John Locke And Edmund Burke s Political Rebellion

Both John Locke and Edmund Burke support political rebellion under specific circumstances. What differentiates these two political theorists in their discussions of revolution? Please make reference to both Second Treatise of Government and Reflections on the Revolution in France when answering this question. Cite the texts and be specific. Many philosophers and theorists have spoken on the value, or lack thereof, of revolution. In Second Treatise of Government, John Locke builds the concept of a â€Å"social contract,† which outlines responsibilities of the government and what can be done if the state fails to uphold its duties. Edmund Burke views political rebellion in a different light. He writes in Reflections on the Revolution in France that upheaval does excessive harm to the state, and, by extension, the people. While both Locke and Burke agree that rebellion is useful to the growth of a state, they differ on a few main points. First, they disagree in terms of what circumstances warrant revolution. Second, they each believe it should take different forms and work to different extents. Finally, Locke and Burke believe revolution tends to have positive or negative effects, respectively. Their views on each of these points will be discussed in turn. To understand their views on revolt, and when it is justified, one must first review the responsibilities each believes the government to have. To Locke, the government works to preserve innate rights, that is, rightsShow MoreRelatedThe Declaration Of Independence By Thomas Jefferson2202 Words   |  9 Pages When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation (Jefferson). This is the opening paragraph to the Declaration of Independence, which is oneRead MoreOrder Of Colonization Of The Colonies1807 Words   |  8 Pages Order of colonization of the colonies: Jamestown, by the Virginia Co. of London, Plymouth by the separatist Puritans, Massachusetts Bay by John Winthrop’s permanent settlement of Puritans, then Hartford, Rhode Island, Carolina, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, which was settled by William Penn and the Quakers Rhode Island: was settled by Roger Williams when he was excommunicated by the puritans for his belief that the individual conscience was more complex and beyond the grasp of any church official

Analysis Of O Connor s A Good Man - 869 Words

My first reaction to â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to find† was that of sadness and I felt that it was tragic of what happened to the family in the story. I felt really bad for the grandma because no one seemed to be pleased with her or listen to her. I felt like the son was almost tired of dealing with his own mom, or that is the feeling I got from his reactions to her. Even the children did not seem to respect the old lady. O’Connor’s story was very descriptive. Throughout the whole story there were little descriptions of setting that enabled the readers to have a very clear image of the scenery in the story. After some research about the author and the story itself, I came to find that most of O’Connor’s stories are about spirituality, salvation, and morality. From the information on Wikipedia, I found out that she was Catholic. This information sheds some light on this particular story because towards the ending, the conversation between the grandma and the Misfit is about God and praying. I had assumed that the grandma was already a very religious woman but after reading a critical essay on the characters, I found another point of view. In this essay by Sara Kelly, she states that â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† exemplifies this principle: a self-righteous grandmother is shocked into spiritual awareness by a murderer (The Misfit).† When I read this statement, it took me a while to try and understand what it meant. I came to the conclusion that this statement meant that theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of O Connor s A Good Man Essay1522 Words   |  7 Pages In my analysis of â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†, I will examine the different elements of this piece of literature and break the subject down into its component parts. I also plan to provide evident that O’Connor uses religion as the theme for her short story using several examples of foreshadowing and symbolic throughout her story. After reading the story more than once, I notice some interesting quotes that will back-up my claims that O’Connor’s story is about something that must do with spiritualRead MoreAnalysis Of O Connor s A Good Man Essay1201 Words   |  5 PagesFlannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find tells the story of a family from Atlanta, Georgia as it makes it way to Florida for a vacation. The five members of the family include the grandmother, her son Bailey and his wife. Among the passengers are three children, one of whom is still a baby. There fatal deaths in the end illustrate the belief that everybody has their own unique flaws. The grandmother plays a pivotal role in the story considering the fact that she selfishly convinces the familyRead MoreAn Analysis Of O Connor s A Good Man 941 Words   |  4 Pages6/03/2015: O’Connor’s short story â€Å" A Good Man Is Hard To Find† symbolizes a theme of religion which questions me to think how O’Connor was raised? In my intention of this story every character seems to play a key role of religion. As for the Misfit can be seen as Satan himself as he encounters the family and kills them all. Yet he does it so politely saying â€Å"he is not a good man†, and how he only shoots just 3 bullets into the Grandmother. This gives me a sense of how O’Connor is conveying a messageRead MoreAnalysis Of O Connor s A Good Man893 Words   |  4 PagesIn O’Connor’s short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† the definition of what it takes to be a â€Å"good man† is very misconstrued. In the beginning of this story a â€Å"good† character does not exist. The family is habitually mean to the grandmother, and the grandmother is a conceded, selfish human being. The misfit, another main character, is a criminal and is not a morally good person either. The central theme of the entire story is the concept of the word â€Å"good,† and what it takes to meet this expectationRead MoreAnalysis Of O Connor s A Good Man1467 Words   |  6 Pageshappening in the South. She has put the issues that they have in different scenarios or situations that people could understand in her short stories, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard To Find† along with â€Å"Everything That Rises Must Converge.† O’Connor has various characters in her stories that have characteristics that make them damaged, delusional or broken. In â€Å"A Good Man,† The Misfit is a broken character. He does not know the difference from right and wrong by cause of his father never being punished for the thingsRead MoreAnalysis Of Flannery O Connor s A Good Man Is Hard Essay1426 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Analysis for A Good Man is Hard to Find Flannery O Connor s A Good Man is Hard to Find is certainly a surprising work of literature. With this story having a not so happy ending, it goes against all of the conventional ideas on what a typical storybook ending should be. Another unusual thing about A Good Man is Hard to Find is the use of the term good. It is thrown around excessively through the entire tale by the grandmother and even the Misfit seems to use this word as wellRead MoreAn Analysis Of Flannery O Connor s A Good Man1425 Words   |  6 PagesBakane Franca Dr. Lorna Wiedmann English 202-025 December 12, 2014 The Devious Grandmother Have you ever noticed that, many individuals never awaken to reality unless they are exposed to violence? In Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† his main character, the grandmother is a master manipulator. In the story, a family is destroyed not only because of accidents caused by the grandmother, but also because the grandmother is inconsiderate and self-centered; they are all killedRead MoreAn Analysis Of Flannery O Connor s A Good Man933 Words   |  4 PagesIn Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†, the fate of the family is foreshadowed within the very first few paragraphs. The grandmother in the story tries to convince the family that going to Tennessee would be much more suitable for the family vacation not only because had the children been to Florida before, but there is a criminal who has escaped from federal prison and is headed that way (1076). She tries to inform her so n, Bailey, and his wife of the convict who claimsRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of O Connor s A Good Man 1166 Words   |  5 PagesFlannery O Connor is a writer who is well known for stories like A Good Man Is Hard To Find and The Life You Save May Be Your Own. Although both stories rely heavily on theme and foreshadowing, she uses these elements to pick at a larger meaning. Whether her stories depict violence and or redemption, there is always a lesson in the end. O Connor uses irony in order to foreshadow to readers her inevitable endings. In A Good Man Is Hard To Find, a family vacation suddenly ends violently.Read MoreRhetorical Analysis Of O Connor s A Good Man Is Hard And Find 1245 Words   |  5 PagesAdria Corral English 1302 MWF 8:00 A.M. Religion and Morality In â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†, Flannery O’Connor uses grotesque and flawed characters to reflect her own faith on the Roman Catholic Church. Set in the rural South during the 1950s, O’Connor takes readers on a journey from a satiric family comedy to a brutal cold blooded murder. An analysis of O’Connor’s use of religious symbolism and foreshadowing through characters and setting will be conducted in order to better understand her views

Sales Tracking and Customer Relations Analyses

Question: Describe the Sales Tracking and Customer Relations Analyses? and to analyse a set of data, and write a brief report, identifying and explaining your insights into the operation of The FedFone Co.? Answer: Executive Summary Businesses evolve around data, now a days, every business process of any organization generates a lot of data. Analysis of those data gives critical insight in the business process, future scopes and strategies etc. FFC or FedFone Co. is such a business in Ballarat area. It sells mobile phones, accessories, mobile phone insurance plans from 3 shops in the Ballarat area. Now the business is planning for expansion. Thus the owner wants to make new business strategies, improve customer relationships. In order to do so, the business needs to analyze the sales data from previous months. Calculations In this section the outcomes of the sales data based on different criteria will be discussed. The total income, expense and profits will be analyzed by different combinations of the shops, staffs, phone models etc. The company needs to pay $14 for postal charge, whenever, there is a phone repair. The phone manufacturing companies reimburse charge but that may be partially or totally. The income and expense from phone repair will also be analyzed. 1. Following pivot table shows the outcome of the analysis of total income based on different shops, staffs and phone modes. The sub totals of these three categories have been also there. 2. Following pivot table shows the outcome of the analysis of total expense of FFC, based on the shops and staffs. The subtotals of each of the two groups have been also there. 1. Following pivot table shows the outcome of analysis of total profit of FFC based on the shops, staffs and the phone models. The sub totals of each group also have been there. 2. Following pivot table shows the outcome of analysis of the repair income and expenses based on phone models, staffs and shops. The sub totals of each category have been also given. Observations In this section the outcomes of the analysis of sales information of FFC will be observed to find different best and worst cases. For example, the best and worst selling phone plans, the best and worst performing sales staff in terms of total sales, changes in total profit if the policy of charging for training service is changed etc. 1. Following chart shows the comparison of totals sales of different phone plans. The values will be observed to find out the best and worst selling phone plans. According to the chart, Optrus plan 1 and Vodrfon plan 2 are the best and worst selling phone plans respectively. 2. The following chart compares the number of repairs and the total time for those repairs, for different phone models sold by FFC. According to the observation of the chart, Apel v17 phone is the worst phone that have the most number of repair cases and the most duration for the same. 1. Following chart shows the comparison of the total sales made by the staffs. Based on the information in the chart, the best and worst staffs are Paul and Ringo respectively. 2. Following chart compares the profit with fixed rate training service to the profit with variable rate hourly charged training service. It is observed from the chart that the profit is more in the latter case. Recommendations: In this section the recommendation for FFC will be outlined. The recommendations are based on the current business process of FFC and the results from all calculation and observations carried out so far. 1. For improving the sales activities in future, FFC should take care of the different shops and staffs. All shops and staffs are not performing same and satisfactory levels. Particularly, FFC should focus on the sales activities in the Suburb area, on the sales staff like Ringo, who are not performing well, and on products other than phone models. 2. For improving the decision making activities, FFC should collect more information. Other than sales records it should focus on collecting customers demographics. These will help in building better customer relationships in future. The data should be collected in proper format and should be cleaned before being used in data analysis. 3. Data validation restricts input to different fields and reduces the scope of erroneous data input, manual data entry errors etc. In the Sales datasheet, column A has dates. But there is no validation on the cells under this column. Thus anything other than a valid date can be entered. Also there may be outdated entry. A validation specifying range of possible inputs and proper format of the data will help in restricting the errors and data entry. In the column B, the valid input will be any mane of the three shops. But, there can be any string without proper validation. The valid input in column M should also be any whole number from 0 to 24. These validations in these columns will help in better record keeping and organizing. References: Albright, S., Winston, W., Zappe, C. (2010). Data Analysis and Decision Making. Cengage Learning. Gross, D., Akaiwa, F., Nordquist, K. (2013). Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Excel 2013: A Problem-Solving Approach. Cengage Learning. Jelen, B. (2010). PowerPivot for the Data Analyst. Pearson . Jelen, B., Alexander, M. (2013). Excel 2013 Pivot Table Data Crunching. Que Publishing. Ralston, B. (2011). PowerPivot for Business Intelligence Using Excel and SharePoint. Apress. Winston, W. L. (2009). Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling. Microsoft Press. Sales Tracking and Customer Relations Analyses Questions: Tasksa. Total income for the three month period, sub-totalled by each (a) Shop, (b) Sales Representative, and (c) Phone. Use Pivot Table(s) to summarise these calculations.b. Total expenses for the three month period, sub-totalled by each (a) Shop, and (b) Sales Representative. Use Pivot Table(s) and appropriate graph(s)/chart(s) to summarise these calculations.c. Total profit for the three month period, sub-totalled by each (a) Shop, (b) Sales Representative, and (c) Phone. Use Pivot Table(s) to summarise these calculations?d. Total phone repair expenses and income for the three month period, sub-totalled by each (a) Phone, (b) Sales Representative and (c) Shop. Use appropriate Table(s) to summarise these calculations?e. Which phone plans provided the (a) most and (b) least income, for the three month period? Use an appropriate table and graph/chart to summarise these observations?f. Which are the worst phones sold by FFC, by (a) total number of repairs required and (b) time taken f or repair, for the three month period? Use an appropriate table and graph/chart to summarise these observations?g. What are FFCs best and worst Sales Representatives by total sales? Use an appropriate table and graph/chart to summarise these observations?h. What would happen to FFC profits if the training service was charged at an hourly rate of $25 per hour instead of the current flat fee? Create a spreadsheet tool that allows Ms Martyn to test profit outcomes for any training fee create a new worksheet on the assignment workbook for this tool? Answers: Executive summary Ms. Georgie Martyn, was stated a mobile sale and service shop, which is situated near Ballart area. Ms. Georgie Martyns mobile sale and service company name is Fed Fone Co. (FFC). Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is situated in three different ranges in Ballart area like one shop is located in High Street; second shop is located in near Mall zone and the last or third shop is located in Suburd zone. The Fed Fone Co. (FFC) or Ms. Georgie Martyns shops are open regularly in week or 7 days. Ms. Georgie Martyn is measuring and monitoring each and every sells or service data based using its own dataset or spared sheet. By the using of the Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC)s spared sheet or dataset we can easily measured or calculated the total income, expenses, profit of different shops of Fed Fone Co. (FFC) by the help of dataset analysis. The dataset or spared sheet is analysis by the help of the Microsoft excel programmed (Griffin Ebert, 2006). By the help of the dataset outcomes or spared sheet outcomes Ms. Georgie Martyn want to analysis the customers behavior. Ms. Georgie Martyn is also wanted to improve the sale efficiency as well as services of Fed Fone Co. (FFC). Ms. Georgie Martyn is wanted to consist or build a good customers relationship by the help of its company services. For that reason we analysis the Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) recoded dataset or spared sheet and the outcomes are shown in below in form of total profit, incomes and expenses of the Ms. Georgie Martyn s shop or Fed Fone Co. (FFC). Calculation a. By the help of the provided dataset or spared sheet of Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) the total income of different branches like High Street zone shop is $211880, shop located in Mall is $175469 and Suburd zone shop is $63686. Therefore, according to the analysis the Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC)s total income within the three months (1st January to 30th March) is High Street zone shop income + Mall located shop income + Suburd zone shop income. = $(211880+ 175469 + 63686) = $451035 b. The total expences of the Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is calculating or measuring by the help of the provided data set or spared sheet. The giving dataset or spared sheet of the business model is analysis by the help of the advance excel. By the help of the provided dataset or spared sheet of Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) the total expenses of different branches like High Street zone shop is $158553, shop located in Mall is $114038 and Suburd zone shop is $38982. Therefore, according to the analysis the Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC)s total expenses within the three months (1st January to 30th March) is High Street zone shop expenses + Mall located shop expenses + Suburd zone shop expenses. = $(158553+ 114038 + 38982) = $311573 c. The total profit of the Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is calculating or measuring by the help of the provided data set or spared sheet. The giving dataset or spared sheet of the business model is analysis by the help of the advance excel (Gunasekaran Sandhu, 2010). By the help of the provided dataset or spared sheet of Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) the total profit of different branches like High Street zone shop is $53327, shop located in Mall is $61431 and Suburd zone shop is $24704. Therefore, according to the analysis the Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC)s total profit within the three months (1st January to 30th March) is High Street zone shop profit + Mall located shop profit + Suburd zone shop profit. = $(53327+ 61431 + 24704) = $139462 The income via repair of the Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) are measured and analysis by the help of the excel analysis. By the help of the provided dataset or spared sheet of Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) the total income via repairing the phone or mobile is $710 as well as total expenses of the three shops of Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is $1036. Observation d. Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) has various types of mobile plans and services for customers requirements. According to the provided dataset or spared sheet of Ms. Georgie Martyn or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is shown in below by the help of table, which is analyzing by the help of advance excel. Plan No Telstrar plan 1 249 Telstrar plan 2 140 Optrus plan 1 442 Optrus plan 2 327 Raldi plan 225 Vodrfon plan 1 17 Vodrfon plan 2 8 According to the above discussion, the graphical representation of the phone plans of Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is shown in below. The total income ($452071) via repairing is calculating by the help of the spared sheet, which is shown in below. Plan Total Income Optrus plan 1 135857 Optrus plan 2 109734 Raldi plan 57108 Telstrar plan 1 92444 Telstrar plan 2 9235 Teltsrar plan 2 40936 Vodrfon plan 1 4550 Vodrfon plan 2 2207 According to the above graphical representation and excel analysis, Optrus plan 1 is the most provided phone plan and Vodrfon plan 2 is least provided phone plan by Fed Fone Co. (FFC). e. According to the provided dataset or spared sheet, Aple v17 phone is worst phone in Fed Fone Co. (FFC). f. The Sale of the Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is directly depends on the service and quality of the phone as well as customers. The shop representatives are the most important part because the shop representatives are communicated with customers and sell their products as per their requirements and solving each and every query. According to the giving spared sheet, the sale no is measured by the help of shop representative, which is shown in below. Name of representative Sale no George 281 John 212 Paul 408 Ringo 221 Stuart 276 According to the above table, the graphical representation of sale no and shop representative is shown in below. According to the above graphical representation and excel analysis, Paul is best shop representative and Ringo is worst shop representative in Fed Fone Co. (FFC) for last three months (1st January to 30th March). g. The sum of new profit in brown and total profit in blue is shown in below by the help of graphical representation. Recommendations h. The total sum of incomes of Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is shown in below. Values High Street Mall Suburb Total Income from Phone Model 194140 161610 47525 403275 Income from Phone Plan 3475 3892 1584 8951 Income from Phone Cover 2838 1810 2997 7645 Income from Spare Battery 3650 4500 3590 11740 Income from Charge Pack 2360 2080 4320 8760 Income from Software Update 315 90 215 620 Income from Training Service 4960 1560 3000 9520 Ms. Georgie Martyns Company or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is a good organization, where the whole business model is analysis by the help of the critical management strategy. By the help of the critical management strategy Ms. Georgie Martyn is easily analysis the whole business model and improving the weak part (Messner, 2007). The best business strategy of Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is consisting by the help of customers dealing and services. If the shop member are in contact with each and every customers or clients of the company than customers feedback are easily get. If Ms. Georgie Martyns Company or Fed Fone Co. (FFC) is provided some free phone services for every purchasing of new phone and also collecting feedback after some few months, than all the customers are feel good about the services and always come to the shop. References Foulds, L., West, M. (2007). The productivity of large business information system development.IJBIS,2(2), 162. doi:10.1504/ijbis.2007.011617 Griffin, R., Ebert, R. (2006).Business. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Gunasekaran, A., Sandhu, M. (2010).Handbook on business information systems. Singapore: World Scientific. Law, W., Perez, K. (2005).Cross-cultural implementation of information system. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Pub. Messner, W. (2007). Justifying information system value: Development of a method for measuring customer advisory system effectiveness.Business Information Review,24(2), 126-134. doi:10.1177/0266382107078865 Pedley, P. (2000). Implementing and project managing a new library management system.Business Information Review,17(1), 43-49. doi:10.1177/0266382004237458 Sarngadharan, M., Minimol, M. (2010).Management information system. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House. Yeh, C., Lee, G., Pai, J. (2012). How information system capability affects eà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ business information technology strategy implementation.Business Process Mgmt Journal,18(2), 197-218. doi:10.1108/14637151211225171

Atwood Poetry Collections IB English Flashcard

Atwood Poetry Collections IB English

The Internet, Pornography, And Children Essays - Pornography Law

The Internet, Pornography, And Children Essays - Pornography Law The Internet, Pornography, and Children Why should anyone be concerned about pornography on the Internet? After all, this is a free country and everyone should have access to anything they want, right? This position would be true if only adults used the Internet; it can not be true when children also use the Internet. Most people would agree that children should not have access to Internet sites that are considered pornographic. Does that mean that children should not be allowed Internet access or that the Internet should not have pornographic sites? Of course it doesn?t mean that! What it does mean is that the issues arising from the mixture of children and Internet should be dealt with and not ignored. This paper will attempt to intelligently discuss some of those issues. Areas covered will include what the Internet is, risks to children who are viewing the Internet, what pornography is, and laws concerning child pornography (in general and over the Internet). Additionally, the number, content, and accessibility of pornographic sites will be discussed. Lastly, this paper will discuss what measures can be taken to protect children from pornographic Internet sites. What exactly is the Internet? It is a global network of computers used to transmit all types of data between computers. Text, numbers, programs, illustrations, photographs, audio, animation, and video can all be transmitted over the Internet. Contrary to what some people may think, the Internet is not a single computer nor is it a single service. The Internet is not owned by or governed by anyone. It exists solely through the support of the companies and institutions that access it. Though the Internet seems relatively new, its roots actually start in the 1960s. In 1969, the Department of Defense started the ?ARPANET? project. ARPANET was a decentralized computer network that was used to link military researchers at four universities. The Internet later evolved out of ARPANET. Funding from the National Science Foundation in the 1980s eventually led to the Internet being opened to commercial traffic. Services provided over the Internet include the World Wide Web, electronic mail (the most popular service), Newsgroups, and Chat. For one computer to communicate with another computer on the Internet, both computers must be connected to the Internet. Connection to the Internet can come from commercial online services or through Internet service providers. Generally, home users connect to the Internet via the commercial online services over regular phone lines. Some of these services include Prodigy, CompuServe, and America Online. Businesses, universities, government agencies, and the like, often have direct connection to an Internet provider over high-speed digital lines. Some of these providers include Netcom and PSI.1 The number of adults online in the United States by the end of 1998 has been estimated as low as 44 million and as high as 80 million. 2 At the end of 1997, the number of children online was almost 10 million. It is estimated that by the year 2002, 45 million children will be online.3 While it is not clear how many these children have access to the Internet at home, it is clear what percentage of them have access at school. Currently, about 81.8% of all American schools have the Internet. It is estimated by the end of the 1998-1999 school year, about 95.9% of all American schools will be hooked up to the Internet.4 There are risks to a child that a parent should consider before allowing the child to access the Internet. Some of the risks include the following: 1.Exposure to material that is sexual, hateful, or violent in nature and the possible encouragement of illegal or dangerous activities. 2.The safety of a child and/or a child?s family could be compromised by the child providing information or arranging to meet a person they have met over the Internet. 3.A child could be exposed , through e-mail or chat/bulletin board messages, to disturbing, demeaning, or aggressive material. 4.Legal issues resulting from a child using a parent?s credit card or violating another person?s rights.5 Children?s access to pornography on the Internet (risk #1) is a concern of a lot of parents. Pornography is defined as ?1.Pictures, writing, or other material that is sexually explicit and sometimes equates sex with power and violence. 2.The presentation or production of this material.? 6 Of course, that definition is from a standard dictionary. What is considered pornographic usually depends on the individuals judging the material. Child pornography is prohibited in all 50 states. The general statute states that child pornography is comprised of the

Tips for How to Prepare for an Oral Exam

Tips for How to Prepare for an Oral Exam Oral exams–tests during which teachers ask students to answer exam questions aloud–can be undoubtedly stressful, but there are a number of ways to prepare for nontraditional testing or reporting methods like this. Though oral exams are most common for language learners, they are increasingly prevalent across other subjects because they allow teachers to cater syllabuses to students with a variety of  learning styles. Key Takeaways Stay positive during your exam preparations.Oral exams can be stressful, but they are valuable practice for potential future interviews.Know your subject better than you think you need, and practice using movement intentionally to emphasize your main points.Don’t forget to eat well, sleep enough, and drink plenty of water leading up to your exam. Exercise can also help release nervous energy.Take your time answering questions during your exam, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it!   Stay Positive Instead of psyching yourself out about what could possibly go wrong, remind yourself how much you have learned and what you have the chance to share with your teacher. An optimistic outlook can banish nerves and bring excitement to any exam. Even if you prefer traditional pen-and-paper tests, oral exams can help you succeed beyond the classroom. They provide you with valuable interview-like experience to prepare you to smash your future educational and career goals. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you prepare for your next oral exam.   Know Your Subject Successfully completing an oral exam starts with knowing the material you will be discussing. The best part about these kinds of tests is that you already have all the answers. Teachers won’t ask you anything you haven’t been taught, so you will only need to discuss the material that has been presented to you in lectures, text, and video. With that being said, there are a few things that will ease some of the pressure of reciting this learned material.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dig Deeper The best way to start preparing for an oral exam is to take a personal interest in the material. Knowing more about your topic than what is mandatory will help you predict questions that your teacher might ask. It will also give you more to talk about. Learn the background story of historical figures, authors, scientists, and explorers, even if you don’t think you need to. Many of the world’s greatest mathematical and scientific discoveries were only made because of something that happened in the discoverer’s person life. Did you know that Darwin was going to turn down his trip to the Galapagos because his father disapproved? The person we have to thank for On the Origin of Species is Darwin’s uncle (and father-in-law) who firmly believed Darwin’s discoveries would provide evidence to support Biblical claims.   Not only does digging deeper give you a better understanding of your topic, but you also have more content to talk about. If you if fully understand the ins and out of your subject, you won’t ever run out of things to say.   Predict Questions Now that you know your subject, you can begin to contemplate what your teacher might ask you. The best place to start is with the material you already have. Use previous quizzes and exams, essay prompts, and even the questions at the end of chapters to help you formulate answers. It will also be helpful for you to understand the general theme and purpose of your exam. Knowing the purpose of your exam–the topic on which you are being tested–makes crafting answers easier because you have a goal in mind. For example, if your geography teacher asks you how the climate and geographical feature affected the U.S. troops in Vietnam, you know that your answer should be built off of mountains, rivers, and weather patterns more than the success or failure of the troops because the exam is about geography. Similarly, your French teacher may ask you about a film you recently saw, but the content of the film doesn’t matter as much as your ability to conjugate verbs and use the past tense. When predicting questions, remember that one question can best asked a hundred different ways. Words like outline, describe, and detail are different ways of saying â€Å"tell me about†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Be prepared for these trigger words by asking yourself the same question a few different ways. â€Å"Chunk† Your Content When crafting your answers, try to â€Å"chunk† or group bits of information together rather than trying to remember everything as a whole. Think about the way a book is written–not as one massive piece of text, but a story divided into digestible bits with a common thread that ties them all together. Turn your exam into a story so when your teachers asks you about the economic climate of Thailand after colonization, you can follow your thread through your story without being overwhelmed, and you can easily recall and answer confidently that Thailand was never technically colonized. Use Intentional Movements It is perfectly normal to move around when you are nervous–to fidget with your clothes, to not sit still, to pace back and forth–because movement is a way to release some of that nervous energy, but it can detract from what you are saying because your exam administrator is more focused on your actions. In order to combat distraction while still releasing nervous energy, practice intentional movements. Watch Yourself The best and easiest way to practice is to first know how you move. Sit or stand in front of a mirror or use a camera or a cell phone to you can record and re-watch yourself answering questions. Don’t think too much about how you should or shouldn’t move; this is just a self-assessment. Once you understand how you tend to release nervous energy, you can take the appropriate steps to make your movements more intentional and useful for your exam. Watch Others The greatest presenters and speakers in the world aren’t those who sit or stand completely still, but rather those who use movement and nonverbal communication to emphasize what they are saying. For example, speakers will often take three or four long strides toward the audience to emphasize the importance what they are saying. They use hand gestures and facial expressions that add to the significance of understanding of a topic. Before your oral exam, take some time to watch other speakers and presenters. This can be as simple as watching TED Talks on YouTube. Note how speakers sit, stand, or walk, how they gesture, and how they answer questions. Develop Intentional Movement Practice answering questions using movements and nonverbal communication that you have observed. Lay newspaper on the floor or under your seat to make you more conscious of your movements. If you can’t seem to steady your hands, hold on to a paperclip during your exam. And remember, movement to release nervous energy is perfectly normal, and the most important focus for your oral exam is the content, not your gestures. Physical and Mental Wellness You might have spent days, weeks, or even months preparing for your exam, but if you drink too much coffee or don’t get enough sleep, all that preparation could be in vain. Remember that taking care of yourself, both physically and mentally, is reflected in your capabilities and how you perform. Take care of your mind and body, and in turn, they will take care of you.   Nutrition In the days leading up to your exam, drink enough water (aim for eight large glasses every day), get enough sleep (adults need no less than seven hours of sleep per night), and eat whole, healthy foods. On the morning of the exam, eat a light, energizing breakfast, and limit your caffeine intake. You don’t need any extra jitters!   Exercise Remember that nervous energy we talked about earlier? It is caused by cortisol, the stress hormone. Increasing your heart rate eliminates cortisol. If you can, try to get to the gym in the days leading up to your exam.   Presentation There is something to be said about the clichà ©, dress well, test well. Pick out your clothes the night before so you don’t have to fumble through your closet in the morning. Wear something comfortable and breathable that you won’t need to tug at during your exam.   Take Your Time Teachers firing questions at you can feel overwhelming, but remember that there is no need to rush into your answers. Take a moment after each question to digest what information has just been requested from you and organize your thoughts accordingly. If your teacher asks you to describe Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas, take a moment to recall what your know about Columbus. You know how the voyage was funded, you know the names of the ships, you know how long the journey took because you prepared for the exam. Now that your thoughts are in order, begin to tell your teacher the story of the legendary voyage across the sea.   Ask For Help Your teachers and professors want you to succeed. They are there to help you reach your goals and prepare you for future career endeavors. Visit them before or after school, during breaks, at lunch, or during office hours. Meet with them if you are confused or stuck or you simply want to talk through an idea. Teachers are also normally the ones administering the oral exams, meaning they have created the criteria you need to meet to be successful. They are your most valuable resources and your strongest allies.

Evolutionists and Creationists fight over Genesis.. Explain why Term Paper

Evolutionists and Creationists fight over Genesis.. Explain why neither is correct - Term Paper Example nation of the diversity of life on planet earth and the other voicing, just as vehemently, that the origin of life lies within a divine and literal creation as lain out in the book of Genesis (Daggers 2010). However, as one might expect, due to the absolutist interpretations of both camps, there is little room left for a third path. What is most interesting with respect to this is the fact that although modern Western Christianity leaves little room for an alternate interpretation, the less common and less practiced forms of Eastern Christianity have a perfectly logical explanation for the origin of life that is neither entirely at odds with the science of evolution nor the belief in the Old Testament (Grà ¤b 2012). The key differential between Eastern and Western forms of Christianity lies in the interpretation of the Old Testament. As with most schisms and theological developments that have taken place over the millennia, the Eastern branches of Christianity most often clung to the idea that the stories related in the Old Testament were a combination of both spiritual and literal meaning (Haskell 2012). In such a way, the level fo which each and every text must be interpreted was allowed to have a degree of liberalism. As compared to their Western Christian counterparts, the Eastern branches of Christianity did not insist that each and every text represented a literal truism that must be accepted (Adelin Jà ¸rgensen 2011). Due to this level of interpretation, theories such as the theory of evolution and Christianity, at least in the Eastern Christian understanding, can readily exist at the same time. In such a way, one does not have to suspend belief in order to understand the scientific pro ofs and evidence that have been presented with regards to evolution. In the same way, one does not have to suspend faith in order to accept seemingly disjoint and/or illogical sections of the Old Testament. The key differential between Eastern and Western branches of

Car Culture in Log Angeles Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Car Culture in Log Angeles - Research Paper Example It has the longest sea port and its economy is mainly fueled by international trade and entertainment. Apart from that, it is very developed in many other fields, such as aerospace, medicine, finance, telecommunications etc. Plus, Los Angeles is one of the largest cities in the United States. It is sprawled over a vast area and the topography is quite mountainous. These factors are reason enough to understand why car culture is quite dominant here. With people facing little economic or financial issues, the majority of the population can afford to own a car, hence, public transport is very limited. It is a great challenge for a foreigner to adjust in the city of Los Angeles. A foreigner is very likely to get overwhelmed by its vast sprawl, fascinations, lights and attractions. Therefore, foreigners must be dealt with great sensitivity. American residents are so adjusted in their lives that they pay little attention to foreigners who grapple to adjust in the huge and vivacious city. T he Pedestrian is a short story by Ray Badbury in which he describes how people change after they start living in the city of LosAngeles. It is a futuristic depiction about a man named Mr. Mead who was a new immigrant in the city of Los Angeles and was not much prone to the city culture. He loved exploring things at night. He did not like to disturb any one and would quietly set out in the streets for walking and enjoying the cold breeze. However, this piece represents good sarcasm on how the world has changed today. People who enjoy the beauty of nature are rarely appreciated, rather they are considered to be maniacs or psychotics, just like Mr. Mead was considered to be mentally ill. The story also proposes good sarcasm on the ever decreasing value of books, magazines and journals. People today rarely find pleasure in getting physical books and reading them. Rather, they resort to reading the e-version from the internet. The libraries have suddenly become so outdated and no one wan ts to visit them. If we keep on continuing with the same trend, there will come a time in 2052 when we will reach a stage where we can perfectly relate to the story predicted by The Pedestrian. Individuals today rely more upon the entertainment they find on the internet. They download books from their iPhones through iTunes and read them, as it is so much more convenient. Hence, a person who is alienated from technology in the world of today will be treated as a stranger, just like Mr. Mead has been treated in The Pedestrian. Also, nowadays, people consider it abnormal to walk down the streets during night. People at large have become so insecure that they’d get scared if they see a man walking down their streets just randomly. Everyone has a dog which barks at even a slight movement. This is because of an every growing crime rate which is due to wide disparity between different segments of the population. With the growth in technology, nuclear families and globalization, peo ple have moved further away from the beauty of nature. This story also presents a very interesting phenomenon, known as â€Å"Culture shock†. People, when they migrate to foreign lands, find it hard to settle in. There are many problems that they face as a result of their migration. Logistical and lingual issues are just two of them. They undergo feelings of fear, unease, discomfort, agitation and frustration as a result of being implanted in a completely new setting and a

The importance of Cromwells military role Essay Example for Free

The importance of Cromwells military role Essay Using these four passages and your own knowledge, assess the view that the importance of Cromwell’s military role in the Civil War has been exaggerated. Oliver Cromwell was born in 1599 into a middle class gentry family in Huntingdon. He began his career as a Member of Parliament for Cambridge in 1628; he went on to fight in the Civil War as part of the Parliamentarian army, with a number of roles as he rose through the ranks from captain to lieutenant-general. Cromwell fought in numerous battles with great success and was seen to have had great military and leadership skills. In my opinion, I believe that Cromwell’s military role in the Civil War was not exaggerated; the further analysis and evaluation of the passages will help me to prove this view. One view of Cromwell’s military role would agree that the importance he held was a result of his unusual military approach and his characteristics. The approaches that he used made him stand out as they were seen as ‘unique’. Interpretation C states ‘he raised such men as had the fear of God before them and made them conscience of what they did’. This relates to Cromwell’s use of religion within his cavalry as he was a devout Puritan himself. He believed that he was undertaking God’s work and saw every military victory as being won with the help of God. The use of religion would have been a strong motivation for any of the troops, which made them differ from any other cavalry at the time. Another Interpretation that shares evidence of this is Interpretation D as it states ‘he seems to have been instinctively aware that, in war, moral forces can far outweigh the physical’. This belief in God was thought to have been the driving force behind Cromwell which gave him the determination in battle that others did not possess. This determination is apparent within the battle of Marston Moor as Interpretation A mentions that he ‘kept such control over his man and over the battle when all three of his commanding generals had given it up for lost’. The actions of Marston Moor were seen to recognise Cromwell as an ‘extraordinary character’. Interpretations A, C and D all show evidence of Cromwell’s use of religion within war and how it was successful in his cavalry. The mention of religion in these sources appear to give the impression that these religious tactics set him out from others cavalry commander at the time. Therefore, this shows the difference between him and other military leaders, proving the view that he was a unique character, which is ultimately a factor in his military success. Cromwell also used other military approaches that were seen as unusual at the time, such as his use of discipline. He was seen to have total control over his cavalry in which they followed every order such as his ability to ‘regroup his forces into a tight formation’. There is further evidence of his disciplinary actions within Interpretation C, ‘an unusually high degree of discipline on, as well as off, the battlefield’. This discipline allowed him to carry out coordinated military manoeuvres with great success. The battle of Marston Moor in July 1644 was seen as a ‘dramatic struggle’ as the Royalists held many advantages but Cromwell’s decision to rally his cavalry after victory and aid the other side of the battlefield was the decisive tactic that won the Parliamentarians the battle. Without the discipline that Cromwell used in his cavalry he would not have been able to rally his men the way he did. The battle of Marston Moor was prearranged which was a disadvantage to both the Parliamentarians and the Royalists. However, Cromwell’s cavalry waited until early evening in order to obtain the element of surprise. This decision was a major factor in the victory over the Royalists in this battle as they were unprepared for the attack. The actions throughout the battle were unique and cunning and from the evidence appeared to have won the Parliamentarians their victory. Therefore, Ashley’s interpretation shows he was of great importance to the military success of the Parliamentarians through his decisions on the battlefield. Therefore, confirming that his military reputation has not been exaggerated. However, this view that Cromwell’s military role was not exaggerated is simply based on the numerous victories that he was a part of in his time of being a soldier. However, Ashley acknowledges that Cromwell held all the advantage at the Battle of Marston Moor. Yet, he does not take this into account in the interpretation. He focuses upon Cromwell’s tactics being exceptional rather than considering that all Cromwell’s advantages won the victory and not his tactics. This unbalanced interpretation is, therefore, limited and it undermines its reliability. Interpretation A recalls the events of the battle of Marston Moor and states that ‘it lacked coordinated command’, which was before the New Model Army, thus weakening the interpretation that Cromwell was such a good general. Yet, the New Model Army was created in order to control the numerous Parliamentarian armies throughout the country, the bases of the Army was to become disciplined, trained and mot ivated. These characteristics were very apparent within Cromwell’s cavalry during the battle of Marston Moor and could have been the reasoning behind the structuring of the New Model Army as it was proven to be successful. However, we need to consider whether this success as a cavalry commander was equally matched by his career as a general. Interpretation C also shows evidence of further military victories such as the defeat of Rupert at the battle of Naseby in June 1645 and a following success at the battle of Langport, which gave the Parliamentarians control over the West of England. This proves evidence that he was equally successful as a general and therefore deserves his reputation. Further evidence of military success is also apparent within Interpretation D, regarding ‘the Preston campaign of 1648’, this was a battle in which Cromwell was the main commander of the force and defeated the attacking Royalists and Scottish armies. This victory was seen to be the defeat of the Royalists that lead to the end of the Civil War. These numerous military successes are evidence that Cromwell showed importance to the military cause of the Parliamentarians. We also know of another military success that took place in 1649, this was Cromwell’s conquest of Ireland where he took Wexford in a massacre of 3,500 troops and civilians with only a small number of Parliamentarian casualties in comparison. These numerous victories indicate that the use of Cromwell’s military approach through the New Model Army proved successful. However, it is difficult to make a judgement with this evidence, as it could be argued that it was possible that these victories could have been achieved without Cromwell’s role in them, if another strong leader was present. These other military victories are not mentioned within the interpretations, this implies that they were not taken into account in judging the capability of Cromwel l as a military leader and could hinder the opinion presented from the interpretation. It is also believed that Cromwell was not in fact the military success that people saw him as. Interpretation D mentions his ‘atypical Cromwellian aggression’ that came out during battles, the interpretation implies his aggression and drive was the main factors that lead him to such success. The interpretation does not see him as an outstanding tactician as interpretation A and C imply but name his as a ‘very sound and capable tactician’, which seems to offer a more convincing view of Cromwell. The repeated use of positive language in these interpretations could be an indicator of Cromwell’s ability. However, interpretation D does not believe that Cromwell was the genius that interpretation A does, stating that he ‘never really reached the heights of a master of the strategic manoeuvre’. This shows that the evidence in interpretation D most strongly agrees with the view that the importance of Cromwell’s military role was exaggerated than any of the other interpretation. I disagree with the view that interpretation D implies, that Cromwell’s military role was exaggerated as the evidence regarding the battle of Marston Moor in both interpretation A and C outweighs the view presented in source D. The interpretation also describes him as ‘hasty’ and ‘unsubtle’ in his tactics on the battlefield, these negative phrases emphasise that the evidence does not agree with the importance of Cromwell’s military role. This idea is contradicted within the evidence shown in interpretation A as it states ‘led them across the battlefield to the aid of his right wing, had a crucial move with the hall-mark of genius upon it’, this was relating to the battle of Marston Moor in 1644. The tactics of Marston Moor were seen this way as they were very unique at the time and no other cavalry commanders managed their cavalries in this way. Cromwell’s use of his religion and confidence in his belief were seen to be the reason behind his success as implied in interpretation D, ‘sheer force of will; he seems to have been instinctively aware’. This could be a reason for and against the exaggeration of his military role as it set him apart from other which may have made him more successful. It may prove to be for the view that the role was an exaggeration as it could be implied that Cromwell relied on his religious beliefs, as he did not hold the tactical skills of his fellow cavalry commanders. Interpretation B shows the importance of Cromwell’s military role in a different way to the other interpretation as it only seems to concentrates on the political successes within his career as he rose to power to become Lord Protector. It explains that the major political success of Cromwell grew from the victories throughout his military career. His military success in the Civil War made him stand out and come to a spotlight within the government, allowing him to successfully work his way up politically, as interpretation B states ‘the well-deserved rise to fame, which in turn enhanced his position in the political world’. The fact that Cromwell was so success in his political career could be the reasoning to imply that his military role was also success as a result of a simple assumption. Cromwell’s main successes that are identified in the evidence are from Cromwell’s victories as a cavalry commander rather than as a general. As a cavalry commander, he proved numerously successful in battle yet his victories in the role of a general are not mentioned within the source in the same way as the cavalry commander role. This could be because he did not reach the peak of a military career as he changed his focused himself on the political issues within England at the time. This fact could indicate that his military career was exaggerated as the evidence focuses on his success as a cavalry commander rather than a general in a higher ranked position. However, a clear judgement regarding this cannot be made, as further evidence regarding his victories as a general would need to be assessed. In conclusion, it is possible that the importance of Cromwell’s military role was slightly exaggerated but he was important to the Parliamentarian side through the numerous victorious battles that he was a part of, which are shown in interpretation A, C and D. His unusual military approach such as the use of discipline and religion, as well as his own personality set him apart from others cavalry commanders. All these characteristics made Cromwell a success and as source B states, went on to help him in his political career, it could be said that this political career was a result of his actions in a military role. Ultimately, Cromwell’s importance in a military role was not exaggerated and he proved to be a very successful asset within the Civil War due to his numerous military victories.

Understanding Antisocial Behavior in Children Essay -- Violence Violen

Understanding Antisocial Behavior in Children In northeast Pennsylvania, 9 year old Cameron shot seven-year-old Jessica with a rifle and then hid it. The reason for the argument was a disagreement over a video game. In Englewood, a suburb of Chicago, a seven-year-old and his eight-year-old best friend became the two youngest murder suspects in the US when they were accused of the murder and sexual assault of an eleven-year-old boy. His body was discovered in a vacant lot. In Stockholm, Sweden, four-year-old Ken was strangled by two boys, ages five and seven, who pressed a stick to his throat, suffocating him after he was thrown on his back (Czudner, 1999, viii). Stories such as those depicted above are becoming increasingly common in today's society. Between the years of 1988 and 1992, juvenile arrests increased nearly 50% (Mayer, n.d. ). Where does this antisocial behavior stem from? How can a parent determine between routine misbehavior and the roots of antisocial behavior? What steps can a parent take to prevent antisocial behavior before it begins or curb it once it has begun? Possible answers to these questions will be addressed through the course of this paper. The role that parents play in contributing to antisocial behavior will be discussed, as well. Before any action or cause can be introduced, it is necessary to investigate how to determine whether a child is participating in routine misbehavior or is exhibiting antisocial behavior. According to Levine, there are a number of signs that should signal to a parent that his or her child has antisocial tendencies. Lack of genuine affection, lack of empathy, overall rebellious attitude, lack of guilt, mistreatment of animals or smaller chil... ...nces Asher, L. & Napier, M. (n.d.). Chicken wire mother. Retrieved November 1,2000, from the World Wide Web: http://www.birdhouse.org/spong/napier/cwm.html Czudner, G. (1999). Small Criminals Among Us. New Jersey: New Horizon Press. Dembo, M.H. (1994). In Applving Educational Psychology. (5th ed.). (pp.466-467). White Plains, NY: Longman. Dryfoos, J.G. (1999). The role of the school in children's out-of-school time. IM- Future ofChildren. 9, 117-132. Henslin, J.M. (1999). In Sociology: A Down to Earth ApQroach. (5th ed.). (pp 202- 204). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Levine,K.G. (1.991). When Good Kids Do Bad Things. New York: W.W.Norton& Company, Inc. Mayer, G.L. (n.d.) Prochnay, J.E. & Defronzo, J.V. (1997). The impact of economic and parental characteristics on juvenile misconduct. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. 5, 119-127.

Poetry Response to Wallflowers by Donna Vorreyer Essay

This poem makes me think of my favorite book called The Perks Of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. It is the story of a boy named Charlie and his not-so-average life. The story is written as letters to someone he has never met, but heard was a good shoulder to lean on. This book is my favorite because I can really relate to Charlie. Speaking of Charlie, that is my puppy’s name. He is a chihuahua and dachshund mix. He is my best friend and is always at my side. He is probably the coolest puppy ever, except at three in the morning when he is sitting outside my door whining, then he can be someone else’s best friend. This poem is probably one of my new favorites because it actually made me feel something and that is really important to me when reading. I really enjoy how the poet talks about words people never use because I have an extensive vocabulary, but rarely use any of the words I know because most people I know would not understand me at all. The reason I am so educated in words reminds me of my grandmother, who is one of the most intelligent people I know. When I was about six or seven, she would say words to me that no Kindergartner knows and I was expected to spell them. Most of the time, I was pretty close and when I got it right, she would tell me what the words meant. At that age, I was more interested in the taste of my boogers than in learning boring words I never thought would matter. Looking back, I cannot thank her enough for that small effort to help me in life. I am sure without her, I would be using words like â€Å"ain’t† and phrases such as â€Å"don’t got no† instead of knowing how to speak like a civilized human being. my grandma is awesome, and as soon as Meya (my daughter) starts school, I plan to use this same technique on her to ensure she grows up to make something of herself. Might as well end this with things about Meya. She is the most beautiful child, and she is so intelligent, it is almost scary at times. She sings and dances and amazes me in every way daily. She is the greatest gift I have ever received and I love her with every fiber of my being. To finally wrap this up, the poem Wallflowers by Donna Vorreyer makes me think up some of my fondest memories and reminds me of the wonderful things I have.

Applying Family Systems Theory to Early Childhood Practice Essay

In this article, Christian (2006) discusses the six characteristics of family systems relevant to early childhood practice. The author believes that teachers have a role in discovering and improving family systems to maximize children’s abilities. Therefore, early childhood teachers should consider these characteristics to help decide the best approach for students. The first characteristic is boundaries. There are two kinds of boundaries, namely disengaged and enmeshed. The first allows children to decide on their own and accept new friends, ideas, etc. but tend to be unattached while the other s from outside of the family. The second is more strict and attached; it supports and guides an individual in making decisions, but usually expects avid conformity with family rules. Considering the strengths and weaknesses of both kinds, the teacher should respect and support family boundaries in order to respond accordingly to needs. The second characteristic is roles. Family roles have a significant effect on students’ behavior. For instance, the eldest child tends to be more mature than others and play as the peacemaker, helper, etc. Teachers should recognize these roles and provide role playing situations where students can get to play other roles. Also, teachers should make families recognize their students’ strengths through writing simple notes. The third is rules. Teachers should know family rules of students in order to avoid confusing them with school rules. For instance, explain why a certain rule works in school but not at home, and vice versa. Teachers should have a positive outlook in striking a balance between both. Also, rules should be stated clearly because unspoken rules could lead to failure to obey them. The fourth characteristic is hierarchy. Families observe a certain hierarchy in the house. This points to the power to decide within a family. Teachers should be sensitive regarding this and observe the effect of family systems of each individual. For example, there are times when a child exercises power over others due to hierarchy experienced at home. Importantly, teachers should vary activities to make students experience a different hierarchy concept. Another characteristic is climate. This is the emotional and physical environment the child has. The role of the teacher is to ensure that the child has a positive climate at home. To do this, they could organize a talk with parents to find out and suggest a better climate parents can offer. Also, the climate in school should allow venue for â€Å"positive feedback and healthy sensory experiences.† The last one is equilibrium. This refers to the sense of balance within the family. Equilibrium should manifest in all aspects, such as health, emotions, activities, finance, etc. It can only be achieved by undergoing changes from time to time. For example, if a family experiences difficulty because of a daughter’s illness, parents cannot be focused only on the ill member. They should devote equal time for their other children who equally need care and attention. As professionals, teachers can guide parents to assess equilibrium in their family. The suggestions the author makes in this article are very significant. Considering the characteristics mentioned might help each family become more well-knit, thus maximizing intellectual and emotional development of the students. To effect this, teachers should have willingness, sincerity, and respect for each student and the family system where they belong. Reference Christian, Linda Garris. (2006). Applying family systems theory to early childhood practice. Retrieved 5 November 2008, from http://journal.naeyc.org/btj/200601/ChristianBTJ.asp

Cyprus

Cyprus is an island country located in the Middle East, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The longitude and latitude of Cyprus are approximately 35N, 33E. The total area of the island nation, including water area is 5,895 sq. km of Greek-Cypriot area, and 3,355 sq. km of Turkish Cypriot area. Cyprus is about 60% of the size of Connecticut. The coastline of Cyprus is approximately 648 km. The people of Cyprus live in a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers, and cool, wet winters. Cyprus is a very hilly mountainous country. They highest point, Mount Olympus, located in the Troodos mountain range, rises majestically 1,952 m above the Mediterranean sea, the lowest point on Cyprus. Several natural resources and products of Cyprus are : pigments, gypsum, salt, wood, copper, pyrites, asbestos, and marble. 17% of the land is appropriate for farming, whereas only about 30% of this land is used. The population of Cyprus is roughly 754,064 people, compared to about 1 to 2 million living in Philadelphia. About 65% of the population is working age(between ages 16 and 65), while 24% is under 15 years old, and 11% over 65 years old. The population growth rate is approximately 0.67%, with a birth rate of 13.64/1000, and a death rate of 7.42/1000. The life expectancy for men is 74.91 years, and 79.39 years for women. For every woman, about 2 children are born. 78% of the population is Greek-Cypriot, 18% is Turkish-Cypriot, and 4% is neither. 78% of the population is also Greek Orthodox, 18% is Muslim, and 4% is neither. Greek and Turkish are the two official languages, but English is widely spoken, also. About 94% of the population over the age 15 can read and write. Cyprus is broken up into two areas, both politically, and socially. The northern(Turkish) area refers to itself as The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The southern (Greek) area refers to itself as The Republic of Cyprus. The southern half refers to its...

College Term Paper

College Term Paper College Term Paper College Term Paper Term paper writing is an answer to question assigned by the tutor. While writing term paper, try to think deeply about the assigned question and find the answer to it. If you want to succeed with term paper writing, you need to analyze the question, examine it, and find interesting and original answer.   Prior to term paper writing, ensure that you understand exactly what your tutor expects. While reading articles and books, collect information and organize notes on your topic. Make note cards, they are very helpful in organizing the gathered material. Once you have found a lot of information relevant to your term paper topic and do not know how to use it - try to narrow your topic and investigate carefully one side of the question. A narrow topic will help you to decrease the amount of information you need to include in your term paper. But, of course, it will be reasonable to narrow your term paper topic prior to writing and information gathering. A narrowed topic will help you f ind relevant information more quickly since you will be able to see the relevant ideas at once. Your narrowed topic allows more focused reasoning as well as targeted research. While looking for information, make a list of the subtopics, they will be useful for better understanding of English term paper topic. College Term Paper Term paper topics require your own way of thinking, your tutor doesn't want to see borrowed ideas. Sure, your tutor is an expert in the field of your research. The notes should be taken reasonably so that you collect only ideas that are relevant to the main topic, not exact words, phrases or sentences. Don't write down too many direct quotes in your notes. Organize the direct quotes according to term paper format. Use the quotes only when the ideas of them are surprisingly expressed or when you need citing examples from the original text to further discussion in your term paper. Always write down a work's complete bibliographic information. If you are making notes on paper, leave lots of free space for your own comments, questions, and reactions to your reading. These comments can virtually become the first draft of your term paper. While writing the first paragraph, provide some background information about your topic; you can use interesting facts or quotations. While writing intro duction, don't forget about thesis statement that is basically the term paper idea. Body paragraphs should be developed to support your thesis - the main idea of the college term paper. The last paragraph should be your conclusion. Custom College Term Paper Writing If you need to write a term paper and do not have enough time, you are welcome to place an order at and our professional writers will ensure that your paper is well-written and answers the question.

Managing a Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing a Brand - Essay Example Brand management is the process that takes control of everything that a brand does and says, managing the way in which it is perceived by others (CIM, 2003). This requires understanding what the brand stands for and how to position it as a brand is a combination of a product’s /service public image (Tregert & Westerlund, 2003). According to Aaker (2004) managing a brand requires the engagement of its people, values and priorities, an innovative strategy, commitment to quality, concern for customers, adaptation to localization strategy, creating good company vibes, and most importantly the size and scope of the firm. Today employees are the critical link between the company and the customer. Brand management integrates the totally different perspectives on two different words – the company and the customer (CIM, 2003). Employees have to deliver the promise of the brand every moment. McDonald's strives to uphold the values of its brand and it is the employees that communicate the brand image effectively (Oakner, 2005). Hence it is important that company’s culture and operations should be aligned with the brand value to provide a competitive advantage. When employees understand the company’s vision and business strategy, when they are taken into confidence and when internal communication is effective, brand equity is assured. This requires internal brand alignment where customer satisfaction is assured. Powerful brands are characterized by strong and enthusiastic leaders who have a passionate belief in a few values. Leaders have to live these values and not just talk about them and when they do so, the employees are more likely to be committed to delivering them (CIM, 2003). Having a focus on brand management gives rise to a corporate persona with a deeply felt set of values which enabl es the brad to have a clear attitude. Brand building requires prioritizing what is important. Most organizations concentrate on brand building only when they are prospering but do not bother about it when the sales and profits are threatened.

Country briefing paper mexico Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Country briefing paper mexico - Essay Example Then, when Mexico eventually got independence, Mexican rulers initiated many constructive measures, including in the health care sector. They established many government bodies for governing the health care sector, as well as developed sizable infrastructures. The population of Mexico has exceeded more than 100 million, and in that direction the country is currently undergoing demographic changes due to a steady decline in its mortality rate, which in turn is leading to increased life expectancy among its people. The other key indicator which presents a positive picture about Mexico’s health care and thereby impacts the demographics is the declining infant mortality rate. These positive changes in the infant mortality rate, in the life expectancy of adults and other health outcomes are mainly due to the advancements in living conditions, health-care, technology and more. Furthermore, the literacy rate in Mexico is at an increased level, when compared to the previous years. The developing educational infrastructures along with the government policies and funding, has greatly contributed to this high level of literacy prevailing in the country. These programs, which are primarily cash grants programs are not only improving the literacy but are also helping in the reduction of poverty and importantly helping in the management of health issues in the population particularly among the children. With the increased life expectancy and lowered mortality rates, one can understand about the positive role played by the Mexican health care sector. However, when viewed from another perspective, this is not the same all over the country, as indigenous and rural communities are fairing badly regarding health conditions. That is, when compared to the urban areas, life expectancy and mortality rates are on the negative side among these communities. The economy of Mexico is showing positive signs, as it is recovering aptly in the post-recessionary period.

Measuring Artificial Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Measuring Artificial Intelligence - Essay Example Devising an Intelligence Quotient IQ – for machines or any intelligent system would be, perhaps, advancement but unfortunately, the history of the development of techniques to measure human IQ, the first source checked to find applications to AI, points to a very fuzzy zone. Admitting that possibility, we present some hypothesis. For example, introducing some metric to evaluate the redundancy of the rules of an intelligent System, or the efficiency of a given topology in an artificial Neural Network could bring new insights on ranking AI paradigms and indicate which the most promising ones are. On one hand, if we look back a bit more seriously on the development issues of Science and Technology in this age, the twenty first century, it appears to be full of promises as well as perils. The previous century experienced fantastic advances in Science and spectacular technological achievements and ground breaking discoveries in medicine and health care. The current century is on the verge of even greater and more prolific things to come in terms of artificial intelligence and related disciplines. Genetics, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are some of the related disciplines in artificial intelligence. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence are closely related to duplicating complex animal and further claiming of making systems and machines that not only think, but possess feelings and emotions as well. On the other hand, we very well know the results of Science and technological Advancement have been a blessing but also have come with some blemish. The fast and continuous development in this discourse of Science and Technology has filled us with promises and perils; challenges as well as opportunities. Lately, Artificial Intelligence and other disciplines – like Nanotechnology, Neurophysiology, Mathematics,

Analysis of Energy Consumption in Ireland

Analysis of Energy Consumption in Ireland Introduction General Introduction The following chapter will introduce the dissertation topic by means of its intended goals, outline of content within each chapter and the research methodology. The research goals present the authors aims to be achieved, core objectives and hypothesis to test. The chapters shall be briefly described as to their particular topic area. Research methodology will establish the research process, planning, data collection methods utilized and finally mention limitations encountered throughout completing the dissertation. Research Goals Aim To investigate is renewable energy the way of the future, the potential of renewable energy sources and to analyse their long-term capability of meeting Irelands future energy needs. Objectives To consider past and present trends of energy consumption in Ireland. To investigate the suitability of this technology for Ireland. To evaluate the environmental advantage of using the technology. To examine in detail the practical adoption of renewable energy technology in another country. To compare traditional energy sources against renewable sources. To examine the financial implications of changing from the traditional energy supply to a more renewable supply. Hypothesis Renewable energy is a viable option for meeting energy requirements for the future of the Irish energy market. Outline of Chapters Chapter 1: This chapter introduces the dissertation and details the authors core objectives to be researched. The structure of the dissertation is briefly described, which details the key sources of information followed by a short account of the chapters to follow. Chapter 2: The dissertation begins with a short first chapter explaining what is known as renewable energy. Chapter 3: Talks about potential future energy demands. Energy trends are evaluated to prepare an estimated energy forecast for Irelands future. Chapter 4: Investigates into why a renewable energy future? The chapter deals with the rising demand and price of oil and gas. Also the concerns about climate change and Irelands commitment to the EUs Directives on the deployment of renewable energy are dealt within the chapter. Chapter 5: The chapter reviews the renewable energy options available to Ireland. The options are assessed on the extent to which they could be used in meeting future demands. Chapter 6: Examines the Governments present proposal Renewable Electricity A 2020 Vision, which is to set up an All-Island Energy Market between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The Chapter evaluates the proposal to secure future energy supply through renewable energy for the whole island. Chapter 7: This chapter considers nuclear energy through certain areas which may be beneficial or not to Ireland. Chapter 8: This is the final chapter of the dissertation where the author reaches conclusions from the research carried out to date, followed by recommendations and areas for further study. Research Methodology Research may be defined as, the systematic study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions (Concise Oxford English Dictionary 2005). This section outlines the research methods used to prepare this dissertation. The structure of this dissertation presents the findings of research, clearly identified, which was conducted by the author. Also aspects of data collection associated with problems encountered and limitations will be summarized. Research Process Preliminary research began during the Authors placement year (year 3 of BSc Construction Economics Management in Limerick Institute of Technology). As part of the year a dissertation proposal submission was required. An initial investigation on the availability of information was carried out and being satisfied that the information available was sufficient, I decided to continue with the topic. The initial sources primarily included books, Internet, papers and magazines. Research Planning For the research process consideration was given to the possible methods of approach to the actual dissertation. To carry out the research effectively and in a detailed manner a research plan and programme was established. This plan consisted of giving sufficient time for the detailed research of material both published and unpublished. From this the author got a detailed understanding of the topic and the exact focus of the dissertation was established along with the content and scope of the various chapters. After choosing the title, aim, objectives and hypothesis, a detailed plan had to be formulated to meet each objective of the dissertation. This proved vital to the success of the dissertation, given the limited time frame to review material, engender results and complete the dissertation. Due to the amount of publications and information that needed reviewing for inclusion into the dissertation file, reading and analysis was continuously ongoing. All articles of information were scanned generally to assess their suitability and all relevant information marked accordingly. All relevant information, once analysed, was categorized based on its relevance to a given chapter. Data Collection Methods In order to test the hypothesis of this dissertation effectively detailed information had to be sought on all aspects of renewable energies and the Irish energy market. The types of data used for compiling this dissertation came from both primary and secondary sources. Material from both sources was read in detail and any information relevant to any aspect of the dissertation topic was highlighted and noted. For the actual structure of the separate chapters, this information was subdivided into separate files for each proposed chapter. Primary Sources The dissertation utilized primary sources, as work contained provided accurate information. The volume of the information was obtained from Government organisations and EU reports. The up to date factor of the reports was its main advantage. Other organisations such as Sustainable Energy Ireland published reports which proved very beneficial. As the dissertation subject is topical at present, there have been many related conferences and the proceedings published. Official Government publications were helpful especially for information relating to the All Island Energy Market. Other official publications from the EU were used to gather information on EU Directives and the Kyoto Protocol. Finally structured interviews were conducted in relation to setting up and operating wind farms as the results offered accurate first hand information. Past dissertations have been utilized but for the purpose of guidance. Secondary Sources An in depth documentary review was undertaken by the author, which involved examining various sources of information for factual information. This information was taken from construction journals, textbooks, brochures and magazines. Text books were used only for background information. Magazines and national papers proved helpful in keeping up with new developments affecting the topic, for example the Budget and Government publications. As the dissertation required up to date information on the topic, a large quantity of information was obtained from the Internet. Limitations There were a number of difficulties encountered during the research of this dissertation. The main concern for the author was the realization that new information on the chosen topic was constantly being up dated with new developments. As the dissertation is somewhat based on what may happen in the future, the conclusions and recommendations are based on educated assumptions. There exists a lack of published work in relation to the All Island Energy Market, as the consultation period is still on going. Contact with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources was made with regard to the topic and all other topics relating to the dissertation. The author was informed that the most up to date information would be available in the Governments Energy White Paper 2007 Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland and that information contained within it could not be released until the Governments official launch on the 12th of March 2007. Due to time constraints the author was not able to exploit this source. Based on the limited amount of information available the author utilized a significant amount of secondary sources. Also research questionnaires had to be abandoned due to a lack of response from organisations. Although certain information available was limited, with continued research and perseverance though all possible avenues it is believed that suitable material was compiled delivering a complete dissertation on the subject matter. CHAPTER TWO What Is Renewable Energy? Introduction Renewable energy comes from energy sources that are continuously replenished by nature. They are non-fossil energy sources that are not depleted by utilization. The main sources of renewable energy are the wind, the sun (solar energy), water (hydropower, wave and tidal energy) and biomass (wood, biodegradable waste and energy crops). Renewable energy sources are those which are effectively inexhaustible (such as wind, wave, solar, hydro etc) or which are replenished at or about their rate of consumption (such as managed forests and energy crops and other forms of biomass) (Anon 2005). What are the Benefits of Renewable energy? Renewable energy resources are clean sources of energy. They can be harnessed without damaging the environment, unlike using fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Increasing the use of renewable energy is therefore a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting Irelands Kyoto commitments. Renewable energy resources will not become exhausted. Unlike finite fossil fuels, renewable energy resources are continuously replenished and will not run out. Renewable energy resources are indigenous resources. Ireland is heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels. We now import around 89% of the fuels we need for energy. By tapping the renewable energy resources with which Ireland is richly endowed, we could reduce this reliance on imports. By increasing our use of renewable resources, we can achieve a more secure and stable energy supply for the long term (Sustainable Energy Ireland a). Chapter Summary Renewable energy generally refers to energy derived from non-fossil fuel resources (excluding nuclear). Renewable energy has become more popular in recent times as talks of global warming increase internationally and exhaustion of fossil fuels. Renewable energy will benefit the environment and help reduce our dependency on depleting sources of energy. CHAPTER THREE Irelands Potential Energy Needs Introduction To assess the potential of renewable sources sustaining Irelands energy needs in the future, firstly energy trends have to be evaluated to estimate the future requirements. It is impossible to know for sure what the future will hold but by reviewing different forecasts, a reasonable estimate can be made. Energy Trends Energy trends of the past fifteen years will give a good review of Irelands energy growth. It was within this time that the country experienced significant economic growth which was seen in the energy sector. The amount of energy consumed is shown through the Total Primary Energy Requirement (TPER). Total Energy Requirement (TER) figures represent the total Irish electricity generation at the plant exported level plus imports, less exports. The TER is the amount of electricity required to meet total final consumption in the Republic of Ireland including an allowance for transmission and distribution losses (Anon 2005). Figure 3.1 shows the Total Primary Energy Requirement (TPER) of the Republic of Ireland, broken down by fuel type, over the period 1990 to 2000. Estimates for the period 2001 to 2010 are also included. This figure shows that there was rapidly increasing growth in energy demands in the 90s and in particular, the mid 90s to 2000. It also shows a high dependence on the oil and gas. Energy Forecasts The Government document, All-Island Energy Market: Renewable Electricity A 2020 Vision; Preliminary Consultation Document, (Anon 2005), forecasts energy demands by firstly modifying the 2005 2011 median TER values so as to account for generation plant house load, and then determining the values for 2012 2020 at the assumed growth rates of 3% per annum between 2012 and 2015, and of 2% per annum between 2015 and 2020. This can be clearly seen in Table 3.1. These facts are based on the future for the whole island of Ireland, a joint north and south venture of meeting future energy demands and include Northern Ireland which is discussed in Chapter Six. The above forecast is not alone in believing that there will be a steady growth, although slightly less over a longer period of time. The report (Howley et al 2006) assumes electricity demand to grow significantly. Table 3.2 from the report shows the predicted growth. The prediction assumes the CO2 costs â‚ ¬15/tonne in 2010 and â‚ ¬30/tonne in 2020. Chapter Summary The past energy trends showed that there has been a constant rise in energy demand and this is reflected in the forecasts. The two different reports predicted to 2020 and show a similar prediction. It can then be assumed that to 2010 a 3.0 4.0% increase can be expected and from 2010 2020, a lesser 1.0 2.0%. The forecast for the generating fuel is predicted through past trends and present economic development, predicting oil to be eliminated by 2010 and gas to dominate. Although renewables are predicted to increase, early forecasts report they will only have a minor impact. CHAPTER FOUR Why a Renewable Energy Future? Introduction The future of Irelands energy supply is changing and it can not be stopped but we can adapt. The foremost important issue for the Government is to secure the countries future energy supply. Irelands geographical location and fuel resources means it is of critical importance that the future energy supply is secured now before it is too late. Ireland is too dependant on import fossil fuels for energy and so we need to become more independent, which renewable energy can provide. While Irelands imports of fossil fuels for energy still stand at about 85 per cent, much higher than the EU average of 50 per cent, there is a definite shift towards renewables. But there are other factors steering Ireland towards renewable sources, including EU and Kyoto responsibilities. Oil and Gas Depletion Oil and gas are a finite resource and there so going to completely run out some day. The demand for gas and in particular oil is increasing. This is mainly due to significant economic growth of China and India. The report Exxon-Mobils view of the future of oil and gas predicts demand is expected to rise through the year 2010 at a rate of about 2 per cent per year for oil and 3 per cent per year for gas (Longwell), as shown in Figure 4.1. This is leading to a rise in price, Figure 4.2, which already is affecting Ireland. As stated in the EU Green Paper in 2006, Oil and gas prices are rising. They have nearly doubled in the EU over the past two years, with electricity prices following. This is difficult for consumers. With increasing global demand for fossil fuels, stretched supply chains and increasing dependence on imports, high prices for oil and gas are probably here to stay (Anon 2006). Rising oil prices In its 2001 review BP commented The worlds oil R/P (reserve to production) ratio has fallen modestly since 1990 as world oil production growth has outpaced additions to reserves (Busby 2002). A chart in the 2001 review shows 1990 as the year when the R/P peak ratio of 44 was passed, reducing to 40 by the end of 2000. At the end of 2002 the R/P ratio had reduced further to 39, to rise to 41 at the end of 2003, dropping back to 40.5 at the end of 2004, but shown at 40.6 at the end of 2005. As production continues to rise and additions to reserves fail to match it, the ratio of oil reserves to production (R/P) will continue to decline and the price of crude oil will rise. The world gas R/P ratio in 2005 was 65.1, compared to 40.6 for oil. At 2005 production rates, gas reserves would provide a source of energy for a further 24 years after oil exhaustion. But when oil supplies starts to run out, more gas will be used as a substitute, hence increasing gas depletion. So if oil production peak is predicted at 2010, gas production peak should follow bout the year 2020. The problem starts to become apparent when you realise the decline of oil discovery, as shown in Figure 4.3. The gap between discovery and consumption is widening and this will eventually lead to oil production peaking. Chevron, one of the worlds largest oil companies, admits to the imminent peak and decline of oil. An Oil production peak before or by 2010 seems now to be generally accepted. The not so distant future of Irelands energy market will then have to contend without oil. The oil market is global where the gas market is regional and this is where Ireland could really suffer in the long term. It is predicted that gas will outlast oil but gas has to be piped and Irelands geographical location causes problems. The discovery of the Corrib gas field is potentially very important as it offers temporary relief from increasingly unreliable supplies of gas from the United Kingdom and Europe, says Colin Campbell, petroleum geologist (Campbell). In the near future with oil demand rising pushing up prices and in the distant future oil not been available, we must look to renewables now. The Corrib gas field is small and might get ten or more years out of it at the current rate of consumption but the Government should use this opportunity to draw on the gas to help support renewable energy. The Environment and EU Directive Irelands main source of energy is fossil fuels which produce vast quantities of CO2, add to climate change and which the EU intend to reduce. The emissions that are produced from burning fossil fuels are becoming more serious every year and a much discussed topic at national and international level. Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol Fossil fuels constitute a significant repository of carbon buried deep under the ground. Burning them results in the conversion of this carbon to carbon dioxide, which is then released into the atmosphere. This results in an increase in the Earths levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which enhances the greenhouse effect and contributes to global warming (Wikipedia). As was seen in Figure 4.4, fossil fuels are a major electricity fuel for Ireland. Fossil fuels, particularly coal, contain a dilute radioactive material which is released into the environment leading to low levels of radioactive contamination. Within the EU burden sharing agreement to meet its obligation under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland must stabilise its Greenhouse gas emissions at 13% above 1990 levels within the period 2008 to 2012 (Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources 1998). Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) latest Assessment Report was released on the 2nd of February 2007 in Paris. The report was produced by some 600 authors from 40 countries. According to the IPCC, the warming of the world is unequivocal, and that humans are very likely (higher than 90% likelihood) behind the warming. The key conclusions were: Possible temperature rise between 1.1C and 6.4C by 2100 Sea level most likely to rise by 18-59cm (7in-23in) Artic summer sea ice disappears in second half of century Increase in heatwaves very likely Increase in tropical storm intensity likely Considering overall greenhouse gas emissions, energy related CO2 emissions accounted for 51% in 1990 compared to a projected 66% in 2010 if we continue in the same direction. Renewable energy would dramatically reduce Irelands CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels. This will take time, so if want to have any chance of meeting the requirements, we have to act now. EU Directive The use of renewable energy has a legislative basis in the EU under Directive (2001/77/EC). The Directive asserts the European Countries need to promote renewables to contribute to: †¦environmental protection and sustainable development. In addition this can also create local employment, have a positive impact on social cohesion, contribute to security of supply and make it possible to meet Kyoto targets more quickly'(Anon 2005). The directive forces Ireland to have an output of renewable powered electricity to 13.2% of total electricity consumed in Ireland by 2010. But the Government is hoping to have it up to 15% by 2010 through the Renewable energy Feed In Tariff (ReFIT) programme. The new Renewable energy Feed in Tariff (ReFIT) programme replaces the Governments previous support mechanism, the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) programme and provides financial support of â‚ ¬119m to renewable energy projects over a fifteen year period The ReFIT programme will support the construction of an initial target of at least 400 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy powered electricity generating plants. Its main aim is to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity production. The ReFIT programme will help make renewable energy competitive and is a move closer to reaching the Kyoto Protocol and the EU directive. Failure to meet the Kyoto Protocol and EU Directive (2001/77/EC) will have serious financial implications. On April 4th 2006 the European Commission launched legal proceedings against Ireland, for failing to meet the deadline of October 2003 for taking the necessary measures to transpose Community legislation on renewable electricity into national law. Ireland is now under pressure to act on renewable energy. Future Policies EU Leaders decided on Friday 9th of March 2007 to slash greenhouse gas emissions, which included a binding target for renewable sources to make up a fifth of EU energy use by 2020. The leaders committed to a target of reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and offered to go to 30 per cent if major nations such as the United States, Russia, China and India follow suit. According to a draft agreement, the EU will aim to go even further in the future, with cuts of 60 to 80 per cent by 2050. Reports of drastic future climate change in the wake of the IPCCs recent assessment, talk of a post Kyoto agreement is been debated. The recent EU summit outcome of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent will form the basis of the EUs position in international talks to replace the U.N. Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. Whatever it may be called, it will aim to severely reduce Greenhouse Gases to coincide with Global Warming reports. Either way it will mean a serious change for Governments and society. Chapter Summary The demand for gas and in particular oil is increasing largely due to the economic growth of China and India. The reserves at the moment show gas will outlast oil. Oil production is predicted to peak around 2010 but as oil resources decrease, demand for gas will increase to make up the slack which will result in gas production peaking sooner rather than later. The large growth in demand at present is increasing prices and with talk of oil production peaking and the politically unstable situation in the Middle East, prices look set to continue escalating. Renewable energy can help Ireland reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. Irelands main energy source, fossil fuels, is seriously damaging the environment and the main cause of Global Warming. The Kyoto Protocol requires Ireland to reduce its CO2 emissions. Under EU legislation Ireland must increase the use of renewable energy to 13.2% of all electricity produced but the Government are aiming for 15% with the announcement of the ReFIT programme. The programme will help meet Kyoto and EU obligations. Recent announcement from the EU requires 20% of the EUs electricity generation mix be from renewable sources by 2020. This ambitious target will require serious consideration from the Government. CHAPTER FIVE The Renewable Energy Options for the Future Introduction To meet the future energy demands, the Government will have to put a lot more work into developing renewable sources of energy. The positive from this, is Ireland has vast potential for renewable energy production, especially wind. Although the Government are starting to take more notice of renewable energy technology. Within Budget 2007 Brian Cowan stated scheme of tax relief in place in the form of a deduction from a companys profits for corporate investment in renewable energy products in the solar, wind, hydro or biomass technology categories, shall be continued for a further five years, subject to EU approval (Cowan 2006). But when considering renewable energy options, it is important to realistically assess their full potential. The present renewable energy sources should be looked at in a view of their output and efficiency, then evaluate their future part in securing the countrys energy supply. Wind Power Wind power is one of the most mature renewable energy technologies to date and currently has a good record of reliability and availability. The wind resources in Ireland are among the best in the EU due to the strength of the Atlantic winds. A wind turbine in Ireland will deliver twice as much power as the same turbine in Germany. We are the envy of Europe because of our wind speeds (Seanad Éireann 2005). Wind energy has seen major advances in Ireland recently, especially in the last four years. Wind energy now has the largest installed capacity of all renewable energy technologies in Ireland (Figure 5.1). As per up to date statistics from EirGrid, there is currently a total of 744 MW worth of wind power connected to the main grid and an additional 547.3 MW worth of energy from contracted wind farms currently in production to be connected at various stages in the future. (See Appendix C and Appendix D) Renewable Connections Kinetic energy in airflows is used to run wind turbines; some are capable of producing 5 MW of power, but the most cost effective are currently 500 kW 1.5 MW. Conventional investment costs are about â‚ ¬1,100 per kW installed. Wind energy has been growing significantly over recent years and following the trend, wind power will keep going in the near future, Figure 5.2. Wind Generation since 1992 to 2007 Onshore Wind Onshore wind in Ireland is mainly concentrated on the west coast due to strong winds from the Atlantic. Wind-speed maps help decide on the locations by showing the wind potential of certain areas but sites close to the western sea shore is generally the best region, as with Tursillagh Wind Farm. (Example of Analysis of Wind Potential See Appendix E) Turbines at Tursillagh Winds in an area are often monitored for a year and detailed maps constructed prior to wind generators being installed. Coastlines tend to be the windiest sites for turbines, because a primary source of wind is convection from the differential heating and cooling of land and sea. The erection of a wind farm onshore is becoming straight forward with companies having gained much experience and knowledge. Ireland has had well developed onshore wind energy for many years and has the knowledge to develop bigger wind farms to help meet the countries energy demand. Offshore Wind The offshore electricity production in Ireland is minimal but has made a good start. Arklow Offshore Wind Power Plant is the worlds first offshore project to deploy giant wind turbines in excess of 3megawatts and is Irelands only offshore wind project. But already is showing great prospect, showing excellent reliability and availability, areas where wind power is mainly criticised. The site was chosen as tests proved to be one of the windiest areas in Europe. Offshore turbines cause less aesthetic controversy as usually can not be seen from the shore. It offers fewer obstacles and stronger winds but is also more inaccessible and the conditions are harsh, corrosive and can increase the costs of maintenance. Unlike with onshore wind farms, planning is not an issue. The biggest obstacle at present is the significant capital cost even compared to onshore wind. Irelands offshore potential is an untapped resource and must be harnessed to become a serious contributor to the Irish electricity mix. Offshore wind power generation should be recognised for what it is; Irelands best option for meeting present renewable energy and CO2 targets. Planning for the Future To promote wind as one of the major sources of electricity in the future, it can be beneficial to look at a similar EU country with a successful wind market, for example Denmark. The ESB system is comparable in size to the west Denmark Eltra system. The Transmission System Operator (TSO) in Ireland, ESB National Grid (ESB NG), has asked for a report, explaining the management of the western Danish system Eltra with a focus on handling of wind production (Hilger 2004). This shows the level of interest in the Danish system for wind. The ESB has spotted the potential of assessing Denmarks approach to wind for our own future development. Denmark has only modest wind speeds, compared to Irelands impressive wind energy potential. As can be seen in the Case Study (Appendix F), the key to Denmarks wind power success is the support from the interconnectors to other EU countries. Winds intermittence problem is compensated with bought in electricity from the Nordic power pool at the going rate. The major interest in Denmarks Eltra system for the future will come from Denmarks offshore development, in particular the Horns Rev Wind Park. The Horns Rev Wind Park is a show case of Danish initiative in the large scale promotion of renewable energy. Horns Rev is the largest offshore wind farm in the world, producing two per cent of Denmarks total energy consumption. Much can be learned from Horns Rev in planning the future of wind power generation in Ireland. The offshore turbines produce 150 per cent more electricity than land based turbines. Also Denmarks offshore areas are restricted but the Irish situation is a decentralised approach where the pick of areas is open for private initiative. The Horns Rev project was a result of fourteen years of research and initiated by the Danish Government which was the main factor for its commencement. The turbines used (Vestas V80) which can adapt the output of the turbine to suit the parameters of any electricity grid. Although a lot of p lanning and research went into Horns Rev, construction only took six months which was run through the summer months for improved weather conditions. And finally so successful was Horns Rev, an additional wind farm (Horns Rev 2) is to be built northeast of the existing farm. The new offshore wind farm and the landing facilities will be commissioned in May 2009. (See Appendix F, Case Study) Constraints of Wind P Analysis of Energy Consumption in Ireland Analysis of Energy Consumption in Ireland Introduction General Introduction The following chapter will introduce the dissertation topic by means of its intended goals, outline of content within each chapter and the research methodology. The research goals present the authors aims to be achieved, core objectives and hypothesis to test. The chapters shall be briefly described as to their particular topic area. Research methodology will establish the research process, planning, data collection methods utilized and finally mention limitations encountered throughout completing the dissertation. Research Goals Aim To investigate is renewable energy the way of the future, the potential of renewable energy sources and to analyse their long-term capability of meeting Irelands future energy needs. Objectives To consider past and present trends of energy consumption in Ireland. To investigate the suitability of this technology for Ireland. To evaluate the environmental advantage of using the technology. To examine in detail the practical adoption of renewable energy technology in another country. To compare traditional energy sources against renewable sources. To examine the financial implications of changing from the traditional energy supply to a more renewable supply. Hypothesis Renewable energy is a viable option for meeting energy requirements for the future of the Irish energy market. Outline of Chapters Chapter 1: This chapter introduces the dissertation and details the authors core objectives to be researched. The structure of the dissertation is briefly described, which details the key sources of information followed by a short account of the chapters to follow. Chapter 2: The dissertation begins with a short first chapter explaining what is known as renewable energy. Chapter 3: Talks about potential future energy demands. Energy trends are evaluated to prepare an estimated energy forecast for Irelands future. Chapter 4: Investigates into why a renewable energy future? The chapter deals with the rising demand and price of oil and gas. Also the concerns about climate change and Irelands commitment to the EUs Directives on the deployment of renewable energy are dealt within the chapter. Chapter 5: The chapter reviews the renewable energy options available to Ireland. The options are assessed on the extent to which they could be used in meeting future demands. Chapter 6: Examines the Governments present proposal Renewable Electricity A 2020 Vision, which is to set up an All-Island Energy Market between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The Chapter evaluates the proposal to secure future energy supply through renewable energy for the whole island. Chapter 7: This chapter considers nuclear energy through certain areas which may be beneficial or not to Ireland. Chapter 8: This is the final chapter of the dissertation where the author reaches conclusions from the research carried out to date, followed by recommendations and areas for further study. Research Methodology Research may be defined as, the systematic study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions (Concise Oxford English Dictionary 2005). This section outlines the research methods used to prepare this dissertation. The structure of this dissertation presents the findings of research, clearly identified, which was conducted by the author. Also aspects of data collection associated with problems encountered and limitations will be summarized. Research Process Preliminary research began during the Authors placement year (year 3 of BSc Construction Economics Management in Limerick Institute of Technology). As part of the year a dissertation proposal submission was required. An initial investigation on the availability of information was carried out and being satisfied that the information available was sufficient, I decided to continue with the topic. The initial sources primarily included books, Internet, papers and magazines. Research Planning For the research process consideration was given to the possible methods of approach to the actual dissertation. To carry out the research effectively and in a detailed manner a research plan and programme was established. This plan consisted of giving sufficient time for the detailed research of material both published and unpublished. From this the author got a detailed understanding of the topic and the exact focus of the dissertation was established along with the content and scope of the various chapters. After choosing the title, aim, objectives and hypothesis, a detailed plan had to be formulated to meet each objective of the dissertation. This proved vital to the success of the dissertation, given the limited time frame to review material, engender results and complete the dissertation. Due to the amount of publications and information that needed reviewing for inclusion into the dissertation file, reading and analysis was continuously ongoing. All articles of information were scanned generally to assess their suitability and all relevant information marked accordingly. All relevant information, once analysed, was categorized based on its relevance to a given chapter. Data Collection Methods In order to test the hypothesis of this dissertation effectively detailed information had to be sought on all aspects of renewable energies and the Irish energy market. The types of data used for compiling this dissertation came from both primary and secondary sources. Material from both sources was read in detail and any information relevant to any aspect of the dissertation topic was highlighted and noted. For the actual structure of the separate chapters, this information was subdivided into separate files for each proposed chapter. Primary Sources The dissertation utilized primary sources, as work contained provided accurate information. The volume of the information was obtained from Government organisations and EU reports. The up to date factor of the reports was its main advantage. Other organisations such as Sustainable Energy Ireland published reports which proved very beneficial. As the dissertation subject is topical at present, there have been many related conferences and the proceedings published. Official Government publications were helpful especially for information relating to the All Island Energy Market. Other official publications from the EU were used to gather information on EU Directives and the Kyoto Protocol. Finally structured interviews were conducted in relation to setting up and operating wind farms as the results offered accurate first hand information. Past dissertations have been utilized but for the purpose of guidance. Secondary Sources An in depth documentary review was undertaken by the author, which involved examining various sources of information for factual information. This information was taken from construction journals, textbooks, brochures and magazines. Text books were used only for background information. Magazines and national papers proved helpful in keeping up with new developments affecting the topic, for example the Budget and Government publications. As the dissertation required up to date information on the topic, a large quantity of information was obtained from the Internet. Limitations There were a number of difficulties encountered during the research of this dissertation. The main concern for the author was the realization that new information on the chosen topic was constantly being up dated with new developments. As the dissertation is somewhat based on what may happen in the future, the conclusions and recommendations are based on educated assumptions. There exists a lack of published work in relation to the All Island Energy Market, as the consultation period is still on going. Contact with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources was made with regard to the topic and all other topics relating to the dissertation. The author was informed that the most up to date information would be available in the Governments Energy White Paper 2007 Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland and that information contained within it could not be released until the Governments official launch on the 12th of March 2007. Due to time constraints the author was not able to exploit this source. Based on the limited amount of information available the author utilized a significant amount of secondary sources. Also research questionnaires had to be abandoned due to a lack of response from organisations. Although certain information available was limited, with continued research and perseverance though all possible avenues it is believed that suitable material was compiled delivering a complete dissertation on the subject matter. CHAPTER TWO What Is Renewable Energy? Introduction Renewable energy comes from energy sources that are continuously replenished by nature. They are non-fossil energy sources that are not depleted by utilization. The main sources of renewable energy are the wind, the sun (solar energy), water (hydropower, wave and tidal energy) and biomass (wood, biodegradable waste and energy crops). Renewable energy sources are those which are effectively inexhaustible (such as wind, wave, solar, hydro etc) or which are replenished at or about their rate of consumption (such as managed forests and energy crops and other forms of biomass) (Anon 2005). What are the Benefits of Renewable energy? Renewable energy resources are clean sources of energy. They can be harnessed without damaging the environment, unlike using fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Increasing the use of renewable energy is therefore a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting Irelands Kyoto commitments. Renewable energy resources will not become exhausted. Unlike finite fossil fuels, renewable energy resources are continuously replenished and will not run out. Renewable energy resources are indigenous resources. Ireland is heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels. We now import around 89% of the fuels we need for energy. By tapping the renewable energy resources with which Ireland is richly endowed, we could reduce this reliance on imports. By increasing our use of renewable resources, we can achieve a more secure and stable energy supply for the long term (Sustainable Energy Ireland a). Chapter Summary Renewable energy generally refers to energy derived from non-fossil fuel resources (excluding nuclear). Renewable energy has become more popular in recent times as talks of global warming increase internationally and exhaustion of fossil fuels. Renewable energy will benefit the environment and help reduce our dependency on depleting sources of energy. CHAPTER THREE Irelands Potential Energy Needs Introduction To assess the potential of renewable sources sustaining Irelands energy needs in the future, firstly energy trends have to be evaluated to estimate the future requirements. It is impossible to know for sure what the future will hold but by reviewing different forecasts, a reasonable estimate can be made. Energy Trends Energy trends of the past fifteen years will give a good review of Irelands energy growth. It was within this time that the country experienced significant economic growth which was seen in the energy sector. The amount of energy consumed is shown through the Total Primary Energy Requirement (TPER). Total Energy Requirement (TER) figures represent the total Irish electricity generation at the plant exported level plus imports, less exports. The TER is the amount of electricity required to meet total final consumption in the Republic of Ireland including an allowance for transmission and distribution losses (Anon 2005). Figure 3.1 shows the Total Primary Energy Requirement (TPER) of the Republic of Ireland, broken down by fuel type, over the period 1990 to 2000. Estimates for the period 2001 to 2010 are also included. This figure shows that there was rapidly increasing growth in energy demands in the 90s and in particular, the mid 90s to 2000. It also shows a high dependence on the oil and gas. Energy Forecasts The Government document, All-Island Energy Market: Renewable Electricity A 2020 Vision; Preliminary Consultation Document, (Anon 2005), forecasts energy demands by firstly modifying the 2005 2011 median TER values so as to account for generation plant house load, and then determining the values for 2012 2020 at the assumed growth rates of 3% per annum between 2012 and 2015, and of 2% per annum between 2015 and 2020. This can be clearly seen in Table 3.1. These facts are based on the future for the whole island of Ireland, a joint north and south venture of meeting future energy demands and include Northern Ireland which is discussed in Chapter Six. The above forecast is not alone in believing that there will be a steady growth, although slightly less over a longer period of time. The report (Howley et al 2006) assumes electricity demand to grow significantly. Table 3.2 from the report shows the predicted growth. The prediction assumes the CO2 costs â‚ ¬15/tonne in 2010 and â‚ ¬30/tonne in 2020. Chapter Summary The past energy trends showed that there has been a constant rise in energy demand and this is reflected in the forecasts. The two different reports predicted to 2020 and show a similar prediction. It can then be assumed that to 2010 a 3.0 4.0% increase can be expected and from 2010 2020, a lesser 1.0 2.0%. The forecast for the generating fuel is predicted through past trends and present economic development, predicting oil to be eliminated by 2010 and gas to dominate. Although renewables are predicted to increase, early forecasts report they will only have a minor impact. CHAPTER FOUR Why a Renewable Energy Future? Introduction The future of Irelands energy supply is changing and it can not be stopped but we can adapt. The foremost important issue for the Government is to secure the countries future energy supply. Irelands geographical location and fuel resources means it is of critical importance that the future energy supply is secured now before it is too late. Ireland is too dependant on import fossil fuels for energy and so we need to become more independent, which renewable energy can provide. While Irelands imports of fossil fuels for energy still stand at about 85 per cent, much higher than the EU average of 50 per cent, there is a definite shift towards renewables. But there are other factors steering Ireland towards renewable sources, including EU and Kyoto responsibilities. Oil and Gas Depletion Oil and gas are a finite resource and there so going to completely run out some day. The demand for gas and in particular oil is increasing. This is mainly due to significant economic growth of China and India. The report Exxon-Mobils view of the future of oil and gas predicts demand is expected to rise through the year 2010 at a rate of about 2 per cent per year for oil and 3 per cent per year for gas (Longwell), as shown in Figure 4.1. This is leading to a rise in price, Figure 4.2, which already is affecting Ireland. As stated in the EU Green Paper in 2006, Oil and gas prices are rising. They have nearly doubled in the EU over the past two years, with electricity prices following. This is difficult for consumers. With increasing global demand for fossil fuels, stretched supply chains and increasing dependence on imports, high prices for oil and gas are probably here to stay (Anon 2006). Rising oil prices In its 2001 review BP commented The worlds oil R/P (reserve to production) ratio has fallen modestly since 1990 as world oil production growth has outpaced additions to reserves (Busby 2002). A chart in the 2001 review shows 1990 as the year when the R/P peak ratio of 44 was passed, reducing to 40 by the end of 2000. At the end of 2002 the R/P ratio had reduced further to 39, to rise to 41 at the end of 2003, dropping back to 40.5 at the end of 2004, but shown at 40.6 at the end of 2005. As production continues to rise and additions to reserves fail to match it, the ratio of oil reserves to production (R/P) will continue to decline and the price of crude oil will rise. The world gas R/P ratio in 2005 was 65.1, compared to 40.6 for oil. At 2005 production rates, gas reserves would provide a source of energy for a further 24 years after oil exhaustion. But when oil supplies starts to run out, more gas will be used as a substitute, hence increasing gas depletion. So if oil production peak is predicted at 2010, gas production peak should follow bout the year 2020. The problem starts to become apparent when you realise the decline of oil discovery, as shown in Figure 4.3. The gap between discovery and consumption is widening and this will eventually lead to oil production peaking. Chevron, one of the worlds largest oil companies, admits to the imminent peak and decline of oil. An Oil production peak before or by 2010 seems now to be generally accepted. The not so distant future of Irelands energy market will then have to contend without oil. The oil market is global where the gas market is regional and this is where Ireland could really suffer in the long term. It is predicted that gas will outlast oil but gas has to be piped and Irelands geographical location causes problems. The discovery of the Corrib gas field is potentially very important as it offers temporary relief from increasingly unreliable supplies of gas from the United Kingdom and Europe, says Colin Campbell, petroleum geologist (Campbell). In the near future with oil demand rising pushing up prices and in the distant future oil not been available, we must look to renewables now. The Corrib gas field is small and might get ten or more years out of it at the current rate of consumption but the Government should use this opportunity to draw on the gas to help support renewable energy. The Environment and EU Directive Irelands main source of energy is fossil fuels which produce vast quantities of CO2, add to climate change and which the EU intend to reduce. The emissions that are produced from burning fossil fuels are becoming more serious every year and a much discussed topic at national and international level. Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol Fossil fuels constitute a significant repository of carbon buried deep under the ground. Burning them results in the conversion of this carbon to carbon dioxide, which is then released into the atmosphere. This results in an increase in the Earths levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which enhances the greenhouse effect and contributes to global warming (Wikipedia). As was seen in Figure 4.4, fossil fuels are a major electricity fuel for Ireland. Fossil fuels, particularly coal, contain a dilute radioactive material which is released into the environment leading to low levels of radioactive contamination. Within the EU burden sharing agreement to meet its obligation under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland must stabilise its Greenhouse gas emissions at 13% above 1990 levels within the period 2008 to 2012 (Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources 1998). Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) latest Assessment Report was released on the 2nd of February 2007 in Paris. The report was produced by some 600 authors from 40 countries. According to the IPCC, the warming of the world is unequivocal, and that humans are very likely (higher than 90% likelihood) behind the warming. The key conclusions were: Possible temperature rise between 1.1C and 6.4C by 2100 Sea level most likely to rise by 18-59cm (7in-23in) Artic summer sea ice disappears in second half of century Increase in heatwaves very likely Increase in tropical storm intensity likely Considering overall greenhouse gas emissions, energy related CO2 emissions accounted for 51% in 1990 compared to a projected 66% in 2010 if we continue in the same direction. Renewable energy would dramatically reduce Irelands CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels. This will take time, so if want to have any chance of meeting the requirements, we have to act now. EU Directive The use of renewable energy has a legislative basis in the EU under Directive (2001/77/EC). The Directive asserts the European Countries need to promote renewables to contribute to: †¦environmental protection and sustainable development. In addition this can also create local employment, have a positive impact on social cohesion, contribute to security of supply and make it possible to meet Kyoto targets more quickly'(Anon 2005). The directive forces Ireland to have an output of renewable powered electricity to 13.2% of total electricity consumed in Ireland by 2010. But the Government is hoping to have it up to 15% by 2010 through the Renewable energy Feed In Tariff (ReFIT) programme. The new Renewable energy Feed in Tariff (ReFIT) programme replaces the Governments previous support mechanism, the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) programme and provides financial support of â‚ ¬119m to renewable energy projects over a fifteen year period The ReFIT programme will support the construction of an initial target of at least 400 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy powered electricity generating plants. Its main aim is to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity production. The ReFIT programme will help make renewable energy competitive and is a move closer to reaching the Kyoto Protocol and the EU directive. Failure to meet the Kyoto Protocol and EU Directive (2001/77/EC) will have serious financial implications. On April 4th 2006 the European Commission launched legal proceedings against Ireland, for failing to meet the deadline of October 2003 for taking the necessary measures to transpose Community legislation on renewable electricity into national law. Ireland is now under pressure to act on renewable energy. Future Policies EU Leaders decided on Friday 9th of March 2007 to slash greenhouse gas emissions, which included a binding target for renewable sources to make up a fifth of EU energy use by 2020. The leaders committed to a target of reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and offered to go to 30 per cent if major nations such as the United States, Russia, China and India follow suit. According to a draft agreement, the EU will aim to go even further in the future, with cuts of 60 to 80 per cent by 2050. Reports of drastic future climate change in the wake of the IPCCs recent assessment, talk of a post Kyoto agreement is been debated. The recent EU summit outcome of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent will form the basis of the EUs position in international talks to replace the U.N. Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. Whatever it may be called, it will aim to severely reduce Greenhouse Gases to coincide with Global Warming reports. Either way it will mean a serious change for Governments and society. Chapter Summary The demand for gas and in particular oil is increasing largely due to the economic growth of China and India. The reserves at the moment show gas will outlast oil. Oil production is predicted to peak around 2010 but as oil resources decrease, demand for gas will increase to make up the slack which will result in gas production peaking sooner rather than later. The large growth in demand at present is increasing prices and with talk of oil production peaking and the politically unstable situation in the Middle East, prices look set to continue escalating. Renewable energy can help Ireland reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. Irelands main energy source, fossil fuels, is seriously damaging the environment and the main cause of Global Warming. The Kyoto Protocol requires Ireland to reduce its CO2 emissions. Under EU legislation Ireland must increase the use of renewable energy to 13.2% of all electricity produced but the Government are aiming for 15% with the announcement of the ReFIT programme. The programme will help meet Kyoto and EU obligations. Recent announcement from the EU requires 20% of the EUs electricity generation mix be from renewable sources by 2020. This ambitious target will require serious consideration from the Government. CHAPTER FIVE The Renewable Energy Options for the Future Introduction To meet the future energy demands, the Government will have to put a lot more work into developing renewable sources of energy. The positive from this, is Ireland has vast potential for renewable energy production, especially wind. Although the Government are starting to take more notice of renewable energy technology. Within Budget 2007 Brian Cowan stated scheme of tax relief in place in the form of a deduction from a companys profits for corporate investment in renewable energy products in the solar, wind, hydro or biomass technology categories, shall be continued for a further five years, subject to EU approval (Cowan 2006). But when considering renewable energy options, it is important to realistically assess their full potential. The present renewable energy sources should be looked at in a view of their output and efficiency, then evaluate their future part in securing the countrys energy supply. Wind Power Wind power is one of the most mature renewable energy technologies to date and currently has a good record of reliability and availability. The wind resources in Ireland are among the best in the EU due to the strength of the Atlantic winds. A wind turbine in Ireland will deliver twice as much power as the same turbine in Germany. We are the envy of Europe because of our wind speeds (Seanad Éireann 2005). Wind energy has seen major advances in Ireland recently, especially in the last four years. Wind energy now has the largest installed capacity of all renewable energy technologies in Ireland (Figure 5.1). As per up to date statistics from EirGrid, there is currently a total of 744 MW worth of wind power connected to the main grid and an additional 547.3 MW worth of energy from contracted wind farms currently in production to be connected at various stages in the future. (See Appendix C and Appendix D) Renewable Connections Kinetic energy in airflows is used to run wind turbines; some are capable of producing 5 MW of power, but the most cost effective are currently 500 kW 1.5 MW. Conventional investment costs are about â‚ ¬1,100 per kW installed. Wind energy has been growing significantly over recent years and following the trend, wind power will keep going in the near future, Figure 5.2. Wind Generation since 1992 to 2007 Onshore Wind Onshore wind in Ireland is mainly concentrated on the west coast due to strong winds from the Atlantic. Wind-speed maps help decide on the locations by showing the wind potential of certain areas but sites close to the western sea shore is generally the best region, as with Tursillagh Wind Farm. (Example of Analysis of Wind Potential See Appendix E) Turbines at Tursillagh Winds in an area are often monitored for a year and detailed maps constructed prior to wind generators being installed. Coastlines tend to be the windiest sites for turbines, because a primary source of wind is convection from the differential heating and cooling of land and sea. The erection of a wind farm onshore is becoming straight forward with companies having gained much experience and knowledge. Ireland has had well developed onshore wind energy for many years and has the knowledge to develop bigger wind farms to help meet the countries energy demand. Offshore Wind The offshore electricity production in Ireland is minimal but has made a good start. Arklow Offshore Wind Power Plant is the worlds first offshore project to deploy giant wind turbines in excess of 3megawatts and is Irelands only offshore wind project. But already is showing great prospect, showing excellent reliability and availability, areas where wind power is mainly criticised. The site was chosen as tests proved to be one of the windiest areas in Europe. Offshore turbines cause less aesthetic controversy as usually can not be seen from the shore. It offers fewer obstacles and stronger winds but is also more inaccessible and the conditions are harsh, corrosive and can increase the costs of maintenance. Unlike with onshore wind farms, planning is not an issue. The biggest obstacle at present is the significant capital cost even compared to onshore wind. Irelands offshore potential is an untapped resource and must be harnessed to become a serious contributor to the Irish electricity mix. Offshore wind power generation should be recognised for what it is; Irelands best option for meeting present renewable energy and CO2 targets. Planning for the Future To promote wind as one of the major sources of electricity in the future, it can be beneficial to look at a similar EU country with a successful wind market, for example Denmark. The ESB system is comparable in size to the west Denmark Eltra system. The Transmission System Operator (TSO) in Ireland, ESB National Grid (ESB NG), has asked for a report, explaining the management of the western Danish system Eltra with a focus on handling of wind production (Hilger 2004). This shows the level of interest in the Danish system for wind. The ESB has spotted the potential of assessing Denmarks approach to wind for our own future development. Denmark has only modest wind speeds, compared to Irelands impressive wind energy potential. As can be seen in the Case Study (Appendix F), the key to Denmarks wind power success is the support from the interconnectors to other EU countries. Winds intermittence problem is compensated with bought in electricity from the Nordic power pool at the going rate. The major interest in Denmarks Eltra system for the future will come from Denmarks offshore development, in particular the Horns Rev Wind Park. The Horns Rev Wind Park is a show case of Danish initiative in the large scale promotion of renewable energy. Horns Rev is the largest offshore wind farm in the world, producing two per cent of Denmarks total energy consumption. Much can be learned from Horns Rev in planning the future of wind power generation in Ireland. The offshore turbines produce 150 per cent more electricity than land based turbines. Also Denmarks offshore areas are restricted but the Irish situation is a decentralised approach where the pick of areas is open for private initiative. The Horns Rev project was a result of fourteen years of research and initiated by the Danish Government which was the main factor for its commencement. The turbines used (Vestas V80) which can adapt the output of the turbine to suit the parameters of any electricity grid. Although a lot of p lanning and research went into Horns Rev, construction only took six months which was run through the summer months for improved weather conditions. And finally so successful was Horns Rev, an additional wind farm (Horns Rev 2) is to be built northeast of the existing farm. The new offshore wind farm and the landing facilities will be commissioned in May 2009. (See Appendix F, Case Study) Constraints of Wind P