Solar Energy Incentives - 999 Words

Subject: Financial Incentives to Expand Solar Power Adoption in the United States Recommended Action The lack of a nationwide solar power policy, alongside significant technical hurdles, hinders the progress of renewable energy across the United States of America. Strengthen national policies by introducing financial incentives for research, development, and manufacturing that tackle technical challenges to the growth of renewable energy. Incentives such as tax breaks, low interest rate loans, and grants will allow the renewable energy sector to implement cost-effective solutions and be and competitive against traditional energy sources. Issues The U.S. Department of Energy should implement a federal renewable energy policy of†¦show more content†¦In addition, expanding the solar energy industry will spur job growth. Consumers want to adopt solar energy because its price is less vulnerable than many other energy sources, like petroleum, to global politics. Limited solar energy storage technologies present the main technical challenge of solar. Current battery capacities are inadequate to store captured solar energy. Moreover, seasonal variability in solar radiation and power demand peaks require the provision of adequate storage to make solar power a practical, large-scale energy source. It is also difficult to connect solar energy to the current grids in America. The regulatory challenges involve governing access to the power grid, creating and implementing legal structures for local ownership, and protecting local owners against larger utility companies concerned with their market share. By focusing on grid parity and technical challenges through financial incentives, the United States will increase its usage of and benefits derived from solar energy usage. The financial incentives support both consumers and suppliers to adopt and develop solar energy. If the new solar energy supplies cost the same or less than previous energy because of these incentives - achieving grid parity - then consumers will have fewer reasons not to switch to solar energy. If suppliers can provide theShow MoreRelatedSample Resume : All Energy Solar956 Words   |  4 PagesAll Energy Solar Review Availability - 4 states, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Wisconsin Contract Length - can t find Payment Options - Loan, 1/4 Online Monitoring: †¢ Production - yes †¢ Usage - yes Mobile App Ratings: †¢ Google Play - na †¢ Apple App Store - na Warranty : yes, but don t give details †¢ Workmanship (roof) - can t find †¢ Manufacturers (panels) - can t find †¢ Inverter - can t find Time in Business - 2009, 7 years BBB - Accredited, A+, http://www.bbb.org/minnesota/business-reviRead MoreNanosolar Is A Developer Of Solar Power Technology Founded1165 Words   |  5 Pages Nanosolar is a developer of  solar power  technology founded in 2002 by Martin Roscheisen and Brian Sager. Nanosolar focuses on thin-film panels as they serve as a cheaper alternative due to the fewer amount of raw material they use, which in turn makes them lighter weight and therefore easier to transport (Nanosolar, 2). Although thin-film panels are cheaper, they are less efficient and this becomes another matter to address in addition to where Nanosolar will go to market. With this, Nanosolar wouldRead MoreEssay on The Negative Effects of Fossil Fuel Usage1417 Words   |  6 Pagesworking today to clean up the environment do help some, but as I see it they are not showing results.   There efforts are a feeble attempt because pollution levels keep rising and they could never keep up.   According to Hayes the former director of the Solar Research Institute under President Jimmy Carter of Earth Island Journal, â€Å"In 1993, President Clinton pledged to reduce US CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000.   Instead, the nation’s CO2 emissions are now projected to rise at least 13 percentRead MoreGroggs Peak Brewing Company Memo Essay1088 Words   |  5 Pages our recent meeting regarding the issue of maximizing energy efficiency has interested me into researching wind turbines and other sustainable practices. As a manager and colleague, I believe it is not in the company’s best interest investing into wind turbines at this time and also due to Carbondale’s low average wind speed. However, I believe there are alternative energy-saving options that could be implemented to lessen Groggs peak energy expenses and specifically reduce the company’s dependenceRead MoreThe Problem Of Solar Energy905 Words   |  4 PagesI. In this world built on the cheapest , easiest conveniences of energy, a majority of us are blind to the other solutions available. It is no question that we are totally dependent on the use of fossil fuels. It’s continual use causes pollution which is getting harder and harder to clean. We are getting past the point of no return and some experts say we were only have 40 or 50 years of fossil fuel left. 40 or 50 years doesn’t sound like a lot of time. With the Earth’s population surpassing 7 billionRead MoreWe All Rely On Some Sort Of Power Source For Our Household1748 Words   |  7 Pagesatmosphere and gradually disrupts nature and pollutes the air. Now imagine a reliable alternative source of energy that can fix this issue. Solar energy is the answer. We cannot reverse the devastating damages caused by fossil fuels, but we can take a step forward in the right direction by switching the power in our homes to a solar panel system. Ask yourself why you have not switched to solar panels yet. It is possibly due to misconceptions such as it being too expensive, uncertainties of its performanceRead MoreIndia s Growth And Popularity Of The Solar Energy1159 Words   |  5 Pagesone of the abundantly available renewable energy resources in Asia Pacific regions, solar energy market is growing at a pace with tremendous potential. The increasing focus on sustainable development along with the motto of reducing carbon and green house gas emissions is primarily acting as an impetus for the adoption of solar energy Over years solar energy has remarkably changed from being an alternative source of energy to a form of mainstream energy source used for power generation in IndiaRead MoreSolar Energy Farm Installation : 1 Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesContents Solar energy farm installation: 1 Executive summary: 1 Vision and goal: 1 Value proposition: 1 Risk management: 1 Resource use: 2 Socio economic benefits: 2 Policy incentives: 2 Key resources: 3 †¢ Natural resources 3 †¢ Human resources 3 †¢ Network resources 3 Key partners: 3 Cost Structure: 4 Human resources cost 4 Facility cost 4 Production cost 5 Revenue stream: 6 Customer segments: 6 Customer Relationship: 7 Channels: 7 Solar energy farm installation: Executive summary: This part of theRead MoreThe Power Of Solar Energy1640 Words   |  7 PagesPower Use Solar power or what is commonly referred to as solar energy is the energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy. This form of energy is the cleanest and most abundant since it is almost everywhere in the world. It is also renewable and hence through modern technological advancement it be harnessed into a wide range of uses such as electricity generation, lighting or indoor use, water heating, machine driving and other commercial as well as industrial applicationsRead MoreSolar Energy Technology And Its Policies1385 Words   |  6 PagesSolar Energy Technology and its Policies Increased energy consumption in the world today is a growing concern. Most of the energy consumption today comes from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels mainly consist of oil, coal, and natural gas as the most commonly used ones. These products are non-renewable sources meaning that one day it will be all used up. But the issues with fossil fuels extend past its eventual finish, the burning of them leads to greenhouse gas emissions and in non-producing countries there

Violence Numbers in the Middle East - 808 Words

While the rest of the world appears to be seeing decreasing levels of violence, it appears the Middle East has yet to experience this same trend. The past couple of decades have seen either a decrease in violence and types of violence that the West has not experienced for a time. This then brings the questions, is the Middle East more violent or is nothing more than Islamophobia. One way to answer this question is to look at the numbers. In Pinkers, The Better Angels of our Nature, he compares the number of interstate conflicts with the number of Islamic conflicts. By this graph, it can be clearly seen that since the 1990s, the number of interstate conflicts has been decreasing, but the number of Islamic conflicts has not. With the use of this data, he shows that the Middle East has not been following the trends of less violence as compared with the rest of the world. However, is this data alone to say that the Middle East is more violent? There are a number of issues need to be lo oked at besides conflict. These include other types of violence. A type of violence that can be quantified is homicide rates. In comparing homicide rates from the Middle East with other areas of the world like Western powers of the United States, Canada, and England an interesting set of date emerge. Data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) from the years 1999-2011 will be used. United States 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Rate 5.6 5.5Show MoreRelatedEssay on Will There Be Peace in the Middle East1461 Words   |  6 Pagesin the Middle East? This question weighs heavy on the minds of many individuals and international players. Turmoil and conflict in the Middle East not only affects the people inhabiting this region, but also has global consequences. To answer this question, one must analyze the sources of conflict in the Middle East, historically, currently, and in the future. The limited amount of natural resources in this region has arguably served as the most major source of conflict in the Middle East. OtherRead MoreIsis Is A Terrorist Organization Made Up Of Shi1745 Words   |  7 PagesIsis is a terrorist organization made up of Shi’ite Muslims yearning to create an independent Islamic state in the Middle East. These terrorists go to any extent of violence in hopes of connecting the holy lands throughout Middle Eastern countries. Isis members are fighting for religious purposes hoping t o secure land where the Muslim religion would dominate. Isis brings danger throughout the world with its political history, the military tactics it employs, and its attraction to foreign membersRead MoreWomen And The Middle East Essay1449 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the image of women in the west differ from the east or that is what have been known for years. The image of women in the west is outgoing, free, and equal to men. While in the east, women as published in media, news, etc is dying of poverty, sexual violence, and being overpowered by men. In my research paper, I will state the difference between how Islam views women and how men in middle east view women. Also, explain how men in middle east misunderstand the Islamic view on women and fail toRead MoreThe Arab-Israeli Conflict Essay1092 Words   |  5 Pages The Arab-Israeli conflict has been ongoing for many years and so far a peaceful solution to the violence has not been reached. The peace process aims to find a just, fair and lasting peace solution to the conflict in the Middle East. The USA in particular has been very active in looking for a peace solution. This is because Israel is their ally. There are several million Jews in the USA and many send money to support Israel. Also the Arabs used oil as a very successfulRead MoreViolence, Religion, Or Past Experiences1158 Words   |  5 PagesCulture violence intersect in many different situations both through direct and indirect contact. The two can be observed in multiple settings but I am going to focus on the violence that occurs within Intimate Relationships, particularly between a man and woman, and how women assume the role of the ‘submissive’ partner. I will talk about how different cultural feelings, religions and exposure to intimate partner violence can be an example of culture and violence intersecting by observing the threateningRead MoreThe Sunni Shia Conflict Essay1341 Words   |  6 PagesMuhammad and how Muslims should be governed. This conflict has caused tensions and violence to flare up throughout Islamic history. This conflict has carried into modern times and has becoming a rallying point for Muslim people calling for change with their government and across the Middle Ea stern region. The Sunni Shia conflict is major division within Islam that has and continues to shape Islam and the Middle East. History of the Conflict The Sunni Shia conflict can trace its roots back to 632Read MoreDomestic Violence And Sexual Harassment1645 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Violence is an ever growing problem across the globe. In particular, violence against women is at an all time high. Although many cases of violence against women are reported, it is in statistical data that half of all cases are not reported. Some are not reported because of fears, relationship severances, and other unknown reasons. The main types of abuse on women are domestic and sexual harassment (Nosheen, 2011). Follow this paper carefully while it takes you on an expedition ofRead MoreThe World Without The Islamic State1089 Words   |  5 Pagesthe middle east, especially ISIS. A world without the Islamic state would be great for us and the middle east, but what kind of other consequences would it bring if we were to kill them all off today. Some of the consequences might be more national debt, other enemies could rise underneath us, or there will be a lot more deaths than previous wars. A U.S. ground war against ISIS would be deadly and could increase slavery, it would be co stly, and we would need other countries in the middle east to helpRead MoreHistory Of The Middle East1535 Words   |  7 Pages The United States first became involved with the Middle East during World War II. In the 50 years that followed, tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union tightened over political and economic aspirations in the Middle East. Eventually, most of the countries in the Middle East adopted a new idea of government that was based off of extreme Islamic views. When this happened, the United States’ involvement with the Middle East lessened, but they stayed present as they were a prime sourceRead MoreKurdistan: Kurdish Statelessness653 Words   |  3 PagesKurdish Statelessness The Kurds are a large group of people who are from Kurdistan. Kurdistan is a large area of land in the Middle East that makes up land throughout Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. Although the Kurdish people have lived in Kurdistan for centuries, their land has never been declared a state. Therefore, the Kurdish people are a stateless population. The Kurds mostly live throughout Iran, Turkey and Iraq. Also, some of them can be found living in Syria, Russia, Lebanon and Germany. Kurdish

Servuction System free essay sample

This model used to illustrate factors that influence service experience, including those that are visible and invisible to consumer. Invisible component consists of invisible organizations and systems. It refers to the rules, regulations and processes upon which the organization is based. Although they are invisible to the customers, they have a very profound effect on the consumers service experience. Visible part consists of 3 parts: Serviscape (inanimate environment), contact personnel/service providers, and other consumers. Servicescape- It refers to the use of physical evidence to design service environments. It consists of ambient conditionssuch as music, inanimate objects that assist the frm in completing is tasks, such as furnishing and business equipment. All non-living features present during service encounter. Contact personnel: :Employees other than primary providers that interact with consumer. Service Provider: Primary provider of core service, such as dentist, physician or instructor. Recipient of bundle of benefits created through service experience and customer B : Other customers who are part of Customers A’s experience. We will write a custom essay sample on Servuction System or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Servuction model demonstrates consumers are an integral part of service process. The Slevel of participation may be active or passive, but always there. Managers must understand the interactive nature of services and customer involvement in production process. The four components of the servuction model combine to create the experience for the consumer and it is the experience that creates the bundle of benefits for the consumer. A model to illustrate the factors influencing the service experience †¢Includes those factors that are visible to the customer and those that are not †¢Visible component is of three parts: inanimate environment, contact personnel / service providers and other customers †¢Invisible component consists of the invisible organisation and the systems †¢Demonstrates that consumers are an integral part of the service process, through either active or passive participation.

Planning Proposal

It is very important for people, irrespective of their being normal or with disabilities, to have access to recreational activities. Unfortunately, people with certain disabilities have to come across certain hurdles in order to take advantage of the available recreational activities (Harris Survey, 1998).Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Planning Proposal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There may be scores of reasons for this situation e.g., knowledge deficiency pertaining to the available facilities, unapproachable facilities, absence of proper guidance from the facilities providers, and absence of recreation paraphernalia that may be customized for the handicapped people. A survey conducted on Americans suffering from disabilities suggested that almost 69% people suffering from some or the other disability felt that their disabilities thwarted their efforts of socializing (Harris Survey, 1998). It is even m ore appalling to note that people with disabilities, living in rural areas, face more of such hurdles (Rowley, 1999, p. 6). Even the mindset of people in the society has been molded in a manner that they don’t visualize people with disabilities taking part in any recreational activities such as swimming, games, etc. But has anyone ever thought why it is so intricate for people with disabilities to involve themselves in recreational activities. Why is it that only a few instances can be found where customized recreational facilities are available for the disabled people? Why can’t the people with disabilities choose their favorite recreational activities? Why do people with disabilities have to commute to distant places in order to avail their selective recreational activities? All these questions, and many more, demand answers from the society and the government. It is estimated that, â€Å"Between 1990 and 2000, the number of Americans with disabilities increased 25 percent† (Disability Stats and Facts, 2012, para. 2). Another estimate claims that, â€Å"There are 36 million people who have at least one disability, about 12 percent of the total US population† (Latest US Disability Statistics and Facts, 2011, para. 4). In order to minimize the sufferings or disadvantages of the people with disabilities, various steps are advisable. First of all, it is very crucial to spread general awareness about the available recreational resources and the advantages linked with taking part in the recreational activities. â€Å"An increase in awareness is often the first step to an increase in recreation participation† (About the North Carolina Recreation Resource Guide, n.d., para. 1).Advertising Looking for proposal on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is observed that people with disabilities usually desist from taking part in such activities. The partaking rates of such people should be increased. It should be understood that simply increasing the partaking rates will not solve the problem. The recreational activities should be reachable to all and at all places (Participant Sports and Recreation Facilities, 2001, para. 22). Even the number of customized recreational equipments should be increased so as to enable the people with disabilities to choose from. There should be certain guidelines for the recreation facility providers to impart proper and required information about the equipments. Their objective should be to cater to the needs of the local people (Managing Facilities, 2008, para. 3). The society should also be more committed towards the sustenance of such projects. This project will be executed by the ‘National Public Charitable Trust’ (NPCT). NPCT is a charitable organization engaged in the resurgence of the disabled people. NPCT has, in the past, made its presence felt in many developing countries. The trust has effectively executed various development ventures based on grants. As an initial step towards starting the project, it is proposed that a community resource mapping will be conducted. On an average, 40 resources will be spotted in every community. The surveyors, from among the society, will gather the required data from the providers of recreational facilities. Such data will be compiled and used as a resource index by way of a website. In accordance to the data, the required training will be provided to the providers. In addition to the awareness about disability, the training will also include information about the various acts pertaining to the disabled people. After the completion of the training, such providers will be shortlisted who show commitment towards utilizing the funds provided to them, in the required manner. Such providers will also have to give an undertaking that they will keep on giving access to people with disabilities.Advertising We will write a custom pro posal sample on Planning Proposal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All the information pertaining to the community mapping, distribution of grant, available recreational facilities, and other details will be made accessible to people by installing a computer at each community centre. The project director will be responsible for maintaining the budgetary requirements, hiring people, marketing the venture, preparing news articles, addressing the audience, arranging training schedules, organizing the various reports, and other things that might be required from time to time. The remuneration for employees will be as follows: Designation No. Hourly rate in US $ Number of hours for the first year Number of hours for the second year Total hours for each person Amount in US $ Project Director 1 Full time Full time Full time Full time 60,000 Consultant 1 35 400 200 600 21,000 Training Coordinator 2 20 300 100 400 16,000 Surveyors 5 15 500 100 600 45,000 Total (1) 142,000 Table 1: Salaries In addition to the salaries, other expenses (for two years) are as under: Account head @ Amount in US $ Training schedules 30 schedules 700 each schedule 21,000 Travelling expenses 9375 miles $0.64 per mile 6,000 Office supplies, including postage, printing, etc. 5,000 Computers for community centers 3 nos. 700 each computer 2,100 Telephone charges 1,000 Recreational equipments 100,000 Total (2) 135,100 Table 2: Other expenses References About the North Carolina Recreation Resource Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.telability.org/affiliates/ODH+Recreation+Resource+Guide.pdfAdvertising Looking for proposal on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Disability Stats and Facts. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.disabilityfunders.org/disability-stats-and-facts Harris Survey. (1998). Americans with disabilities still face sharp gaps in securing jobs, education, transport and in many areas of daily life. Retrieved from http://www.cew.wisc.edu/nidrr/press_releaseexecutive_summary.htm Latest US Disability Statistics and Facts. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/statistics/census-figures.php Managing Facilities. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/managingfacilities Participant Sports and Recreation Facilities. (2001). Retrieved from http://idea.ap.buffalo.edu//udny/section4-2c.htm Rowley, T. (1999). Rural telecommunications: Why your community isn’t connected and what you can do about it. Retrieved from http://www.rural.org/publications/Rowley99-1.pdf This proposal on Planning Proposal was written and submitted by user Delaney U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Greatest Quotes From Sex and the City

Greatest Quotes From 'Sex and the City' The hit TV show Sex and the City has beautifully captured the turmoil of modern women stuck in a fast paced city. When you read Sex and the City quotes, your first thought may be: Is this how life in NYC is like? Read and decide for yourself. Carrie: Everywhere I looked, people were standing in twos it was like Noahs Upper West Side rent-controlled Ark.Samantha: Oh sweetie, forget about him. You are gonna be on the side of a bus. 10 million men are gonna be drooling over you every morning on their way to work. Its the best personal ad Ive ever seen in my life.Carrie: Samantha has a particular knack for turning a desperate situation into a hopeless one.Carrie: Lets be honest. Sometimes there is nothing harder in life than being happy for somebody else. Like lottery winners. Or extremely successful people who are 27. And then theres that hell on earth that only your closest friends can inflict on you the baby shower.Carrie: When Charlotte really liked a guy, she said his whole name it helped her to imagine their future monogrammed towels.Miranda: Maybe its time I stopped being so angry.Carrie: Yah, but what would you do with all your free time?Samantha: Until he says I love you, youre a free agent.Carrie: What is this? The Rules According to Samantha?Samantha: See? Im more old-fashioned than you think.Samantha: Look at his robe. So Robin and his Merry Men.Carrie: Here. Swear. Swear on Chanel.: Oh my God were gonna have to ice skate home. Hell just froze over.Carrie: I thought I had come to terms with my looks the year I turned thirty, when I realized I no longer had the energy to be completely superficial.Samantha: Normal is the halfway point between what you want and what you can get.Samantha: Heres what I think. Round up all the divorced men and keep them in a pound. That way, you get their whole history before you take one home.Miranda: I love how they say until recently, the bride worked.Carrie: Yeah, meaning she quit her job as soon as she found her soul-mate-slash-investment-banker.Charlotte: Listen to this: sometime in the ten years before menopause, you may experience symptoms including all-month long PMS, fluid retention, insomnia, depression, hot flashes or irregular periods.Carrie: On t he plus side, people start to give up their seats for you on the bus. Carrie: Our affair, like our hotels, had gone from elegant with crystal to seedy with plastic cups.Miranda, : Why would that cheer her up? Does she look like a 22-year-old frat boy? Sex and the City Quotes Miranda: Men- wait, let me rephrase that- some men... Jerry Jerrod Sex and the City Quotes Sex and the City Quotes

The History of Black Videos Aired on MTV

The History of Black Videos Aired on MTV When MTV launched in 1981, viewers struggled to find videos featuring black artists. The network so sparingly showcased African Americans in its early days that Rick James and David Bowie publicly took it to task.  Despite the channels embrace of black musicians such as Beyonce,  Jay-Z  and  Kanye West  today,  theres no denying  MTVs  rocky history with  black music. So, how did MTV shift from shutting African American musicians out in the early 1980s to routinely spotlighting their contributions decades later? A brief history of the channel’s progress regarding race helps to answer that question. Did MTV Exclude Black Videos?   When MTV debuted on Aug. 1, 1981, at least one black face on the network was a mainstay. It belonged to J.J. Jackson, the sole African American on MTVs roster of video jockeys, or VJs as they became known. Despite Jackson’s presence on MTV through 1986, the network faced allegations of racism for giving scant airtime to videos featuring people of color. MTV executives have denied that racism was at the root of the network’s â€Å"blackout,† saying that black artists received little airplay because their music didn’t fit the channel’s rock-based format. â€Å"MTV was originally designed to be a rock music channel,† said Buzz Brindle, MTV’s former director of music programming, to Jet magazine in 2006. â€Å"It was difficult for MTV to find African American artists whose music fit the channel’s format that leaned toward rock at the outset.† With so few black rockers, adding African Americans to MTV’s roster proved difficult, according to the network’s co-founder Les Garland, whom  Jet also interviewed. â€Å"We had nothing to pick from,† Garland explained. â€Å"Fifty percent of my time was spent in the early days of MTV convincing artists to make music videos and convincing record labels to put up money to make those videos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One artist needed no convincing. He’d even made a video for â€Å"Dont Stop ’Til You Get Enough,† a cut from his 1979 album Off the Wall. But when approached by Michael Jackson’s  record label, would MTV agree to play his  music videos? How the King of Pop Changed MTV It took major prodding to get MTV to play â€Å"Billie Jean,† the second track from Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller. Released Jan. 2, 1983, the single would go on to top the Billboard 100 chart for seven weeks, but Walter Yetnikoff, president of CBS Records Group, reportedly had to threaten to remove all other CBS videos from MTV before the network agreed to air the video for â€Å"Billie Jean.†Ã‚   Garland  denied such a confrontation occurred, telling Jet that the network began playing the video on its own. â€Å"There was never any hesitation. No fret,† he said. Based on his account, MTV aired the video the same day that executives screened it. However â€Å"Billie Jean† ended up on the network, there’s little doubt that it changed the course of MTV. The first video by a black artist to receive heavy rotation on the network, â€Å"Billie Jean† opened up the door for other artists of color to be featured on MTV. â€Å"Billie Jean† also paved the way for Michael Jackson to star in the 14-minute music video â€Å"Thriller,† the most expensive music video ever made at the time. â€Å"Thriller† debuted Dec. 2, 1983. It proved so popular that it was released as a home video that  went on to become a record-breaking bestseller. Rock Music Takes a Backseat Black recording artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince and Whitney Houston dominated the pop and RB charts in the 1980s. During the same period, however, another urban art form was commanding the music industry’s attention- hip-hop. The films Beat Street  and Krush Groove  paid homage to hip-hop in the first half of the decade. By the second half, MTV had taken notice. It debuted its hip-hop-centered program â€Å"Yo! MTV Raps† on Aug. 6, 1988. According to USA Today, the show was the first ever to exclusively focus on hip-hop. (BETs Rap City premiered the following year.) â€Å"Yo! MTV Raps†Ã‚  aired on MTV for seven years. The program opened the door for â€Å"MTV Jams,† a program with an urban music focus that premiered in 1996. Although MTV began with a rock format in mind, the popularity of pop music, hip-hop, and RB among the general public left the network no choice but to diversify its playlists. By the late 1990s, rock music received increasingly less airplay on the channel as boy bands, Disney starlets, and rappers gained ground with audiences, and rock music recovered from the death of grunge. Black VJs MTV may have been criticized for failing to showcase black recording artists from the outset, but it has always included African American VJs among its staff, starting with the late J.J. Jackson. Other notable MTV VJs of color include Downtown Julie Brown, Daisy Fuentes, Idalis, Bill Bellamy, and Ananda Lewis. On shows such as the long-running â€Å"Real World,† MTV makes a point to showcase cast members from diverse backgrounds, albeit often stereotypically. Cartoon Controversy Although MTV has made considerable gains in diversity over the decades, the network has suffered race-related controversies in the 21st century. In 2006, it drew backlash for airing a cartoon that featured black women as canines - tethered, squatting on all fours, and defecating. The networks then-president, Christina Norman, defended the cartoon, calling it a parody of an appearance rapper Snoop Dogg had made with two black women wearing neck collars and chains. Black activists found this response unacceptable. But as they lobbed their accusations of racism and misogyny at the network, they had to take into account one major development at MTV: A  woman of color ran the channel. That’s right; Christina Norman is black. She served as president of MTV from 2005 to 2008. The cartoon controversy reveals that  during Norman’s tenure, MTV still had much-needed lessons to learn about race. But her rise to the top also indicated that the network accused of shutting out black recording artists now welcomed  diversity both on its airwaves and in its boardroom. Programming That Challenges Racial Bias In 2014, through a partnership with David Binder Research, MTV conducted a study of bias among the millennial generation. Soon after, it launched the website Look Different, a resource for young people wishing to fight for greater equality among marginalized peoples.  Ã‚   A year later, MTVs vice president of public affairs, Ronnie Cho, announced that MTV would create and sponsor ongoing programming designed to  change attitudes and behaviors around racial bias.  Included in that programming was MTVs July 22, 2015, premier of the documentary  White People, in which Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas traveled across the country speaking to white millennials about topics like privilege and race relations.

To what extent, and in what ways, has the constant process of Essay

To what extent, and in what ways, has the constant process of enlargement, impacted on the EU politics and policy process - Essay Example The above issue is discussed in this paper; emphasis is given on the value of enlargement as a tool for strengthening the political and economic position of EU; the impact of enlargement on various EU politics and processes is also examined taking into consideration the fact that enlargement is a demanding process requiring a long period of preparation and being related to certain risks – especially because of the different political, social and economic patterns of European countries. It is proved that the enlargement processes developed in the European Union up today have all affected, more or less, the EU politics and processes; however, among them, it is the fifth enlargement process which most influenced EU politics and policies. For the above reason, the fifth enlargement, which developed in two phases, in 2004 and 2007, is extensively discussed in this paper using the literature published in the particular field. When the European Union was first established – in itially, as a European Community – in 1957 (Treaty of Rome), no term was set regarding the development of a Community regional policy (Bache 31). The reference to economic activities, which would be initiated by the entire member states –jointly – could be possibly, regarded as such policy, even not clearly. Through the decades, it was made clear that the achievement of the targets of the Union would be a challenging task. For this reason, the need for its expansion was through to be unavoidable – a practice which was proved particularly helpful towards the development and the strengthening of European Union so that to become a major force in the global market. In its initial form, the European Union had 6 states – today, its members are estimated to 27, as a result of 5 enlargements. The specific processes have been used in order to increase the power of EU within the international community but also in order to promote integration across the Euro pean Union. Among these enlargements the one which is most important is the fifth one developed into two phases: the first phase took place in 2004 and the second in 2007. Through the fifth enlargement – a process that has been characterized as the most important strategic decision of the EU in the 21st century (Europa, Enlargement 2011) – the European Union was significantly expanded acquiring 12 new members (Europa, Enlargement 2011). The criteria and the terms of enlargement – as one of the European Union’s key processes – are included in the ‘article 49 of the Treaty of the European Union’ (Europa, Enlargement 2011). In accordance with the above article, the key priority of the enlargement process is to ensure that the applicant countries are adequately prepared so that to meet their obligations – as stated by the relevant EU rules; of course, the legislative, political and social characteristics of each candidate country ar e taken into consideration when these processes are developed. However, in any case, it needs to be ensured that the candidate countries will be able to respond to their obligations – as members of the Union – and to align their policies/ rules with those of the Union (Europa, Enlargement 2011). At this point, it would be necessary to refer briefly to the history of enlargements

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington - Essay Example ared to the political climate within the current era; noting key similarities and differences as well as specifying issues, obstacles, and difficulties that Mr. Smith might face if in fact the movie was cast and produced within the current era and focused upon the current political climate within Washington DC. Through such a level of analysis, the intention of this student is to provide a running commentary; both on the way in which corruption is similar to the way in which it was fully 75 years ago as compared to the way it exists today. Additionally, commentary will be provided in terms of the unique differences and the growth of systemic rot and corruption within government power as they exist today in terms of how they might be related to the film. One of the first differentials that should necessarily be understood in terms of the way that the film was represented and the general sentiment of the population today is in terms of the overall level of trust that citizens have in their government. Whereas it is ultimately true that there have always been a large number of individuals that inherently distrust power and believe it to be corrupt, the overall number of people 75 years ago, and those represented within the film, or ultimately of the belief that individuals in Washington were at least attempting to do the right thing and to look out for their best interests. Whereas it is inherently true that the corruption of the governor and the prior senator were clearly noted within the film, the common people were of the opinion that a reformer and an honest man could make some difference and could ultimately change the situation as it currently existed (Corliss 4). Yet, within the modern era, people have become increasingly skept ical of the potential for anyone to change the way in which Washington operates. After electing one of the most charismatic political leaders of the past 50 years, Barack Obama, only to realize that the platform on which he campaigned

Training And Development Strategy Essay Example for Free

Training And Development Strategy Essay 1.0 Executive summary Training involves has to do with behaviour modification which is implemented in a formal and systematic manner. Organizational training and development needs to be incorporated in Fair Price. The aims and objectives of carrying out training in this store are to minimise absenteeism and equip employees with skills etc. There are various steps that are taken in employee training and development including formulation of training policy. There are poor levels of supervisory skills in this store which can be improved by mentoring and coaching. Training existing and new staff will help Fair Price store to have skilled manpower though it may be costly. Management training should include both men and women with larger percentage being women. Management development of managers in this store will help to improve their skills. There are different models which have been used including Kirkpatrick’s 4 level model. If training and development is well implemented in this store it will solve the existing problems and lead to success. 2.0 Introduction Training involves a behaviour modification which is normally carried out in a formal and systematic manner. It is as a result of planned experience, instruction and education. Training and development plays a big role in achievement of organisational goals. (Brooks, 1999)   Most of these goals are normally long term in nature. Training is part of the strategic framework of organisations.   It produces a comprehensive and coherent plan that helps in developing employees and other stakeholders in organisations. When a business incorporates training and development therein, it acquires a competitive advantage over the other businesses. This is because the intellectual capital in the business is greatly developed. In fact employees in an organisation get an opportunity to improve their skills in their areas of specialization.   This leads to great impacts on the organisation as a whole. There is usually improved team performance when training and development strategies are incorporated in a business. (CIPD 2006) Research shows that such training influences the performance of employees at personal levels. For instance employees are in a position to carry out self evaluation of their performance and implement self corrections where necessary. 2.1Justification Fare Price stores needs to incorporate organisational training and development strategy in its management system. This is because a close evaluation at Fair Price store shows that it requires training and development in many areas. For instance the previous store manager never tried to implement company appraisal scheme in the organisation. (Cherrington, 1994) The employees that continue learning never see the benefit because the management was not acknowledging it.   The previous manager did not seek qualified personnel to carry out the responsibilities therein. This has led to underperformance in this organisation. (DTI 2006)   Employees are given posts and responsibilities that they are not qualified for. The previous manager never considered Investing in People. In fact the supervisors in Fair Price store are not qualified at all. There is a lot of absenteeism in this supermarket. The supervisors therein are not concerned and they are not doing anything about it. The absenteeism is taken in form of sick leave. Even the till operators complain that no one notices their presence. This shows that there have been poor relations between management and employees in this supermarket. In fact even when they do not report to duty, no one notices. This has created a sense of irresponsibility in them. Research shows that when people are not appreciated, they never do their best. They do shoddy work. Employees in Fair Price store are really demoralised.   How can all the managers in an organisation be male only? This is what is happening in Fair Price supermarket. (Fawson, T. 1999) There is no gender equality in the management. All the managers are male despite the fact that most of the employees in this supermarket are women. Women constitute seventy five percent of the two hundred employees in this supermarket. This means that most of the issues affecting the female staff are not adequately addressed. It is only the wearer of the shoe who knows where it pinches most. There is no way that the male managers can adequately address feminine issues.   (Burgoyne, J. 1997)They simply cannot understand because they are not female. Having considered all these factors, I strongly feel that implementing a training and development strategy in this supermarket will be very beneficial both the staff and the organisation at large. 2.2 Performance appraisal management system Performance appraisal is one of the training needs in Fair Price store. This is whereby employees that are best performers are rewarded by the management. 2.3 Succession planning This need to be carried out in Fair Price store and it includes. (Brooks, 1999)There needs to be smooth transition from the old management to the new management in this store. This has not been practiced in Fair Price store. 2.4 Mentoring and coaching Fair Price store needs to put in place mentoring and coaching mechanisms. (Brooks, 1999) Management in this organization needs to mentor employees and also to coach them on various leadership and job skills. This has not been practiced in this store. 2.5 Personal development Management in this store has to consider personal development of employees. This is where they are given training on their professional skills. (Brooks, 1999)This will benefit them. Fringe benefits given to employees help in promoting personal development. All these have not been implemented in Fair Price store. 3.0 Aim and objectives The aim and objectives of carrying out training and development strategy in Fair Price store include: To recruit new staff on merit basis. To help eradicate or minimize absenteeism in Fair Price store.   Ensure gender balance in management. Introduce an Information technology system for checkouts. Implement employee appraisal schemes. To improve leadership and professional skills of employees To enhance behaviour modification among employees 4.0 Steps for employee training and development The following steps will be taken in the training and development strategy in Fair Price store. Formulation of a training policy Identification of training needs in Fair Price store Training plan development Conducting of the training program Training responsibilities Training evaluation 4.1 Formulation of training policy Training policies normally give a guideline on degree of training that should be carried out in an organisation. They direct on the employees that need to be trained. In this stage there is allocation of profits to the training. This has to be done annually. Aims of training are clearly evaluated at this stage. (CIPD 2007)All these information has to be disseminated to the employees and the entire staff in Fair Price store. This will help them to understand that the management is interested in their welfare. This is in relation to career development. Training the employees in Fair price store will greatly influence in goal achievement. In fact the employees’ personal skills will be sharpened and this is very beneficial to Fair Price supermarket in general. The training in Fair Price store can be carried out in two ways. One of them is where it is oriented to actions. The other way relates to performance of the employees. This includes meeting targets. Performance training has to do with competence of employees. (Phillips, J. 1996)This means that they are trained to be more competent in their various responsibilities. When the training is action oriented, the employees in Fair Price are trained to make things happen. For instance they can be trained in customer care skills that will influence many customers to visit and purchase from the store. 4.2 Identification of training needs in Fair Price store When implementing training and development strategy, it is very important to identify the training needs in the organisation. Fair Price store has to identify its various training needs. This will help in realizing what the employees in this store know and what they can do. (CIPD 2007) It will also help in identifying what they need to know such that services in Fair Price store are improved. This is in relation to the goals in Fair Price store. For instance one of the goals is to ensure customer satisfaction in their service provision. The training needs in Fair Price store have to be analyzed at a corporate level. After that the analysis has to be done at the departments in this store. This includes customer care, finance and sales departments. (CIPD 2007)   Later on they need to be analyzed at team levels then finally at individual level. There are various tools that can be used when carrying out this analysis. This includes administering questionnaires to the employees.   This is because employees normally have first hand information concerning what they know and what they need to know. Focus group discussion between management and employees can be used in this store in identifying the training needs. This will really work for this store.   (CIPD 2007)   These discussions should also be done between the management and the departmental heads. This information will really be beneficial to Fair Price store when carrying out their long term and short term goals on training. 4.3 Training plan development Much thought has to be done when developing a training plan. This is in relation to the outcomes of learning program. Fair Price store management has to be keen in examining any changes in behaviour of employees after training is done. Now after identifying training needs then the training program content has to be put in place. After identifying the training objectives, an analysis needs to be done such that this stores’ management knows exactly what to do. .   (CIPD 2006)     All these things have to be put in place so that Fair Price store’s objectives are met. The content will greatly determine how long the training will take place. The length of the training will be influenced by modes of delivering information. For instance lectures may need long time to accomplish all that is required unlike the use of handouts. Training can also be done by the managers by carrying out on job training of the employees in Fair Price store. They can do this by coaching the staff at low levels in Fair Price store. These employees just learn how to do their job under the managers guidance.   They just learn naturally as they interact with other employees and managers. (CIPD 2007)  Ã‚     This is done on a day to day basis. Supervisors and also other senior employees in Fair Price store should go for training which can be done externally and not necessarily internally. They can make good use of consultants who provide these services at a fee. Through this the senior employees will gain skills in leadership and technical areas which they are lacking. 4.4 Conducting the training program In this stage there is monitoring of the courses that were identified during when analysis of training needs was being done. (Parry, S. 1996)This helps in ensuring that all the activities carried out in the training are within the budgets of Fair Price store. Management in this fair Price store should evaluate the training and know whether it is effective or not. 4.5 Training responsibilities Training in Fair Price store should not be carried out on an ad-hoc basis. This is because training will help this store to achieve its corporate goals. This human resource department in Fair Price store should be concerned with all the training and development needs therein. This should not just be done by the human resource department in general but a unit in this department will be more efficient. This unit will carry out coordination of every activity that is related to training and development. This unit will be responsible for evaluating both internal and the external people responsible in facilitating the training. It will also be responsible for planning the training and development activities in Fair Price store. Managers in this store should come to knowledge that it is their responsibility to oversee all the training activities. 4.6 Training evaluation This is very important since it will help to assess how effective the program is. This helps to know whether the objectives set at the planning stage were met or not. (Easterby, 1997) For instance the performance of the employees can be greatly monitored to see whether it has improved or not. In case the objectives are not met then necessary adjustments have to be put in place. These adjustments will help in improving the training so that it is more effective. For instance managers in Fair Price store should evaluate whether the employees’ skills have improved after the training or not. (Parry, S. 1996)Behaviour change in staff should be evaluated concerning absenteeism from work. This stage is should be done thoroughly and stakeholders should be given an opportunity to give the reasons why the objectives were not achieved and factors that contributed. Evaluation should be carried out to whether employee’s supervisory skills have been improved. Evaluation can be carried out in four levels. They include the following; 4.6.1 First level In the first level, there is the measurement of the reaction of the people who participated in the training. They include employees and external trainers. In this stage the degree of satisfaction of participants is evaluated whether it was poor, fair or excellent. (Parry, S. 1996)   In this case employees in Fair Price store can be interviewed by the managers or they have an open forum. Through this managers can know whether the training was effectively carried out or not. 4.6.2 Second level The evaluation is carried out in relation to achievement of objectives. This is to know whether the objectives were attained or not. (Alliger, G. 1989) The objectives in this case were to reduce absenteeism, to ensure behaviour modification in employees and to ensure that employee’s skills are improved. This can be evaluated whether they have been achieved or not. 4.6.3 Third level In this level the degree of behaviour change is evaluated. This is to know whether the employees’ behaviour has improved or not. Mangers in Fair Price store can evaluate behaviour change in the employees by observing their behaviours when at work. (Alliger, 1989) This can be noted down and those that have improved should be acknowledged by the managers.   Those that have not improved in their behaviour can be asked the reasons why and necessary steps taken. 4.6.4 Fourth level The results of the training are evaluated at this level. The costs of the training are evaluated against the benefits achieved. Managers in Fair Price store should evaluate the results of the training needs. (Alliger, 1989)   This can help them to know whether it was worth the initiative or not. The costs that Fair Price as a store incurred should be calculated against the benefits that the store would have achieved. This needs good use of records concerning the expenses that were incurred by the organization in carrying out the entire training. 5.0 Critical evaluation of options to tackle poor level of supervisory skills There are various ways of dealing with poor supervisory skills in Fair Price store. Now having a closer look at the supervisors shows that they are not qualified for the job they are doing. (Parry, 1996)They do not have leadership skills at all and this is clearly seen in the way that they deal with absenteeism. One of the ways of dealing with this is carrying out retrenchment of these under qualified staff. While this will help eliminate untrained staff, it may create a very poor relationship between managers and some employees. Though it is worth it since the store’s structure has to be reorganised. Carrying out organisation al learning for these supervisors can be very expensive for the store. In fact some of them may not understand due to lack of basic knowledge. Instead of retrenching them, they can be demoted to responsibilities that do not require skills like sanitation duties and packing the goods. New staff can be recruited on merit basis to do supervisory work in this store. Mentoring and coaching can be carried out by the managers in this organization. This should be carried out especially in relation to supervisors in this store. This can be done by the managers in this store showing the right examples to the supervisors. Managers can also have coaching sessions with supervisors and this will help improve supervisory skills though its time consuming. 6.0 Women only management training It would not be appropriate to carry out women only management training in Fair Price store in the name of levelling the playing field. (Kaufman, R. 1996)This still would not be gender sensitive. It will still be biased. Rather management training should be carried out for both male and female employees. Women should constitute two thirds of those attending the management training while then men should be a third. This is in relation to the gender ratios of the staff in Fair Price store. This will help in addressing feminine issues affecting the female employees. On the other hand if all the managers are women, the management in this store will not be stable. The male employees will never be comfortable with this. 7.0 Critical evaluation of option of training existing and new staff On opening of the new ‘mega store’ there will be the option of recruiting one hundred and fifty extra staff in various areas of the store. This is a positive venture though it has got its own challenges. Having a large number of employees to manage means having more problems to solve. Management development courses will be beneficial to managers at this stage. One of the challenges that are posed by this venture is in the financial sector. (McNamara, C. 2001)This is because the recruitment process can be very expensive. This is because there are costs that are incurred in advertising vacancies. The entire recruitment process can be quite tedious. There are also other financial implications like paying the salaries of one hundred and fifty extra people. The new employees will have to be recruited on merit basis unlike what initially happened in Fair price store under the previous store manager. Training of existing and new employees can be done with the help of National initiatives which were introduced by the government. The government helps in provision of resource materials in staff training. These resource materials include books in various professions that help the employees in the training. (Hoberman, S. and Mailick, S. 1992)   The government plays a big role in identifying modules that assist organisations such as Fair Price store to carry out training of employees. Fair price store can really benefit from government initiatives where it will be assisted to link up with qualified personnel that can be employed in the new store. This store will greatly benefit by receiving awards and scholarships through the National initiatives introduced by the government. The government offers scholarships and training opportunities that are quite collaborative in nature. Fair Price store can also gain through research that is carried out by the government. It will get a concrete base of knowledge from National Initiatives introduced by the government. 8.0 Management Development effectiveness In management development managers skills are improved. This is usually very beneficial to the organisation and even to the managers. It gives managers knowledge on how to deal with various issues in the organisation. This always plays a great role in the success of the organisation. (Gupta, K. 1999)   In this case managers are given the chance to broaden their reasoning in the business sector while at the same time continuing with their management responsibilities in the organisation. They learn more on new methodologies of handling human as a resource. It helps managers to gain knowledge in managing themselves first. Knowledge is also gained that helps them to manage employees in the organisation. Leadership skills of managers are greatly sharpened by management development. This will be effective for Fair Price store managers basing on the following evaluation models. 8.1 Flashlight Triad Model This model involves use of technology in accomplishment of various tasks. The technology should enable accomplishment of a specific activity. (Alliger, G. 1997) Management development will help managers incorporate appropriate technology in management areas like information technology. 8.2 Connoisseurship Evaluation An expert in the study field estimates how worth the new innovation is. (Alliger, G. 1997)   The threats that exist are clearly shown. Managers will be helped to use this model in their organisation. 8.3 Adversary Evaluation In this model there is a critical look at both sides of the innovation. This includes both the negative and the positive. (Alliger, G. 1997)This is to show whether the innovation is beneficial or not. 8.4 Kirkpatrick’s 4-level model In this model, the managers are helped to evaluate the reaction of employees on training and learning. (Alliger, G. 1997)Changes in behaviour are also noted in evaluation of the training by the managers. 9.0 Conclusion It is important for every business organisation to incorporate a training and development strategy. This helps in modifying employee’s behaviours. Organisational goals are easily achieved when training and development is well implemented. There are various steps in employee training and development. All these steps are important and should be carried out by business organisations. Evaluation will help in knowing whether the set objectives were achieved or not. 10.0 Recommendation Fair Price store has to include training and development strategy in its management. This will help in solving problems that exist in this store such as unskilled personnel, lack of appraisal scheme. This will help in motivating employees and will minimise absenteeism problems. Above all it will lead to the overall success of Fair Price store to the benefit of the stakeholders therein. 11.0 References Alliger, G. (1997): A meta-analysis of the relationship among training criteria. Personnel Psychology, 50, 341-358 Alliger, G. (1989): Kirkpatricks levels of training criteria: Thirty years later. Personnel Psychology, 42, 331-342 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2006): Training and development strategy; New York; Sage Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2007): Creating a Training and Development Strategy; New York; Sage Beard, C. and Wilson, J. (2002): The power of experiential learning: A handbook for trainers and educators. London: Kogan Brooks, H. (1999): Workshops; Designing and facilitating experiential learning; Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Burgoyne, J. (1997): Management learning; Integrating perspectives in theory and practice; London; Sage Cherrington, R. (1994): Pinning down experiential learning. Studies in the education of adults, 26(1) Easterby, S. (1997): Research traditions in management learning; Management learning: Integrating perspectives in theory and practice. London; Sage; pp. 38-53 DTI (2006): National Training and development Strategy; New York; Macmillan Press Fawson, T.   (1999): A study of executive education programs at ATT; Measuring learning and performance. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development. Gupta, K. (1999): A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment; San Francisco; Jossey- Bass/Pfeiffer Hoberman, S. and Mailick, S. (1992): Experiential management development; From learning to practice; New York; Quorum Books Kaufman, R. (1996): What works and what doesnt: Evaluation beyond Kirkpatrick. Performance and Instruction, 35(2), 8-12 McNamara, C. (2001): Employee Training and Development: Reasons and Benefits; New York; Macmillan Press Parry, S. (1996): Measuring trainings ROI. Training Development; 49(2), pp. 72-78 Phillips, J. (1996): ROI; The search for best practices. Training Development; 50(5), pp. 42-48

The Effects of Politics on Fiscal Policy over the Last Seven Business Cycles :: Macroeconomics Research Paper

Abstract Being an election year, all you hear is the incoming presidential nominee bashing the policies of the current president. Of all of the administration policy, his economic stance, the health of the economy under his administration, and this fiscal policy are among the most prevalent. Does the possibility of losing an election affect how administration reacts to a recession? This paper shows that out of the last seven business cycles, during the last five, politics does not seem to be an issue when administrations consider what needs to be done to boost the economy. Though Kennedy and Nixon both tried to use fiscal policy to further their own position and ensure re-election, the administrations of late have understood that the economy is not a re-election tool and that what-ever need to be done to bring us out of a recession is necessary, even if it means they may risk not getting reelected. Reelection be Damned One might wonder how politics plays into fiscal policy. Does the possibility of not getting reelected affect the choices a president makes? No, in fact, the administrations of the last seven business cycles usually make fiscal policy decisions that prove to be political suicide, yet are best for the economy. Started with the farthest back, John F. Kennedy is an exception to this rule. In his campaign, he promised tax cuts, but by the time congress got around to it, the economy was obviously expanding. Seeing as this would be embarrassing to the administration, congress went ahead and approved the unnecessary tax cut. Richard Nixon, whose reelection was a non issue due to his resignation, also played the political game. Though his administration say that wage/price control would be ineffective at controlling inflation, they went ahead and implemented them with the goal of â€Å"gently tighten monetary and fiscal policy, which they thought would bring down inflation without a big incr ease in unemployment† (Hebert, 1984, 4). This proved to be detrimental anyway because wile people expected prices to stabilize, they failed to realize that this meant that the prices they charged would stop rising as well. Ronald Reagan took a huge leap of faith when his administration introduced supply-side economics. Although it didn’t work in the way that he wanted it to, it helped greatly to boost the economy. However, had it been a horrible flop, His administration would have been highly chastised for it.

This is Water Summary Essay

Wallace delivered the Kenyon College commencement address that was not the typical commencement address you would normally hear at a graduation. He starts off his speech by telling a story having the idea that even the most â€Å"important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about. † He talks about living in the adult world that these soon to be graduates will enter and how it can be ere dull at times.And how learning about how to think about the choice we make in our life, the choices we make will impact our life whether it be a good impact, or a bad impact. Wallace delivers this speech (in a way to get these graduates not necessarily discouraged) giving the former students a face of reality that life is dull when you go through the same thing every day. And that when people go through the same thing â€Å"day in and day out† people tend to forget about the others around us.When forgetting about the other people around us occurs, Wallace belie ves that makes us believe that we are the â€Å"center of the universe. † This way of thinking as Wallace states is to be our â€Å"default setting† where we tend to block everyone our except for ourselves and if anyone gets in our way, then they must the ones at fault. Wallace also states, â€Å"if you really learn to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. † We have the choice to think of those other options, but we also have he choice to not think of those other options.Choosing the option to pay attention to the others around us and not be a â€Å"prisoner of our own brain† could possibly let ourselves live happier lives. Having awareness as Wallace stated, † Is unimaginably hard to do this, to stay conscious and alive In the adult world day In and day out. But, your education really Is the Job of a lifetime. † In conclusion, Wallace believes that we have choices to be aware of and to really think of the choices we make.

Atticus Finch In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

In Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus plays a major role in his children growth and development. He is a role model to his children and to Maycomb, one of the few willing to take actions against prejudice. His actions can be summed up in one great quote of Thomas Jeffersons These truths we hold to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. Atticus does not approve of racism, and teaches his children to judge by character, not race. Atticus thinks that even black men have at least one right, the right of justice. He expresses his belief in this phrase. But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal- there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, the ignorant man the equal of any college president, and that, gentlemen is a court. (Lee 205) This quote shows Atticus passion for justice and equality, saying that all are equal in this court, and that you should judge a man by his economic or mental aptitude, nor by the color of his skin. He means by this statement that you should be unbiased and fair when making a decision, or even a persons fate. Atticus believes all people have their flaws and strengths, and should be judged as such, not by their gender, social standing, or color. He shows this in a moving quote, You know the truth, and the truth is this: that some Negroes are immoral; that some Negro men are not to be trusted around women – black or white. But his is a truth which applies to the human race and to no race in particular. (Lee 204) Atticus once again sets the scales of equality even with this statement, explaining his moral code of justice, and how each and every person should judge each other equally. Jems breakdown whenever the court room is mentioned is evidence of this point. Atticus believes that any man using a man of any other color is inferior even to the man he is using. He illustrates this a talk with Scout, Youll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and dont you forget it-whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes  from, that white man is trash. (Lee 220) Atticus means that if you take advantage of someone or treat them as though they were Less equal, then you, yourself, are you are a horrible, inferior person. On the other hand, if you treat everyone as your equal then they are your equal. Atticus believes in what Martin Luther King later put to words in his famous I Have a Dream speech, That men would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus has been a role model and mentor to his children by condemning racism and all that it stands for. 1. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird2. The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson3. I Have A Dream, Martin Luther King Jr.

The Ecological Disaster of the Aral Sea essays

The Ecological Disaster of the Aral Sea essays As a result of throwing pesticides into the sea, the great catastrophe in the area of the Aral Sea, strongly affected its residents. It is no exaggeration to say that the case of the Aral Sea is one of the greatest environmental catastrophes ever recorded. Unbelievably, the Aral Sea once was one of the biggest in-land seas on earth. Nowadays, however, as it has been covered by loads of pesticides, is now decreasing in area and volume. The shrinkage of the water actually has something to do with the former empire of Russia when Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan once belonged to the Soviet Union. However, the pesticides did not just shrink the water; it affected the human-beings health problems as well. The environment of the country is becoming worse and worse-there is not enough water and living things are dying. A catastrophe is just like this-one disaster leading to another and almost unable to stop. Even though the Aral Sea has received a lot of attention from other parts of the world in the past decade, unfortunately, however, there is not really a way to solve this problem-its rather hard to clean up all the messes and catastrophes that the pesticides had brought to the people. The Aral Sea is located in the lowlands of Turan occupying land in the Republics of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. From ancient times it was known as an oasis. Traders, hunters, fishers, and merchants populated this fertile site littered with lagoons and shallow straits that characterized the Aral landscape. The word Aral in Kazakh is translated island, over a thousand of which were scattered throughout this region that made up part of the Silk Road, the highway between Europe and Asia. Once the fourth largest inland body of water in the world, in the past few years the Aral Sea has gained global attention as one of the greatest man-made natural disasters in the world. Now it is the eighth largest inland body of water on account o...

Origin of Miranda Rights and Warning

Origin of Miranda Rights and Warning Ernesto Arturo Miranda was drifter and a career criminal who from age 12 was in and out of reform schools and state and federal prisons for various crimes including auto theft and burglary and sex offenses. On March 13, 1963, at age 22, Miranda was picked up for questioning by the Phoenix police after the brother of a kidnap and rape victim saw Miranda in a truck with plates that matched the description that his sister had provided. Miranda was placed in a lineup and after the police indicated to him that he had been positively identified by the victim, Miranda verbally confessed to the crime. That's the Girl He was then taken to the victim to see if his voice matched the voice of the rapist. With the victim present, the police asked Miranda if she was the victim, to which he answered, Thats the girl. After Miranda said the short sentence, the victim identified his voice as being the same as the rapist. Next, Miranda was brought to a room where he recorded his confession in writing on forms with preprinted terms that read, †¦this statement has been made voluntarily and of my own free will, with no threats, coercion or promises of immunity and with full knowledge of my legal rights, understanding any statement I make can and will be used against me.   However, at no time had Miranda been told that he had the right to remain silent or that he had the right to have an attorney present. His court assigned attorney, 73-year-old Alvin Moore, tried to get the signed confessions thrown out as evidence, but was unsuccessful. Miranda was found guilty of kidnapping and rape and was sentenced up to 30 years in prison. Moore tried to get the conviction overturned by the Arizona Supreme Court, but failed. U.S. Supreme Court In 1965, Mirandas case, along with three other cases with similar issues, went before the U.S. Supreme Court. Working pro bono, attorneys John J. Flynn and John P. Frank of the Phoenix law firm Lewis Roca, submitted the argument that Mirandas Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights had been violated. Flynns argument was that based on Miranda being emotionally disturbed at the time of his arrest and that with a limited education, he would not have knowledge of his Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself and that he was also not informed that he had the right to an attorney. In 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed, and in a landmark ruling in the case of Miranda v. Arizona that established that a suspect has the right to remain silent and that prosecutors may not use statements made by defendants while in police custody unless the police have advised them of their rights. Miranda Warning The case changed the way police handle those arrested for crimes. Before questioning any suspect who has been arrested, police now give the suspect his Miranda rights or read them the Miranda warning. The following is the common Miranda warning used by most law enforcement agencies in the United States today: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense. Conviction Overturned When the  Supreme Court  made its landmark Miranda ruling in 1966, Ernesto Mirandas conviction was overturned. Prosecutors later retried the case, using evidence other than his confession, and he was convicted again and sentenced to 20 to 30 years. Miranda served 11 years of the sentence and was paroled in 1972. When he was out of prison he began selling Miranda cards that contained his signed autograph. He was arrested on minor driving offenses a few times and on gun possession, which was a violation of his parole. He returned to prison for another year and was again released in January 1976. Ironic End for Miranda On January 31, 1976, and just weeks after his release from prison, Ernesto Miranda, age 34, was stabbed and killed in a bar fight in Phoenix. A suspect was arrested in Mirandas stabbing, but exercised his right to remain silent. He was released without being charged.

Explain in your own words what you understand either by the term Essay - 1

Explain in your own words what you understand either by the term 'hegemony' - Essay Example Because of the use of hegemony in a variety of contexts, it extends to other disciplinary, as cultural hegemony that discusses about philosophic and sociological concept, originated by the Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci, that a culturally diverse society can be ruled or dominated by one of its social classes. It is the dominance of one social group over another, e.g. the ruling class over all other classes. The theory claims that the ideas of the ruling class come to be seen as the norm; they are seen as universal ideologies, perceived to benefit everyone whilst really benefiting only the ruling class. For Gramsci as a cultural hegemonist, he posits a strategic distinction, between a War of Position and a War of Maneuver. The war of position is intellectual, a culture war in which the anti-capitalist educators, agitators and organizers seek to have the dominant voice in the mass media, other mass organizations, and the schools (and actively conduct ideological subversion). Once achieved, this position will be used to increase class-consciousness each revolutionary theory and analysis, and to inspire revolutionary organization. On winning the intellectual war of position, socialist leaders would then have the necessary political power and popular support to begin the war of maneuver - the armed insurrection against capitalism (Ratna) For Imperialist, Hegemony has its own specific concept that is called as cultural imperialism  that is the domination of one culture over another by a deliberate policy or by economic or technological superiority. Cultural imperialism  can take the form of an active, formal policy or a general attitude. A metaphor of  colonialism  is employed: the cultural products of the  first world  "invade" the  third world  and "conquer" local culture. In the stronger variants of the term,  world domination  (in a cultural sense) is the explicit goal of the  nation-states  or  multinational corporations  that ex port the culture.  The term is usually used in a pejorative sense, often in conjunction with a call to reject such influence. A Perspective of Hegemony in Contemporary Power Power as one of political imperialist’s instruments has created new dynamic purposes and targets to legalize the x-interest. Here, x-interest is something hidden and can be only defined by one person who wants his or her power runs well. X-interest, which is not specifically designed under the social norms, has changed into general social norms, which is legalized by society under pressure and forces. Here, strategically mission is directed to the x-interest. Therefore, imperialist requires more than sacrifice to achieve the target. When the power has been a huge formation, it extends to other that we call as cultural imperialism. This affects all aspects in social life including way of life, ideology and life tendencies. Mr. Muammar Qadaffi, the president of Libya is one of the examples that can be fou nd in TV and becomes hot issues. To run his power, he uses many factors what I call â€Å"Regional Nationalism†. It talks about brute nationalist who defends his country from other states invasion. For years, stability had become the evidence that he can lead Libya well without any rebellion, protests or new revolutionists (Suhady). Based on the issue, the concept of hegemony, in this case, directs to the strategically mis

Emplyment Relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Emplyment Relation - Essay Example Another problem which is aggravating the situation is the arrangement of finances for the back-pays and the future wage increases by the councils. The dispute resolution process can be divided into three phases based on the types of grievances. All the three phases will be at work simultaneously with three separate HR teams working on the assignment. The first phase will address the issues of the employees who have been subjected to salary cuts. It is apparent that no employee will accede to their salary cut on the pretext of social justice. However, the financial prudence of implementing the equal pay policy requires that some financing of hike in wages be done through some salary cuts. So, the first thing that can be done is to re-evaluate the grades of those employees who have been subjected to salary cuts. This will be a time consuming exercise, however it will help in avoiding any further litigation. Some time can be saved by looking at data from previous litigations by such employees. It has been observed that some particular jobs had been upgraded after going into litigation. This data can be helpful in re-grading. A ta rget time can be set for this phase and during this time the salaries and other employment terms remain unchanged. For those whose grades are upgraded after the re-evaluation exercise, arrears can be paid at a later agreed-upon time. With this step the problems of the most aggrieved section of employees can be addressed. The time period for this re-evaluation of grades should not be more than 9 months. For those whose salaries will be upgraded after the re-grading exercise, there will be appropriate salary raise. For others whose grades still need to be revised towards the lower side, there will be no reduction in salary but only grade change. There other benefits will be downgraded but not the salary. They will be given a signing bonus in the form of 2.5% of their salary increment. These

Bandura's theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bandura's theory - Essay Example In fact, several studies have shown a high correlation between mastery of these behaviours and high achievement in school. Observation has been demonstrated as having a significant impact on learning in several areas of psychology (Bandura, 1986; Rosenthal & Zimmerman, 1978). These researchers have documented evidence that shows children responding to behaviours observed in adults. The children then learn and subsequently emulate the behaviours. Specifically within the education context, this theory has been found to have merit in that students who observe a model (parent or teacher) depicting positive study attitudes and habits and then emulate that model generally demonstrate a higher level of academic success than those who do not engage in observational learning (Bird et al., 2005; Martinez-Pons, 2002). One of the problems with observation in the educational context is that physical processes are much easier to observe than mental processes. The child who learns how to assemble a toy by watching an adult or older sibling is at an advantage compared to the student who must acquire skills for studying. A model's retreat to a quiet area is visible enough, but self monitoring and regulatory skills generally take place within the mind of the studier and can often only be passed on to an observer through conscious effort on the part of the modeller to get the idea across. Studies have shown that behaviours of students to whom the meta-cognitive strategies have been purposively modelled have demonstrated high levels of achievement than those who are generally left on their own to figure it out (Martinez-Pons, 2002). In a study done by Zimmerman and Kitsantas (1999) students given a writing task were separated into groups in which the necessary strategies for successfully completing the task were either modelled for emulation, verbally described, or directly practised (as distinct from modelling in which mental as well as physical processes are exposed). The result of the experiment was that students who received support in the form of adult modelling of the behaviours necessary for success were better able to independently display skills that led to success in the academic task (Martinez-Pons, 2002). The observation of parents in situations that can be related to learning has also been seen to have an effect on students' ability to perform academically. It is often the case that students who grow up in an environment that encourages learning do better academically than those who have not that privilege. This phenomenon has been described by Martinez-Pons (2002) as a "hidden curriculum." The students exposed to such a curriculum are often able to watch parents in behaviours that are self-regulatory and that lead to learning. A study carried out by Martinez-Pons demonstrated that "parental modeling and support for self-regulatory processes precede students' development of these skills" which lead to positive and high levels of academic achievement. Self Efficacy Self efficacy has been defined as a person's perception of his or her ability to perform a given task. It is distinct from self esteem and self concept in that it is closely tied to a given context, so that a person's self efficacy might vary with different

An Analysis Of Fractional Distillation

An Analysis Of Fractional Distillation Describe, with the help of a diagram, how the different hydrocarbon fractions in crude oil are separated by fractional distillation. Identify the main fractions by name and according to the approximate number of carbon atoms in the molecules. In the world today the primary source of fuel for most of our needs come from fossil fuels. These are in the form of coal, natural gas and crude oil. In the petrochemical industry the crude oil is refined through a process of fractional distillation. This breaks apart the larger hydrocarbons into their smaller fractions at varying temperatures in the distillation tower. The heavier fractions containing the most carbon atoms are drawn off at the highest temperatures and the lighter the hydrocarbons the lower the temperature needs to be to draw off the fraction. The process of fractional distillation provides the following groups of products: 1. Liquid petroleum gas 2. Naphtha 3. Gasoline 4. Kerosene 5. Diesel oil 6. Lubricating oils 7. Fuel oils 8. Residues 8. Residues Furnace Liquid petroleum gas id the lightest fraction and is drawn off as a gas from the top of the distillation tower. It contains between 1 and 5 carbon atoms. It is the lightest fraction and is not very dense, because of this it can be drawn off at a temperature of 20 °C. It is used as an alternative to petrol in cars following a conversion. FurnaceNaphtha is a fraction that contains between 5 and 9 carbon atoms, with this increase in carbon atoms the density and boiling points increase. This means that the fraction will come off at a higher temperature of 70 °C. This fraction can be further broken down in the process of thermal cracking to produce ethylene and benzene which are important in the plastics and pharmaceutical industry. Gasoline contains between 5 and 10 carbon atoms and is drawn of at a temperature of 120 °C. This is the lightest fraction of the liquid grade fuels that are commonly used. It is what we know as petrol and widely used in cars and small 2 stroke engines. Kerosene contains between 10 and 16 carbon atoms and is drawn off at a temperature of 170 °C. This is the principal fuel in the aviation industry where it is graded further depending on the final use. It is widely used for powering gas turbines and other internal combustion engines in propeller driven aircraft. The use of kerosene to fuel aircraft is because it must have a high specific enthalpy of combustion per gram as this will release a lot of energy when it burns this means it will also have a high enthalpy density. This is important as the fuel must be stored. A less dense fuel will use more space and provide less energy for the space it takes up on the aircraft. Diesel oils are drawn off at a temperature of 270 °C and contain between 14 and 20 carbon atoms. This is very similar to kerosene and has a similar consistency with the increase in viscosity and increase in boiling point it become necessary to keep the fuel warm in cold environments as the fuel becomes thick and refuses to flow through fuel systems, this problem if needed can be solved by lighting a fire under the fuel tank to bring the fuel up to temperature and enable it to flow. Also as this fuel is not dissimilar to kerosene some gas turbines like the Rolls Royce Pegasus 11-61 turbofan will operate with no appreciable loss of power or function. Lubricating oils come off at a temperature of between 300 and 375 °C and contain 20 to 50 carbon atoms. This high content of carbon atoms gives the lubricating oils their high viscosity and high melting point making them ideal for this use. Fuel oil is the heaviest of the fractions to come of other than the residue and is drawn off at a temperature of 600 °C and has between 20 and 70 carbon atoms, this is a very heavy thick fuel which often requires pre heating before use in the fuel system. The main uses for this fuel are for large diesel engines in ships trains and factories. It is also used as a reserve supply for power stations at peak demand when gas supplies are limited. This fraction is also used to quench the residue in the process of thermal cracking to produce heavy fuel oil. This is also known as bunker oil, the lowest grade of fuel oil for use in the shipping industry as a cheaper alternative to fuel oil. The residue from the distillation process is drawn off from the bottom of the distillation tower and contains a high number of carbon atoms >70 this carbon rich mixture is washed in fuel oil in the steam cracking process to make heavy fuel oil. This process leaves the residue coke. The raw residues are used in the manufacture of asphalts for road surfacing and bitumens for sealing roofing materials that also may be made from this residue sold as roofing felts. b. Why might fractional distillation be carried out under reduced pressure? Fractional distillation is carried out under reduced pressure because when the pressure of the substance is reduced the intermolecular forces between the molecules become weaker. These molecules are then able to escape as vapour more rapidly and means that the process of fractional distillation can take place at a lower temperature which both reduces the energy needed and ultimately cost. c. Some heavier fractions are processed using cracking. Explain what is meant by cracking and why it is carried out. The term cracking is used to refer to the breaking of larger hydrocarbons into smaller constituent parts to produce the smaller and more useful alkanes and an alkene and to further process the residues from fractional distillation. This can be done in several ways, and can be split into thermal cracking and catalytic cracking. Both of these processes are used in the petrochemical industry to process some of the heavier fractions of crude oil further into gasoline and other useful products the lighter fractions of naphtha and butane are also processed into compounds of ethylene and benzene for use in the pharmaceutical and plastics industry The demands of consumers for large amounts of gasoline for cars means that over 50% of the crude oil has to be turned into gasoline to meet demand and as this fraction only forms 30-40% of crude oil the demand has to be met by way of other processs . d. Distinguish between thermal cracking and catalytic cracking. Give examples of products formed by each method. Thermal cracking of hydrocarbons is done in 3 ways. steam, vis breaking and coking. In these processes the hydrocarbons are heated to a high temperature until they break into there component parts. Steam cracking is where the hydrocarbons are briefly heated with high temperature steam to 816  °C Ethane and Naphtha produce light alkenes such as ethylene and propylene the heavier naphthas are cracked into gasoline. Benzene comes off at the higher temperature of around 1000 °C and is an important molecule in the pharmaceuticals industry. Ethylene is used in the manufacture of plastics Vis breaking is carried out to process the residues from the distillation process. This is done by heating the residue to 482 °C and then quenching it with fuel oil. This then poured down a distillation tower and then flashed without oxygen. This flashing of the residue produces the product heavy fuel oil and tar. Coke is the final residue from the process of steam cracking and is deposited on the sides of the furnace which is then periodically cleaned off in the process of decoking the furnace. This coke is then sold on for use in industry as a fuel. Fluid catalytic cracking is the most important process of converting the fractions of crude oil into the more valuable gasoline, olefinic and other products. This process has largely replaced the thermal cracking process as it yields a higher return of gasoline with a higher octane rating. This process of fluid catalytic cracking runs as a continuous process in the refinery without interruption 24 hours a day for a number of years without before routine maintenance. The modern fluid catalytic cracking is a complex process in which the recycled fractions are injected into a riser with a high boiling point stock which is at a temperature between 315 °C and 430 °C and a pressure of 1.72barg. This vaporises the larger hydrocarbons and on contact with the catalyst it cracks them into smaller hydrocarbons. The catalyst that is used in the process is then cleaned of the hydrocarbon deposits and then recycled back through a regenerator. This is done by blowing air into the regenerator an d burning off the coke deposits. This regenerator operates at a temperature of 715 °C. The burning off of the coke from the catalyst is exothermic a heats it up. This recycled catalyst is then returned to the process and provides the heat to vaporise the stock and residue mixture and provide the energy for the endothermic cracking reaction. This process is dependant on both the physical and chemical properties of the catalyst. There are four main components to the modern catalyst in the FCC. These are crystalline zeolite, matrix, binder and filler. The zeolite is the main provider of catalytic activity. The matrix contains amorpous alumina which also provides some catalyst activity within the sites of large pores. This enables the cracking of larger hydrocarbons than the zeolite alone. The binders and fillers of the catalyst provide the physical strength and maintain its integrity. Contaminants in the stock from metals all have a detrimental effect on the catalyst which can be mit igated in some way by avoiding stock with contaminant, fresh catalyst, demetalisation though this is expensive, and by adding other metals to form compounds that are less troublesome to the catalyst. e. Write a possible equation for the cracking of dodecane, C12H26. Heat + CH3(CH2)10CH3 CH3(CH2)4CH3 +H2C=CH(CH2)3CH3 Dodecane _ hexane 1-hexane. The thermal cracking of the dodecane is exothermic and the heat that is used in the process is largely taken up by the catalyst in an endothermic reaction. This heat energy is then partly recovered in the re use of the catalyst up until the point it requires cleaning or replacing. 2 a.(i) Define what is meant by a catalyst. A catalyst is a substance that alters the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed chemically or consumed in the reaction. They can however change physically. Catalysis is the process of increasing or decreasing the rate of a reaction. These can be both positive and negative. The catalysts that speed up reaction are called positive catalysts and ones that slow down reactions are called inhibitors. There are also substances that increase the activity of the catalysts which are called promotors; the substances that deactivate the catalysts are called catalytic poisons. The use of catalysts is a means of making the process viable if it would not happen without it and also as a means of making the process cost efficient in terms of energy use and cost. The ability of the catalyst to be reused in most cases reduces the cost further. a.(ii) How do catalysts work? During chemical reactions the addition of a catalyst will increase the rate of the reaction at a lower energy level than the reaction without an addition of a catalyst. The combination of product and catalyst reactants raises it above the activation barrier and raises the potential energy of the reactant molecules as they come together. The energy of the activated complex reaches its maximum and form an activated complex, this activation energy then falls and the product forms and the molecules of the catalyst and product separate. This means the catalyst can be recovered from the product and used again following some reprocessing in some instances. The use of catalysts can be for both cost saving and also as some reactions may take a long time or not even be possible without the addition of a catalyst. b. Why is it important that catalytic converters start working at as low a temperature as possible? It is important for the catalyst converter to work at as lower temperature as possible as reaction rates are almost always increased when the temperature rises. This is because as the temperature increases so do collision rates of the molecules between the catalyst and exhaust gases. To ensure that the rich mix of gases emitted by a cool engine is converted fully at low temperatures it is necessary for the catalyst to be active at a low temperature. This also means as the temperature increases the reaction rate will increase too. c. Why do you think the catalytic converter is sited close to the engine? The catalytic converter is sited close to the engine to ensure that the exhaust gases are as hot as possible before entering the converter. By keeping the gases hot it will increase the catalysis rate due to the molecules being more active as the temperature is increased. d. Why are harmful emissions on short car journeys or in cold weather particularly high? Short journeys will not raise the temperature of the engine block or manifold assembly, this leads to the hot combustion gases being cooled in the short journey to the converter. Operating in low temperatures will also cool the manifold assembly on a continuous basis as cold air passes the manifold leading to the cooling of the exhaust gases If the temperature is consistently cold the injectors or carburettors can be retuned to burn a leaner mix which raises the burn temperature in the cylinder and reduce the emission of un burnt fuel and rich exhaust gases into the catalytic converter. The burning of a lean mix at normal temperature will raise the cylinder temperature and cause pitting on the piston head and possible damage to the cylinder which in time will cause oil to pass into the cylinder producing soot and partially burnt oil into the exhaust system. e. Explain what is meant by poisoning a catalyst? The catalyst converter can be poisoned by containments in fuel and by burning the wrong type. This leads to the coating of the catalyst with contaminants like lead from leaded fuels and manganese which is used as additive to gasoline. Gasket failure in the cylinder head will lead to oil and coolant entering the cylinder and being ejected out in the exhaust gases. Depositing partially burnt oil and silicon from the coolant in the converter. This reduces the contact between the catalyst and exhaust gases. Some of this reversible over time but the catalytic converter will be less effective in the mean time and may never fully recover its full working capacity. f. What is done to the catalyst metals to increase their efficiency? The catalytic converter is made of several components witch all have important roles to play in the functioning of the catalytic converter. The core or substrate in modern catalytic converters is made up of a ceramic honeycomb or a stainless steel foil. This is so that it doesnt react with the catalyst and also providing an extremely large surface area to support the washcoat. This washcoat is to make the converter more efficient and is often a mixture of silica and alumina. This provides a rough surface area on the substrate which greatly increases the surface area compared to the honeycomb structure alone. The catalyst and washcoat are mixed and then added to the substrate. This catalyst is made up of precious metals such as platinum which is the most widely used metal as it is the most active catalyst but not necessarily suitable in all situations. There are several different metals used as catalysts as some are more suitable than others in certain circumstances. To reduce the cos t and reduce unwanted reactions palladium and rhodium are also used. Platinum and rhodium are used as a reduction catalyst; platinum and palladium are used as an oxidising catalyst. There are several other metals used in catalytic converters though their uses have limitations and legislation also prevents use in certain countries due to the toxicity of the substances they produce. g. What is meant by homogeneous catalysis? Is the catalysis taking place in a catalytic converter a good example of homogeneous catalysis? Discuss. Homogeneous catalysis is when the catalyst is in the same phase as the reactants and product. The homogeneous catalysts are more selective for a single product, more active and easily modified for optimising selectivity. Though these catalysts are more prone to permanent deactivation and are difficult to separate from the product so the catalytic converter is not a good example of a homogeneous catalyst. The catalytic converter in the exhaust system of a car is a heterogeneous catalyst as the catalyst product and reactant are not in the same phase. As the metals are coated onto a ceramic honeycomb surface the gases from the engine must diffuse to the catalyst surface and absorb onto it. This is why the catalyst needs to be coated thinly onto the honeycomb structure to increase the chance of the molecules coming into contact with the catalyst. The 3 main reactions that take place in the converter are as follows. 2CO(g) + O2(g) → 2CO2(g) 2NO(g) + 2CO(g) → N2(g) + 2CO2(g) 2C6H6(g) + 15O2  Ã¢â€ â€™ 12CO2(g) +6H2O(l) h. Suggest a reason why the catalytic converter has to be replaced eventually. The catalytic converter will eventually have to be replaced as the physical structure and catalyst will become worn out and polluted by contaminants. This will reduce the capability of gases to be converted as there will be less contact both from soiling and reduced surface area due to physical and chemical degradation of both the substrate and the catalyst. As this catalyst is coated onto the substrate in the manufacturing process it is not possible to reuse the catalyst and a new one will be required. i. Catalytic converters convert the pollutant gases carbon monoxide, C7H16 and nitrogen monoxide into harmless gases. However, this is still only a partial solution to the emission problem. Explain why. Even though the catalytic converter converts the more harmful gases into carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas and waters it is only a partial solution to the problem of huge amounts of waste gases being emitted into the atmosphere? This is because the carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases are both pollutants that both contribute to the problem of global warming and in the case of CO2 a contributor to the acidification of the oceans. This latter problem could have far reaching consequences in relation to marine life for which 2 billion people rely upon for protein and the associated industries that harvest the sea for commercial gain. j. An. oxygen sensor monitors the oxygen flowing through the exhaust system and feeds back to control the fuel-air mixture entering the engine. Why do you think too little oxygen flowing over the catalyst would be a bad thing? Why do you think too much oxygen flowing over the catalyst might be a bad thing? The sensor in modern cars monitors the oxygen that flows through the catalytic converter. This provides the information for the engine management system to feed oxygen into the exhaust gases when insufficient oxygen is present from either cold starting or fuel rich gases being emitted this ensures the catalyst can completely react and convert the gases. If there is insufficient oxygen the gases will not be completely converted leading to the emissions of the more harmful gases. The presence of too much oxygen will cause an increase in temperature and also oxidisation of the catalyst which will cause degradation from heat or corrosion. k. It has been suggested that battery-powered cars, which do not emit pollutants, are a solution to the problems of environmental pollution. What effect would the increased use of battery-powered cars have on the demand for electricity? What would be the consequences for the environment of this demand? The global car count to date is approximately 600 million and is expected to double in the next 30 years to a huge 1.2 billion cars. This is clearly going to cause problems both for the demand of fuel to build and power them and also in the pollutants they emit. The use of gasoline and diesel oils to fuel this demand is eventually going to rapidly deplete world reserves at an ever increasing rate. This will happen even if car numbers stayed at todays level as extraction is almost at its peak level. The current theories on how much is left is a secret closely guarded by opec and the oil rich nations like Saudi Arabia who for the last 30 years have never changed the forecast for the reserves they hold. This is clearly untrue, and in the future will cause a sudden collapse of the availability of oil. It has been suggested that electric powered cars could be a solution to the problems of both pollution and consumption of one of the most valuable resources mankind has. As a solution is th is possible? There are a number of factors to take into account. Cost of replacing 600-1 billion cars in both raw materials and energy to make them and scrap the old one. Increase in the demand for electricity and can this demand be met without a net increase in global emissions from power stations without burning huge amounts of carbon fuels. Will the electric car be able to meet the demands of the travel hungry consumers? Is there the global political will to address the issue? Resistance of the world population to change there ways, this is important as all the thinking in the world is of no use if nobody will do anything. On the cost of replacing 600-1.2 billion cars, it is going to cost a huge amount of money, approximately 12 trillion pounds for the new ones and 3 trillion for scrapping the old ones. This is a total of  £15 trillion. An estimate on the total amount of dollars in the world is 908 billion in use as of 2009 (source: Federal Reserve). In addition to this there is $1,655.6 billion in current accounts, $8,326.8 billion in savings and approximately $10 trillion in bank deposit certificate and stocks. As this latter one is money that is not freely available it could be said there is approximately $8.3 trillion of accessible cash. This is a huge amount of money, far short of the money needed to replace the global car collection. Although this is not all the money in the world it is a considerable amount of it and can be taken as a fair marker of how difficult it is going to be to fund the change. Although the electric powered car is efficient at approximately 40% compared to gasoline at15%. Could the demand be met from the electric industry without increasing emissions? The answer to this is yes at a cost. global electricity production annually is 13.7 trillion watts. The requirements on demand if we were all to go electric would be approximately 60.44 billion watts though the annual cost of charging the cars up would be cheap compared to the use of gasoline. There needs to be a global political will to change and this may not come until problems from global warming have started to have an economic effect Last of all will the people of the world do the right thing for the good of the planet and make the change, it would be nice to think they would but this will be the most difficult challenge of them all as most people are not keen on a change.