Energy Resources Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Energy Resources - Lab Report Example When a wire is moved in a magnetic field, electricity is generated in that wire. A motor is a machine that is just the reverse of generator. When electricity is passed through a motor, it causes the internal shaft to spin. This spinning action can be used to perform various tasks. 6. Fossil fuels are the energy sources that are derived from the organic matter produced millions of years ago and preserved in certain ideal conditions. We care about fossil fuels because they are non-renewable and once depleted can never be replaced. 9. The patterns of energy usage and waste production in industrialized world differ from those in the non-industrialized world because in the industrialized world most of the activities are automated and require electricity and oil as their energy sources. Contrary to this, in the non-industrialized nations, the economies are primarily agrarian and depend on conventional energy sources like wood, coal, etc. Hence the patterns of waste production tend to differ in the two worlds. 1. There exist vast differences in the usage of energy sources among countries owing to many reasons. The industrialized countries have automated economies and means of production. Hence such developed nations utilize sophisticated sources of energy like electricity, nuclear energy, etc. On the contrary, the underdeveloped nations have primarily agrarian economies that utilize conventional sources of energy like fossil fuels, biomass fuels and the like. In the times to come, the industrialized nations will experience a marked shift towards renewable energy sources like the solar energy because of the financial resources that are at their disposal to conduct research and development in these areas. Besides, the tougher environmental laws in the developed nations will motivate them to shift towards renewable energy resources. So far as the non-industrialized nations are concerned, the usage of fossil fuels is

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Summary - Essay Example This research is aimed at exploring the most recent technologies of Physics like nano-identation, scanning electron microscopy, etc. which can be utilised to obtain a better understanding of tooth erosion and hence help in the improvement of the dental treatment techniques. The research will help the clinicians to solve dental problems better and thus help the affected population. B5 SUPPORTING STATEMENT Explain – in no more than half a page of 12-point Times New Roman font – why this project is of interest to you and why you believe you have the skills and knowledge necessary to undertake it successfully. Answer: Dental treatment is generally expensive. Therefore, people often prefer to leave their dental problems untreated. However, the dental problems become complicated due to this and serious heath hazards take place. As a result, more complicated medical procedures like oral and maxillofacial surgeries have to be performed which are riskier and costlier. In my opin ion, due to lack of consciousness and lifestyle issues are leading to more dental problems and this is becoming a serious public health issue. Hence, I want to conduct a research that would focus on the most innovative technologies to understand the dental problems like tooth erosion better and find out better treatment methods.

Implementing Alternative Sources of Energy

Implementing Alternative Sources of Energy Chapter 1 Introduction 1.0 Introduction Hotels constitute a key element of the organized chain of activity in the travel and tourism industry, and occupy a crucial place in concerns over environmental protection related to tourism and travel. The hotel industry, because of the nature of its functions, characteristics, and services, consumes substantial quantities of energy, water, and non-durable products. It has been estimated that most environmental impacts created by the hotel industry can be attributed to site planning and facility management; excessive consumption of local and imported non-durable goods, energy, and water; and emissions into the air, water, and soil (APAT 2002; Mensah 2004; Trung and Kumar 2005). 1.1 Problem Statement Integration of renewable energy sources into hotel operations is perceived as the most promising form of crisis mitigation. There are two types of energy: renewable which is infinite and non-renewable which will run out in the future. Alternative energy includes wood or biomass, wind energy, solar energy, fusion and hydropower. Non-renewable energy includes fossil fuels, coal, geothermal power and nuclear fission. Even if with many promising alternative energy sources, hoteliers remember that conservation is the key to efficient energy use, no matter what the source of the energy may be. Energy consumption in hotels is among the highest in the non-residential building sector in absolute values. Available specific information on the energy characteristics, thermal performance, energy losses, electric loads, and comfort conditions play significant role for the sustainable development of hotels systems. During the past years, there has been rising interest, there has been increasing int erest, in the use of the concept of energy. The use of renewable sources in energy production with the need to promote sustainable tourism, provide energy-based amenities for tourists, and ensure environmental protection, and it focuses on solar power, wind power, the power of running water and biomass, the power of biofuel for motor vehicles, and biothermal energy. We are in an alarming situation in Mauritius whereby there is an increase in the arrival of tourist. The hotels sector has expand a lot with new hotels constructed. Moreover, due to that increase of tourist in hotel meaning that there is indirectly and directly an increase in the level of energy consumption. The increase in the energy consumed is having an impact upon the environment, hence hoteliers are now trying to find a solution to prevent environmental degradation. There is a need in using alternative source of energy in order to reduce their consumption and also to reduce their cost. Aims Objective of Study The aim is to analyse the alternative source of energy use in hotels and how it can be implemented with the following objectives: To analyse to which extent hotels are aware of alternative energy Assessing the alternative source of energy of hotels To assess how far the hotels are ready to implement alternative source of energy Evaluate the barriers in implementing alternative energy in hotel CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction In light of global climate change, issues of energy consumption in the international tourism industry have been receiving increased attention. In recent years, the tourism literature has increasingly recognized energy as an important issue. In particular, G à ¶ ssling et al (2005, p. 418) state: ‘ the use of fossil fuels and related emissions of greenhouse gases is, from a global point of view, the most pressing environmental problem related to tourism. The hotel sector has also been recognized as a key contributor of greenhouse gas emissions ( Warnken et al , 2004 ; Becken, 2005 ; Scott et al , 2007 ), research such as that conducted by Becken (2005) suggests that this has not typically been a major environmental concern for   tourism stakeholders. Moreover, a major concern among the hoteliers are to adapt new strategies in implementing alternative sources of energy which will help in reducing their consumption of the actual energy which is relatively high and costly. As su ch, Becken (2005) argues that energy has not been a major environmental concern for tourism stakeholders. 2.1 Consumption of energy by the Hotel Sector Energy has long been considered a component of environmental sustainability in tourism. For example, the environmental sustainability principle of the International Ecotourism Standard specifies that ecotourism products should minimize energy consumption, maximize energy efficiency, and implement procedures to train staff and provide relevant information to guests   ( Green Globe, 2004 ). Hotels are among the most energy-intensive compo ­nents of the tourism industry, representing essential tourist services and an important source of employment. As such In tourisms early stage, most of the energy was used to provide lighting inside and around buildings, and to provide heating. Energy was also used in storing and preserving foodstuffs, preparing and serving food, and for sanitary purposes (for bathroom facilities, laundries). Recently, the consumption of energy used in air-conditioning or for the needs of various auxiliary facilities (swimming pools, saunas, lounges) has grown con siderably. About one third of all energy consumed is used in guest rooms (30 percent of total consumption of electricity, 36 per cent of total energy used in heating, ventilating and air-conditioning, and 34 per cent of total water consumption). In this situation Energy is a key precondition to tourism processes. At a final-product level, electrical energy and heat power are the forms of energy most commonly used, while mechanical energy and solar and wind power are used substantially less. 2.2 Energy sources All other forms of energy belonging to the second group are nonrenewable: fossil fuel (coal, crude oil and natural gas), nuclear power, the Earths internal heat energy released on its surface (hot springs), the Earths internal heat energy that is renewed in its interior through the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium, and light atoms that are needed for fusion to take place. These nonrenewable forms are finite energy sources, and their duration depends upon the intensity with which they are exploited. Coal is the primary energy source of fossil fuels, and its combustion releases great quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. From an ecological viewpoint, this represents the pivotal problem of using fossil fuels, because CO2 and other emissions impact on the environment and pollute the atmosphere through greenhouse gasses. At the same time, the era of cheap fossil fuel has come to an end, and newly awoken concerns about fossil fuel security have further made dependency on them less desirable. In addition, the mean annual temperatures are predicted to rise in the order of 1.20-7.07à ¢Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚ ¦C between 2070 and 2099, further exacerbating the problem (Mimura et al. 2007). The prevalence of fossil-fuel generated power and the (still) marginal utilisation of renewable energy resources translate into significant emissions of particulates, nitrogen and sulphur oxides and other air pollutants, both locally and globally. Secondary pollution in the form of acid rain causes the acidification of lakes and soils, with negative effects on flora and fauna, human health and man-made structures and products. The decades of cheap fossil fuel did little to help promote the technology and subsequently it was not until the late 1990s that renewable International Journal of Sustainable Energy 95 energy gained new momen tum in the energy agendas of local governments and international organisations alike. The four principal strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accommodations include: reducing overall energy use, improving energy effi ciency, increasing the use of alternative energy sources and offsetting emissions through the development of renewable energy projects or the planting of trees to act as carbon sinks ( Ãâ€" n à ¼ t and Soner, 2006 ; Becken and Hay, 2007 ; Dalton et al , 2007 ; Scott et al , 2007 ;UNWTO, 2007a ). 2.3 Alternative sources of energy 2.3.1 A solar thermal collector A solar thermal collector is a solar collector considered to bring together heat by absorbing sunlight. The word is useful to solar hot water panels, but can also be used to denote more difficult installations like solar parabolic, solar trough and solar towers or easier installations such as solar air heat. The more multifaceted collectors are normally used in solar power plants where solar heat is used to generate electricity by heating water to fabricate steam which drives a turbine connected to an electrical generator. The simpler collectors are typically used for supplemental room heating in residential and commercial buildings. A collector is a tool for converting the energy in solar radiation into a more functional or storable form. The energy in sunlight is in the form of electromagnetic radiation from the infrared (long) to the ultraviolet (short) wavelengths. The solar power striking the Earths surface depends on weather conditions, as well as location and direction of the surface, but in general it averages about 1,000 watts per square meter under lucid skies with the surface straight perpendicular to the suns rays. 2.3.1.1 About Parabolic Trough Solar Trough solar systems use parabolic rounded trough shaped reflectors center the suns power onto a receiver pipe running at the focus of the reflector. Because of their parabolic shape, troughs can focus the sun at 30-60 times its usual intensity on the receiver pipe. The intense energy heats a heat transfer fluid (HTF), typically oil, flowing through the pipe. This fluid is then used to produce steam which powers a turbine that drives an electric generator. The collectors are united on and east-west axis and the trough is rotated to follow the sun to make best use of the suns energy input to the receiver tube.   Heat transfer fluid (usually oil) runs through the tube to absorb the concentrated sunlight. This rises the temperature of the fluid to some 400 °C. The heat transfer fluid is then used to heat steam in a normal turbine generator. 2.3.2 Biogas Biogas can bring a spotless, effortlessly controlled source of alternative energy from organic waste materials for a small labour input, replacing firewoood or fossil fuels (which are becoming more expensive as supply falls behind demand). During the conversion process pathogen levels are diminished and plant nutrients made more willingly available, so better crops can be grown while accessible resources are preserved. Since small scale units can be moderately simple to build and function biogas should be used openly if possible (for cooking, heating, lighting and absorption refrigeration), since both electricity generation and density of gas (for storage or use in vehicles)use large amounts of energy for a small output of functional energy. This idea is suited to distributed systems where waste is treated close to the source, and mud is also reused locally,to reduce transport and primary capital cost compared to a centralised system. As the distributed system will need a sustain network, biogas contributes to the triple bottom line; benefiting the environment, reducing costs and contributing to the social organization. This kind of biogas consists mainly methane and carbon dioxide. Other types of gas generated by use of biomass are wood gas, which is formed by gasification of wood or biomass. This type of gas consists mainly of nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide, with little amounts of methane. Biogas may be used as a low-cost fuel in the hotel industry for any heating function, such as cooking. It may also be used in present waste management amenities where it can be used to run any type of heat engine, to produce either mechanical or electrical power. Biogas can be compacted, like natural gas, and used to power motor vehicles and in the UK for example is estimated to have the potential to replace around 17% of vehicle fuel.   Biogas is a renewable fuel, so it qualifies for renewable energy subsidies in a few parts of the world. 2.3.3 Biomass Biomass, a renewable energy source, is organic material from living, or freshly living organisms such as wood, waste, hydrogen gas, and alcohol fuels. The biomass- energy- materials technology (Pinatti, 1999)—better known by its BEM acronym—uses acid pre-hydrolysis in a vacuum reactor in order to separate municipal solid wastes into two fractions. Biomass is commonly plant matter grown to generate electricity or generate heat. In this way, organic biomass can be integrated, as plants can also engender electricity while still alive. The most conservative way in which biomass is used however, still relies on direct incineration. However, it is possible to use biogas tapped from existing dumps and resulting in nil fuel costs, and either select or compatibilize technologies for upgrading the use of future municipal solid wastes, also with negative fuel costs, or ‘‘opportunity cost of waste function Vollebergh (1997), based on the amount of garbage that will not disposed in dumps. Forest organic residues for example (such as dead trees, branches and tree stumps), yard clippings, wood chips and rubbish are often used for. Biomass also includes plant or animal matter used for production of chemicals. Biomass may include recyclable wastes that can be use to burn as fuel. However, it excludes such organic materials as fossil fuels, which have been altered by geological processes into substances like petroleum.. 2.3.4 Flat plate collectors Flat plate collectors, developed by Hottel and Whillier in the 1950s, are the most common type known still now. They consist of (1) a dark flat-plate absorber of solar power, (2) a transparent cover that allows solar energy to pass through but reduces heat losses, (3) a heat-transport fluid (air, antifreeze or water) to remove heat from the absorber, and (4) a heat insulating backing. It contain of a slight absorber sheet (of thermally stable polymers, aluminum, steel or copper, to which a black or selective coating is applied) often backed by a grid or coil of fluid tubing placed in an insulated casing with a glass or polycarbonate cover. Most air heat fabricates and some water heat manufacturers have a completely swamped absorber consisting of two sheets of metal which the fluid passes through. The heat exchange part is greater than they may be slightly more efficient than usual absorbers. 2.3.5 Hydro Using water force as a source of energy is not new method. Some countries, such as Canada, are dependent upon on hydro power. Clearly, the availability is restricted to specific region. And to make competent use of hydro power, the scale must be enough. While the contribution of hydro is important, it is not expected to belong to the main flow in terms of aggressive growth of green energy on a global basis (Halldo ´rsson and Stenzel, 2001). 2.3.5 Geothermal Earth heat source on the 9000 degrees Farenheit inner earth hotness and steadily reduces in temperature closer to the surfaces, but the temperature close to the surface vary greatly. Rainwater that sips in deeper parts of the earth gets hot and is known as geothermal source. In several parts of the world this water finds its means back to the surface via cracks and faults, such as geysers (i.e. in Iceland) and boiling springs. As with solar energy, the matter is how to tap that virtually unlimited spring of green energy. In most cases the trick is to bore to find and get access to the geothermal basis. The hot water can then be used both straight and in geothermal power plants, which consists of three varieties. Steam can directly be used to produce electricity with a dry steam generator. Water among 300-700 degrees Farenheit can be used in a Flash Power Plant, where hot water is flashed into vapor, Water with a warmth as low as 220 degrees Farenheit can be used in a Binary Power Pla nt, where the hot water in some way produces steam from a fluid with a lower boiling peak using warmth exchangers. The used water is fed back into the basis for reheating. It is renewable in a sense, as the obtainable heat capacity has its limits. Currently, the universal capacity of geothermal power plants is over 9000MW. The energy cost of easy access geothermal energy power plants is similar to wind energy. An MIT study showed that it is possible to increase the capability in the US alone to at least 100,000 MW, requiring a speculation of up to US$1 billion. It is analogous to drilling for oil; the more you want, the more hard (expensive) it is to find the sources. Clearly, geothermal energy can become a major provider to the worlds energy needs on the long term. Geothermal power plants can regulate the output to the required requests, which is a important advantage and makes them very suitable for base load power (the amount of energy that is always desired). 2.3.6 Tidal Energy If there is one thing we can safely forecast and be sure of on this planet, it is the coming and disappearing of the tide. While the energy capacity is dependable, converting it into electrical power is not simple. One option is to construct a tidal barrage (contrast to hydro lakes) which are not only complex but also cause radical changes to the currents in the estuary that could have enormous effects on the ecosystem. Nonetheless, tidal barrages have a enormous potential, worthwhile further examination. Another option is to use offshore turbines that work analogous to wind parks, but underwater and using the tides as a basis, This technology brings no environmental issues, but as it is in an early stage, the cost is not yet aggressive (like wind energy in the premature days). 2.4 Energy Audit To determine energy performance of a building, both constructional elements and energy production and consumption systems need to be evaluated. Depending on the purpose of the building aforementioned elements and systems have different contribution and a various methodology is needed for precise energy performance calculation. Energy audit is an analysis of thermal performance and energy systems of building with the purpose to determent its energy efficiency or non-efficiency. Energy audit also helps getting new conclusions and suggestions on how to increase the energy efficiency. Main goal of energy audit is to access and process collected data, and to get as much accurate present energy performance of building, concerning construction characteristics in terms of thermal protection, quality and efficiency of heating, ventilation and cooling systems, quality and efficiency of lighting and household   appliances and building management. .   For example Large-scale tidal energy pro duction has been planned for Passamaquoddy Bay straddling New Brunswick and Maine, and the Bay of Fundy as at least the 1930s. Even the late American President John F. Kennedy, a winner of a large-scale barragestyle tidal power plan at ‘Quoddy, envisioned a â€Å"fossil-fuel-free energy future† on the Atlantic seaboard. Newer tidal current technologies offer much more energy generation possibility, and much less environmental trouble, than the impoundment schemes superior in earlier plans. 2.5 Barriers to implement alternative sources of energy The need for using alternate sources for energy has been progressively rising as the environment is getting worse due to human utilization. For those people who wish to make dissimilarity in their lifestyles, or want to help find better energy sources for everybody, there are government allocations that will provide the financial support to do rising energy costs are finally starting to force global leaders to research alternatives and provide the funding to make changes. 2.5.1 Solar water heating systems (SWHS) Problems such as malfunctioning pumps, leakage from tanks etc. were experienced and maintenance and repairing facilities may not be to the required level. However, individual users in direct contact with manufacturing companies were generally satisfied. But this was true for only new systems. An encouraging response came from the potential users; 90% in the cities were willing to buy if it saved them energy. But current high prices of the system were a deterrent to them. Although solar water heating systems are simple in construction, responses indicated that minor faults could lead to serious problems, especially if not detected early. It was found that many systems did not perform as expected due to reasons such as low level of awareness, technical problems and lack of maintenance. It was also revealed that due to unsatisfactory performance, credibility of SWHS was low and there was an urgent need to restore the confidence of both existing and potential users. SWHS are still not pe rceived as environmentally attractive and potentially economical means of providing hot water to targeted users. Therefore, serious efforts and corrective measures both from industry and government are needed for a sustained growth of SWHS market. The key stakeholders (users, manufacturers and experts) indicated that the economic / financial barriers are the most important barriers for SWHS industry. The SWHS were considered high priced compared to conventional water heating systems and electricity made it further unattractive for the â€Å"low bill† electricity consumers. A lack of credit facilities was another obstacle in this category. Awareness / information barriers were ranked second with stakeholder indicating these as most important. Presence of SWHS industry can hardly be noticed by consumers. Industry on the other hand offers very limited choices due to a lack of significant market. Technical barriers were ranked third with stakeholders indicating these as most important. However, some experts and users were of the opinion that technical barrier would have been ranked first if the SWHS were used more widely. SWHS manufacturers on the other hand argued that the lack of knowledge about the system design and operation, and a lack of maintenance were the root cause of the problem. The quality of the product has improved in the last three years. 2.5.2 Recommended actions to remove SWHS barriers The Following measures were recommended by the stakeholders to remove the barriers. Information and awareness Development of effective public awareness and promotion programs that are prepared based on market surveys and studies. It was proposed that the programs should concentrate on use of media especially TV and newspapers. The concept, the benefits and the required operating conditions for SWHS should be made clear to end-users through these media strategies. Promotion of SWHS could also be done through participation in various exhibitions held in syndicates, hotels, clubs etc. The demonstration systems can be set-up in places like city councils, clubs, big factories, conference halls, and stadiums etc. where the impact can be far reaching. Printed materials (such as leaflets, brochures) containing information on systems, selection criteria, maintenance requirements, and information about suppliers and their after sales services needs to be made available to the consumers. ther modes for awareness building could include seminars and presentation to targetted users in schools, universities and clubs, and awareness among students by setting up of laboratories in these places. Economic and financial Financial support from the governmental, private sectors and donor agencies to the SWHS needs to be put in place. Availability of credit facilities with low interest rates and reduction in SWHS prices to make it competitive with other alternatives is equally important. Encouraging local manufacture of SWHS by reducing taxes and customs duties on solar water heating system components. Financial and technical support to research and development activities for product improvement should also be provided Technical Current manufacturing standards and specifications should be revised to include quality control and assurance components and installation requirements. SWHS and their spare parts could be made available in shops and markets.   This should be accompanied with availability of maintenance centres within easy reach. A program or mechanism to address the problem of the systems already installed in the new cities needs to be prepared and implemented. Relevant government authorities, manufacturers and dealers of SWHS need to co-operate in this programme. The users of the system need to be made aware o f the maintenance requirements of the SWHS through the program. Formulation and enforcement of appropriate quality checks at the factory level, product quality and performance guarantee and mechanism for their enforceability , and setting up maintenance cum marketing centres for SWHS are other measures to increase their penetration. Institutional A federation, union or society, which can bring representatives of users, companies, financing sources, policy makers and researches on one platform can be very useful to co-ordinate efforts in this area. 2.5.3 PV (photo voltaic) systems for electrification There was a consensus that economic and financial barriers are the most important barriers and should be addressed first. This was followed by policy barriers, indicating need for a governmental mechanism to promote PV technology (Ahmad and Shenawy, 2006). Market barriers were considered next in importance, indicating small size of the market and limited access to international market. Private sector involvement was limited due to small size of the market. Some PV manufacturers even suggested the need for obligatory laws for rural electrification using PVs. While experts and users considered technical problems and availability of maintenance as an important barrier, PV manufacturers did not consider this as a barrier. Important barriers within these categories were as follows: Lack of information The awareness on the applications of solar PV systems is very low. High dissemination costs The target group for solar electrification lives in dispersed rural dwellings, and proportion of wealthy households is also low in these areas. Dwellings are far apart, and therefore the transaction costs for commercial dissemination, installation and after-sales services are very high. These costs are estimated to be about 30% of the total costs of PV systems. Unfavorable tariff system The tariff charged by utilities does not reflect the real cost of rural electrification. Tariffs for electricity are identical in rural and urban areas, although the cost of supplying electricity is much higher in the countryside. On the other hand, consumers with low consumption of electricity pay lower tariffs. This makes PV system uncompetitive with the grid electricity. PV system is also not able to offer the range of services that a grid can offer, making it further uncompetitive. The electricity tariffs do not include external costs (environmental costs) due to use of fossil fuels in electricity generation. If these costs are considered in tariff setting, PV systems could be competitive with traditional electricity sources. Taxes and duties As in many other developing countries, PV system is considered a luxury product and charged very high import duty. Sometimes, tax exemptions may be available for equipment imports for a public or NGO project. But this inhibits commercialization. Further, the components that are produced locally (such as charge regulators, and batteries), attract high duties to protect the market for local manufacturers. This can cause problems if technology with the local manufacturer is not reliable. Import of equipment and materials is also a problem due to foreign exchange constraints. 2.5.3.1 Actions to overcome the PV electrification barriers The solar PV systems still have opportunities and potential for contribution to the rural development programs. These include the following: Solar radiation is high in Tropical Island, making solar PV system operation quite reliable and attractive. Technical and technological experiences are available. The actions to overcome the barriers include the following; Awareness campaigns need to be launched on regular basis to bring out the potential merits of PV systems and applications. Financial schemes need to be designed to support buyers. Manufacturers, suppliers, and agents should have their representatives and centres near the consumers. Since the PV programme is in initial stage, government supported market incentives needs to be designed to encourage commercial development and deployment. PV rural electrification projects can be integrated with other development programs. Integration of various PV rural electrification projects can help sharing of experiences in barrier removal. 2.5.4 Large Biogas Plants (LBP) The barriers identified in the case of LBP are: Information and awareness barriers A lack of awareness on LBPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s positive economic and environmental impacts Absence of governmental support for development, awareness and dissemination of the technology, necessary in the early stages of such programs. Institutional barriers Lack of co-operation and communication between the involved institutions, organisations and other stakeholders. Absence of NGOs role Economic and financial barriers Competing petroleum products and electricity are subsidized and easily available. High capital costs of LB P compared to other organic waste treatment systems. There is no economic evaluation for the positive environmental impact of the LBP. Unavailability of land within the targeted sites. Policy barriers A lack of application of environmental laws. Moreover, due to the high revenue generated by the states upon energy provided by the states electricity central, it is very difficult to implement alternative or renewable energy. 2.5.4.1 Actions to overcome the LBP barriers Since the LBP programme is in initial stages, most of the action needed relates to formulation of a proper plan and setting up implementing agencies, and ensuring co- operation between various agencies involved in the programme. The actions may include; Awareness programmes bringing out benefits of LBP as a source of clean energy and provider of environmental benefits through waste treatment. Reforming energy pricing policy to encourage and make RETs competitive with petroleum fuels and electricity. Setting up financing mechanisms to provide financing at reasonable rates of interest. Carrying out market potential study. Setting up a coordinating committee for planning and implementing the national action plan as suggested above for LBP. Strengthening the co-operation between the concerned ministries, institutions and organisations involved in the programme. Encouraging NGOs role in promoting LBP technology. 2.6 Direct and Indirect Impacts Social and environmental impacts of SWHS Energy saved by renewable energy technologies was estimated to be about 65%.   Estimated annual reduction in CO2 emissions is 190 thousand tons. Since the manufacturing is de- centralised and relatively labour intensive (at present, compared to alternatives; oil and electric heating), it

Divorce and the Bible Essay -- essays research papers

The law defines divorce as  ¡Ã‚ §a legal dissolution of the marriage contract by a court or other body having competent authority. This is properly a divorce, and called, technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii. ``from the bond of matrimony.'' (b) The separation of a married woman from the bed and board of her husband -- divorce a mensa et toro (or thoro), ``from bed board.'' ¡Ã‚ ¨ Does this definition follow that of the Bible? Mark 10:1-12 ¡X  ¡Ã‚ ¥Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking,  ¡Ã‚ §Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? ¡Ã‚ ¨  ¡Ã‚ §What did Moses command you? ¡Ã‚ ¨ He replied. They said,  ¡Ã‚ §Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away. ¡Ã‚ ¨  ¡Ã‚ §It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law, ¡Ã‚ ¨ Jesus replied.  ¡Ã‚ §But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate. ¡Ã‚ ¨ When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered,  ¡Ã‚ §Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery. ¡Ã‚ ¦ According to Mark, Jesus was not only against divorce but he detested the actions of man to allow it against the word of God. He is trying to explain what divorce means to God. Apparently, it is the joining of two people ¡Xminds, bodies, and souls. These people are no longer people. They are a person. He also states that Moses only made the law to solve the problems that humankind was having. It seems that Moses was without patience when making his declaration. The crowd was already going against God, and their religion had taken a step down their priority list. Moses was just giving his people what they wanted to hear. He only allowed the man to give a statement of divorce. He allowed them to take from that what they did. He was still serving his religion with this decision. He was not allowing them to separate their souls. I believe Jesus was only reiterating, or clarifying, this act of Moses. He explained to the masses that Mose... ...owever, in this case, the union of souls is not stressed. How can an unbeliever expect the God that they do not believe in to unite them? Once the unbeliever is saved, the souls will be united and a divorce is not allowed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, if the unbeliever never does accept God, then the he/she is permitted to cut off the marriage. A believer is to stand by the side of his beloved. He/she is held to all the rules of marriage and divorce. This, of course, meaning that the believer calling for divorce does not separate the couple in God ¡Ã‚ ¦s eyes. If the unbeliever calls for a divorce, then it is as if the marriage never took place. They are free to remarry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most of these authors hold the same views. Divorce is an accepted thing before man, but not before God. Then, divorce only means that you are allowed to live in separate homes. As far as remarriage goes, it is adultery on the behalf of all involved. The exception from this rule is only applicable if one of the marriage partners is an unbeliever and, as such, calls for the divorce. Then the divorce is a complete divorce and remarriage is allowed without being considered adultery.

The Iks

The Iks by Lewis Thomas In the essay â€Å"The Iks†, author Lewis Thomas tells the story about the small tribe of hunters in Uganda who had to struggle to live with others after they were forced by the government to give up their living and working area and move to the poor hills and become farmers. Because of this, the Iks did not know how to live together, and they made each other’s lives very miserable. The individual Ik was selfish and heartless and cared for no one but himself.They didn’t share things with each other and found joy in the other’s misfortunes. They even went as far as to let their children go on their own and take food from the elders. To make things worse, an anthropologist, who hated the Iks, decided to study them for two years to write a book about them. Thomas thought the behavior of the Iks was unmoral and animalistic. He then went on to say that he now sees their behavior as being similar to small groups such as a gang and large g roups such as cities and nations.I find that Thomas’ comparison of the Iks’ behavior to some small groups to be unreasonable, whereas I can see the similarities between their behavior and that of larger groups like cities and nations. I didn’t think the comparison of the Iks’ behavior and that of all small groups was accurate. Now, I have seen some small groups, such as gangs, express the same type of selfish and heartless behavior as Iks, like when they kill innocent people as an initiation and their joy when another gang is broken up.But I have also seen some small groups, such as social clubs, come together to raise money for other organizations and to supply needs to needy communities. Therefore, I can’t see the comparison of all small groups as being fair. As for the comparison of the Iks and larger groups, such as cities, I can agree with that to a certain extent. I could never forget what happened in this city on August 29, 2005. Our familie s, homes, jobs and schools was taken from us. The city decided to save one part of the city, and flooded out the poor part.Sure there was help from other cities and nations, but the help only went to certain areas of the city. The poor areas was left to fend for themselves, and that caused those citizens to make their own laws and they became very defensive and offensive to each other during this time. They broke into the neighbors’ homes and stole whatever was salvageable and they actually raped the women who was stranded with them. There was elderly people who was dead in there for days and no one knew because they was too busy trying to stay alive.So I can agree with the comparison of the Iks and larger cities after being put in a bad situation. I wonder what it would be like if we was put in a situation like the Iks†¦ again? Would we be able to get along in order to help each other out of the bind we’re in, or would we carry on like selfish, savage beasts and destroy the little that we have? Although I can understand Thomas’ point about all humans having the ability to act out like the Iks did, I think that we have come so far in our society that we would not want to act like that, because we know that behaving in such a manner will not help us make the situation better.

To What Extent Should We Place Trust in the Government These Days?

To what extent should we place trust in the government these days? It is said by American President Barack Obama, †If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists – to protect them and to promote their common welfare – all else is lost. † From here, we know the importance of people putting trust in their government. However, we can only place trust in them if they are able to take care of their citizens, fulfilling their needs and acting responsibly in the best interest of the citizens.Recently, there seem to be an increase in reasons for us to distrust our government for they are fulfilling less of their duties as the leaders of the nation. Firstly, we should remain skeptical about the government due to the simple fact that the government comprises of humans, and as we all know, no human is perfect. As Gandhi said, †Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed. † With scientific rese arch stating that the humans are born to be greedy, the innate greed in the government officials might be a dangerous trait.Government Regulation on Media in AmericaFor the government, their greed would result in various forms of corruption such as bribery and extortion, negatively impacting the lives of the citizens. For example in sub-Saharan African nations, about half of the funds that were donated for health usages were never invested into the health sectors. Instead they were lavished to support the costly high-end lives of the government officials. This problem is not only limited to the developing countries. World wide, bribery alone is estimated to involve over 1 trillion US dollars annually.Due to the innate greed in human nature, it is evident that many times, the government will not do what is best for the people. Instead, they would think of themselves first, thus we should not place our complete trust in the government. Secondly, governments are no longer taking care o f the needs of the citizens as well as they did. There are basic needs that one should be entitled to, needs such as education and healthcare, and the government should ensure that its citizens get those needs. However, these days many countries are unable to fulfill their citizens' needs.In countries such as Greece, level of healthcare accessible to the public has also been on the decrease due to the recent economic crisis. Five austerity programmes within the space of two and a half years have reduced the health system in Greece to the level of a developing country and stripped working people of the basic right to adequate medical care. Most hospitals lack essential basic materials such as disposable gloves, plaster and catheters. Poorer women have to give birth at home because they cannot afford a hospital birth, which can cost â‚ ¬700-â‚ ¬1,500.On top of that, control of infectious diseases is no longer guaranteed due to the lower standards of hygiene throughout Greece. Ch ronic respiratory diseases, skin diseases and tuberculosis are all on the increase. Outbreaks of malaria infections have been reported in five parts of the country, although the disease had been thought be eradicated in 1974. It can be seen that the government do not have the ability to ensure the basic wellbeing of their citizens thus we should place less trust in the government these days.Thirdly, in many countries, governments are restricting many of the basic rights of people. These rights belong without presumption or cost of privilege to all human beings. However, in many countries, in the excuse to protect national security, the government often stripped the citizens of those rights. Under these kind of circumstances, it is of no surprise why the citizens might not trust the government. For example, in China, the freedom of speech in media and press is largely limited.They have strict censorship rules that include all capable of reaching a wide audience including television, print media, Internet, text messaging and even video games. These rules will greatly limit the ability for press to act as the 4th estate in the country and their ability to keep the government in check. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, many people who tried to report on the shabby construction of schools faced severed punishment. Liu Shaokun, a Sichuan school teacher, was detained for disseminating rumors and destroying social order after taking photos of collapsed school buildings, and putting them online.With these kind of censorship rules in placed, the citizens would no longer have the faith and confidence in their government as they are denied of the truth of the happenings in their country. Thus, less trust are placed in the government these days. However, there are some people who feel that there has been an increase in trust in the government. 2012 Edelman Trust Barometer conducted by Edelman Public Relations has revealed that Singaporeans are the third most trusting of t heir government. They account this to the strong economy, high social security and high standard of living in Singapore.Despite those statistics, the new generation of Singaporeans are placing less and less trust in the government. The parliament of Singapore was traditionally dominated by People's Action Party and the decrease in trust in the leading party was seen when Worker's Party, an opposition party, won it's first Group Representation Constituency in the 2011 general elections. The recent political scandals in Singapore have shaken the trust placed in the government too. Just a month ago, member of parliament, Michael Palmer, announced his resignation after confessing he had an extramarital affair with a community worker.This caused various debates among the citizens that questions the credibility of the parliament speakers. These debates further illustrates the declining trust placed in the government. In conclusion, I feel that people around the world are beginning to lose trust in the government. They no longer feel that the government is able to act to their best interest and that their needs are not fulfilled. They are beginning to be unsure of their government's choices and question the transparency of their leaders. Thus, I do not think that we should trust our government to a large extent. To What Extent Should We Place Trust in the Government These Days? To what extent should we place trust in the government these days? It is said by American President Barack Obama, †If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists – to protect them and to promote their common welfare – all else is lost. † From here, we know the importance of people putting trust in their government. However, we can only place trust in them if they are able to take care of their citizens, fulfilling their needs and acting responsibly in the best interest of the citizens.Recently, there seem to be an increase in reasons for us to distrust our government for they are fulfilling less of their duties as the leaders of the nation. Firstly, we should remain skeptical about the government due to the simple fact that the government comprises of humans, and as we all know, no human is perfect. As Gandhi said, †Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed. † With scientific rese arch stating that the humans are born to be greedy, the innate greed in the government officials might be a dangerous trait.Government Regulation on Media in AmericaFor the government, their greed would result in various forms of corruption such as bribery and extortion, negatively impacting the lives of the citizens. For example in sub-Saharan African nations, about half of the funds that were donated for health usages were never invested into the health sectors. Instead they were lavished to support the costly high-end lives of the government officials. This problem is not only limited to the developing countries. World wide, bribery alone is estimated to involve over 1 trillion US dollars annually.Due to the innate greed in human nature, it is evident that many times, the government will not do what is best for the people. Instead, they would think of themselves first, thus we should not place our complete trust in the government. Secondly, governments are no longer taking care o f the needs of the citizens as well as they did. There are basic needs that one should be entitled to, needs such as education and healthcare, and the government should ensure that its citizens get those needs. However, these days many countries are unable to fulfill their citizens' needs.In countries such as Greece, level of healthcare accessible to the public has also been on the decrease due to the recent economic crisis. Five austerity programmes within the space of two and a half years have reduced the health system in Greece to the level of a developing country and stripped working people of the basic right to adequate medical care. Most hospitals lack essential basic materials such as disposable gloves, plaster and catheters. Poorer women have to give birth at home because they cannot afford a hospital birth, which can cost â‚ ¬700-â‚ ¬1,500.On top of that, control of infectious diseases is no longer guaranteed due to the lower standards of hygiene throughout Greece. Ch ronic respiratory diseases, skin diseases and tuberculosis are all on the increase. Outbreaks of malaria infections have been reported in five parts of the country, although the disease had been thought be eradicated in 1974. It can be seen that the government do not have the ability to ensure the basic wellbeing of their citizens thus we should place less trust in the government these days.Thirdly, in many countries, governments are restricting many of the basic rights of people. These rights belong without presumption or cost of privilege to all human beings. However, in many countries, in the excuse to protect national security, the government often stripped the citizens of those rights. Under these kind of circumstances, it is of no surprise why the citizens might not trust the government. For example, in China, the freedom of speech in media and press is largely limited.They have strict censorship rules that include all capable of reaching a wide audience including television, print media, Internet, text messaging and even video games. These rules will greatly limit the ability for press to act as the 4th estate in the country and their ability to keep the government in check. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, many people who tried to report on the shabby construction of schools faced severed punishment. Liu Shaokun, a Sichuan school teacher, was detained for disseminating rumors and destroying social order after taking photos of collapsed school buildings, and putting them online.With these kind of censorship rules in placed, the citizens would no longer have the faith and confidence in their government as they are denied of the truth of the happenings in their country. Thus, less trust are placed in the government these days. However, there are some people who feel that there has been an increase in trust in the government. 2012 Edelman Trust Barometer conducted by Edelman Public Relations has revealed that Singaporeans are the third most trusting of t heir government. They account this to the strong economy, high social security and high standard of living in Singapore.Despite those statistics, the new generation of Singaporeans are placing less and less trust in the government. The parliament of Singapore was traditionally dominated by People's Action Party and the decrease in trust in the leading party was seen when Worker's Party, an opposition party, won it's first Group Representation Constituency in the 2011 general elections. The recent political scandals in Singapore have shaken the trust placed in the government too. Just a month ago, member of parliament, Michael Palmer, announced his resignation after confessing he had an extramarital affair with a community worker.This caused various debates among the citizens that questions the credibility of the parliament speakers. These debates further illustrates the declining trust placed in the government. In conclusion, I feel that people around the world are beginning to lose trust in the government. They no longer feel that the government is able to act to their best interest and that their needs are not fulfilled. They are beginning to be unsure of their government's choices and question the transparency of their leaders. Thus, I do not think that we should trust our government to a large extent.

Natural Born Killers essays

Natural Born Killers essays How Quentin Tarantino and Oliver Stone use technical aspects of filmmaking to create and disseminate meaning in the film Natural Born Killers. Natural Born Killers is an overblown and fantastically creative commentary on violence and the complicity of the media and the public. This is how the film critic Brian Webster described one of the most contraversual films of the 1990s. In this essay I will be looking at how and why Quentin Tarantino (who wrote the film) and Oliver stone the director have used film to show that the media can promote, cause violence in the public. Id like to begin by saying that Natural Born Killers is not a film without a sense of contradiction. The director and writer both claim they have created a film that shows how badly the media can manipulate our minds into causing acts of violence. However the film itself as media is quite ironic in the fact it also creates the potential for being a cause of violence. But i suppose with this sort of film contradiction cannot be a avoided. The film is primerally seen as part of the art genre, due to the points created and the fact that its not something a that relies on a narrative to be what it is. Im also unsure if the film is even there to entertain as many asepcts of the film are very disturbing and confusing. The film is centralised around two main characters Mickey and Malary knox, outlaw lovers who kill and rob from people they feel deserve it. The media in the film glammorises the things they are doing and turns them into celebrities. Everytime they kill their actions are over dramatised and put in an entertainment perspective which the public are currupted by. However there is alot of disagreament for the point Stone and Tarantino are trying to make with this notion. For instance many people would argue that Natural Born Killers is a film that shows a reflection of our society, meaning that...

Free Essays on Essays On Essays

on a piece of paper. Even though they are partially correct, it is a lot more to it than that. First, you have to choose what type of essay you want to write: Classification, Process Analysis, Causes of, and many more. The essay that I want to explain is the Process Analysis essay. This essay is like making Kool-Aid. Just like Kool-Aid, you have steps to complete in order to make the perfect pitcher. The process analysis essay should have at least 6 different steps in completing it correctly. The very first step, prewriting, is not that hard. In fact, it is the easiest part of the essay. All you have to do is first find your subject (the topic you want to write about), it shouldn’t be hard because the topic is the reason you would want to write this type of essay. Now that you have your subject, jot down a few notes and facts that you already know about your subject. Don’t be afraid to leave out anything, there is always time to delete the nonsense sentences. Now that you have your ideas on paper, the next step is to compose the essay. Write out your rough draft and if you think it is necessary, add all of the nonsense sentences to make your essay look bigger. On a personal note, you might want to leave the spelling and grammar problems out, because you are not really interested in that right now. Spelling uses to much of your time and energy, it is better to get out what you are thinking on paper. After composing, you have to evaluate your essay. What I mean is you have to read the essay over and over, take out whatever you do or do not like and maybe change around some of the word usage. This is a good time to check out your grammar problems and run-on sentences. If you feel comfortable with your essay, let a peer read it and find out their opinion. Thei... Free Essays on Essays On Essays Free Essays on Essays On Essays Essay on Essay Many different people do not know how to write an essay, even though it is quite easy people just can’t comprehend it. People think and essay is words on a piece of paper. Even though they are partially correct, it is a lot more to it than that. First, you have to choose what type of essay you want to write: Classification, Process Analysis, Causes of, and many more. The essay that I want to explain is the Process Analysis essay. This essay is like making Kool-Aid. Just like Kool-Aid, you have steps to complete in order to make the perfect pitcher. The process analysis essay should have at least 6 different steps in completing it correctly. The very first step, prewriting, is not that hard. In fact, it is the easiest part of the essay. All you have to do is first find your subject (the topic you want to write about), it shouldn’t be hard because the topic is the reason you would want to write this type of essay. Now that you have your subject, jot down a few notes and facts that you already know about your subject. Don’t be afraid to leave out anything, there is always time to delete the nonsense sentences. Now that you have your ideas on paper, the next step is to compose the essay. Write out your rough draft and if you think it is necessary, add all of the nonsense sentences to make your essay look bigger. On a personal note, you might want to leave the spelling and grammar problems out, because you are not really interested in that right now. Spelling uses to much of your time and energy, it is better to get out what you are thinking on paper. After composing, you have to evaluate your essay. What I mean is you have to read the essay over and over, take out whatever you do or do not like and maybe change around some of the word usage. This is a good time to check out your grammar problems and run-on sentences. If you feel comfortable with your essay, let a peer read it and find out their opinion. Thei...

Quiz How Smart Are You Really

Quiz How Smart Are You Really How smart are you? Have you ever thought that youre smarter than most people? According to difference tests   on  Wikipedia, the average persons IQ falls somewhere in the range of 90-109. What do you think? Put your intelligence to the test with this quick and fun quiz. How smart are you, really?

Social Policy The modern era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social Policy The modern era - Essay Example This will entail use of the functionalist approach which views social welfare development as a response to emerging needs and the conflict approach that views the development as a result of labour movements. First, a brief history of social welfare will be given in order to understand origins and the workings of the old Elizabethan poor law which is the basis of welfare state in Britain. Next, the 19th and 20th century approaches to provision of poverty and public health will be outlined. This is to provide an illustration of early welfare provision and the key themes which have dominated this field for decades. The effect of political, economic and social influences on government intervention will be discussed especially the influence of industrial revolution on society and resulting social problems. The role of the liberal party which came into power in 1906 and labour movements in extending welfare provision will be explained. The effect of the great depression on welfare provisio n is also of great importance to understanding the increased state intervention during inter-war years. Lastly, a summary of the main points discussed will be given. In order to understand the development of the social welfare in Britain it is essential to understand its history. Much of Britain’s welfare policies emanated from the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601. It established parishes which were responsible for providing relief for the poor (Alcock, Erskine & May, 2003). It also established workhouses where those in need could be assisted and work in return. One could only get relief at his parish of birth and it mostly targeted men as women and children were regarded as dependents. According to Ritter (1986) the workhouses were meant to reduce the eligibility of men to social welfare provision by limiting relief to those in workhouses although out-relief was still being offered to the poor. This was also the origin of the dreaded term ‘pauperism.’ Those receivin g relief were stigmatised and viewed as lazy members of the society who did not want to work (Dean, 2006). As revealed by poverty surveys, the Elizabethan Poor law did not alleviate poverty and was repealed in 1834. The Pre-war social welfare in Britain was dominated by the laissez-faire ideology and according to Walsh, Stephens and Moore (2000) increased state intervention in welfare provision. One of the factors attributed to this is the efficiency of the German welfare system in promoting economic competitiveness that prompted many nations to emulate the system (Dean, 2006). Thane (1996; 2011) argues that it was the industrial revolution in Britain in 18th century continuing into the 20th century that sparked reforms in welfare provision before WWI. The role of the liberal party which came into power in 1906 cannot be overemphasised as well as the philosophy of social liberalism prevalent at the time. Industrial revolution began in the 18th century and with it brought many econom ic and social changes that influenced the development of social welfare in Britain (Walsh et al. 2000). Before then, Britain was an agricultural country but thereafter transformed into a factory-based economy. The domestic system had been the prevalent system in 18th century and workers worked at own homes producing food for subsistence. They could work at their own pace and control their working conditions but due to industrialisation this system was replaced by the factory

Arctic Plankton Bloom Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arctic Plankton Bloom - Assignment Example When a scientist says that productivity is a rate, he/she means that it is the rate at which organic matter is produced (National Geographic, n.d.). More clearly, in a scientific perspective, biological productivity is the annual rate of biomass production expressed in tons per hectare per year. Before discussing the factors that influence productivity in various ocean environments like the surf zone, mid-ocean and the deep abyss, it is important to understand the fact that oceans account for only one-third of Earth’s productivity although they cover roughly two-third of the Earth’s surface area. In oceans, coastal regions are characterized with the greatest net primary production. Thorne-Miller (1999) states that diversity of species in surf zone is low but the species that remain in this ocean environment is unusually productive, making the surf zone one of the most productive marine habitats. Wave action is a major factor that influences productivity in the surf zone indirectly. It supplies â€Å"nutrients and suspended food particles to plants and animals attached to the rock† (p. 68). In addition, the wave action keeps seaweeds wet in times of low tide, leading to a favorable photosynthesis rate during the period of greatest light intensity. Thorne -Miller also says that seaweeds and invertebrates living in the surf zone have the capability to adapt to the challenging physical conditions there (p.68). In the words of Foulger (2011), the major factors that determine productivity in mid-oceans include the local plate boundary configuration, temperature, and source composition such as volatiles. Productivity is notably improved by enhanced source fertility. A high fertile source will be characterized with a lower solidus, and this in turn would yield a higher level melting at a given temperature resulting in the thickening of the oceanic crust (p.87). Tyler (2003)

Student Achievements - Global Revisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Student Achievements - Global Revisions - Essay Example The research concludes that all these factors play a major role in determining a student’s achievement in school. All educational institutions have the aim of promoting student achievement. There are different factors that positively or negatively affect the achievement of students. These include social, economic, environmental and political factors. In students’ achievement, different individuals have to pull forces to ensure that the process is successful. These individuals include teachers, parents and students. This paper analyses the positive effects of different factors that affect students’ achievement. A student’s achievement is influenced by several factors such as class size, family, motivation, teacher’s attitudes, a school’s culture and gender and therefore teachers should put these factors into perspective when teaching. Gross (2009) argues that student engagement in learning is an important factor in their success (Gross, 2009). Students can engage in the learning process through submission of assignments and agreeing to teachers instructions. Another form of students’ engagement in the learning process is class attendance. A teacher acts as a guide towards students’ engagement in class. The teacher should, therefore, design a strategy through which students can continuously participate in the learning process. One way through which a teacher can ensure student’s participation is by identifying individual differences among his learners. Use of questions and answers has been identified as one of the best method of engaging students in the process of learning (Capel & Whitehead, 2010). This method targets improving the learning capability of students and, teachers are encouraged to focus more on open ended questions. Such questions encourage thinking and hence enable students to achieve better results even if the students do not answer the questions (Kim, 2010). Teachers who ensure effective

Intercultural Business Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Intercultural Business Communication - Essay Example Culture can be defined as the combined programming of the mind that differentiates the member of one category of people from the other. This is always a collective phenomenon; however it can be related to different collectives. A variety of individuals belong within each collective. Considering the fact that we live in a global age where technology has brought each and every person much closer to each other than they were earlier, it has been witnessed that people belonging to different cultures are working together and henceforth are having frequent communications. This fact is of obvious interest but however, it can be frustrating at times when the thought comes to one’s mind regarding how one is supposed to relate to someone who belongs to a different culture. In what way must one start a conversion and are there any cultural taboos that one needs to know about? These are the questions that comes in one’s mind when the individual things about working or living with a nother individual of a different culture. Even after such barrier oriented questions people of different cultures are working, living and communicating with each other effectively and efficiently. Such is the diversity in culture that prevails all over the world. This shows the depth in the cultural dimensions that is witnessed all around the world. Establishing network with people all around the world is just one dimension of the cultural diversity. For the purpose of doing the same, one needs to understand the cultural differences. Psychologist Dr. Geert Hofstede came up with a theory that explained different dimensions of cultural diversity and the theories have become a standard that is recognized internationally (Hofstede, 2011). The following sections will involve a thorough analysis of the cultural-dimensional approach with reference to Hofstede’s research that will include arguments in favour of the validity and reliability of his research. Thereafter, the arguments a gainst the cultural-dimensional approach will be highlighted with reference to the notion of cultural heterogeneity and finally the researcher’s own perception regarding appropriate methodology for intercultural business communication research will be provided followed by an appropriate conclusion. 2. PART A 2.1. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension Approach A discussion on cultural dimension approach must begin with a definition of culture. The quantity of the definition of culture expounded by the scholars are simply too numerous to count and each one is having specific relevance towards understanding the various dimensions of culture. Alvesson (2000) has enlightened about 128 definitions about culture. Hofstede himself has even provided a definition of culture that reflects culture to be a crucial factor that distinguishes one group with other. He defines culture to be â€Å"the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of peop le from others†. Much attention has been placed on role of culture in shaping a business in the last few decades and it has never been that much significant as it stands today. Study on this field begun with Hofstede’s famous work on IBM in the early 80s (Arditi and Mochtar, 2000). Culture is adjudged as essential for numerous reasons related to business life. The significance becomes more visible when a business firms starts interacting with people in either forms such as employees, customers, suppliers or any other stakeholder group. Research studies related to cross culture has had most of the values and as a result of that it has succeeded to provide substances to the modern management techniques and practices. Some of the eminent cross cultural researchers such as Geert Hofstede, have to face criticism for failing to provide the valued guiding intelligence. Eminent authors such as Avolio (2007) and Barrett (1993) argues that the

Does Modern Wedding Cost Too Much Research Paper

Does Modern Wedding Cost Too Much - Research Paper Example Although there are special cases of societal icons that have broken records in spending millions of dollars in wedding events, general spending by average people has increased tremendously. This paper seeks to provide succinct evidence to support the fact that modern weddings cost too much. Interestingly, planning of wedding events has become a fully functional industry that generates millions of dollars every year. Certainly, this has been primarily caused by the increase of busy lifestyles and consequently less time to spend organizing for wedding events. Couples have increasingly preferred to opt for wedding organizing services since there is increased money flow and less time to spend it due to busy lifestyles. Although the exact cost of holding a wedding event ranges from one country to another Sherrie claims, â€Å"The price for a wedding in the U.S, is $ 26, 400† (Sherrie 14). It is also claimed that the wedding â€Å"Cost will increase about 2.3% over already high 200 5 prices† (Sherrie 13). Although these statistics were taken in 2005, it can be posited that at present, costs have actually gone up further. There is overwhelming evidence indicating that the costs of modern wedding are actually high. According to a report by Fox, â€Å"the national average costs of using a wedding planner is approximately $3500 to $4000. For some couples, hiring a wedding planner is a crucial part of their wedding preparation† (Fox n.p). With the stresses of modern lifestyles, it is easy to understand why many couple opt for a wedding planner, it simply offers a relief. Although hiring a wedding planner increases the costs of the wedding, the relief offered is justified. With more people preferring wedding planner service to organize their wedding events, wedding planning business continue to flourish and offer better services thereby increasing the costs further. Holding of wedding events calls for hiring of special ceremony sites that will offer the wedding a sense of uniqueness. Renting of the ceremony sites especially for the reception, assuming that appreciable number of weddings are held in church, has increased with time. This causes an increase in overall wedding costs considering that a large percentage of the wedding resources will be spent on hiring exclusive ceremony sites such as lucrative hotels and recreational centers. According to estimates by Alliance Trust â€Å"The largest proportion of the wedding cost is spent on the hire of the venue, catering and drinks, this alone can swallow around 33% of the total cost† (Alliance Trust web). Another important aspect worth consideration, a precursor to rising wedding costs, is the upward shift in wedding age. According to Alliance Trust, â€Å"Our calculations put the average cost at ?20,000 – an onerous amount which could well explain why couples are delaying a wedding until they are more financially secure† (Alliance Trust web). This is clear evid ence that the modern society appreciates the importance of weddings to the extent that they would defer the wedding to a later date so that they could afford the increased wedding costs. A brief analysis of trends in wedding costs conducted by Wong posits, â€Å"The average price tag that is fast approaching $30,000 represents a 73 percent increase during the past 15 years† (Wong web). It is interesting to note that such a rise in spending costs can be attributed to change in lifestyle, personal

Organizational behaviors management term project - Panda Express Paper

Organizational behaviors management project - Panda Express - Term Paper Example The menus in this restaurant brought to America the flavors of Szechuan and Mandarin cuisine. These same menus became the inspiration and standard for all the Panda Express restaurants that are known and loved in the wide America. The making of quality meals with fresh and premium ingredients besides being served fast and hot was one competitive advantage Andrew identified and utilized to the fullest. The result was the tremendous growth of the Panda Express chain of restaurants not only in the United States but the world over (Fox77). Our group’s selection of the Panda Express chain of restaurants out of our love for authentic Chinese cuisine and our being intrigued by how fresh and fast the food is constantly cooked and served. A majority of the group members have had meals at the Panda Express restaurants and realized that the quality of the food is uniformly of a high quality. Our love for authentic, or fairly authentic, Chinese cuisine seems to have travelled with us from China to the United States. It was a unanimous decision among the group members who, having eaten at several Chinese restaurants across the United States that claimed to offer authentic cuisine, all decided that only the cuisine found at the Panda Express chain of restaurants lived to its name (Grenway 44). ... The latter is to expose the Chinese citizens firsthand to American-Chinese type of cuisine which is excellent (Filipova 45). The main goal of the group is to find out how Panda Express is able to serve such high quality food at its characteristically fast pace yet retain the fine features of a dining eatery. The aim of group is of the opinion that the managers utilize the rush hours besides having active communication skills with their subordinates to create an excellent customer experience (Tosi and Pilati 109). The aim is to research into the managers’ use of leadership, motivation and employee engagement skills in forming a group of hard-working employees with the restaurant’s aim in their hearts. Another aim is to find out the managers’ daily activities that contribute to the success of the restaurant chain and push the employees to willingly outdo themselves in their service (Griffin and Moorehead 40). What also evoked our curiosity was the fact that some me mbers of this group eat at the Panda Express restaurant on the campus premises once to four times each week and always find the food freshly cooked even with the high demand for the food which always seems to improve in taste (Sharma 73). Hypothesis The group’s belief is that managers use leadership skills acquired from outside the restaurant chain or gained at the restaurant to instill a sense of urgency among the employees and then set cooking or serving goals that have always outdid the demand from customers. Among the leadership skills most likely driving the success in the restaurant chain are conflict resolution among the employees and management, quickness of thought to invent better services and the accuracy of predicting rush hours to utilize the large number of customers

Does Modern Wedding Cost Too Much Research Paper

Does Modern Wedding Cost Too Much - Research Paper Example Although there are special cases of societal icons that have broken records in spending millions of dollars in wedding events, general spending by average people has increased tremendously. This paper seeks to provide succinct evidence to support the fact that modern weddings cost too much. Interestingly, planning of wedding events has become a fully functional industry that generates millions of dollars every year. Certainly, this has been primarily caused by the increase of busy lifestyles and consequently less time to spend organizing for wedding events. Couples have increasingly preferred to opt for wedding organizing services since there is increased money flow and less time to spend it due to busy lifestyles. Although the exact cost of holding a wedding event ranges from one country to another Sherrie claims, â€Å"The price for a wedding in the U.S, is $ 26, 400† (Sherrie 14). It is also claimed that the wedding â€Å"Cost will increase about 2.3% over already high 200 5 prices† (Sherrie 13). Although these statistics were taken in 2005, it can be posited that at present, costs have actually gone up further. There is overwhelming evidence indicating that the costs of modern wedding are actually high. According to a report by Fox, â€Å"the national average costs of using a wedding planner is approximately $3500 to $4000. For some couples, hiring a wedding planner is a crucial part of their wedding preparation† (Fox n.p). With the stresses of modern lifestyles, it is easy to understand why many couple opt for a wedding planner, it simply offers a relief. Although hiring a wedding planner increases the costs of the wedding, the relief offered is justified. With more people preferring wedding planner service to organize their wedding events, wedding planning business continue to flourish and offer better services thereby increasing the costs further. Holding of wedding events calls for hiring of special ceremony sites that will offer the wedding a sense of uniqueness. Renting of the ceremony sites especially for the reception, assuming that appreciable number of weddings are held in church, has increased with time. This causes an increase in overall wedding costs considering that a large percentage of the wedding resources will be spent on hiring exclusive ceremony sites such as lucrative hotels and recreational centers. According to estimates by Alliance Trust â€Å"The largest proportion of the wedding cost is spent on the hire of the venue, catering and drinks, this alone can swallow around 33% of the total cost† (Alliance Trust web). Another important aspect worth consideration, a precursor to rising wedding costs, is the upward shift in wedding age. According to Alliance Trust, â€Å"Our calculations put the average cost at ?20,000 – an onerous amount which could well explain why couples are delaying a wedding until they are more financially secure† (Alliance Trust web). This is clear evid ence that the modern society appreciates the importance of weddings to the extent that they would defer the wedding to a later date so that they could afford the increased wedding costs. A brief analysis of trends in wedding costs conducted by Wong posits, â€Å"The average price tag that is fast approaching $30,000 represents a 73 percent increase during the past 15 years† (Wong web). It is interesting to note that such a rise in spending costs can be attributed to change in lifestyle, personal

Virgin Islands Essay Example for Free

Virgin Islands Essay Virgin Islands in United States were previously known as Danish West Indies. They are situated about fifty miles from east of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. About 108,612 citizens are living mainly on Saint John, Saint Croix, Saint Thomas and Water Islands. Total land area covered by the territory is 133. 73 square miles which is approximately 346. 4 km2. Before their acquirement by U. S these islands were owned by the Kingdom of Denmark which ruled since 1754. Secretary of the country, namely William H. Seward, wanted to protect their naval bases for the safety of U. S interest in Caribbean during the Civil War. They prepared themselves to control the main naval routes from Central and Latin America which is the first authorized gateway to Denmark. Due to the internal dilemma faced by Demark and declined economy of the islands, Danish officials negotiated with the minister of the United States that directed to an agreement of purchasing it for $7. 5 million in 1867. Though, Danish authorities had a favorable plebiscite and a prompt ratification but still they failed to secure their Congress and public opinion. As a result, they were defeated due to a natural disaster in Saint John which led to purchase Alaska by President Andrew Johnson. On the other hand, opinion by the citizen of Denmark was in favor to the expansion by foreigners. The treaty was however faded away in the Senate and was ultimately rejected in 1869. To purchase the islands, Secretary of State John Hay showed efforts in 1902 who thought that Germans were planning out to acquire naval bases of the Caribbean Sea. Although, Danish government was not willing to surrender their islands and were hoping to get benefit from the impending canal namely isthmian. Due to German expansionism, secretary of State Robert reopened the negotiation and as a result a treaty was signed in 1916 where all the approvals were replaced in 1917. About twenty five million dollars were transferred after the favorable negotiations in 1917. Saint Thomas and Water Island were also developed during World War II as a defense base. After the authorities were transferred from the department of navy, the islands were handed over to the office of insular affairs in 1931 where it stayed till 1971. As an unincorporated land of United States, these islands were given limited form of independency due to Organic Act of 1936. After the Revised Organic Act was published in 1954, the degree of self-governance became even more enhanced. (Statens Arkiver) Economy of these islands is mostly based on tourism with almost 2. 6 million tourists each year which account 80% of GDP and services. However, its agriculture sect is smaller than manufacturing sects which consist of electronics, textiles, refining of petroleum and pharmaceuticals. Petroleum refineries in Saint Croix are the largest all over the globe. Islands do get damaged due to storms and other natural disaster but the partnership for trading purpose is solely the mainland of the United States and Puerto Rico helps to renovate the islands. Still government is working to expand their private sector, tourism and protection of the environment. (The World FactBook, 2008). The islands are situated amid the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. They are about fifty miles east from Puerto Rico and sixty miles west from Caribbean Islands. Basically, Virgin Islands are located at the top of the curve of Caribbean Islands where it starts from Florida to South America. Virgin Islands in United States consist of four major islands and fifty smaller cays and islands. Islands are placed at the peak of submerged mountains that rise from some hundred feet over the sea and ocean floors. Virgin Islands consist of mountains, sea cliffs, tiny streams, forests, and beautiful sand beaches. (Virgin Islands Vacation Guide Community, 2008) Following is the deep analysis of major islands located in Virgin Island Saint Croix Saint Croix is one of the largest Virgin Island in the United States as it was once roofed by sugar cane. This striking island does not have visitors like Saint Thomas and Saint John has but it however consist of a port of vacation. Saint Croix is almost covered with 84 square miles land. It is far away from Saint Thomas almost 40 miles from south. This Caribbean island has a dramatic history and vast cultivation of sugar cane. Several flags have fluttered over the land of Saint Croix but the predominant influence was of Danish which ruled for about 250 years. There are a number of sceneries throughout the island such as lush rain forest towards northwest and palm beaches that is connected to clean aquamarine water at east end. Though, southern location of island is covered with industries which include more than hundred sugar mills. Nonetheless, roads of the island need to get repaired. A number of roads are unmarked and tourist might get lost some where on the island. A park that covers 850 acres of the land with the water surface of 1. 5 miles to the northern coast of Saint Croix is located. Buck Island is a part of that park even since 1948 which consist of wonderful snorkeling. A number of historical exhibits are found in Fort Frederik which is located in Frederiksted, constructed in 1760 and was renovated back in 1840’s. A number of historians argue that Fort Frederik was one of the first fort where the salute ceremony to the flag of United States was held in 1776. It is also been said that Governor General Peter von Scholten liberated the Dutch slaves at Fort Frederik in 1848. Conversely, one of the best fort in Saint Croix is Fort Christiansvaern, located in Christiansted. Saint Thomas Saint Thomas is another major island of Virgin Islands which is likely to be called as cruise ship on the Caribbean Sea. This island consists of natural beauty and it also has one of the finest weather in West Indies. Tourism in this island plays role of a king. People love to visit Saint Thomas as they can gain foreign culture experience. Virgin Islands including Saint Thomas have all the components from tropical paradise to exotic wild life. As a part of the United States, it is easy to visit Saint Thomas and other Virgin Islands. A number of fast food restaurants are also located in Saint Thomas plus traveling from United States is not complex due to the protection given by American government. Name of Virgin Islands were given after a famous explorer namely Christopher Columbus. In 1492, Christopher Columbus gave a name to the group of islands therefore Las Once Mil Virgenes in the respect of Saint Ursula’s martyred maidens as believed by Christians. The United States however purchased it share for Virgin Islands in 1916 from Denmark. Every Virgin Island has its own personality and scenery. (Linda Garrison, 2008) Saint Johns Saint John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands that covers 20 square miles of the land. Two third of Saint John is covered by national park. Saint John consists of over 5,000 residents. The island is a domicile of a number of ethnic backdrop that play its own role in Saint John’s through the celebration, music and other cultural rituals. The island itself ensures the magnificent and unique beauty of its nature park particularly by its historical insight. Hiking is the mostly done on this island therefore trip is incomplete without it. Laurance Rockfeller purchased a portion of Saint Johns in 1950’s with a thought of enjoying the natural world. However, there are many other places in Saint Johns that are dotted around the island such as Annaberg Plantation, a sugar mill established in the 18th century, which is located at the north end and Catherineberg Ruins sugar mill which was considered to be the head quarters of Saint John where salves were trained to become a tribal soldier. Weather in Saint John is considered to be tropical with about thirty degrees Celsius. The hot sunny weather keeps winter months hot however humidity is lesser than in summer. Conclusion When Virgin Islands were transferred to United Stated from Denmark, a history was ended but another began. This transfer was however been awaited by the native people of Virgin Islands hoping for the development of Virgin Islands. Involvement of United States is considered to be a formula for the development of economic and social ills of which people were suffering in Virgin Islands. However, the concept of islands to be a military base rather than a state that consist of natural resources is developed by the United States for the favor of people.It was also determine to the changes in policies and attitude of the United States in future years. Bibliography 1) The World FactBook. Virgin Islands. November 6, 2008. Central Intelligence Agency. November 18, 2008 https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vq. html#Geo 2) Statens Arkiver. Virgin Islands History. Danish National Archives. November 18, 2008 http://www. virgin-islands-history. dk/eng/default. asp 3) Linda Garrison. St. Thomas in the U. S. Virgin Islands (USVI) – Cruise Lines’ Favorite Virgin. 2008. Cruises. November 18, 2008 http://cruises. about. com/cs/caribbeanports/a/stthomas_2. htm 4) Linda Garrison. St. Croix in the U. S Virgin Islands – Things to do with a Day in Port. 2008. Cruises. November 18, 2008 http://cruises. about. com/cs/caribbeanports/a/stcroix. htm 5) Virgin Islands Vacation Guide Community. Virgin Islands Geography. 2008. Virgin Islands Now. November 19, 2008 http://www. vinow. com/general_usvi/geography/ 6) CaribbeanWay. St. John USVI. Luxury Villa Rentals and Sales. November 19, 2008 http://st-john. caribbeanway. com/general-info. asp

To what extent is Marxism still relevant today

To what extent is Marxism still relevant today In communist society, where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activitysociety regulates production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in evening, criticise after dinner, just as I have a mind, without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, shepherd or critic. (Marx/Engels The German Ideology) I love talking and thinking about politics and to imagine a better society, where I can reflect on what to write in my essays, but the quality of these activities would change very much, if one was not forced to do it, to pass exams, to get a degree, and eventually to find a job to survive in the capitalist society. Everyone knows the difference between self-fulfilling activity and the obligation of wage labour, what we normally call work. When we are looking at the quotation above, we see that Marxism is rather a social utopia than a political program. The utopia of a society without exploitation of people by people, a society where concurrence is abolished and the voluntary cooperation of men and women is the motor of production. The precondition for this view is the idea, that the individual is a social being and for that reason must be analysed in its social and historical context and that is continually in development. The fundamental difference in the history of political thought between the left wing and the right wing is based on the view of the human being. Hobbes for example describes the condition of archaic societies as a bellum omnium contra omnes2, that is why the main fear of men comes from its similars so to protect people from people, there is the need of a strong state and law and order. You ca not change mankind, there is no development There were always these two views of humans that built the basics of ideologies and it seems to be more a matter of belief than a fact that you can prove. In the last decades we experienced a dominance of what I call new liberal thinking, conservative think tanks began to describe human behaviour with the rules of the neo classical school of economics, that sees the person as a advantage maximising individual, all aspects of life are tried to explain as economic behaviour. In 1989 the concurrent system to capitalism lost its last battle of the cold war; the right celebrated the victory of capitalism and liberal democracy and the left was paralysed. The well-known Francis Fukuyama described the End of history as the end point of mankindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s ideological evolution and the universalisation of Western liberal democracy. (National Interest, 1989, 16) In the same article Fukuyama says that it will be a sad time, because there is not going to be any ideological struggle any more, idealism would be replaced by economic calculations, the endless solving of technical problems environmental concerns and the satisfaction of sophisticated consumer needs. The right wing ´s argument against Marxism today is the breakdown of communism and the dark sides of the soviet system, although we know from an Marxist point of view, that the system in Russia had not anything to do with the ideal and the utopia of Marxism. It was state capitalism without any form of democracy that failed because of social movements in Eastern Europe, for example Solidarinosc in Poland. The problem is that left wing intellectuals fell into agony after 1989 because they shared the feeling that capitalism had won and the world is bad, many of them stopped to think about alternatives and lost their utopia, went fishing, or some orthodox ones lost their belief and became new liberals, others searched for third ways. The dominance of new liberalism also colonised the social democracy, for example the words of the social democratic Austrian chancellor, who said in the eighties, that somebody who has visions needs a doctor. The theory of the third way left the road of Marxism as a result of 1989 and is defined by Anthony Giddens as a way between old social democracy and new liberalism. The question is: is the third way a road that leads to nowhere? It is very likely so because there is no final perspective. I would explain it rather as a parking lot of conservative and liberal political ideas, than as a way. Ten years after the transition in the east we are facing a growing social movement with a big scepticism about the economic globalisation, more and more people experience the negative effects of capitalism and more and more people are claiming for alternatives. Social utopias are still relevant because naturally an other system comes to your mind, when you are not satisfied, even if they are only wishes sort of dreams, the next step is the thinking process to realise your dreams. You cannot kill utopias. Marxism is still relevant as an utopia to reach a society of free and equal. The function of ideologies is to conquer the minds, because the actions of people are led from their view of the world and their wishes. Ideology only has an influence on a personality if there is a belief in it. The task of the academic left (if there is still one) today is to win back the hegemony at the battlefield of ideas. 2. Marxism as an instrument of critique I think it is incontestable that Marxism is still relevant as a critique of capitalism the state and liberal democracy. Marxism is a child of the Industrial Revolution and was born as a reaction to the bad effects of proletarianisation, dependency on wage labour, the new mode of production, which caused hunger and oppression. The theory that the development of the capitalist system, with a growing number of wage labourers leads more or less automatically to a revolution forgot, that capitalism was able to react to social and economic changes very fast. So the ruling class understood how to bring more and more wage employees on their side (ex. white collar employees). Nevertheless a big majority in Europe has to live with their income through wage labour, and when we look to a world perspective, we find a massive proletarianisation in the world. (compare Callinocos, 1992, p. 113), In a world perspective we also see growing differences between the south and the north, which makes Marxà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s theory in a global perspective very plausible. Globalised capitalism with its new liberal face, hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t found an answer to the exploitation of nature and the growing social inequalities. The waste of resources and the economic crisis canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t be abolished through capitalism. The principle of profit is the principle of exploitation. The regular breakdowns of the stock markets with their destructive effects on states, is a good example. Marx knew that the state couldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t be neutral, because the state represents the interests of the ruling classes and the owners of the resources, thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s why liberal democracy could not be a real democracy, it leads to a passive citizenery in the 1988 presidential elections in the US, upper-income electors were twice as likely to vote as lower income electors: the displacement of parliamentary institutions by unelected centres of power [.]; structural constraints on the piecemeal transformation of capitalism it was above all the massive flight of capital from France which forced the Mitterand administration to abandon the program of reforms on which it was elected in 1981. (Callinicos, 1992, p. 109) Variables like class, gender and income are very important for a sociological description of the society, the marxist point of view, played always an important role for class analyses and the question, who has the power in a society, who owns the production means and so on. 3. Marxism as an alternative First we have to define our aims even if they are utopian, first we have to know what we want, then we can search for ways to reach our aims. We will see that there are many ways that lead in the same direction, so the main difference between Marxists, are the means they are using. Marx conceived the post capitalist future as an association of all workers, an association in which freedom and equality were combined through (1) the democratic regulation of society; (2) the end of politics; (3) the planned use of resources; (4) efficient production; and (5) greater leisure. (Held, 1999, p. 147) These are the aims shared by all Marxists to overcome capitalism, to abolish the state and the power and to introduce democratic self-government. What they all have in common is the utopia. The differences between them are the way to come closer to these aims. Libertarian Marxists reject all forms of compromises with organisations of the capitalist society, authoritarian leadership, division of labour. They refuse party organisation. They believe that progress can only be made with democratically organised mass movements. Pluralists are using the institutional framework of the liberal democracy to win control of the state for restructuring it. They believe in the necessity of party organisation, using power to abolish it and extension of participation. Many social democratic parties, some communist parties come from this tradition, green movements can be subsumed under this category too. The orthodox Marxist branch belief in a strong party organisation with professional leadership and cadre discipline, but rejects compromises with the capitalist democracy, which only represents the interests of the capital. (compare Held, 1999, p. 148 150) So Marxists are fighting in many places, in parliaments (pluralists), in basic movements (libertarians), in hidden places (planning the revolution), but they all meet on big demonstrations against globalisation. They donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t like each other, but every branch plays its role. The orthodox Marxists lost influence, but the forces of the traditional democratic left in the parliaments could come closer to libertarians, because of the growing movement against new liberalism. In the so-called civil society we will find libertarian Marxists. The main difference between these two factions is the question of reform or revolution. Pluralists wanted to get control of the state to transform capitalism, but they became part of the state and of the capitalist system, many lost their ideologies (Third Way), but there are still some left in the institutions. They won ´t bring innovation, what they could remobilize is a strong democratic, anti capitalist basic movement, that is inspired by libertarian Marxist ideas. If this movement is strong enough, it could be the beginning of a new age of a sustainable transformation of capitalism to something different, what seems not realistic at the moment, but who knows. In any case the libertarian branch with its allies in the civil society could wake up the old pluralists in the parliaments and party machines to start a new offensive against new liberalism, to improve democracy, to concentrate on redistribution and to get back or defend important public resources and so on. My theory is, that social movements are a motor of reform, even if they don`t manage to bring revolutionary changes. Marxism always was a threat for the capitalism, that forced capitalism to adapt, but not the theory brought a welfare state or socialist elements to capitalist states, it were always the social movements in connection with the utopia that brought the change. I believe that Marxism is an alternative, because of the weak sides of capitalism and liberal democracy, the exploitation of humans and the nature, the waste of resources and the social inequality, but as long as we don`t have Marxism as an practical alternative, it has three functions: As an utopia it shows us an aim a direction, as an analysing method helps it to show us the contradictions of capitalism and it is a threat for the free market system and liberal democracy, that could lead to an permanent reform of the system. Perhaps we need no revolution. Perhaps capitalism will reform as long as it turns into a communist society, and if not, the revolution will come, Marx said. Bibliographie Callinicos, A: The Revenge of History: Marxism and the East European Revolutions (Polity Press, Cambridge, 1992). Duncan, G.: Democratic theory and practice (University Press, Cambridge, 1983) Held, D.: Models of Democracy (Blackwell, Cambridge, 1999) chapter 4. Levin, M: Marxism and Democratic theory in Duncan, g. 1983. Journals: Booth, W.J.: Making Sense of Marx concept of Communism (1989, Political Theory, 17/2). Fukujama, F.: The End of History? (1989, National Interest, 16) Halliday, F.: An Encounter with Francis Fukuyama (1992, New Left Review No. 193). Milibald, R.: Fukuyama and the socialist Alternative (1992, New Left Review No. 193) Milibald, R.: The Plausability of Socialism (1994, New Left Review No. 206). Pierson, C.: Democracy, Markets and Capital: Are there Necessary Economic Limits to Democracy? (1992, Political Studies, Special Issue). Rustin, M.: No Exit from Capitalism? (1992, New Left Review No. 193). 1 Utopos means nowhere, a place that doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t exist; an utopia is the birth of a wish. 2 War between all