Chaucers Vivid Characters :: essays papers

Chaucers Vivid Characters Essay- Chaucer’s Vivid Characters Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is so poignant that it almost single-handedly defines a whole epoch in history. It is the people living in the time period who define the era, and it was Chaucer who described the people living in the Middle Ages. Just describing a few people in an offhand way would not have had a profound impact. Chaucer’s writings did have impact because he characterized every social class using very vivid characters. Describing his characters with much vividness is key for that is what defines the way the reader feels about the character and the degree of power of association the reader makes with the character. Hence, the vividness of the character is directly proportional to how pointed his work is which creates the tone. Themes and proportions are tools Chaucer uses to create his tone. The more vivid the character is, the more pointed the message. For example, his writing is very vivid as to how ugly the Summoner is. Thus indicating Chaucer’s e xtreme dislike for what the Summoner represents. Through the use of literary tone, the characters of the Wife of Bath and the Summoner are described very vividly. Through The Wife of Bath, Chaucer gives an example of a freethinking individual. In regards to virginity, the Wife of Bath said, â€Å"advice is not commandment, no; He left the thing to our own judgment so.† This statement was very extraordinary for it’s time as it questioned the sanctimonious state of virginity. Moreover, the Wife of Bath is attributed with reasoning powers, which was probably not a common practice when portraying women in those times. The Wife of Bath gives an example of a character that is an independent thinker very much like Chaucer himself. Chaucer’s tone when describing the Wife of Bath was sensuous. Her face being fair with red hue and her buttocks large as she sat upon an ambler gives vivid impression of a tactile and visual nature. She had a bold face that coincides with her strong character. Not only does the tone conjure up pleasure; it also expresses mental thoughtfulness. It questions the church’s foundation of St. Peter’s ideas about virginity. Chaucer uses the Wife of Bath to indirectly express the church’s inconsistency in regards to the natural propagation of the human race and virginity. The Wife of Bath is honest. She feels no shame in ‘dancing the old dance of love’.

Early and Middle Adulthood Paper Essay

In this paper, I will discus two theories that are related to early and middle adulthood. Also, I will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each of the theories. The two theories that I have selected are Erikson’s Intimacy versus isolation to explain the early adulthood stage, and the Life Events Approach theory. In the Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory (intimacy versus isolation stage), Intimacy can be explained as â€Å"is the ability to fuse ones identity with that of another person without fear of loosing it† (Feist, 2008, 258). It further means an ability and willingness to share a mutual trust. It involves sacrifice, compassion, commitment and so on. Isolation on the other hand, is the psychosocial counterpart of intimacy. It is defined as â€Å"the incapacity to take chances with ones identity by sharing true intimacy† (Feist, 2008, 259). Erikson believed that there should be a fine ratio between the intimacy and isolation; as too much isolation can further cause problems such as depression. Love is the basic strength that is gained as a result from the crisis of intimacy versus isolation). According to Erikson, love includes intimacy but it also contains some degree of isolation, because each partner is permitted to retain a separate identity (Feist, 2008). Strengths†¢His theory gave a life span developmental process. †¢His theory explains each stage in detail including the time frame, and the changes involved. †¢He addressed it is important to move through the stages in order or it could causes crisis. †¢Extended Freud’s theory into different developmental stages such as adolescence, adulthood and old age. †¢Claimed that growth occurs across the life span. †¢Places emphasis on social and historical influences on development in his theory†¢Conflict between the opposing elements of each phase produces an ego strength or basic strength. Weaknesses†¢His theory is not based on scientific evidence. †¢His psychosocial developmental theory does not take into consideration different cultures of the world. †¢The age groups with the developmental stages do not sound consistent. †¢Generalizes that everyone goes through the same psychosocial developmental stages. The Life-Events ApproachIn the earlier version, some events such as a death of a spouse, divorce and marriage could be life changing and could influence an individual’s development. In other words, such events could force the individual to change their personality as they bring along lot of stress. However, contemporary life-events approach emphasizes that individuals personality development does not only depend on the life events itself but also on mediating factors (physical health, family supports, for example), the individual’s adaptation to the life event (appraisal of the threat, coping strategies, for example), the life-stage context, and the sociohistorical context (Santrock, 2008). Strengths†¢Helpful addition to understanding adult development. †¢Takes into perspective life stressors and other mediating variables that could influence ones development. Weakness †¢The life-events approach places too much emphasis on change. †¢It does not adequately recognize the stability characterizes adult  development. †¢It overlooks daily events that could be very stressful as well for individuals. Therefore, in this paper, I have discussed two theories related to early and middle adulthood in detail. The two theories are Erikson’s and the life events approach theory. Also, I have discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. References Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2008) Theories of Personality (7th edition). New York: McGraw-HillSantrock, J. W. (2008). Essentials of life-span development. NY: McGraw-Hill.

Current Legislation Essay

Introduction As a teacher I must ensure that current legislative requirements are met. Gravells (2008) states that there is legislation that applies to the entire lifelong learning sector. There are also areas of legislation that apply to particular courses. This paper explains the general areas relevant to me and the areas I must also consider in teaching Business Administration and Planning. Legislation Relevant to the Lifelong Learning Sector General Legislation Although ECM refers to learners to the age of 19, OFSTED applies it to the performance of FE colleges. The Protection of Children Act 1999 legislates that teachers must have current Enhanced Disclosure checks by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988 and The Data Protection Act 1998 also apply. Human Rights, Diversity and Equality The six areas of diversity in law are disability, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation and religion / belief. Discrimination is forbidden in these areas by legislation including: †¢Sex Discrimination Act 1975 †¢Race Relations Act 1976 (amended 2000) †¢Human Rights Act 1998 †¢Equal Opportunities Act 2004 †¢DDA – Disability & Discrimination Act 1995 †¢DDA Part 4 Code of Practice 1995 †¢SENDA – Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 Health and Safety Petty (2009) confirms that the sector has a responsibility to provide a safe environment for learners. This is also where specific needs for specific courses arise. Generally, the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 and the Management of the Health & Safety at Work Act always apply. For Business Administration and Planning The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 is an example of HSE legislation relevant to my own area. Conversely the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and COSHH – Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 do not apply to my work. Codes of Practice I am also responsible for fulfilling responsibilities prescribed in Codes of Practice. For example, I must register with the Institute for Learning and comply with their Code of Professional Practice (2009). Colleges may also have Codes of Practice to which I must comply. References Gravells, A. (2008) Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector 3rd ed. Exeter: Learning Matters. Francis and Gould (2009) ‘Achieving Your PTLLS Award – A Practical Guide’. London. Sage Publications Limited. Department for Children, Schools and Families (2004) ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’ [online] UK: Available from http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2004). ‘Children Act 2004’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/pdf/ukpga_20040031_en.pdf [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1999). ‘Protection of Children Act 1999’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/pdf/ukpga_19990014_en.pdf [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1988) ‘The Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1988/ukpga_19880048_en_1.htm [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1998) ‘The Data Protection Act 1998’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980029_en_1 [Accessed 4 February 2010] Petty, G (2009) Teaching Today 4th ed. Cheltenham. Nelson Thornes Office of Public Sector Information (1975) ‘Sex Discrimination Act 1975’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2000) ‘Race Relations Act 1976 (amended 2000)’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1998) ‘Human Rights Act 1998’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2004) ‘Equal Opportunities Act 2004’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘DDA – Disability & Discrimination Act 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘DDA Part 4 Code of Practice 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2001) ‘SENDA – Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1974) ‘Health & Safety at Work Act 1974’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1999) ‘Management of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1999’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1992) ‘The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Institute for Learning (2009) ‘Code of Professional Practice’. Available from http://www.ifl.ac.uk/professional-standards/code-of-professional-practice [Accessed 4 February 2010]

Renewable Energy in the UAE Essay Sample

Renewable Energy in the UAE Essay Sample Renewable Energy in the UAE Essay Sample Renewable Energy in the UAE Essay Sample UAE has for various reasons resulted to actively seeking for alternatives to replace expensive and environmentally hazardous sources of energy. The country also seeks to diversify its energy sector as well as its economy through actively developing solar energy usage. It has developed solar-energy harnessing plants, which has made the consumption of this kind of energy grow significantly in frames of the total energy consumption. The country has been actively increasing the amount of solar power plants as well as improving the technology aimed at boosting efficiency and reducing costs in all runs. Thus, this sector has seen a lot of research work done on both the materials and technology used in power generation. When the systems for tapping and storing solar energy are competitive with conventional sources, the country will be in a better position to increase the scale of energy generation and effectively replace petroleum: it will introduce an era of clean non exhaustible energy wi th very low maintenance cost. The term renewable energy has been commonly used to describe the alternative source of energy from what is considered mainstream; petroleum and coal (Alnaser Alnaser, 2011). However, the term also means a wide array of energy sources that cannot be exhausted, which means that the sources are always renewed or replenished through the Earths’ natural cycles. An example of these energy sources includes solar energy, wind geothermal energy and biomass. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with ‘green energy’ or ‘clean energy,’ which refers to energy sources that produce no emissions or pollutants in their generation and use (Rauland Newman, 2015). Renewable energy is or can be used to replace petroleum fuels in several areas that may include the generation of electricity, heating, to drive various machines, as motor fuels, or to power localized of-the-grid homes in the rural areas. This paper will look into the various types of renewable energy in use in the UAE. This paper will discuss reasons behind UAE’s high demand for energy as well as renewable energy projects being undertaken. Moreover, specific renewable energy developments, for instance, the Masdar city besides the Shams 1 scheme will be discoursed including steps taken by the UAE government to successfully and competently utilize additional renewable energy in all runs. Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century- (REN 21) concluded that the renewable sources of energy constituted approximately 19% of the total energy used globally in 2014. Biomass was the most used accounting for 9%, thermal energy at 4.2%, and hydroelectricity at 3.8%. In 2012 and 2013, renewables had been used to generate 22% of the electricity consumed globally. In the year 2013, global investment in the technologies aimed at exploitation of renewable sources of energy amounted to US 214 Billion (Young, (2014). The leading countries were China and the US while the technologies that were heavily invested into included wind, solar, hydro and biofuels. The UAE The United Arab Emirates or simply ‘the Emirates’ is a country in the Arabian Headland, sharing boarders with Saudi Arabia and Oman. It shares maritime boarders with Qatar and Iran around the Persian Gulf. Several aspects make this nation have an extraordinarily high demand for energy, which may include a high population composed majorly of foreign emigrants (over 80%). The locals make a small percentage of the total population and made up about 1.4 million in 2014. The country is a confederation of seven states (Emirates), each administered by a sovereign ruler: these rulers select one of them to rule the whole country, which has Arabic as the official language and Islam as the official religion. In spite of the small size, UAE has one of the biggest per capita quantities of oil reserves in the world. Its oil reserves rank 7th in the world: the country also has 17th largest natural gas reserve in the world. After this state was founded in 1971, a large percentage of proceeds obtained from its petroleum and natural gas resources were channeled into the betterment of education, healthcare, as well as the development of highly advanced modern infrastructure (Alnaser Alnaser, 2011). It has led to the rapid industrialization and development, which made this country’s economy the most diversified in the region. Over the same period of time, the most populous city in the country, Dubai emerged as an international commercial and transport hub. The high population density, high level of industrialization and economic diversification, as well as its use as a regional business hub makes UAE have a high rate of energy consumption. Additionally, the country experiences hot summers, when all the households and offices use electricity for air conditioning. This situation significantly increases electricity consumption to an extent of making the relevant government authorities consider correcti ve measures. Summer months’ electric consumption causes a major strain to the supply grid (Alnaser Alnaser, 2011). The peak hours for air conditioning are usually between 12 noon and 6 PM in the evening. Additionally, the country lacks adequate fresh water resource for domestic and industrial consumption. As a result, a large amount of energy is consumed in the desalinization of sea water for domestic and industrial consumption. Due to large sea water desalinization plants, as well as widespread air-conditioning in the summer months, this country has the largest per capita carbon foot print. Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of carbon gasses that are produced during the production process. What may even encourage a larger carbon foot print is that petroleum-generated electricity is usually subsidized by the government before being sold to consumers at a price even less than per unit cost of its generation (International Renewable Energy Agency, 2013). Various researchers and scholars have researched and compiled materials concerning the use of renewable sources of energy in the UAE. Some of these materials focus on areas such as the generation, the use or even future plans concerning the use of renewable energy. This section focuses on such materials. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) among other parallel authorities in the seven emirates have come up with means of ensuring that the peak hour demand for electricity does not lead to damages in the grid or unnecessary costs. Measures such as avoiding wastage of grid electricity as well as using most appliances in the off-peak hours have been seen to be helpful in the short run but are ineffective and unsustainable in the medium and long run (Kumetat, 2015). Additionally, the government and other agencies have recognized the great need to use this country’s oil reserve in a sustainable way and preserve it for the future generations. The government and other agencies are attempting to shift to green and renewable energy for environmental and health benefits in all respect. For this reason, various projects, action plans and long-term investment proposals are being done to tap into the green energy for electricity generation including other domestic and industrial uses for benefits discussed earlier. Owing to the geographical locality of the country, it receives a noteworthy quantity of solar radiation, which can be utilized to produce electricity, either through photovoltaic cells (PV) or through heating (CSP) (Kumetat, 2015). Renewable energy is being considered by the UAE in spite of oil reserves it possesses. According to the Masdar Institute (UAE), IRENA and the Directorate of energy and climatic change in the Ministry of foreign affairs, raising renewable energy to 10% the totals consumption could save the country a total of $1.9billion by the year 2030. It was also established that avoiding the consumption of fossil fuel would significantly lower the overall cost of energy. Factoring in health benefits that would accrue from the use of renewable energy and reduction in the environmental pollution, renewable energy could help the country save between $1 and 3.7 billion by 2030. Since the year 2010, the cost of natural gas has been increasing, while that of PV solar panels for converting solar energy into electricity has been declining universally as a result of the improvement in know-how used in manufacturing those (Young, 2014). Additionally, the theoretical and the practical efficiencies of photovoltaic cells and panels have been on the rise. All these factors have made solar energy competitive relative to oil. Despite UAE’s large natural gas reserves, it is important to note that the country is a net importer of the same as the internal output is not able to meet the internal demand. The government through various agencies is also evaluating other renewable sources of energy such as wind while encouraging the adoption of the conversion of waste to energy. In 2014, the cost of natural gas rose to $ 8/mBtu (million British thermal units) creating a need for faster shift to renewable energy (Kumetat, 2015). According to Kumetat (2015), the average cost of natural gas may rise twofold by 2020. Considering that the UAE imports natural gas, it has taken bold steps to decrease its dependence on the same. Furthermore, UAE desires to extensively use green energy in order to expand its economy, free additional petroleum for exports as well as to reduce the rates of the environmental degradation. In order to achieve a sustainable consumption of renewable energy sources, various options in terms of the forms of renewable energy sources have been considered. The UAE has a high yearly radiation making the exploitation of solar energy reasonable and economical. Large, open fields can be mounted with photovoltaic solar panels to transform solar energy into electric energy. Additionally, sunshine can be used for direct heating. With this knowledge, the country has been rigorously promoting the generation of the solar power since early 2008. Abu Dhabi and Dubai were among the first to embrace the use of solar power, each set its own targets for future production and consumption. Abu Dhabi has set its target to have 7% of its energy consumption as solar generated by 2020 (Kumetat, 2015). Dubai, on the other hand, is aiming at 5% clean energy as a percentage of the total consumption by 2030. As a result of these visions, Abu Dhabi has launched many massive projects to harness solar power. Both photovoltaic (PV) as well as Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) are in various stages of installation. On the other hand, Dubai has in the recent past focused majorly on PV system for generating electricity. Types of Renewable Energy The growth in the use of renewable sources of energy was rather slow before 2008, in which the entire country generated only 1% of its entire energy production from solar energy. By 2014, it was estimated that the UAE held half the facilities for harnessing solar energy in the GCC combined with the Levant (Caprotti, 2015). The Masdar City This is a city project in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the UAE. The city is under construction and is aimed at being a global model for a carbon neutral city. When completed, the city is planned to save 45% of water and 59% compared to the amount a similar sized conventional city would consume (Caprotti, 2015). Despite this city being energy and resource efficient, it will be powered majorly by renewable sources of energy. Additionally, the term carbon neutral means that it will not emit more carbon than a unit area of undeveloped space. The major sources of energy for this city will be solar power, and large areas of open fields will be installed with photovoltaic solar panels. In addition, the design of each individual structure will be such that it will need the minimum possible artificial lighting and air conditioning. Furthermore, model structures that can produce more energy than it can consume will also be integrated. The city will house a maximum of 50,000 people in addition t o 15,000 businesses (Caprotti, 2015). The core of this city is being built by the Masdar Company, which is a part of the larger Mubadala Development Company. The Abu Dhabi government has been the chief stockholder in the provision of the initial capital required. The designer of this city will be the Britishbased fosters and partners architectural firm. The city is being developed approximately 17 km in the south east of Abu Dhabi, standing adjacent to the Abu Dhabi International Airport. The city project was commissioned in 2006 with an estimated implementation period of about 8 years. The total cost was estimated at between $ 18 and 22 billion: the initial part was slated for completion before 2009. It was, however, delayed due to the effects of global financial crisis; some of the structures in phase one were not habitable by 2009 (Caprotti, 2015). With time, the total cost of the development of this city has declined by 10-15% while several variations have been made in instances where theoretical design could not be applied successfully. IRENA will have its headquarters in this city so as to demonstrate to the world the importance of green tech in the construction of modern cities (International Renewable Energy Agency, 2013). Masdar city will be a national as well a worldwide epicenter for clean tech corporations. The Masdar institute of technology was the first institution to book space in this city and become its first tenant. This institution of higher learning and research has been operating in the proposed city in various areas since late 2010, when it occupied its campus. The most striking feature of this city is that it has been developed to exclusively use renewable energy resources. Additionally, it is fitted with a system to enable the maximum possible conservation of energy. PV solar panels are used to generate the electric energy required to run this city. A total of 87,777 PV solar panels that occupy an area of approximately 22- hectare are used. Additional PV panels are installed on roofs of some structures. Another essential component of these structures is that they lack power switches and water taps. It has been done to eliminate instances where lights and water taps and appliances may be left on unnecessarily. Lighting and water points are controlled by a series of motion sensors, which has reduced water consumption to 55% and electricity to 51%. The initial plan provided for the installation of all the solar panels on the rooftops of various building. During the development phase, it was discovered that it would be much more efficient to build solar fields on the open fields in the desert. It would make it easy to brush the dirt off their surface than having cleaners climb on every roof top to clean them. Additionally, the flat open field ensures uniformity in the power generation in addition to the fact that desert has more insolation per unit area than the location of the city. In addition to PV panels, CSP plants are being tested to find out if they can effectively be used to tap the heat energy from sunshine. If this is successfully established, the amount of electricity used for heating could be saved or reduced, which would ultimately reduce the costs. In addition to the use of renewable energy sources, comprehensive water management practices are also incorporated to reduce wastage. Mechanisms are also put in place to ensure that about 80% of the water used is recycled. It includes reusing waste water whenever applicable and utilizing grey water to irrigate crops. Apart from the projects initiated and implemented by Masdar, there are several other projects across the UAE that will exclusively use solar power. For instance, in June 2015, the roads and transport authority in the UAE announced the planned commencement of the construction of 400 bus stops in Dubai. A large percentage of the new ones constructed in areas that have been off the grid will have air conditioning systems that will be powered using solar energy. This project does not only make Dubai the first city in the world to have air conditioned bus stops but also the first one to have solar operated ones. This announcement came a year after trial projects had been done in 2014 in Al Jafliya. Even if the test projects did not provide adequate power for air conditioning systems, it provided crucial information of the possibilities of successfully applying the same in the future. The tests indicated that solar power was adequate for powering lights and advertisement, but the materials used as well as structures’ shapes could not be effectively air conditioned by a solar powered system. However, more trials indicated that with the use of crescent-shaped shelters made of improved materials and heat, dust and humidity resistant paints, a number of them would support a solar powered air conditioner. The Shams 1 Shams 1 is a project that was undertaken to harness the heat energy from the sun and use it for the purpose of generating electricity. The plant is located in Abu Dhabi and is made up of a CSP plant. The plant was completed and became operational by 17th march, 2013. Shams 1 is one of the largest CSP plants in the world. The system is made up of parabolic mirrors set on both sides of a dark pipe made of a special heat absorptive material containing oil. The parabolic glasses are used to concentrate heat from sunshine onto the pipes carrying oil hence heating it. The heated oil in turn heats water which evaporates into steam which turns turbines. The mechanical energy in this turbine is converted into electricity. Since the heat obtained from the oil is not sufficient to rapidly evaporate water, a special heater that burns natural gas ‘a natural gas booster’ is used to compensate the heat difference by heating the water to the temperatures close to 400 degrees Celsius. In the Shams 1 power plant, the parabolic mirror holders are set on an intelligent system that is able to track the movement of the sun. Close to 80% of the heat used comes from the CSP units and is converted into approximately 55% of the total electricity generated. On the other hand, 20% of the heat is obtained from combustion of natural gas and accounts for approximately 45% of the total electric energy produced. From these statistics, it is crucial to note how the heat from the sunshine is greatly used to increase the systems efficiency in the use of natural gas in the production of electricity, making it possible to generate 45% of electricity from only 20% of heat from natural gas. It saves the cost of the 80% of the heat obtained from the CSP unit and is very crucial for reducing emissions (Rauland Newman, 2015). The Shams 1 management does not disclose the cost of generating one unit of power for some reason, which may include the fact that it is in power purchase contract with the management of the power grid. According to CSP professionals, an average price of a CSP system is presently between 20 and 25 cents / kWh. During the design and the developmental phase of this project, the total annual output had been estimated at slightly less than 200GWh. However, the first year of operation saw the plant produce slightly in access of 210GWh. Experts report that this is equivalent to the amount consumed by roughly 20000 homes in the UAE or  ½% of the total electricity demand in the country. The size of this CSP unit makes it cover an area of approximately 2.5 square kilometers while the total length of the parabolic trough is approximately 120 km. The large surface area seen above is very crucial for absorbing the maximum amount of heat from the sun shine. For this reason, the whole project is an environmental conservation success as it greatly reduces carbon emission. In one year, Shams 1 is capable of reducing carbon dioxide emission by about 175,000 tones, an amount that is produced by 1500cars over the same period of time. It is also the amount that can be absorbed by 1.5 million trees in one year. Shamss1 had a nominal maximum capacity of 100MW. However, the plant was seen to produce up to 125MW at one instance. Fluctuation in the amount of heat harnessed from the sunshine is observed in several instances. For example, at night, during cloudy days or in the winter, the amount of the heating obtained from the use of natural gas is increased to compensate for the deficit. The management of Shamss 1 plant only allows the use of natural gas up to 600, 000 btu (British thermal units). The operating staff is usually mandated to determine the amount of natural gas to add in order to compensate for the shortfall in the heat collected by the CSP unit. It has been observed that PV cells are much cheaper than CSP in terms of having a shorter process of generating electricity and also having fewer components. However, CSP has several advantages over the PV systems. CSP units store heat making the generation of electricity stable, even despite sharp fluctuations that may occur in the amount of sunshine received. Additionally, the system is more durable as the storage tanks for hot water can last close to 30 years, which is very long compared to short battery lives for PV systems. As discussed earlier, CSP are able to cater for sharp fluctuations in the sunshine received, making electric generation more regular as compared to PV units. CSP is also very easy to combine with conventional heat power plants and has been used in many instances to upgrade those (Rauland Newman, 2015). Shams 1 project has been very vital and will immensely contribute towards assisting Abu Dhabi to achieve 7% of renewable energy by 2020 (Rauland Newman, 2015). Additionally, it will help the whole country to reduce carbon emissions, diversify its energy sources, as well as the entire economy. It is important to note that Shams1 is run partly by Masdar. Therefore, its existence offers a great learning experience to Masdar, which is continuously looking for ways to improve the project. It offers a great opportunity for the researchers at Masdar to experiment with an aim of improving both the technology as well as the materials used in this plant to boost efficiency, durability and sustainability. How the UAE is Approaching Renewable Energy for the Future The UAE is aiming at reducing its dependence on petroleum and natural gas for generation of electricity. The primary aim of this is to free more petroleum for export, save money used to import natural gas and avoid the degradation of the nation’s natural environment. The country had an integrated long-term plan to ensure that it derived 24 % of its power from clean sources by 2030. Later on, the government plans to accelerate this plan to achieve this by 2021. Apart from the large-scale projects carried out by Masdar, including the carbon neutral city and the mega CSP Shams 1, the country has more plans to increase generation of electricity from solar energy (Sayigh, 2013). In April 2015, the government announced its plans to add an additional 100MV of electricity by installing additional PV solar panels. The FEWA (federal Electricity and Water Authority) has set up plans to initiate large-scale projects in the expansive north of the UAE. The government is also on course to in itiate several projects to generate 24% of its entire energy demand by 2021 as seen earlier. Some of the projects underway include the development of nuclear power plants. Most of these projects are meant to benefit the five remaining emirates that have not been involved in the massive projects of Masdar city and Shams 1. Emirates such as Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Umma AL Quiwain as well as Fujairah are the ones serviced by FEWA while Dubai and Abu Dhabi have their own parallel services (Kumetat, 2015). FEWA is set to collaborate with private corporations in the inception, design and development of these projects. Tenders as well as areas of co-operations are set to be awarded via a competitive tendering process. Such an approach is set to be adopted as it is very effective in ensuring that the cost is kept the lowest while maintaining the highest attainable standards. One of such tenders awarded recently include a 200MW project awarded to ACWA Corporation from Saudi Arabia to construct a PV solar field in Dubai. It achieved the lowest flat-rate tariff (5.84 ¢/kWh) in the history (Kumetat, 2015). The project is in design phase, and the company is already securing funds through low interest bank loans in readiness for the commissioning in 2017. Upon completion, it will be the largest of its kind in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Masdar Company is already in a design stage for the first phases of the first geothermal project ever to be implemented in the UAE (Kumetat, 2 015). In addition to FEWA’s projects, Masdar and Shams 1, other plans are also underway aimed at increasing renewable power generation all across the UAE. On 15th April, 2015, Dubai announced to roll out a mega project at a cost of $3 billion aimed at boosting power generation capability to 3GW. (Kumetat, 2015) DEWA’s managing director Sayeed Tayer announced that the above plans were aimed at boosting the generation capacity of the proposed largest solar park in Dubai: Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The initial capacity of this park was planned to be 1GW upon completion in 2019 as the installation begun back in 2013. The initial authorizing of the first block of PV solar panels with a total capacity of 13 MW was also done in 2013 (Sayigh, 2013). However, DEWA has planned to upgrade the plant during and after the installation such that its capacity will triple (to 3 GW) by 2030. It shows how seriously the country is taking the harnessing and the use of renewable energy from solar power. Apart from the massive expansion of the physical capacity through the installation of larger and more powerful PV panels, the UAE is taking another very futuristic approach to the generation and storage of renewable energy. The government through its agencies is carrying out and sponsoring research to come up with futuristic ways of generating and storing energy. The Masdar institute, among others is continuously carrying out research on how to improve the generation capacities of various PV solar parks, Shams 1 CSP plant among others. Its research also includes the development of materials that are more absorptive of the solar energy. One of the ground-breaking research currently being done by this institute in conjunction with Norwegian company aims at making the storage of electricity produced by CSP solar parks more efficient. The Nest (New Energy Storage Technology) could reduce the cost of solar power by 70% in five years (Rauland Newman, 2015). The research aims at storing he at energy using special concrete material to store heat collected through CSP instead of the conventional method that is usually expensive. Another issue that has been seen to reduce the efficiency of sunshine absorption either in PV solar or CSP units is accumulation of dust. Dust or sand covers the surface needed for heat absorption: it increases costs as regular dusting and washing is required. Masdar is working to engineer transparent materials that have pore-sizes smaller than sand particle to protect the units’ surfaces. Additionally, parallel research and trials are currently underway aimed at coming up with a material that repels sand or dust particles. Materials are also being developed that have the ability to inhibit bacterial and other microbial activities that occur when dust and sand particles settle on PV or CSP units. All these are aimed at increasing the efficiency of these systems in order to generate more power, reduce cost and make the systems more sustainable (Rauland Newman, 2015). Steps described above show a country that is earnestly trying to diversify its energy mix. The diversification is aimed at attaining sustainability in all runs. With all these systems in place, the UAE seems to be ready to embrace renewable energy in the future. Research done and sponsored by various organizations may usher in an era in which renewable energy will be adequately competitive to effectively replace non renewable energy sources. Additionally, the Masdar carbon neutral city, being the first in the world, will serve as a model and an indicator of a time in the future where many other cities will be carbon neutral, therefore reducing global warming and reversing the effects of climatic change. When the systems for tapping and storing solar energy are competitive enough relative to conventional sources, the country will be in a better position to simply increase the scale of generation and effectively replace petroleum: it will usher in an era of clean non exhaustible energy with very low maintenance cost.

A Profile of Barry Goldwater - “Mr. Conservative”

A Profile of Barry Goldwater - â€Å"Mr. Conservative† Barry Goldwater was a 5-term US Senator from Arizona and the Republican nominee for president in 1964. Mr. Conservative Barry Goldwater and the Genesis of the Conservative Movement In the 1950s, Barry Morris Goldwater emerged as the nation’s leading conservative politician. It was Goldwater, along with his growing legion of â€Å"Goldwater Conservatives,† who brought the concepts of small government, free enterprise, and a strong national defense into the national public debate. These were the original planks of the conservative movement and remain the heart of the movement today. Beginnings Goldwater entered politics in 1949, when he won a seat as a Phoenix city councilman. Three years later, in 1952, he became a US Senator for Arizona. For nearly a decade, he helped redefine the Republican Party, assembling it into the party of the conservatives. In the late 1950s, Goldwater became closely associated with the anti-Communist movement and was an avid supporter of Sen. Joseph McCarthy. Goldwater stuck with McCarthy until the bitter end and was one of only 22 members of Congress who refused to censure him. Goldwater supported desegregation and civil rights to varying degrees. He got himself into political hot water, however, with his opposition to legislation that would eventually turn into the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Goldwater was a passionate Constitutionalist, who had supported the NAACP and had backed previous versions of civil rights legislation, but he opposed the 1964 bill because he believed it violated states’ rights to self-govern. His opposition earned him political support from conservative southern Democrats, but he was detested as a â€Å"racist† by many blacks and minorities. Presidential Aspirations Goldwater’s rising popularity in the South in the early 1960s helped him win a tough bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 1964. Goldwater had been looking forward to running an issue-oriented campaign against his friend and political rival, President John F. Kennedy. An avid pilot, Goldwater had planned to fly around the country with Kennedy, in what the two men believed would be a revival of the old whistle-stop campaign debates. Kennedys Death Goldwater was devastated when those plans were cut short by Kennedy’s death in late 1963, and he mourned the president’s passing profoundly. Nevertheless, he won the Republican nomination in 1964, setting up a showdown with Kennedy’s vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, who he despised and would later accuse of â€Å"using every dirty trick in the book.† Introducing ... Mr. Conservative During the Republican National Convention in 1964, Goldwater gave perhaps the most conservative acceptance speech ever uttered when he said, â€Å"I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.† This statement prompted one member of the press to exclaim, â€Å"My God, Goldwater is running as Goldwater!† The Campaign Goldwater was not prepared for the brutal campaign tactics of the vice president. Johnson’s philosophy was to run as though he were 20 points behind, and he did just that, crucifying the Arizona Senator in a series of vicious television ads. Comments Goldwater made during the previous ten years were taken out of context and used against him. For example, he had once told members of the press that he sometimes thought the country would be better off if the entire Eastern Seaboard were sawed off and floated out to sea. The Johnson campaign ran an ad showing a wooden model of the United States in a tub of water with a saw hacking off the Eastern states. The Effectiveness of Negative Campaigning Perhaps the most damning and personally offensive ad to Goldwater was the one called â€Å"Daisy,† which showed a young girl counting flower petals as a male voice counted down from ten to one. At the end of the ad, the girl’s face was frozen as images of nuclear war played in the shadows and a voice extolled Goldwater, implying he would launch a nuclear attack if elected. Many consider these ads to be the beginnings of the modern negative campaign period which continues to this day. Goldwater lost in a landslide, and Republicans lost many seats in Congress, setting the conservative movement back significantly. Goldwater won his seat in the Senate again in 1968 and continued to earn respect from his political peers on Capitol Hill. Nixon In 1973, Goldwater had a significant hand in the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon. The day before Nixon resigned, Goldwater told the president that if he stayed in office, Goldwater’s vote would be in favor of impeachment. The conversation coined the term â€Å"Goldwater moment,† which is still used today to describe the moment a group of the president’s fellow party members vote against him or publicly take a position opposite him. Reagan In 1980, Ronald Reagan won a crushing defeat over incumbent Jimmy Carter and columnist George Will called it a victory for conservatives, saying Goldwater had actually won the 1964 election, â€Å"†¦ it just took 16 years to count the votes.† The New Liberal The election would eventually mark the decline of Goldwater’s conservative influence as the social conservatives and the Religious Right began to slowly take over the movement. Goldwater vociferously opposed their two top issues, abortion and gay rights. His views came to be regarded as more â€Å"Libertarian† than conservative, and Goldwater later admitted with wonder that he and his ilk were the â€Å"new liberals of the Republican party.† Goldwater died in 1998 at the age of 89.

New Year Greetings and Quotes

New Year Greetings and Quotes Do you want to send a special New Year greeting to your friends? Here is a great collection of New Year greetings. Some of the greetings convey worldly wisdom, while others present a diverse perspective about the New Year. Choose from this collection of New Year greetings to send good wishes to your near and dear ones. Thomas MannTime has no divisions to mark its passage; there is never a thunderstorm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Even when a new century begins it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols.Hamilton Wright MabieNew Years Eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.Charles LambNo one ever regarded the first of January with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam.Alfred Lord TennysonRing out the old, ring in the new,Ring, happy bells, across the snow:The year is going, let him go;Ring out the false, ring in the true.William Ellery ChanningI will seek elegance rather than luxury, refinement rather than fashion. I will seek to be worthy more than respectable, wealthy and not rich. I will study hard, think quietly, talk gently, and act frankly. I will listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with an open heart. I will bear all things cheerfully, do all things bravely await occasions and hurry never. In a word, I will let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common.Ann LandersLet this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things youve always wanted to do but couldnt find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Vow not to make a promise you dont think you can keep. Walk tall, and smile more. Youll look ten years younger. Dont be afraid to say, I love you. Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world.Maria EdgeworthThere is no moment like the present. The man who will not execute his resolutions when they are fresh upon him can have no hope from them afterwards: they will be dissipated, lost, and perish in the hurry and scurry of the world, or sunk in the slough of indolence. P. J. ORourkeIt is better to spend money like theres no tomorrow than to spend tonight like theres no money.Ogden NashEvery New Year is the direct descendant, isnt it, of a long line of proven criminals?George William CurtisThe New Year begins in a snowstorm of white vows.Ellen GoodmanWe spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives, not looking for flaws, but for potential.Samuel JohnsonSurely, it is much easier to respect a man who has always had respect, than to respect a man who we know was last year no better than ourselves  and will be no better next year.Friedrich NietzscheNo, life has not disappointed me. On the contrary, I find it truer, more desirable and mysterious every year ever since the day when the great liberator came to me: the idea that life could be an experiment of the seeker for knowledge and not a duty, n ot a calamity, not trickery. Henry Wadsworth LongfellowLook not mournfully into the past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the present. It is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear, and with a manly heart.Kersti BergrothIt is difficult not to believe that the next year will be better than the old one! And this illusion is not wrong. Future is always good, no matter what happens. It will always give us what we need and what we want in secret. It will always bless us with right gifts. Thus in a deeper sense, our belief in the New Year cannot deceive us.Albert EinsteinI feel that you are justified in looking into the future with true assurance  because you have a mode of living in which we find the joy of life and the joy of work harmoniously combined. Added to this is the spirit of ambition which pervades your very being, and seems to make the days work like a happy child at play.

The Romans Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Romans - Term Paper Example This paper examines the influence of roman civilization on the contemporary society, with focus on engineering, science, mathematics, science and politics. The Roman Empire is the hallmark of Roman civilization and it spread across three continents. The continents included parts of the current Europe, Africa and Asia. The vastness of the empire and its longevity facilitated its widespread influence across the globe. According to Kagan et al (2003), the Western Roman Empire lasted for 1101 years, from 625BC to AD 476. The eastern Roman Empire lasted up to AD 1432. In total, the entire Roman Empire lasted a remarkable 2078 years (Kagan et al, 2003). Comparing it with United States and the significant influence that the country has had in the modern society for a period of less than 250 years, it is apparent Roman Empire had tremendous impact in the world. Before investigating the contribution of the empire to the modern society, it important to examine its salient features. Roman Empir e had a strong military organization that played a critical role in acquisition of larger territories and maintaining absolute loyalty to the emperor. In a period where armies were armed with rudimentary weapons such as spears, swords and shields, the Roman military displayed high level of organization and spirit that ensured success in virtually all battles they were engaged in. According to Rogers (2010), Hellenistic philosophy and roman stoicism played a critical role in maintaining military discipline especially in challenging battles. As their territories expanded, the Romans exerted their influence, bringing with them their culture and language. Latin was the official language of the Romans and after acquisition of larger territories; it was adapted in the entire empire. However, the language later developed and differentiated into two namely vulgar and classical Latin (Kagan, et al, 2003). Classical Latin became the official language for use in academics while Vulgar Latin la ter evolved due to its fluidity to give raise to various languages. Some of the languages that originated from Vulgar Latin include Spanish, Portuguese, French, Romanian and Italian among others (Rogers, 2010). Although Latin was the official language in the empire, the eastern part remained under heavy influence of the Greek language. Kagan et al (2003) attributed the widespread use of Greek in the empire to strong historical ties between Rome and Greece. Greece remained an influential part of Roman Empire in the entire period of the civilization. Kagan et al (2003) argues that while Greeks were popular thinkers, the Roman were doers and practical individuals. The relationship between Greece and the Romans played a crucial role in the stimulating development of science, engineering, mathematics and other technologies in the Roman Empire. The natural character of the Romans is another unique trait that determined the progress of the empire. According to Rogers (2010), Romans were co mpetent at adapting, preserving, applying and disseminating information and technology. This trait enabled them to adapt technology from Greek, who had a rich history of philosophy, science, medicine, and art among other important traditions. Hence, Romans were practical people who applied the technology and information from their Greek counterparts to develop their empire, while Greeks were the innovators. For this reason, Rogers (2010) argues that Romans did not develop