Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Economic Development in the Persian Gulf (Saudi and Iran) Essay

Economic Development in the Persian Gulf (Saudi and Iran) - Essay Example It also proposes strategies that should be adopted by both the countries so as to pave way for economic growth. Saudi Arabia and Iran are the two remarkable producers of oil in the region but have failed to utilize this wealth of natural resources towards economic development of the country. It is a tragedy of oil-based economies that they fail to reap the benefits of this rich and valuable resource. There may be several reasons behind this fact viz. extreme reliance on oil export for revenue generation and political instability etc. Regional instability is also one of the major phenomena that strike the oil rich countries in the Persian Gulf region. The fear of neighboring rivalries and potential threats keep these countries engrossed in spending thriftlessly on defense and military buildup, which has been on an ever increasing trend in the Persian Gulf region. Billion and Khatib also say that "the economy and politics of oil-dependent states are also affected by their propensity to spend more on defense" (113). Ever since the Iranian revolution, Saudi Arabia has considered Iran as a severe threat to its political structure. Consequently, both the countries, in particular Saudi Arabian government allocates heavy budget to arms accumulation and military buildup rather than on economic development. Saudi Arabia happens to ... er producer, a fourth of the world's known reserves lie beneath its soil; the reserves of Russia, Nigeria, and Alaska together do not match the desert kingdom's" (23). Despite that, the country's economic growth and stability seems to be deteriorating in the recent times. Like most of the oil-based economies, the country's economic condition is bound to improve with a rise in oil price and decline with a fall in oil price. The economy of Saudi Arabia has moved drastically over the past two decades with the movements in oil price. The rich Arab country is now falling short of enough funds to finance its major public and welfare expenditures mostly because of the events that took place over the last few decades. Saudi government had to bear extraordinary expenses during the Gulf War at officially disclosed $55 billion and then due to provision of financial support to Iraq during the Iran invasion amounting to $26 billion. Furthermore, the fluctuations in price of oil over the last 20 years from $40 per barrel in 1981 to below $20 per barrel until the late 90s have affected the cash flowing in the country. Saudi government has also failed to stabilize its expenditures based on oil prices despite its ever increasing reliance on oil to finance these expenses. Because of this reliance on oil, the oil price crisis in 1998 profoundly affected the Saudi economy and increased the level of domestic and internati onal debt leading to a financial crisis (Gause 82-83) The Saudi economy is under the serious threat of unemployment due to inability of the government to provide employment to an increasing number of educated youth. Public sector of the economy is already confronting with high salaries burdening the fiscal budget whereas the private sector is more willing to employ

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Human Reproductive System Essay Example for Free

The Human Reproductive System Essay The human reproductive system requires both the female and male to procreate. Although the reproductive organs will function separately, they will not create another human being without each other. The Male Sperm   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The male reproductive system is more external than the female. Sperm must be created to fertilize the female’s egg and this is done in the testes or testicles of the male. Sperm are mobile cells that contain the male’s chromosomes, to be passed on the offspring. There are hundreds of thousands of sperm produced during a male’s lifetime, all of which have the potential to fertilize an egg. Sperm die off and are recreated at the rate of 1% day and sperm that are released from the body live only a few hours. Scrotum The testes are contained in a fleshy pouch known as the scrotum, which hangs outside the male body in the groin area. The testes themselves are actually over 850 feet of tiny tubing, curled into two balls inside the scrotum. It is in these tubes that the sperm are formed. The scrotum is a highly sensitive area. Normal body temperature will kill the sperm due to their sensitivity to high temperatures; this is why the scrotum lies outside the body rather than internally. In cold weather, the scrotum will pull the testicles closer to the body to maintain the proper temperature. Once formed the sperm must pass through into the epidiymis, which is a larger tube that stores the sperm and lets them mature until it is time to be ejaculated into the female. The epidiymis is encased in the scrotum along with the testes. Ducts   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the sperm is ready to be ejaculated it leaves the epidiymis and travels through the vasa deferentia. The vasa deferentia extend from the epidymis and go around the bladder in many different directions. The ends of the vasa deferentia are called ejaculatory ducts. These ducts are located behind the bladder and empty into the urethra. Before the sperm reach the urethra they must also travel through the seminal vesicles, which are also located behind the bladder. Accessory Glands   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The seminal vesicles are part of a group of accessory glands. The seminal vesicles add the semen that coats the sperm during ejaculation. The seminal fluid â€Å"contains mucus, amino acids, fructose as the main energy source for the sperm, and prostaglandins to stimulate female uterine contractions to move the semen up into the uterus.† (biology.clc.uc.ed, 2007)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inside the body, at the beginning of the urethra, is the prostate gland. The prostate gland is considered an accessory gland and is the largest of these glands. It secretes directly into the urethra and mixes with the seminal fluid. The secretions of the prostate gland are high in alkaline. Alkaline neutralizes the acid left by urine and produced by the female body. It protects the sperm as they make their way through the female to the egg.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hanging from the front of the abdominal cavity on the outside of the body, in front of the scrotum, is the penis. It is made from several cylinders of spongy, erectile tissue. When the male becomes sexually excited, the spongy tissue becomes filled with arterial blood and the veins, which allow this blood to drain off to other areas, seal off. This causes an erection, which is required for ejaculation. The erection is also required to be able to enter the female’s vagina and fertilize the egg. Running through the center of the penis is a hollow tube called the urethra. It allows semen or urine to be released from the body. The male reproductive system  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/BioBookREPROD.html The Female   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The female reproductive organs are internal and produce eggs rather than sperm. The eggs are produced in the ovaries, which are located on either side of the abdominal cavity. The â€Å"eggs† are not like chicken or other animal eggs but more like a collection of special cells. While a female has almost a half million eggs at birth, only about 500 will be released from the ovaries during the time that she is fertile and able to reproduce. Eggs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The eggs are formed with a process known as â€Å"meiosis†. This means that the egg only has half of the chromosomes needed to complete a new being. The process known as fertilization provides the other half of the needed chromosomes, thus giving the offspring half from each contributing parent. Of the hundreds of thousands of eggs a female is born with, only about 300 of these are ever released to be fertilized. Ovaries   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ovaries, located on either side of the abdominal wall, create the eggs that are released for fertilization. The ovaries are connected to the fallopian tubes and store the unused eggs as well.   Ovaries also produce the female hormone estrogen, which affects mood, weight and other aspects of the body. Fallopian Tubes From the ovaries are the fallopian tubes, which extend from the ovaries on each side and down into the females uterus. The fallopian tubes lead into the uterus where the fertilized egg will remain as it gestates. In the female human, hormones contribute to the egg being released into the fallopian tubes. This is normally limited to one egg per cycle. Ovulation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ovulation is the period when an egg matures and is released into the fallopian tubes. This is â€Å"due to the stimulation of leutenizing hormone (LH), which then stimulates the remaining follicle cells to turn into a corpus luteum which then secretes progesterone to prepare the uterus for possible implantation. If an egg is not fertilized and does not implant, the corpus luteum disintegrates and when it stops producing progesterone, the lining of the uterus breaks down and is shed.† (biology.clc.uc.ed, 2007) Uterus   Ã‚  Ã‚   The uterus is located in the female abdominal cavity. It is lined with millions of cilia. These are tiny follicles that both attach the egg to the wall of the uterus and sweep the lining out when the egg disintegrates. At the end of the uterus is the cervix. The cervix has thick walls and a tiny opening leading into the vaginal canal. The cervix will open to pass the baby through when it is time for it to be born. Vaginal Canal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The vaginal canal extends from the cervix to the outside opening of the female vagina. It allows the penis to be inserted to fertilize the egg, pass menstrual blood out of the body and allow a baby to pass from the body. The walls are highly elastic and will stretch to accommodate the baby’s head. The Vagina   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The vagina is the outer area of the female reproductive system. It contains the opening leading to the vaginal canal and a tiny opening located right above it. This is the urethra and it allows urine to pass from the body. Directly above the urethra is the clitoris. This is the female counterpart to the male penis and is also highly sensitive. Covering the openings is the vulva. This consists of inner and outer labia, which are folds of skin. The vulva becomes covered with body hair when the female matures. Fertilization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fertilization of the egg occurs when the sperm meet the egg at the far end of the fallopian tube. The sperm fertilize the egg, the egg implants itself into the lining of the uterus and a new human is created. The female reproductive system  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/BioBookREPROD.html References http://emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/BioBookREPROD.html http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio105/reproduc.htm http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/female_reproductive_system.html

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Global Warming Essays -- Environmental Global Climate Change

Global Warming As we all know, Global Warming has become a major scientific and social issue during the past decade. Global Warming - the increase in greenhouse gasses- has captured broad public attention because it would easily damage the nature and many souci-cultural aspects of life. That's why it should be investigated thoroughly. In the following essay, I will introduce you to the different approaches of some writers and state their possible answers to this global problem. First of all, although these commentators differentiate in their approaches, they all agree that the greenhouse effect would have catastrophic consequences that can be easily observed on earth. They all chose to begin their articles by identifying what global warming is and the reasons for it. Most of them point out that the greenhouse gasses and particles trap infrared radiation. As a result, the average surface temperatures increase (Schneider, 1989). The reasons that they all figured out are mostly based on too much combustion of fossil fuels and depletion of vegetation cover (Smil, 1990). Then they all indicate possible solutions such as, reducing CO2 combustion and the rate of population growth, in order to solve the problem or at least minimize the effects. Moreover, they emphasize on the governmental and international actions such as 'Kyoto Agreement' which have been taken to cope with this long crisis. All of them interpret G.W. through a cross international framework. That's because this warming has become a world problem. However, the articles differ in many ways. The ways they explain the issues are not the same. Vaclav Smil discusses about the issue more generally, by giving some historical data and responses from... ... speaks to the issue. Moreover, he draws a clear perspective in his article by shaping the evidences. For these reasons, Vaclav is the one who evaluates the issue better among the others. Bibliography: 1. Bongaarts, John. "Population Growth and Global Warming". Population and Development Review, Vol.18 No.2 (Jun 1992) pp.299-319. 2. Gelbspan, Ross. "A Global Warming Crisis". Jstore.host, (Mar 28,2000) www.yesmagazine.org/12Climatechange/gelbspan.html 3. McCullough, Jennifer. "Taking Stock". Jstore.host, (Mar 28,2000) www.yesmagazine.org/12Climatechange/mccullough.html 4. Schneider, Stephen. "The Greenhouse Effect: Science and Policy". Science, New Series, Vol.243. no.4892 (Feb.10, 1989) pp.771-781. 5. Smil, Vaclav. "Planetary Warming: Realities and Responses". Population and Development Review, Vol.16, No.1. (Mar 1990) pp.1-29.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Alcoholism And How It Has Affected Me Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alcoholism is a disease that affects millions of lives everyday. Most don’t realize they even have a problem until it’s too late. It is a disease that affects almost every family in America in one way or another including mine. I learned a very important lesson about the disease that afflicted my grandfather when I myself had a bout with alcoholism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have always heard from my father what a smart boy I am. My father also talks of how much I remind him of his father, I’m mechanically inclined, have good common sense, and I have an intelligent personality. But I always found a way to screw things up and make a mess of myself. I couldn’t hold a job, I was failing out of school, and my family life was almost non-existent. I had no motivation and it was apparent to others that I was a heavy drinker. I didn’t consider Drinking to be a problem though, it was just my way of relaxing. Having a few drinks on the weekends with my friends quickly developed into an all day every day event.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I had been drinking everyday for about a year when my father and I began talking about my problem. I knew I had a problem, but I wouldn’t acknowledge it publicly. My father one day in a conversation we were having, mentioned a poem I wrote about drinking. One line in particular at the end â€Å"a real friend won’t disappear when your thirsty† gave almost definite proof of my knowing I had a problem. At the end of...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Marco Polo in Renaissance

Born in 1254 in Venice, Marco Polo is today a well-known figure of pre-Renaissance travels, and for his ground breaking travels to lands never before Journeyed by Europeans. He was an Italian traveler and author, and spent the majority of his life traveling and exploring. His father Nicola and uncle Miffed, both merchants, had conducted business and trade in Constantinople (now known as Istanbul) and the Crimea. However, when Genoas merchants, rivals to the Italian Polo's, took over trade in Constantinople, Nicola and Miffed were forced to find alternative trade opportunities.Thus, in 1260, they set out to the north of the Caspian Sea and reached Babushka (which was on the caravan route to China) and remained there for 3 years. Thereafter, in 1263, Joining the Persian envoys, they made their way to visit the Mongol Emperor Kabuki Khan in Changed (near present Beijing). To arrive there, they traveled the Silk Route via Samara Sand, the Northern Tibetan desert and the Mongolia Steppes. Upon their arrival, Kabuki Khan commissioned them to return with 100 missionaries to convert his nation to Christianity in opposition to the heartening Islamic armies.Over the next 3 years the Polo brothers traveled via Babushka, Persia, Syria and Acre (near Jerusalem) to arrive back home in Venice in 1269. The return to China In 1271, at the age of 17, Marco Polo accompanied his father and uncle back to China, visiting Acre to collect a letter from the newly elected Pope Gregory X for Kabuki Khan. They also collected a flask of oil from the Holy Land and 2 Dominican monks (who were later to desert the Pools) from Gregory X to deliver to the Khan. In the hopes of revealing to India by sea, the Pools traversed Persia to the mouth of the Persian Gulf, Horror.Yet, unsuccessful at finding a suitably safe boat, they continued traveling by land in a North-Easterly direction through Persians deserts and mountains to Karakas (now Khakis), on the Chinese border. As Marco Polo was ill, they waited here for a year to rest, after which they continued Journeying up the River Ox's (now AMA Dairy). They traveled through the Hindu Cush and Pamper mountains, (home of the large horned sheep that now bear Marco Polo's name), after which they traveled along the ringer of the Take Make desert to the region of Lop Nor in Sinking Province, China.Finally they crossed, by meaner of camel caravan, the Gobi Desert to reach (3 and a half years after leaving Europe) Kabuki Khan's court in Changed in 1275. The Pools were the first Europeans to reach most of the territory they had covered, particularly the Gobi Desert and Pamper mountains. Marco Polo's experiences in the Orient Marco Polo became an agent on numerous missions to various parts of the Mongolia Empire for 17 years as a part of the Khan's diplomatic service.As part of his duties, he Journeyed through Tibet as well as along the Yanking, Yellow and upper Mekong rivers. He was probably also the first European to set foot on Burmes e soil. It is believed he visited countries as far field as Siberia to Indonesian archipelago. He also visited the Mongolia capital at Khartoum. It is also believed that Marco Polo was city governor for Yanking (now Honchos) for three years from 1282 to 1285. During all this time, Marco's father and uncle served as military advisors to the Khan.As the Khan aged, the Pools were uneasy as to the Empire's soundness. In 1292 the Polo's escorted the Mongol princess to Persia, where she was to be married to the Persian Khan. They traveled for two years, having to use a sea route as war prevented the use of the land route. With a crew of 600 and a 14-ship fleet, they sailed from Sustain (today known as Quantico) on China's coastline to Horror. On their way to Horror they Journeyed through Sumatra, the Strait of Malice, past Sir Lankan, past the Madman and Nicolai Islands, reaching the city in 1294.By this time, however, only 18 of the original crew had survived, and the Persian Khan had di ed a year earlier, leaving the Mongolia Princess to marry his son. Finally, 24 years after the commencement of their travels, the Pools returned to their hometown of Venice in 1295. By that stage they were very wealthy, as they had sewn precious gems and stones to their clothing for safekeeping. When Venice went to war with Genoa, Marco Polo was a captain in the Venetian fleet. However, he was taken prisoner by theGenomes in 1298, and during his imprisonment dictated the history of his travels to inmate Rustically of Pisa, a writer of romances. When he was released from prison in 1299, he returned to Venice where he married, had 3 daughters, and later died in 1324. He was buried next to his father in the church of Lorenz. Polo's Legacy The account of Polo's travels, first brought to light in French as Liver De Marseilles du Monde, later translated to The Travels of Marco Polo, is most probably the most influential travel book in history.Providing the reader with distinct description s and orphic detail, this account provided pre-Renaissance Europe with an influential and revolutionary knowledge of the geographical make-up, history and life of the Orient. Although known to be somewhat exaggerated with fabulous extravagances, this book became the foundation for the first correct maps of Europe and Asia. The Polo's ultimately inspired Christopher Columbus' interest in the East and spurred him on to set off on a new west-ward route to the Orient in 1492, and later spurring Vases dad Gamma to round the Cape of Good Hope in another new voyage in 1497.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Immigration in California

Immigration in California Free Online Research Papers Immigration was a big issue for many Americans about 1- ½ years ago. When I lived in California it was on of the main problems for the state. Honestly I am more for Immigration then against it, but for a little while I was against it. I remember how I felt when I thought that I was a minority in the country that I am a citizen in. I was tired of applying for a job and being told that even though I had the education, and experience, I was not qualified because I didn’t speak Spanish. Or when I was trying to enroll into a program at the local college I didn’t qualify because I was not a minority. It was so frustrating to know that I basically my address said California but it seemed like Mexico. I completely understand why many Americans wanted the borders to be closely watched and why the Governor wanted to send our Troops to guard the borders. The best thing about this is that it opened up a lot of jobs for Americans that paid very well. After I was being selfish for a couple of month I started thinking: â€Å"Who are we to tell people that they couldn’t live here because they are taking up everything?† which was one of the main complaints. All they want is to provide their family with opportunities that they didn’t have and are not able to provide them with in their country. Isn’t that what most Americans stride to do for their families? I feel that it the system to become a citizen wasn’t so expensive and such a long process then they would be legally. I don’t understand why we pride ourselves to be the greatest country in the world and why we brag about it if we don’t want them to be here. When you think of opportunity you think of America, but yet the â€Å"Land of Opportunities† make it hard for others outside this country to experience that opportunities. Over the years we have witness other countries trying to be just like us. America is a role model for these other countries, and what example have we been setting? Some people in this great country is all about telling everyone how great it is to live here and how †free† it is , but then we charge some one from a poor country their whole life savings in order to live here and then it’s not even guaranteed that you will be able to stay here How fair and free is that? Many countries run their government as we do and treat their citizens somewhat like we do. Just like the old motto: â€Å"If you can’t beat them, join them!† Why is it so hard for us to let them join us? Other countries basically welcomes us with open arms, we welcome them with armed guards and an American Boot! This is False Advertisement!!! Research Papers on Immigration in CaliforniaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraQuebec and CanadaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyDefinition of Export QuotasCapital PunishmentWhere Wild and West Meet

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Ideology

Ideology is a system of thought based on related assumptions, beliefs, and explanations of social movements or policies. Ideologies show "the way things are" and "the way things ought to be." Some ideologies, such as communism and socialism, refer to economic and political systems. Most "isms" are ideologies. Any Ideology will contain contradictions, will repress aspects of experience, will â€Å"disappear† that which tends to contradict it or expose its repressions. Ideologies do not rely equally on factual information in supporting their beliefs. People who accept an entire thought system usually reject all other systems concerned with the same content. To such people, only conclusions based on their ideology seem logical and correct. Thus, people strongly committed to an ideology have difficulty understanding and communicating with supporters of a conflicting ideology. Some conceptions of ideology undermine the power aspect and see ideology as the structure of assumptions, which form the imaginative world of groups. Ideology, writes Althusser, is "a representation of the imaginary relation of individuals to the real condition of existence." Further, Althusser writes, ideology creates us as persons: it "hails" us, calls us into being. Political Ideologies are a coherent and consistent set of political beliefs about who ought to rule, the principles rulers ought to obey, and what policies rulers ought to pursue. Political ideology in American Society can get a little confusing. This is due partially to the fact that the most commonly used model to explain political ideology is too simple. The linear model, as it is sometimes called, puts the ideological spectrum on a straight line. This model often leaves researcher's wondering about ideologies because it ties groups together that may have absolutely different ideas. One useful way of categorizing ideologies from a political point of view focuses on differences in the ideologies' ... Free Essays on Ideology Free Essays on Ideology Ideology is a system of thought based on related assumptions, beliefs, and explanations of social movements or policies. Ideologies show "the way things are" and "the way things ought to be." Some ideologies, such as communism and socialism, refer to economic and political systems. Most "isms" are ideologies. Any Ideology will contain contradictions, will repress aspects of experience, will â€Å"disappear† that which tends to contradict it or expose its repressions. Ideologies do not rely equally on factual information in supporting their beliefs. People who accept an entire thought system usually reject all other systems concerned with the same content. To such people, only conclusions based on their ideology seem logical and correct. Thus, people strongly committed to an ideology have difficulty understanding and communicating with supporters of a conflicting ideology. Some conceptions of ideology undermine the power aspect and see ideology as the structure of assumptions, which form the imaginative world of groups. Ideology, writes Althusser, is "a representation of the imaginary relation of individuals to the real condition of existence." Further, Althusser writes, ideology creates us as persons: it "hails" us, calls us into being. Political Ideologies are a coherent and consistent set of political beliefs about who ought to rule, the principles rulers ought to obey, and what policies rulers ought to pursue. Political ideology in American Society can get a little confusing. This is due partially to the fact that the most commonly used model to explain political ideology is too simple. The linear model, as it is sometimes called, puts the ideological spectrum on a straight line. This model often leaves researcher's wondering about ideologies because it ties groups together that may have absolutely different ideas. One useful way of categorizing ideologies from a political point of view focuses on differences in the ideologies' ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Sentence Auction Grammar Game

Sentence Auction Grammar Game Holding Sentence Auctions is a fun way to help students review key points in grammar and sentence construction while having some good fun. Basically, students in small groups are given some money with which to bid on various sentences. These sentences include correct and incorrect sentences, the group which buys the most correct sentences wins the game. Sentence Auctions ESL Activity Aim: Review grammar and sentence structure while having funLevel: Intermediate/Advanced Outline Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4 students per group.Talk about auctions: Do the students know what they are? Can they describe an auction? Have they every been to an auction?, etc.Explain the rules of this auction.The aim of the game is to buy as many correct sentences as possibleEach group will have $3000 to spendBids begin at $200Bids increase by $100 each bidThe sentence will be sold to the highest bidder (remember? $400 going once, $400 going twice, $400 sold to group X!)The winner of the game is the group which has bought the most correct sentencesYou can make the auction more difficult by declaring the winner based on the number of correct sentences minus the number of incorrect sentences (5 correct sentences minus 3 incorrect two correct sentences)Once the game has finished, go through each sentence saying whether it is correct or incorrect.Have a fun celebration of the winning team!After things have calmed down, go through each sentence explaining any grammar / u sage questions that arise. Sentence Auction Decide which sentences you would like to buy! Collect correct masterpieces! Watch out for incorrect fakes! The film is so an interesting adaptation of the novel that I highly recommend it.If she had stayed in a better hotel, she would have enjoyed her vacation.Not only should he study more, but also should he get more sleep.I would really like to know whether she plans on joining our group.John is a very horrible judge of character.Look at those dark clouds on the horizon! Itll rain before long.When I stopped to talk to Mary, she was picking some flowers in her garden.Our family would go to the park every Sunday when we lived in London.If he were in charge of the department, he would improve staff communication.They had finished their work by the time we arrived.Jack cant have been at home, he told me he was going to be at work.Did you remember locking the door?Ill finish my homework by the time you get back.The number of smokers have been dropping steadily for twenty years.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

2014 Scholarship Essay Contest Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

2014 Contest - Scholarship Essay Example Besides, students at Wayland Baptist University are also sensitive to people from diverse backgrounds. They show respect and integrity by treating people from diverse backgrounds and indeed everyone, with care, kindness and compassion. That way, they become trustworthy and dependable for whatever duty they are called to serve because they do it from the bottom of their hearts. Other values that exemplify students at Wayland Baptist University are excellence and innovation. By understanding that every duty is a service unto the Lord God, students give their best to achieve excellent results. They also commit themselves to make effort to improve the world around them through innovation and research. That way, they come out as responsible members who are sensitive to the people and environment around them. Such values not only enable students to acquire positive attributes required in life, but also enhance their spiritual development. Upon completion of my degree program at Wayland Baptist University, I will use the knowledge and attributes gained to do the following. First, I will use the knowledge and attributes gained to improve the community through being a community watchdog. From wherever disposition of life the Lord God shall grant me, I will use that platform to ensure that justice prevails in the society. That is to imply that I shall not hesitate to rebuke evil and corruption of human beings in the society. Human beings become corrupt before God when they advance their own self-interests at the expense of others. They oppress the widows and the orphans as well as the weak. They do not give the full measure of what others deserve to get in various bargains of life. As long as I shall be privy to such information, I will rebuke such deeds to promote fairness, justice and ethical behaviors. I will also share the positive teachings I have learned at Wayland Baptist University with others in the community so

Friday, October 18, 2019

Scientific Revolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Scientific Revolution - Research Paper Example Therefore, the important figures of the development of scientific thinking appear to be the colleagues, who worked on common range of problems and were guided by the same set of rules. The detailed analysis of scientific history and philosophy found an extremely distorted and romanticized picture of the actual situation. It turned out that the history of science was not as straightforward as it had been represented before. Despite the technological successes, the science not necessarily brings us to more accurate description of the reality. The most famous representative of such views was an American physicist and historian of science Thomas Kuhn. The current paper makes an attempt to analyze Copernicus’ discoveries from the position of Kuhn’s theory and his concept of â€Å"scientific revolution†. We will also try to find the gaps in the theory to see if the claim for the universalism of his paradigm is legitimate. Kuhn’s interest in the development of sc ientific theories and scientific revolutions grew out from the consideration of the fundamental differences between social and natural sciences. During his investigations, Kuhn became convinced that, in historical perspective, the development of science is far from smoothness and uniqueness. ... The paradigm is as essential for science in terms of observation and experiment. Allegiance to the certain paradigm is a crucial condition of any serious scientific affair. Science cannot observe and recognize the diversity of a particular phenomenon, because it is not able to conduct all possible experiments and perform all laboratory and clinical tests. In this respect, the scientist has to reduce the studied problem to the working volume. His choice of the set of methodological tools and ideas will be dictated by the system of beliefs of the paradigm he belongs to (Marcum 61). When most of the scientific community accepts a paradigm, it becomes mandatory guide. Once the paradigm is taken, it grows as a powerful catalyst for scientific progress. Kuhn called this stage â€Å"normal science† (Marcum 59). Most of the scientists are engaged in normal science all the time, and that is why this particular part of scientific activity has become a synonymous of science in general. N ormal science is based on the assumption that the scientific community knows what the Universe is. While the existence of the paradigm is taken for granted, only the problems for which the solution can be assumed are considered legitimate. The latter guarantees the quick success of normal science. In such circumstances, the scientific community restraints and suppresses any novelty, because innovations are harmful to the main duty of the community. Paradigm determines the field of solved questions, imposes acceptable methods, and set of standard solutions. Normal science solves the problems, but produces a little new (Marcum 60). At the certain stages of development of science paradigm becomes a conceptual â€Å"straitjacket†

Senior Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Senior Philosophy - Essay Example Aristotle begins by investigating the fundamental purpose of humanity. In doing this, the renowned scholar determines that happiness is not just a feeling or a sensation. According to him, happiness is the ultimate goal of human existence. In his investigation of happiness, he seeks to determine the nature of happiness and its role in the life of an individual. He discovers that happiness is fundamental in the life of every human. Unlike the most prevalent definition of happiness, that attributes happiness to either a feeling or sensation, Aristotle determines that happiness is a prerogative for a successful and fulfilling life. According to him, happiness is a relative concept that means different things to different people. He says, â€Å"Happiness depends on ourselves† (Aristotle 121). In the phrase, Aristotle claims that everyone is everyone’s prerogative. Everyone understands the things that make them happy and in an ideal society one should therefore pursue only s uch. In his foundations of metaphysics, Immanuel Kant begins by defining morality as the personal decision and ability to distinguish between right and wrong. From his definition, Kant understands the relativity of the concept. This implies that morality means different things to different people. This therefore validates the need for base of argument in which everyone counterchecks his or her definition of morality. Morality is behavioral and arises from the traits that one exhibits. The basic definition of either ethics or morality thus rests on the limitation of harm to either self or a third party (Immanuel 61). The social decisions that people make must therefore not harm others. Taking a loan while consciously aware of ones inability to repay is a deliberate cause of harm, which qualifies as both a crime and a sin. The two define unethical conducts that also cause harm to third parties. Question 3 Pleasure is yet another relative concept that means different things to differen t people. Pleasure is an abstract noun and therefore not measurable. However, however, John Stuart Mill sough to develop a concept that would help one measure the quantity of pleasure in an individual and therefore compare the amount of pleasure people feel at different times. The difference in personalities influences the difference in pleasures that people feel. Most people derive pleasure by holding a dominating position (John 66). Whenever people engages in an activity that earns them gratification, they always seek to control such This way, the essence of pleasure sets in thereby fulfilling a previously existing void. However, Stuart explains that it is equally imperative that one concentrates and participate on the activity fully. According to his hypothesis, the level of involvement in the activity is directly proportional to the amount of pleasure that one derives from such. Additionally, pleasure is portrayed in the on both verbal and nonverbal reactions. Through the observ ation of such features as facial expressions and other types of responses as the little gibberish that people make when engaging in such activities, help one determine the amount of pleasure in another. However, the relativity of the concept implies that the level and amount of pleasure depends on the individual and may not correspond with the feelings in another. Question 4 Morality as defined earlier is a behavior determinant that helps people exhibit desirable behaviors. However, the concept is relative as people exhibit various behaviors. Sigmund Freud investigates the concept and determines that morality is social feature that arises from the nature of the society. Coincidentally, Lewis determines that as well. The two psychological scholars agree that morality moderates human behaviors thus limiting harm in the society. Morality as a social concept is therefore relative to the society. This implies that an action considered moral in one society may not be in another. Howe

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Data base analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Data base analysis - Essay Example However, enabling the ordering of the netmask provides the most efficient results for client’s orders but this does not enhance the internal clients in resolving the external addresses. Using the NS1 as a forwarder severs enhances successful name resolution for the internal clients. In round robin disabling, this will prohibit any further load balancing and hence will not enable the internal clients in resolving the external host names. In this scenario the user are likely to suffer from many problems which may prevent them from obtaining IP addresses, these may include the expiry of the users IP address, the incorrect DHCP configuration, duplicate IP address on the same network and lack of DHCP server authorization. As a result of the introduction of the active directory in the network, this authorizes the DHCP server and the expiry of the users IP address stimulates the generation of a new IP address (Shapiro, 2008). This also prevents a computer from acquiring a new IP addr ess by itself and thus prevents the DHCP missing which prevents users on network subnets to acquire new IP addresses. However, duplicate IP address prevents the user from communicating in the network but does not prevent the generation of a new IP address from the server. ... es which are connected to the main network through a virtual private network which uses registered authentication information from the active directory in the network this prevent unauthorized entry in to the network and as well as providing cheap access in the main network. Employees of a company can enter into the network through the authorization given by the network administrators. This is through the registration of usernames and the generation of passwords by the active directory which gives each employee rights and limits to access the network resources. This can be used to control the access of network resources by different employees. The use of centralized backups in WAN makes the sharing of network resources easier and cheap, a more improved backup includes all the possible inclusion of all subnet LANs joined together to a central database for easier access of resources, this can be done through network sub netting. References Carvalho, L. (2012). Windows server 2012 Hyper -V cookbook. Birmingham: Packt Pub.. Shapiro, J. R. (2008). Windows server 2008 bible. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley ;. Tomsho, G. (2010). MCTS guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Active Directory configuration: exam 70-640. Boston, MA: Course Technology/Cengage

IB THEATRE COURSEWORK - The practical performance proposal Essay

IB THEATRE COURSEWORK - The practical performance proposal - Essay Example As this interpretation demands a mature audience, my target groups are the youth above 16 and adults. The central theme that I would like to deal with is â€Å" fear of flying and beyond†. I would like to depict jabberwocky as a big green tree branching out into the soil and towards the sky. The tree and the teeming forest around it fascinate the boy. I plan to fill the floor of the stage with heaps of dried leaves by the end of the play, which represents the lost opportunities of imagination. The father and mother of the boy will be seen living their lives full of falsehoods and half-cooked imagination. They are trying to hide the tree and the forest from the boy. But when he finds it, they compel him to believe that it is the dangerous habitat of Jabberwocky. In the end, the boy of course slays the tree but he weeps on its death and tries to paint the fallen leaves, green. Using light effects, all the leaves turn

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Data base analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Data base analysis - Essay Example However, enabling the ordering of the netmask provides the most efficient results for client’s orders but this does not enhance the internal clients in resolving the external addresses. Using the NS1 as a forwarder severs enhances successful name resolution for the internal clients. In round robin disabling, this will prohibit any further load balancing and hence will not enable the internal clients in resolving the external host names. In this scenario the user are likely to suffer from many problems which may prevent them from obtaining IP addresses, these may include the expiry of the users IP address, the incorrect DHCP configuration, duplicate IP address on the same network and lack of DHCP server authorization. As a result of the introduction of the active directory in the network, this authorizes the DHCP server and the expiry of the users IP address stimulates the generation of a new IP address (Shapiro, 2008). This also prevents a computer from acquiring a new IP addr ess by itself and thus prevents the DHCP missing which prevents users on network subnets to acquire new IP addresses. However, duplicate IP address prevents the user from communicating in the network but does not prevent the generation of a new IP address from the server. ... es which are connected to the main network through a virtual private network which uses registered authentication information from the active directory in the network this prevent unauthorized entry in to the network and as well as providing cheap access in the main network. Employees of a company can enter into the network through the authorization given by the network administrators. This is through the registration of usernames and the generation of passwords by the active directory which gives each employee rights and limits to access the network resources. This can be used to control the access of network resources by different employees. The use of centralized backups in WAN makes the sharing of network resources easier and cheap, a more improved backup includes all the possible inclusion of all subnet LANs joined together to a central database for easier access of resources, this can be done through network sub netting. References Carvalho, L. (2012). Windows server 2012 Hyper -V cookbook. Birmingham: Packt Pub.. Shapiro, J. R. (2008). Windows server 2008 bible. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley ;. Tomsho, G. (2010). MCTS guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Active Directory configuration: exam 70-640. Boston, MA: Course Technology/Cengage

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Liesel's overcoming abandonment and loss in Markus Zusak's The Book Essay

Liesel's overcoming abandonment and loss in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief - Essay Example In the beginning of the story Liesel, her mother, and brother are travelling to Molching, Germany on a train. Liesel’s brother dies on route causing the family to stop and bury her younger sibling. Liesel must have felt abandoned by her younger brother. Despite his leaving in death, her brother left her. In order to cope with his death Liesel takes a book dropped by the gravedigger. The Gravedigger’s Handbook was picked up at her brother’s grave. It was a memento of the event. She could not read at the time, but Liesel had something tangible to touch that reminded her of the brother’s death. Liesel’s father had left the family unit before the narrative in the graveyard. She must have felt abandoned by him as well. After her mother left Liesel with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Liesel was left without any biological family. She had emotional issues that were displayed through stealing books. At a book burning, Liesel stole a book. After th e mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hermann, gave Liesel permission to take any book in her library, Liesel preferred to steal the books. While in the mayor’s house Liesel and Rudy, her friend, would also steal food as well. The compulsion to steal what is given shows that Liesel has serious emotional problems. The act of taking is more enthralling than the actual possession of something necessary or new. The act of taking books is also symbolic. Words created the world Liesel lived in. Hitler’s speeches and the Nazi rhetoric allowed the violence and abandonment that was Liesel’s world. The theft of words would be impossible, but the closest thing would be stealing books. Liesel’s theft of books from one of the richest people in town, the mayor and his wife, was also symbolic. If Liesel could steal the words from influential people, maybe she could change the world. Words changed the world, thus the theft of words might change the world. While this might not make logical sense; to Liesel it made perfect emotional sense. Liesel also used words to soothe others. She would read stories in the bomb shelters. Her voice calmed the panicked bomb shelter residents. After hearing her read in the bomb shelter Frau Holtzapfel, a neighbor, asks Liesel to read to her. Frau Holtzapfel would not go to the shelter due to her depression over her son’s death. Liesel persuades her to come to the shelter by threatening never to read to her again. The words written by others soothed Liesel and the others. Max Vandenburg, a Jew hidden by Liesel’s foster family, teaches Liesel how to express herself though writing. He writes Liesel two books. Max felt a fondness for Liesel due to the fact she stayed by his bedside when he was sick. She brought him gifts and laid them next to him. Liesel was like his guardian angel. The first story Max wrote was The Standover Man. This story was about people that stand over others watching out for them. Liesel had be en Max’s ‘stand over man’ during his sickness. Liesel slowly realizes that stand over men can be as important as family. Even if her family, foster family, or friends leave, Liesel will always have someone that cares. She learned how everyone has a person to look out for them. It did not necessarily have to be family. This helps alleviate a little of the pain. The book had a positive impact on Liesel. The second story was The Word Shaker. This book showed how the power of words could cause a situation like Nazi

High School Life Essay Example for Free

High School Life Essay High school is a place where young teens learn to become mature and responsible. It is a place where students get trained to take on bigger challenges in life. Obstacles such as college. From my own personal experiences, high school didnt seem that way. Students were more concerned about getting a passing grade then about what they were taught. They would even cheat their way out of high school. This would prepare them for college. My freshman year of high school, I was in a totally different place and it seemed quite interesting and fascinating at first. As the year passed by, I started to notice the techniques students were using to pass classes. It was something I didnt see while I was in junior high school. Students were cheating on almost all the tests. They would bring little print-out cheat sheets to class to use on the tests. Hardly anyone got caught by the teacher. When students did get caught, all they would do is deny and usually the teacher would just let them get away with it. As Casey Banas wrote in Why Students Are Turned Off? I sometimes estimated that half to two-thirds of a class cheated on a given test, Glanz said. Worse, Ive encountered students who feel no remorse about cheating but are annoyed that a teacher has confronted them on their actions (Banas 659). Cheating seemed like the popular thing to do and if you didnt cheat you would be considered real foolish.. Everyone in the class knew what was going on and it was basically a whole class effort to cheat. Students would discuss what the answers were before taking the test and give each other opinions on how to cheat safely. When the test came back, every student in the class would have a real close score, but the teachers didnt seem to notice anything at all. Most of the students that go into a certain class usually wouldnt even know what went on even after the class has ended. As Casey Banas wrote: The teacher is convinced that the subject matter is worth knowing, but the student may not agree. Many students, Glanz said, are not convinced they need to know what teachers teach; but they believe good grades are needed to get into college†¦.(Banas 659) These kids could literally just sit there for forty-five minutes daydreaming. I find that many students feel the classes are extremely boring and is of no use to them in the future. I always used to ask myself Why do I need to know this stuff for?. When students feel this way, they dont do the work because they dont think they need it in life. When I used to go to high school, my whole class would get assignments and home works and about almost three-fourths of the class didnt do it. Instead they would wait until someone who was paying attention and did do the assignment to come along and let them copy the assignment. They would do it in way that the teacher wouldnt even know by slightly changing some words here and there. After that, that paper gets passed around the entire class to the students who didnt do the assignment and everyone would have a slightly different paper. This way all the students hand in the assignment and will get a passing grade, but did they even learn anything?. These techniques that were used in the high school that I attended did work and a lot of students graduated from high school using these techniques. I, myself, used these techniques and got through my freshman year. As time went on I found that high school was really boring so I decided to cut and eventually dropped-out of school. These students got good grades and did all the assignments, but the truth is, they didnt learn much at all. They can have a 85 average and get into a good college, but will they be prepared enough to survive college level work? I dont think so.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Examining Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Techniques

Examining Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Techniques Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is a generic term for techniques used for increasing the amount of crude oil that can be extracted from an oil well. Using EOR, 30-60 % of the reservoir original oil can be extracted compared with 20-40% using primary and secondary recovery techniques. Enhanced oil recovery is also called improved oil recovery or tertiary recovery. This improved extraction is achieved by gas injection, chemical injection and thermal recovery (which includes cyclic stream, stream flooding, and fire flooding). Gas injection is the most commonly used EOR technique; here gas such as carbon dioxide (CO2), natural gas, or nitrogen is injected into the reservoir whereupon it expands and thereby pushes additional oil to a production wellbore, and moreover dissolves in the oil to lower its viscosity and improve the flow rate of the oil. Oil displacement by carbon dioxide injection relies on the phase behaviour of carbon dioxide and crude oil mixture that are strongly dependent on reservoir temperature, pressure and crude oil composition. These mechanisms range from oil swelling and viscosity reduction for injection of immiscible fluids (at low pressure) to completely miscible displacement in high pressure applications. In these applications, more than half and up to two-third of the injected carbon dioxide returns with the produced oil and is usually re-injected into the reservoir to minimize operating cost. The remainder is trapped in the oil reservoir by various means. Other techniques include thermal recovery (which uses heat to improve flow rate) and, more rarely, chemical injection, where polymers are injected to increase the effectiveness of water floods or the use of detergent-like surfactants such as to help lower the capillary pressure that often prevents oil droplets from moving through a reservoir. Surfactant enhanced water floods are used for oil recovery where surfactants are injected with polymer. Microbial Enhanced oil Recovery (MEOR) is particularly suited for application in carbonate reservoir, after secondary oil recovery, there are still large amount of oil left in the reservoir. Some bacteria are able to increase the oil production when injected into the oil reservoir. To stimulate such anaerobic microbial increased oil recovery, nutrients is injected together with the injection water. Oil recovery requires two to three stages which are briefly described below Stage 1: Primary Recovery 12 15 % of the oil in the well is recovered without the need to introduce other substances into the well. Stage 2: Secondary Recovery The oil well is flooded with water or other substances to obtain an additional 15-20% more oil from the well. Stage 3: Tertiary Recovery This stage may be accomplished through several methods which includes MEOR to additionally recover up to 11% more oil from the well. Layout for different recovery techniques are shown in figure 1. Primary and secondary recovery techniques are usually called conventional recovery. Primary recovery is done by natural flow which is usually enhanced by reservoir natural pressure, and artificial lift such as pumps and gas lift, etc. Secondary recovery is done by water folding and pressure maintenance by gas reinjection. Tertiary recovery techniques cover broad area which includes thermal recovery such as in-situ combustion and steam flooding, solvent recovery is done by methods such as polymer flooding and surfactant enhanced water flood. Chemical enhanced recovery methods include gas injection or hydrocarbon miscible injection and nitrogen and flue gas flooding. Microbial enhanced oil recovery which is the main focus of this project will be explained better in the next chapter, but it is basically injection of microbes such as bacteria into oil reservoir to help recover oil. All these methods of oil recovery will be e xplained briefly. PRIMARY RECOVERY If the underground pressure in the oil reservoir is sufficient, then this pressure will force the oil out to the surface of the earth. Gaseous fuel, natural gas or water is usually present, which also supply needed underground pressure. In this situation, it is sufficient to place a complex arrangement of valves (Christmas tree) on the well head to connect the well to a pipeline network for storage and processing. Normally oil is recovered by natural means and artificial lift like pumps and gas lift. SECONDARY RECOVERY Over a lifetime of an oil well, the pressure will fall and at some point there will be insufficient underground pressure to force the oil to the surface of the earth. If economical, as often is, more oil in the well is extracted using secondary recovery methods. Secondary oil recovery uses various techniques to aid in recovering oil from depleted or low pressure reservoir. Sometimes, pumps such as beam pumps and electric submersible pumps (ESPs) are used to pump the oil to the surface of the earth. Other secondary recovery techniques increases the reservoirs pressure by water injection, natural gas reinjection and gas lift, which inject air, carbon dioxide or some other gases into the reservoir. Together, primary and secondary recovery generally allows 25-35 % of the reservoir oil to be recovered. Water injection The productivity of existing oil wells can be significantly increased by the use of water injection. Statistics has shown that a reservoir produces just 37% oil in the first recovery. By using water injection, a reservoir can produce more than 50% of its oil. One of the most important issues during oil production is to keep the matrix/formation as clean as possible to maintain maximum oil production. Water is injected for two reasons: first is for pressure support of the reservoir. Second is to sweep or displace the oil from the reservoir, and push it outward. Gas lift Gas lift is one of a number of processes used to artificially lift oil from a well, where there is insufficient reservoir pressure. The process involves injecting gas through the tube-casing annulus. Injected gases aerate the fluid and reduce its density so the formation pressure is then able to lift the oil column and forces the fluid out of the wellbore. Gas may be injected continuously or intermittently, depending on the producing characteristics of the well and the arrangement of the gas-lift equipment. Although the gas is recovered from the oil at a latter separation stage, the process requires energy to drive a compressor in order to raise the pressure of the gas to a level where it can be reinjected. TERTIARY RECOVERY Tertiary recovery reduces the oil viscosity to increase oil production. Thermally enhanced oil recovery methods (TEOR) are tertiary recovery techniques that heat the oil and make it easier to flow or extract. Steam injection is the most common form of TEOR, and is often done with a cogeneration plant. In this type of cogeneration plant, a gas turbine is used to generate electricity and the waste heat is used to produce steam, which is then injected into the reservoir. In-situ burning is another form of TEOR, but instead of steam, some of the oil is burnt to heat the surrounding oil. Occasionally, detergents are also used to decrease oil viscosity as a tertiary oil recovery method, another method to reduce viscosity is carbon dioxide flooding. Tertiary recovery begins when secondary oil recovery isnt enough to continue adequate production, but only when the oil can still be extracted profitably. (Hitzman 1983) Gas injection or Hydrocarbon Miscible injection Gas injection is the most commonly used EOR technique, here, gas such as carbon dioxide is injected into the reservoir whereupon it expands and thereby pushes additional oil to a production wellbore, and moreover dissolves in the oil to lower its viscosity and improves the flow rate of the oil. Oil displacement by carbon dioxide injection relies on the phase behaviour of carbon dioxide and crude oil mixture that are strongly dependent on reservoir temperature, pressure and crude oil composition. These mechanisms range from oil swelling and viscosity reduction for injection of immiscible fluid (at low pressure) to completely miscible displacement in high pressure applications. In these applications, more than half and up to two-third of the injected carbon dioxide returns with the produced oil and is usually reinjected into the reservoir by various means. Nitrogen and gas flooding Nitrogen and flue gas about 87 % nitrogen and 12 % carbon dioxide is used in place of hydrocarbon gases because of economical reasons. Nitrogen competes with carbon dioxide because it is economical and its compressibility is much lower. For a given quantity at standard condition nitrogen will occupy much more space at reservoir pressure than carbon dioxide and methane at the same condition. Nitrogen has a poor solubility and lower viscosity in oil and requires much higher pressure to create miscibility. THERMAL RECOVERY In-situ combustion Fire flooding is world cheapest means of thermal recovery, however, significant amount of amount of fuel must be burned, both above the ground to compress the air, and below ground in the combustion process. Actually the worst part of the crude oil is burnt, the lighter end are carried forward in advance of the burning zone to upgrade the crude oil. Stream flooding In the steam drive, steam Is continually introduced in the injection well to reduce the viscosity of the oil and provide a driving force to move oil towards the production well. Steam driving may work by driving water and oil to form an oil bank in front of steamed zone. Ideally this steam bank remains n front, increasing in size until it is produced by the well offsetting the injector. However, in many cases the steam flows over the oil and transfer heat by conduction. Oil at the interface will then be less viscous and dragged along with the steam to the producing well. Recoverability is increased because the steam lowers the oil viscosity and improves the oil mobility. The more mobile oil displace the steam zone expands vertically, and the steam oil interface is maintained. Chemical injection Other techniques which uses heat to improve flow rates (and more rarely) is chemical injection, where polymers are injected to increase the effectiveness of water floods, or the use of detergent like surfactants to help lower the capillary pressure that often prevents oil droplets from moving through a reservoir. Alkaline flooding is an effective chemical EOR method. SOLVENT RECOVERY Polymer flooding Both synthetic polymer such as polyacrylamides and natural polymers are used for improvement of sweep efficiency. Additional polymer makes the water more viscous so that oil is produced faster. Obviously, this is not a good idea n a low permeability reservoir or one with high clay content that absorb the polymer. However, polymer-augmented water floods can be profitable Surfactant-Enhanced Water flood Three types of chemical floods exist. The first is an alkaline-augmented polymer flood. Another is an alkaline-surfactant polymer flood. The third is a micellar or low interface tension flood (Donaldson, 1989). AIM AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this project is to study the adaptability of anaerobic bacteria (Clostridium Thyrobutyricum 633) to different salinities and check the effect of the microbial strain on permeability of the Danish Nord Sea Chalk. To achieve this aim, the following objectives have been set: Check adaptability of microbial strain to high salinities Microbial gas production and dynamics of metabolism Carry out plate count experiment Observation of fermentation process and microbial analysis To determine and measure the volume of carbon dioxide gas produced by these microbes when exposed to different salinities To determine the amount of acid produced during fermentation process Statistical analysis of results to derive model Improvement of experimental procedure The project work is based on studying of the microbial enhanced oil recovery method and the possibilities of using this in the Danish sector of the Nord Sea. The project task applies experimental procedure and the specific to investigate if these microbes can survive under reservoir conditions and produce products important in oil recovery. CHAPTER TWO:Â  LITERATURE REVIEW MICROBIAL ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY (MEOR) MEOR is used in the third phase of oil recovery from a well, it is a tertiary oil recovery technique. MEOR is the use of micro-organisms to retrieve additional oil from an existing well, thereby enhancing the petroleum production of an oil reservoir. In this technique, selected natural micro-organisms are introduced into oil well to produce harmless by-products like carbon dioxide. These process help to mobilize the oil and facilitate oil flow by reducing the viscosity of the oil and making the rock permeable, thereby allowing more amount of oil to be recovered from a well. Amongst the available tertiary oil recovery techniques, MEOR is arguably the best for many reasons. One key factor in the selection of microbial enhanced oil recovery is the economical potential, by which desirable chemicals and gases are produced to enhance oil recovery. MEOR processes are also energy efficient and environmental friendly as compared to other recovery techniques. History of microbes used MEOR is a technology that has a history based on over 60 years of research and field studies. The earlier works by ZoBell CE and Updegraff D (USA), Kuznetsov SI and Shturn DL (USSR), shows the international scope of the work. This work was expanded in the 1950s mainly by investigators Coty VF, Yarborough H and Hitzman DO in the major oil companies in the United States. In MEOR, the process that facilitates oil production is complex and may involve multiple biochemical processes. Microbial biomass or biopolymers may plug high permeability zones and lead to a redirection of water flood, produce surfactants which lead to increased mobilization of residual oil, increase gas pressure by the production of carbon dioxide or reduce the oil viscosity due to digestion of large molecules. Application of MEOR technologies MEOR technologies have the common basis of introducing or stimulating viable micro organisms in an oil well reservoir for the purpose of enhancing oil recovery. However, this broad generic definition of MEOR is not a single methodology but is a broader technology which can be designed for different and selective applications. It is convenient to divide the MEOR technology into the following application groups: Single well stimulation MEOR water floods Paraffins removal Viscosity modification Water diversion Heavy oil modification The classification of MEOR technology by the proposed oil releasing mechanism shows the range of microbial effects which can be identified or expected to occur to which the MEOR system can be directed. MEOR Oil Releasing Mechanism Gas generation: The production of gases will aid the displacement of oil in the pore spaces. Acid production: Organic and inorganic acid production by microbes will dissolve carbonate deposits, iron sulphide and dissolution and sulphate materials. Surfactant production: Biosurfactants produced by the organisms result in the reduction of interfacial surface tension of the oil/water bond. Other MEOR oil releasing mechanisms includes: Physical oil displacement Biopolymer production Hydrocarbon modification Viscosity modification Selective plugging of high permeability zones within a reservoir is necessary to achieve oil recovery. This is best achieved in MEOR process where cells stimulated to grow deeply in a formation where production of biomass and products will have the greatest impact. If growth occurs primarily at the well bore, then face plugging will result, and no additional oil will be recovered, leaving the reservoir unproductive. The Science of MEOR The micro organisms used in MEOR can be applied to a single oil well or to an entire oil reservoir. They need certain conditions to survive, so nutrients are often introduced into the well certain intervals. MEOR also requires that water be present. Micro organisms grow between the oil and the wells rock surface to enhance oil recovery by the following methods: Reduction of oil viscosity: Oil is a thick fluid that is quite viscous, meaning that it does not flow easily. Micro organisms help break down the molecular structure of crude oil, making it less viscous and easier to recover from the well. Production of carbon dioxide gas: As a by-product of metabolism, micro organisms produce carbon dioxide gas. Over time, these gases accumulate and displace the oil in the well, driving it up and out of the ground. Production of biomass: When micro organisms metabolize the nutrient they need for survival, they produce organic biomass as a by-product. This biomass accumulates between the oil and the rock surface, physically displacing the oil and making it easier to recover from the well. Selective plugging: Some micro organisms secrete slimy substances called exopolysaccharides to protect themselves from drying out or falling prey to other organisms. The substance helps bacteria plug the pores found in the rocks within the well so that oil may move past rock surfaces more easily. Blocking rock pores to facilitate the movement of oil is known as selective plugging. Production of bio surfactants: Micro organisms produce slippery substances called surfactants as they breakdown il. Because they are naturally produced by biological micro organisms, they are referred to as bio surfactants. Bio surfactants act like slippery detergents, helping the oil move more freely away from rock and crevices so that it may travel more easily out of the well. If we make a comparison between MEOR and other enhanced oil recovery, then we can see that MEOR is much adoptable, it offers multiple recovery mechanisms, low capital and operating cost, while in other enhanced oil recovery techniques, only a specified technology is applicable also has a high capital and operating cost. TYPES OF MICROBES AND THEIR SELECTION MEOR has gained much attention in recent times, but it is worth noting that not all microbes can survive in such conditions as found in an oil well, therefore the microbes which are able to withstand these conditions are discussed below: Microbes used in MEOR There are many types of bacteria used in MEOR, they include aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and are divided on the basis of their need for oxygen. In this project work, the bacteria used were anaerobic from CHP-biogas plant at Ribe in Denmark. Selection of Bacteria The selection of specific bacteria is considered in this method. There are a lot of bacteria available, but the normal conditions for majority of bacteria is 5 % Sodium chloride, optimum temperature of 37 degree Celsius, pH less than seven. Factors affecting growth of bacteria There are many factors which affects the growth of bacteria. Some of which are explained in the below: Salinity: The term salinity refers to the amount of dissolved salt that are present in water. Sodium chloride is the predominant ions in sea water, the concentration of magnesium, calcium and sulphate ions are also substantial. High salinity and toxic substances are responsible for limiting the growth of microbes. Halophiles are salt loving microbes which use sodium chloride and also have complex nutrient requirements. Moderate halophiles can grow anaerobically at temperature greater than 50o C. The salinity in the northern part of Danish oil field is about 40g/l or more. Since salinity too high, formation water is diluted with sea water during injection in the well. In order to perform experimental and laboratory analysis, a sample of produce water is taken so as to know how much salinity can be controlled; therefore microbial gas production has been tested up to 140g/l. Temperature: Extreme high temperature affects the growth of bacteria, although they need average temperature for growth. Thermopiles are bacteria which are heat loving; these bacteria have an optimum growth temperature of 45 o C 80 o C. Their membranes are unusually stable at this extremely high temperature. Thus many important biotechnological processes utilise thermophilic enzymes because of their ability to withstand intense heat. So before injecting these bacteria into the reservoir, the temperature of the reservoir should be considered, therefore, selection of the right thermophilic bacteria for high temperature is very important. Effect of pH: pH is the measure of acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Simply pH is the measure of concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. It is a measure of the activity of dissolved hydrogen ion. In pure water at 25 o C, the concentration of hydrogen ion equals the concentration of hydroxide ions; this is known as neutral and corresponds to a pH level of 7.0. Solutions in which the concentration of hydrogen ions exceeds that of hydroxyl ion has a pH level lower than 7.0 and are known ad bases. The pH reading of a solution is usually obtained by comparing unknown solution to those of known pH, and there are several ways to do so. More favourable pH condition for micro organisms is about 7 and very few of them can grow below2 and above 10. Micro organisms capable of living at very low pH are called acidphilies and those which live at high pH are called alkaliphiles. Pressure: Extreme pressure affects the growth and metabolism of micro organisms. A pressure lower than 100-200 atm has no effect on microbial metabolism, however, pressure of the range of 500-600 atm have limiting effect on growth of bacteria. The ocean floor possesses high pressure. For most MEOR processes barophilic organisms will not be necessary, instead, barotolerant microbes can grow at high pressures, but do not require these high pressures for optimal growth. The ability to grow pressure depends on the energy sources available, inorganic salts present, pH and temperature. Adaptation of microbial cultures to higher pressure therefore is possible. Toxic elements: Chemicals which have toxic effects on micro organisms are found in some reservoirs. These chemicals include co-surfactant, surfactant, biocides, ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and toluene, many of which are used in various chemical EOR operations. Sodium and Potassium may be exchanged without impairing the growth of micro organisms. Magnesium has higher toxicity than sodium and potassium, but the most toxic formation water are those with high Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), so adaptability should be considered before injecting micro organisms in such toxic environment. The choice of Clostridium Tyrobutiricum Thousands of bacteria have been investigated for MEOR purpose, but the fermentation bacteria remain the most popular especially Clostridia specie because they produce large volume of gas which include CO2, H2 and CH4. These gases produced, decrease the oil viscosity and increase the pressure in the oil reservoir. Fermentation Fermentation is the process that produces alcoholic beverages or acidic dairy products. In general, fermentation involves the breaking down of complex organic substances into simpler ones. Waste products formed in this way include gases, ethyl alcohol, butyl alcohol, organic acids, acetone and others. Molasses fermentation generates energy rich metabolic product, which may react in the final decomposition line of sulphate reduction under anaerobic formation condition. With sulphate ion in the formation water, sulphur reduction predominates. Hydrogen sulphide produced is actually not desirable. The organic acids are formed through fermentation of the molasses by the bacteria in the reservoir do cause a rock dissolving process. Dorben field (Germany), 1982, Dr. Wagner Another reason for using fermentation bacteria is Dr. Wagner field trail. If we make comparison between Danish north oil field formation and Zechstein evaporates rocks which are similar to the Danish North Sea formation. Dolomite is also similar to Danish north field chalk. Formation temperature is quite similar and of course has a high salinity. Clostridia tyrobutiricum was selected for Dr. Wagners experiment. The characteristics of Dr. Wagners experiment field are as follows: Dolomite of Zechstein formations Depth of 1240m Formation temperature 53 oC High salinity formation water, even the fissures and fractures are partially filled with salt. The result of Dr. Wagners MEOR well experiments: Water cut decreased from 80 to 60 % Average annual oil production: Before microbial treatment 50 tons per month 3 months after injection 150 tons per month 1 year after injection 300 tons per month Since all these conditions are similar to Danish North Sea formation and other factors are also same, so we can use fermentation bacteria for MEOR experiment. Adaptation of bacteria to high salinities Majority of the bacteria cannot withstand high salinity, from the time of ancient civilization; it is known that adding 50 g/l of salt in food preserves it from spoiling. This means that fermentation bacteria which normally populate organic substances has a challenge of adaptation in high salinity. The spore forming bacteria like clostridium form spores in extreme conditions. These conditions allow bacteria to survive but they will not be active and would not be productive. Under extremely high salinities, bacteria undergo osmotic stress which is expressed in osmotic pressure. Osmotic pressure affects the water activity and production of CO2 gas during the fermentation process. Osmosis Osmosis is the passage of water from region of high concentration through a semi-permeable membrane to a region of lower water concentration. Semi permeable membrane are very thin layers of material (cell membrane are semi-permeable) which allow some substances to pass through them and prevent other substances from passing through. Cell membranes will allow small molecules like oxygen, water, CO2, ammonia, glucose, amino acid, etc. to pass through; meanwhile, cell membranes do not allow passage of larger molecules like sucrose, starch, protein, etc. Osmotic pressure Osmotic pressure is hydrostatic pressure produced by a difference in concentration between solutions on the two sides of a surface such as a semi permeable membrane. It was also observed that the bacteria change its morphology. For the case of clostridia it will mean that from rod-shape it turns to cocci-form which is simply the reflection of shrinkage. Potential osmotic pressure Potential osmotic pressure is the maximum osmotic pressure that could develop in a solution if it were separated from distilled water by a selectively permeable membrane. It is the number of solute particle in a unit volume of the solution that directly determines its potential osmotic pressure. Osmotic properties of cells The wall of bacteria and growing plant cells are not completely rigid, and the turgor pressure has been proposed to provide the mechanical force for the expansion of the cell walls during cell growth. The uptake or biosynthesis of osmotically active solutes causes an increase in the cells, thus providing the necessary tugor pressure for expansion of the cell walls. Although the suggestion that turgor pressure is the driving force for cell wall expansion would imply that the mechanisms that regulate the osmotic balance of organisms are central to the very process of cell growth. Lipid membranes allow rapid diffusion of water molecules into or out of cells while presenting an effective barrier to most other biological molecules. Membranes that exhibit selective permeability for different substances are called semi permeable, and the osmotic properties of cells derive from this property of the membranes. Thermophyllic and Halophyllic bacteria There are bacteria which need high salinities and high temperatures for their growth. In order to investigate and record the conditions of microbes at high salinities and high temperature it is better to know about the bacteria which can withstand on these conditions. Important information has been given about these type of bacteria is discussed below. A thermopile is an extremophile organism which survives at relatively high temperatures. Thermophilic (heat-loving) organisms are organism with an optimum growth temperature of 50o C or more, a maximum of up to 70

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Style of Writing :: Education Writing Essays

Style of Writing In both of the books various elements of style are mentioned, William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style Toward Clarity and Grace, clarity and concision are to be the most important. I think that in order for your reader to be able to enjoy and understand what they are reading, it has to be written clearly and concisely. I believed that everyone has his or her own style: whether the style be that of one’s hair, clothes, or writing. I always knew that having your own style did not mean that yours was the best or even decidedly correct. After I finished toiling through Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style and William’s Style Toward Clarity and Grace, I learned that there is a dress code, even for writing. Yes, you could have your own style, per sey, but you must follow the rules and guidelines necessary for good writing. The Elements of Style and Style are interesting because separately, they tell two different versions to the same story. In Strunk and White’s book, a mere ninety-five pages of instruction, tell you in brief and curt words the rules for writing clearly. This books intention was to be short, a sort of handbook for quick reference. In its introduction E.B White writes, â€Å"It was Will Strunk’s parvoum opus, his attempt to cut the vast tangle of English rhetoric down to size and write its rules and principles on the head of a pin† (Strunk and White xiii). This intention seems innocent but it is my belief that it leaves the reader wondering, without precise reason in mind what clear writing is. Joseph M. Williams’ book, on the other hand, elaborates in detail of te guidelines and principles for writing the English language clearly and concisely. Each of his systematic principles for good wiring are padded with an abundance of example and explanation. Joseph Williams’ acknowledges this in his preface: â€Å"you should understand this is not an afternoon read. We offer detailed ways to put into specific practice the clichà ©s of style ‘Be clear’ ‘Omit needless words’†¦ We suggest you read this book a short section at a time, and then look at your won writing the writing of others† (Williams xiii).

Friday, October 11, 2019

Proposed Design for a Garden for the Blind :: Architecture Design Essays

Proposed Design for a Garden for the Blind As a largely visually-reliant society, much of botanical garden design have focused primarily on visual presentation, whether in flower color or in garden composition. Slowly, however, sensory gardens appealing to our more underutilized senses of smell, sound, touch, and even taste are appearing around the country and the globe. While these unique parks may specifically have blind individuals in mind, sensory gardens also appeal to anyone in the general population who would like to expand their sensory horizons. The following is just one proposal for a sensory garden design: The entrance to the garden should be visually, nasally, and tactilely stimulating. A metal gate covered with entangled goldflame honeysuckle vines (Lonicera x heckrottii ) would serve as a colorful, aromatic greeting and give visitors a small taste of the experience to come. These perennial plants also attract hummingbirds and butterflies, whose activities would surely stimulate the ears. The general layout of the garden would include a continuous serpentine path lined with raised plant beds (to minimize stooping and bending) on both sides. The path can even wrap around a standing rectangular planter to maximize usable area. The path would also have several alcoves or nooks, which would give visitors a resting area where they could linger about, smelling flowers and feeling leaf textures. Park benches present throughout the park would accommodate walking visitors who want to simply breathe in the lovely smells of the tea olive tree, for instance. Smooth wood railings on both sides of the path should run all throughout the garden to serve as directional guides. A change in material texture (to a metal, for instance) could be used to indicate an alcove area. Metal plaques in Braille embedded in the edges of the concretealcoves would provide general information about the various plants. These plaques can also have buttons that can be pushed for an audio reading of the inscription. According to the book Sensory Design, uneven pathways heighten our awareness of surfaces by compelling us to use our kinesthetic sense to perceive the changes in the ground. For the disabled, a slow-sloping path (upward and downward) would engage the visitor in using this sensory system. Proposed Design for a Garden for the Blind :: Architecture Design Essays Proposed Design for a Garden for the Blind As a largely visually-reliant society, much of botanical garden design have focused primarily on visual presentation, whether in flower color or in garden composition. Slowly, however, sensory gardens appealing to our more underutilized senses of smell, sound, touch, and even taste are appearing around the country and the globe. While these unique parks may specifically have blind individuals in mind, sensory gardens also appeal to anyone in the general population who would like to expand their sensory horizons. The following is just one proposal for a sensory garden design: The entrance to the garden should be visually, nasally, and tactilely stimulating. A metal gate covered with entangled goldflame honeysuckle vines (Lonicera x heckrottii ) would serve as a colorful, aromatic greeting and give visitors a small taste of the experience to come. These perennial plants also attract hummingbirds and butterflies, whose activities would surely stimulate the ears. The general layout of the garden would include a continuous serpentine path lined with raised plant beds (to minimize stooping and bending) on both sides. The path can even wrap around a standing rectangular planter to maximize usable area. The path would also have several alcoves or nooks, which would give visitors a resting area where they could linger about, smelling flowers and feeling leaf textures. Park benches present throughout the park would accommodate walking visitors who want to simply breathe in the lovely smells of the tea olive tree, for instance. Smooth wood railings on both sides of the path should run all throughout the garden to serve as directional guides. A change in material texture (to a metal, for instance) could be used to indicate an alcove area. Metal plaques in Braille embedded in the edges of the concretealcoves would provide general information about the various plants. These plaques can also have buttons that can be pushed for an audio reading of the inscription. According to the book Sensory Design, uneven pathways heighten our awareness of surfaces by compelling us to use our kinesthetic sense to perceive the changes in the ground. For the disabled, a slow-sloping path (upward and downward) would engage the visitor in using this sensory system.

Accounting (Managerial) 530 Portfolio Case Study Essay

Imagine you are applying to become a trainee in a management consulting company, Solutions Inc., which claims to deliver innovative solutions. They are looking for innovative employees who engage with their work. The selection process will be rigorous. You know you will be asked to submit reports based on questions regarding your knowledge of management accounting practice and strategic management accounting. To provide a context for the reports, you have been provided with a scenario in the form a case study on which the questions are based. To answer the questions you are going to have to do some research in the library. Giving you the questions is a method to test your information literacy skills. Submitting your answers in the form of reports is a way of testing your aptitude as an analyst and communicator. Scenario on which to base your report submissions Assume you have been appointed as a consulting Management Accountant to an organization with rapidly growing sales and expanding customer acceptance in the surf wear clothing target market 18-30 years. The clothing is sold under an increasingly recognized brand name worldwide. Sales are made online -both internationally and locally, as well as through franchised outlets. The accounting system has not kept pace with the growth and complexity of the company. It is even more critical for the company to take control of its finances in the current slow recovery of the U.S. and European markets. You have been given a list of issues listed below by the management of the company. In analysing the issues, the management of the company is concerned that the accounting system does not provide tight cost control, measure quality control, and does not provide a good basis for the budgeting system. No cost analysis has been done within the company to date. The management of the company wishes you to investigate the following issues; given that management wishes to maintain growth in this turbulent environment: Report One (Issues 1 to 3) Issue 1: It is difficult to see the relationship between the stated cost of production and the selling price for the various lines of clothing ranging from simple to complex clothing. According to the management â€Å"We don’t need a product costing system. About half of our product range is made in China and shipped to online customers from there so we avoid GST. The remainder of our production consists of a growing range of high value, small batches of swim wear, surf wear and wet suits. We apply a just-in-time approach so that our inventories are minimal. We have little influence over product price as price competition is on the increase and brand loyalty isn’t sufficiently strong to justify uncompetitive prices. Anyway, our accountant is already far too busy to bother with a product costing system†. In your submission to the management, discuss the current no costing policy, and present an argument in support of undertaking an appropriate product costing system. Issue 2: The managers of the company have been convinced that they need a better costing system for their local production. They have heard about Activity Based Costing and they believe that it will improve the accuracy of the costing of their products. In your submission to the management, provide the conditions under which the use of activity based costing may be justified, and whether you believe there is a case to implement Activity Based Costing in this organization. Issue 3: The management of the company has concerns that they do not know enough about the relationship between cost and profit. Include in your submission to the  management, a discussion on the difficulties they may face in gathering the information they might need to carry out an analysis of cost behavior, and the development of a cost function in this company. A brief comment on the benefits the company can derive from a full understanding of cost behavior is also desirable. Report Two (Issues 4 to 6) Issue 4: The management wants to be able to predict the effect on profits resulting from changes in volume, costs and prices. Prepare a submission for management on how this may be done, and the difficulties that they are likely to face in undertaking this sort of analysis. Issue 5: Previously the company did not use budgets because the owners were the managers of the business and close to activities being managed and did not feel the need for budgets. As the company has grown, and the operations have become more diverse, professional managers have been recruited. Include in your submission an argument for budgeting, indicating the benefits of budgeting, and the factors to take into consideration when faced with uncertainty regarding sales growth. Issue 6: The company has a need to make choices sometimes whether to make or buy certain of the products carrying their brand. On other occasions they are also required to make decisions on special prices when a potential retailer makes an offer to buy goods from them at a price lower than their normal price. The management currently make their decisions in these matters based on the average cost of goods sold in the previous accounting period. Discuss the concept of Relevant cost and benefits, and the type of accounting and non-accounting information they would need for such decisions. Instructions for the portfolio submissions: 1. Assume that the management of the company has little technical knowledge in management accounting. You would need to define terms and explain concepts to the management before linking those terms and concepts to your report. 2. You must submit your responses in the form of two separate reports as follows: a. Report 1 covering Issues 1 to 3 b. Report 2 covering Issues 4 to 6 You should read the Guidelines available on blackboard prior to writing up your report. There are strict requirements as regards formatting and layout.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Jackal Reaction Paper

In â€Å"Moral Mazes†, Robert Jackal explores the elements of bureaucracy and its influencing prevailing form in the American work environment in the different organizational levels of hierarchy. Upon reading this businesses best seller, I was very skeptical about Jackal’s research and ideas. Jackal’s study, scrutinizing only a handful of large and mid-sized companies, gave me the impression of lack of breadth. However, the meticulous and depth of the study of each of these organizations truly gave me a great sense of credulousness.Although I believe that not all the companies behave the way Jackal portrays his selected companies, they do illustrate common aspects that I can observe in real corporations and in my own work place. This reaction paper will explore specific areas of â€Å"Moral Mazes† that illustrate organizational culture in American businesses and how bureaucratic organizational structure maps out moral consciousness that relate directly to my personal and professional life. These specific areas of discussion include: inner circles and connections; decentralization and accountability; team player versus self-promotion; and finally, image and public illusion.Jackall introduces Max Weber’s description of the Protestant ethic as to the set of beliefs and binding social rules that guide the methodical, rational subjection of human impulse and desire to God’s will through â€Å"restless, continuous, systematic work in a worldly calling† (Jackall, 2010, p. 6). Furthermore, Jackall presents Weber’s Prussian model of bureaucracy, which is objective, close to detail, standardized, impersonal and separates the offices from persons (Jackall, 2010, p. 10).I agree with Jackall that these two terms, Protestant ethic and the Prussian model of bureaucracy, are idealistic systems in which any kind organization would run efficiently and smoothly. The reason why I support these ideas is because I believe hard work, like the Protestant ethic preaches, can lead someone towards success. Moreover, with Weber’s Prussian model of bureaucracy, processes would be fair and objective. Unfortunately, I also believe that these are not the sole ingredients to succeed. Protestant ethics eventually lead people to accumulate wealth, which then sparked a domino effect towards bureaucracy.Jackall describes patrimonial bureaucracy, which was the organizational form of kings and princes, as personal loyalty being the norm, not loyalty to an office (Jackall, 2010, p. 11). However, modern American organizations are administrated as a hybrid between the pure form of bureaucracy and the patrimonial bureaucracy (Jackall, 2010, p. 11). This leads me into my first point of inner circles and connections. Even Jackall himself ironically channeled through bureaucratic elevators through the core of his study that was the basis of this book.Originally, Jackall was rejected by thirty six different corporations th at did not want to be ethically studied and gave suspicious excuses like they were going through â€Å"transitional phases† and that there were no tangible organizational benefits to be gained from a study of managerial ethics. Talking to the right people however, Jackall was â€Å"vouched for† and was able to penetrate several high ranked executives in the few companies that he meticulously studied as well as gained the trust of many managers that gave him great insight upon ethical issues within their organizations.Jackall illustrates this â€Å"if you know people, you’ll go to places† idea once again in Chapter 2 with the example of Weft Corporation’s new CEO who staffed all key positions with people form his inner circles as well as with people who served under him in the Army during World War II (Jackal, 2010 p. 35). I agree with Jackall that connections can lead you to places because I have a friend that got a very prestigious managerial posi tion in a big insurance company in Canada where his uncle is currently CEO.When CEO’s have power it is said to be a centralized business, however, decentralization creates a more efficient spectrum in the business side of the organization. As Jackall states, decentralization pushes down responsibilities and decisions as far down the organizational line as possible (Jackall, 2010, p. 18). In a decentralized structure, it gives top executives to take credit for positive outcomes and wash their hands when there are failures by pushing down details along with responsibilities and decisions. This was the case with Enron and the top executives playing dumb when everyone was trying to point fingers.For example, Kenneth Lay, former CEO and chairman of Enron, genuinely believed and accepted that he did not know anything about the Enron scandals and procedures. This is an example of lack of accountability and how pushing down details allows superiors to get off the hook. Another import ant consequence that pushing down of details create is the fact that middle managers, who know the details, become the â€Å"point men† or â€Å"fall guys† when things go wrong (Jackal, 2010, p. 22). This lack of accountability is truly disturbing and unfair.In my old job at a stainless steel company where I worked in the marketing department, a coworker got blamed for missing a deadline that was not clearly stated by her manager. She almost ended up losing her job and, instead of being accountable for the mistake, her manager blamed her for not paying close attention to her instructions. My next point of discussion involves the relationship between being a â€Å"team player† and the concept of â€Å"every man for himself†. Like Jackall states that, in order to get ahead, one must be a team player. Jackall uses an analogy where a football team is the organization.For example, the quarter back is the boss and a player is anyone who has a stake in and is in volved in a decision, etc. I only partially agree with Jackall’s view where being a team player will get you ahead because in some way one must play as a team and cooperate with one another in order to reach similar goals. However, I lean more towards Jackall’s cynical and somber reality of individuality and self-promotion. I believe that one can get ahead by how he presents himself and how well he sells himself. Like Jackall explains, one sells oneself and will differentiate from others with the right style (Jackall, 2010, p. 0). I recently got an internship with Northwestern Mutual. They are currently ranked in the top ten internship programs in the country. I personally do not have a stacked up resume or anything like that, but I sold myself very well in the initial interview, presented myself even better and left them with a memorable first impression. In order to leave a lasting and impressive self-brand one must â€Å"dress for success†. Like Jackall descr ibes, bureaucracies not only rationalize work, buy they rationalize people’s public face (Jackall, 2010, p. 49). I could not agree more with Jackall on this idea.I believe that image and professionalism separates the dominating and strong from the weak. Even if it is a facade, external appearances are critical. This part of the â€Å"mask† that Jackall mentions throughout this book. In relation to image Jackall mentions public perception or illusion in one of his interviews: â€Å"The whole thing becomes a complicated game of maintaining the public perception, the illusion really, that I’m on the move† (Jackall, 2010, p. 47). I believe that task oriented skills will only get you so far, but it is the perception that you have on others what is truly going to propel you.Concluding this paper, I want to remark the importance of networking, connections and relationships one nurtures throughout one’s personal and professional career. One never knows whi ch will become an important stepping-stone towards a successful and happy career. In relation to decentralizing organizations, it is easy for top executives to wash their hands when something goes wrong. Being accountable not only shows character, it is also the right thing to do. Moreover, balancing both factors of â€Å"team player† and â€Å"self-promotion† not only will one have a strong equilibrium but will also maintain the right tools to get ahead successfully.Finally, wearing that â€Å"mask† and portraying the illusion to maintain a strong image is a dependable skill worth polishing and implementing. I originally thought of Moral Mazes as a difficult read due to the sophisticated and eloquent language used by Jackall, but I quickly caught into it, especially re-reading certain sections after our class discussions. It really surprised me how people’s perceptions differ throughout the different situational and moral dilemmas. Even though it is fina ncially difficult to achieve, it would be interesting to read a large-scale study version of Moral Mazes.