Editorial Analysis Essay

1. An Argument is Addressed to a Specific Audience at a Particular Time Recently two farms in Iowa had to perform a massive recall in eggs due to a salmonella poisoning from contaminated feed. The poisoning has caused the two companies to recall more than half a billion eggs, and has made about 1,500 people ill. Now, the companies are claiming that they are committed to safety and that it is up to the consumer of the eggs to fully cook the eggs before eating. This argument is addressed to egg consumers raising awareness that farm CEO’s are overlooking safety procedures due to their cost. The editorial addresses the FDA of having a poor history of inspecting food providers, and ignoring what they find. Anyone purchasing not only eggs but food from normally trusted farms is included in the editorials audience portion. Argument Wants Something From Its Audience This article does not specially call its audience to action, however it does raise awareness in its readers. The article reminds its readers of other slip-up’s from the FDA’s poor inspection quality and limited action to reduce the occurrences of poisoning. The article suggests that broader vaccination of chickens would help the issue as well as a food safety bill. An Argument Gives Its Audience Reasons for What it Wants Brought up in the article are several other examples of overlooked issues causing harm on citizens due to financial cutbacks or careless inspection. The explosion of a well in the Gulf of Mexico killing 11, an explosion of another mine in West Virginia killing 29, and the Peanut Corp. of America killing nine and sickening 700 are all reasons for the audience to be aware of what is happening in â€Å"trusted† companies and for action to be taken within the FDA and the companies themselves regarding safety. Not All the Reasons Are Stated Openly. The writer here assumes that the reader has been following the recent poisonings and harm to citizens due to poor inspection, and never calls the reader to any specific action. He only provides a recent history of what has happened, then proposes a list of solutions. He never blatantly says that if we do not rise to action more and more people will die. He lets the reader figure that out through his facts and data. The audience must complete the argument for the arguer based on the facts provided. Arguments Are Supported by Calling on Readers’ Attitudes and Feelings By providing so many examples of sickness and death, the article allows the reader to experience many negative emotions towards the neglect of the safety of companies that it supports its own argument within the reader. The reader will become concerned with the safety of him/herself, as well as his/her family and form the opinion in favor of the writer. 6. The Source of the Argument Matters USA today is a well-known and highly read paper not only by American citizens but by international ones as well. Many people with families read the paper, therefore making it appropriate to address to its audience. Everyone who reads this paper also consumes food, also providing the perfect audience. The source is highly credible through the paper and it also provides a link to the opposing argument, illustrating that the paper is not biased. A Counterargument is Always in the Background Provided on the page are links to information and articles regarding the counterargument that the farms are committed to safety and that it is up to the consumer to cook the eggs fully before eating. Any claim regarding the FDA or CEO’s inspecting their farms and companies provides a counterargument.

Impact of Organized Retailing on Unorganized Retailing in India

Retailing is playing a major part in Indian business emergence. There are many modern business systems taking place in Indian market because of Globalization. But retailing is the foremost part of them which is predicted to have a better growth. When it was said retailing, organized and unorganized retailing will come in to picture to debate. Unorganized retailing is the tradition of India and organized retailing was on track from early 90’s. In this context organized retailing is successively grown in recent years. Concerns are raised by many unorganized retailers that emergence of organized retailing is showing an adverse affect on unorganized retail. The book â€Å"Impact of Organized Retailing on Unorganized Sector† discussed about the existence of adverse affect of organized retailing on unorganized sector. This book also enlightened if there exist an adverse affect, how much does organized retailing is affecting unorganized sector. OVERVIEW: This book from ICRIER discussed many considerations to bring the real impact of organized retailing on unorganized retailing. The authors while analyzing considered many factors like â€Å"Effect on employment that how organized retailing is enhancing the job opportunities and the growth prospectus. This book also gave an idea about Impact on Consumers by bringing in to picture in relation to savings when shopped in organized outlets. The authors of this book even discussed many factors out of which primarily aimed at revenues to the government from both organized and unorganized retailers. Results from consumer surveys are made to understand their savings while shopped in organized outlets and which social class of people is saving more from these outlets. Conclusion made by the authors included all the particulars mentioned above. CORE GOALS: The Core purpose of the book is to explore the positive effects of the organized retailing by studying the retail market in India. This book also aimed to answer the opposing views on organized retailing to unorganized sector. Authors designed the book in measuring the prices impact on consumer and taxation revenue to the government and overall impact on economical growth of retailing in India. The book core goal by analyzing all these factors is to understand the effect on smaller retailers in the unorganized sector by organized sector. The authors tried to give details of increase in turn over in unorganized retailing after organized retailers stepped in to the Indian retail market. The other goal is to understand and portrait the unorganized retail outlet formats and how the change in services offered by the traditional retailers to compete with organized sector. The authors also illustrated the response by the unorganized retailers to organized sector to compete. SUPPORT AND DATA: Many surveys are conducted nationally to understand the employment impact of unorganized retailers. It was understood that unorganized outlets hire family members in average of 1. 5 persons per store. Where they employ hired labor in an average of 1. 1 per outlet (ICRIER report 2008). Interestingly there is a subsidiary improvement in overall employment in these sampled outlets over the existence of organized outlets near by. How ever there has been a general increase in employment in unorganized retail field after the existence of organized retailers which averaged at 21months. Over all we can identify the employment growth in the traditional retail outlets in India increased by 2. 2 times than earlier (ICRIER Retail by Mathew J, Sanghamitra S, pg83). As it was known organized retailing allowed better employment it also in some way pushed the growth of employment in unorganized sector. This book also showed that there exists a relationship between period of existence of organized outlets and employment effect. It says, if there exist an adverse effect, it carries off with time. Interestingly from the country wide sample it was shown that south and east part of India has observed an increase in employment (ICRIER report, table 5. 4 and chart 5. 1c, pg84). It is to understand after an average period of 21months there is no adverse effect on unorganized sector and they evenly initiated competing with organized outlets. Impact of turnover of unorganized retailing was keenly observed by the authors. Result with national sample of unorganized outlets turnover. It was understood that there exist a depression of annual turnover in unorganized sector at initial tages. Though there is a downfall in annual turnover, steady increase in the turnover and profit too is observed after an average 21months existence of organized retailers (Table 4. 2a, pg84). According to the survey table 4. 3a, unorganized retailers have indicated a number of steps taken in response to competition from organized retail, such as adding new product lines and brands, better display, renovation of the store, introduction of self service, enhanced home delivery, more credit sales, acceptance of credit cards, etc. This allowed consumers to consume better service from unorganized outlets. The authors also identified that currently 22% of unorganized retailers installed technological facilities to provide better service and to speedup the competition from organized retailers. Boost in exports and advantages to the urban producers in terms of superior price, strong processing of supply chain by the organized retailers brought new technologies and reduce in consumer price. The book even investigated the preference of consumers for organized and unorganized outlets. Authors sampled a nationwide data and found that 43% to 46% of organized customers declared that they are spending 30% of their spending on food and grocery in organized outlets. Shoppers at unorganized outlets preferred 61% of their spending in traditional outlets. Authors highlighted a very important fact organized retailers are bringing revenue to the government by paying huge taxes and where unorganized retailers don’t pay any taxes. IMPLICATIONS: Of all the observations the authors suggested, Simplification of the licensing and permit system for organized retail and move towards a nationwide uniform licensing system in the states to facilitate modern retail. Encourage co-operatives and links of unorganized retailers for direct procurement from suppliers and farmers. The book also suggested ensuring better credit availability to unorganized retailers from banks and micro-credit institutions through innovative banking solutions. To assist the formation of co-operative retailing of traditional stores, which in turn can undertake direct procurement of products from manufacturers and farmers. They also suggested by eliminating intermediaries, unorganized retail stores can obtain their supplies at lower prices, while farmers get better prices for their produce. CONCLUSION: Up on analyzing and observing the facts it was concluded that unorganized retailers in the vicinity of organized retailers experienced a decline in their volume of business and profit in the initial years after the entry of large organized retailers. The adverse impact of sales and profit on unorganized sector weakens over time. There were no facts of a decline in overall employment in the unorganized sector as a consequence of the entry of organized retailers. It was identified and concluded that there is a competitive response from traditional retailers through improved business practices and adopting advanced technologies as organized retailers. With the entry of organized retailers it was observed that overall spending of consumers is increased. It was said that consumers are definitely benefited from organized retailers in multiple benefits. Through the surveys made by ICRIER it was concluded that while all income groups saved through organized retail outlets, lower income groups are the one who benefited. Thus at the end it was concluded that organized retail is relatively more beneficial to the less wealthy consumers.

Montessori mathematics essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Montessori mathematics - Essay Example Support for Piagets theory is also expressed in the Montessori emphasis for exploration so children can learn at their pace. At the core of Piagets theory is an assertion that "children construct, or create, logic and number concepts from within rather than learn them by internalization from the environment" (Kamii 2009 citing Piaget 1971, Piaget and Szeminska 1965, Inhelder and Piaget 1964, and Kamii 2000). Piaget distinguished three kinds of knowledge: physical knowledge, social knowledge, and logico-mathematical knowledge (Kamii 1996: 99). Piaget taught that the logico-mathematical knowledge is only partly acquired from objects because, for instance, the similarity between two blocks of different colours is not observable but is deduced by an individual through putting things in relationships with the relationships earlier discovered (Kamii 1996: 100). In other words, for Piaget, individuals or children use a logico-mathematical framework within their minds to acquire knowledge (Kamii 1996: 100). According to Kamii (1996: 100-101), through what Piaget described as logico-mathematical framework, a learn er or student or child acquires knowledge through: Applying Piagets teaching, Kamii concluded that children create their own arithmetic or mathematics in acquiring logico-mathematical knowledge using their ability to think and, thus, the goal of math education is to assist learners or children invent procedures for solving mathematical problems as well as in constructing "a network of numerical relationships" (Kamii 1996, 101). As pointed out by Piaget, mathematical knowledge is different from physical knowledge because the former is not observable while the latter is (Kamii 1996: 102). Following Piaget, Kamii said that "there is no such thing as addition fact" because sums are internalized or constructed from within (1996: 102). In illustrating Piaget thinking, Kamii said

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 11

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example In this regard, the council, through a consultant has been advised to use Appreciative Inquiry 5D to overcome the problem facing the organization and to allow them offer better services to the council. The use of AI 5D involves identifying the strengths rather than weaknesses to bring change in the organization, this paper then discusses the use of AI 5D in bring the necessary change in the council (Englund, Graham, and Paul 2006, p.35). Definition The main concern of the change process in the council is necessitated by the higher levels of absenteeism by the employees who abscond their duties most of the time, they do not show up to take care of their duties and this has led to the emergence of some of the problems associated with absenteeism. The department that was worst hit in this case was that of the elderly care in the council, the care managers then became concerned about the situation as it aggravated the condition of elderly in the council that needed the support of the emp loyees. With the absenteeism rate spiralling, there are a number of issues that became apparent for action to be taken so that change could be brought. One of the salient problems that became out of control was the decline in the quality of the services that was being offered by the council, due to the widespread absenteeism, the quality of the services that was being provided by the council experienced significant drop owing to the fact that there were few employees who showed up. This made it possible for the work to be strenuous to the few individuals who turned up and the demands of the department could not be fully achieved hence decline in the quality of the services (Tennant 2012, p.47). The absenteeism factor also created another problem in the council’s department where the employees who turned up for their duties were subjected to more duties than prescribed so that they could cover for the duties that were to be done by the other workers who decided to be absent. B ecause of these, it became strenuous and stressful to the few workers who maintained reporting for their duties, they worked more than necessary and it was envisaged that if the trend continues, there would be possibility of breakdown and burnout that will definitely impair the performance of the employees who showed up for their duties every day. This consequence too made it prudent for the organization to find a solution to the challenge that was facing the organization as it was bedevilling the performance in more than one way (Reed 2007, p.53). The colleagues that were absent for work had to be covered for by those who turned up, this explains why there was more duties for those who showed up resulting into stressful work (Kluwer 2008, p.58). Lastly, absenteeism also had serious economic consequences for the council, ordinarily employees should be paid for the services that they offer to the organization that employs them, if these services are not offered, then there should be no payments given to the employees. If this happens, there will be obvious losses incurred by the organization, in this respect, the employees that had been out of their duties in the organization were causing serious economic pinch to the organizati

Why Globalization Is Bad for the Economy Research Paper

Why Globalization Is Bad for the Economy - Research Paper Example Macro economics consists of concepts that can be applied to the entire world. Globalization is a procedure of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and prosperity, and on human physical well-being in societies around the world. For thousands of years, people and corporations have been buying from and selling to each other in lands at great distances hence globalization is not the new concept, but there have been vast changes in form of technology, advancement and policies over decades. Globalization can be explained as Covering a wide range of distinct political, economic, and cultural trends and discouraging barriers. Globalization became commonplace in the last two decades, and In today’s world barriers and distance don’ t matter anymore especially because of the advancement in technology, media and internal and most of all the mode of travelling. By the help of all the advancement and progress in the technology now anyone can travel a thousand miles in matter of hours and days. However Globalization is a very controversial topic, many economist don’t support the idea of globalization as it has many diverse affects on the economy. As many economist believe that Advances in communication and transportation technology, combined with free-market ideology, have given goods, services, and capital unprecedented mobility. And this can affect the local market of the country. Because of globalization â€Å"international trade† takes place. International trade is the exchange of goods and services among different countries, no country is self sufficient and can’t produce all that it needs to survive, and hence the countries need to Export and import to meet their needs. With the help of m odern techniques, up to date procedures, contemporary practices, globalization and highly advanced transportation system, the International trade system is spreading really fast. in today’s world International trade is important for meeting the needs of the country, not every country can produce all that it wants so in order to meet their needs and demands the trade takes place. International trade can benefit the economy of the country by expanding the local market and increasing the variety of the goods and services available. International trade is the basic source of bringing â€Å"FOREX† in the country. Trade often increases competition and it helps in reducing monopolistic pricing and the cons that generate from that. It encourages local investors and manufactures to perform better and keep stable pricing in the market. International trade is one of the major sources of revenue for the country. By doing more exports and fewer imports the country can actually achi eve economic stability. international trade can help reduce local dependence on the existing companies and international trade can even help stabilize seasonal market fluctuations. No matter the level of the development of the country there will always be some specific products that other countries must be producing at a cheaper rate, in order to make maximum use of minimum resources the country import those certain goods, The are produced at lower marginal costs, this help countries save and stay in their budget, this concept is known as the â€Å"Comparative Advantage†. International trade is one of the best examples of Globalization. In spite of all these benefits international tra

Analytical Chafetz & Nelson and Toomeys essays Essay

Analytical Chafetz & Nelson and Toomeys essays - Essay Example Morris E. Chafetz, in â€Å"The 21-Year-Old Drinking Age: I Voted for it; It Doesnt Work,† and Toben F. Nelson, and Traci L. Toomey, in â€Å"The Drinking Age of 21 Saves Lives,† adopt opposing views on this issue. Chafetz argues that the MLDA of 21 â€Å"has not worked,† and is not linked to reduced drunk-driving fatalities (7). He holds that enforcing a minimum legal age for drinking does not take into consideration the deaths caused by alcohol off the highways, and drives teenagers to binge drinking in unsupervised surroundings. On the other hand, Nelson and Toomey take the position that the MLDA of 21 has reduced drinking-related deaths, and decreased binge-drinking in underage college students. Although both authors have credibility and are knowledgeable and logical about the subject, and Chafetz is more accommodating of opposing viewpoints, Nelson and Toomey make a more convincing argument as their stand is supported by extensive references to research stud ies. Both the essays are authored by writers with impeccable credentials. Chafetz is a credible speaker in the MLDA debate, as he is the founder of the National Institute for Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse and The Health Education Foundation in Washington. His reputation is further bolstered by the fact that he was a member of the Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving, Director and Executive Member of the National Commission against Drunk Driving and the Presidential appointee at The White House Conference for a Drug-Free America. He is also a Doctor of Psychiatry, with a long history of association with social issues, such as alcoholism and drug abuse. Chafetz’s credentials are more than matched by Nelson and Toomey, who belong to the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. Their argument is further supported by a group of academicians and researchers. The reputation of the writers contributes to the trustworthiness of the essays and makes them both credible. Similarly, both the essays

Fast Company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fast Company - Assignment Example In addition, the discourse would explore how these winners tell their story, describe their mission, engage volunteers, and measure success. ACCION International have consistently met the criteria for five years through offering microfinance access to credits that enable poverty stricken individuals and groups to improve their ways of live and well-being. By reaching as much as â€Å"2.5 million active clients and is well on its way to surpassing 3 million by the end of 2007† (Fast Company: Accion, 2012, par. 3). Their long term mission and goal of seeking ways by which millions would learn how to help themselves, this organization envisions the ideals of social responsibility on a more global scope. CITY YEAR, an organization based in Boston, Massachusettes, has likewise met the five criteria through enjoining the youth in rendering services through various productive activities such as tutoring, organizing after school and vacation programs, joining community activities, and engaging in physical service programs (Fast Company: City Year, 2012). This winner has exemplified growth and active involvement of young leaders to complete one full year in service and have consistently manifested growth of membership, locations and accomplishments. Accordingly, the organization has: â€Å"graduated more than 10,400 alumni; served 1,060,000 children; completed 16 million hours of service; partnered with more than 1050 corporations and 3,100 service organizations; and engaged more than 1,000,000 citizens in service† (Fast Company: City Year, 2012, par. 5). JUMPSTART focuses in early education programs that aim to engage â€Å"preschool children from low-income communities in an intensive early education program to improve their cognitive and emotional development, ensuring they enter kindergarten prepared to succeed at grade level† (Fast Company: Jumpstart, 2012, par. 2). Through evaluations that indicate that Jumpstart students have remarkably

EDUCATION WELFARE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EDUCATION WELFARE - Essay Example It is common for these kinds of families to collapse, with spouses being left as single-parents. This is precisely what Childers’ describes in her book. While Childers is between the age of 10 and 16, she describes the tough circumstances in which she lives. Childers is the eldest of 7 children, and she is often left in charge of them when her mother wanders away. At home, they do not have a telephone, and there is often no electricity too. They also went to bed to bed hungry. Childers often regrets what she has experienced. The 1960s was a period when non-whites were locked in a struggle to attain equal social rights. However, this did not mean that whites were well off, as many of them lived at or below the poverty line. The United States was increasingly engaging in war in Vietnam, and this put a strain on the economy. Yet, there was some form of welfare to rely on. Amid getting an education through welfare, Childers experienced poverty, violence, neglect and shame. While these are experiences that one may not be able to recount calmly, she succeeds in doing so with honesty and grace. It is here that it is noteworthy to mention that she looks back at her dreadful past as though she appreciates what she has been through. Perhaps, these were hard lessons that taught her well. Childers was not alone in her battle, as her family fought for survival. However, it is her recount of prevailing over unwanted pregnancies and cruel boyfriends that impresses us. She managed to keep her education going despite her struggles outside and within the home. While they lived in bleak conditions, Childers and her sister, Joan, had come to realize one important thing. They knew that they must break the cycle of poverty, and they could do this by getting educated. At home, she had to contend with single mother who was an alcoholic. While she describes how much she

Week 3 discussion questions and summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Week 3 discussion questions and summary - Essay Example Strategic planning highlights its importance both for domestic and international markets. Although there are some differences between the strategic planning of the two but they are almost the same. The only major difference is that in an international market a business finds tougher competition and a more radical environment. Brand loyalty is less; customers look for better quality at cheaper rates, hence strategic planning for international market needs more research and critical thinking. Strategic planning should vary country to country it is important for a country to alter its strategic planning according to its customers. In the same way different countries should adopt different strategic planning. Another reason for varying strategic planning is the competition that prevails in the international market. Every firm is competing to be the best hence they keep an eye on the strategies of their competitors. Adaptation is an ongoing process that has been observed in the history and is still carrying on. An adaptation is a process in which every new aspect of a thing is taken up in order to peak its performance. Adaptation is applicable in international market in different scenarios for example the hand knitting method was replaced by the knitting machine that was more effective but a little less in quality at that time. The early adapters took the advantage and later a more advance machine updated the quality as well. Well adaptation can have different results depending on the scenario; diminishing returns can result due to adaptation. A perfect example is when the demand of a product is less and an organization adapts to a better technology resulting in excess production that in turn results in diminishing returns. But its not always this way, Adaptation if done with proper planning and strategy will always give positive results. Adaptation is a very important phase in a business and

Stem Cell Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Stem Cell Research - Essay Example ern, it is important to remember that stem cell research should not be used as just another tool in the long standing debate between science and religion. There are certainly plenty of other concerns in that genre. Stem cell research is a new and necessary technological advance that will help cure many previously incurable diseases and genetic defects. This research also adds more insight into the miracle that is this universe. The real debate here is between ethical principles that upon closer scrutiny may not be so far apart. What are stem cells? The general scientific definition is as follows, "Stem cells are self-renewing, non-differentiated cells with the ability to differentiate into a number of specialized phenotypes in response to appropriate signals." (Cai, Fu, & Sheng, 2007, p. 655) More simply stated, stem cells are the progenitor cells, the building blocks, of all the diverse cells in our bodies. Starting in the embryo, these cells are what scientist also call "undifferentiated." They have not yet begun the process of forming the myriad variety of differentiated cells that make up a human being. Skin cells, liver cells, kidney cells, etc. all start out as stem cells and then become differentiated into these individual types. This research has typically used embryos taken from fertility clinics before they are discarded. These embryos are allowed to continue to develop further until the stage when they form a hollow sphere called a blastocyst. The inner cell walls of this sphere have a small amount of stem cells attached to them. These cells are gently removed and harvested then placed in cultures with nurturing feeder cells. A protein rich broth is added and the cells begin to multiply. (Brown, 2007) These cells can then, hypothetically, be used to replace virtually any cell in the human body: Several human diseases result from the loss of specific types of cells. So far, medicines approach to treatment has been to replace the chemicals

The importance of the Viet Cong in the Communist victory in the Second Indochina War Essay Example for Free

The importance of the Viet Cong in the Communist victory in the Second Indochina War Essay Assess the importance of the Viet Cong in the Communist victory in the Second Indochina War. The Second Indochina War, which was waged throughout 1964-75, was an undefined success for the Communist cause. Whilst this result was derived from a combination of both intrinsic and international factors, due credit must be given to the extremely vital role that the ‘Viet Cong’ successfully executed. Whilst the ‘Viet Cong’ may have resembled a dynamic and competent fighting force, the foundation of their infamous reputation was primarily based upon their use of guerilla warfare tactics. These tactics, unlike conventional warfare, involved a combination of unpredictable and even primitive military strategies which is reflected in the maxim â€Å"When the enemy advances, withdraw; when he defends, harass; when he withdraws, pursue.†[1] Such tactics enabled Communist forces of the NLF to become an elusive and deadly arch-rival. To further enhance their military capabilities, Communist forces excavated a vast network of underground tunnels which were reinforced with concrete, in an effort to survive artillery bombardment as well as air strikes sanctioned under operations ‘Barrel Roll’ as well as ‘Rolling Thunder.’ As seen in ‘Source 1’ the Viet Cong also implemented various booby trap systems using punji stakes, mines and deep pits in an effort to maim and potentially kill US and ARVN forces. These tactics were extremely successful for they not only accounted for â€Å"73% of total US casualties and 11% of combat deaths†[2] but they also denied the victims of such acts any targets to shoot at, for the VC usually deserted the area. What enhanced the success of such tactics was that when these maimed soldiers returned home, they took with them a demoralizing message of the atrocities occurring in Vietnam. The psychological victory of the TET offensive, January 1968, also highlighted the strategic importance of the Viet Cong. The battle, which lasted all of a few days, involved a major deployment of VC and other Communist forces against 36 major towns within South Vietnam. The offensive concluded with the VC symbolically siegeing the US embassy in Saigon in a deliberate ploy to both humiliate and expose the US’s inability to quell the spread of Communism. Despite the fact that the VC were crippled after the almost suicidal battle, the event represented a major turning point in the Vietnamese conflict. As a result, the following night international broadcasts were made which expressed the flawed nature of LBJ’s foreign policy. Consequently the guerrilla tactics implemented by the ‘Viet Nam Cong San’ were vital to the success of the Communist regime for they gradually wore US and ARVN forces down in a war of attrition and psychological victories. Another contributing factor to the Communist victory was their ability to engage in a ‘total war of attrition.’ This concept of ‘total war’, which was described by General Ludendorff in 1935, involves â€Å"the complete mobilization of all resources, including policy and social systems, to the winning of war.†[3] The Viet Cong fulfilled this concept for not only did they sacrifice their material possessions, but more importantly their lives. Whilst the VC were obviously devoted to the cause, unfortunately this was not a uniform policy throughout all Communist units, for many individuals had personal agendas to fulfill, often involving the black-market. The well known phrase â€Å"Soldiers by night, farmers by day†[4] epitomized the Communist people’s whole hearted commitment to the cause. This contrast in roles was a valuable tool for it ensured that the home front remained productive, whilst also enabling the Viet Cong to dissolve back into society after combat, so as to fight another day. What furthered the importance of the Viet Cong’s ‘total war’ strategy was that allied soldiers would often exterminate whole villages in retribution for fallen comrades, often killing unarmed civilians. Evidence of this can be seen in My Lai massacre of 1968, in which 450 women and children were executed for ‘harboring’ VC forces. Source 2, a quote by Robert McNamara, accurately summarizes the repercussions of such a successful Communist strategy stating, â€Å"The picture of the world’s greatest superpower killing 1,000 non-combatants a week, while trying to pound a tiny backward nation into submission†¦ is not a pretty one.†[5] In comparison to the committed nature of the Communist forces it appears that the United States fought a limited war which was justified by Lyndon Johnson in 1965 for Vietnam was only a â€Å"little piss-ant country.† [6] Unlike the VC who were quoted to â€Å"take on tanks, if necessary, with bows and arrows†[7] the US were always too concerned over the repercussions of their actions rather than having a committed aim to quell the ongoing conflict. Throughout the conflict it is obvious that US Foreign Policy was always â€Å"fighting with one hand behind its back†[8] due to LBJ’s attempts to maintain his ‘guns and butter’ approach which involved balancing civil works as well as ‘prolonging’ the Communist conflict. The United States incapacity to end the conflict was further highlighted by their fear of provoking Soviet or Chinese involvement. On many occasions, US forces had the ability to severely cripple the Communist campaign, but yet their incompetence always seemed to get the better of them which is why they never ‘got the bloody job done.’ The ‘Viet Nam Cong San’ ability to seduce the ‘hearts and minds’ of the Vietnamese home front was a vital stepping stone to the Communist victory. As a result of the intimate contact that NLF forces had with villagers throughout the conflict, an almost unbreakable bond was formed. Unlike the Allies who attempted to indoctrinate and relocate villagers through the use of ‘strategic hamlet programs’, as well as the NVA who were renowned for the use of shock tactics, the VC successfully offered support and protection in a passive manner. Consequently the VC’s relationship with villagers was extremely valuable for it often resulted in the donation of intelligence, concealment and in some cases converted soldiers. The importance of this relationship is highlighted in the quote â€Å"By 1967 US personnel couldn’t breathe without the NLF actively knowing.†[9] In comparison, the United States public was rife with division over the Vietnamese conflict. This division in America exposed the US politician’s inability to even win the hearts and minds of its own people let alone a competing nation. An extract of Source 3, â€Å"War is not simply a conflict between armies; more and more it is a struggle between competing social systems†[10] highlights the United States need for civil unity. However the anti-war movements, highlighted by the Kent State University killings as well as the ongoing debate between the ‘doves’ and the ‘hawks’, did not permit the stable and devout home front that was required to achieve victory. The final, and in a sense the most crucial, factor highlighting the importance of the Viet Cong was their strict observance to a program of logical and decisive aims. Unlike the Americans, who it seemed only aimed to â€Å"prolong the life of a corrupt and inefficient political system†[11] the NLF, of which the VC are a member, had a clear program of ambitions. Source 4 is a reliable document which illustrates such goals, the first and foremost being to â€Å"Overthrow the camouflaged colonial regime of the American imperialists and the dictatorial power of Ngo Dinh Diem.†[12] Consequently the Viet Cong’s progressive strategies were extremely important for they not only dictated the path the conflict would take, but also when and by what means they should engage in combat. In comparison to the VC’s established goals, an American author, William Broyles Jr, stated that â€Å"There was no single goal in Vietnam; there were 2.8 million goals, one for every A merican who served there†¦ the end one being to get out of Vietnam†[13] In hindsight, the dynamic role that the Viet Cong played throughout the Vietnamese conflict was vital to the Communist victory. Whilst the Viet Cong did match the large scale fighting of the NVA, its effective use of guerrilla warfare substantially crippled both the moral and fighting capabilities of the US and ARVN. Their selfless dedication to a state of ‘total war’ and their capacity to win the hearts and minds of the people essentially laid the foundations upon which Communist forces were able to launch a successful final campaign. Finally, their unwavering devotion to the Communist cause arguably provided the defining blow to the foreign imperialist’s occupation of South Vietnam. ________________ [1] ‘The Vietnam Experience; FIGHTING FOR TIME’ [2] ‘VIETNAM; THE VALOUR AND THE SORROW’ [3] http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ [4] ‘ATLAS OF CONFLICTS; THE VIETNAM WAR’ [5] ‘ATLAS OF CONFLICTS; THE VIETNAM WAR’ [6] ‘CONFLICT IN INDOCHINA 1954-1979’ [7] ‘Contested Spaces; CONFLICT IN INDOCHINA’ [8] ‘VIETNAM; THE VALOUR AND THE SORROW’ [9] ‘VIETNAM; THE VALOUR AND THE SORROW’ [10] ‘THE AGE OF WAR; The United States Confronts the World’ [11] ‘VIETNAM; THE VALOUR AND THE SORROW’ [12] ‘Contested Spaces; CONFLICT IN INDOCHINA’ [13] ‘ATLAS OF CONFLICTS; THE VIETNAM WAR’

Purification of 1,3-PD from Complex Fermentation Broth

Purification of 1,3-PD from Complex Fermentation Broth MTZ is calculated as Eq. 6[24], where H is adsorption bed height (cm). tb is the time (min) of breakthrough point, which defined as the time when Ct/C0=0.05. te is the time (min) of saturated point, which defined as the time when Ct/C0=0.95. As showed in Table 2, increasing the 1,3-PD concentration, tb and te decreased. The dynamic adsorption of 1,3-PD to resin usually fails to achieve adsorption equilibrium. When the concentration of 1,3-PD achieved a certain high value, the breakthrough point and saturated point came early. The adsorption process in a fixed bed for a single adsorbate can be classified into three zones: the saturated zone, mass transfer zone and fresh zone[24]. The smaller the mass transfer zone and fresh zone were, the higher efficiency of the adsorption process. When the concentration of 1,3-PD was 35.2 g L-1, the maximum value of mass transfer zone (MTZ) is 23.2 cm, which indicated that the saturated zone was small and the efficiency was low. On the contrary, when the concentration of 1,3-PD was 25.0 g L-1, the MTZ was minimum while the efficiency of adsorption was 63.5% as the highest point. However, the production efficiency was lower for saturated time delayed. The breakthrough curves of glycerol were showed in Fig. 3B with three concentrations of 1,3-PD. When 1,3-PD attained saturated point, glycerol did not saturate and the adsorption is 428, 388 and 266 mg/g, respectively, which indicated the decreasing of the fermentation broth concentration increased the adsorption of glycerol. Considering both adsorption rate and efficiency, fermentation broth with 30.0 g L-1 concentrations were used in the following experiments. Data was fitted based on Yoon-Nelson model, which was showed in Fig. 4. Simulated parameters were listed in Table 2. The results indicated that k increased with the 1,3-PD concentration, while xexp decreased, which indicated that increasing concentration shortened the saturated time in the adsorption bed. Furthermore, xexp was similar with x, which indicated that Yoon-Nelson model can be applied to simulate the adsorption process with different concentrations. 3.3 The effect of flow rate The effect of flow rate to the adsorption of 1,3-PD was showed in Fig. 5A. From Fig. 5A, increasing the flow rate lead to the increasing of curves slope, the breakthrough time was shortened and the changing of the concentration difference was quicker. The main reason was that with the increasing of flow rate, exchanging time of adsorbate and resin was shortened. Further analysis showed in Table 3. From Table 3, with the setting up of flow rate, the saturated point of 1,3-PD decreased quickly and MTZ increased. High flow rate would make it difficult for 1,3-PD to transfer into resin porosity, which went against for the mass transfer of 1,3-PD and the undisturbed 1,3-PD increased. When the flow rate was 0.800 mL min-1, the adsorption rate was 62.2%. However, low flow rate lead to the delay of 1,3-PD saturated point and low adsorption rate, which is not benefit for industrial production. Data fitting based on Yoon-Nelson kinetic model, the result of 1,3-PD breakthrough curves showed in Table 3 and Fig. 6. As showed in Fig. 6, k increased with the increasing flow rate and xexp shared a similarity with x, indicating that Yoon-Nelson kinetic model can imitate adsorption process at different flow rates. 3.4 The effect of temperature The effect of temperature in the adsorption of 1,3-PD showed in Fig. 7A. As showed in Fig. 7A, tb and te increased with temperature. The breakthrough point delayed, which was similar to the result of a steady state adsorption. Increasing temperature promotes the adsorption of 1,3-PD to resin. However, the effect of temperature on breakthrough curves is not obvious on the slope of three curves was almost equal. The breakthrough curves of glycerol were shown in Fig. 7B. When the adsorption of 1,3-PD achieved saturate point, glycerol did not saturate and the adsorption is 310, 388 and 433 mg/g, respectively. Additional analysis was showed in Table 4. Although increasing temperature is beneficial to adsorption, the value of A in 313 K did not remarkably increase (Table 4). It was due to that the migration velocity and the contact between glycerol molecules and resin also increased and influence the adsorption of 1,3-PD by occupying adsorption sites. The adsorption of 1,3-PD to the resin was spontaneous and endothermic. The adsorption kinetics was accurately represented by the shell progressive model and indicated that the particle diffusion was the rate-limiting step[19]. Considering decreasing operating cost and simplifying experiments, the temperature was fixed at 298 K. Data was fitted based on Yoon-Nelson kinetic model, the results of simulating parameters shows in Table 4 and Fig. 8. As showed in the Fig. 8, the value of k decreased with the increasing of temperature. The value of xexp by using model and x shared a similar result, indicated that Yoon-Nelson kinetic model can simulate the adsorption process under different temperatures. 3.4 The effect of stack height on adsorption The effect of stack height on adsorption was studied with 10.0, 15.0 and 30.0 cm respectively (Fig. 9A). Experiment condition: flow rate, 1.00 mL min-1, fermentation broth with 1,3-PD,30.0g L-1; stacking height, 10.0, 15.0, 30.0 cm; temperature, 298 K. As showed in Fig. 9A, the slope of the breakthrough curve gradually decreased with the increasing of stack height, indicated that high stack height promoted adsorption. Supplementary analysis shows in Table 5. As showed in Table 5, qtotal and A was low when H was 10.0 cm for the resin quantity and the active sites of fixed bed decreased. The MTZ (8.44 cm) was nearly as the whole bed height, showing that the relative low efficiency of the adsorption. The parameter was small owing to reasons above, placing competing adsorption between 1,3-PD and glycerol, also the shorter contact time between resin and solution for decreasing height. Comparably, the values of breakthrough parameters when H equaled to 30.0 cm were fine: the maximum of q total attained 2.13 g, which was significantly higher than other values and the value of A was also maximum. The main reason was the increasing stack height resulted in the increasing of contacting time between resin and adsorption sites for better adsorption. On the other hand, with the adding of resin in adsorption bed, improved the capability of adsorption to 1,3-PD (te increased, the slope of breakthrough curves, the adsorption of resin increased). The bre akthrough curves in three stack heights showed in Fig. 9B. The adsorption of glycerol is 117, 269 and 388 mg/mg, respectively. Moreover, the increasing of bed height increased the number of theoretical plates in separation degree. Considering the value of tb, te and A , 30.0 cm was chosen for the following experiments. Data fitting based on Yoon-Nelson kinetic model, the results of simulating parameters of the adsorption process in Table 5 and Fig. 10. The value of k decreased with the increasing of stack height and xexp was similar to x, indicating that Yoon-Nelson kinetic model can fit the adsorption in different stack height. M0 (g) is the elution quantity of 1,3-PD, M1 (g) is the quantity of glycerol The effect of ethanol concentration on elution curves was studied with three different ethanol volumes (30%, 50%, 75%), which were showed in Fig 11. As shown in Fig 11, 1,3-PD was the eluted out firstly. The retention time of 1.3-PD and glycerol enlarged in the column were due to the stack height of this fixed bed (30.0 cm). The overlapping of curves between components decreased obviously. It also prolonged the adsorption time between 1.3-PD and glycerol with resin. 1.3-PD and glycerol separated through continuous adsorption and desorption. Resin prefers the adsorption of glycerol to 1,3-PD. Glycerol replaced the 1,3-PD which adsorbed on the resin, caused the glycerol layer enlarged while 1,3-PD layer moved down. Furthermore, ethanol selectively eluted 1,3-PD. Therefore, the 1,3-PD was the firstly been eluted. With the elution of 1,3-PD, the percentage of 1,3-PD in eluent decreased. The ability of the eluent increased so glycerol been eluted down. Besides, when the volume percentage of ethanol increasing from 30% to 75%, both peaks of 1,3-PD and glycerol improved and concentrated, indicating that high concentration of ethanol was advantageous for the collection of components. The elution quantity of 1,3-PD (M0) and elution quantity of glycerol (M1), were calculated according to elution curves and showed in Table 6. As showed in Table 6, the elution rate of 1,3-PD improved from 64.3% to 95.3%, indicating that high concentration ethanol was helpful to the elution of relevant components. Meanwhile, both elution ratio of 1,3-PD and glycerol increased and attained a maximum when ethanol was 75%. The mass ratio of 1,3-PD and glycerol in eluent improved from 6:1 to 14.6:1 in broth, and the concentration of 1,3-PD increased from 85.7% to 93.6%, indicating that both of 1,3-PD and glycerol been divided efficiently. Moreover, with the increasing of ethanol volume percentage, the elution amount of both 1,3-PD and glycerol increased. However, the increasing of elution amount of glycerol was little, which mean the combination force between glycerol and resin was stronger that 75% ethanol could not eluted glycerol down. 100% ethanol was also used for elution and caused severe dehydration of resin. Therefore, 75% ethanol was used as eluent. 3.6 The effect of the elution flow rate The flow rate increasing from 1.00 to 2.00 mL min-1 to investigate the effect of elution flow rate on 1,3-PD and glycerol. The results showed in Fig. 12 and relevant parameters in Table 7. As showed in Fig. 12, increasing flow rate, the elution peak of both 1,3-PD and glycerol decreased. In Table 7, with the increasing of flow rate, the elution of 1,3-PD decreased while that of glycerol improved. Meanwhile, the mass ratio of 1.3-PD to glycerol decreased from 14.6 to 9.88, indicating that increasing elution rate was not favorable to the separation of 1,3-PD and glycerol. Therefore, the elution efficiency and 1,3-PD separation could be improved significantly if slow down elution rate and increasing contact time between eluent and 1,3-PD in the resin. As shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12, when the flow rate was 1.00 mL min-1 and the concentration of ethanol is 75%, 1,3-PD and glycerol showed a seemingly separation on the curve: the curve of glycerol appeared from 54 mL which means before that the system only contained 1,3-PD; after 98 mL 1,3-PD and glycerol coexist in the mixture. It is known by calculation that before 54 mL the quantity of 1,3-PD was 1.64 g as a percentage of 80.8%. Mixture collected could return to the fermentation broth for the next adsorption process. 1,3-PD could be acquired by first 54 mL eluent after vacuum distillation. Further resolution of the two substances with the flow rate as 0.500 mL min-1 were studied. The overlapping degree of 1,3-PD and glycerol curves reduced, but could not be completely separated. Meanwhile, the time increased remarkably as 304 min, indicating that although decreasing flow rate was helpful to improve separation efficiency, the production efficiency decreased. Therefore, 1.00 mL min-1 was selected as the best flow rate. 3.7 Purification of the 1,3-propanediol Vacuum distillation, which is energy saving due to the decline of boiling point, is preferred to traditional distillation. 324 ml eluent was collected after six times adsorption and elution separation. No glycerol has been tested by HPLC. The eluent was added into rotary evaporator (vacuum 0.093-0.097 MPa and temperature 60-65 oC) for ethanol recycling. After recycling, the remaining solution transferred to vacuum distillation under Vacuum degree at 0.093-0.097 MPa. Collecting impurity below 129 oC and 1,3-PD fraction between 129-149 oC. The purity of 1,3-PD has been tested by HPLC is 99.2% (sample has been sent to the independent third test institution for detection). 4 Conclusion Recovery and purification of 1,3-PD from complex fermentation broth represents a technological challenge and true bottleneck in the development of a commercially viable bioprocess of this promising bulk chemicals. The present work provides a novel technique for purification of 1,3-propanediol from crude glycerol-based fermentation broth. Separation and purification of 1,3-propanediol was achieved by four simple steps: removal of cells and proteins by chitosan flocculation, decoloration by activated carbon, adsorption by fixed bed cation exchange resin, and vacuum distillation. Furthermore, in order to predict the breakthrough curves and to determine the characteristic parameters of the column, Yoon-Nelson models were applied to the experimental data. Parameters as adsorption capacity at breakthrough time (tb) and saturation time (ts), length of the mass transfer zone (MTZ) were obtained for the different operation conditions used in the adsorption experiments. The characteristic colu mn parameters were calculated for process design. The overall yield of 1,3-propanediol recovery is calculated to be 80.8% with 99.2% of purity. This process, which is simple, fast, and efficient, will promote the commercialization of 1,3-propanediol production.

Baku In Azerbaijan: Pollution Levels

Baku In Azerbaijan: Pollution Levels Imagine that you are walking down the street and see nothing but stones, ruins, fissures on the land; its dark and you even do not see what is happening near you because of fog and soot, you try to get something attractive, you want to see blue sea and white seagulls over it, but again, you see nothing but the cruel reality and the saddest thing is that you realize there is nowhere to run to escape this.. It is our world; this is what happened with the planet as a result of human activity. You wish you could leave not because of yourself, but because of your children, you do not want them to grow up in such environment, you realize that theyll never see the things you saw: green trees, blue skies, pure water. They will not understand what the fresh air means, they will hardly believe in story about fish in the sea, birds in the sky. But, maybe you will not even wish to tell them what you saw, because you are sure they will probably ask: So what happened, why everything turned to be so bad, who is guilty? And it will be difficult to explain them that these are people have destroyed their own lives.We all are living on one planet, Who will save it for our children, for new generation if we dont? Azerbaijan has the reputation of being an environmental disaster zone. Many scientists consider Apsheron Peninsula, where 50% of Azerbaijanis live, to be the most ecologically devastated area in the world because of severe air, water and soil pollution. The objective of this paper is to present a brief review related to the pollution in Azerbaijan, in particular in Baku and Sumgait cities, historical development of oil sector and exploration of oil and gas deposits in the country and its influence on environmental situation, history of water, air and ground pollution in Azerbaijan. To achieve the proposed objective, the first chapter of the paper presents the country profile and oil sector development history as well as present production situation. The second chapter covers issues of history of pollution in Baku and the related factors contributed to that as industrial development, decades of lack of sustainable environmental policy. Divided into subchapters it gives more comprehensive detailed analysis of environmental concerns in Azerbaijan. At the end of this document, a brief conclusion about this topic is presented as well as the bibliographical sources used to prepare the respective presentation and paper on the subject of history of environment. CHAPTER 1. COUNTRY PROFILE AND OIL HISTORY Geographical location of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is a lower middle-income country with a gross national income per capita of $1,240 in 2005. Territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan is 86,6 thousand square kilometres. Azerbaijan has common boundaries with: Iran in the south along the perimeter 765 km, with Turkey 15 km, with Russia in the north 390 km, with Armenia in the west 1007 km. The length of the coastal line is 713 km. Azerbaijanis situated in the eastern part of the South Caucasus on the Caspian Sea shore and covers an area of 86.6 thousand km2. Capital of Azerbaijan is Baku city. General facts on the country. Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan 8 million and 593 thousand people (for 01.01.2007). The age-composition of the population comprises the following age-classes: people of 0-14 years of age make up 26% of the population, 15-64 years-67%, 65 and above-for 7%. Young people of 18-34 years of age make up 29% of the population with the half of them living in big cities. Country Statistical Profile 2006* Population, total (millions) 8.48 Population growth (annual %) 1.10 Life expectancy at birth, female (years) 75.20 Life expectancy at birth, male (years) 69.60 GDP (current US$) (billions) 19.85 GDP growth (annual %) 34.50 GNI, Atlas method (current US$) (billions) 15.64 Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) 8.30 Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) -2.94 Time required to start a business (days) 52.00 Internet users (per 100 people) 9.77 Source: www.world.bank.org Azerbaijan is rich in mineral resources, mainly oil and natural gas but also in iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite. The country also has agricultural land and a well-educated labour force with a strong entrepreneurial tradition. Despite the countrys natural resources, poverty continues to pose a major challenge for Azerbaijan. In 2005 29% of the population lived in poverty and 8% in extreme poverty. Azerbaijan has had high economic growth in 2006 and 2007 that was due to large and growing oil exports. The oil and gas sector contributes approximately 1/3 of GDP, while agriculture contributes about 9%. The impressive GDP growth of the past five years with an average annual growth rate of 12% was led mainly by oil and gas production. Oil production is expected to peak in 2011 and decline thereafter in the absence of major new discoveries. Azerbaijan shares all the problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Several other obstacles slow down Azerbaijans economic progress: the need for stepped up foreign investment in the non-energy sector, the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, pervasive corruption, and elevated inflation. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining, while trade is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new oil and gas pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijans ability to manage its energy wealth. 1.3. History of Oil boom in Azerbaijan Information on oil production in Azerbaijan was repeatedly mentioned in the manuscripts of scientists and travelers in the Middle Ages and it was noted that such an uncommon product would generate a significant income. Arabian historian Masudi Abdul Huseyn (9th century) mentioned in his manuscripts that there were two main sources of Black oil and white oil (kerosene) on Apsheron Marco Polo (13-14th century) wrote in his travel notes that Apsheron peninsula was dotted with oil wells and the oil extracted used for lighting and for heating purposes. Engelbert Kaempfer (15th century) oil was transported via wineskins on four-wheeled carts to Shamakhi and Baku. From Shamakhi it is taken across country on camels. From Baku it is taken by sea to other regions Turkish traveler Ortakoy (17th century) The area around Baku has a burning ground. The ground is hot from the burning fuel beneath it. Early views of Baku and first drilling methods Early oil extraction methods were very primitive mainly hand dug wells drilled to very shallow depths (2-3 meters). Overall In 1813, 136 wells were drilled in Absheron which produced total volume of only 64 barrels of oil per day. In 1825, oil was produced on the Absheron peninsular in all suborns of Baku. But it should be stressed out that much of early oil production was wasted in blowout gushers and this was a very uneconomical and environmentally harmful process. Workers were dying because of the gushers. The strong gushers were flooding the houses in the nearest villages. Oil from wells was lost for nothing because of oil gushers. In 1844 in Baku, more than a decade earlier than the oil well in Pennsylvania (USA, 1859), V. Semyonov, the Baku mining engineer, drilled a well 21 m deep using primitive percussion method in the settlement of Bibi-Heybat near Baku. This is considered the starting point of industrial oil extraction in Azerbaijan and in the whole world. The first oil refinery was built in 1859 in Baku. In 1878 the first oil pipeline in the world was constructed between oil fields in Balakhany and the oil refinery in Baku. The length of pipeline was 12 km. 1896-1906 the construction of Baku-Batumi (Georgia) pipeline carrying 900 thousand tons of oil per year. The Nobel Brothers were major contributors to oil transport, who built the worlds first oil carrying steamship, named Zoroaster in 1878 and constructed the first rail tanks for transporting oil in 1883 from Baku to Astrakhan (Russia). By 1900, Azerbaijan was producing more than ten million tons of oil each year which was more than half of the worlds oil supply. Oil boom also influenced on the other sectors and Azerbaijan benefited from the expertise of well known chemists and geologists from the whole world such as the Russian chemist D. Mendeleyev, creator of the periodic table of chemical elements. As a result, innovative new techniques such as rotary drilling and gas lift were tested for the first time in Azerbaijan. The Nobel Brothers oil wells in Bakus suburb Oil boom have had very negative affect as well, particularly on ecological situation in Azerbaijan: oil wells in the vicinity of Baku were pumping oil into reservoir lakes. The ecological disaster started 100 years ago still plagues the region. 1.4. Current oil production in Azerbaijan. The oil and gas industries are the basis of the economy of Azerbaijan. Since World War II, the republic not only fully provided itself with oil and oil products but also supplied the majority of oil and oil products to other republics of the former Soviet Union. Azerbaijans sharp economic decline in the first half of the 1990s has reversed and the economy has been growing since 1996. After gaining independence in1992 Azerbaijan started to attract badly needed foreign investment into the country. The implementation of the 20 production-sharing arrangements Contracts (requiring $60 billion investment) that have been concluded so far is an integral part of Azerbaijans oil strategy. Azerbaijans oil production declined through 1997, but has registered an increase every year since. Oil production under the first of the Contracts, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, began in November 1997. A consortium of Western oil companies began pumping 1 million barrels a day from a la rge offshore field in early 2006, through a $4 billion pipeline it built from Baku to Turkeys port of Ceyhan. By 2010 revenues from this project will double the countrys current GDP. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline was officially opened in July 13, 2006 and now transports crude oil 1,760 km (1,094 miles) from the Azer-Chiraq-Guneshli oil field (Baku suburb) in the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second longest oil pipeline in the world (the longest being the Druzhba from Russia to central Europe). According to State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan Republic, the current oil production is the following: Oil production: 934,700 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil consumption: 160,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil exports: 795,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil imports: 3,924 bbl/day (2004) Oil proved reserves: 7 billion bbl (17 April 2007 est.) Source: www.azstat.org CHAPTER 2. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 2.1. History of pollution in Baku and Sumgait In environmental terms, the long history of oil exploration (supplemented during the Soviet days by the petrochemical industry) has left the country with a massive legacy of oil and other chemical pollution, both land-based and offshore. Environmental deterioration is widespread in Azerbaijan. The country faces numerous problems related to air and water quality, land and biodiversity, lowering levels of the Caspian Sea, outdated and polluting industries, and oil field spills. The Government recognizes the need to address environmental problems to sustain economic development and a poverty reduction effort however much remains to be done to improve the countrys environment, particularly in urban areas. ( Baku onshore oil fields. Oil workers work in 24 hour shifts.) Starting from Soviet time economic development of Azerbaijan is concentrated mainly in the coastal areas on the Absheron Peninsula, between the contaminated sections of Bakus districts and the industrial city of Sumgait. These cities were considered the most polluted cities in Soviet Union. Azerbaijan was producing oil not only for itself but also to the all Soviet union Republic and decades of lack of sustainable environmental policy and unsustainable oil production starting from Soviet time till now, left behind huge wastelands with standing oil ponds and severely contaminated soil. Industrial development and mobile sources of fuel combustion have released high concentrations of heavy metals and other toxic and hazardous elements into air, land and water. As a result, urban areas, such as Baku and Sumgait, became classic examples of environmental hot spots. This pool on the edge of town is evidence of the oil pollution in Baku. The transition period (after collapse of Soviet Union) economic output has declined dramatically and industrial and agricultural decline reduced air pollution, industrial water discharges and pollution from agrochemicals. But starting from 1996 the economy began to grow up in a rapid way. In common with other newly independent states, Azerbaijan is an urbanized society (urban population around 55% of the total). The Absheron Peninsula, with Baku and Sumgait, accounts for 50% of the countrys population and is a home to more than 80 big, 370 medium-sized, and 2000 small industrial enterprises. The upsurge of foreign investment in the oil and gas sector since 1996 has further underlined the economic dominance of the coastal area and the Absheron Peninsula in particular. Vehicles emissions significantly increased over the last decade (because of high economic growth) and became a leading source of unchecked air-pollution. Baku-Ceyhan pipeline will also contribute to air pollution because of increased oil production and lack of attention to modernization of oil industry from environmental management perspective. Currently, Azerbaijan achieved Rigs outside the Baku city center, near Ramana significant progress in updating its environmental legislation, build partnership with international agencies and organizations addressing environmental issues, work on capacity development, etc., but the accumulation of toxic industrial waste, waste metals, pesticides residues, and oil pollution represents substantial and unresolved environmental problems. Government of Azerbaijan with the support of international experts developed the National Environment Action Plan identifying four priority categories for Azerbaijan: pollution from industrial production: oil exploration and production; energy; transport; other sources Caspian Sea Forestry, land an biodiversity Institutional development According to Caspian Envoriment Program, the major polluting industrial sectors identified in the Caspian Region are the following: Area/Country Industrial Sectors Sumgait/Azerbaijan Power Plants Petrochemical Industry Inorganic Chemical Industry Organic Chemical Industry Baku/Azerbaijan Power Plants Refineries Oil Gas Exploitation Metal Works Shipyards Harbours Absheron Peninsula/Azerbaijan Breweries Meat Processing Oil Gas Exploitation Northern Azerbaijan Beverages Fruit Vegetable Processing Southern Azerbaijan Fish Processing Fruit Vegetable processing Source: http://www.caspianenvironment.org/newsite/index.htm For more comprehensive understanding of the environmental concerns in Baku, I will proceed with more detailed analysis on water, air and ground pollution in the next sub-chapters. 2.2. Water Pollution. 2.2.1. Availability of water resources. Azerbaijan has limited water resources- only 30% of river flow resources are formed within the country Apsheron Peninsula is one of the least water resources per capita and per unit area. Azerbaijan is almost entirely depends on Kur-Araz river basin originates in north-astern Turkey, passes through Georgia and flows into the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan. The water is used for agricultural, domestic, and industrial purposes, and for hydropower generation and recreation. The problems in the basin are related to both quantity and quality of water. Water shortage is acute because rainfall declines sharply from west to east across the basin. Drought periods in the basin are very common. Other rivers formed from rain and snow start in mountains very often do not have permanent river beds. Undergrounds water resources make up about 25% of the river flow and have potential for future use, but currently provide only 5% of water abstraction. Piped drinking water reaches 50-95% of the urban population and to some estimates, safe drinking water is available to less tan 50% of urban residents. Baku and Sumgayit, and about 75 other cities receive centralized water supply. Norm of daily water consumption for Baku citizen is about 400-580 litres that is very high in comparison with other countries but the water is undrinkable (recommended to drink only after boiled) and provided in accordance with time schedule. Pollution of water resources Water quality is one of the major environmental concerns. Surface and underground water are polluted by untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and agricultural run-off. Kur-Araz river basin is heavily polluted by neighbouring countries- Georgia and Armenia about 40,000 tons of nutrients released each year before crossing the Azerbaijan border. As an example, on the Azerbaijan side of the border with Georgia in 1992-1994, average annual concentrations of phenols and oil products exceeded existing water quality standards by about 14 and 3 times respectively. Surface water and groundwater are polluted from a) oil spillage, linkage from pipelines, storage tanks, resulting in contamination of petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals; b)pesticides from agriculture; c)factory wastes dumped into rivers; salinization of the water due to the Caspian sea water intrusion(raise of level of Caspian sea). Government estimates that 80% of country population uses water from Kur-Araz river basi n for drinking purposes that does not meet Azerbaijanis drinking water standards even after water treatment. Wastewater management and Policy measures/ Institutional responsibilities During the Soviet Union period, large volumes of effluents were discharged into receiving water bodies on the territory of Azerbaijan. Both domestic and industrial wastewater has been discharged into nearby reservoirs without proper treatment, if any. Existing Baku wastewater network, in operation for 100 years, does not have the capacity today for adequate and safe operations. Total wastewater collected in Baku is reported to be 1,3 -1,4 million m3/day. 30,000 m3/day of untreated municipal wastewater is discharged into the Caspian Sea. However only 50% of collected wastewater undergoes treatment and more that 40% of the housing districts not connected. Thus, this figure should be 10 times higher. In addition, of more that 40 oil industrial companies operating in Baku and Sumgait, treatment facilities in only 7 are considered to be functioning reasonably well and, as a result, untreated wastewater form oil fields and other polluting industries is mixed with municipal wastewater. The following measures have bee taken by the government to address the water pollution concern: Adoption of Water Code 1998; Law on water supply and waste water 2000; Law on amelioration and irrigation 1996; Law on environmental protection -1999 Gaps to be further addressed: Lack of national water protection strategy; integration of river basin management approach rather that administrative units approach; lack of institutional capacity of Ministry of Ecology and National Resources and other state bodies Air Pollution Industrialization and urbanization over 30 the past 35 years have resulted in significant deterioration of ambient air quality in urban areas. Currently, the major pollution in Baku and Sumgait is from motor vehicles; oil and gas industries; chemical steel; and power plants; and small and medium-size enterprises. According to data, 96% of the atmospheric pollution emissions are concentrated in 5 main cities of Azerbaijan with the most of air emission in Baku. 2.3.1. Sources and trends of air pollution Mobile sources. Currently, transport is considered to be the main source of air pollution, responsible for increase in NOx, organic chemical, and CO emissions. Historically, the proportion of emissions from transport in Azerbaijan was 30-40%. Because of economic raise number of vehicles is steadily increasing, but the problem is increase in numbers of poorly maintained old vehicles using low-quality fuel. More than 90% of all vehicles are more than 5- years old (foreign models, mostly used cars), and the average age of vehicles is around 15 years. In addition, system of vehicles inspection for checking vehicles emissions (qualified staff, technical equipment; lack of finance; law salary of inspectors) is very poor. Heavy traffic; bad road conditions; lack of bypasses in most cities also contribute to increased vehicle emissions. Stationary Sources. Currently the primary source of atmospheric pollution from Stationary sources are the release of associated gases by power plants, burning of untreated garbage; oil refineries, and factories in Sumgait. In Baku, emission of industrial pollutant unrelated to oil industry is relatively small with exception of releases of chlorofluorides from air conditioners; refrigeration industries; and cement production. Source: www.azstat.org Air Pollution: Trends in Air Quality. In general, the ambient air quality in Azerbaijan has improved in recent years as a consequence of the sharp decrease in air emissions from stationary sources. However, urban air pollution remains a matter of ongoing concern. Air quality data in Azerbaijan is collected by the Monitoring department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. According to official data, the air pollution emissions peaked in 1991 2,1 million tons; and is declining since that time (about 0,4 mln 0,2 mln tons) . In spite of lowered total emissions, air pollution is still perceived as critical. Annual air concentration level of soot in Baku is 3-5 times higher (depending on the source of information) that World Health Organization standards (60-90 ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3). Current and projected economic growths will further cause unsustainable deterioration of urban air quality because of lack of monitoring and control equipment Air Pollution: Policy measures/ Institutional responsibilities The following measures have bee taken by the government to address the air pollution concern: Law on Environmental protections 1999; Law on Air Protection 2001; National programmes on adjustment of standards form GOST to WHO international standards; Law on Hydromethereological activity 1998 (hydrometehrological measurements and environmental monitoring). Ratification by Azerbaijan UN Framework Convention on climate change in 1995 and Kyoto Protocol to the Convention in 2000 and Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1996 Gaps to be further addressed: Lack of institutional capacity of Ministry of Ecology and National Resources and other state bodies on adjustment to international standards Lack trained of staff; budget limitations; poor monitoring; symbolic penalties for violators, poor technology Lack of National Strategy addressing air pollution with concrete measures assign 2.4. Ground Pollution Solid Industrial and Hazardous Wastes During the Soviet period mostly heavy and chemical industry, including gas and oil, ferrous, chemical, machinery, as well as food and light industries-produced high volumes of solid industrial and hazardous wastes. At present, oil production, chemical and mineral resources extraction and processing, power plants, and hospitals are the major generators of solid and hazardous wastes. Particularly acute is the problem of the management of waste accumulated over decades of environmentally unsustainable development, as well as of newly accumulated waste. Known hazardous waste disposal sites are overloaded and not adequately sealed. There are no financial or institutional mechanisms to properly arrange for new sites. Solid pollution directly affects human heath via groundwater pollution, food contamination through vegetables and other crops grown in urban and per-urban areas. Soil pollution. As it was mentioned above, Azerbaijan signed an agreement with approximately 30 oil companies from 15 countries requiring that oil exploration and drilling should be according to international environmental standards, that are not fulfilled in most cases and oil-containing products are found both on legal and illegal dump sites with no protection. Unfortunately during soviet time, most of the industrial activities have focused in Sumgait and Baku that ( view from top of the center of Baku to Bail) resulted that exactly that are become most polluted. Baku area- Apsheron Penninsula soil is known for having them most acute oil degradation with more that 10,000 hectares of land heavily contaminated. Copper, lead and zinc mines are the main sources of heavy-metal soil pollution. Steel plants produce dust containing 15-30% zinc, 3-5% lead, 0,1% cadmium.  [1]  In some areas of Baku average concentrations of zinc in soils are up to 50-60 times the acceptable levels. Radioactive waste. The issues of radioactive waste are related to oil drilling and processing operations. Radio nuclides of natural Radium and Thorium that are present in rocks and gases are brought to the surface when water is pumped into the pipes to maintain steady flow. Thats why the radioactive contamination is focused near the oil fields. But there are also other sources of radioactive wastes research and medical institution concentrated mainly in capital Baku. Though there is the special isolated facility IZOTOP located 37 km from Baku for radioactive waste, statistical data for groundwater in Baku give the following figures: Radium 226, Thorium 228.  [2]   Municipal waste. Obviously, population growths in Baku and urbanization have resulted in increased generation of municipal waste. Solid municipal waste contains up to 35% food waste; 20-40% paper; 3-5% wood; 4-5% textile fabrics; 4-5% glass breakage; 1-2% metals; and up to 10% polymeric materials, though the share of paper and polymeric materials has been increasing.  [3]  In most European countries waste separation and recycling in applied but in Azerbaijan no waste separation and recycling is used: about 2% of waste burnt; 1,5% processed, and the left are disposed at municipal waste landfills that are overloaded and do not meet minimum health and environmental requirements. Absence of environmentally controlled landfills leads to: Risk of soil and groundwater contamination with heavy metals, toxics; Risk of dissemination of products containing heavy metals and toxics; Places for stray dogs, insects, rats, spreading infections; Smoke from burning wastes polluting the air 2.4.2. Solid Waste: Policy measures/ Institutional responsibilities The following measures have bee taken by the government to address the solid waste issues: Law on Industrial and Municipal waste in 1998; Hazardous Waste Management Agency established in 2003; National strategy on Hazardous Waste Management Agency (with WB support); Training programmes for national staff on radioactive waste management and computerized registry of radioactive materials by International Atomic Energy Agency; upgrade of IZOTOP facility; Development of criteria for rehabilitation of contaminated cites and national programme on rehabilitation of some oil-contaminated lands; National plan developed to address creation of new waste landfills; sorting disposal, recycling of waste; introduction of methods to generate biogas from municipal waste. Gaps to be further addressed: Plans and strategies are in place but not effectively implemented because of beuroctratic procedures and lack of financing the sector. Water level and Coastline of the Caspian Sea Caspian Sea is unique closed water basin, plays the important role in the establishment of the climate in the region, and has rich stocks of rare kinds of fishes, energy-carriers and large potential for development of sea transport. Disturbing the ecological condition of Caspian sea, caused by its pollution by industrial, agricultural and municipal wastes, offshore and coastal production of oil and gas, shipping company and other circumstances, have caused degradation its biodiversity, exhaust of fish resources, have increased fluctuations of the sea level, that has resulted to have fires of inhabited files and industrial infrastructures. The ecological problems of Caspian Sea can be divided into 3 types: Chemical pollution by the running rivers; Ecological problems, connected to the rise of the level of water; offshore oil industry. The variation of the Caspian Sea water level is a serious specific problem for the country that brings to economic, ecological, and social challenges. During 1927-1977, the surface area of the sea decreased from 425,000 km2 to 370,000 km2, which led to increasing development of the coastal ( Sea side, walking area called Bakinskiy Bulvar) territories and the construction of coast-protecting dams, channels, and roads, based on forecasts of further decreases in sea level. A reversal began in 1978 and during 1978- 1995, Caspian sea level rose by 2.3 m to -26.5 m. The new rise has caused extreme erosion of coastal areas, destruction of construction and engineering facilities, and inundation of vast areas. Scientists predict a further increase in sea level of 1.5-2.5 m by 2010 however the Government is not taking action to mitigate the consequences of sea level variation. In this regard, the most severe environmental effects of the rise in the Caspian water level are associated with secondary pollution of the sea from oil fields and possibly some industrial plants, either through direct flooding or rise in groundwater levels. Health Effects of environmental conditions Numbers of studies show the link between haz Protecting the Environment: Save Water, Save Our Life Protecting the Environment: Save Water, Save Our Life The world is getting thirstier, today, nearly 1 billion people in the developing world do not have access to clean, safe drinking water. 97.5 percent of the earth’s water is saltwater and undrinkable, less than 1 percent of fresh water is usable, amounting to 0.01 percent of the earth’s total water. These astonishing statistics shock me that the clean water we drink every day is hard-won. Water is limited natural resources, also it is the most important thing to all living. If we do not conserve, recycle, and more efficiently use water, our environment would have serious ecological consequences, such as climate change. Water crisis had become the most pressing environment issue, terrible in some countries like Africa. It may not obviously affect American’s daily life, but it would be too late to think about the solutions if the same problem coming to us. Polluted water would undermine the ecological environment. For instance, recently, a Chinese mine spilt into the river, causing animals to die and affecting the  local villages’. â€Å"Polluted water from a Chinese mining site in a Tibetan-populated area in western Chinas Sichuan province has spilt into a nearby river, killing large numbers of fish and livestock owned by villagers, according to sources in the region† (States News Service). In this news, mining activities are a lack of government regulation. The similar thing happened to Tibetan villagers in 2011, local people were legal to protest against environmental destruction and complaints to Chinese authorities yielded no results then, either. Chinese-operated mines not just pollute the drinking water also had caused severe damage to local forests and grasslands. We should perceive problem severity of water pollution in our global village. Moreover, the mismanagement mining or industrials not only issue in ecological environment damage but also waste an enormous amount of money and time for clean up the unsafe water. We will see a doctor and take medicine when we get sick, generally most of the diseases are under our control in short time; water is not alike human body, you might cannot see it from unsafe become clean drinking in your lifetime because water treatment takes over 100 years to recover the polluted water. â€Å"Computer projections in the environmental impact statement say that either active or passive water treatment will be needed for 200 years for the mine site, and up to 500 years for the metallurgical site. The document says water treatment would cost between $3.5 and $6 million per year after the mine closes† (Star Tribune). The reporter establishes that water treatment for mine and the metallurgical site will cost a lot of years and money. What if no one wants to spend money for the long-term water treatment? The answer is simple: Finally, the victims will be animals, plants, and us. According to Maude Barlow’s article, millions of people live in countries that cannot provide clean water to their citizens, because they are burdened by their debt to the global North. More children die each year of water-borne disease than war, HIV/AIDS and traffic accidents combined. â€Å"At least 62 countries need deep debt relief if the daily deaths of thousands of children are to end† (Global Issue 217). Barlow indicates that people in poor countries have not adequate water and exploit their resources to pay their debt. Barlow argues that water is commons and public that everyone can access, no one owns it; but it does not mean that we can waste water and wanton destruction the ecosystem. In my opinion, water does free to everybody, but actuality we pay for water fee for our family every month. I think this is one of the best ways to tell people to save water. However, we should help the poor countries which cannot provide clean water to people because of financi al problem. Today, water is wasted through abuse, inefficiency, leakage, evaporation, and allocation of pure water to tasks that do not need it. The global water crisis getting worse by the day and threatening millions of more people every year, therefore, water protection strategies are needs urgently. In article â€Å"Water of Life†, Postel point out a question that why are the greater amounts of money and sophisticated engineering have not solved the world’s water problem? â€Å"We have been trying to meet insatiable demands by continuously expanding a finite water supply† (Global Issue 225). Postel emphasises that human demand too much water which is limited and unable expand resources. Postel provided some suggest for protect, recycle, and how efficiently use water can contain people’s water demands and avoid or delay an ecological reckoning. â€Å"tried-and-true measures as thrifty irrigation techniques, water-saving plumbing fixtures, native landscaping, and w astewater recycling can cost-effectively reduce the amount of water required to grow food, produce material goods and meet household needs† (Global Issue 225). The author suggestions are convincing because each example she lists are improvable base on the technology today. Another example of wasting water is every people doing every day, which is using pure water to flushing the toilet. I suggest people use dish water or the water after wash vegetables to flushing. This is kind of use up the water by the second time, better than use pure water. In my perspective, to dealing with the global water crisis, we must leave sufficient water in rivers and lakes for ensuring their ecological health. The priority project we should do that is put investment to develop the infrastructure which can turn rainwater and stormwater harvesting, recycling, alternative energy use. In addition, only the protective measures of water are not enough, so we should create a new law to regulate human behaviours in order to protect the environment. As Martin Luther King said, the law may not change the heart but it will restrain the heartless. It is difficult or takes long-term to change human daily habits, but a law with punishments can at least restrict or let human perceive what is right and wrong. Wherever we are, we need water to survive. Not just because sixty percent of the human body is water, also fundamental for the production of food, clothing, and cars etc. Pollute water threatens our body and the next generation health problem. None of us can live on a dry planet, we are responsible for keeping the environment healthy, and make sure every person have clean and safe drinking water. Source Citation CHINESE MINE SPILL KILLS ANIMALS, POLLUTES WATER IN TIBETAN AREA. States News Service 18 Oct. 2013. General OneFile. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. Johnson, June. Global Issues, Local Arguments: Readings for Writing. N.p.: Pearson Education, n.d. Print. Iron Range mine could pollute water for 500 years; StateAEs first copper-nickel mine would require billions of dollars in long-term cleanup, regulators say. Star Tribune [Minneapolis, MN] 5 Oct. 2013: 1A. General OneFile. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.

Effects of Prior Knowledge on Generative Tasks Essay -- Philosophy Cre

Effects of Prior Knowledge on Generative Tasks The creation of new ideas plays an important role in the growth of any society. Inventions such as the telephone and automobile have provided the tools for increased levels of communication and widened the access to information. While the modern generation may view these inventions as staples of our society, at the time of their conception they were viewed as revolutionary new concepts. Yet, were they truly revolutionary or were they an extension of prior knowledge? Large proportions of new ideas are based on the properties of an existing concept (Marsh, Ward, & Landau, 1999). Without the concept of the phonograph, for example, we may never have had the benefit of 8-tracks, audio cassettes, or compact discs. These creations, while separate in their levels of advancement, are all based on the initial notion of recorded sound. Researchers recognize the benefits of prior knowledge as adaptive to survival. The fact that humans are able to learn and apply information from previous experience assists in reasoning, problem solving, and comprehension of our environment (Smith, Ward, & Schumacher, 1993). Without the use of prior knowledge it would be impossible to advance cognitively. The benefits notwithstanding, the use of prior knowledge also has the potential of limiting, or constraining, the creative process (Marsh, Bink, & Hicks, 1999; Marsh, Landau, & Hicks, 1996; Marsh, Ward, et al., 1999; Smith, et al., 1993). The theoretical construct of structured imagination proposes that new ... ...iness that expects creative results from its associates. Society may believe an invention is truly revolutionary when, in fact, the creation is most likely a mere extension of a previous thought. References Marsh, R. L., Bink, M. L., & Hicks, J. L. (1999). Conceptual priming in a generative problem-solving task. Memory & Cognition, 27 (2), 355-363. Marsh, R. L., Landau, J. D., & Hicks, J. L. (1996). How examples may (and may not) constrain creativity. Memory & Cognition, 24 (3), 669-680. Marsh, R. L., Ward, T. B., & Landau, J. D. (1999). The inadvertent use of prior knowledge in a generative cognitive task. Memory & Cognition, 27 (1), 94-105. Smith, S. M., Ward, T. B., & Schumacher, J. S. (1993). Constraining effects of examples in a creative generation task. Memory & Cognition, 21 (6), 837-845.

Gillian by Laurel Oke Logan :: Gillian

Gillian by Laurel Oke Logan      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The book I read was Gillian, written by Laurel Oke Logan. This book is about a girl who has just graduated from high school and is in the process of looking for a job.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gillian has just graduated from high school.   She is so thrilled to go to college and can not wait.   Well the day comes when she is to leave for college.   She and her friends are going to have so much fun.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the years pass by she is doing very well in her classes, and before she knows it, it is time for her to graduate from college.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After graduation Gillian went home to her parents house.   She was a little upset because she couldn't find a job and all of her friends had found jobs.   When Gillian told her father how she felt he told her that there was a woman who called him to see if she (Gillian) would be able and willing to work at this camp in Canada in the kitchen.   At first Gillian was very excited but when she began to think about it the whole idea scared her to death. Going off to a place outside of the United States where she had never been and leaving her family behind, she just didn't know if she could go through with it.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A few days after debating about going she called the lady and got more information about it and she decided she would give it a try.   Gillian was to leave in about five days so her mother and she went to go buy the right clothes to wear in Canada and some other things she would need.   The day finally came for Gillian to leave. As Gillian, her family and friends went to her gate at the airport Gillian began to feel really nervous.   She said good-bye to her family and friends and then she went off.   The flight to Canada was very pleasant.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Gillian arrived at the camp she met some very interesting people. Jake was an older man and when Gillian started to get to know everybody and

Do People Have the Right to Die? Essay -- Euthanasia, Argumentative Ess

A disabled man shares his personal experience with euthanasia: As a quadriplegic who has been paralyzed from the chest down for over 24 years, I want to address the dangerous potential ramifications of legalizing physician assisted suicide (PAS) from a viewpoint of personal experience. The past danger I am referring to concerns the time when I was first paralyzed. My paralysis is the result of a broken neck and spinal cord injury from a car accident in 1975. Add to this cheery scenario the fact that I was soon greeted by a doctor who told me I was not supposed to have lived as long as I had, would most likely die shortly, or, in the best case would spend the remainder of my life confined to a wheelchair and you know I was not in the best of moods. After I surprised the doctors and lived to get into rehab, they told me, at that time, the average lifespan of a male quadriplegic was 36 years. By then, I would probably die from a pressure sore, kidney failure, or other related complication. That meant my best hope was 15 more years paralyzed. I'm 45 now and can look back on that laughingly. It wasn't so funny then. I spent 6 weeks getting medically stable followed by 4 and a half months in rehabilitation. During that period, there were MANY times when I didn't know if I wanted to go on. What have I done since the accident? I have lived semi-independently for nearly 23 years. In 1985, I graduated the University of Southern Maine with a B.A. in Communication. In 1989, I graduated Regent University in Virginia Beach with an M.A. in Creative Writing/Journalism. While there, I also worked with a large non-profit organization, received an outstanding service award for working 5 years in an inner city project, wrote and sold 2 radio... ...a's Family Doctor. Random House:1991. http://www.euthanasia.com/koop.html. (27 Sept 2003). Lewis, Trixie. "Dying with Dignity." Positive Living. 2003: p.1-2. Online. Internet. http://www.alpha.org/apla/positiveliving/1199/letters.html. (28 Sept 2003). Lykes, Fred. "A Defense of Physican Assisted Suicide(PAS)." p. 1-10. http://www.bluesky7.com/. (27 Sept 2003). Saunders, Peter. "Twelve Reasons Why Euthanasia Should Not Be Legalized." Christian Medical Fellowship. 1997: p. 1-6. http://www.cmf.org.uk/ethics/twelve.htm. (28 Sept 2003). Singer, Peter. "Freedom and the Right to Die." Online Opinion. 2002: p.1-3. Online. Internet. http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/2002/May02/Singer.htm. (28 Sept 2003). Smith, Wesley. "We Ignore the Dutch Legalization of Euthanasia at Our Own Peril." 17 Dec 2000: p. 1-3. http://www.euthanasua.com/nethcases.html. (27 Sept 2003). Do People Have the Right to Die? Essay -- Euthanasia, Argumentative Ess A disabled man shares his personal experience with euthanasia: As a quadriplegic who has been paralyzed from the chest down for over 24 years, I want to address the dangerous potential ramifications of legalizing physician assisted suicide (PAS) from a viewpoint of personal experience. The past danger I am referring to concerns the time when I was first paralyzed. My paralysis is the result of a broken neck and spinal cord injury from a car accident in 1975. Add to this cheery scenario the fact that I was soon greeted by a doctor who told me I was not supposed to have lived as long as I had, would most likely die shortly, or, in the best case would spend the remainder of my life confined to a wheelchair and you know I was not in the best of moods. After I surprised the doctors and lived to get into rehab, they told me, at that time, the average lifespan of a male quadriplegic was 36 years. By then, I would probably die from a pressure sore, kidney failure, or other related complication. That meant my best hope was 15 more years paralyzed. I'm 45 now and can look back on that laughingly. It wasn't so funny then. I spent 6 weeks getting medically stable followed by 4 and a half months in rehabilitation. During that period, there were MANY times when I didn't know if I wanted to go on. What have I done since the accident? I have lived semi-independently for nearly 23 years. In 1985, I graduated the University of Southern Maine with a B.A. in Communication. In 1989, I graduated Regent University in Virginia Beach with an M.A. in Creative Writing/Journalism. While there, I also worked with a large non-profit organization, received an outstanding service award for working 5 years in an inner city project, wrote and sold 2 radio... ...a's Family Doctor. Random House:1991. http://www.euthanasia.com/koop.html. (27 Sept 2003). Lewis, Trixie. "Dying with Dignity." Positive Living. 2003: p.1-2. Online. Internet. http://www.alpha.org/apla/positiveliving/1199/letters.html. (28 Sept 2003). Lykes, Fred. "A Defense of Physican Assisted Suicide(PAS)." p. 1-10. http://www.bluesky7.com/. (27 Sept 2003). Saunders, Peter. "Twelve Reasons Why Euthanasia Should Not Be Legalized." Christian Medical Fellowship. 1997: p. 1-6. http://www.cmf.org.uk/ethics/twelve.htm. (28 Sept 2003). Singer, Peter. "Freedom and the Right to Die." Online Opinion. 2002: p.1-3. Online. Internet. http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/2002/May02/Singer.htm. (28 Sept 2003). Smith, Wesley. "We Ignore the Dutch Legalization of Euthanasia at Our Own Peril." 17 Dec 2000: p. 1-3. http://www.euthanasua.com/nethcases.html. (27 Sept 2003).