Russia, The World s Largest Country - 1418 Words

Russia, the world’s largest country, is a country that is defined by it’s intriguing culture, politics, and physical geography. Let’s begin with the extensive amount of geography that is Russia in comparison to the rest of the world. Russia has the world’s longest continuous coastline, which means that there is more of the country of Russia that touches water than any other country in the world. The climate of Russia, however, is not the most ideal conditions as a large portion of the country is in the Arctic climate zone in the subarctic climate zone, which means it is very cold and has very little access to water for trading or anything else for that matter. To resolve this issue, Russia relies heavily on access to the warm water†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, Russia has had a rough past in regards to the most famous Chernobyl power plant disaster. It was noted as the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history as it took about 500,00 0 rescue workers to help clean up the radioactive debris and it was estimated that deaths ranged between 30,000 and 200,000 deaths. If people did not die from this, they could have been affected by radioactive exposure, which can cause radiation developing cancer at an early age in children, stillbirths with being born with birth defects. This ultimately led the fallout of the city of Kiev, where everyone was evacuated from the area and remains an empty place that lies within Russia. It has been stated that there is still radioactive radiation that fills the air in Kiev even after 31 years of it occurring. Russia has had an interesting upbringing in the pathway of becoming a powerful nation as it stands today. Russia’s roots started all the way back in the 8-9th century with the migrating slavic groups including the Huns, Samaritans, Turks, and the Persians. The Mongolians were the initial group of individuals that establish a very efficient form of authoritarian bureaucratic structure. The Mongolians were seen as a very radical and ruthless group of people due to the destruction of manyShow MoreRelatedThe Russian Federation Of The Soviet Republic1010 Words   |  5 Pages For other uses of Russia, see Russia (disambiguation). Coordinates: 60 °N 90 °E Russian Federation Ð  Ã ¾Ã' Ã' Ã ¸Ã ¹Ã' Ã ºÃ °Ã'  Ð ¤Ã µÃ ´Ã µÃ'€Ð °Ã'†Ð ¸Ã'  Rossiyskaya Federatsiya Flag Coat of arms Anthem: ГÐ ¾Ã' Ã'Æ'Ð ´Ã °Ã'€Ã' Ã'‚Ð ²Ã µÃ ½Ã ½Ã'‹Ð ¹ Ð ³Ã ¸Ã ¼Ã ½ Ð  Ã ¾Ã' Ã' Ã ¸Ã ¹Ã' Ã ºÃ ¾Ã ¹ Ð ¤Ã µÃ ´Ã µÃ'€Ð °Ã'†Ð ¸Ã ¸ Gosudarstvennyy gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii (transliteration) State Anthem of the Russian Federation MENU0:00 Russia (dark green) Crimean peninsula (disputed) (light green)a Russia (dark green) Crimean peninsula (disputed) (light green)a Capital and largest city Moscow 55 °45†²NRead MoreThe Crisis Of Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Sudan, And Lebanon Essay1562 Words   |  7 PagesMany nations around the world refine oil. Based on the number of barrels refined during the first three months of 2016, the countries that refined the most oil were: Russia (10.5 million BPD), Saudi Arabia (10 million BPD), the United States (9.2 million BPD), Iraq (4.3 million BPD) and China (4.1 million BPD). (CNNMoney, 2016) Just as there are many oil-producing states in the United States that do not have refineries, there are entire nations that are impacted by having a lack of refineries. ARead MoreRussia s Food Embargo With The Eu1332 Words   |  6 Pagesshifts in the demands of Russian consumers along with any import needs the country has to maintain its society and infrastructure. One of the key considerations for examining Russia’s resource needs must be the fact that the US’s core competency as an energy producer cannot be leveraged in this scenario due to Russia’s own dominance as a producer of oil (Lavrov, 2013). The loss of the strength of the Russian ruble has caused Russia to experience a trade deficit, which has contributed to an increase inRead MoreRussian And American Lives : Russia1044 Words   |  5 Pages The world around us has yet to realize the comparable lives between Russia’s and America’s life styles. There are many differences between Ru ssian and American cultural life, such as their defining and histories. Russia, also known as Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world. It is made up of 9 various time zones and shares its land borders with 14 neighboring countries. America, known as the United States of America, is only the third-largest country in the world with a totalRead MoreHow The Compania Espanola De Petroleos S.a1528 Words   |  7 Pages CEPSA Country Analysis Juan Planillo 11/03/2014Executive summary This report will analyze and evaluate how the Compaà ±Ãƒ ­a Espaà ±ola de Petrà ³leos S.A.U (CEPSA) can develop a country selection process Executive summary 2 Introduction 4 Company Background 5 Motivations to enter in new markets 6 Country analysis 8 Russia 8 Saudi Arabia 11 France 14 Introduction Company Background CEPSA is a Spanish oil and gas company, the company headquarters is located in Madrid, Spain. CEPSA is the secondRead MoreRussia, A Country Of The World1369 Words   |  6 PagesRussia, a country that occupies one-tenth of Earth’s land, spans 11 time zones across the Europe and Asia, which are the two continents that the country resides on. The country possesses various geographical features, such as deserts, frozen coastlines and mountains. An enormous amount of animals, which includes snow leopards, Siberian tiger, polar bears, and pikas, enjoy living on this habitat. Diverse cultures and ethnicities also settled on this piece of land (â€Å"Russia.†). As the largest countryRead MoreHow Russia Became The Country It Is Today1451 Words   |  6 Pages Russia, the largest country in the world, has a very deep and immense culture; a country that has been adapting and changing its culture since as early as the 9th century. Values, beliefs, language, and even the religi on all have had major impact on this powerful nation. Culture is the complex whole of a society, this includes everything that gives a society its identity; culture is learned, it is not inherited, most of it is unconsciously learned from family, friends, peers, and even the mediaRead MoreRussia, Who Would Benefit From A Weaker Ruble? Essay813 Words   |  4 Pages7) In Russia, who would benefit from a weaker ruble? Russian Exporters will benefit from weaker ruble because as the value of currency decreases, investors are attracted, exports are increases. If oil can maintain a fairly low price of $60 per barrel, Russian energy companies can survive a drawn-out depression in the global industry. The reason is that the costs of extracting oil and gas are based on a devalued ruble, which makes them low for producers. Products are sold on the world market for dollarsRead MoreRussian World Power Once More? Essay1603 Words   |  7 PagesRussian World Power Once More? When I think about the huge and vast nation of Russia I think of a country with a very long a rich history, one with czars, dictators and presidents. This nation was once a major world power, with a lot of pull with other nations. But as of now they are not as strong or with as much pull with other nations as they once had in the past. There are many reasons for this including wars, former presidents. But there are still many reasons why I believe that they can becomeRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Gazprom784 Words   |  4 PagesPJSC Gazprom is a Russian state-owned gas monopoly and one of the largest players in the oil market. It is engaged in all the activities: exploration, production, transportation, storage, processing, and marketing. Gazprom generally operates in Russian market and delivers its products to Central Asia and Europe. Gazprom operates in the next segments: production of gas and crude oil; transportation; storage; distribution; refining; electric and heat energy genera tion and sales; and other (Market Line)

Market Structure Principles Of Microeconomics - 2359 Words

Daan Mutsaers Market Structure Paper Principles of Microeconomics Carol Bierce 10/19/14 Nowadays, in our society there are many different forms and shapes of companies whom all understand in which market they are selling their product. This is important to know because this way they can figure out how much to sell, the amount they need to produce, and the types of resources they need. A company is required to build a business environment that will determine these numbers. The name of this environment is called a market structure. The four most common market structures are: oligopoly, monopoly, perfect competition, and monopolistic competition. Therefore depending on the structure a certain firm is under, the company will have to determine it’s earlier mentioned numbers on this. High Entry Barriers, Oligopoly One of the market structures that have a high barrier to entry would be an oligopoly. An oligopoly is a very common market structure where about a handful of businesses are together in competition. Roger A. Arnold wrote in Microeconomics characteristics of a oligopoly: â€Å" There are few sellers and many buyers, firms produce and sell either homogeneous or differentiated products, and the barriers to entry are significant† (Arnold p269). For example, if we look at the US cellular phone market, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, and ATT have created an oligopoly among themselves. In this example the four cellular phone companies don’t necessarily have to own the fullShow MoreRelatedEco 201 Final Project (Selected Topic Is Ford Motor Company)988 Words   |  4 Pagesemployees to hire for a factory. Microeconomics provides us with the tools, models, and concepts to better understand individual choices in the marketplace and how resource allocation is determined at the micro le vel. The decisions made by individuals and households impact the market and influence decisions made by firms. Firms use these tools as a way to determine pricing, output, and profit maximization. As a student of economics, you can use the microeconomic principles to gain an understanding ofRead MoreEconomics As An Area Of Study And Research1372 Words   |  6 Pages Economics Name Course Tutor Module Institution â€Æ' Introduction Economics as an area of study and research borrows from the social and scientific aspects of life. The interplay between the two principles helps in the formulation of ideals that influence distribution, production, and consumption. Right from the ancient times understanding and definition of the term dwelled on the issue of political economy. Nonetheless, developments by made scholars in the sector saw the formulation of newRead MoreSupply and Demand Simulation Paper886 Words   |  4 PagesSupply and Demand Simulation Paper ECO/365 Week 2 Individual Assignment February 25, 2013 Supply and Demand The analysis will identify two microeconomics and two macroeconomics principles or concepts from the simulation, and explain why each principle or concept is in the category of macroeconomics or microeconomics. The analysis will identify at least one shift of the supply curve, and one shift of the demand curve from the simulation and what causes the shifts. The analysis will showRead MoreImportance Of The Micro Economic Environment1471 Words   |  6 PagesActivity one: 1.1Explain the importance of the micro-economic environment to business organisations: Microeconomics looks at how individual players in the economy, such as households and firms, interact. It focuses on the impact that their economic choices have on the allocation of scarce resources to meet unlimited demand. These interactions match what one party wants or demands in economic term and what the other gives in exchange (supply). Each time someone buys a chocolate bar from a newsagentRead MoreDifferentiating Between Market Structures Essay1105 Words   |  5 PagesDifferentiating Between Market Structures ECO/365 Principles of Microeconomics August 30, 2012 Differentiating Between Market Structures Retail sales are indicators of microeconomic conditions presented in a given area at a particular place in time. Since Sam Walton opened his first Wal-Mart store, Wal-Mart has been making ripples throughout the micro economies of America. Wal-Mart’s market structure is typical of most of our nation’s largest corporations in that they are an oligopoly (BrownRead MoreAshford ECO 204 Principles of Microeconomics1078 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿CLICK TO DOWNLOAD Ashford ECO 204 Principles of Microeconomics Week 1 Discussion 1: Circular Flow Diagram. Explain how the circular flow diagram relates to the current economic situation. Using the circular flow diagram, explain a way that your family interacts in the factor market and a way that it interacts in the products market. Discussion 2: Supply and Demand. Analyze how the law of demand applies to a recent purchase that you made. Describe how the product has changed in price and explainRead MoreBmw (Project Proposal on Bmw)1635 Words   |  7 Pagescapital, market and budgeting structure. To have an better understanding about the various political, economic, social and numerous factors, i have use of many online and offline database and I have also making the use of Porter’s 5 forces mode, SWOT analysis and PEST analysis. BMW employment rate is very high it recruits 18300 employees worldwide. From 1917 till 2012 BMW keep growing and till 2020 they have their plan(Mission) to strengthen the worldwide top position in motor vehicle market by targetingRead MoreECO 365 week 4 Differentiating Between Market structures1186 Words   |  5 PagesBetween Market Structures Leslie Maxwell ECO 365/Principles of Microeconomics May 25, 2015 Ronald Merchant Differentiating Between Market Structures Microsoft is the software giant responsible for bringing Windows operating system to the PC (personal computer). Microsoft is also a known and well respected company in the global market. The tech giant has dominated the computer industry since 1981. Due to the nature of such a huge company, Microsoft has its hands in multiple markets. MicrosoftRead MoreHow Business Is An Expansion Or Recession By Their Look And Attitudes At Dinner Essay1043 Words   |  5 Pagesmanagement fees of the company in the next ten years. By looking into the financial statements, company structure, and profiting models of the company involved and formal contracts signed by it, I got an estimation of the cash flow of the underlying assets in the future, and computed the principle and interests each year of this ABS. In addition, I examined several macroeconomic and microeconomic elements that may lower the property managing fees, and came up with a stress testing scheme for differentRead MoreCurrentmark etconditions798 Words   |  4 PagesCurrent Market Conditions Competitive Analysis Principles of Microeconomics ECO 365 David Norcross April 13, 2015 Current Market Conditions Competitive Analysis In this paper, Team A is participating in a strategic planning group creating a new product at General Motors. The following is a competitive market analysis on the potential of our new 2016 Chevy Volt’s success. We will be focusing on our competitor Toyota and their Prius lineup. Additionally, we will summarize our target consumer

America as a Land of Prosperity in the 1920’s Free Essays

America as a Land of Prosperity in the 1920’s is the story of Americans who searched for equality. Yes, for some individuals America was a land of prosperity in the 1920’s. The First World War sparked Americas rise in prosperity. We will write a custom essay sample on America as a Land of Prosperity in the 1920’s or any similar topic only for you Order Now As no fighting took place on American soil there were virtually no reparations to be paid, also America had entered the war late and therefore, had not spent nearly as much money as the big European countries such as France, Britain, and Germany. This left America in a very prosperous position. Another key reason to Americas rise in prosperity was a man named Henry Ford. Henry Ford was a car producer who thought of the â€Å"mass production† method. This method used assembly line techniques, whereby each stage of the car production was carried out by a different team of workers who specialized souly in their specific area. This had a huge impact! The method was introduced in 1913 and by 1929; 26 million cars were registered in the U. S. A compared to only 9 million in 1920. That is an increase of nearly 300% in just 9 years! However, the benefits of the ford company stretched beyond just the automobile industry during the 1920’s, people also started moving into the cities from the rural areas. In 1920 more than 50% of people lived in the cities which were an increase of more than 50%. Another reason for the rise in prosperity was the introduction of hire-purchase, whereby you put a deposit down on an item that you wanted, and paid installments on that item with interest, so you would pay back more than the price for the item. High purchases were easy to get and people got into debt without any real planning for the future. In the 1920’s it just seemed to be the case, that if you wanted something, then you got it, this had a major economic impact; somebody had to make what was bought. This was the era before robot technology and work done by laborers. The person who made that product would get paid and he would not save all of the money. He, too, would spend some of it, and someone else; would have to make more items, so he would get paid and so the cycle continued. By the mid-1920’s America was booming. Sales of items, which were once, were considered a luxury such as radios, cars, and other new-on-the market items had rocketed, as had both the average and the minimum wage. The average annual wage for that decade was $1236. 00, a huge increase. Perhaps the fact that highlights most America’s rise in prosperity is between 1919 and 1929 Americas GNP rose from 72. 4 billion (1919) to 104 billion (1929) which is around a 75% increase. The boom also led to record low unemployment levels. This was due to the growth of many other businesses and the demand for more workers. The 1920’s also saw the construction of towering skyscraper such as the Chrysler building for the first time. However, not all businesses and cultures shared in this â€Å"prosperity†. The farming industry was hit hard, particularly in the south, as some northern farmers found prosperity due to the increase in the demand for fresh fruit as more people could afford, no thanks to the rise in wages. The farmers earned very little money as a result, lived a very poor lifestyle with poor housing; no fresh water and some even faced eviction from their homes. The farmers did not share in the prosperity mainly because of the loss of the foreign markets. (The Fordney-Mcumber tariff act, put tariffs on imported goods at an all time high causing foreign countries to apply the same tariffs to America) Many blacks did not share in the prosperity either. They were discriminated by the White Americans who claimed they were â€Å"polluting their country†. As a result of this, many black people living in slums or â€Å"ghettos† as they were named. In 1926 a survey found that there were over 200,000 unemployed black people in the south alone. America even had its own low-grade facilities for black people and white people to use. For example, white and colored drinking taps with the white drinking tap being of the higher standard. These laws were referred to as Jim Crow laws. But through all the intolerance some black people did do well and did prosper. Black musicians, poets, and politicians emerged. One of the most famous politicians of his time was Marcus Garvey. Garvey was the founder member of the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association), which encouraged black people. Garvey eventually got deported back to Jamaica for Tax fraud. Other Immigrants such as Mexicans and Italians also suffered similarly hard times. Millions of immigrants were allowed into America in the 1900’s, where free land and job opportunity became available, but towards the end of the 1920’s this was not so much the case. America was letting more and more immigrants in and it had to stop. They devised a literacy test to bring the numbers down. But problems existed with the immigrants that were already in the country. The number of job opportunities had fallen and the majority of migrants were competing for the lowest paid jobs. This often led to racial tension within the ethnic groups. So to sum things up, in general America was a land of prosperity, but weather you shared in this prosperity or not depended largely on your ethnic background and location in the country you lived. We’re still faced with a matter of equality today; People with diverse ethnic backgrounds still are not privilege to being treating equal. They continue to find a way to prevail in America regardless of the laws that government themselves make available only for those who seek a higher power or level of authority. Therefore, the question still remain, is America as a Land of Prosperity? How to cite America as a Land of Prosperity in the 1920’s, Papers

Keely and Du Essay Example For Students

Keely and Du Essay An unconscious young woman is wheeled into a bare room by two men. A grandmotherly-looking woman removes her clothes, dresses her in a plain nightgown and carefully tucks her into bed. She handcuffs the young womans left hand to the cast-iron bedframe, which has been bolted to the floor. The young womans name is Keely, we learn in short order, and she is seeking an abortion after being raped by her ex-husband. But she has been kidnapped by a radical anti-choice group called Operation Retrieval, who will force her to stay in this basement room with Du the elderly nurse and footsoldier in the pro-life battle until her seventh month of pregnancy, when she can no longer legally seek an abortion. Those whose pro-choice blood is already boiling at this scenario may be surprised that the pseudonymous Jane Martins Keely Du, according to director Jon Jory, is a play about our views of forgiveness. The play asks: When is forgiveness possible? When is forgiveness necessary? When is forgiveness in itself a sin? says Jory, who directed Keely Dus premiere last spring at Actors Theatre of Louisvilles Humana Festival and will remount it at Connecticuts Hartford Stage, where it runs Nov. 13-Dec. 18. (Productions are also due later this season at Houstons Alley Theatre, the Pope Theatre Company of Manalapan, Fla. and Michigans Purple Rose Theatre Company.) Complex, painful landscape Is it possible that a rapist can ever be forgiven?, Jory ponders hypothetically. If you consider abortion murderwhich many people do, obviously then is it possible to forgive the people who in your view commit this murder? So the play is about forgiveness on several levels. The Hartford production reunites the Louisville cast, led by Anne Pitoniak as Du and Julie Boyd as Keely. While the changes to the script have been minimal, moving Keely Du to Hartford means transferring from an intimate 159-seat theatre to one more than three times as large, where scenic designer Paul Owen will attempt to retain the claustrophobic sense of the first production. The taut and deeply felt performances of Boyd and Pitoniak gave a human face to both sides of the abortion debatefaces which many people on both sides would just as soon forget. I think it opened my mind to be more compassionate to that point of view, Boyd says of her exposure to the anti-abortion outlook voiced in the play. Now I can understand how somebody can feel that, where I think before I simply dismissed it as not being fair to me, or to my point of view. Jory agrees that the play opens a dialogue: It is the authors view that this is a play about the incredibly complex and painful landscape that those espousing two different sides on this issue must traverse to be able to begin a conversation. Indeed, both sides present passionate arguments in this battle over Keelys body the scenario does not seem overly far-fetched in the face of recent radical anti-choice violence. In the first scenes of the play Keely says very little, and Walter the preacher (played by Bob Burrus) who tries to convert the young woman to the anti-abortion side lectures her on the progress of the embryo and shows her pictures of aborted fetuses. The child is separate from how it was conceived and must also be considered separately from you, Walter tells the shackled Keely. Your emotions about the conception and the child are valid and honest, but they are not the point. The emotion is not the child. I have no wish to choose between you but if I must, I choose the child who has no earthly advocate. .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 , .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .postImageUrl , .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 , .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158:hover , .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158:visited , .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158:active { border:0!important; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158:active , .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158 .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5b4d6e37734c9b7e94ae5946d5a5d158:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Audience enjoyed watching the play EssayA change of clothes There are advantages to hearing both sides of the issue, Jory says, however heartfelt and unchangeable ones opinions may be. There are a lot of people who have taken a position in this area without ever having heard the other side talk. There are pro-lifers sitting around talking to each other in churches who havent heard anybody else unless theyre screaming at them, and the same is true of the pro-choice side, Jory asserts. So that I think what makes the play an uncomfortable experience is that youre forced to be in a room where people who are not 18-feet-tall green monsters with scales and tails discuss the issue. There were nights when the pain coming from the audience was very difficult Pitoniak remembers of the Louisville production. Everybody in the audience knows something about this either very personally, or through a friend, a daughter, a cousin, whatever. You start with people who know what you are talking about in many ways. As the play progresses, Keely and Du move closer together, not as representatives of disparate ideological movements, but as two people forced to recognize the humanity of the other. Keely tells Du the details of her rape and Du tells Keely about her marriage, which only blossomed after she and her husband became religious. The two women ever; join forces to celebrate Keelys birthday: Du removes the handcuffs, brings in a six-pack of beer and has Keelys dress dry-cleaned so she can change out of the nightgown. Walter shatters that growing trust when he brings Cole (J. Ed Araiza), Keelys rapist ex-husband who has been rehabilitated by Operation Retrieval, to beg for her forgiveness and a second chance. It is crucial to the dramaturgy of the play that the audience be unsure whether Keely could forgive him or not, Jory says of this critical moment in the play. It is the wire hanger from the dry-cleaned garment that facilitates a wrenching conclusion to an insurmountable situation. Some people have criticized the play for not being political enough. If that is the plays failing it is also the plays intention, Jory says. It ruthlessly attempts to treat the issue as a human issue from which you would deduce politics, rather than a political issue which simply wants to make a statement about the situation.

Homosexuality Essay Example

Homosexuality Essay Many believe that higher Education leads to an increase in tolerance towards individual who are different. There are some empirical findings to support this premise; however the impact of higher education on acceptance of homosexuality has not been adequately explored. Gays and Lesbian in society face many negative attitudes. Homosexual expression in native Africa was also present and took a variety of forms. Anthropologists Stephen Murray and Will Roscoe reported that women in Lesotho engaged in socially sanctioned long term, erotic relationships called motsoalle. The first record of possible homosexual couple in history is commonly regarded as Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum, an Egyptian male couple, who lived around 2400 BCE. The pair are portrayed in a nose-kissing position, the most intimate pose in Egyptian art, surrounded by what appear to be their heirs. In Homosexual and transgender individuals were also common among other pre-conquest civilizations in Latin America, such as the Aztecs, Mayans, Quechuas, Moches, Zapotecs, and the Tupinamba of Brazil In East Asia, same-sex love has been referred to since the earliest recorded history. Homosexuality in China, known as the passions of the cut peach and various other euphemisms has been recorded since approximately 600 BCE. Homosexuality was mentioned in many famous works of Chinese literature. Homosexuality in Japan, variously known as shudo or nanshoku has been documented for over one thousand years and was an integral part of Buddhist monastic life and the samurai tradition. This same-sex love culture gave rise to strong traditions of painting and literature documenting and celebrating such relationships. We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Similarly, in Thailand, Kathoey, or ladyboys, have been a feature of Thai society for many centuries, and Thai kings had male as well as female lovers. While Kathoey may encompass simple effeminacy or transvestism, it most commonly is treated in Thai culture as a third gender. They are generally accepted by society, and Thailand has never had legal prohibitions against homosexuality or homosexual behavior. South Asia, The Laws of Manu, the foundational work of Hindu law, mentions a third sex, members of which may engage in nontraditional gender expression and homosexual activities. Europe, In regard of male homosexuality such documents depict a world in which relationships with women and relationships with youths were the essential foundation of a normal mans love life. Same-sex relationships were a social institution variously constructed over time and from one city to another. Middle East, among some Middle Eastern Muslim cultures, egalitarian or age-structured homosexual practices were widespread and thinly veiled. The prevailing pattern of same-sex relationships in the temperate and sub-tropical zone stretching from Northern India to the Western Sahara is one in which the relationships were—and are—either gender-structured or age-structured or both. In recent years, egalitarian relationships modeled on the western pattern have become more frequent, though they remain rare. Same-sex intercourse officially carries the death penalty in several Muslim nations: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Mauritania, northern Nigeria, Sudan, and Yemen. Today, governments in the Middle East often ignore, deny the existence of, or criminalize homosexuality. Homosexuality is illegal in almost all Muslim countries. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during his 2007 speech at Columbia University, asserted that there were no gay people in Iran. However, the probable reason is that they keep their sexuality a secret for fear of government sanction or rejection by their families. Israel is considered the most tolerant country in the Middle East and Asia to homosexuals, while the Israeli city Tel Aviv has been named the gay capital of the Middle East, and is considered one of the most gay friendly cities in the world. The annual Pride Parade in support of homosexuality takes place in Tel Aviv. In many societies of Melanesia, especially in Papua New Guinea, same-sex relationships were an integral part of the culture until the middle of the last century. Tel Aviv, The gay capital of the Middle East, Tel Aviv is one of the most popular destinations for LGBT tourists internationally, with a large LGBT community. American journalist David Kaufman has described the city as a place â€Å"packed with the kind of ‘were here, were queer’ vibe more typically found in Sydney and San Francisco. The city hosts its well-known pride parade, the biggest in Asia, attracting over 100,000 people yearly. In January 2008, Tel Avivs municipality established the citys LGBT Community Center, providing all of the municipal and cultural services to the LGBT community under one roof. In December 2008, Tel Aviv began putting together a team of gay athletes for the 2009 World Out games in Copenhagen. In addition, Tel Aviv hosts an annual LGBT Film Festival. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT ) people in the Philippines have a dinstinctive culture but limited egal rights. Gays and lesbians are generally tolerated, if not accepted within Filipino society, but there is still widespread discrimination. The most visible member of the Filipino LGBT culture, the BAKLA, are a distinct group in the Philippines. According to the 2002 YOUNG ADULT FERTILITY and SEXUALITY SURVEY, 11% of sexuality active Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 24 have had sex with someone of the same sex. In the Philippines, the term gay is used in reference to any LGBT person. For Filipino gays, the tagalog phrase, pagladlad ng kapa ( â€Å" unfurling the cape† ) or more commonly just paglaladlad ( â€Å"unfurling or unveiling† ) refers to the coming-out process, tibo, t-bird and tomboy are degoratory terms for butch lesbians just as bakla is for effeminategay men. Some lesbians, both butch and femme, use the terms magic or shunggril to refer to themselves. Neutral s;ang terms for gay men include billy boy, badette, bading and paminta ( straight – action gay man). Although legislation supporting same-sex marriage in the Philippines has been proposed several times to the Philippine legislature, none has ever been passed.

Definition and Examples of Hypocoristic Names

Definition and Examples of Hypocoristic Names A hypocorism is a  pet name, nickname,  or term of endearment - often a shortened form of a word or name. Adjective: hypocoristic. It derives from the Greek word meaning to use child-talk. Robert Kennedy notes that many hypocorisms are ​monosyllabic or disyllabic, with the second syllable bearing no stress (The Oxford Handbook of the Word, 2015). Examples and Observations Mikey, Mikey, come on. Our parents are worried. Its dinnertime. Why dont we go home?(Chunk to his friend Michael Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, 1985)Oh, Slothy. I may have been bad. I may have kept you chained up in that room, but it was for your own good.(Mama Fratelli to her son Lotney Sloth Fratelli in The Goonies, 1985)If you call your granddaughter Toots, you are being hypocoristic.(Roy Blount, Jr., Alphabet Juice. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008)Now, children, I want you to tell me your names again, and I want you to speak just as distinctly as Mary Chapman did. And I want you to speak your real names. You must not say your baby-names, such as Jimmie, for James; Lizzie, for Elizabeth; Johnny, for John. The first row, stand!(Teacher in The National Music Teacher by Luther Whiting Mason, 1894)Born a slave on March 15, 1843, on the Gray plantation in Noxubee County, Mississippi, the infant was given a slave name, Richard Gray. Around the plantation, though, the overseers called him D ick, short for Richard.(Juan Williams and Quinton Dixie, This Far by Faith: Stories from the African American Religious Experience. William Morrow, 2003) Kitsy, she encourages, like shes trying to teach a parakeet to ask for a cracker. Its short for Katherine Isabelle. My grandmother is Itsy, short for Isabelle, my mother is Bitsy, short for Elizabeth Isabelle, and my daughter is Mitsy, short for Madeleine Isabelle. Isnt that just adorable?(Wade Rouse, Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler: A Memoir. Harmony Books, 2007) Hypocoristic Forms of First Names in the Modern English Period Most first names of any currency had recognized hypocoristic forms. Some names attracted only one or two main forms; others had several; and there was scope for a fair degree of free inventiveness. In the first category, and all dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, were: Di (Diana); Frank and Fanny (Frances); Jim (James); Joe (Joseph); Nell (Helen); and Tony (Anthony). Other names attracted a larger number of hypocoristic forms, mainly because they were commoner names . . .. Examples are Aggie, Nessa, Nesta (Scots) and Nest (Welsh) for Agnes; Doll, Dora, Dodee, Dot and Dolly (modern) for Dorothy or Dorothea; Mey, Peg, Maggie (Scots), Margery, Maisie, May and Madge for Margaret; and above all the many names deriving from Elizabeth. These include Bess, Bessie, Beth, Betsy, Eliza, Elsie, Lisa (modern), Lizbeth, Lizbie, Tetty, and Tissy. It will be noted that all of these are girls names, and they seem to have been far more prone to hypocoristic formations in the post-medieval period than boys names. Some hypocoristic forms became independent names, like Elsie, Fanny and Margery. (Stephen Wilson, The Means of Naming: A Social and Cultural History of Personal Naming in Western Europe. UCL Press, 1998) Hypocoristics in Australian English The use of hypocoristics for common nouns and proper nouns is a notable feature of the speech of many Australians. Occasionally there are pairs. Sometimes one form, usually an /i/ form, is seen as babytalk: [Roswitha] Dabke (1976) notes goody/goodoh, kiddy/kiddo, and compare jarmies-PJs/pyjamas, and kanga (babytalk)-roo/kangaroo. However, sometimes different hypocoristics have different denotations, with the /o/ form more likely to denote a person: herp reptile, herpo herpetologist; chockie chocolate, chocko chocolate soldier (Army reserve); sickie sick leave, sicko psychologically sick person; plazzo plastic nappy, plakky plastic (adjective). But often there are no clear differences: milky-milko/milkman, commy-commo/communist, weirdy-weirdo/weird person, garbie-garbo/garbage collector, kindie-kinder/kindergarten; bottlie-bottlo/bottle merchant, sammie-sandie-sangie-sanger-sambo/sandwich, preggie-preggo-preggers/pregnant, Proddo-Proddy/Protestant, pro-prozzo-prostie-prozzie/prostitute. Speakers who use more than one hypocoristic may assign to them the meanings proposed by [Anna] Wierzbicka. But if a speaker uses only one of the possible hypocoristics, for them the hypocoristic may have a general meaning of informality, and not the proposed fine-grained differences. This remains to be explored. (Jane Simpson, Hypocoristics in Australian English. A Handbook of Varieties of English: A Multimedia Reference Tool, ed. by Bernd Kortmann et al. Mouton de Gruyter, 2004)

Writing assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Writing assignment - Coursework Example He asserts that Lincoln would have made the reconstruction process a success in a easier and peaceful manner. Answer: The frontier settlement in the early periods in America can be associated to be inclined towards capitalism other than racial, ethnic, and religious segregation. People saw the frontier zones as long lasting opportunities for economic development and so moved into these regions. Answer: The western zones were regarded as regions dominated by the pioneers whose quest was that for limitless opportunities for development. However it was riddled with inequalities as the movements were races and specific for instance, both the French, the Dutch, the English and other migrants moved and settled in different parts and not together. Answer: Custer’s stand was based on the great Sioux war of the 1970s. This led to the destruction of the Chyenne camps by the US troops other than killing thousands of the Indians. His statements led to the ending of this war in a more peaceful way. Answer: The commission for the Indian affairs recommended severalty in order to end the war that was becoming too much on their side. As many of the Indians were getting killed a sense of fear gripped the Indians and as a result they recommended severalty as the last resort. Answer: Turner’s thesis of the frontiers is a description of the gold rush among the capitalist pioneers who raced to the frontier zones for material gain. Turner says in his thesis that the frontier zones attracted more settlements with its varied and seemingly limitless opportunities for development. Answer: It is actually true that the frontier movements led to the onset of capitalism system that is in operation in America today. As the pioneers moved to the frontiers with a view of investing in the resource rich zones led by the capitalist’s view

Behaviorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Behaviorism - Essay Example What do you think is happening in the poem, based only on reading it one time?† This will get students focused on beginning class, and will give them the opportunity to conduct an initial reading of the poem. They will have the opportunity to consider what they think the poem means based on their own prior knowledge, but without contextual information. Once context is provided later in the lesson, students will be able to compare their original thoughts on the poem with their more informed analysis. (5 minutes) 3. Presentation of New Information or Modeling: The teacher provides a brief introduction about the author, Gwendolyn Brooks including biographical information and background on the society in which the poet wrote. The teacher introduces this information by navigating through various parts of (and having students read aloud) the Norton Anthology of Poetry website as a whole class, using the projector screen (http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nap/we_real_cool_brooks .htm). The purpose of this introduction is to provide students with a context for the poem, and a basic awareness of the differences between today’s society and the time during which the poem was written. Providing information on the author exposes students to a famous author who is a minority, and knowing more about the poet gives students further context for analyzing the poem. The teacher then goes over the poem with the students, and has them share their original thoughts on the poem prior to discussing how their ideas have changed in groups. The teacher asks students to focus on what the pool players are doing in the poem, and what becomes of them during... Principles of behaviorism should be part of every elementary classroom (Monchinski, 2008). Although not all activities or ideas are behaviorist in nature, it will help to incorporate behaviorism in some parts of the lesson. The reason behind this is that students in grade school are not yet mature and they need guidance in order to learn proper behavior and skills. Activating prior knowledge, providing models for activities, and giving rewards are some ways to incorporate behaviorism in the given lesson. Incorporating behaviorism into the lesson plan serves the teacher in three ways. First, by activating prior knowledge, the teacher will have the chance to check students’ understanding of the previous lesson. Likewise, by doing such, the students will feel the need to review past lessons, thus reinforcing good study habits among students. They will be inclined to think that past lessons should not be taken for granted; thus taking down notes, reviewing them, and even memorizi ng will help them get a better grade. Moreover, activating prior knowledge will make students see the link between the previous and the current lesson (Monchinski, 2008). Using principles of behaviorism, the teacher also provides model for learning a new skill. In the given lesson, students will be taught directly how to work on the thesis statement and subsections of the speech. This effort could guide students to perform the task appropriately and produce the expected output. Also, telling students what to do or what is expected to happen prior to performing the activity could lead them to write the best speech. The key is to condition learners to act as expected.

British economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

British economy - Essay Example In the entire EU the industries that are marketing or technology-driven had grown at the quickest rate. The media, printing, publishing and the sports commodities industries also made a considerable growth. Since 1995, the UK’s electrical, chemical as well as the optical sector (and also going tandem was the IT and communications sector) had a faster growth rate surpassing that of the whole economy. It’s believed that the shipbuilding, steel, clothing and textile industries were slowly moving to the poor nations due to the stiff competition by the aforementioned growing industries. As a result the capacity of manufacturing and the labour force dedicated to the manufacturing sector experienced a fall. ( Winford, et al 2005 pp 90-91) A while ago UK was called the ‘workshop of the world’. In UK is the origin of the industrial revolution as per the belief of many. The sector of manufacturing held the highest number of workers in the labour force of UK and the output used to be very high. However, the manufacturing sector of UK started to experience several over takings; first by the nation of Germany and later on by the US. This has gone on relentlessly and China as well as Japan have followed suit. Factually, the employment in the manufacturing sector of UK did not start in the last three decades, but since the 1950s. Towards the late 1970s the labour force proportion working in the UK manufacturing sector was about 7 million but in 2005 the number of employees was at 3.5 million. As an activity, manufacturing has been said to decline and it’s a verdict by many commentators. Most of the decrease has been linked to the fall in the workforce. Particularly, the fall in this sector in the context of UK has been witnessed from the 1850s due to the rise in the rate of industrialization of other nations. Also the

The Human Growth And Development Assignment

The Human Growth And Development Assignment The aim of this essay is to use knowledge of human growth and development to critically discuss the theories a social worker might employ to assess a family and better understand their behaviour. A family profile will be provided and two family members selected for further discussion and the application of appropriate theories. These theories will be critiqued in terms of how they might assist social workers in making informed assessments, as well as where the theories are limited in their application. Family Profile The family within this case study comprises five members, all of whom live together in Elsies home. Table 1 presents the name, age, family position, and nationality of each family member. Sylvie and Greg met when they were 19-years of age. They had been together for 5-years when their daughter Molly was born. They split up when Molly was 1-years old, but got back together 6-years later when Molly was 7-years of age. Greg said that they split up because he was unable to handle Sylvies total lack of trust in him. This caused huge arguments between them, with Sylvie constantly questioning where he was and his commitment to his family. Sylvie said that she was devastated when Greg left, but knew that it was going to happen. During their time apart Sylvie turned to alcohol and drugs, but sought counselling and support for this and the issues in her past. As a result, she has been drug and alcohol free for over 4-years. Greg always maintained a good relationship with Molly during the 6-year separation and she lived with him and her paternal Grandparents at different points when Sylvie was not coping. Molly said that she was happy that her parents got back together. Mason was planned and both Sylvie and Greg felt they had resolved historic issues and were committed as a family unit to having another child. Mason was born with Global Developmental Delay, which is a condition that occurs between birth to 18-years of age and is usually characterised by lower intellectual functioning and significant limitations in communication and other developmental skills. Sylvie blames herself for Masons condition, believing that it must somehow be linked to her wild years of drinking and drug binges. Despite being reassured to the contrary by medical professionals and a social worker, she remains low in mood and feels that she has let everyone down. Sylvie has found bonding with Mason difficult and she feels frustrated by him not meeting his developmental milestones. Mason is in nappies, he is not yet talking, he is very unsteady on his feet and he lacks co-ordination. As a result, he still requires feeding at mealtimes and has not begun to develop independent skills. Sylvie has said that she feels like sending him somewhere. Greg, on the other hand, feels very attached and protective towards Mason and Sylvie feels that he lets him get away with anything. Conflict has developed between Sylvie and Greg, resulting in Greg staying at work longer and meeting up with his friends more in an effort to avoid the arguments and tension at home. Elsie, mother to Greg, owns the large family home in which they all live. Sylvie and Greg decided that they would move in with her shortly after they got back together, as Gregs father died very unexpectedly. The plan was that they would all support one another financially, practically and emotionally. Elsie is very involved with the children as both parents work. However, recently Elsie has been forgetting things, such as collecting Mason from the specialist childminder and this has caused tension between the adults. There have been some difficulties with Molly at school. Sylvie was called in to Mollys school last week as a result of Molly using racist language towards another student. The school state that Molly is very close to being excluded, as a result of her angry and disruptive behaviour. Sylvie broke down upon hearing this and explained about her low mood, feelings of despair and worries about Gregs mum. Sylvie cannot understand the change in Mollys behaviour and said that she and Greg need help. Applying Human Growth and Development to Social Work As part of this essay, there will be a focus on two members of this family: Molly and Elsie. The two theories of human growth and development to be applied to Molly are Attachment Theory and Life Course Theory. The two theories of human growth and development to be applied to Elsie are Ecological Theory and Disengagement Theory. Anti-oppressive practice will underlie the critique and has been defined as a form of social work practice which addresses social divisions and structural inequalities in the work that is done with clients (users) and workers (Dominelli, 1993, p. 24). Anti-oppressive practice is a person-centred approach synonymous with Carl Rogers (1980) philosophy of person-centred practice. It is designed to empower individuals by reducing the negative effects of hierarchy, with the emphasis being on a holistic approach to assessment. Practising in an anti-oppressive way requires valuing differences lifestyles and personal identities. This goes against common sense socialisation which portrays differences as inferior or pathological and which excludes individuals from the social world and denies them their rights. MOLLY Attachment Theory Attachment Theory is a psychological theory based on the premise that young children require an attachment relationship with at least one consistent caregiver within their lives for normal social and emotional development (Bowlby, 1958). Attachment is an emotional bond between an individual and an attachment figure, usually the person who cares for them. Psychologically, attachment provides a child with security. Biologically, it provides a child with survival. Ainsworth et al. (1978) formulated four types of attachment that provide a tool for social workers to assess and understand childrens emotional experiences and psychosocial functioning: secure; insecure, ambivalent; insecure, avoiding; and disorganised. Molly appears demonstrates insecure, ambivalent attachments, where parental care is inconsistent and unpredictable. This type of attachment is characterised by parents who fail to empathise with their childrens moods, needs and feelings. Indeed, Sylvie cannot understand the change in Mollys behaviour, indicating an inability to empathise with Molly. Children with insecure and ambivalent attachments often become increasingly confused and frustrated. They can become demanding, attention seeking, angry and needful, creating trouble in order to keep other people involved and interested. Feelings are acted out, as Molly has been doing at school. This is because insensitive and inconsistent care is interpreted by the child to mean that they are unworthy of love and unlovable. Such painful feelings undermine self-esteem and self-confidence and an understanding of this can ensure that social workers resist stereotypes of the moody, anti-social teenager, and instead explore the underlying reasons for changes in mood. For Molly, the development of an attachment figure was likely to have been compromised during her early developmental years. In particular, when Molly was between the ages of 1 and 7-years old, her mother was addicted to drugs and alcohol and thus was emotionally and physically unavailable. Despite living with her father and paternal grandparents for a period of time, the overall insecurity within her family unit is likely to have impacted her ability to attach to others. If Molly did develop an attachment figure it is most likely to have been with her father or maternal grandparents, who were not unavailable due to drug or alcohol abuse during this vital developmental phase of Mollys childhood. Taking this into consideration, there are a number of significant changes that have occurred in Mollys life and that involve potential attachment figures who have provided Molly with much-needed security and safety. For example, Mollys father, whom Molly has remained close to throughout drama within the family, is no longer at home as much in an effort to avoid arguments with Sylvie. When he is at home, the tension is likely to impact the duration and quality of time spent with Molly. Indeed, marital conflict has been found to influence adolescents attachment security by reducing the responsiveness and effectiveness of parenting (Markiewicz, Doyle, and Brendgen, 2001). Strained marital relationships can also lead to increased marginalisation of the father who can become distanced from their children, as has been the case within this family (Markiewicz, Doyle, and Brendgen, 2001). In addition, Molly has recently lost her grandfather, which her grandmother is also trying to come to terms with. Not only has Molly lost her grandfather, but her grandmothers behaviour is likely to have changed as she comes to terms with her own loss. All of the key attachment figures in Mollys life are either emotionally or physically unavailable at present. It is important to consider this within the context of Mollys current developmental stage, which is that of adolescence. Attachments to peers tend to emerge in adolescence, but the role of parents remains vital in teenagers successfully achieving attachments outside of the home. It is a time when parents are required to be available if needed, while the teenager makes their first independent steps into the outside world (Allen and Land, 1999). Mollys recent problems at school could be the result of this lack of availability from adults in her life. She might also be anxious about losing her father again, creating anticipation and fear about separation from an attachment figures. The anger she expresses at school could be transference of the anger and fear created by her unstable circumstances at home. The fact that she has become racially abusive might suggest that her anger lies with her mother, who is of dual nationality. The main critique of Attachment Theory has been in the guise of the nature versus nurture debate, the former being genetic factors and the latter being the way a child is parented. Harris (1998) argues that parents do not shape their childs personality or character, but that a childs peers have more influence on them than their parents. She cites that children are more influenced by their peers because they are eager to fit in. This argument is supported by twin studies showing that identical twins reared apart often develop the same hobbies, habits, and character traits; the same has been found with fraternal twins reared together (Loehlin et al., 1985; Tellegen et al., 1988; Jang et al., 1998). It is likely that nurture plays a greater role in the younger years, when parents and caregivers are the childs primary point of contact. On the other hand, when a child enters adolescents and engages with society more, nature might take over. Another limitation in Attachment Theory is the fact that model attachment is based on behaviours that occur during stressful separations rather than during non-stressful situations. Field (1996) astutely argues that a broader understanding of attachment requires observation of how the caregiver and child interact during natural, non-stressful situations. It is agreed that behaviours directed towards the attachment figure during separation and reunion cannot be the only factors used to define attachment. Despite these limitations, the theory does provide valuable information regarding relationship dynamics and bonds, which social workers can use to better understanding the individual being assessed. It is, however, important to remember that what is seen as healthy attachment will vary culturally. Consideration of this is crucial to anti-oppressive practice. Life Course Theory Life Course Theory has been defined as a sequence of socially defined events and roles that the individual enacts over time (Giele and Elder, 1998, p. 22). Within this theory, the family is perceived as a micro social group within a macro social context (Bengston and Allen, 1993). According to Eriksons 8 stages of human development, Molly is in stage five, which is characterised by a conflict between identity versus role confusion. Being of dual heritage might cause issues within this stage and within Mollys search for identity. Evidence within the literature has shown that adolescents of dual heritage report more ethnic exploration, discrimination, and behavioural problems than those of single heritage (Ward, 2005). Indeed, this could explain why Molly is being racially abusive, in an effort to determine her own thoughts and feelings on ethnicity and the confusion it can cause. The racial abuse directed at other children might even be representative of her own anger at being of dual heritage. Adolescence is difficult to define, but it is traditionally assumed to be between 12-18 years of age and characterised by puberty (i.e. the transformation from a child to a young person). During this time, hormones strongly influence mood swings and extremes of emotion, which might explain Mollys difficulty controlling her anger at school. Adolescence is also when an individual starts to develop socially, increasing their independence and becoming more influenced by peers. During this time, according to Piagets (1964) theory of cognitive development, an individual enters the formal operational stage and starts to understand abstract concepts, develop moral philosophies, establish and maintain satisfying personal relationships, and gain a greater sense of personal identity and purpose (Santrock, 2008). Risks to social and cognitive development include poor parental supervision and discipline, as well as family conflict (Beinart et al., 2002), showing this to be an important time to in tervene with Molly. It is these biological and social changes during adolescents that can create the stereotype of the moody, anti-social teenager. It is important that social workers do not allow negative stereotypes to influence their expectations of Molly. Instead, they need to take a holistic approach and examine where she is on the life course as well as what the character and quality of Mollys behaviours and relationships tell them about her internal working model, defensive inclinations, emotional states and personality. This ant-oppressive approach will also allow social workers to identify links between past and present relationship experiences. ELSIE Ecological Theory Bronfenbrenners (1977) Ecological Model of human development posits that in order to understand human development, an individuals ecological system needs to be taken into consideration. According to the theory, an individuals ecological system comprises five social subsystems: Micro-system comprising activities and social roles within the immediate environment. Mesosystem processes taking place between two or more different social settings. Exosystem processes taking place between two or more different social systems, at least one of which does not involve the individual but indirectly affects them. Macrosystem includes ideology, attitudes, customs, traditions, values and culture. Chronosystem change or consistency over time in individual characteristics and environmental characteristics. Ecological Theory is, overall, a model of how the social environment affects the individual, with these five systems interacting and thus influencing human growth and development. Elsies ecological system has been continually changing for many years. At one point she was living with her husband, son, and her granddaughter. This was followed by living alone with her husband. On losing her husband, Elsies son moved in with his wife and two children, one of whom has a disability. There has been very little environmental stability within Elsies life, at least over the last 7-years or more. It is perhaps understandable that her health has started to deteriorate. She has recently lost her husband, experienced continually fluctuating environmental conditions, and is now living in a tense atmosphere due to issues within her sons marriage. It is also important to note that, childrens behaviour and personality can also affect the behaviour of adults; Elsies behaviour might be negatively affected by her granddaughters struggle through adolescence and her grandsons disability. Taking into consideration Elsies ecological system highlights the importance of not making assum ptions that Elsies increased forgetting is a sign of dementia; her symptoms may be the result of stress within her ecological system. Despite the relevance of this theory to understanding Elsies situation, the critique does highlight limitations in its operationalisation (Wakefield, 1996). In particular, since past experiences and future anticipations can impact an individuals current well-being, lack of inclusion of this element of human growth and development within the Ecological Model is a serious limitation. In addition, the emphasis of the model is on adaptation and thus it has been argued that the theory can be abused and used to encourage individuals to accept oppressive circumstances (Coady and Lehman, 2008). Social workers using this theory in their assessments ideally need to be aware that oppression and injustice are part of the environment that needs to be considered in an ecological analysis. With this consideration, the theory offers social workers a way of thinking about and assessing the relatedness of individuals and their environments; the person is assessed holistically and within the context of their social circumstances. Disengagement Theory Disengagement has been described by Cumming and Henry (1961) as an inevitable mutual withdrawal . . . resulting in decreased interaction between the ageing person and others in the social systems he belongs to (p. 227). Within their theory, they argue that older people do not contribute to society with the same efficiency as the younger population and thus become a societal burden. In order to function, therefore, society requires a process for disengaging older people. By internalising the norms of society, older people become socialised and take disengage from society due to a sense of obligation. The theory further purports that the extent to which an individual disengages determines how well they adjust to older age. In other words, continued withdrawal from society in later life has been deemed the hallmark of successful and happy ageing. Applying this theory to Elsies situation, it could be that the problems surrounding her forgetfulness in collecting her grandson from school is a step towards social disengagement. Furthermore, it could be theorised that this disengagement was prompted by her husband taking the most extreme form of disengagement, which is death. There has, however, been much critique of this theory, including the fact that many older people do not conform to this image and remain actively involved in life and in society. Hochschild (1976) has criticised the theory with what has been termed the omnibus variable. Hochschild points out that while an older person might experience disengagement from certain social activities, such as retiring from work, they are likely to replace this with something else that is socially engaging such as being more involved in the community or becoming more family-oriented. Indeed, Hochschilds biggest challenge to Disengagement Theory was the presentation of evidence from Cumming and Henrys own data showing that many older people do not withdraw from society. Disengagement Theory creates a picture of older people as lacking freedom to act on their own, thus ignoring individual ageing experiences and describing the ageing process in a purely social context (Gouldner, 1970). Indeed, Estes et al. (1982) argues that disengagement is often forced upon older people, which supports the notion that old age is just as much a social construction as it is a biological process. Older people are, in many ways, socialised into acting old. Thus, older age is strongly related to Labelling Theory (Rosenthal and Jacobson, 1968). For example, making assumptions about old age and having low expectations of older people can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. This again raises the importance of not assuming that Elsies forgetting is a sign of dementia; despite being seen as a natural consequence of ageing, only a minority of people develop dementia (Stuart-Hamilton, 2006). In many ways, Disengagement Theory serves to legitimise the marginalisation of older people and is, it could be argued, ageist and discriminative. Ageism is the application of negative stereotypes and includes actions such as categorising older people separately from adults. This has created immense debate within social work practice, with it being believed by some that distinguishing older people from adults is oppressive and can exacerbate social isolation. Tackling social isolation is being encouraged in efforts to prevent deteriorating health in older age, suggesting that disengagement is far from the ideology purported by Cummings and Henry (DH, 2010). The introduction of the Equality Act 2010, which replaces the existing duties on the public sector to promote race, disability and gender equality, now comprises a single duty to promote equality across eight protected characteristics, one of which is age. The Act also includes provisions allowing the government to make age discri mination in service planning and delivery unlawful. This is likely to be implemented in 2012 and thus it is crucial that social workers make anti-oppressive practice in the form of tackling ageism a priority. There needs to be a move away from viewing older people as an homogenous group characterised by passivity, failing health, and dependency, as highlighted within Activity Theory. Activity Theory (Leontev, 1978) is a direct challenge to Disengagement Theory in that it suggests that life satisfaction is related to social interaction and level of activity. Nevertheless, as with all theories discussed within this essay, Disengagement Theory can be applied to understanding Elsies situation without being oppressive and without taking the extreme position that originally inspired the theory. More modern approaches to human growth and development clearly show the benefits of social engagement versus disengagement; however, disengagement remains a key factor to consider due to ageist attitudes and the socialisation of old age. Conclusion This essay has utilised theory and knowledge of human growth and development to demonstrate how social workers can make an informed assessment of a complex family situation. The strengths and limitations of these theories have been discussed, drawing in particular on their application within anti-oppressive practice. All theories offer a better understanding of human growth and development, with some requiring specific adaptation to encompass the core values of social work practice. Such adaptation is not necessarily a disadvantage if the key strengths of each theory are utilised alongside the knowledge and expertise of the social worker.

General Applications of Hypnosis :: Psychology, Hypnosis

Few topics in psychology attract people in the extent that it does hypnosis. The reasons for this interest are multiple. Hypnosis fascinates by his unusual and we do not know if what attracts us is the interest in deciphering the mystery. (D. David after Gheorghidiu, 2000) Anton Mesmer was he who first who induced the state of hypnosis. He used to use a magnet that moves along the patient's body to improve blood circulation. Forgeting his magnet and once at home, Anton Mesmer was forced to resort to another object, a piece of wood, and found that patients responded well. But Mesmer did not realize at the time that the object used was important, but suggestions which induces the patient. (Ovidiu Lungu, 2004) Mielu Zlate (2007) considered hypnosis as an "altered state of consciousness located between wakefulness and sleep, but closer to waking than to sleep." Subject keeps contact with the environment during the hypnotic trance helped by the hypnotist, and cognitive changes occur at the perception, memory, thoughts, feelings, imagination, etc.. This underlines the increased activism of the brain. According to the American Psychological Association, hypnosis is a procedure whereby the subject is suggested imaginative experiences to change his subjective experience, to change his perceptions, sensations, thoughts or behavior, (Peter J. Hawkins after APA, 2009). Hypnotic trance has as main features the reduce of planning function (hypnotized subject loses the initiative and will expect the hypnotist to suggest what to do), attention becomes more selective than usual the subject which is told to obey only the voice of the hypnotist will ignore any another voice in the room) imaginative production is easily evoked (subject may find that the lives distance experiences in time and space), control and increased tolerance for low reality distortion (subject might unconditionally accept hallucinatory experiences), increased suggestibility (subject must accept the suggestions), post-hypnotic amnesia (if the subject gets instructions for this, the deeply impressed subject will forget all or almost all) (Rita L. Atkinson, 2002) Hypnotherapy applications are endless, from the surgical anesthesia which can be used at birth without pain, treatment of specific problems such as anxiety, phobias (elevator, dentist), smoking cessation, sexual dysfunction. However, failures can come from the subject's attitude against hypnotherapy and hypnosis. A negative attitude may hinder treatment. Subjects can not be controlled during their trance unwittingly. (I. Holdevici, 1991) Hypnotherapy for depressive persons contains a model proposed by Yapko in

How to Avoid a Nervous Breakdown During Exams

Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 Renewable Energy: The Key to Achieving Sustainable Development of Rural Bangladesh M. S. Islam, A. M. H. R. Khan, S. Nasreen, F. Rabbi & M. R. Islam Grameen Shakti Grameen Bank Bhaban (19th floor), Mirpur 2, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh Abstract Renewable energy technologies (RETs) can help reduce poverty, energy shortage and environmental degradation such as desertification, biodiversity depletion and climate change effects in Bangladesh. The country is short of gas and electricity supply.Over-exploitation of biomass in meeting energy needs of the rural people has caused environmental degradation. RET can help solve those problems if it is widely used in the rural Bangladesh where people primarily depend on biomass energy. Bangladesh has enough renewable to mi tigate such energy crisis and its adverse consequences. Bangladesh being an underdeveloped country, global initiative would be helpful in transferring RETs for the village households. This paper describes the glimpses of RETs in Bangladesh in terms of its policy issues, implementation, dissemination, marketing, and research and development activities.Modern RETs are still in the research, development and demonstration phase in the country. Like most of the developing countries, there is a niche market for new RETs and several private sector entrepreneurs and NGOs have tried to explore this market. Keywords renewable energy technology; solar home system; rural development; environmental; electricity; biogas; improved cooking stove; clean energy; energy efficiency. Introduction Bangladesh has major problems with energy crisis, persisting poverty and environmental degradation. With only 49% of Bangladeshis having access to electricity, the per capita energy use is only 180 kWh.Moreover, the people who are connected with the national grid are experiencing frequent load shedding. At present, the country can generate about 4500 MW electricity, w hile peak demand is about 6000 MW (USAID, 2011). Therefore, the supply is unreliable. Most of the supply is limited to urban areas; access to electricity in rural areas is less than 10%. RET can solve this problem by renewable such as sunshine, wind, tidal waves, waterfalls or river current, sea waves or biomass. Use of rene wable energy, increased energy efficiency and enhancement of energy security constitute a sustainable energy strategy pproach. Renewable forms of energy emit far smaller amounts of greenhouse gases compared with fossil fuels and increased energy conserv ation facilitates the reduction of primary fossil fuel use, thus mitigating climate change impacts while contributing to the provision of energy services and enhancing security of energy supply. Usable biomass including cow dung, human excreta, poultry litter, kitchen organic waste, aquatic plants and weeds of a village in Bangladesh can produce the amount of biogas that villagers require for cooking. The ferment ed slurry from biogas digester is enriched with nitrogen, otassium and other nutrients. It is, therefore, best for soil, environmental health and agricultural productivity management. On the other hand, Bangladesh has one of the highest solar insulation on the earth. The average solar radiation varies here from 5. 05 kWh/m2 day in winter to 8. 03 kWh/m2 day in summer. As Bangladesh is a compact flat country with a little geographic variation, the solar radiation data collected from one point may be treated as that of the whole country. In other word, affordable availability of RETs to the rural area could be the panacea of poverty reduction and environmental fix inBangladesh. Synergy The relationship between energy and economic development is crucial; the process of economic growth requires the substation of energy mix in the performance of agriculture, industrial and domestic tasks. The lack of adequate energy in rural Bangladesh has economic costs not just at the individual and ho usehold level but at the national level as well. Development in Bangladesh without corresponding increase in per capi ta electricity and gas consumption is, therefore, not feasible. Everyone needs energy in one form or another, for day-to-day life, for cooking, lighting, heating and so on.Consequently, energy is to be considered as a basic need along with food, water, shelter and others. In social aspects, energy plays a key role in achieving social justice including gender justice. Low level of energy service is a serious obstacle to raising social, health and nutritional status of community. Dependence on human energy and primitive technologies for survival introduces a whole range of obstacles to social and gender equality. The rural people in general, and rural females in particular, are tapped in an unceasing cycle of works that condemns them to poor health, l ittle or no ducation and deprives them in equal participation in local development programs (i. e. education, income ge nerating activities, etc. ), self governing bodies and political movements. Improved energy services can be at * Corresponding Author Email: [email  protected] com Page 9 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 the centre of any strategy to mitigate the gender disparity. The availability of adequate, reliable and reasonably priced source of energy is, therefore, prerequisite for the development of rural Bangladesh. Suggestions can now be made to the extent that the usage of RETs would aunch a new era of appropriate technology, sustainable socio-economic and environmental development in the country. Rural Energy Needs More than 70% of total populations of the country live in rural areas. At present major portion of total energy needs for cooking is met by locally available biomass fuels. The rural electrification program meets a small portion of total energy needs. For overall national development there is a need to pay special attention so that the energy needs of rural areas for subsis tence and productive requirements (e. g. agriculture, industries, and transport) are met on a sustainable basis.Different types of renewable energy technologies such as Solar Home System (SHS), Biogas, and Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS) are suitable for Bangladesh. A Solar Bangladesh SHS has been a successful story in Bangladesh. Our rural people have accepted SHS on a mass scale. Once it was thought that solar energy was not affordable for the rural people. This myth has been broken. Along with thirty partner organizations in the country, as of August 2011, over one million SHS have been installed in Bangladesh, benefiting over 6 million rural people (IDCOL, 2011). On average, more than 35,000 systems are installed very month and within the next 1 to 3 years, this rate is likely to be triple. A powerful economic model has been created to make solar energy a part of rural life, integrating one of most sophisticated technologies with the asp irations, toils and successes of the rural people. A rural family can have bright light, watch TV and power their mobile phones at the same cost as kerosene, while escaping from dim light, foul smelling smoke including health and fire hazards. Rural businesses can increase their productivity and income through extended wor king hours and attracting more customers. This sector has been creating green jobs and linkage usinesses especially in the rural areas. Hundreds of local youth s are working in the rural areas as solar technicians. Rural women are assembling solar access ories in village based Technology Centres. Solar engineers are increasingly employed in designing SHS, working in battery factories, and other accessory related businesses. Bangladesh is on the verge of a Solar Revolution. Increased aspirations, failure of grid electricity, growing machination and disposable income have created huge potential for solar energy in rural areas. Biogas Technology Biogas is a proven an d widely used source of energy in the country.There is now yet another wave of renewed interest in biogas due to the increasing concerns of climate change, indoor air pollution and increasing oil prices. Such concerns, particularly for climate change, open opportunities for the use of the CDM benefits in the promotion of biogas. In spite of being insignificant in volume, the availability of biogas to very large number of rural people and to very remote areas makes the technology very suitable and effective. True, commercially produced pipeline natural gas plays and will continue to play vital ro le in the industrialization and urbanization of the country, but his gas will not reach the remote village households any time soon, if at all! In that respect there is no alternative to biogas for the millions of villagers. The above situation leaves the rural population to rely on the traditional biomass sources for household supply of energy. Over the last few decades there have been rene wed interests and initiatives by many organizations to innovate new and improved biomass energy technologies whereby the biomass energy sources can be used more efficiently and cost effectively for the rural people. The most popular and widely used of these technologies has been the biogas technology in which iomass (cow dung, poultry dropping, agricultural residue etc) is converted into biogas. The biogas is supplied to households for use in cooking in a similar way natural gas is used. In addition, biogas may be used to light houses. Biogas can also be used to run small generator to produce electricity for running electrical household appliances like TV, electric light, fridge etc. Biogas technology is the most ideal technology for rural Bangladesh. Biogas plant is built with simple technology and uses raw material easily available with the rural households — mostly cow dung. Biogas is a kind of gas generated when biomass i. . cow dung or other animal dung or biodegradable organic masses are stored in underground chamber in an anaerobic condition (absence of oxygen). It is a kind of anaerobic bacteria that produces the biogas from the organic debris. The composition of biogas is mainly methane (60 to 70%) with lesser amount of carbon dioxide (30 to 40%) and traces of hydrogen and nitrogen. It is a colourless gas and burns in similar way as natural gas (it actually burns at 800  °C compared to natural gas which burns at 1000  °C, both suitable for cooking and any other household application). A biogas plant consists of a brick made nderground chamber about 10 feet in height connected to a smaller surface feeding chamber on one side and a debris outlet chamber on the other side. Cow dung or other biomass material with water (in 1:1 ratio) are fed once a day into the underground chamber from the surface and biogas is generated and accumulated at the top part of the chamber. The gas is tapped by inserting a rubber pipe and supplied to kitchen or other places in the house. After producing gas, the residue is moved to the outlet chamber under the gas pressure and incoming new biomass materials and is deposited in a pit as a very good uality fertilizer ready to use in the field. In Bangladesh about 44 million tons of fuel wood is used in rural areas as cooking fuel each year (Islam and Islam, 2011). These destroy our forest and have negative impact on weather, land and environment. Also, as other biomasses like leaves, cow dung and agricultural residues are burnt as cooking fuel, these can no more help as a natural fertilizer as part of the cycle that keeps Page 10 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 the balance in the ecosystem. In all the above counts, use of biogas technology will bring about benefits to the nvironment and the people. It certainly upgrades an ageold inefficient and poor energy use practice into a more efficient and scientific one. Improved Cooking Stove ICS are those trad itional stoves upon which some modifications have been made to give higher thermal efficiencies. The efficiencies are defined as a fraction of heat content of the fuel fruitfully utilized. Improved stove save 50-60% traditional fuel as compared with traditional ones. Total amount of traditional fuel consumption in the country is about 39 million tons annually. If improved stoves popularized in the country and if it saves 50% raditional fuel, then annually about 19. 5 million tons of traditional fuel will be saved. The reduction s of traditional fuels by improved stoves, therefore , have lower emission of green house gases in the atmosphere. It also helps conserve the forest resources of the country. In Bangladesh it will be difficult to supply natural gas for cooking purpose to the every households of the country. Therefore, improved stoves have bright future in the country. Large scale dissemination of improved stoves in the country can conserve the local forest and change the soci al life to a great extent. Factors of SuccessRET is the technology of the Future. But unless this technology can reach the most deprived and vulnerable group in the world today – the millions of rural people who suffer most from the energy crisis – this technology will neither reach its full potential, nor will the economic and social problems of the world be solved. In the early stage when very few POs started to promote renewable among the rural people, village electrification was considered the domain of government programs and development aid, leaving a lega cy of inefficiency and squandered subsidies. Eventually some innovative financing scheme had been created to make RET ffordable for rural people. Innovative Financial Schemes to make the Technology Affordable at the same cost as Kerosene RET is still expensive relative to traditional energy sources. One of our initial challenges was to bring down the high upfront cost of a solar system. An innovative installmen t based financial scheme worked fantastically which reduced the cost of a system to monthly ker osene cost. This is at the central core of our success story. It also allowed us to expand our market and reach economies of scale which further allowed us to bring down our costs per unit and engage in a profitable, sustainable business.Instead of renting, we focused on ownership which translates into better care and longevity of the system. As the price of traditional energy sources rises, renewable energy technology is becoming more and more viable, especially due to its low per unit cost. But, the high upfront cost of the technology is still a major obstacle in generating the shift away from traditional fossil fuels and must be dealt with. Focus on Empowerment, Income Generation & Cost Savings Tiding the technology with income generation, cost savings, higher standard of living, and especially social and economical empowerment is very important . In ruralBangladesh, solar power became synonymous with social status, better living and more income. A rural family could save up to BDT 700 per month in energy cost while enjoying televisions and other modern amenities. Once the installments were paid off within 3 years, there was minimum running cost for nearly 20 years. This made solar a more attractive option than kerosene. They were social benefits also. The burden of women were reduced as they no longer had to clean kerosene soot , work under dim light and they could take part in home based income generating activities. Children could study under solar light and get connected o the outside world through televisions. For rural businesses, solar power meant productivity, more sales, income and jobs. A rural business could double its turnover by using solar while minimizing energy cost. Solar power especially helped improve connectivity, increase the sales of electronic goods, create new business opportunities such as mobile phones charging shops, electronics repair, maintenance shops, community television centers etc. A Strong Grassroots Network to provide after sales service, right at the doorsteps of the rural people Rural people are unlikely to invest in a technology which s not durable and no after sales service is available. We focused on creating a vast network of rural engineers who developed one to one rapport with their customers. They visited each monthly to offer free after sales service for nearly 3 years. Long term warranty (i. e. 20 years for panels, 5 years for batteries and 3 years for charge controllers etc. ) for SHS plus buyback option under which a client can return his /her system, if the area becomes grid connected is a wonderful weapon to explore renewable in the rural areas. A rural network of women technicians has been created to assemble and epair solar accessories to ensure low cost, quick effective repair, maintenance services and availability of spare parts, right at the door steps of the users. It also trained cus tomers on how to take care of their systems and provides them with training manuals. This meant well kept systems, minimum repair and maintenance cost for both clients and us. Capitalizing on Community Forces One reason for this sector was the active involvement of the rural community. Rural people were completely unaware of renewable energy technologies. Winning rural confidence played a vital role. Engagement of community leaders and organizing emonstrations helped a lot. Special focus on creating local stake-hold social and economical was significant. In order to keep the goodwill, the POs offered special packages for rural schools and madrasa. Introduction to scholarship for school children of solar users and design of especial programs for rural school children to seed awareness of renewable in the next generation were also done. Installation and maintenance the systems, Page 11 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 understand the local ma rket and customs were accelerated by the local youth. Setting up of village ased technology centers to assemble all solar accessories, creating jobs for local women was also essential. This bottom-down, decentralized approach has helped us to keep operating costs low, and gain acceptance by the local communities. GS was unique in that sense that GS not only provided clean energy solutions, but also created powerful social and economical forces for their adoption. For example, GS created jobs for young men and women who could earn enough in few years to install a system themselves. A Listening Culture coupled with Strong Quality Control Building institutional capacityChallenges and Opportunities Fully developing the infrastructure for renewable in Bangladesh requires more than just putting solar systems on the market. Many projects in t he country also work to remove the barriers to more widespread use of renewable systems and build the skills along with the partner organizations. Th ese POs facilitate a package of interventions to support Bangladeshi institutions in overcoming major market barriers. These institutions include rural electricity cooperatives, community-based organizations, NGOs, microfinance institutions, and private-sector groups. Women as Active agents of ChangeGS remain tuned to local needs by listening to our staffs and clients. The strong Audit and MIS system help GS seek new opportunities, meet challenges and forge ahead. We are flexible and localized in our approach, but without sacrificing quality. SHS registered exponential growth after the advent of IDCOL with the number of service providers, suppliers, manufactures multiplying. Bangladesh gained the capacity to manufacture all solar accessories expect for the solar panel. Our government has set a target of reaching all with electricity by 2020. Momentum has been created for solar power which our rural people have accepted whole eartedly. Solar & other renewable are in a position to pla y a very important role to complement government efforts to take electricity to all by 2020. We are yet to reach the penetration rate of mobile phones or televisions which has reached more than half portion of the rural market. We are yet to reach cost effectiveness to reach all rural income groups especially the lower income group in large numbers. Challenges: GS has set up village based GTC to train and empower young women to become Renewable Energy Technicians and Entrepreneurs. This was one of our most innovative and successful programs. These centers managed by omen engineers train rural women in renewable energy technology, enabling hundreds of rural women to earn extra money. These women who belong to most deprived class of their communities have learnt skills on assembling, installing and repairing and maintaining one of the most up to date technologies in the world. They assemble and repair solar accessories such as charge controllers, mobile chargers, invertors etc. This h as enhanced their social and economic value in their communities and contributed to women empowerment. These women have are the backbone of our local production and repair network helping rural people ccess cost effective, efficient services right at their door steps. They are powerful voices motivating other women, their families and neighbors to install solar and other renewable. Appropriate Product Design & Diversification GS with other POs promote and design high quality, innovative products which meet the diversified needs of rural clients. The customer tailored packages ranging from 10 to 135 watts allow a rural client to save energy, generate income and become the owner of a system after 1 or 3 years, at the same cost of kerosene. The standard 50 watt system allows a rural client enjoy 4 bright lights, atch televisions and power mobile phones. For the lower income grouped, there are 10 to 20 watt systems and micro-utility model which al lows sharing of one system by many. Dep ending on the income of a rural client, the design products varies to power computers, DC fans, refrigerators and income generating activities. Page 12 / 79 There are more than 30 organizations engaged in the rural renewable energy sector. Expect for a few, majority have a very small client base. Cutting edge business culture is yet to develop in this field because of the prevalence of NGO culture. There has been very little incentive for nnovation or new product development because most of the organizations depend on guaranteed soft loans from IDCOL. Present practice of vast rural network of branches and engineers translates in huge transaction cost and slow penetration rate. Lack of good communication especially during the rainy season constraints movements and increases transport cost. Seasonal variation in the income of the rural people makes collecti on of installment difficult. This is not cost effective or feasible in the long run. Training and retaining efficient human resou rce at the field level is also difficult. Incentive is low compared to the hard work.It is difficult for organizations to increase incentives in order to keep their costs low. There is lack of skilled engineers who can make cost effective and efficient SHS designs especially for productive applications. Another major challenge is high battery prices and inability to source quality materials or accessories cost effectively. Huge Tax and VAT are charged on import of all raw materials except solar panels. This increases the cost of local manufacturing of Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 solar accessories which in turn increases the cost of Solar Home Systems. ould otherwise come from the fertilizer producing industries. By helping to counter deforestation and degradation caused by overusing ecosystems as sources of firewood and by melioration of soil conditions, biogas technology reduces CO2 releases from these processes and sustains the capabilit y of forests and woodlands to act as a carbon sink. There has been very little incentives from the government to popularize RET except for long term soft loan through IDCOL. Most practitioners are over dependent on IDCOL with no diversification of funding. Mainstream financial institutions are yet to take a major interest in the RET sector.Improved Cooking Stoves can be one of the most cost effective devices to stop in -door air pollution and reduce deforestation. In this connection, GS has already constructed around 373,969 ICSs through local technicians. A huge positive response from women have been receiving because of 50% less fuel cost and smoke free cooking. Various POs could disseminate 10 million cooking stoves by 2015 if proper initiatives are taken . Opportunities: Exponential demand has been created among rural people for solar power and renewables. This is mainly due to increased price of kerosene, diesel, and lack of grid connected ower, decreased price of solar energy, and especially due to growing aspiration and economic diversification of the rural people. Dependence on land or agriculture is reducing, cattle is being replaced by power tillers, tractors etc. Nearly 60% of the rural people own a television. Diversification of rural economy concurrent with increasingly efficient solar systems has created market for larger Solar Energy System applications to power pumps, mini/micro grids for SMEs, internet kiosks etc. The rural farmers suffer from power shortage during the irrigation season and replacement of electric power pumps by solar pumps would save the rid system of 800 MW load on the national grid. There is also increasing demand in rural health and education sector for Integrated Energy Systems to power lights, computers, TVs and refrigerat ors etc. Solar power can fill the niche. Solar power can also be used for early warning systems, emergency lighting, water desalination etc. in disaster zones. Increasing load shading in the urban area s has made solar power an attractive option for urban dwellers. 1 to 10 KW systems to power lights, TVs and other appliances in domestic and commercial sector can easily create a niche, alongside diesel generators and Instant PowerSupply etc. Technical progress has reduced cost, increased efficiency and diversified the application of solar energy. For example, use of LED and CFL has reduced the cost of solar power, while increasing its efficiency. Pico systems (1 to 5 watts) can power 2 or more lights while charging mobile phones. This has brought solar technology within the reach of lower income groups. LED based systems have resulted in dramatic decrease in costs. Factors to reduce cost include efficient loads, innovative batteries, and lower module cost. We can use biogas technology not only generating cooking gas, but also for generating ure methane gas which can used for running vehicles, power pumps and other electronic equipment. This will facilitate rural development. Though some large s ized biogas plants in Bangladesh are generating electricity, needs. We can scale this up if we can purify the gas and place it in cylinders. We can use all types of wastes ranging from animal dung to crop resi dues for this purpose. This is successful technology which has been implemented in India, Sweden and many other countries. Our Government which is promoting independent power generation should also facilitate this type of technology. We can use biogas technology in urban areas to onvert wastes into electricity, gas and organic fertilizers. Again Biogas technology takes part in the global struggle against the greenhouse effect by reducing the release of CO2 from burning fossil fuels in two ways. First, biogas is a direct substitute for gas or coal for cooking, heating, electricity generation and lighting. Second, the reduction in the consumption of artificial fertilizer avoids carbon dioxide emissions that Bangladesh currently has a thriving RET sector with multip le companies manufacturing batteries, lightings and other solar accessories. Many of these companies are also exporting heir products. Recently government has decided to include solar as a thrust sector in its industry policy. Policy Options: Building a Cutting Edge Entrepreneur Based Structure Bangladesh is uniquely positioned to reach 75 million people with renewable energy technologies by 2015. However, we cannot tap into this huge potential through the existing model. We need to develop a cutting edge, efficient, flexible structure of rural based entrepreneurs who will take solar and other RET to every nook and corner of country to create a truly Solar Bangladesh. We need to focus on the following for the above transformation:Creating Clean Energy Entrepreneurs Page 13 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 Providing long term soft loans at 5 to 6 % interest rate to all RET related businesses is needed. Present practice is that service provi ders can access soft loans after installing the systems. This does not take into account high upfront cost of sourcing supplies or developing the organizations. Similarly solar related manufacturing/ supply companies have to access loans at very high cost. Our financial incentives are focused on microfinance institutions. Instead of this, we should help create business companies small nd big at the district/sub-district level linked with local entrepreneurs to widespread RET. This would create ownership, innovations and competition. We can create village based women entrepreneurs to promote Improved Cooking Stoves etc. They would also assemble, repair solar accessories and provide after sales service. They can be linked with small credit from rural financial institutions. RET is a step in the right direction. However most clients / renewable energy companies have been unable to access the loan because loan is to be provided to SHS customers and reimbursement is only after the instal lation.Energy Companies are not able to directly access this fund. This financing scheme has failed to gain momentum because of complex regulations and risk adverse tendency of commercial banks. We can create village based SME entrepreneurs to popularize sol ar pumps, mini grids and biogas plants etc. The entrepreneurs would invest in the technology and earn a return by renting the technology to others. They can source loans from rural banks.  · District/sub district level companies can help rural based source loans and the technology through guarantee, information, while national level companies would help istrict/sub-district level small and big compani es to source finance, technology and build up their market. Including a component in housing loans for installing solar. Creating a special green fund for providing grant for pilot testing new projects. Providing matching grants through local government institutions to green our infrastructure such as rural schools , clinics, cyc lone shelters, etc. Focusing on an Efficient, Cost effective Supply Chain: We need to set up more battery and other solar accessory manufacturing units to create a competitive environment, reduce costs and increase efficiency. Our government should try o attract foreign investment and R & D in this sector. Creating a window in agricultural and other rural financial institutions to provide credit fo r RET, we can include training and credit for renewable energy technologies in our youth development programs. We should especially focus on SME loans and micro-credit loans for creating small and big entrepreneurs in the rural areas. Currently solar practitioners are suffering from high battery price. This can be solved through more battery companies. We should concentrate on manufacturin g export quality products to achieve economies of scale and tap into the world market. We can onsider setting up Green Enterprise Zones especially for solar accessories such as charge controllers, inver tors, mobile chargers etc with a focus on the rural areas to create green jobs. Circulating green bonds for raising capital for solar and other RET. Passing Pro -renewable energy Laws Providing special incentives such as long term soft loans, tax cuts for promoting solar both at the individual and commercial level. Biogas production can also be installed in combination with sanitation. Public toilets incorporating biogas units are particularly suitable for pen -urban areas and small towns in India where the supply of cooking gas is nadequate and wastewater treatment is unaffordable for the local authorities. Biogas systems can become part of decentralized wastewater treatment, and provide the fuel needed for heating water, for bathing and running generators to provide lighting in these facilities. Removing all VAT/Tax for all type of solar accessories and raw materials to reduce cost. Bangladesh has one of the highest tariff structures in the world. Providing tax holidays and other benefits for investing in solar businesses. Making it mandatory to have all market places, restaurants, commercial buildings to install solar. At the same time government should rovide soft loans for solar installation which would be part of housing loans. Easy Access to Green Credit & Funds: Investing in Capacity Development and R & D Page 14 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 Developing a sustainable framework for developing human resources through country wide vocational centers, training institutes etc. Focus should be also on developing export quality human resource. This would also an incentive for private companies to participate with the maturing of the sector. Focusing on R & D to adapt and develop innovative technologies. We should have nnovation lab in all major universities which should be linked with international institutions and research institutions. Government should create an incentive structure such as competitions, awards to promote R & D. Facilitating new ideas such as installment collection through mobile phones, prepaid cards to scale up and reduce transaction costs. Conclusion Bangladesh has given birth to one of most successful models to replicate RET. Keys to these successes are an innovative credit system, appropriate product design, grassroots based effective and efficient after sales service plus other consumer friendly options. However, the main actor behind the Bangladesh success story is that it empowers rural communities to own and uses RET and eventually become partners to bring and expand RET in their communities. It seeks solutions that empower women, the disadvantaged, create jobs, facilitate rural development and especially protect the environment. To summarize, Bangladesh already has experience with RET projects. The potential of these project initiatives is high. Viable approaches need to be amplified to a broader context under a national RET strategy. In particular, the pilot sc hemes of RET development in Bangladesh need be scaled up to take a greater share in f niche markets for RET and strengthening relevant institutions to implement RET policy direction are possible avenues to assist with this. References 1. M S Islam and M R Islam (July 2011), Reducing biomass usage in rural areas of Bangladesh, South Asia Energy Network, Practical Action, Colombo, p . 4 -5 2. United States Agency for International Development (2011), Obtained from http://www. usaid. gov/bd/programs/energy. html [Accessed on 2nd October 2011] 3. Infrastructure Development Company Limited (2011), Obtained from http://www. idcol. org/prjshsm2004. php [Accessed on 3rd October 2011] Page 15 / 79