Assess the Potential of Three Sources of Renewable Energy...

After experiencing the replacement of manual and animal labour by steam engines in the Industrial Revolution, cheap fossil fuels then became the main source of energy. However, faced with the notable increase demand for energy, fossil fuel, as a non-renewable resource becomes scarcer and more expensive nowadays. To solve this problem, the world needs to replace fossil fuels with other sources of energy which are relatively low-cost and more secure. Renewable energy is such a potential energy. This essay will give an outline of three sources of renewable energy to be used in developing nations, which are solar energy, wind power and biomass. First, it will give a definition of fossil fuel and renewable energy, then it will move to analyse†¦show more content†¦Other developing nations such as Mexico, India, Egypt, etc are now making great efforts. Admittedly, it will be worth an investment if the expense continues to fall down to an acceptable extent, as predicted (Aringhoff e t al, 2005; Seitz, 2002; and Middleton, 2003). As another renewable energy widely used, wind power, which is now mainly used for generating electricity today, has been used for thousands of years powering human activities. Unlike solar energy previously mentioned, wind is caused by the uneven heating of the earth’s surface by the sun so that wind energy is an indirect form of solar energy (Volker, 2005). Wind is called a renewable energy source owing to the infinite sun shines. However, one crucial part of establishing a wind power system is high technology, which is now the main defect in the developing world. Even in some developed countries such as Demark, lack of expert engineers in the wind industry is noticeable. It is convincingly argues that there is quite an engineering challenge especially for the less-developed nations to design an efficient wind turbine harnessing energy and turning it into electricity. In addition, it seems rather a challenge to offer opportunities for technology transfer, training and practical experience for the industry and potential wind energy supporting industries and organisations for the current developing world. Contributions made by wind energy seem mainly to be theShow MoreRelatedEnergy Efficiency And Renewable Energy1975 Words   |  8 Pagescertain, the cleanest and most inexpensive source of energy is the one that is inexhaustible and can also be naturally replenished and readily produced. The next step would be to develop that type of renewable energy efficiently while also distributing it more effectively. The most rational way to create and produce energy is to generate it renewably by utilizing naturally reoccurring resources. 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Summary Of Kill A Mockingbird - 1645 Words

To Kill a Mockingbird is told from the view of Jean Louise (Scout) Finch. It is through her we are introduced to the social injustice, racial prejudice and problems rife in Maycomb’s society. Through Lee’s use of characters, objects and events we see how these issues are permeated into society, and I will be delving into these and explaining how they present the town of Maycomb. In chapter 2 Lee presents the town of Maycomb to be poverty stricken, emphasised through the characterisation of Walter Cunningham. When it is discovered he has no lunch on the first day of school, Scout tries to explain the situation to Miss Caroline, an outsider, by stating: ‘He’s a Cunningham, Miss’. This quote presents that poverty issues within families have†¦show more content†¦This metaphor is executed by character Tom Robinson who is wrongly convicted of rape due to his skin colour. When Tom was lynched when he tried escaping, it was essentially as if the lynchers had resulted in the ‘senseless slaughter of a songbird’ as said by Mr Underwood. This shows the bigoted personas the people of Maycomb possess as they targeted him as a result of believing black people are inferior in society. Atticus’ mockingbird teaching to Jem emphasises the racism in Maycomb as he has to teach his son how to act, because if he doesn’t, Jem may be susceptible to the racist ways of Maycomb. Robinson is one of the innocent mockingbirds referred to by Atticus in the novel. He does not do anything of ill-manner, yet he is persecuted by Maycomb, and through disguising Robinson as a mockingbird, Lee’s able to convey Maycomb as racist. The racism motif in Maycomb is furthered through the Ewell family. The Ewells, being uneducated and at the bottom of the social hierarchy cannot find a clear distinction between their social class and the black’s, so they therefore turn to racism and insulting the black community to feel superior. Racial prejudice has been prevalent as a social issue and is reflected through how white and black people communicate. Robert Ewell, in chapter 17 says how he saw that ‘black nigger ruttin’ on my Mayella’, and it’s this phrase alone which is the

Critical review of management free essay sample

This article was downloaded by: [Edith Cowan University] On: 01 April 2014, At: 22:43 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Management Organizational History Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www. tandfonline. com/loi/rmor20 Management and organizational history: Prospects a Charles Booth Michael Rowlinson a b University of the West of England b Queen Mary.Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www. tandfonline. com/page/terms-and-conditions 060627 Booth Rowlinson 6/1/06 9:52 am Page 5 MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY Vol 1(1): 5–30 DOI: 10. 1177/1744935906060627 Copyright  ©2006 Sage Publications (London,Thousand Oaks, CA and New Delhi) http://moh.sagepub. com MOH A RT I C L E S Downloaded by [Edith Cowan University] at 22:43 01 April 2014 Management and organizational history: Prospects Charles Booth University of the West of England Michael Rowlinson Queen Mary, University of London Abstract We outline the prospects for Management Organizational History in the form of a 10-point agenda identifying issues that we envisage being addressed in the journal. 1. The ‘Historic Turn’ in Organization Theory – calls for a more historical orientation in management and organization theory. 2.Historical Methods and Styles of Writing – alternative methods and diverse styles of writing appropriate for studying organizations historically. 3. The Philosophy of History and Historical Theorists – the relevance for management and organization theory of philosophers of history such as Michel Foucault and Hayden White. 4. Corporate Culture and Social Memory – the historical dimension of culture and memory in organizations. 5. Organizational History – the emergence of a distinctive field of research. 6. Business History and Theory – the engagement between business history and organization theory.Business Ethics in History – the meaning and ethics of past business behaviour. 8. Metanarratives of Corporate Capitalism – historiographical debate concerning the rise of capitalism and the modern corporation. 9. Management History and Management Education – the link between the history of management thought and the teaching of management and organization theory. 10. Public History – the relation between business schools and the increasing public interest in history. Key words †¢ Management history †¢ organizational history †¢ organizational memory †¢ philosophy of historyOur purpose in this article is to discuss the prospects as we see them for the new journal Management Organizational History. The paper is set out in the form of a 10-point agenda with proposals for future directions in management and organizational history. Our intention is to stimulate debate, not to define boundaries or exclude other possibilities. 5 060627 Booth Rowlinson 6/1/06 9:52 am Page 6 MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY 1(1) Downloaded by [Edith Cowan University] at 22:43 01 April 2014 1.The ‘Historic Turn’ in Organization Theory Our starting point is the ‘historic turn’ that is arguably taking place in management and organization theory (Clark and Rowlinson 2004), akin to that which has transformed other branches of the social sciences and humanities (Down 2001, 394–96; McDonald 1996). There have been repeated calls for a more historical approach to the study of management and organizations from leading organization theorists such as Mayer Zald (1993, 2002), Alfred Kieser (1994), Gibson Burrell (1997) and Stewart Clegg (2001).Zald (2002, 381) contends that the approach to problems in business school social science is ‘universalist and presentist’. In ‘the search for general and abstracted laws’, he maintains, ‘social science cut itself off from history’. Universalism leads to a view that contemporary organization theory applies to organizational phenomena in all societies at all times. Presentism results in research being reported as if it occurred in a decontextualized, extended present. Presentism contradicts universalism to the extent that the present is often assumed to be a period of unprecedented change, heralding the dawning of a new age.But this is usually done without proper consideration of possible historical precedents. It is largely a rhetorical device for privileging an unbounded, extended present, and it is a claim that has been made for at least as long as either of us can remember. Universalism and presentism can be seen as the Flintstones and the Simpsons approaches to history. The Flintstones cartoon was ‘set in a town called Bedrock, in the Stone Age era, but with a society identical to that of the United States in the mid-20th century’ (Wikipedia 2005). The cartoonseries revelled in its anachronisms, as when the characters appeared in a Christmas special, even though they must have lived long before Christ was born. The ‘Flintstones method’ assumes that any society, from the prehistoric to the present, faces the same organizational problems as our own (Steel 1999). As Jacques (1996, 14) observes, universalism means that ‘management is presented as a continuous thread running through civilization’, and even the Bible is cited by universalist organization theorists as addressing issues of organization.Universalism often ‘emphasizes continuity over change’ (Down 2001, 402). It proceeds from the saying, ‘there is nothing new under the sun’ (Moore and Lewis 1999, 2, 269; cited in Down 2001, 402), which, as Milton Friedman pointed out, is just as much a half-truth as the saying ‘history never repeats itself’ (1966, 25). Universalism can serve as a useful counter to claims f or discontinuity between the present and the past. But Simon Down (2001, 402) argues that to describe ancient Greek enterprises as multinational enterprises (e. g.Moore and Lewis 1999), from the perspective of contemporary international business studies, and using ‘the language of corporate capitalism’ is to imply ‘that most, if not all, economic organizations are forms of capitalism’. According to Down (2001, 403–4), the claim that multinational enterprises existed in antiquity, in a form amenable to analysis using concepts from Michael Porter (1990), is indefensible. It can only be made by assuming that market rationality has always existed, ignoring broader intellectual history and the historiography of the ancient world.Of course, we need, similarly, to be wary of Marxistinspired critiques of universal market rationality because Marxism makes the competing assumption of a universal class struggle. 6 060627 Booth Rowlinson 6/1/06 9:52 am Page 7 BOOTH ROWLINSON: MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY: PROSPECTS Downloaded by [Edith Cowan University] at 22:43 01 April 2014 Although it may be untenable to s uggest that the ancient Phoenicians developed multinational enterprises, a convincing case can be made that there are historical precedents for developments in contemporary capitalism.For example, most economic historians are now agreed that globalization in the late 20th century is not unprecedented, and that the first period of globalization occurred between 1896 and 1914 (Eichengreen 1996). According to a leading economic historian: the most impressive episode of international economic integration which the world has seen to date was not the second half of the 20th century, but the years between 1870 and the Great War. The nineteenth century, and in particular the late nineteenth century, was the period that saw the largest decline ever in international barriers to trade and factor mobility.(O’Rourke 2002, 65) The economy was even more globalized than the late 20th century in part because there was mobility of both capital and labour, whereas in the current period the mobility of labour is more restricted. The first age of globalization was undone by the First World War, a war that was seen as impossible by many commentators at the time due to the extent of global integration (Ferguson 1998a). Where historians disagree is over the role of imperialism in the first age of globalization. The Simpsons is set in Springfield, which is ‘a classic postmodern pasti che.The series systematically conceals the State in which Springfield is located’, although many elements of it remind viewers of a typical, large American metropolitan area (Miani 2004, 17). Springfield is fictionalized in the same way that an organization is often fictionalized in organization studies; it ‘may not exist, and yet everything that is said about it may be true’, in the sense that ‘it may be credible in the light of other texts’ (Czarniawska 1999, 38). Bart Simpson never grows up, and no matter how many episodes he appears in, he always appears in the present.The Simpsons method presents fictionalized organizations in a non-dated, extended present. The historic turn problematizes universalism and presentism. It raises the question of the extent to which organizations, and organizational research, need to be historicized, that is, located in a specific historical context. For example, was the multinational enterprise born in ancient Greece? Or is it a form of organization that is specific to a globalized, capitalist economy? In which case, were the forms of foreign direct investment during the first age of globalization comparable t o those of the late 20th century?And in terms of the present, how generalizable across time and space are the findings of an ethnographer from a fictionalized and supposedly typical organization? Calls for more historical awareness are often aligned with critical management studies. Zald (2002, 381) contends that business schools have been ‘cut off from humanistic thinking’ and, according to Burrell, business school faculty have been allowed to escape from ‘any real sensitivity to the issues raised by the humanities’, including history (1997, 528). Thomas, Mills, and Helms Mills 2004), and sexuality (Mills 1997) into organization theory should also entail historical contextualization. For example, Anshuman Prasad ‘seeks to theorize workplace diversity within the wider context of the (continuing? ) history and experience of Euro-American imperialism and colonialism’, and draws on postcolonial theory (Prasad 1997, 286). As to how management and organization theory can respond to the calls for more engagement with history, Behlul Usdiken and Alfred Kieser (2004) have identified three positions, which they label supplementarist, integrationist, and reorientationist.The supplementarist position adheres to the view of organization theory as social scientistic, and merely adds history as another contextual variable, alongside other variables such as national cultures. The integrationist position, which Kieser (1994) himself prefers, seeks to enrich organization theory by developing links with the humanities, including his tory, literary theory and philosophy, without completely abandoning a social scientistic orientation.The reorientationist agenda, which is very much our own (Clark and Rowlinson 2004), involves a thoroughgoing critique of existing theories of organization for their ahistorical orientation. There is scope for more debate about the extent to which history should merely supplement existing theories of organization, or be integrated with them, or whether a proper ‘historic turn’ requires a reorientation of organization theory along the lines of the reorientation called for from critical management studies or gender studies. 2.Historical Methods and Styles of Writing The historic turn in management and organization theory raises questions about methods and appropriate styles of writing for more historically oriented research. Management and organization theorists are often wary of both documentary historical research and narrative accounts of organizations (e. g. Barrett and Srivastava 1991; Strati 2000; Martin 2002). On the other hand, while business historians generally keep to documentary research and chronological narratives of individual organizations, they rarely engage  with the epistemological questions concerning sources and historical narratives raised by organization theorists. This means that when management and organization theorists venture into historical research they have to tackle questions concerning historical methods, the status of sources and styles of writing (Rowlinson 2004). Here we mention just a few examples of the challenges raised by such writing. Pettigrew’s (1985) longitudinal study of ICI’s corporate strategy is highly regarded by business historians (e. g. Coleman 1987; Warren and Tweedale 2002, 212).But as Pettigrew admits, the combination of ‘retrospective and real-time analysis of social and organizational processes’ presents particular advantages and disadvantages (Pettigrew 1985, 40), and these are different to those usually encountered by business historians. Pettigrew’s data consist of company documents, i. e. conventional historical data, as well as retrospective data from long semi-structured interviews. His main sources, however, were real-time observations and interviews conducted during his long stay in the organization.This combination led Pettigrew to a presentation of findings that repeatedly traverses the same period of time and departs from 8 060627 Booth Rowlinson 6/1/06 9:52 am Page 9 Downloaded by [Edith Cowan University] at 22:43 01 April 2014 BOOTH ROWLINSON: MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY: PROSPECTS conventional chronological business history (Clark and Rowlinson 2002). Alongside Pettigrew’s research, the strategic choice perspective (Child 1972) licensed several forays into business archives by organization theorists. These studies (e. g.Whipp and Clark 1986; Smith, Child and Rowlinson 1990) incorporate the tension between action and structure in ‘analytically structured narratives’ (Clark 2000, 113). They are selfconsciously situated ‘on the bridge between narrative and analytic schemas’ (Whipp and Clark 1986, 18). In other words they attempt to strike a balance between atheoretical, common-sense, empirical historical accounts of what actually happened, and overtheorized, sociological or economic accounts which explain the structural or economic necessity underlying events that have already been recounted by historians.Whipp and Clark (1986) are also notable as an example of organizational researchers who managed to secure possession of a large portion of historical records from a then extant company in order to carry out an historical case study without corporate sponsorship. Their study of innovations in work organization at Rover up until the early 1980s grants anonymity through pseudonyms for interviewees who gave retrospective accounts of events. These retrospective accounts are combined with liberal citation from company documents, including the directors†™ minutes, in order to construct a detailed narrative of the company’s recent history.This allows for a historicized account of Rover, countering more universalist structural accounts of work organization derived from labour process theory (Braverman 1974). Whipp and Clark also demonstrate that anonymity for interviewees does not require the complete fictionalization of an organization, abstracted from time and place and as if existing in an extended present. Burrell’s (1997) excursion in Pandemonium represents more of a challenge to both historical research and organization theory.Burrell eschews the aura of realism and objectivity that is normally found in historical writing, avoiding anything resembling a conventional chronological narrative. Instead he presents organization theory with an invitation to an odd and occasionally disturbing set of historiographical debates, from witchcraft to the Holocaust. Historians, and especially business historians, are not usually expected to produce a methodological justification for their work. The copious notes detailing the location of sources in the archive are usually seen as sufficient methodological justification in their own right.On the other hand, for social science research in general, and for qualitative researchers in organization studies in particular, it is expected that there will be a detailed methodological justification of the research conducted. But while contributors to management and organization theory journals are expected to provide a detailed account of their methodology, they are usually discouraged from listing archival sources in endnotes. We would therefore expect the historic turn to lead to greater reflection on the historical methods appropriate for studying organizations.We also believe that if experiments in historical styles of writing using multiple methods are to be encouraged, then both methodological essays and detailed empirical, historical, archive-based research with copious notes listing documentary sources need to be accommodated. We aim to promote both historically informed writing in organization theory and historical research informed by organization theory. 9 060627 Booth Rowlinson 6/1/06 9:52 am Page 10 MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY 1(1) Downloaded by [Edith Cowan University] at 22:43 01 April 2014 3.The Philosophy of History and Historical Theorists If there is to be methodological reflection and experimentation in historical writing, then this will involve further engagement with the philosophy of history and historical theorists such as Hayden White (1973, 1987), Michel Foucault (1970, 19 72), Paul Ricoeur (1984), David Carr (1986) and Deirdre McCloskey (1994). Carr’s defence of narrative as the essence of human existence and consciousness in time stands at odds with the views of White or Foucault, that narrative is an imposition on the part of the historian as narrator.This impositionalist view of narrative in history is generally accepted within organization theory, as it is more broadly, so much so that Carr (1998) describes it as the received wisdom. This is largely because, amongst the historical theorists we have mentioned above, it is Foucault who has attracted most attention in organization theory (Carter, McKinlay and Rowlinson 2002). The interest in Foucault has inspired historical research on organizations from management and organization theorists (e. g. Jacques 1996), as well as accounting researchers (Hoskin and Macve 1988) and sociologists (Savage 1998).

The Tomorrow City By Monica City Essays - Artificial Intelligence

The Tomorrow City by Monica City PART A i) Title: The Tomorrow City ii) Author: Monica Hughes iii) Publisher: Hamish Hamilton Children's Books, Ltd. iv) Number of Pages: 137 PART B i) The plot of this book centres around two adolescents, David and Caro and an evil supercomputer which aspires to control the futuristic city of Thompsonville. Dr. Henderson, Caro's Father creates the "perfect" computer designed to solve all of the problems of Thompsonville by gaining almost complete power of the city. The computer then begins to make rash decisions of it's own. It decides that humans are incapable of making decisions of there own and soon devises a method of controlling the minds of everyone in the city. Only two young people, Caro and David, are not manipulated by the computer. They band together and work out a strategy to disable the computer. The two make a daring infiltration of the building that the computer is located and after a traumatic episode in which Caro is blinded, the computer is destroyed and the city is returned to it's previous state. ii) The theme of the book is to show that technology is not a perfect solution to the many problems faced by man. By using a product of technology, the computer, and showing how it was supposed to be a perfect solution to the city's problems, yet it made a grave error in calculations, the author is saying that many problems faced by man cannot be solved by the use of technology. iii) Technology played a negative role in this book. The computer, the major aspect of technology used in this book, used its capabilities to immorally rule the citizens and the city of Thompsonville. The computer transmitted hypnotic signals through peoples T.V. sets and would use them to carry out it's will to ultimately control the city. It then discarded anything or anyone who were useless to it's purpose including the elderly and the sick. PART C One of the major arguments that the author uses to emphasize the theme is the significant malfunctioning of the computer. It was designed to be flawless and solve the numerous problems of the city. But, the computer's rationing is shown throughout the book to be poor. The methods in which it goes about solving the city's problems were both ruthless and numerous. To clean up the city's streets the computer takes advantage of it's hypnotic capabilities to either direct out or kill any of the city's "undesirables". To make the city run more efficiently, the computer changes everyone's job on the basis of I.Q. without warning. To deal with the elderly, the computer orders henchman to kidnap the elderly and bring them into elderly institutions without anyone's consent. PART D I fully agree with the the author's point of view in the book. It has clearly demonstrated the idea of many individuals and groups of today that technology can solve all of man's problems. It is true, however, that technology has lead to many innovations that have greatly aided man such as advances in medicine. However, history has shown many times that technology can sometimes be more damaging than helpful. A major problem with technology is that it may solve one problem but as a result create many more problems than it has solved. An example would be nuclear energy. Nuclear technology has solved many problems relating to power generation but has produced such side effects as hazardous waste and weapons of mass destruction.

The Mount Pinatubo Eruption

The Mount Pinatubo Eruption In June 1991, the second-largest volcanic eruption of the twentieth century* took place on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, a mere 90 kilometers (55 miles) northwest of the capital city Manila. Up to 800 people were killed and 100,000 became homeless following the Mount Pinatubo eruption, which climaxed with nine hours of the  eruption on June 15, 1991. On June 15, millions of tons of sulfur dioxide were discharged into the atmosphere, resulting in a decrease in the temperature worldwide over the next few years. The Luzon Arc Mount Pinatubo is part of a chain of composite volcanoes along the Luzon arc on the west coast of the island (area map). The arc of volcanoes is due to the subduction of the Manila trench to the west. The volcano experienced major eruptions approximately 500, 3000, and 5500 years ago. The events of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption began in July 1990, when a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred 100 kilometers (62 miles) northeast of the Pinatubo region, determined to be a result of the reawakening of Mount Pinatubo. Before the Eruption In mid-March 1991, villagers around Mount Pinatubo began feeling earthquakes and vulcanologists began to study the mountain. (Approximately 30,000 people lived on the flanks of the volcano prior to the disaster.) On April 2, small explosions from vents dusted local villages with ash. The first evacuations of 5,000 people were ordered later that month. Earthquakes and explosions continued. On June 5, a Level 3 alert was issued for two weeks due to the possibility of a major eruption. The extrusion of a lava dome on June 7 led to the issuance of a Level 5 alert on June 9, indicating an eruption in progress. An evacuation area 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) away from the volcano was established and 25,000 people were evacuated. The following day (June 10), Clark Air Base, a U.S. military installation near the volcano, was evacuated. The 18,000 personnel and their families were transported to Subic Bay Naval Station and most were returned to the United States. On June 12, the danger radius was extended to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from the volcano resulting in the total evacuation of 58,000 people. The Eruption On June 15, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo began at 1:42 p.m. local time. The eruption lasted for nine hours and caused numerous large earthquakes due to the collapse of the summit of Mount Pinatubo and the creation of a caldera. The caldera reduced the peak from 1745 meters (5725 feet) to 1485 meters (4872 feet) high is 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in diameter. Unfortunately, at the time of the eruption Tropical Storm Yunya was passing 75 km (47 miles) to the northeast of Mount Pinatubo, causing a large amount of rainfall in the region. The ash that was ejected from the volcano mixed with the water vapor in the air to cause a rainfall of tephra that fell across almost the entire island of Luzon. The greatest thickness of ash deposited 33 centimeters (13 inches) approximately 10.5 km (6.5 mi) southwest of the volcano. There was 10 cm of ash covering an area of 2000 square kilometers (772 square miles). Most of the 200 to 800 people (accounts vary) who died during the eruption died due to the weight of the ash collapsing roofs and killing two occupants. Had Tropical Storm Yunya not been nearby, the death toll from the volcano would have been much lower. In addition to the ash, Mount Pinatubo ejected between 15 and 30 million tons of sulfur dioxide gas. Sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere mixes with water and oxygen in the atmosphere to become sulfuric acid, which in turn triggers ozone depletion. Over 90% of the material released from the volcano was ejected during the nine-hour eruption of June 15. The eruption plume of Mount Pinatubos various gasses and ash reached high into the atmosphere within two hours of the eruption, attaining an altitude of 34 km (21 miles) high and over 400 km (250 miles) wide. This eruption was the largest disturbance of the stratosphere since the eruption of Krakatau in 1883 (but ten times larger than Mount St. Helens in 1980). The aerosol cloud spread around the earth in two weeks and covered the planet within a year. During 1992 and 1993, the Ozone hole over Antarctica reached an unprecedented size. The cloud over the earth reduced global temperatures. In 1992 and 1993, the average temperature in the Northern Hemisphere was reduced 0.5 to 0.6 °C and the entire planet was cooled 0.4 to 0.5 °C. The maximum reduction in global temperature occurred in August 1992 with a reduction of 0.73 °C. The eruption is believed to have influenced such events as 1993 floods along the Mississippi River and the drought in the Sahel region of Africa. The United States experienced its third coldest and third wettest summer in 77 years during 1992. The Aftermath Overall, the cooling effects of the Mount Pinatubo eruption were greater than those of the El Nià ±o that was taking place at the time or of the greenhouse gas warming of the planet. Remarkable sunrises and sunsets were visible around the globe in the years following the Mount Pinatubo eruption. The human impacts of the disaster are staggering. In addition to the up to 800 people who lost their lives, there was almost one-half of a billion dollars in property and economic damage. The economy of central Luzon was horribly disrupted. In 1991, the volcano destroyed 4,979 homes and damaged another 70,257. The following year 3,281 homes were destroyed and 3,137 were damaged. Damage following the Mount Pinatubo eruption was usually caused by lahars - rain-induced torrents of volcanic debris that killed people and animals and buried homes in the months after the eruption. Additionally, another Mount Pinatubo eruption in August 1992 killed 72 people. The United States military never returned to Clark Air Base, turning over the damaged base to the Philippine government on November 26, 1991. Today, the region continues to rebuild and recover from the disaster.

Free Essays on Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the greatest and most ingenious men that history has produced. His contributions in the areas of art, science, and humanity are still among the most important that a single man has put forth, definitely making his a life worth knowing. Da Vinci, born on April 15, 1452, is credited with being a master painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, and scientist. He was born an illegitimate child to Catherina, a peasant girl. His father was Ser Piero da Vinci, a public notary for the city of Florence, Italy. For the first four years of his life he lived with his mother in the small village of Vinci, directly outside of the great center of the Renaissance, Florence. Catherina was a poor woman, with possible artistic talent, the genetic basis of Leonardo’s talents. Upon the realization of Leonardo’s potential, his father took the boy to live with him and his wife in Florence (Why did). This was the start of the boy’s education and his quest for knowledge. Leonardo was recognized by many to be a â€Å"Renaissance child† because of his many talents. As a boy, Leonardo was described as being handsome, strong, and agile. He had keen powers of observation, an imagination, and the ability to detach himself from the world around him. At an early age Leonardo became interested in subjects such as botany, geology, animals (specifically birds), the motion of water, and shadows (About Leonardo). At the age of 17, in about 1469, Leonardo was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio’s workshop Leonardo was introduced to many techniques, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was accepted in the painter’s guild of Florence, and worked there for about six years. ... Free Essays on Leonardo Da Vinci Free Essays on Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the greatest and most ingenious men that history has produced. His contributions in the areas of art, science, and humanity are still among the most important that a single man has put forth, definitely making his a life worth knowing. Da Vinci, born on April 15, 1452, is credited with being a master painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, and scientist. He was born an illegitimate child to Catherina, a peasant girl. His father was Ser Piero da Vinci, a public notary for the city of Florence, Italy. For the first four years of his life he lived with his mother in the small village of Vinci, directly outside of the great center of the Renaissance, Florence. Catherina was a poor woman, with possible artistic talent, the genetic basis of Leonardo’s talents. Upon the realization of Leonardo’s potential, his father took the boy to live with him and his wife in Florence (Why did). This was the start of the boy’s education and his quest for knowledge. Leonardo was recognized by many to be a â€Å"Renaissance child† because of his many talents. As a boy, Leonardo was described as being handsome, strong, and agile. He had keen powers of observation, an imagination, and the ability to detach himself from the world around him. At an early age Leonardo became interested in subjects such as botany, geology, animals (specifically birds), the motion of water, and shadows (About Leonardo). At the age of 17, in about 1469, Leonardo was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio’s workshop Leonardo was introduced to many techniques, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was accepted in the painter’s guild of Florence, and worked ther... Free Essays on Leonardo Da Vinci Background Leonardo was born in the town of Vinci in the Tuscan hills, on April 15, 1452. This is known from his grandfather, Antonio, who wrote down the details of the baptism: A grandson of mine was born, son of Ser Piero, my son, on April 15, Saturday at three in the night (11 pm). He was baptized by the priest Piero di Bartolomeo, Papino di Nanni Banti, Meo di Tenino, Piero di Malvolto, Nanni di Venzo, Arrigo di Giovanni the German, Monna Lisa di Domenico di Brettone, Monna Antonia di Giulliano, Monna Nicolosa del Barna, Monna Maria, daughter of Nanni di Venzo, Monna Pippa di Previcone. The names following that of the priest were of the witnesses, five men and five women as tradition demanded. Noticeably, the boy's mother is not present at the time of baptism. Leonardo's father was Piero Da Vinci, and of his mother only her name "Caterina" in known. Caterina is understood to have been a peasant girl, or perhaps a barmaid. When the young boy was born, he lived with his mother for the first few years of his life. It is intriguing that in all of his writings, Leonardo never mentioned his mother, even though there is evidence that later on his life he was aware of who she was. The Da Vinci's were a family that had been established in Vinci since the 13th Century. Many generations of notaries had given the family a status, and the title of Ser which was passed down to Leonardo's father. Although it is very difficult to find information about Leonardo's ancestors, this is a brief genealogical table: Ser Piero di Ser Guido (d. 1412) | Ser Antonio di Ser Piero di Ser Guido (1372-1464) | Ser Piero da Vinci (1426-1504) | Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Ser Piero, Leonardo's father was a man of great virility, who lived... Free Essays on Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci Leonard Da Vinci once said, â€Å"There can be no greater or lesser mastery over oneself.† Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the greatest inventors and scientists of recorded history. His genius was unbounded by time and technology. His ways were driven by his appetite for curiosity and intuitive sense of the natural wonders around him. Leonardo Da Vinci was dedicated to the discovery of truth and his contributions to science and art were legendary. There are many people who are considered geniuses in their own field of expertise, but Leonardo Da Vinci stands out as a true genius of many fields of expertise. He not only created masterpieces of art, but also contributed heavily to the fields of engineering and architecture. He also designed and sketched machines and inventions that were clearly ahead of his time. He did not limit his creativeness with accepted means of his time, and had the courage to experiment with new and untried ideas, even if it meant failure on his part. Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452, in Vinci, which is now a part of Italy. He was the illegitimate son of a notary public and a peasant girl. Leonardo’s father noticed his potential artistic talent and took him to Florence to start his education. Leonardo was recognized by many to be a Renaissance child because of his multitude of talents. He had keen powers of observation and imagination and had the ability to detach himself from the world around him. Leonardo showed an early interest in subjects such as botany, geology, animals, and natural elements, he was also very intrigued by shadows. When he reached the age of seventeen, Leonardo became an apprentice to one of Florence’s leading painters and sculptors, Andrea del Verrochio. At the age of twenty, Leonardo was accepted in the painter’s guild of Florence, and stayed for six years to learn and work with Verrochio on paintings like, â€Å"The Baptism of Christ†. On this painting, there ... Free Essays on Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the greatest and most ingenious men that history has produced. His contributions in the areas of art, science, and humanity are still among the most important that a single man has put forth, definitely making his a life worth knowing. Da Vinci, born on April 15, 1452, is credited with being a master painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, and scientist. He was born an illegitimate child to Catherina, a peasant girl. His father was Ser Piero da Vinci, a public notary for the city of Florence, Italy. For the first four years of his life he lived with his mother in the small village of Vinci, directly outside of the great center of the Renaissance, Florence. Catherina was a poor woman, with possible artistic talent, the genetic basis of Leonardo’s talents. Upon the realization of Leonardo’s potential, his father took the boy to live with him and his wife in Florence (Why did). This was the start of the boy’s education and his quest for knowledge. Leonardo was recognized by many to be a â€Å"Renaissance child† because of his many talents. As a boy, Leonardo was described as being handsome, strong, and agile. He had keen powers of observation, an imagination, and the ability to detach himself from the world around him. At an early age Leonardo became interested in subjects such as botany, geology, animals (specifically birds), the motion of water, and shadows (About Leonardo). At the age of 17, in about 1469, Leonardo was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio’s workshop Leonardo was introduced to many techniques, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was accepted in the painter’s guild of Florence, and worked there for about six years. ... Free Essays on Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the greatest and most ingenious men that history has produced. His contributions in the areas of art, science, and humanity are still among the most important that a single man has put forth, definitely making his a life worth knowing. Da Vinci, born on April 15, 1452, is credited with being a master painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, and scientist. He was born an illegitimate child to Catherina, a peasant girl. His father was Ser Piero da Vinci, a public notary for the city of Florence, Italy. For the first four years of his life he lived with his mother in the small village of Vinci, directly outside of the great center of the Renaissance, Florence. Catherina was a poor woman, with possible artistic talent, the genetic basis of Leonardo’s talents. Upon the realization of Leonardo’s potential, his father took the boy to live with him and his wife in Florence (Why did). This was the start of the boy’s education and his quest for knowledge. Leonardo was recognized by many to be a â€Å"Renaissance child† because of his many talents. As a boy, Leonardo was described as being handsome, strong, and agile. He had keen powers of observation, an imagination, and the ability to detach himself from the world around him. At an early age Leonardo became interested in subjects such as botany, geology, animals (specifically birds), the motion of water, and shadows (About Leonardo). At the age of 17, in about 1469, Leonardo was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio’s workshop Leonardo was introduced to many techniques, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was accepted in the painter’s guild of Florence, and worked there for about six years. ...

Does US Seek Hegemony over Asia Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Does US Seek Hegemony over Asia - Article Example It is evident from the official statement that the US continues to play a great role to ensure a stable balance in Asia. America’s political, economic and diplomatic leadership enhances global freedom, peace, and prosperity. The US has acknowledged the fact that maintaining order in Asia will be a complex task given the great distances (Glaser, 2011). Â  United States concerns about Asian stability are guaranteed. In using the history of the 20th-century guide, Washington will continue dealing with Asian-Pacific. The US has an issue dealing with China as it has become a rising power. However, United States is seeking to face China has a rising economic and military power in Asia-Pacific. The United States president has promised to make their missions and presence in Asia-Pacific the topmost priority. After the president announcement, approximately 500 US troops were said to be deployed to Australia. The US is foreseeing a growing threat of its hegemony from China. America’s tactical moves to Asia are aimed at pinning down China as well as counterbalancing its development (Glaser, 2011). The US economic and hegemony in Asia-Pacific has triggered concerns about national security. The United States has established a key military base in Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Guam, Singapore and now Australia. The former D efense Secretary of United States spoke at the International Institute of Strategic Studies conference and said that US is aiming at maintaining a robust US military in Asia. The US is taking measures that help them overcome the area denial scenarios and anti-access that the US faces in Asia, which restricts America’s from accessing strategic resources and markets. The United States believes that its hegemony in Asia will deter and defeat the potential rivals. Â