From Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy Essay Example for Free

From Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy Essay The gas pump. As of late, it has been the bane of drivers everywhere. With the prices of crude oil skyrocketing combined with the prices at the pump and nearly everywhere else, many people are looking toward renewable energy sources to supplement or replace the use of fossil fuels. This interest in renewable resources has generated new energy policies around the world, has spawned new energy technology and has produced ideas on a different way of living. Adding to the interest is the awareness on humanity’s impact on our environment, there is so much interest that the United States and many other countries have started to explore the option of producing power by the cleanest sources possible. However, it may not be enough. With the threat of oil reserves being used up and the energy crisis unresolved it is imperative that the United States begins to utilize solar, wind, and hydroelectric power in an effort to decrease the dependency on fossil fuels. Many people notice the rising costs of just about everything. The rising costs are due to the rising cost of energy. Nearly everything in our economic system requires energy to create, to ship, to stock, or to provide and the energy costs are passed down to consumers. The price for energy has not been terribly high in the past, but now the price is rising. One look at your electric bill will tell you that energy, however inexpensive it is to make or obtain, does not come cheap; at least, not anymore. The price of fossil fuels, not just in a monetary sense, but in an ecological sense is taking a toll on the country and the world. Acid rain, carbon dioxide and global warming are all consequences of cheap acquisition of energy. Coal supplies a large part of the energy needed to produce power in US and is one of the largest sources of energy in the world (Energy Perspective, Walter Deal 2006), but strip mining ruins the landscape, destroys ecosystems, and when burned causes acid rain. Oil has been this country’s, and the majority of the world, most used form of energy for years. From powering our vehicles and homes to creating lubrications and solvents, its uses are prolific. But we’re are now faced with the possibility of oil supplies becoming scarce, and it has everyone jumping out of their pants to find a better source of energy. Combine this with the fact that the by-product of using oil (carbon dioxide) is practically burning a hole in out atmosphere and we have a doozy of a problem. Enter renewable resources. Why have we not thought of this before? What has kept the US, and indeed the world, from investing in renewable resources much earlier? The answer is technology. The green energy has always been there, but the capabilities to harness the forces were not advanced enough to take advantage of it. Perhaps it still has not reached that level yet but we are getting close. For years, people have used the sun for a variety of things: warming things, lighting torches, burning ants, and to cook. The energy radiated by the sun is phenomenal. In fact, the energy the sun shines onto the earth daily is enough to supply the world’s yearly energy needs (National Geographic, 2008). This energy potential of sunlight was not lost on seventeenth century scientists. In 1873, William Adams and Richard Day found that when selenium was exposed to sunlight it created a low charge of energy, though it could not power anything (US Dept of Energy, 2008). Later on, in 1908 William Bailey invented the solar panel whose design is extremely similar to the solar panels used today. Solar energy technology, while not developed enough to harness the full power potential of sunlight, has been used consistently since the mid-1960’s to power satellites, spacecrafts, electronics, cars and homes through the use Photovoltaic cells (US Department of Energy, 2008). The Photovoltaic cell, which produces electricity when light strikes the cell causing an electron imbalance, has gone through numerous transformations to make the cell as efficient as possible. There are solar plants littered across the country, most notably in Kerma, California where they use the Photovoltaic system to supplement Pacific Gas and Electric’s electric grid during peak power usage (US Dept of Energy, 2008). These cells can be used in homes across the country and the current technology has created a Photovoltaic cell that is more durable, flexible and easily maintained. In addition to Photovoltaic cells, parabolic trough mirrors, parabolic dishes and power towers use mirrors to direct the sunlight to a specific area where it is used to create steam, that steam is then used to create electricity (The Economist, 2008). Now SolarReserve, a development firm partnered with United Technologies and US Renewables Group, has designed a system that will capture and store sunlight for several days. The system is similar to traditional capture of sunlight by using mirrors to direct sunlight to towers where molten salt is kept, usually a collection tower. The salt is heated by the sunlight, which can then be stored or used immediately. Since molten salt is an efficient heat carrier and storage medium, it can create energy on demand or stored for later power production thus solving the problem of power generation during cloudy or stormy days. SolarReserve first demonstrated this technology at their site in Barstow, California and states that the technology is ready to be used for power production on an electrical grid (Wald, New Ways to Store Solar, para. 13). The benefit of this type of solar technology, and other solar power production, is that the fuel source is free. The acquisition of sunlight requires no drilling, no decimation of land and no major disruption of fragile ecosystems. Solar power is also a clean energy source, giving off no emissions in addition to being abundant and renewable. Sunlight also creates another renewable resource. Wind. The power of wind has been harnessed to irrigate, to grind grains, and to produce electricity. Turbines here in America only provide 1% of the electricity consumed, but the potential for the wind industry is huge. Several countries around the world use wind as a portion of their power generation. Denmark, for instance, generates 20% of their energy from wind. Spain has generated 8% of their power from wind and they are expected to raise that number in the next year (Greenpeace, 2008). Early wind turbines were used to grind grain and to bring water to irrigate crops, now the turbines are created to crank out electricity. Wind farms are cropping up everywhere; just recently T. Boon Pickens announced that he was partnering with General Electric to build the world’s largest wind farm in Texas (The Economist, 2008). This partnership comes about due to the suddenly lowered costs of turbine production. Couple that with the fact that, aside from the cost of construction, the generation of the electricity is free and (theoretically) will not go away, you have a deal of a life time. Current turbines have become more reliable than earlier ones; they are easily built and generate power as soon as they are up. Some snags manufacturers of turbines and the electric companies have come up against are the questions of storage, the issue of visual impact or noise pollution, and the effect turbines have on animals. Electric grids have traditionally used alternating current to transfer power to the grid; however, the location of turbines can sometimes be remote places, which can mean that power is lost in the transportation to the grid. The non-traditional idea of using direct current has cropped up, since direct current travels well over long distances and there is less power loss, using direct current grids to transport the power to areas where the energy can be used effectively solves the transportation dilemma (US Department of Energy, 2008). The use of DC instead of AC forces a change in the way power is transported on a grid and although many balk at the idea, Europe has already a similar system in place and plans on extending it to the United Kingdom. The system pushes power to the grid and channels excess power to help push water uphill to Norwegian hydroelectric systems. While wind has been making leaps and bounds in technology and production, the hydroelectric systems in Europe and most of the world have helped power these countries for years. In reality, hydropower has been used for centuries around the world and it had been used in ancient Greece to turn water wheels to grind wheat into flour (US Dept of Energy, 2008). The water wheel is probably the most well known way of producing energy from water, and it was this early application that spawned the idea for current turbines. The amazing thing about water is that it is perpetually recycling itself. It is evaporated into the air from oceans and streams then comes back to the ground to start the process all over again. This process is what makes hydroelectric power so attractive. Unfortunately, although hydroelectric power accounts for one fifth of the world’s power generation and is the cheapest source of energy, the building of dams can displace wildlife and destroy ecosystems. There have been some advances to making dams more eco-friendly though. By building fish ladders and developing aeration techniques, installations can have a minimal impact on wildlife and the environment (National Geographic, 2008). There are even some technologies that are being developed to harness the power from ocean waves. With mechanisms similar to wind turbines, the energy in the ebb and flow of the tides is captured to produce clean energy. Unlike wind energy, tidal energy is constant and easy to predict, which makes â€Å"coordinating the flow of electricity in the grid quite manageable† (Holzman, 2007 para. 7). Tidal turbines are also easier on the eyes. Whereas wind turbines and solar plants may mar a skyline, tidal turbines are generally not visible at all. While you may see commercials and ads touting the beneficial effects of renewable energy going on right now, the generation of clean power is not an immediate process. It is going to take a lot of hard work and a great change in lifestyle to accomplish it. Although there are many companies working hard to provide the technology or the means to produce clean power, consumers can help by investing in green energy. Many utility companies offer a green power program that allows consumers to donate a portion of their power bill to the research and development of clean energy (Environmental Protection Agency, 2008) and consumers can get tax credits for energy efficient home improvements. Although renewable resources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric power may be expensive at the outset, the use of clean energy will pay for itself in terms of environmental impact, and especially its renewability. Because it is not a change that will happen over night, it is important for consumers to remember that they too can assist in investing in the future of renewable resources. By donating a small amount every month through their power company a consumer can help his or her utility company pay for the additional costs that are accrued in using green power and the new technologies to generate green power. If a change is to come, everyone has to be on board and willing to change their lifestyles from the current â€Å"throw away† lifestyle. Change for the better has to come from consumers as well as the pioneers of renewable energy. References The power and the glory: A special report on energy (2008). The Economist, 387(8585), 1-14. Deal, W. (2006, May) Energy Perspectives: Another Look at Fossil Fuels, The Technology Teacher, 65(8), 10-14 Greenpeace: Global Wind Energy Outlook. Retrieved July 2, 2008, from http://www. greenpeace. org/international/press/reports/globalwindenergyoutlook Hydropower: Going With the Flow. Retrieved July 6, 2008, from http://science. nationalgeographic. com/science/environment/alternative-energy/hydropower-profile. html Wald, M (2008, April 15). New Ways to Store Solar Energy for Nighttime and Cloudy Days. The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2008, from http://www. nytimes. com/2008/04/15/science/earth/15sola. html? _r=1ref=businessoref=slogin US Department of Energy: Solar Technologies Program. Retrieved July 6, 2008 from http://www1. eere. energy. gov/solar/photovoltaics. html US Department of Energy: Wind Hydropower Technologies Program. Retrieved July 6, 2008 from http://www1. eere. energy. gov/windandhydro/ Holzman, David C. Blue power turning tides into electricity. Environmental Health Perspectives 115. 12 (Dec 2007):

Critical Perspective Of Marxism And Foucauldian Sociology Essay

Critical Perspective Of Marxism And Foucauldian Sociology Essay Critical theory dates back to the Enlightenment and is connected to the writings of Kant, Hegel and Marx. However, in the 20th century, critical theory became closely associated with a distinct body of thought, known as the Frankfurt School. It states Devetak in Burchills and Linklaters Theories of International Relations. It is the work of Horkheimer, Adorno, Benjamin, Marcuse, Fromm and more recently, Habermas that critical theory has acquired a renewed strength. Thus, the term critical theory was used as the symbol of a philosophy which questions the effective order of political and social modernity through an order of immanent critique. It was mainly an attempt to regain a critical potential that had been overrun by recent intellectual, social, cultural, economic and technological trends. The Frankfurt School of Critical Theory is the longest and most famous traditions of Marxism.   This tradition is often referred as critical theory- meaning a special kind of social philosophy from its inception in 1923 by Felix Weil (Seiler, 2004).   The critical theory of society of the Frankfurt School continues to excite interest and controversy (Kellner, 2001).   A theory is critical to the extent that it seeks human emancipation, to liberate human beings from the circumstances that enslave them.   A number of critical theories have emerged in connection with the many social movements that identify varied dimension of the domination of human beings in modern societies (Gutting, 2003). The above statement sets the mood for this paper as I will be looking at how the critical management theory of yesterday applies to the modern western today.   Another key aspect will be on trying to articulate the connections between the management perspectives of contemporary society in the critical theory.   The focus will be on The focus will be on as the location for cooperative, practical and transformative activity continues today.   This attempt will be on determining the nature and limits of real democracy in complex, pluralistic, and globalised societies. what is it, why is it applied to management) Introduction part 2 (150): Marx and Foucault as critical theorists (an overview of their thought). A Marxists thought is based on this lifestyle, a science of logic called Dialectics. Thus, Marxism is both a theory and a practice. The theories of Marxism are based on a scientific method of thought called dialectal materialism.   Theory is based on a particular set of conditions that are always finite, and thus, any theory is necessarily limited. To test the validity of theory, Marxists rely on empirical evidence as the criteria of truth (Basgen, 2005). Marxism embraces modernity and Marxists argue that one of the main problems is that capitalism puts fetters on the progressive forces. The forces of capitalism are viewed as progressive in sweeping away the traditional, religious, backward, and feudal forms of society, spreading industrialisation and urbanisation across societies (Moody, 2003). Marxs critique of capitalism was that while this system had incredible power and potential to transform human society positively, in actual fact it resulted in exploitation and ultimately limited the possibility for further improvement (Powell, 2001). Moody (2003), describe this environment as workers were emancipated from traditional limits but became slaves of the new factory system, monopolisation resulted in limits on trade and further progress, and the state acted in the interests of the bourgeoisie rather than society as a whole. Followed by your argument (that they each offer a distinct analysis (Foucault as a critic of Marxisms humanism, subjectivity and economic reductionism) but both are useful to evaluate management approaches Marx for economic relationships between manager and worker and Foucault for patterns in disciplinary behaviour found in managerial practices. CRITICAL THEORY The term Critical theory has its origins in the 20th century Frankfurt School, and now is associated with scholars across a range of disciplines.   Its purpose of inquiry is to confront injustices in society (Clark, 2004).   Critical Theory has been deeply concerned with the fate of modernity, and has offered systematic and comprehensive theories of the trajectory of modernity. Critical theory began by putting Marxian political economy at the centre of analysis, and early critical theory was materialist and committed to socialism (Gingrich, 2000).     Critical theory has generally been committed to the idea of modernity and progress, while at the same time noting the ways that features of modernity can create problems for individuals and society (Kellner, 2000). This is much reflected on the 21st century, though there is progress in many things, but still issues like globalisation tends to pose important problems for the society.     Ã‚  According to Heilman (1998), being critical involves understanding the sets of historically contingent circumstances and contradictory power relationships that create the conditions in which we live.   Theory helps us to organize the world, to sort out the details, to make some coherent sense out of a kaleidoscope of sensations (Ayers, 1992).   When theory is theorized, as stated by Heilman (1998), the imperatives of practice bring the theory down to the ground.   Phenomena are observed and experienced; this experience informs theory; and then the theory is further modified as a result of additional practice.   Rather like fiction writing, critical theorizing is a process of imagining and describing a nonreal but possible world.   The critical theorists have deeply influenced contemporary social theory, communication theories, cultural theory and many more for a number of decades.   According to Clark (2004), Critical theorists are committed to understand the relationship between societal structures (such as economic and political) and ideological patterns of thought that constrain the human imagination and thus limit opportunities for confronting and changing unjust social systems.   Critical theorists emphasise that theory and research must serve emancipatory interests, to create a world that satisfies the needs and powers of social actors (Sanghera, 2004).     According to critical theory, people are dominated by a false consciousness created and perpetuated by capitalism in order to preserve the hegemony of those in power (Meyer-Emerick, 2004).   Due to this cause, one can assume that it prevents people from freely pursuing their own interests.   This dissent is only dismissed if people begin to see the contradictions between the social construction of the world and their lived experience.   CRITICAL THEORY TODAY   The critical theorists analysed the integration of the working class into advanced capitalist societies and suggested the need for new agents of a social change.   They seemed to provide more vivid descriptions of the present configurations of culture and society (Kellner, 2004).   According to my understanding, we look into the critical theory of the past to gain methodological insight and political inspiration to carry on the tasks of critical social theory in the present time.   Critical theory is crucial for South Africa including the whole African continent, as we are undergoing vast transformations.  Ã‚   Some of these transformations are promising to uplift our standard of living as the society, but others are threatening.   Globalisation is one of the new transformations.     Revolutionary Marxists maintain that although change may arise as an unintended consequence of molecular acts of resistance, the importance of resistance is that it can generate collective agents capable of pursuing the conscious goal of social change (Hassard, 2001).   This self-limiting resistance, orchestrated from above and aimed solely at affecting them as described by Hassard, is less likely to be successful in achieving even minor reforms than resistance that aims to effect a revolutionary transformation of society.   We have seen an interesting case here in South Africa opposed to what Marxists declared to be politically uninteresting which is labour process theory.   Their argument is that it does not engage with the issues of political and trade union organization, which influence the consciousness and unity of workers (Hogan, 2001).   COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Union) which is having close ties with the ANC (African National Congress) is making this labour process very interesting.   Cosatu fights for the rights of workers while promoting the spirit of unity.   They do this in a unified political activity.   Although the immediate interests of workers in production may diverge, their grievances and interests can be unified into a common political program, but that unification is a political achievement.   This is more apparent on what happened recently with the case of Zimbabwe where Cosatu wanted to have talks with Zimbabwes congress of Trade Union.   Cosatu believes that the unification of workers can have a huge impact on political changes as MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) is aiming at changing the political affairs of Zimbabwe ahead of Robert Mugabes Zanu-PF (the ruling party).   Marxs critique of capitalism Capitalism is the system that upholds the relationship between the owners of the means of production and workers. The former comprise the bourgeois class and the latter the proletariat. (Bourgeois managers, proletariat workers). Marxs analysis of the factory can be translated to the office environment, the relationship between the two classes remains, e.g. office workers do not own the company, equipment and materials the belong to the company. Counter agreement is that companies give share to employees, however, shares are small they dont give power to the employees but it is a form of making them employees feel part of the company in order to gain more out of them . The bourgeois (managers that have control) Commodity fetishism Culture of the commodity, or what a capitalist organisation produces, as containing a value dependant on market factors, rather than on the activity of labour. This produces an objective relationship between commodities and labourers are reduced to the condition and status of the commodities they produce. Implications for critical theory looking at management approaches: Prices of commodity go up and down and so does the price of labour cost e.g. recession Salary: paid no matter how much they produce Bonus: to encourage production to increase profits Marx: (800wrds) Exploitation as Alienation Explain Marxs articulation of exploitation. The practice of mistreat of workers in an environment that is deliberately designed to maintain it, i.e. capitalism, Marxs conforming the workers alienated by/owners of the means of production to gain profits at the expense of the workers (e.g. managers forcing employees to undertake tasks outside their job description in order to cut costs and maximise profits) because people are alienated they conform to the demands of their employers in order to keep jobs safe. Foucault bound to rules, rule-bound individual, Marxs Humanism Foucault Strucralist, came after Marx Moves away from the economics of Marx. Looks at power and reconceptualises it. Management as a representation of power relations in society. Specific rules maintain, regulate and institutionalize practices in a work environment (office, factory, school, etc), Power- Disciplinary power the panopticon as a illustration of society, the middle tower is all seeing yet prisoners always obey without knowing for certain whether they are being monitored, by whom or by how many. The result is the creation of self-regulating, obedient and disciplined prisoners (at least in theory). Relate this form of disciplinary power to management. Power as the central driving force in a society within a group of people in a working environment. Manager doesnt create a system the manager merely plays along with the rules, thus maintaining the relations of dominance and dominated. Discourses (rules that we work within and obey) and all to do with power Power-Knowledge, all power engenders power and (hanin essay). The rules that are emplace are their to maximise profits and to make the workforce obedient, docile subjects ; alternative view to commodity fetishism, marx says the worker turns in to a commodity that is commodity fetishism, Focault would say that the individual is merely the collective of the discourses they obey. The two concerns are thats 1. Marx looks at the economy 2. Foucault looks at power. 3 objections to ideology (Marx) 1. requires an opposing concept of scientific truth 2. implies that we are subjects(agents of history to change it) 3. relative to economic superstructure MICHEL FOUCALT (1926 1984)   His studies challenged the influence of German political philosopher Karl Marx and Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Foucault offered new concepts that challenged peoples assumptions about prisons, the police, insurance, care of the mentally ill, gay rights, and welfare (Ron, 2000).   The main influences on Foucaults thought were German philosophers Frederick Nietzsche and Martin Heidegger.   The connect.net website, describe Foucaults thought as explored the shifting patterns of power within a society and the ways in which power relates to the self. He investigated the changing rules governing the kind of claims that could be taken seriously as true or false at different times in history. Marx Vs Foucault Foucault would argue that power relations are the units of analysis, not the individual; in other words the individual is created by power-knowledge (power is above all creative, it creates subjects). Marx puts the individual at the centre, where the subject is conscious of his role in the historical process. Humanism (placing the individual at the centre of events, man as the agent, as the creator of history (what Foucault critiques as a structuralist philosopher). Marxs humanism can be defined as Power-Knowledge, all power engenders power and (hanin essay). The rules that are emplace are their to maximise profits and to make the workforce obedient, docile subjects ; alternative view to commodity fetishism, marx says the worker turns in to a commodity that is commodity fetishism, Focault would say that the individual is merely the collective of the discourses they obey. The two concerns are thats 1. Marx looks at the economy 2. Foucault looks at power. 600 word on whether Scientific management theory can better cope with analysis of management than Marx and Foucault Scientific management (Taylor System) also known as Taylorism is a theory of management that analysis and manufactures workflows to improve employee (labour) productivity. The idea was developed by a Frederick Winslow Taylor between 1880 and 1890, and it was the first published monograph (written documents). Frederick Taylor believed that decisions based upon tradition and the rules of the thumb should be replaced by accurate procedures that are developed after a study of an individual at work. This means that there is a high level of managerial control over employee work practices. Scientific management is a distinction on the theme of efficiency; it developed in the 19th and 20th century were instance of large recurring theme in the human life of increasing efficiency, decreasing waste and using experiential methods to dictate what matters rather than accepting pre-existing ideas of what matters. Management today is the greatest use of scientific management is a form to contrast a new and improved way of doing business. The Marxist theory of capital sees labour as a cost of production resulting in the alienation of workers as the need for labour surfaces from the physical needs defined by the fundamental relationship between humans and their physical environment (Hatch, 1997, p.27).   Taylors ideas on scientific management (1990) have similar economic themes to Marx and Adam Smith.   By viewing management as a science, he broke down the managerial problem into stages of research, definition, analysis and implementation.   His principles were inherently based on the assumption that people put in as little effort as possible into their work and were soldiering on in order to earn money.   This shifted all the responsibility from the worker to the manager and scientific methods were used to determine the most efficient way of working.   After selecting the best person capable of performing the task, they were trained to work efficiently and their performance was strictly monitored.   In hin dsight, though this may have appeared to be a good generic strategy for the success of a firm, it heavily depended on whether the optimal method of producing could be found and whether or not the strategy was implemented correctly.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion Great managers know and value the unique abilities and even the eccentricities of their employees, and they learn how best to integrate them into a coordinated plan of attack (Buckingham, 2005).   Managers are only as good as their ideas, resources and workers.   The way in which he deploys the resources at his disposal is essentially the making or breaking of a manager.   Great managers are able to discover and develop what is different about each person who works for them.   Strictly defining management and the role of managers can only be done after the managerial act has been observed in reality, the majority of the analysis is theoretical evaluation and speculation based on past examples.  Ã‚   It is important to understand that the perception of what managers are supposed to do evolves with the industry and technology that runs parallel to the growth of a firm.   Managers used to control by fear and use absolute power, however, a more humanistic approach is now used , in which the employee is valued in the decision making process undertaken by the manager.  

Shakespeares Macbeth as Tragic Hero :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Macbeth as Tragic Hero The character of Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic hero.   There are many factors which contribute to the degeneration of Macbeth of which three will be discussed.   The three points which contribute greatly to Macbeth's degeneration are the prophecy which was told to him by the witches, how Lady Macbeth influenced and manipulated Macbeth's judgment, and finally Macbeth's long time ambition which drove his desire to be king.   Macbeth's growing character degenerates from a noble man to violent individual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The prophecies which were told by the witches were one of the factors which contributed to the degeneration of his character.   If it had not been for the witches telling him that he was to be Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis, and King of Scotland, Macbeth would still be his ordinary self.   As a result of the prophecies, this aroused Macbeth's curiosity of how he could be King of Scotland.   As the play progresses, Macbeth slowly relies on the witches prophecies.   Shakespeare uses the witches as a remedy for Macbeth's curiosity which corrupts his character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The influence of Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth also contributed to his degeneration of character.   Lady Macbeth's character in the beginning reveals that she is a lovable person. When Lady Macbeth was ready to kill King Duncan herself, it showed that Lady Macbeth could not murder King Duncan because he reminded her of her father.   This proves that Lady Macbeth has a heart deep inside her.   Lady Macbeth plays an important role in this play because she provided a scheme which caused Macbeth to assassinate King Duncan.   After Macbeth had killed King Duncan, he later regrets on his wrong doing.   At the point of this play the audience can note the change in Macbeth's character. Macbeth's first murder was a trying experience for him, however after the first murder, killing seemed to be the only solution to maintain his reign of the people of Scotland. Therefore, it was Lady Macbeth who introduced the concept of murder to Macbeth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth's ambition also influenced his declining character. However, Macbeth's ambition had not been strong enough to carry the motive to kill King Duncan.   Lady Macbeth's influence also comes in to play because if not for Lady Macbeth, his ambition would not have been intensified enough to drive him to obtain and maintain his title of King of Scotland no matter what it took, even if it meant murdering.

Immigrants and Immigration Movement of the Early 20th Century Essay exa

Immigration Movement of the Early 20th Century "Here is not merely a nation, but a teeming nation of nations." -Walt Whitman People have been immigrating to the United States ever since the European settlers first founded the nation. The first immigrants were white European settlers who came for an assortment of different reasons, such as freedom of religion and employment opportunities. Waves of immigrants poured into the US until restrictions were made in the 1920s, which were largely for cultural and economic reasons. Many saw immigration as the only way to prevent starvation, extreme suffering and death. The US became a safe haven and melting pot for many different cultures and nationalities. However, it was not easy to be an immigrant, since they faced much racism, religious persecution, and xenia phobia from the Americans. Sensing this, they often banded closely together, settling with their own kind and forming their own tightly-knit communities where they established their businesses primarily to serve themselves. The Italians and the Jews were two such groups in the beginning of the 20th c entury who felt much of this racism -- as seen in Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. At this time, the majority of the immigrants were Italians, Russian and Eastern European Jews, Greeks, Slavs, and Armenians. Before 1870 there was little Italian immigration to the US. Nevertheless, shortly afterward, many began to flee rural Italy's low wages and high taxes to seek a more prosperous income in the American cities. Many Italian settlements sprang up in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, and Detroit. By World War II, it is said that there were more people of Italian descent living in New York City than we... ...king to immigrate to America, were not already well-represented in the population. However, in 1924, the quota was expanded to allow in northern and western Europeans, but to exclude almost everyone else. President Coolidge is quoted saying, "America must be kept American" as he was signing the 1924 quota into law. This fear and ideology was echoed throughout American society in the beginning of the 20th century. Useful statistics and an informative timeline for the history of US immigration can be found here: http://www.closeup.org/immigrat.htm#timeline This website contains a lot of informative in depth information on Italians, Jews and many other nationalities that immigrated to the United States. It also has a lot of information on the restrictions and laws that were made against immigrants. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook28.html Immigrants and Immigration Movement of the Early 20th Century Essay exa Immigration Movement of the Early 20th Century "Here is not merely a nation, but a teeming nation of nations." -Walt Whitman People have been immigrating to the United States ever since the European settlers first founded the nation. The first immigrants were white European settlers who came for an assortment of different reasons, such as freedom of religion and employment opportunities. Waves of immigrants poured into the US until restrictions were made in the 1920s, which were largely for cultural and economic reasons. Many saw immigration as the only way to prevent starvation, extreme suffering and death. The US became a safe haven and melting pot for many different cultures and nationalities. However, it was not easy to be an immigrant, since they faced much racism, religious persecution, and xenia phobia from the Americans. Sensing this, they often banded closely together, settling with their own kind and forming their own tightly-knit communities where they established their businesses primarily to serve themselves. The Italians and the Jews were two such groups in the beginning of the 20th c entury who felt much of this racism -- as seen in Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. At this time, the majority of the immigrants were Italians, Russian and Eastern European Jews, Greeks, Slavs, and Armenians. Before 1870 there was little Italian immigration to the US. Nevertheless, shortly afterward, many began to flee rural Italy's low wages and high taxes to seek a more prosperous income in the American cities. Many Italian settlements sprang up in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, and Detroit. By World War II, it is said that there were more people of Italian descent living in New York City than we... ...king to immigrate to America, were not already well-represented in the population. However, in 1924, the quota was expanded to allow in northern and western Europeans, but to exclude almost everyone else. President Coolidge is quoted saying, "America must be kept American" as he was signing the 1924 quota into law. This fear and ideology was echoed throughout American society in the beginning of the 20th century. Useful statistics and an informative timeline for the history of US immigration can be found here: http://www.closeup.org/immigrat.htm#timeline This website contains a lot of informative in depth information on Italians, Jews and many other nationalities that immigrated to the United States. It also has a lot of information on the restrictions and laws that were made against immigrants. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook28.html

Plastic Bags

Millions of disposable plastic bags are used and discarded in Washington each year. A beached grey whale was found in West Seattle in 2010 with 20 plastic bags in its stomach. Small pieces of plastic can absorb toxic pollutants like DDT and PCB. Scientists have found that fish are ingesting these toxins when they ingest plastic, concentrating the chemicals in the food chain. There is a good chance that we also absorb these pollutants when we eat fish. The good news is, Washingtonians are taking action to protect the Sound. In 2009, Edmonds became the first city in the state to ban plastic bags.In 2011, six other cities joined the effort. Bellingham, Mukilteo, Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Port Townsend, and Issaquah all banned the bag, significantly cutting down on the amount of plastic flowing into Puget Sound. Today, dozens more communities are considering similar legislation, including Olympia. Local bans have an immediate impact and are a great start—but we can’t stop until bags are banned statewide. When plastic bags are part of mixed recyclables, they get caught in machinery, shutting down recycling operations.Responding to an Environment Washington Research & Policy Center survey, 70 percent of Washington recycling companies want plastic bags out of the waste stream. Curbside recycling in some of Washington’s cities allows the inclusion of plastic bags in mixed recyclables but this actually causes problems in the recycling facilities. †¢ Over half of Washington’s recycling facilities do not even accept plastic bags. For those facilities, 83% reported that their recycling stream was contaminated with plastic bags and it was causing problems. When plastic bags pollute mixed recyclables, they get tangled in recyclers’ machinery, causing plants to shut down. †¢ Some recycling plants in Washington estimate spending 20 to 30 percent of their labor costs removing plastic bags from their Puget Sound is an irreplaceable treasure. It is central to Washington’s culture and our livelihood. Harbor seals play within our bays and thousands of salmon make their way through the Sound every year to spawn. Three endangered pods of resident orcas visit the Sound on a regular basis. Seabirds congregate on our beaches and in our arbors, belting out their familiar cries. And beneath the waves, the seafloor The problem is not limited to Puget Sound. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, every square mile of ocean contains 46,000 pieces of floating plastic, on average. 4 About one thousand miles off the Washington coast, more than 100 million tons of plastic garbage has concentrated in an area known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 5 Churned by ocean currents, this toxic, plastic soup spans an area twice the size of Texas. 6 Within this area, plastic outweighs plankton by up to six times during certain imes of the day. 7 machinery – on the order of $1,000 per day. †¢ More tha n 70 percent of Washington recyclers want disposable plastic bags out of the waste system. China accepts more than half of all reclaimed plastic bags for recycling, and that number is rising. †¢ Plastic bag recycling plants in China expose workers to toxic fumes, create a haze that hangs over villages, and pollute groundwater sources. Consumers bring their own bags in many parts of the world. Washington can follow this example and ban bags. †¢ Nothing we use for a few minutes should end up contaminating our oceans for hundreds of years. Because recycling efforts have proven inadequate, Washington’s civic leaders should ban single-use plastic bags. Researchers at the University of Washington-Tacoma have found plastic pollution in every water sample they have taken from Puget Sound. At least 20 nations and 88 local governments have passed bans on distributing thin plastic or other types of disposable plastic bags, Approximately 26 nations and local communities have es tablished fee programs to reduce plastic bag use and/or increase the use of reusable alternatives, After Washington, D. C. , mplemented a much smaller 5-cent tax on plastic bags, the number of plastic bags distributed by food retailers fell from 22. 5 million per month to 3. 3 million per month. Edmonds was the first city in Washington to ban plastic bags, adopting a ban in 2009. †¢ More recently, Bellingham adopted a ban on thin-plastic carry-home bags and a 5 cents fee on paper bags in July 2011. †¢ Other cities, including Seattle, Lake Forest Park, and Mukilteo, are actively considering bag bans. To make a real impact, all Washington cities and counties should restrict the use of plastic bags, and dvocate for similar action at the state level Work Citation Krehbiel, Robb. â€Å"Report: Keep Plastic Out of Puget Sound. † A Solution Not in the Bag. Environment Washington Research & Policy Center, Jan. 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. Krehbiel, Robb. â€Å"Report: Keep Pla stic Out of Puget Sound. † Keeping Plastic out of Puget Sound. Environment Washington Research & Policy Center, Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. Krehbiel, Bobb. â€Å"News Release. † New Report: Recycling Cannot Solve Plastic Bag Problem. Environment Washington Research & Policy Center, 14 Feb. 2011. Web. 25 Feb. 2013.

Scooter Sales in Vietnam

Hom kia ong th? y em g? i cho em 1 cai article kha hay v? th? tru? ng xe 2B VN kha hay, m? i cac bac xem. EM xin l? i vi no la ti? ng Anh nhung vi? t cung kha d? hi? u . Qua bai bao nay em gi? t minh khi bi? t con s? ban ra c? a xe AB hon 120K , kh? ng thi? t . Va cac bac th? ng? m Hon Da VN da moc tui bao nhieu ti? n c? a dan minh  [pic] Em xin phep VietNamNet Bridge – Two years ago the Vietnamese media was driven into a frenzy when Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie came to visit Vietnam for the first time.The image of the couple in casual clothes riding a black Yamaha Nouvo scooter in downtown HCMC was widely seen in newspapers and magazines. Scooter riders seen in downtown HCMC. Vietnamese consumers have an increasing preference for scooters. This actually gave free publicity to Yamaha. Sales of the Yamha Nouvo scooter have rocketed in Vietnam as this scooter has become a fashion for not only women but also men. Yamaha's good business has led to other motorcycl e makers to enter the market or boost scooter production to capitalize on the growing demand. The race startsItaly's Piaggio, the world's fourth largest scooter and motorcycle manufacturer, started construction of its first factory in Vietnam. Honda and Yamaha from Japan will open their second Vietnam factories soon. Honda Vietnam, the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Vietnam, has shifted focus to scooters for men. It started a campaign to enter the market six months after the trip of Vietnam by Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It launched the Air Blade scooter designed with a sporty fashion. As a favorite motorcycle brand, Honda caused an instant fever on the market after launching this scooter.When placing an order for an Air Blade at a Honda authorized exclusive dealer in HCMC, customers will get a shake of the head. The dealers are flooded with a lot of orders. A Honda dealer on Nguyen Trai Street in District 1 says it still has more than 600 orders to fulfill. But those really wishing to own an Air Blade scooter can go to plenty of private retailers in the city, but the price is usually VND8-10 million higher than Honda's list price. Despite the strong demand, the company says it is unable to scale up production as its factory in the northern province of Vinh Phuc is running at full capacity.As an adaptive measure, Honda has increased shifts to fulfill the mounting orders. Koji Onishi, general director of Honda Vietnam, says that by end-April this year,  more than 120,000 Air Blade units had been sold, becoming the best-seller of the scooter category on the local market. Not to miss the race, Yamaha introduced the new Yamaha Nouvo Elegance scooter that comes with an engine of 135cc in late April, which is higher than those of the previous scooter versions. With a list price of VND29. 2 million, including VAT, the new Nouvo scooter is going like hot cakes.Just around 10 days after the new Nouvo version came out, Honda announced the launch of two new Air Blade versi ons with a sportier and more fashionable design. They retail for VND28. 5 million (VAT included) and come with three colors – dark blue, white and red. In addition to the new Air Blade, a sporty Air Blade Repsol version with the color of Repsol Honda racing team in MotoGP World Championship has been introduced this time at VND29. 5 million. The market is so lucrative that another Japanese motorcycle maker, Suzuki Vietnam Corp. , has also forayed into the scooter market, with the launch of he Hayate priced between VND21. 8 million and VND22. 8 million. The 125cc Hayate has a sporty design and targets male motorcyclists and is expected to strongly compete with Honda's Air Blade and Yamaha's Nouvo. The Suzuki prices are lower VND7-8 million than the other two brands, so the Hayate has a competitive advantage in pricing. The competition in design Vietnam Manufacturing and Export Processing Co. (VMEP), Sanyang's motorbike maker in Vietnam, was the first to make scooters in Vietnam with the SYM brand. Taiwan's SYM is one of the successful stories.The company launched the Attila scooter in 1997, which has since gained increasing popularity among young people. SYM leaders say that the introduction of the Attila has paved the way for the company to gain a competitive edge over cheap Chinese motorcycles, which overwhelmed the local market in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as well as others. The Attila was then the best-selling locally assembled scooter model. Imported scooters like Dylan,@ and Spacy of Honda, Majesty of Yamaha, and Epicuro and Aventis of Suzuki are prohibitively expensive but the compact and fashionable design and moderate price have made the Attila more competitive.The Attila retails for about VND30 million, around one- and two-thirds of imports. Buoyed by SYM's success, other foreign companies including Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda from Japan later jumped into the market. Experts formerly showed concern that SYM would find it hard to maintain its dom inance on the scooter market since more Japanese producers were aggressively increasing investment in scooter innovation and design to gain a slice of the pie. But brands like Honda Click, Yamaha Mio Classical and Suzuki Amity seem to be not the archrivals of the Attila which is particularly popular among urban females.SYM's Attila Elizabeth version has become a favorite among young women thanks to its fashionable, elegant and compact design. The demand for the Attila Elizabeth has outpaced SYM's supply, leading to its price outside the company' dealers increasing by VND2-3 million per unit. The good outlook The growth prospects of the market are good as young consumers in cities have an increasing preference for scooters. Many motorcycle assemblers have switched to scooter production to capitalize on this market trend and have been expanding production to meet local demand. Taiwan's biggest bike maker Kwang Yang Motor Co. Ltd. (KYMCO) is an example.It has become the majority owner of Hoa Lam Kymco Motors Corp. after acquiring a 60% stake from its local partner. Hoa Lam Automobile-Motorcycle Joint-Stock Co. transferred its 60% stake in this joint venture to the Taiwanese company, thus reducing its holding to 30% from the previous 40%. KYMCO's stake in the venture, meanwhile, is up to 90%. Nguyen Tien Sy, deputy general director of Hoa Lam Kymco Motors Corp. , says that the authorities have endorsed the stake transfer between the two partners. The acquisition, whose value is not disclosed, is part of the Taiwanese company's plan to deepen its investment in Vietnam.KYMCO will develop a new factory in HCMC's District 2 besides the joint venture factory that is mainly assembling motorcycles in Binh Chanh District. The new factory in Cat Lai Industrial Park will produce motorcycle parts for local sale and export to ASEAN markets, Sy says. KYMCO will move its production lines from a factory in Taiwan next month to the new factory, which will mainly manufacture scoot ers. KYMCO attributes its increased investment in Vietnam to the strong demand for motorcycles. This firm forecast the domestic scooter market will continue expanding in the next five to 10 years.KYMCO entered Vietnam in late 2004 by buying a 30% stake in the bike manufacturing plant, which was wholly owned by Vietnam's Hoa Lam Automobile-Motorcycle Joint-Stock Co. The value of the factory then was set at US$15 million. The brand name KYMCO, however, is not popular in Vietnam, but the Taiwanese company has reaped success elsewhere, exporting products to 81 countries worldwide, including Europe. KYMCO has set up nine motorcycle factories in Asia. The two market leaders, Honda and Yamaha, also started work on their second factories in northern Vietnam last year. Honda's new factory worth US$65million will mainly produce scooters.The plant, which is located next to the first one in Vinh Phuc Province, is part of Honda's expansion plan after its success over the past 13 years. The new 2 8-hectare plant is scheduled for mass production in the third quarter of this year, with initial annual production capacity of 500,000 units, says Koji Onishi, general director of Honda Vietnam. Together with the existing plant's annual capacity of one million units, this plant will help meet the increasing demand of Vietnamese customers, he says, adding state-of-the-art technology would be applied to ensure high quality. The most modern and latest technology of Honda will be applied to this new plant that may produce the perfect quality products for Vietnamese customers,† he says. â€Å"The income level is increasing and the infrastructure is developed. Thus, the demand for scooters becomes higher and higher. In addition, its easy operation and modern design can sharpen customers' personality. Thanks to the growth of the Vietnamese economy, we realize that young people especially in big cities prefer the scooters,† says Yasuhiro Imazato, director of Honda Vietnam brand in HCMC.Meanwhile, Piaggio, the world's fourth largest scooter and motorcycle manufacturer, is building its first factory in northern Vietnam. The company will spend US$45 million on the factory which covers eight hectares in Binh Xuyen Industrial Park in Vinh Phuc Province, and will be commissioned in mid-2009, with an initial annual output capacity of 50,000 units for local sale and export. The project is part of Piaggio's broader three-year plan to expand its operations in Asia by setting up shop in Vietnam and India, Piaggio chief executive Roberto Colaninno.He says the company's products are already available in Vietnam, but it still wants a factory plus a sales network in the country. Piaggio brand is generally targeted at high-end customers. The Italian firm has five local companies as distributors – Sapa Trade Co. , Xuan Cau Co. , Viet Nhat Motor Co. , Y Viet Motor Co and International Friendship Co. However, Piaggio's investment in Vietnam is still smaller than Japa nese and Taiwan motorbike producers. Taiwan's Sanyang Industry, which is known for SYM brand, looks to Vietnam as one of its major motorbike production hubs in Asia and its biggest investment markets.Under a motorcycle industry development plan recently approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam will become a major Asian center for motorcycle design and production. The plan envisages local motorcycle demand reaching 2-2. 2million units a year. By 2015, there will have been some 31 million motorcycles in use nationwide and some 33 million by 2020, compared to the current 20 million, according to the plan. An additional 1. 8 million motorbikes will hit the road a year. (Source: SGT)

Heroes or Antiheroes: A Character of a True Identity

Literature has always been part of our daily lives. Authors from different parts of the world make each composition part of the civilization or the whole society. In whatever story that we read, we try to understand its social perspectives and the ideologies of the characters. Some of the fictitious narratives talks about the ignorance, immoralities, and illogical thinking of the society towards good and evil. Because of power, some of us tend become irrational with our actions just to prove that we are the authority.This is what the two stories entitled â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut and â€Å"Saboteur† by Ha Jin wants to impose to sits readers. From these two stories, it can be said that even if we wants to make our lives equal and perfect, there are still certain situations that will tests our individuality – to become heroes or antiheroes of the society. The main character in Vonnegut’s story is George Bergeron. His family lives a normal lif e before but because they were imprisoned by the military for a special case, their lives were ruined.George dreams of his son every night but it’s all a dream. He wants to see Harrison but he knows he could not. George as the protagonist in the story is a depiction of social imprisonment and injustices. He is a combination of a concept of hero and anti-hero. He is a hero of his family but an antihero of his enemies or the antagonists of his life. Harrison rebels against the government and the system. He escapes from the jail in order to turn down the government. It can be said as a form of individualism because Harrison thinks of his own resolution and not on the idea of fixing an issue.He wants to turndown the government for personal interest and to create his own monarchy. Through this, he became an antihero because he choose to become his own personality and not for the betterment of his society. However, the readers could not blame the characters for they are hopeless an d helpless. â€Å"They were burdened with sash weights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in (Vonnegut).† They struggle in a immoral society just because they are good citizens and having a normal life. That is why even if they strive hard to become peaceful and work for their community, they still suffer. The equality did not exist right through their environment. On the other way around, Ha Jin’s story is a depiction of social immorality. The authority made irrational attacks towards other people to prove their power and strength; to show that they are right – even if not. Mr.Chui, the main character of the story is a lecturer in a University in his community. He works hard and opens the eyes of many people for the betterment of their country and to prove their rights against immorality and social injustices. Mr. Chui is doing his jobs an d responsibilities as citizen of his state. However, because it is not right for the authority who is implementing the ‘immoral policy,’ they are seeing him as a convict of a crime, which he did not. â€Å"On the glass desktop was a folder containing information on his case.He felt it bizarre that in just a matter of hours they had accumulates a small pile of writing about him. On second thought he began to wonder whether they had kept a file on him all the time (Ha). † Mr. Chui’s characterization in the first part is heroic but as the story reveals the main point of his character, it starts to work to become antihero because he needs to sacrifice his ideologies and beliefs for his friend and own identity. At the end of the story, he chooses to accept his ‘crime’ just to be free.He turns down his beliefs and signs the confession in order to help his ex-student lawyer Fenjinto be stopped from being tortured by the police officers. In connection of the two characters in the story, both Harrison and Mr. Chui, their selfish egos win. Mr. Chui spreads the hepatitis in Muji. He becomes the Saboteur; they accuse him at the very beginning. They both rebel against the system but then pursue their own interests. At the end of it all, the two stories leave the readers some initiatives and learning about the real situation of the society.The two stories are created in different form of culture but they are somehow identical to one another. The authorities are immoral and unjustified with their actions. They want happiness and ego without serving their people. The characters who suffer from all the threats and violence remain hopeless and helpless. What they have to do is to surrender. They were heroes of their own cause but they became antiheroes of their own dignity. The authors of the stories made a significant attack against the authority of the society.They must know their limitations to make their society a better one for they are the implementers of law and they are treated as respectful individuals who make their people secured and free from harm – so they must also bring back the respect for they are the authority. In conclusion to this, it can be said that the two characters in the stories are antiheroes. In the beginning of the narratives, they were imprisoned and they sacrifice more than what they expected because they have their own ideologies and beliefs.However, as they experience the threats and sacrifices within their path, they started to think for revenge against the system who tortured their character. If we look at the lighter perspective, we could not blame them from all the experiences that they have gone through. However, if we try to seek the deeper perspective of case, they will remain as antiheroes of the society because they work for their own monarchy and satisfaction and not for the betterment of their whole society. Works Cited Ha, Jin. Saboteur. Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Be rgeron.