are completely changed. After being exposed to R-  rated material men no longer see their spouse as they once did. They look at them now more as an object rather than an individual that they love. Studies have shown (http://www.webmd.com ) that pornography can be just the same as an addiction. Some experts who have studied porn addiction have called the effects of porn on the brain toxic and also compared it to the deadly drug cocaine (WebMD, 2014). These addicts no longer just suffer from nights without sleep or unpaid credit card bills but they are also becoming more engaged in group sex and sexual contact with animals. Other effects that have surfaced from pornography include acting out what they have seen in porn material, sexual acts towards children both boys and girls, and rape using foreign materials / objects. (The Forerunner, 1991). Child pornography is a disgusting fact that we hear about every day. â€Å"Child pornography is the visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct includes acts such as intercourse, bestiality and masturbation as well as lascivious exhibition of the genitals or pubic area.† (Pulido, 2013). Recently, there were 71 people, 70 men and 1 woman, who were arrested in child pornography charges. Among that 70 included a police officer, a paramedic, a rabbi, an airline pilot, an architect, and a Boy Scout leader. Many of these people who were arrest had search the phrases â€Å"real child rape† and â€Å"family sex† into their computers search engines turning up extremely disturbing images (Hays, 2014). With so many people connected to the internet it has made this type of crime so easy. Perverts and pedophiles search the web everyday to find new victims. â€Å"The victims are getting younger, and the images more violent.†(Flack). When a picture of a child circles the internet going from one person to another, that child is being re-abused. No child should have to endear that type of suffering, never! A peer to – peer, also known as P2P, file sharing network, that allows people to share music, videos, and pictures, was under investigation by authorizes and had 3,000 child pornography consumers with tens of thousands of child pornographic images  traded. â€Å"The investigation began after agents, using software available to law enforcement, were able to trace f iles of child pornography to an I.P. address on a computer used by Brian Fanelli, 54, who until January was the police chief of Mount Pleasant, N.Y† (Berger, 2014). Another, earlier, report back in 2009, out of all the arrest made on P2P users, 33 percent of those arrested had images of children three years old and younger and 42 percent had images of children showing some type of sexual explicit material. (Pulido, 2013). Virtue Ethics is â€Å"A persons character is the totality of his character traits. Our character traits can be good, bad or somewhere in between. They can be admirable or not. The admirable character traits, the marks of perfection in character, are called virtues, their opposites are vices.†(Garrett, 2005)., I believe that this theory is a big part of someone who is willing to put everything at risk for something so degrading and disrespectful to themselves. A persons character says a lot about who that person is and what that person may be capable of doing. Not everyone has good virtue ethics and this is when one’s character and moral traits come in play. One’s character is shown through their actions an d behavior, whether this is being good or bad. One’s moral values are shown through their honesty, their loyalty, and their respect for others. As we all know pornography is very popular but it can also cause serious problems. Many people look at the disturbing images not thinking about the consequences, they are only thinking about what is happening at that moment and at that moment that’s what they want to do. I look at this issue using the deontology theory. â€Å"Rather than looking at the consequences of an act, deontology looks at the reason for which an act is done, and the rule according to which one chooses to act.† (Mosser, 2013). I take that as someone doing something on impulse rather than thinking about the consequences that they will face when they act upon their decision. If someone knew that they was going to destroy their marriage by watching porn, if someone knew that by watching porn it would make them fall behind on their bills, or  if someone knew that by watching porn they would go out and commit sexual crimes, do you think they would have continued or even started looking at these image s, I think not! REFERENCES: Berger, J. (2014, May).71 Are Accused in a Child Pornography Case, Officials Say. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/nyregion/dozens-arrested-in-new-york-state-child-pornography-investigation.html?_r=0 Dr. Garrett. (2005, Nov.) Virtue Ethcs. Retrieved from http://people.wku.edu/jan.garrett/ethics/virtthry.htm Editorial Staff. (1991, Nov.). The Documented Effect of Porn. The Forerunner, X(VI). Retrieved from http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0388_Effects_of_Pornograp.html Flack, (Date, N/A)E. Bill Calls For Harsher Penalties For Possessing Child Porn. Retrieved from http://www.wave3.com/story/4639194/bill-calls-for-harsher-penalties-for-possessing-child-porn Hays, T. (2014, May). Cop, rabbi among 71 charged in child porn case. Telegraph Herald Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1527156210?accountid=32521 Mosser, K. (2013). Ethics and social responsibility (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Pulido, Ph.D. (Oct, 201 3). Child Pornography: Basic Facts About A Horrific Crime. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-l-pulido-phd/child-pornography-basic-f_b_4094430.html

Design And Fabrication Of A Hydraulic Ram Pump Engineering Essay

Design And Fabrication Of A Hydraulic Ram Pump Engineering Essay Abstract The Design and Fabrication of a Hydraulic Ram Pump (Hydram) is undertaken. It is meant to lift water from a depth of 5 feet below the surface with no other external energy source required. The overall cost of fabrication of this hydram shows that the pump is relatively cheaper than the existing pumps. Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Historical Background: The first hydraulic ram pump was invented by John Whitehurst in England in 1772. This pump was non-self-acting. In 1796 a Frenchman, Joseph Michael Montgolfier, had added a valve, which made the device self-acting. In 1809, the first American patent was issued to J. Cerneau and S.S. Hallet .Prior to the 1840s most ram pumps in America were imported from Europe, but in 1843, H.H. Strawbridge of Louisiana put an American made model into use. Rural communities in America found the features of the pump very attractive. Articles in magazines brought further recognition and understanding of the ram and its possibilities. A detailed book on the ram, published in 1842, was in its 16th edition by 1870. In 1879, The Peoples Cyclopedia included the hydraulic ram among the 55 most important inventions in the history of mankind. It defined the hydraulic ram as: A simple and conveniently applied mechanism by which the weight of falling water can be made available for raising a portion of itself to a considerable height. Patents on the ram abounded in the 1840s and 1850s, but after 1858 none were secured until 1870 when another burst of interest saw four patents awarded in 3 years. Cost was a major factor in the growth of ram use. Not only were the machines inexpensive to buy, but they also were simple to install and were almost maintenance-free. For more than 100 years rams were major movers of water to homes, farms, industries, railroads and towns. They contributed to improved crop production, introduction of extensive landscaping and, perhaps most importantly, to health and sanitation. With the advent of electrical pumps, interest in the hydraulic rams became dormant. Ram pumps were allowed to rust in the stream until expensive parts, fossil fuel shortages, and environmental concerns brought back to the publics mind the need for a pump that is inexpensive, requires almost no repairs or maintenance is self-acting, and can raise water to a considerable height vertically. Ram pumps are again becoming increasing popular in both developing and developed countries. They are being operated successfully worldwide. 800px-Roscheiderhof-lambachpumpe Figure An early Hydraulic Ram Pump 1.2 Hydraulic Ram Pump: The hydram uses energy of falling water to lift water. There is no separate motor or mechanism that operates the pump. In real life application water is diverted from a water source and made to flow in a straight and sloping pipe, called the drive pipe. The falling action of water causes a gain in its kinetic energy. The gain in energy increases with increase in velocity of water. The hydram is located at the bottom of the drive pipe. The water flows through its main valve. When this valve closes water is brought to a sudden stop. The kinetic energy gained by water while falling down is converted to pressure energy. This is the energy which all pumps use to lift water. Some amount of the water is pushed into the delivery pipe due to this pressure and delivered where it required is. Essentially, a hydram is an automatic pumping device which utilizes a small fall of water to lift a fraction of the supply flow to a much greater height; ie it uses a larger flow of water falling through a small head to lift a small flow of water through a higher head. All hydrams need a large amount of falling water to provide the energy utilized by them. This is why they can only be used when the source is very large compared to the amount of water required to be pumped. Usually, 5 to 10% of the water from the drive pipe is pumped. The rest goes back to the main water source 1.3 Advantages and Application: The hydraulic ram pump can be used with great effectiveness in communities which are located at a higher elevation than their source of water. The hydram pump uses the power of falling water to pump a small portion of that water uphill. It requires absolutely no fuel or electricity and operate only water pressure. There are only two moving parts which are lubricated by the water itself thus making a hydram a very simple device. Hydrams can be used in many diverse situations for example for domestic purposes or irrigation The source of water supply to the hydram could be a stream, a spring, an irrigation canal, an artesian well, or even an existing gravity flow water system. In the mountainous topography, there are many places where, if a hydram were installed, much time spent hauling water could be used for other purposes. Formerly unproductive or unused land could be made suitable for cultivation and yields will be increased in existing fields. Wide scale usage can benefit many people. Because this simple pump works 24 hours per day, for many years and requires little attention, it is suitable for areas where people have little technical expertise. Because hydram installations are inexpensive and quickly installed, they are well suited for remote areas where there are extreme transportation difficulties, as well as for sparsely populated villages which often make gravity flow water supply system financially unfeasible. The ability to incorporate a hydram in an existing gravity flow water supply system has also proved very useful. 1.4 Limitations: The use of hydrams has certain constraints associated with it. These are: Hydrams can only be used in mountainous topography. Where there is enough elevation distance between the water source and the community to which water is to be supplied. Generally the place for pumps should not be more than 100 meters below the place where water must be delivered. In areas which are prone to inundation, the hydram should be located so that the waste valve (a component of the pump) is always located above flood water level, as the pump will cease to function if the waste valve becomes submerged. The hydrams pump only a small portion of the water which is supplied to them therefore the source supplying hydram with water should be much larger than the amount of water which is desired to be delivered. The water source should not be seasonal and be present year-round if continuous supply of water is desired. Although hydrams are a very cheap technology compared to the more common used electric pumps they can have a high capital cost in relation to other technologies. Hydrams are limited to small scale applications, usually up to 1kW. A willingness for system care and maintenance to be provided by the community that uses the water. Chapter 2 WORKING PRINCPLE 2.1 Water hammer. Water hammer (or, more generally, fluid hammer) is a pressure surge or wave resulting when a fluid (usually a liquid but sometimes also a gas) in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly. Water hammer commonly occurs when a valve is closed suddenly at an end of a pipeline system, and a pressure wave propagates in the pipe. If the pipe is suddenly closed at the outlet (downstream), the mass of water before the closure is still moving forward with some velocity, building up a high pressure. When a valve in a pipe is closed, the water downstream of the valve will attempt to continue flowing, creating a vacuum that may cause the pipe to collapse or implode. Here water hammer has a negative impact. Nevertheless, the same phenomenon is used to life water in a hydram There are two main Physics concepts. 2.2 Momentum and Impulse. When an object is moving at some velocity, v, it has a momentum equal to its mass times its velocity, m*v . In our system, when the waste valve closes, the velocity of the water goes quickly to zero. This change in velocity causes a change in momentum equal to m*Άv. If you divide the change in momentum, also known as impulse, by the amount of time that has elapsed during the change in momentum, you get: Impulse = m * Άv / Ά t Noting that force = m*a, impulse / time equals a force. This force is a constant that can be used to determine the amount of work that can be done on the system. 2.3 Conservation of Mechanical Energy. During any type of physical interaction, the energy of the system remains constant. The only type of energy that is applicable here is mechanical energy. Mechanical energy is defined as the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy. To find the theoretical maximum height the pump can pump to, the final mechanical energy should be all potential energy and no kinetic energy. Therefore we take the equation 1/2 * m * v2 + m * g * hi = m * g * hf Water enters through the inlet pipe and exits through the waste valve. As it moves through the waste valve it builds up speed / momentum / kinetic energy. When the water gets going fast enough, it pushes the plunger on the waste valve closed. The moment the waste valve closes, the water creates an impulse and pushes up through the one way valve and out towards its destination. Once this built up pressure is released, the one way valve closes and the waste valve opens, starting a new cycle Chapter 3 OPERATION SEQUENCE OF HYDRAM The hydraulic ram pump operates in a cycle. The time each cycle takes to complete is very less, often one second. Each cycle of the pump can be divided in four phases. These are explained as follows 3.1 Acceleration: Water enters the hydram through the drive pipe and fills the pump body and starts flowing out of the waste or impulse valve. The water flowing past this valve tries to close it. The flow accelerates. During this time the delivery or check valve remains closed and no water is entering the delivery pipe. A Drive Pipe B Impulse Valve C Delivery Valve D Air Chamber E Delivery Pipe 1 Figure 3.1 Acceleration 3.2 Compression: The velocity and pressure of the column of water exiting from the impulse valve is overcome and the impulse valve closes. This creates a high pressure, compressing the water inside the pump body. This rise in pressure is called water hammer. The effect of water hammer is to open the check valve. A Drive Pipe B Impulse Valve C Delivery Valve D Air Chamber E Delivery Pipe 2 Figure 3.2 Compression 3.3 Delivery: The water starts flowing through the check valve in the air chamber. Air trapped in the air chamber is simultaneously compressed to a pressure exceeding the delivery pressure. Once the pressure in the air chamber exceeds the static delivery head due to reexpansion, water is forced up the delivery pipe. The pressure in the pump body drops quickly to equal the pressure in the air chamber thus closing the delivery valve. A Drive Pipe B Impulse Valve C Delivery Valve D Air Chamber E Delivery Pipe 3 Figure 3.3 Delivery 3.4 Recoil: After the delivery valve has closed, a shockwave is created and causes the water to flow back up the drive pipe. This results in a drop of pressure low enough for the impulse valve to open. Flow through drive pipe starts. The air volume in the air chamber stabilizes by this point and the flow from the delivery pipe stops. A Drive Pipe B Impulse Valve C Delivery Valve D Air Chamber E Delivery Pipe 4 Figure 3.4 Recoil Chapter 4 DESIGN 4.1 Designs Design 1 Hydraulic_Ram_Pump_p04a Figure 4.1 Design 01 They tend to be made from heavy castings and have been known to function reliably for 50 years or more. However, although a number of such design is still manufactured in Europe and the USA in small numbers, they are relatively expensive, although generally speaking the drive-pipe, delivery pipe and civil workings will be significantly more expensive than even the heaviest types of hydram. Design 2 Capture Figure 4.2 Design 02 This design is very low in cost but the pipes in the end cost considerably more than the hydram. They are not always as reliable as previous design, but are usually acceptably reliable with failures separated by many months rather than days, and are easy to repair when they fail. Table Comparison between Designs Features Design 1 Design 2 Fabrication Difficult Medium Weight Heavy Not too much heavy Reliability Yes To some extent Fabrication cost High Low Maintenance required Yes Yes Complexity High low Weighting matrix of designs Not Important Important Table Weighting matrix of Designs Features A B C D E F TOTAL WEIGHT A 1 1 1 0 1 4 0.21 B 1 0 1 1 1 4 0.21 C 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.1 D 1 1 1 0 1 4 0.21 E 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.06 F 1 1 1 1 0 4 0.21 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=19 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=1 A- Ease of Fabrication B- Weight C- Reliable D- Fabrication cost E- Maintenance required F- Complexity Rating matrix of Design 0 Does not meet requirement 1 Meets requirement partially 2 Fully meets requirement 3 Significantly above requirement Table Rating matrix of Designs Features Weighting Design Rating I II I II A 0.21 1 3 0.21 0.63 B 0.21 1 3 0.21 0.63 C 0.1 3 1 0.3 0.1 D 0.21 2 3 0.42 0.63 E 0.06 1 1 0.06 0.06 F 0.21 1 2 0.21 0.42 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=1.41 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=2.47 A- Ease of Fabrication B- Weight C- Reliable D- Fabrication cost E- Maintenance required F- Complexity Considering fabrication, weight, cost, complexity design 2 is selected. Design 2: Capture1 4.2 Parts of Hydram Tanks Pipes Impulse and delivery valve Air chamber pump throttling valve rubber washers Pipe Elbows Pipe collar 4.2.1Tanks We will be using three tanks Supply tank Waste water tank Delivered tank Supply tank: The water that to be elevated will be supplied from the supply tank.A pipe with a throttling valve will be connected with it.this tank will be 5 feet from ground and have capacity of 10 gallons. Waste water tank: The water that comes out from the impulsive valve will go to waste water tank. Delivered tank: This tank would be at the height of 10-12 feet. The water from the delivery tank will go to the delivered tank. 4.2.2 Pipes There are two pipes Drive pipe Delivery pipe Drive pipe: The water coming from the Supply tank will flow in drive pipe. The flow in this pipe can be controlled through a valve. Delivery Pipe: The water at the delivered tank will be delivered through delivery pipe. Table Price list of different material for pipes Materials Length (Feet) 2 in. Dia Cost (Rs) 3 in. Dia Cost (Rs) PVC 13 560 900 GI (M) 20 3060 4500 GI (L) 20 2600 3250 GI (EL) 20 2350 2900 CI 6 1100 1500 Weighting matrix of pipe 0- Not Important 1- Important Table Weighting matrix of Pipe Design feature A B C D E TOTAL WEIGHT A 0 1 0 1 2 0.15 B 1 1 1 1 4 0.30 C 1 0 1 1 3 0.23 D 1 0 1 1 3 0.23 E 0 0 1 0 1 0.07 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=13 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=1 Design Factors A Weight B Friction factor C Cost D Assembling E Resistance to corrosion According to matrix friction factor, cost, assembling are important factors. Rating matrix of pipes 0 Does not meet requirement 1 Meets requirement partially 2 Fully meets requirement 3 Significantly above requirement Table Rating matrix of Pipes Design Factors Weighting Concepts Rating I II III I II III A 0.15 3 2 2 0.45 0.3 0.3 B 0.30 3 3 0 0.9 0.9 0 C 0.23 3 2 2 0.69 0.46 0.46 D 0.23 1 3 2 0.23 0.69 0.46 E 0.07 3 3 1 0.21 0.21 .07 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=2.48 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=2.56 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ=1.29 Concepts I PVC II GI (Galvanized iron) III CI (cast iron) Design Factors A Weight B Friction factor C Cost D Assembling E Resistance to corrosion According to matrix we might use PVC or galvanized iron 4.2.3 Air chamber Air chamber is to turn the intermittent flow through the delivery valve into steady, continuous flow up the delivery pipe. the air chamber provide the pump with a constant head to pump against and removes the inefficiencies associated with intermittent flow in the delivery pipe .The size of the air chamber therefore should ensure the conditions in the air vessel are little affected by the sudden inflow of water each cycle coming through the delivery valve. The volume of the air in the air chamber therefore should be at least 20 and preferably nearer 50 times the expected delivery flow per cycle .An air chamber with a volume many times that of the water entering per cycle will experience little change in condition at each delivery. Pump running to low heads with large delivery flows therefore actually require air chamber than ones pumping smaller flows to high delivery head. 4.2.4 Pump A pump will be connected with waste tank that will pump the waste water and delivers it to the supply tank so that if the water level in supply tank gets low ,the waste water will be pumped to the supply tank. 4.2.5 Throttling valve A valve will be connected with drive pipe to control the flow of water. 4.2.6 Rubber washers When the valve will close, water should not leak out from it. In order to prevent leakage rubber washer will be used. 4.2.7 Pipe elbows collars To connect different pipes we will use pipe elbow. Mostly we will use 90o elbow. We will also use welding technology if required. Price list of different elbow of different materials Materials 2 inch 90o elbow 3 inch 45o elbow 2 inch 45o elbow 3 inch 45o elbow PVC Rs.50 Rs.50 Rs.110 Rs.110 GI (M) Rs.150 Rs.170 Rs.210 Rs.260 GI (L) Rs.140 Rs.160 Rs.170 Rs.210 GI (EL) Rs.120 Rs.150 Rs.165 Rs.190 CI Rs.295 Rs.295 Rs.330 Rs.350 Table List of different elbow of different materials 4.3 Estimated Cost Estimated cost of hydram from different materials MATERIALS ESTIMATED COST (Rs.) PVC 10000 15000 GI (M) 23000 26000 GI (L) 22000 24000 GI (EL) 18000 23000 CI 16000 20000 Table Estimated cost of Hydram from different materials List of Abbreviation A1 cross sectional area of supply pipe A2 cross sectional area of delivery pipe D1 diameter of supply pipe D2 diameter of delivery pipe D Diameter of waste water inlet d Diameter of waste water outlet Dv Diameter of valve poppet F force on waste valve poppet H supply head h delivered head L1 length of supply pipe L2 length of delivery pipe à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  L Distance of waste valve poppet from the centerline of drive pipe mass flowrate in supply pipe mv mass of waste valve poppet P0 pressure on supply tank P1 pressure developed due to fall of water P2 pressure on waste valve poppet Q volume flowrate V velocity of water in supply pipe V1 velocity of water entering hydram V2 velocity of water leaving hydram power gained by falling water à Ã‚  density of water = 1000 kg/m3 g acceleration of free fall = 9.81 m/s2 ÃŽÂ ¼ viscosity of water = 1.12 x10-3 Ns/m2 ÃŽÂ ³ specific weight of water = 9810 N/m3 Abstract The Design and Fabrication of a Hydraulic Ram Pump (Hydram) is undertaken. It is meant to lift water from a depth of 5 feet below the surface with no other external energy source required. The overall cost of fabrication of this hydram shows that the pump is relatively cheaper than the existing pumps. Design Selection During the selection of deign for the hydram the following were considered Ease of Fabrication Weight Reliable Fabrication cost Maintenance required Complexity. The design was chosen giving priority to fabrication, weight, cost and complexity. The hydram will be fabricated from PVC. Chapter 5 TECHNICAL DRAWINGS Capture8 Figure 5.: 3D view of pump Capture9 Figure 5. : (a) Front view of pump Capture10 Figure 5.: Front View of Pump Capture1 Figure 5.: 3D view of waste valveCapture2 Figure .5 Front view of Waste valve Capture3 Figure 5. 3D view of Delivery Valve Capture5 Figure 5. Front view of Delivery Valve Capture6 Figure 5. 3D view of Air ChamberCapture7 Figure 5. Front View of Air Chamber Chapter 6 MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND JOINING METHODS 6.1 PVC pipes and fittings The difference between Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 PVC Pipe is the thickness of the pipe wall. Schedule 40 has a thinner wall than Schedule 80. This makes Schedule 80 PVC Pipes perfect for applications with very high water pressures. The outside diameter of the pipes is constant for different sizes and therefore they are interchangeable (provided that they meet the correct strength requirements). PVC Pipe Fittings differ similarly to PVC Pipe, except that they maintain the same inner diameter with the outer diameter differing based on the Schedule. This means that these are all interchangeable so long as they meet the requirements. Maximum Pressure Maximum operating and required minimum bursting pressures at 73oF (23oC) for PVC pipe fittings according ASTM D1785 Standard Specification for Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) Plastic Pipes Schedules 40 and 80 are indicated in the diagram and table below: pvc pipes bursting and operating pressure limits diagram Figure 6.1 Graph for the Max. Pressure PVC Nominal Pipe Size (inches) Required Minimum Burst Pressure (psi) Maximum Operating Pressure (psi) Schedule 40[1] Schedule 80[2] Schedule 40 Schedule 80 1/2 1910 2720 358 509 3/4 1540 2200 289 413 1 1440 2020 270 378 1 1/4 1180 1660 221 312 1 1/2 1060 1510 198 282 2 890 1290 166 243 2 1/2 870 1360 182 255 3 840 1200 158 225 Table 6.: Table Pipe sizes and Max. Pressure 1 psi (lb/in2) = 6,894.8 Pa (N/m2) Chemical Resistance: PVC pressure pipe and fittings are inert to attack by a wide variety of strong acids, alkalis, salt solutions, alcohols, and many other chemicals. They are dependable in corrosive applications and impart no tastes or odors to materials carried in them. They do not react with materials carried, nor act as a catalyst. Strength PVC Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 pipe and fittings are highly tough and durable products that have high-tensile and high-impact strength. They withstand high pressure for long time. Fire Resistance PVC pressure pipe and fittings are self-extinguishing, and do not support combustion.. Internal Corrosion Resistance PVC Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 pipe and fittings resist chemical attack by most acids, alkalis, salts, and organic media such as alcohols and aliphatic hydrocarbons, within certain limits of temperature and pressure. External Corrosion Resistance Industrial fumes, humidity, salt water, weather, atmospheric, or underground conditions regardless of soil type or moisture cannot harm PVC pressure pipe and fittings. Scratches or surface abrasions do not provide points which corrosive elements can attack. . Low Friction Loss The smooth interior surfaces of PVC Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 pipe and fittings assure low friction loss and high flow rate. Because PVC pipe and fittings do not rust, pit, scale, or corrode, the high flow rate continues for the life of the piping system. Low Thermal Conductivity PVC pressure pipe and fittings have a much lower thermal conductivity factor than metal pipe. This ensures that fluids maintain a more constant temperature. In most cases, pipe insulation is not required. [3] . 6.2 Joining Methods There are several techniques for the joining the pipes and fittings. Solvent cement Threaded connections Solvent cement For joining solvent cement will be used. It is simple and reliable if procedures are followed correctly. Since variables of temperature, humidity, pipe size, time, and other conditions have a significant effect on solvent cement joints, it is important to understand the principles of each step and make adjustments for actual conditions. A wide variety of solvent cements and primers are commercially available. Selection of specific type, grade and consistency of solvent cement should take into account pipe type, size, installation conditions and chemical compatibility of cement and system fluids. For best results, installation should be made at temperatures between 10 °C and 45 °C.All joint components should be inspected for any breaking, chipping, gouging or other visible damage before Threaded Connections Threading reduces the effective wall thickness of pipe, pressure ratings of the pipe are reduced to one-half that of unthreaded pipe using solvent cement welded joints. By threading different parts specially the valves can be joined. Chapter 7 CALCULATIONS The calculations for the design parameter have been done after carrying out a market survey of the components and materials available. Our aim is to achieve a delivered head of 4 meters from a fall of maximum 1.5 meters from the supply tank. The height of the supply tank has been varied to see if the desired delivery head is achieved or not. The calculations are theoretical and the situation will be different practically. The calculations only give a rough estimate of the design parameters. Trial and error will be used to start the operation of the hydram. The pre defined parameters include Diameter of drive pipe = 1 inch = 0.0254 m Diameter of delivery pipe = 0.5 inch = 0.0127 m Distance of waste valve poppet from the centerline of drive pipe = 0.1 m Diameter of waste water inlet = 2.5 inch = 0.0635 m Diameter of waste water outlet = 1.35 inch = 0.0345 m Schematic of Hydraulic Ram Pump Setup h0Delivery Tank P0 (1) L Hf <

Embodied Ideology Walpoles Expression Through Characters in Castle of

Embodied Ideology: Walpole's Expression Through Characters The description of the eighteenth century gothic as ?a confused and contradictory form, ambivalent or unsure about its own aims and implications? (Kilgour 5) is an entirely fitting one for Otranto - especially with regard to domestic and gender ideology. Valdine Clemens tells us that at the time of Otranto?s publication, ?cultural conditions [?] were highly repressive for women? (31). Women were vulnerable and defenseless, unable to exercise control in most areas of their lives. Men were allowed to control where their children went to school, where they worked, and to whom they got married ? all without any input from their mother. As well, it was much easier for a man to divorce his wife than for a woman to divorce her husband. Clemens cites Lawrence Stone to give us just such an example of the inequalities women had to suffer: [?] a Lady with numerous aristocratic connections sued for divorce from her husband, who ?had been unfaithful to her on their wedding night, had debauched all the maidservants in the house, had given his wife venereal disease, and was constantly drunk.? Her application was defeated after considerable parliamentary debate on the grounds that ?divorce by act of Parliament had traditionally been restricted to husbands, except when there were peculiarly aggravating circumstances like incest.? (34) Walpole?s novel can be seen as having a feminine bias and being subversive of these social norms. There is, however, evidence that supports a conservative ideology as well. This makes it particularly difficult to give a definitive answer to the long-debated question of whether or not Walpole was trying to be conservative or subversive of societal nor... ...ranto and subsequent revelation of authorship points to a conflicting desire to circulate and to not circulate his work at the same time. It is not improbable that Walpole was also unsure about what he wanted the implications of his novel to be. Like the incongruous and ambiguous nature of the gothic (discussed in IncongruousCorpus), Walpole himself was ?unsure about [his] own aims?, whatever his views on society were. Works Cited Clemens, Valdine. The Return of the Repressed: Gothic Horror from The Castle of Otranto to Alien. New York: SUNY P, 1999. Ellis, Kate Ferguson. The Contested Castle. Chicago: U of Illinois P, 1989. Kilgour, Maggie. The Rise of the Gothic Novel. London: Routledge, 1995. Marcie Frank. ?Horace Walpole?s Family Romances.? Modern Philology 100 (2003): 417-35. Walpole, Horace. The Castle of Otranto. New York: Oxford UP, 1996.

Adventure story :: Free Essay Writer

Long ago, there was a newly trained warrior from across the seas of Antonica, the race of the forgotten iksar being newly re-discovered had begun the life of one iksar. This neophyte warrior's name was Lyzzard. Lyzzard trained outside of his hometown killing scorpions and scaled wolf pups until he gained the level of 5. At this time he was getting bored of the creatures that inhabited the outside area of the gates of Cabilis and noticed that the road lead down into a pit. When Lyzzard decided he should go and check out this new land he had not seen before, he knew there could be some dangers in going. Though he knew, his warrior instinct dared him to ignore it. He followed the road down into what was known around the Feild of Bone as "The pit", and down there he saw that it was just as he hoped... many things to kill and fight. He fought a scaled wolf hunter and barely survived, he then decided that he needed a partner for this task of becoming a champion mightier than all other races. He found a partner in Jettlizzy the monk and Chleu the shaman which were at his level of training. After acheiving the 7th level of training, he decided to go off to explore on his own down in the pit. He walked around for what seemed like days along the walls of the pit, but he soon found out that he would have been better off waiting until he reached a higher level of training before he should have went off exploring. He walked upon some bones, which his instructor had told him about, of a dragon. He was told to be weary of the area where bones of a large creature come up from the ground with a large skull with sharp teeth lay. Lyzzard being daring as he was decided to ignore the warnings and search the area. After a few moments of arriving at the area, he found himself up against a creature that would change his life forever. This creature was a Badger looking creature known to most people as a Burnyia. Lyzzard drew his Fine Steel Two handed sword and attempted to destroy that of which had attacked him. He swung and swung with the feriousity of a warrior with nothing to lose and missed too many times.

Edgar Allan Poe?s Poetry :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once something is gone, it is extremely hard to recover. Poe proves this true in his poems, many of which are about the loss of ideal beauty. Poe often writes about this, even so much as defining poetry as â€Å"The rhythmical creation of beauty†, as stated in his writing, â€Å"The Poetic Principle†. Three poems that are specifically about the loss of ideal beauty are: â€Å"The Raven†, â€Å"Lenore† and â€Å"Annabel Lee†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"The Raven†, the speaker is trying to accept the death of his beloved, Lenore. He decides that he should move on, because it is only causing him great torment. He says this out loud, and the raven states â€Å"Nevermore†, meaning that he will never forget about her. He argues with the bird, but the bird keeps telling him, â€Å"Nevermore†. By the end of the poem, the speaker is still tormenting over Lenore, because the raven is still sitting on top of his chamber door, reminding him, not letting him move on. Lenore was an example of ideal beauty, and as shown in this poem, it was impossible to regain it after it’s death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lenore is the subject of another poem by Edgar Allan Poe, entitled â€Å"Lenore†. In this case, the speaker is basically reprimanding â€Å"Guy De Vere† for killing his bride, leaving the speaker obsessing over what was, and what is now gone. In this poem, he is told to move on, because she is dead, and he cannot help that. The speaker wishes to mourn her death in silence, and imagine her as an ideal beauty, resting beside the King of Heaven.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The final poem I will analyze is â€Å"Annabel Lee†. This poem talks about an ideal beauty he knew as a child, and she was killed unexpectedly by the angels, according to the speaker, because he was too happy, and too much in love with her. In this poem, however, he accepts her death, but claims to have beat the angels, because: â€Å"neither the angels in heaven above, nor the demons down under the sea, can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee.† This poem is different from the other two poems, because not only is it a different woman, but he psychologically accepts her death, in a way, rather then being forced to torment over it.

Van Houten

At the beginning of the novel, Hazel, the protagonist cancer patient, believes van Houten to be such a genius as only could write the book that she loves; however, this turns out to be untrue. He Is a fat, sad old man who finds his few comforts In alcohol and insulting teenagers. Hazel gets to know van Houten as a â€Å"miserable [creature] who [scours] the earth In search of something to hurt† (277) when she finds In Amsterdam. He is not only someone apparently incapable of loving, but also only capable of damaging whatever he comes in contact with.How did this happen? Van Houten was torn apart when his daughter died. This drove him to become the kind of man that he Is in the novel, but Peter van Houten â€Å"was insufferable long efore [he] lost [his daughter]† (286), meaning that his daughter's death was simply the unveiling of a man who was always a lost cause. In other words, this â€Å"grief [did] not change [van Houten]. It revealed [him]. † (286) In this way, his daughter turned him into the man he is.Though he became this sad old man through the loss of his daughter he did not completely turn sour. When, for a second, it looked as though van Houten would â€Å"leave [his bottle] on the curb,† (287) Hazel thought he might give up drinking and become the author she wanted him to be. Though he chooses not give up his life tyle, It becomes apparent that he is Indeed trying when he says: â€Å"I'm trying, swear. † (285) This shows the reader that he is not completely lost.Through the many views of him seen in the novel, it is shown that Peter van Houten Is a mean man, but he Isnt a bad man. He tries to become better; he tries to overcome the weight that he carries through his life in the form of his daughter's death. Whatever he will become, he Is yet another side-effect of his daughters death. Essay on Van Houten By rootcanal Fault in Our Stars, be remembered; Villain or Victim? He is portrayed throughout the Unfortunatel y, the answer is not so black and white.Peter van Houten is simply a turns out to be untrue. He is a fat, sad old man who finds his few comforts in alcohol who [scours] the earth in search of something to hurt† (277) when she finds in kind of man that he is in the novel, but Peter van Houten â€Å"was insufferable long style, it becomes apparent that he is indeed trying when he says: â€Å"I'm trying, I Houten is a mean man, but he isn't a bad man. He tries to become better; he tries to death. Whatever he will become, he is yet another side-effect of his daughter's death.

Freedom Road Term Paper Essay

Howard Fast, the author of the book Freedom Road, was born on November 11, 1914 and died at the age of 89 on March 12, 2003. Fast lived a long and adventurous life. A few of the things he did throughout his lifetime were; joining the American Communist party in 1943, serving a prison term in 1950 for refusing to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and his books were purged from American school libraries. On the other hand some of the positive things that happened in his life was that in 1953, he was rewarded the Stalin Peace Prize and in June of 1937 he married his first wife, Bette Cohen. In adjunction with his adventurous lifestyle, Fast spent most of his time writing. He wrote seven works of nonfiction, two autobiographies, fifty-two novels, five short stories one essay, and seven Masao Masuto Mysteries under the Penn name E.V. Cunningham. As well as writing, he created two films based off novels. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Fast) In the book Freedom Road, Howard Fast tells a fictional story based off the true events that occurred during the Constitutional Convention. The beginning of the book does not start the way most books start. This novel starts by talking about the main character, Gideon, as if we are supposed to know who he is. At first, this is confusing but after a couple of pages, you catch on and start to understand a lot easier. The first thing we are told about in the book is how all of the freed men from the small town of Charleston, had left a few weeks back to go vote. However, neither the town nor the men who left knew what voting actually was. Not knowing what voting was, made everyone who stayed in town very nervous and worried, they were not sure whether or not those men would be coming home or not. Therefore, when they men were spotted walking back into town everyone was extremely excited and could not wait to hear all about this voting thing. However, it seemed that none of the men were really talking, until one of them tells the town that they have some big news to share with everyone. Thus far, into the book, we have yet to hear from the main character, and we have actually been reading from his wives point of view. Once the returning men started talking, the book transitions from the wives point of view to Gideon’s, and that is when things start to pick up. We learn that the men’s big news is the fact that Gideon was elected to be a delegate. Because of his prowess in battle, the other ex-slaves looked to him as their leader in peacetime, but he was an uneducated man who felt himself unsuited for leadership. Yet knowing that his people wanted and needed him, he was determined to make himself fit into the pattern their hopes had cut out for him. However, none of them truly knew what a delegate was or what exactly a delegate did. The only thing they really knew was the Gideon would be receiving a letter once all the votes were counted to tell him if he had won the election. Several months go past in the book and nothing happens, no one in the town hears anything about Gideon being elected. Then one day, the postal man comes around and hands Gideon the letter that he had been waiting for. At this point in the book, we find out how afraid he is to go to Charleston because he is a â€Å"nigger.† He feels as though he is not very smart. He does not want to go â€Å"to city full of white houses†¦ full of white folks making fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 16-17). So in order to help him overcome that fear Brother Peter tells him the people need a leader and because of how strong Gideon is physically and mentally, he was chosen to represent them. Because of Brother Peter, Gideon decides to go to Charleston. When he arrives in Charles and he realizes that, he has no money and no place to sleep, so he ends up sleeping under a hay barrel for the first night. It is the next morning when Gideon is offered a couple of cents for some physical labor, he reluctantly accepts the job realizing that he has no other option but to. Because of that money he is able to rent a room for the nights he will be at the convention, buy some food, and clothes that will look appropriate for the convention. Moreover, this is when we start getting into the convention. For the first couple of days Gideon was determined not to speak at the convention, in fear of making a fool of himself in front of all the educated white folk. Yet one day he is outraged and just cannot help himself, he gets up and speaks. Nevertheless, he was still embarrassed that he could not find the right words for what he was saying and for the fact that he sounded very uneducated compared to some of the rest. However when he was given some books that taught him how to read and speak properly, he began to speak out more and voice his opinion. To his surprise he was heard, people started to listen to what he was saying, and even siding with him. Fast explains that the Constitutional Convention worked because, though neither black nor poor whites were overly fond of each other, both realized they had a common enemy in a planter group. With the help of Gideon’s voice, and many others they fought against the planter group. The fought for a system of public schools, the abolition of imprisonment for debt, a simple and fair divorce law, a statute making it impossible for a wife’s property to be sold in settlement of her husband’s debts, and a measure for universal suffrage – which, came as close as man had ever come to giving women a break and land. Even though he fought for all of these things, the most important ones for Gideon were fair and equal education, and lan d. Throughout his time at the convention lets his wife slip away from him and stands by while a white northerner helps Gideon’s oldest son, Jeff, through medical school in Scotland; there was no medical school in America free enough from prejudice to accept him. Gideon loses site at what he loves the most in his life, and lets them all slip away because freedom seems more important than family. Some of the themes of this book are love and understanding, vigilance and perseverance, and hope. The reason why I say that a theme is love and understanding is because in the beginning of the book we hear about how his wife has stayed by his side through thick and thin. She waited for him though the war that he willingly signed up to go fight for. She let him go vote because she realized that even though no one knew exactly what it was, it was something of importance to her husband. In addition, though she has just gotten her husband back and did not want him to leave again; she understoo d that this was something that he needed to do. She stood by his side, maybe not physically but mentally, throughout the entirety of the convention. Although this theme is not a main theme in the book, I think that it is a rather important one. The other theme I had mentioned was vigilance and perseverance. I believe these two themes are the main themes of the book, because everyone in this book is persevering in one way or another. Brother Peter insists that Gideon goes to the convention. Everyone at the convention is pushing for exactly what it is that they want written down, and his son is moving to a land unknown to him for an education that he cannot receive where he is. The last theme I had mentioned was hope. I believe that hope is the most predominant theme throughout the book, because every single person has hope. In the beginning, the town and the men who left were hoping that this voting thing was not going to get them killed. Gideon’s wife hoped that he would not leave her again, and when he did, she hoped that he would be okay and that she would get to see him again. The people of the convention all held on to the hope that what they say and what they want will be written down into a law. Then we have Gideon himself, he has hope that he will be able to read, write and give all freed slaves the right to an education. The theme of hope plays repeatedly throughout the story. All of the stories characters played a large role in the book, everyone influenced the book in one way or another, but a few of the characters that stood out to me are Brother Peter, Gideon, and Cardozo. The first character that really stands out to me is Brother Peter. I think the fact that he did not stand up and ask people to vote for him, as a delegate was a selfless act. All of the people in town look up to him and ask him for advice, they would have easily voted for him as they did Gideon, but brother Peter knew that Gideon would have more to learn from being a delegate than he would. Brother Peter also knew that Gideon would have more of a fight in him than he would. I th ink the reason why Brother Peter was so pushy about Gideon going to the convention was that he knew that Gideon would get things done. The other character that stands out to me is Gideon. Gideon starts in the beginning of the book being illiterate, but pushes though the struggle of learning how to read and write by himself. He also struggles with the fact that he is poor and does not measure up to some of the other people in the convention. Gideon fights for education and freedom so much that he lets go of everything that he truly loves. He lets his wife slip away and his son leaves. He forgets that he has people waiting for him back home. Even though I hate that he loses sight of the place he came from and his family, he over comes many struggles and fights to achieve his goals. The other character that stands out to me is Cardozo. Cardozo is the first person at the convention that comes up and talks to Gideon. I like the way Cardozo sees things differently, he is a black man that has been free all his life, got an education, socialized around white people his entire life. Therefore, when he first talks to Gideon he wants him to explain why black people should have en education. Once Gideon explains himself Cardozo understands, and helps Gideon as much as he can. He introduces him to all the right people, he supports him in the convention, and most of all he gave Gideon books that taught him how to read and write. He gave Gideon what he had come to fight for. I think it takes very kindhearted people to stand by someone who cannot even form the words to fight by themselves. Before I actually started reading this story, I thought it was going to be another extremely boring history book, however once I started I could not put it down. The way this story was written was fabulous. The way Fast incorporated Gideon’s thoughts, his writing and speaking was interesting. I loved that the real facts of what happened during that time was not just thrown in our faces, it was mixed into the fictional story that kept you interested. I think the way that we are lead through the past so effortlessly was a fascinating way to keep reader interested. I like the way Fast incorporated all the different kinds of people at the convention. In the story, the laws of freedom, education, and land would not have got through without the black folks and poor white folks being there. I think the way Fast portrayed Gideon, as a strong illiterate freedman was a great way to grab the reader’s attention and walk us through the past in a wonderful way. I think the only thing that Fast is really missing is more of Gideon speaking. Fast does an excellent narration of illiterate folks, but he does not do enough of it. Overall, this book was great, I will most likely be keeping it, and not reselling it so I can re-read it repeatedly.

Differences and Similarities between American and Japanese Friendship

My concept of Japan was what I have seen in Japanese movies such as the Geisha and was very much the same as almost everyone living in America. My whole idea of the now Japanese culture changed when I went there for a couple of weeks for a business trip. Stepping into Japan is as if stepping into a busier New York but no one speaks English as much. Having spent some time in Japan I was able to have a look at their culture and their relationships. On my way, back I analyzed the similarities and differences of American and Japanese friendship. Americans are very friendly people; they care about their friends and family.They have a life of their own, and do not like uninvited guests. In fact Americans rarely step into some1 else’s house without an invitation. They treat their guests with great respect, offer them a drink and try to make them as much at home as possible. Japanese too are very friendly people and care a lot about their relatives, families and neighbors. They may be living on their own but do not have a private life. If a guest knocks on their door unannounced, they will be honored to have them in the house and would go an extra mile to make them comfortable. Japanese follow the true meaning of ‘A good friend is my nearest relation’.The American culture does not promote friendship, being friends with someone means knowing that person, trusting him and being there for him. The Americans lead a very busy life and they live their lives with a chip on their shoulder, since they do not know whether someone is being friends with them for personal gain or genuine likeness. Japanese Culture on the other hand believes that if you are unable to figure out a persons character look at his friends, therefore they make sure that from childhood children understand the importance of being friends with someone.Japanese may chose their friends very wisely but not because they fear being taken for a ride but because their friends reflect their own c haracter and because they believe that once a friend always a friend. It is a misconception that Japanese are busy people and will be found busy in their work. Japanese are sincere people and that applies to their work, their family and their friends. After a hard days work they try to make out time for their loved ones by meeting at a club or going to one’s home.One thing that is similar in American and Japanese friendship is that when invited to a friends house they never go empty handed, they take either a gift item or food, whatever that their friend likes best. As times are, changing so is the Japanese culture but no matter how much they change one thing that will not change is their attitude towards their friends and acquaintances, since this is part of their upbringing. The American culture however is now trying to promote friendship by creating web spaces for people to interact and not spend their time alone.