Postives and Negatives of Mobile Phones Essay

â€Å"Investigate how the purchase of one electrical item may have a positive or a negative impact on people†. I will be reporting on the positives and negatives of mobile phones. I will investigate how they can be sustainable as well as how they are not sustainable for the future. I will discuss various negative as well as positive issues like the health information regarding mobile phones. How mobile phones has helped the growth of various countries. Also how mobile phones are impacting child labour and human rights. Other issues like riots and Arab springs will also be reported on in great detail. I will research the mobile company. I did primary research to find out which phone everybody has. This graph clearly indicates that most people I researched have Nokia. Nokia in 1967, well it would have been difficult to predict how successful Nokia was going to become as they started off selling common products like wellington boots. There H. Q is located in Finland. The research and development of Nokia is located in Finland, Spain, and china, Denmark, Germany and England. The production of Nokia is located in UK, India, Brazil, Mexico, and china, Finland, Romania and Hungary. I will also examine the issue around how Colton is causing a bad effect on countries like Congo. I will seek different people’s views for an unbiased study into this investigation. The mobile phone subscription has increased from 2002 and 2007 in every part of the world. Europe had the biggest increase in mobile phone subscriptions as it’s increased from 51,000 inhabitants to 111,000 inhabitants. This is because Europe is the richest continent in the world so it can afford for people to buy one or multiple phones to their likings. Asia has the biggest increase in developing continents. Africa is the fastest-growing mobile market in the world. The GSM Association report on Africa says: It expects there will be more than 735 million subscribers by the end of 2012. Analysts say that there is high usage of mobile phones since the landline is bad and expensive. †Now almost every adult, child and domestic pet seems to have one, given that 30 million phones are sold every year in UK†. Everyone seems to have a mobile phone. â€Å"More than a billion mobile phone connections have been added to the global tally in just 18 months, according to wireless intelligence†. Read more:  Mobile Phone Essay Introduction â€Å"More than 10 billion phones have been sold worldwide since 1994†. This indicates how the usage of mobile phones has increased. This device has become part of the fabric of society, whether a teenage girl taking a blackberry to bed with her, or a farmer in a African village trying to find out the latest crop prices†. Mobile phones have become a part of society all around the world. With 5 billion phones there are more mobile phones used then personal computers. â€Å"Five billion phones means there are more than three times as many phones than personal computers. It is said to believe that the market for mobile phones is likely to explode in the future. There are more people using a mobile phone than ever as over 70% of the world is mobile users. This is because the ever decreasing value of old phones means that mobile phones will be more affordable. In addition in this modern generation it’s socially considered rare to not have a phone. So from that social peer pressure everyone nowadays has a phone. 92% of the mobile phones users can’t get through a day without using their phones. This means most people use their phones every day and they are playing a important role in their life’s. 14% of the people have 2 or more mobile phones meaning they use multiple mobiles for multiple uses, For example one cheap phone for just calling abroad and one for luxury uses like entertainment. On average people in Britain make 2. 8 calls a day and 3. 6 text messages a day. 85% of children worldwide own a phone but only 30% of children have access to a book. This just shows how kids these days have own a phone rather than a book meaning more people have a phone rather than the tools needed for learning. â€Å"Leapfrogging† is the concept that areas which have poorly-developed technology or economic bases can move themselves forward swiftly through the adoption of new systems without going through intermediary steps.. More recently idea of leapfrogging is being used in the situation of sustainable development for developing countries as a theory of development which may hurry development by skipping less efficient, more expensive or more polluting technologies and industries and move directly to more advanced ones. We watch this happening all around us: you don’t need a 20th century industrial base to build a 21st century bio/Nano/information economy. An example of leapfrogging is the adoption of mobile phones in the developing world. It’s easier and quicker to put in cellular towers in rural and distant areas than to put in land lines, and as an outcome, cellular use is exploding. As we know, mobile phone use already exceeds land line use in India, and by 2007, 150 million phone lines there will be cellular. There are alike examples from all over the world. Positives There are many positives for mobile phones. First one being that communication is now easier. More mobile phones for people meaning getting in touch with people are much easier than before. The independent by Diane Coyle said in an article for â€Å"how the mobile phone has given hope to a new generation of African people†. She starts off by saying â€Å"Imagine your husband works away from home with little chance to visit you†. This is benefit for people who use mobile phones. It’s easier for the husband to stay in contact with the wife when they don’t get to see each other as often. This is good for anyone as they can keep connected to their families abroad. This is socially sustainable as people can be attached to their families with more ease. This is advantage for a mobile phone is really interesting as a report by the BBC (http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/technology-14465546) say that mobile phones could help police investigation against rioters. The riots in the summer in the UK is said to be coordinate via friends using a mobile phone. However BBC reports that â€Å"Investigators can apply to see the contents of text and instant messages, as well as their location†. This indicates that mobile phones are helping police to inspect criminal activity. The police can help keep the country safe by gathering criminals with the help of mobile phones. This is socially sustainable as mobile phones are helping keep the society safe. Mobile phones help businesses as they can distribute mobiles to their employees which can be used for sending emails or conference calls. This helps the business connect well with its employees. This is socially sustainable as the employees are associated to the business at all times. Apps can be purchased for gaming, maps or utilities. This usually done over the mobile internet however in most Asian countries like India the GPRS is not strong meaning very slow. So people come to shops like â€Å"Mobiworld† to buy apps offline. This is great for customers wanting apps downloaded without the use of the internet. Also this is creating an employment for the people in India selling apps offline. More people have access to mobiles than to a landline in Africa as fixed telephone lines are expensive whereas mobiles are cheaper. Mobiles are cheaper because the infrastructure is less expensive as you don’t have to build line for the telephone. This was also quoted in the same article. This is good for mobile users in LEDCs as they can have a cheaper way of communication as they don’t need to build the rather expensive infrastructure for the telephone line. This is economically sustainable as mobile phones are cheaper than fixed line phones. In the same article, mobile phones gave another form of employment. â€Å"In Kwa Phake in South Africa; a hairdresser had set up a sideline renting out access to a car battery†. This is good as it gives the workers in South Africa another form of income. This indicates how mobile phones are helping people to gain work and employment. This is good for the workers of South Africa as they can gain extra cash on top of their normal work to provide shelter and food for the families of these people in South Africa. This is economically sustainable as there’s another form of employment in the country for them to make money on. Another positive, I found out from the article was that mobile costs are cheaper than bus fares. In the article respondents to the surveyed and compared the call costs and cost in money and time of a round-trip bus journey into town. This is good as it means mobile phones are easier as well as cheaper to buyer. This is good for people in LEDCs who have low amounts of wealth as they can buy a mobile phone. There are newsagents and little shops in markets selling pre-paid phone cards. This is another source of employment that mobile phone brings for people. These pre-paid cards are sold all over the country providing work in LEDCs and MEDCS. This is economically sustainable as mobile phones are providing work for people. Nokia, one of the leading mobile companies selling mobile phones are trying to make mobile phones as sustainable for the future. †In 2007 we first introduced renewable materials with the Nokia 3110 Evolve, with 50% of its cover made from bio plastics†. This is good as this means the materials used are better for the environment. 0% more bio plastic meaning it’s environmentally friendly as the Bio plastics made from natural materials such as corn starch. This is good for nokia’s reputation as a eco-friendly mobile company. Also it helps the planet as the mobile phones will be more bio-degradable. This in addition also helping us buy phones which have materials which are good for the environment. This positive is environmentally positive as it’s as the materials are better for the world. Bio plastics can be recycled meaning 50% of the materials can be recycled. 100% of the materials in Nokia devices can be used again and again to make new products or generate energy†. Nokia is using materials that can be used again for new products or for energy. This is good as when a Nokia is recycled; nothing is wasted but in fact used for other products or to generate energy. This is environmentally friendly for the planet. Also the users of Nokia are in peace knowing there phone is going to be used in a eco-friendly way at the end of its product life. This is environmentally sustainable as using recycled materials is good for the environment. There are companies like envirofone. They recycle your old phones and give you the value of your old phone. This is good for the mobile users as they can recycle and gain money which could go to their possible next phone. Also it’s good for Envirofone as they can sell the materials that can be reused for other products. Overall it’s good for the environment as the mobile phones are recycled meaning this is environmentally sustainable. I did primary research in what people do with their old phones and the research Cleary shows that over half the people use mobile recycling websites like envirofone. Arab springs have helped people realise the important and how powerful mobile phones can be. â€Å"It is also true that mobile phones represented the main tool that provided protesters with the opportunity to spread their voices and share their values with the entire world. † The people of Egypt were able to share what they thought and share to the world. This was because they wanted a change in dictatorship. They shared images and video with the help of the function of a camera. â€Å"Not only were the millions of camera phones recording†. People would share these images on phone rapidly with the help of social networking site apps on phones. This has helped people in Egypt to use mobile phones to gain freedom and to get their point across to the world. Mobile phones can be seen as the main device that gave liberty and justice to international information. This is politically sustainable as mobile phones are helping countries gain political freedom. I found information on this issue by using this link: http://credemus. org/images/stories/reports/mobile-phones-and-the-arab-spring. pdf. Negatives There are numerous negatives for mobile phones. They cause car accidents when drivers are not paying attention on the road but on their phone. An article stated â€Å"Drivers distracted by talking or texting on cell phones killed an estimated 16,000 people from 2001 to 2007†. This affects car owners, their families and other people travelling on the road. This is socially unsustainable as drivers are putting not only there life’s in danger but the other people on the roads. Riots are another disadvantage to mobile phones. People are creating crime with the help of the mobile phone. This is socially unsustainable for the community as people may fear to go outside in case a riot occurs. This is also economically unsustainable as the council would have to pay for the damages caused by the riots. I did primary research on when people got their first phone. This graph clearly shows us that most people get Their phones early. As mobile phones are very cheap to buy, it’s affordable for the youth to have mobile phones. Although this has meant increase in bullying via the mobile phone. This affects children, teens and parents. This is socially unsustainable for the society of the youth. In addition to most children having mobile phones, they are forgetting to spell words correctly as the English is abbreviated. This is socially unsustainable as when the children are doing school work or exams they use abbreviations! Mr Shortis, a former chief examiner for English language A-level at the exam board AQAB, said he had rarely seen textisms used in A-level papers. But examiners had seen them crop up at GCSE. He said: â€Å"Between 11 and 16, children often change their language to express their social difference or identity. Using text message abbreviations in exam answers is the verbal equivalent of wearing a hoodie. http://www. tes. co. uk/article. aspx? storycode=2341958) This is also economically unsustainable as bad English could worsen his future prospects for a good job. There have been many studies done to find correlation between mobile phone and health. Even though there are no evidence of harm linked with using mobile phones. There has been many speculation to their being harm from mobile phone. â€Å"The World Health Organization’s cancer research agency says mobile phones are â€Å"possibly carcinogenic†. † (This quote taken from BBC report on â€Å"Mobiles ‘may cause brain cancer’†) this affects all mobile users around the globe. This is socially unsustainable as it’s a possibility that mobile phones may cause some kind of harm like brain tumour. No proof that mobile phones are harmful. â€Å"Sir William said children under eight should not use mobile phones at all†. (http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/health/4163003. stm)In) my primary research 5-10 is the age group that bought their phones first. This affects children as they are at more risk than adults as perceived by the article. Latest mobile phones are very expensive. This economically unsustainable as most people won’t be able to afford it. This affects all mobile users and latest mobile prices are ever rising. Although more people buy contract so they don’t have pay all of the money at once. However this could lead to debt when people go overboard on minutes, texts or internet usage. This impacts all mobile users with contract. This primary research shows more people use the plan contract. This could lead to a spiraling debt due to increase pay monthly contract subscriptions. Old phones are very expensive to recycle as the high toxicity of electronic waste makes its safe disposal expensive especially in countries with strict environmental regulations. This is economically unsustainable for the world as it probably costs more to recycle than to actually make the phone. So it is sent to LEDCs for example China, They sort out the good parts that can be recycled or reused. The environmental regulations in China are not strict meaning that workers do labour without any health and safety restrictions meaning all the toxic chemicals from the phone damages the health of the Chinese workers. This is environmentally unsustainable as E-waste is gathered which releases harmful toxins which pollutes the world with harmful chemicals as there are weak environmental regulations.

Antigone †Justice Essay

â€Å"Justice is like the kingdom of God; it is not without us as a fact, it is within us as a great yearning. † The notion of justice strongly resonates to what was mentioned in this quote by George Eliot. We all desire to live in a world that is fair and just but it is just beyond human’s aptitude because there are always two sides to every event and there is never complete justice for both. Every individual strive to have justice for various intentions and those in power often exploit the system of justice to mask their wickedness. In this prevailing civilization, there is no doubt that laws are enforced by people at the top of the social hierarchy. People of authority will establish laws that seem to be unbiased and fair in their eyes, believing that this is in the best interest of the country, but in actual fact it is far from that. An example of such a situation is present in the Ancient Greek tragedy, written by Sophocles, â€Å"Antigone†. In the play the decree given out by the new king Creon only served himself as it makes it illegal for Ismene and Antigone to burry and honor the brother, Polynices for the very last time. Creon wanted to have the sense of control over the city of Thebes,thus enforcing the law without contemplating the views of the family members as well as the citizens as it was stated by the chorus saying â€Å"But he that, too rashly daring, walks in sin†. â€Å"I do not defy them; but I cannot act Against the State. I am not strong enough†. Ismene, as much as she wanted to honor the brother, she could not. Creon despite knowing the importance of a formal burial for the Greeks, he chastised Antigone and Ismene for breaking the law. It is hard for leaders to genuinely apprehend the privation of the people them. Thus, laws that are introduced are predominantly to the benefit of those in power. The system of justice allows the majority to create the terms of justice and the ethics of the minorities will usually be treated as less significant, or completely disregarded. This can be seen in many societies with controversial issues. Euthanasia is a good example. The majority in Rusia,United Kingdom and Australia agrees that euthanasia is wrong and laws to punish those who assist others in suicide were instigated . In the case of Terri Schiavo who was a 41-year-old disabled woman in Florida was severely disabled for over 15 years, and been diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative . Due to the money and status this family had, they were able to carry out euthanasia but there were many cases where people were left to suffer and die naturally because they were underprivileged. Power and money governs the system of the world. Therefore, justice, being a fragment of the system, attends those of influence. In the political realm, authorized professional who are part of the formation of legislations are also those who have the power over the final verdict. The ultimate judgement in a court should be carried out by professionals who are chaste and neutral and not those who are a part of the making of the laws because their mind sets will bound to be influenced and skewed to their own likeness. This was shown in â€Å"Antigone† where the law was essentially created by Creon but he too had the highest power to decide whether Antigone and Ismene was going to punished or to be exonerated. And because Creon was so obsessed with the law that he created he made a very bias move by not looking at this situation from other perspectives but instead said â€Å" Take them, and keep them within- The proper place for women†. If the power of making the final decision was given to other people instead of Creon, Antigone and Ismene’s fate could have been altered. Indeed justice will place those in power as the priority if the people who judge had only one outlook. â€Å"Justice is sweet and musical; but injustice is harsh and discordant†. However, as much as human beings, especially the government aspire to be just and nondiscriminatory, it is impossible, because, justice is never an end to itself. Impartiality and justice is what we hope for but the truth is, nothing can gratify two parties and in most instances, the ones in supremacy will be at the winning end. This is an irrefutable, sad reality that we have no choice but to endure it.

Claude Monet's The Houses of Parliament in the Fog Essay

Claude Monet's The Houses of Parliament in the Fog - Essay Example His beautiful work of art has created a sense of desire and calmness is the minds of views all over the world. To know art is to know Claude Monet. It is very clear that Monet has a knack for painting. Born on November 14th 1840, Claude Monet was a founder of French impressionist painting, and he was also the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement’s philosophy of expressing ones perceptions before nature. He was the second son of Claude-Adolphe and Louise-Justine Aubre Monet both of them second-generation Parisians. On May 20th, 1841, he was baptized in the local parish church, Notre-Dame-de-Lorette as Oscar Claude. (Wikipedia). While growing up his father wanted him to go into the family grocery store business but Claude Monet wanted to become an artist. On April first of 1851, Monet entered the Le Havre secondary school of the Arts. His first and most locally known paintings were his charcoal caricatures which he would sell for ten to twenty francs. Monet also undertook his first drawing lessons from Jacques-Franà §ois Ochard, a former student of Jacques-Louis David (Wikipedia) After the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War (July 19, 1870), Monet took refuge in England in September 1870. While there, he studied the words of John Constable and Joseph Mallord William Turner, both of whose landscapes would serve to inspire Monet’s innovations in the study of color. In the spring of 1871, Monet’s works were effused to be included in the Royal Academy exhibition (Wikipedia). After several difficult months following the death of Camille (Monet’s wife), a grief stricken Monet (resolving never to be mired in poverty again) began in earnest to create some of his best paintings of the 19th century. During the early 1880’s Monet painted several groups of landscapes and seascapes in what he considered to be campaigns to document the French countryside. His extensive

International aspects of business law Coursework

International aspects of business law - Coursework Example Increasingly international trade organizations such as the WTO and bilateral free-trade agreements such as those in place with the United States and E.U. can significantly shape and alter the economic environment in a way that financial planners must identify and manage for investment clients with advance preparation. The importance of international law to traders in this context of financial investment services and commodities trading particularly cannot be understated, as it is a direct aspect of risk management operations that form a part of due diligence in any overseas investment strategy. Financial planners and traders must identify the risk elements that international law governs as a variable in estimating the success and expected returns of a project in order to successfully manage investment services for clients in the contemporary era of globalization. The history behind the WTO, bank frameworks, and financial regulation are all chief matters of international aspects of bu siness law which affect trade. The application of international law to trading activity of commodities, equities, and bonds globally is a specialized field and different in many ways from the sectors of international law which govern trade, commerce, and other forms of business development activity. For example, international traders generally have little worry over the application of labour or environmental law to their activities globally, as these are related to the general commercial operations of a business and not the trading activity particularly. Traders find their business operations most significantly impacted in the import and export process when the goods involved are passing through an international border. Most nations do not tax transit cargo that passes through sea and air ports, however most nations do tax and regulate imports and exports domestically through the application of international law and accepted practice. In order for a trader or financial planner to un derstand the requirements and how they apply differently from country to country, the GATT Agreements, or General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade, begun in international negotiations at the end of the Second World War and birth of the United Nations, are the most important references for international trade. The GATT Agreements stand as the most comprehensive and accepted standards of international trade laws among nations as negotiated directly through their envoys and representatives. Therefore, international traders and financial planners who require the complete country-by-country listing of trade and tariff requirements as established in international law should base their investigation in the publications of the GATT Agreements, or General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade, and the World Trade Organization (WTO), the modern descendent of the International Trade Organization (ITO). DZ Cass has written about the GATT and ITO/WTO systemization of international trade law in his essa y, The 'Constitutionalization' of International Trade Law: Judicial Norm-generation as the Engine of Constitutional Development in International Trade (Cass, 2001). In the articles, Cass suggests that the GATT Agreements and further negotiations of the WTO represent a process of creating a type of constitution for international trade where nothing but the chaos and conflicting interests of sovereign

Fundamentals of Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Fundamentals of Finance - Essay Example Therefore, it can be said that M&S possesses a sound fundamental financial position. In order to analyse the efficiency of a company, it is necessary to quantify its financial performance. Not just the investors, but other stakeholders like suppliers, credit providers and banks also consider the financial performance of the company as a parameter of its efficiency. Such analysis is often done in two stages. Initially, the performance of the company is analysed for the past few years (atleast five or more years). Historical data reflects the past trend and fundamentals of the company. However, one should not rely only on historical performance; rather the performance of the company in the last financial year should also be taken into consideration. Tools like ratio analysis should be used to make the process more transparent and holistic. Moreover, the performance of the company should be compared against the industry to arrive at a more authentic conclusion. In the given project, financial performance of Marks and Spencer will be analysed by taking into consideration its last five years performance. Later on, essential ratios will be analysed and compared against the industry benchmark to have a more comprehensive understanding. Marks and Spencer is one of the leading retailers in UK. Data published by the company reveals that in a single week more than 21 million customers visit its stores. The company is engaged in selling high quality clothes and home products along with quality food. The supplier base of the company comprises more than 2,000 suppliers from different parts of the world. Approximately 76, 000 people are employed by UK and other stores located in 41 overseas territories. The company was founded by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in the year 1884 for selling specifically British products. However, with time, the company had to break this policy to gain competitive edge in

Impact of Energy Cost Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Impact of Energy Cost - Research Paper Example Note that various industries such as manufacturing, transportation, and fishery among others are oil-intensive. In this regard, an increase in the pump price of petroleum products would push up their production cost. This translates to an upward shift in the aggregate supply curve from AS1 to AS2, wherein higher price is seen. This condition proves that in the event of energy cost uptrend, increase in inflation is highly likely. Such is especially applicable to oil dependent nations which are extra sensitive to the volatility in energy cost. When energy costs increase, the prices of final output rise to recoup higher production cost incurred. With this, rising inflation occurs. As mentioned in the article, subsidy on high crude prices is unsustainable as it weighs down government budget. As such, Indonesian and Thai governments lifted such subsidies and allowed firms and consumers to fully absorb price increases instead. The elimination of subsidies is comparable to increasing net taxes because essentially it decreases deductions in taxes. This results in the downward shift in the income function as rising energy cost reduces consumption given a particular marginal propensity to consume (MPC), from AE1 to AE2. Relative to this, AD curve shifts downward from AD1 to AD2.

Diversity and Learning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Diversity and Learning - Coursework Example This integration can begin early at the school level where interaction with children of different colors, races and speaking different languages teach them to accept these differences and to take the best from each in order to develop wholesome tolerant personalities. Such diversity can be looked upon as an asset to enrich the learning experience and integrate children into a strong unit, irrespective of physical or cultural differences. Nieto and Bode define culture as â€Å"the values, traditions, worldview and social and political relationships created, shared and transformed by a group of people bound together by a common history, geographic location, language, social class, religion or other shared identity.† (Nieto and Bode, 2012) They add that language plays a critical role in learning. I agree that if students of different cultures and identities are educated in such a way so as to minimize their differences and stress on their commonalities, we would be building a stronger tomorrow based on respect and understanding of people different from us who could enrich one another and together build strong communities that are enriched by their diversity. As a child who belonged to a culture that was different from the one I encountered at school, I learned to negotiate between two worlds - the one in school and the one at home. In the beginning it was difficult and I was often confused. As a child my cultural identity was mostly discounted. I was one among a lot of others. Perhaps, this facet of a teacher’s role in her classroom had not yet been highlighted as it is today. However being a child, I quickly realized that the only way out for me was to be better at some things than most other students. Once I had mastered being bicultural and could alternate successfully between the correct behavior at school and at home, I began to feel more

Essay of Analysis of No Logo Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Of Analysis of No Logo - Essay Example The documentary deals with the backlash, which many multinational corporations are receiving, because of their unfair dominance of the global markets. The fact that they make profits at the expense of others is one of the reasons that they have come to develop a very bad reputation. Most of the multinational companies are plagued with scandals from all over the world and all of these because of not only their branding strategies, but also because of the fact that those who produce their products work in appalling conditions. The documentary addresses the fact that some multinational companies have their products made cheaply in countries such as China and these are then branded and sold expensively in the western markets. Because of their activities, many companies have come to be immersed in scandals and the emergence of these scandals has worked against these corporation’s interests in the market since it created a situation where the public views their products with a lot o f suspicion. A further issue that is addressed in the documentary is the way through which multinationals are branding their products through falsely convincing the potential consumers of their worth. If it a fact that many of these corporations brand their products in such a way that they make the consumers feel inadequate without the said products. This makes the consumers want to by the said products at whatever price that they are asked, not caring for other priorities. Sales among these corporations have become paramount and this has gone against the tradition of making quality products for the market. Instead, multinationals have, over the past few decades, decided to go for the sale of the image of their products and not the products themselves (Klein, 2003). These corporations no longer sell their products according to their own merits, but sell the

Teenage Suicide in the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Teenage Suicide in the Middle East Essay Generally-speaking, from the data available, the teen suicide rate in the Middle East is tremendously low – lower in this region than anywhere in the entire world. Part of this, however, may be due to underreporting. Few nations in the Middle East have actually submitted data to WHO as far as suicide rates are concerned, and those that have are characterized by incredibly low rates. Egypt’s last report to WHO was in 1987: a 0.0 youth suicide rate (15 to 24 year olds), statistically-speaking, with only 3 total suicides (1 male, 2 females). Iran’s last report to WHO came in 1991: a 0.3 youth suicide rate with only 34 total deaths (25 males, 9 females). Jordan reported to WHO in 1979: a 0.0 youth suicide rate, zero total suicides for those between 15 and 24 years old for that entire year. Kuwait’s report is the most recent, as it came to WHO in 2001: a 0.6 youth suicide rate, with 2 total deaths (both males). It’s so intriguing compared to the rest of the globe. If the data that has been submitted is accurate and holds true across the region, it actually wouldn’t be that surprising. The Middle East is one of those difficult-to- decipher regions as far as East or West is concerned. As far as its leaders are concerned, it seems to prefer neither, or at least somewhere in between. Going back to Durkheim, this would be considered a moderate region. Its social integration and regulation are both moderate. Again, as Durkheim said, this would mean low suicide rates; the theory seems to be fit. However, what about the center the Middle East is becoming for radicalism in recent years? It has become a base for religious fundamentalism, led by terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda and Hamas. These groups use violence to get their points across and it is beginning to catch the eyes’ of the region’s young people. The terrorists know that teenagers are easiest to recruit – they don’t fully have their lives planned out and many of them become attracted to doing something for a greater cause. These teenagers have grown up learning about violence and how it can be glorified. They have been taught by radicals that being part of a suicide bombing is a noble deed that will gain them everlasting life and the adorned title of ‘martyr.’ The textbooks that children currently use in Afghanistan are filled with violence. The books are â€Å"lavishly illustrated with bombs, landmines, guns, and soldiers and filled with [†¦] jihad and other milita nt Islamic teachings† (Sluzki 3). How ironic it is that these books were given to Afghan schools from the United States, in an attempt to increase children’s interest in waging war against the Soviet Union. Now children read these books and become interested in fighting the United States after hearing the repeated call, often propaganda, from nearby terrorist groups. This is just one example of how â€Å"seeds of violence† as Sluzki put it are being instilled in children’s minds (Sluzki 3). For more instances of violence being portrayed to youth, one need not look further than Palestine. Journalist Kenneth Timmerman wrote a disturbing article about the Palestinian Authority under Yasser Arafat. It was producing music videos, meant to appeal to children and teens, that encouraged the young to become martyrs and kill Israelis. The videos were made out of popular music and aired continuously on television. In one video in particular, a young boy is shown on his way to commit a suicide bombing. He says his goodbyes and sings, â€Å"Mother, do not cry for me.† That very line has appeared in at least three actual suicide notes between May 2001 and December 2002 – those who wrote the notes were between the ages of 14 and 17. This makes it clear that the videos were having an effect on teens. The worst part about the videos is that they glorify the act, make it seem painless, and in every way make it positive, an achievement, a holy and honorable act for the Palestinian people. (Timmerman 35) Another article sheds further light on violence and children in Palestine. According to Eyad Serraj, a psychologist in Gaza, many older children and teenagers view martyrdom in a positive light. Serraj says â€Å"that a poll conducted in the summer of 2003 showed that 36% of 12-year-old boys questioned in Gaza said they believed sacrificing themselves for the Palestinian cause was the best thing they could do with their lives† (Blanche 24). Serraj is not surprised by the find: In their minds, the only model of power and glory is the martyr. Palestinian society glorifies the martyr. They are elevated to the level of saints. In the hopeless and inhuman environment in which they live there is the promise that they will have a better life in heaven †¦ There’s a very big pool of potential martyrs. They’re queuing up, and that happens because hope is diminishing. (Blanche 24) To be fair, not all Middle Easterners are in favor of this trend – using children and teenagers as suicide bombers. Even in Palestine, where the act is being most promoted, it is hearing stern criticism from some. An article elaborates on an incident in March 2004 in which a teen, who was about to commit a suicide bombing, was caught before the act. It has stirred a lot of concern and emotion in Palestine. The 16-year old surrendered at an Israeli checkpoint and was held briefly by Israeli forces. A day later, his mother Tamam Abdo issued a statement: â€Å"No one the age of my son should be used to commit such acts [†¦] Maybe if he was 20, perhaps I could understand. At that age, they know what they are doing.† She said he was nothing more than a misguided teenager. Following the incident, several other Palestinians were interviewed and voiced their anger about the young being used as suicide bombers. Mohammed Zeidal, a college student, said that â€Å"to use someone his age is very, very wrong.† Bassem Eid, head of the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group, went on the record saying, â€Å"It is really shameful for the Palestinian reputation [†¦] to misuse our children and push them to their death.† This is not to say that all are opposed to such acts – as mentioned earlier, there is support for youth suicide bombings in Palestine –, but it should also be clear that there is some resistance to them as well. (â€Å"Teenagers in Suicide Bombings†) This information about terrorism and suicide bombings is not at all meant to overshadow the earlier data, but it is certainly pertinent in a discussion about teen suicide in the Middle East. Again, it must be reiterated that teen suicide rates are indeed among the lowest in the Middle East of any region in the world – at least according to the data that is available (it is scare for the region). The region serves as a living testament to Durkheim’s theory; it fully supports his belief that more moderately structured societies will have lower suicide rates. Teenage Suicide in East Asia Japan It is not uncommon for Americans to think of Japan as a whole different world. After all, it is on the other side of the globe. The similarities though are striking, thanks to the impact of the Western world. After much resistance, Japan finally opened its nation up for trade with the West in the 1850’s, falling to pressure from the United States. Ever since, Japan has adapted to Western life in many forms. It has seen that for it to compete on the global scale it has little choice but to make changes to its traditional way of life. In the 20th century, Japan blossomed with technological advances and finally put itself on the map. It took up competition with the United States and countries in Europe. This history may not seem relevant, but it is important to understanding the development of teenage suicide in Japan. Ever since being exposed to the West, Japan has felt extreme pressures from the outside world. These pressures have forced its people to fight in an ongoing struggle to be competitive. However, they have also done harm to its people. Japanese teenagers especially grow up being reminded of this need to be the best that they can. Sometimes it can be too much to bare. So why not suicide? Everything can end in one instant. The teen suicide rate in Japan has fluctuated considerably over the course of the last 35 years. According to WHO, the Japanese suicide rate in 1970 for 15 to 19 year olds was 7.8 per 100,000. By 1991, WHO reports that the suicide rate for the very same age group had been cut in half to just 3.8. A 1994 study by Zinn, et al, also alluded to a dropping rate, stating that â€Å"suicide is no longer an honorable act† in Japan (7-11). It adds that â€Å"teenagers (10-19 year olds) made up just over 2% of suicides† in Japan in 1992. However, the most recent reports point to Japan’s suicide rate being on the rise, and that includes teenagers. A BBC News article published in 1999 discounts Zinn’s earlier statement, explaining Japan’s increase in suicides in the mid-to-late 1990’s as a result of its â€Å"deeply ingrained culture that regards suicide as an honourable way to atone for failure and express remorse† (â€Å"World: Asia-Pacific Japan on suicide alert†). The article mentions that from 1997 to 1998 â€Å"junior high school student suicides increased by 40 to 102. At high schools, 220 students took their own lives in 1998, an increase of 51.† Japan’s most recent report to WHO in the year 2000 further supports an increase. The youth suicide rate was reported to have jumped to 11.5, higher than the United States rate of 10.2 for that year. While the most recent data encompasses 19-24 year olds in addition to those 15-19, the increase has been consistent with the rise in other industrialized nations. One particular article of interest, as to explicate possible motives for teen suicide, is â€Å"Bullied to Death in Japan† by Lauren Freedman. The article takes a look at the pressures of teenage boys growing up in Japan in the early to mid 1990’s (recent statistics make it probable that these pressures still hold true today). Bullying is the central focus, something that has become a huge problem in the nation, strikingly similar to what bullying has become in the United States. â€Å"Bullying is an old and widespread problem in Japan,† Freedman writes. Katsuyuki Ogawa, a psychologist in Tokyo, went so far as to say just about everyone will undergo the experience of being bullied. According to Freedman, and many Japanese experts who she refers to in her article, society is to blame. Professor Yaichi Wakai put it very bluntly: â€Å"Japan is a competitive society, and bullying is one distorted phenomenon of that severe competition.† (Freedman 25) Taking this into account and looking again at the history explained earlier, hearing that bullying occurs in Japan is not much of a surprise. The fact that it results in suicide isn’t that shocking either when everything is taken into consideration. So Japan, in fact, isn’t a whole different world. Many Japanese parents are forced to bury their teenagers just as in the United States. Although on the other side of the globe, Japanese instances of teen suicide actually mirror that of America in the ways discussed. China Hong Kong China is immensely different than nearby Japan. It isn’t considered a Western nation. Instead, it is deeply rooted in a tradition and history of its own, which of course has included thinkers like Confucius. It strives for excellence and works together as a people. It has continued along these lines into the new millennium and is widely known for its communist government. In such a place, where the individual isn’t strived for, but rather the collective whole, some may initially think suicide does not exist. But this thinking would be absurd. It is absolutely true that, based on the data available, teenage suicide doesn’t occur in rates as high in China as it does in Western nations, but teenage suicide in China does occur. One of the problems to investigating it is simple: it has not been well documented. The fact that it doesn’t appear to be a widespread problem may attribute to the lack of documentation. It seems that teen suicide in China is sporadic and the cases almost very isolated from each other. In China’s 1999 report to WHO, the nation reported a low 6.9 youth suicide rate – 5.4 for males and 8.6 for females. This comprised 1,541 total deaths in that year, 626 males and 915 females. This is the first occurrence of the female rate being higher, possibly suggesting that the high male rate may be associated with Western nations. The reason for the high female rate in China has not been explained, but it could be due to the fact that males are seen so much more important in Chinese socie ty. The â€Å"one-child† rule in China forces parents to give up their daughters, as they usually want sons. Perhaps, and it is only a theory, many of these girls grow up contemplating suicide and ultimately commit the act. If there was more data available, better sense could be made of these figures. In an article about Chinese suicide ideation, the lack of information is mentioned. â€Å"We could find only one study specifically assessing suicide ideation in a community sample of Chinese young people,† it said. That study, conducted in 1996 by men named Zhang and Jin, compared suicidal thoughts between college students in the United States and China. It found that the idea of suicide between cultures differed in many ways, with religiosity ending up the only definitive reason that both cultures would take suicide into consideration. (Stewart 227-240) This leads to the Hong Kong study, which was published in the article mentioned above. Interesting about Hong Kong is that it has been much more wrapped in Western culture than nearby China. After all, it had been ruled by the British for over a century. Once it began adopting Western ideals, teenage suicide occurred more frequently in Hong Kong. Again, the highest rates of suicide have long been associated with the Western way of life. However, as the study points out, it didn’t experience teen suicides rates quite as high as elsewhere. A probable reason for this is that it held onto at least some of its Asian roots, heavily based on Chinese culture. This makes Hong Kong quite a unique and interesting place when we look at suicide among teenagers. Here is a place that is being tugged by both Western culture and its traditional Eastern culture at the same time. Both influences have remained prevalent, at least to some extent. Even more interesting then – what if we took a look at teenagers in Hong Kong who were born in China, and had emigrated? This is precisely what the â€Å"Suicide Ideation† study addressed. The study took a look at 996 Chinese adolescents living in Hong Kong: 500 male and 496 female. They were asked to complete a survey in school and then conclusions were drawn. A significant difference from the majority of suicides in Western nations was uncovered. It was found that those who were considering suicide were doing so not because of reasons like peer pressure or the media. Instead, and overwhelmingly, the Chinese teenagers said they were doing it because of pressure from their parents. This remained consistent between both males and females too. (Stewart 227-240) Although there are many differences between Japan and China, similar to the former, China strives for excellence among its people. A major difference is Japan does it for the good of the individual where in China i t occurs for the good of society as a whole. Nevertheless, this work ethic, deeply rooted in East Asian tradition, is once again creating pressures. But instead of blaming specific, isolated individuals (as in bullying) for their suicidal thoughts, these Chinese students are pointing to the closest collective item they know and constantly come into contact with – their parents. Their parents, mother and father, are pressuring them to do the best they can for society. They hear it over and over from them. They are not attributing the suicidal thoughts to peers or pressures to be â€Å"cool† for instance, but instead to their elders who they are told to follow in every respect. The difference in their state of mind is significant. (Stewart 227-240) Still, as proven by this study, the thoughts do exist, even among Chinese teenagers – that thought of putting an end to one’s life. Perhaps because they have that support group, that collective society, and are not being singled out by others, is why their actual rates of suicide are low. The thoughts exist among Chinese teens, but it seems fewer actually go t hrough with the action.

Remote Sensing Bathymetry of Coral Reefs

Remote Sensing Bathymetry of Coral Reefs

What Are The Mechanisms Of Ozone Depletion Environmental Sciences Essay

What Are The Mechanisms Of Ozone Depletion Environmental Sciences Essay The mechanism of global warming can be described by the Greenhouse effect; by which, solar radiation enters through the Earths atmosphere and is retained, resulting in increased temperatures. Solar radiation entering the Earths atmosphere is partially absorbed by the Earths surface and partially re-radiated back into space. However, having lost energy to the Earths surface, the infrared radiation is of an increased wavelength and is consequently absorbed by certain gasses (greenhouse gasses) in the Earths atmosphere. This results in the radiation being recycled within the Earths atmosphere, leading to an increased average temperature of the Earths near surface air and oceans. Ozone depletion is a result of the catalysed reactions between ozone and atomic chlorine or bromine. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and bromofluorocarbons have the greatest ozone depleting potential as they form atomic chlorine and bromine upon photodissociation. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide can be considered to have the greatest global warming potential due to their abundance. From these gasses, nitrous oxide is 310 times more effective in absorbing radiation than carbon dioxide, and methane is 21 times more effective than carbon dioxide. What is the difference between winter and summer smog? Explain the mechanism by which they are generated. Winter and summer smog can be differentiated by their constituents and thus their environmental impacts. Winter smog is made up of sulphur dioxide, partially oxidised organics and particulate matter (PM), the concentrations of which are typically increased in winter months due to increased heating from sulphur rich fossil fuels such as coal and oil. It is also referred to as reducing smog. These pollutants can affect the respiratory system and form secondary pollutants. Sulphur dioxide can form acid rain from oxidation catalysed by PM or free radicals of oxygen and nitrogen. Summer, or photochemical smog, tends to occur as a result of increased nitrogen oxides or hydrocarbon concentrations in the atmosphere due to exhausts from internal combustion engines. Nitrogen oxides can be broken down by sunlight to form radicals causing low level ozone formation, nitric acid, peroxides, aldehydes and ketones. Both types of smog are more likely to form in cities and as a result of lack of wind. The lack of air movement can result in a temperature inversion which causes a layer of still warm air to cover a layer of cool air, trapping any pollutants below the warm layer near ground level. What is the difference between stratospheric and tropospheric ozone? Explain the role of NOx in the generation of tropospheric ozone. The ozone layer typically occurs in the stratosphere and is naturally formed and decomposed from the reactions between oxygen and oxygen free radicals which are formed from the decomposition of oxygen by ultraviolet light. The stratosphere is typically located from around 20 to 50 km above the Earths surface. The occurrence of ozone at this level helps absorb harmful ultraviolet light. Tropospheric ozone refers to ozone occurring in the troposphere (up to 12 km above the Earths surface). Ozone at this level can be poisonous and also acts as a greenhouse gas with a heat trapping effectiveness of 2000 times greater than CO2. The breakdown of nitrogen dioxide by ultraviolet light can lead to the formation of oxygen free radicals. NO2 = NO + O* O* + O2 = O3 Describe the mechanisms for acid rain and eutrophication, respectively. What are the effects of these two environmental impacts? Acid rain is primarily formed from SOx and NOx. Sulphur oxides are oxidised in the presence of ultraviolet light to form sulphur trioxide gas, through reacting with water, this can then form acid rain in the form of sulphurous acid and/or sulphuric acid. Nitrogen oxides are oxidised to nitrogen dioxide which may then lead to the reaction between water and nitrogen dioxide allowing for the formation of nitric and nitrous acid. Acid rain can effect vegetation, lakes and rivers, buildings and human health. Eutrophication is the process that occurs due to excessive growth of habitats to an extent where the growth becomes destructive to the environment. Use of artificial fertilisers from farming leads to increased levels of nitrates and phosphates accumulating in lakes and rivers. The nitrates and phosphates are nutrients that increase the growth of plants and algae. When these plants and algae die they can decompose aerobically to form carbon dioxide and water. With excessive decomposition, oxygen will be depleted and anaerobic decomposition will occur, leading to formation of hydrides such as ammonia and hydrogen sulphide. More species will die due to poisoning caused by the hydrides and may eventually lead to the death of the entire habitat. Which of the above environmental impacts do nitrogen oxides contribute to? Explain how. Nitrogen oxides contribute to the formation of acid rain either in the form of nitric or nitrous acid. Upon absorbing ultraviolet light nitrogen dioxide breaks down to form nitrogen oxide and oxygen radicals. These radicals can combine with water to form hydroxyl radicals which may then react with nitrogen oxide to form nitric acid. Air pollution prevention and control What options exist for the prevention and clean-up of acid gas emissions? Emissions of nitrogen oxides can potentially lead to the formation of acid rain, with several options available for its prevention and clean-up. These primarily include selective catalytic reduction (SCR), non-selective catalytic reduction (NSCR), and selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR). The power industry uses SCR for post-combustion NOx clean up and/or low NOx burners and SNCR for prevention of NOx formation in the combustion stage. SCR involves reacting ammonia or urea with NOx over vanadium oxide catalysts in a temperature range of 300 to 400  °C and can remove up to 95 % of NOx. SNCR involves injecting ammonia/urea in the furnace at temperatures of 900 to 1100  °C, with a removal efficiency of only around 30 %. Non-selective catalytic reduction removes NOx in a method analgous to the three-way catalytic converter used in the automotive industry. This is typically applied in the chemical industries. Sulphur oxides can also lead to acid rain. Flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) plant involves scrubbing the gasses to remove sulphur oxides. For example, limestone scrubbing is one method of FGD, which converts sulphur oxides into calcium sulphate dihydrate (gypsum). Which stages in the life cycle of an installation must be considered within the IPPC Directive? All stages of the life cycle should be considered; i.e. from cradle to grave. In order to provide an integrated approach, no stage can be left out, and a full assessment of the environmental, social and economic impacts should be carried out for the raw materials, processing, storage and transportation stages involved. Which industrial sectors are regulated by the IPPC Directive? Why do you think these sectors have been included under the IPPC Directive? The industries covered by the IPPC directive include: Energy Production Refineries Production Processing of Metals Production of Cement Lime Activities involving Asbestos Glass, Glass Fibre and other Mineral Fibre Manufacture Ceramic Production Organic Inorganic Chemical Production Fertiliser Biocide Manufacture Pharmaceutical Manufacture Explosives Manufacture Storage of Bulk Chemicals Incineration Landfill Paper Manufacture Tar Bitumen Processes Coating, Printing and Textile Activities Dye, Ink and Coating Material Manufacture Timber Activities Rubber Activities Processing of Food; and Intensive Farming. These sectors have been included under the Directive due to the requirement of controlling and limiting the environmental impact these industries can have during the manufacturing process of their relevant products. Case study: Identifying BAT for the prevention and control of NOx emissions Nitric acid manufacture What influences the yield of nitric acid? Why is it important to maximise its yield? The yield of nitric acid is effected by: The efficiency of the catalytic oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen monoxide The efficiency of the oxidation of nitrogen monoxide to nitrogen dioxide The absorption of nitrogen dioxide in water to produce nitric acid Maximising its yield allows for an efficient production; thus generating more nitric acid at the same operating costs to achieve larger profits. Maximising yield means minimising unreacted nitrogen oxide which is consequently released to atmosphere. Why are the reaction (6) and the reverse of reaction (4) undesirable in this process? The reverse of reaction 4 results in a lower NO2 yield as the reaction will tend towards the NO and O2 through a shift in equilibrium to the reactants. As the absorption of NO2 is limited by NO2 concentration, it is desirable to ensure the forward reaction in reaction 4 occurs in order to maximise HNO3 yield. In addition to this, the occurrence of a reverse reaction (4) in which NO is formed allows for the possibility of nitrous acid formation (reaction 6). Again this is undesirable as NO2 is consumed in producing an unwanted product, consequently leading to a lower NO2 concentration and lower HNO3 yields. In addition to NOx and N2O emissions, what other releases to air, water and land can be expected from nitric acid manufacture? What environmental impacts can these releases cause? Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels for energy requirements and transportation should be accounted for, as well as ammonia, nitric acid, nitrous acid leakages. Pollution prevention and control of NOx emissions Pollution prevention: Process design and operation The efficiency of NO2 absorption to produce HNO3 can be increased further by increasing pressure. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of pressurised systems in terms of their technical complexity, environmental impacts (including noise) and economic costs. As stated, the main advantage of a pressurised system is the improved absorption of NO2 to produce HNO3, this results in less NO2 being released to the atmosphere. However, pressurised systems require a more complex design as a result of the serious safety considerations associated with them. Failure of pressurised systems can lead to death or injury of workers on-site as well as the release of NO2 to atmosphere. Pressurised systems would require increased compression and pumping duties, contributing to increased noise pollution, operating costs and maintenance costs. The absorption column may not have been designed for higher pressures, i.e. materials of construction, column thickness, and column closures may not be suitable, and thus changes would have to be made, resulting in increased capital costs. These costs must be compared with the improved nitric acid yield in order to fully asses this option. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of supplying pure oxygen instead of air for oxidation of NO in the HNO3 absorption tower. Address the following issues: What are the advantages of using pure oxygen instead of air in terms of oxidation efficiency, gas flowrates, column volume etc? Using pure oxygen rather than air (21% oxygen, 79% nitrogen), allows for the volumetric gas flowrate of this stream to be reduced by 79% due to the elimination of nitrogen. This results in an improved oxidation efficiency, allowing more NO2 to be formed by reducing the amount of NO. The reduced gas flowrate results in a reduced column volume, assuming a constant gas hourly space velocity. Unlike air, oxygen does not come for free it has to be produced by separating nitrogen from air (you may remember this from the last years coursework on Waste Water Treatment within the module Introduction to Sustainable Development). This is usually done in a large scale cryogenic process (separation by cooling). What are the implications of this in the context of IPPC (i.e. taking into account all life cycle stages associated with this process option)? The cryogenic separation of oxygen from air is a highly energy intensive process. The main stages of the process include compression, cooling, and distillation. From a life-cycle perspective, the raw material (air) is free; however, it is the processing stage which incurs the majority of environmental impact. Energy is required in the compression and distillation stages of the process, thus, assuming energy is obtained from fossil fuel sources, greenhouse gas emissions become a concern. Further to this, the requirement of refrigeration may have environmental impacts depending on the refrigerant used. Transportation of the oxygen to the nitric acid plant may have potential impacts; however, in comparison to the processing stage, any environmental impacts are likely to be relatively small. Therefore the production of oxygen does have an environmental impact to an extent; however, the IPPC does not apply to this industry, so due to the lack of IPPC regulation in the sector inefficiencie s or environmental concerns may indirectly effect the nitric acid manufacturing process. The key concern of using pure oxygen is the additional cost. Pollution prevention: Extended absorption Explain the idea behind extended absorption. What is the link between the number of transfer units (NTU) in the HNO3 absorption tower and the NOx emissions? Extended absorption (EA) allows for any unreacted nitrogen dioxide to be absorbed in a second tower, thus increasing nitric acid production and reducing NOx emissions. Oxygen can also be injected to oxidise any nitrogen monoxide so that it can be absorbed in the new absorption column. An increase in NTU in the HNO3 absorption tower results in lower NOx emissions. How would you calculate the required height of the absorption column to increase the HNO3 production yield and reduce the emissions of NOx from the manufacture of nitric acid? What information and data would you need to do that? (See the Appendix.) In order to calculate the required height of the absorption column, the NTU must be calculated. This requires the gas mole fraction at the top of the column (yT) and at the bottom (yB). The gradient of the operating line, R is also required, this is obtained from the equilibrium of the operating line, the molar gas flowrate, and the molar liquid flowrate per unit tower area. This value is then multiplied by the height of a transfer unit which is given by: Where G is the molar gas flowrate per unit tower area, ky is the overall mass transfer coefficient, and a is the interfacial area per unit packed volume. Height = HTU x NTU Pollution control: Absorption in sodium hydroxide IPPC requires consideration of wider impacts of an activity, which means consideration of a number of life cycle stages of a process. In the case of NOx scrubbing by sodium hydroxide, what parts of the life cycle must be included for BAT assessment? Analysing this system, explain why absorption of NOx in NaOH is unlikely to represent BAT. All stages of the life cycle must be considered for a through and exhaustive analysis of BAT assessment. The final stage of the life-cycle for the sodium hydroxide scrubbing option is a key concern. The disposal of the sodium nitrite-nitrate effluent is a key concern. If no suitable disposal or recycle method can be identified for the effluent, then along with the increased costs incurred from NaOH feedstock and increased pumping, this option does not represent BAT. Pollution control: Non-selective catalytic reduction (NSCR) Non-selective catalytic reduction (NSCR) is quite efficient in reducing the emissions of NOx from the manufacture of nitric acid. However, it also generates additional environmental impacts. Identify these impacts for hydrogen and natural gas as reducing agents, respectively, and explain the origin of these impacts. The requirement of a reducing agent such as hydrogen and natural gas has significant environmental implications. Hydrogen is likely to have been produced from steam reforming of fossil fuels, and natural gas is a fossil fuel, therefore, consideration should be given to the process of extracting the fossil fuel, transporting it and processing it. In the case of hydrogen, the processing stage is likely to be a key concern as it is an energy intensive process which results in further emissions and additional environmental impacts. For example, steam reforming of methane to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide is an endothermic reaction requiring heat generated often from burning fossil fuels. However, using methane as a reducing agent leads to the formation of CO2 in the process. Calculate the amount of carbon dioxide in t/yr generated in the NSCR process which removes 1.5 t NO2/day from the nitric acid tail gas using natural gas. Calculate the potential for global warming from these CO2 emissions. Compare that with the global warming avoided by the removal of the equivalent amount of N2O per day from the same tail gas. What do you conclude? 2CH4 + O2 + 2NO2 +2N2O = 2CO2 + 4H2O + 3N2 Mass of NO2 = 1500 kg/day Molecular Weight of NO2 = 46.01 kg/mol Moles of NO2 = 32.60 kmol/day Moles of CO2 = (2/2) * Moles of NO2 = 32.60 kmol/day Molecular Weight of CO2 = 44.01 kg/kmol Mass of CO2 = 1.4 t CO2/day Assuming that the plant is operational for 365 days per year, the annual amount of carbon dioxide generated by the NSCR process can be estimated as 524 tonnes per year. N2O has a heat trapping effectiveness of 150 times that of CO2; thus the saving made by converting N2O to CO2 is substantial with regards to global warming potential. The N2O produced would be equivalent to 78,551 tonnes of CO2 per year. Use the example in the previous question to calculate the equivalent acidification impact that would be avoided by the removal of NOx with the NSCR process. Compare this avoided impact with global warming generated through the use of natural gas to remove the NOx. What do you conclude? How should we approach situations like these, where reducing one environmental impact causes another? The classification factor for NOx is estimated as 0.7 kg/kg. Therefore acidification savings can be estimated as 1050 kg/day which is equivalent to 383 tonnes per year. In comparison to the 524 tonnes of CO2 produced per year, it can be noted that the reduction of the acidification impact does not outweigh the CO2 produced in the process. Pollution control: Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) What are the main environmental and safety concerns associated with the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) process? SCR typically uses ammonia or urea to catalytically convert nitrogen oxides to molecular nitrogen and water; however, the production of these reactants have key environmental considerations. Ammonia production typically involves steam reforming of a hydrocarbon feedstock such as natural gas or naphtha. Thus, fossil fuel depletion and the issues surrounding fossil fuel extraction, transportation and processing are all key sustainability concerns. However, ammonia produced from naphtha would be more of a concern than ammonia produced from natural gas due to the additional refining process from which it is produced. Ammonia production also involves the emission of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Gas preheating also has an impact on energy requirements and thus greenhouse gas emissions. On-site ammonia or urea storage would be required; any leakages of ammonia could prove fatal as it is toxic upon inhalation. Catalyst disposal may also have various environmental impacts depending on the toxicity of the used catalyst. Why is it important to minimise ammonia slip from the SCR process for NOx control? The occurrence of ammonia slip results in inefficient use of feedstock. Costs can be notably reduced by ensuring minimum ammonia slip throughout operation. Ammonia may also react with other compounds to form unwanted products. For example, ammonium bisulphate formation in power industry often results in damage to air heaters. Therefore, this should be further investigated for the application of nitric acid production to ensure any unwanted compounds are not formed. Further to this, as ammonia is toxic, any ammonia slip would result in release to atmosphere; therefore potential health concerns exist. Balancing environmental and economic costs What would be your answer to the above question on the comparison between SCR and NSCR? From table 2, it is evident that SCR can provide an improved NOx removal (exit level of 100 ppm) in comparison to NSCR (205 PPM); however, SCRs failure to remove N2O may be a key concern when compared to NSCR which does remove the compound. However, unlike NSCR, SCR does not result in significant CO2 emissions. The economics of both options demonstrate that when combined with EA, NSCR is significantly more expensive than SCR and only provides an improvement of 0.3 %. Therefore SCR would be chosen over NSCR. Analyse the data shown in Tables 3 and 4 and make your own choice of BAT for NOx prevention and control. Explain and justify your choice. The significant costs of NSCR in comparison to SCR would result in increased nitric acid prices, to the extent where it would not be profitable to manufacture. The small gains in removal efficiency made using NSCR over SCR with EA do not justify the large difference in price; therefore, the choice of BAT is between EA and EA with SCR. With EA adding a cost  £ 230 per tonne of acid, and EA+SCR adding a cost of  £ 880 per tonne of acid, from an economic perspective it would be most suitable to chose EA due to its high NOx removal of 94.8 %. However, the improved removal efficiency of SCR (98.5%) does allow for an argument to be made for its choice as BAT. With regards to cost, EA+SCR does provide increased costs and lower profits; however, its ability to sufficiently meet IPPC targets cannot be overlooked, thus for this reason, it should be chosen as BAT. The social implications of the pollution prevention and control techniques have not been considered above. Can you identify them for each option? Do the social considerations change your choice of BAT? Both EA and EA+SCR share common social implications such as the construction of new plant absorption column for EA, and a reactor for SCR. This involves construction vehicles travelling through the area, resulting in increased noise pollution. Other social impacts of EA are minimal as an increased compression requirement may result in slightly increased noise pollution. If energy is generated on-site for the compressors, then higher greenhouse gas emissions may be a concern. With regards to SCR, ammonia slip is a key concern, as the gas is toxic when inhaled. Further to this, the energy required for gas pre-heating also contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions. Overall the EA option proves more suitable in terms of reducing social impacts and so this would be the option for BAT. Choosing BAT Why do you think the company has chosen to consider these two options and not any other described above? Choosing to modify the absorption column in order to operate at higher pressures would be a lot cheaper than employing the extend absorption option which would require the construction of an additional column, thus resulting in increased capital and operational costs. In addition to this, this option would be chosen over the NaOH absorption process, again due to the increased capital costs resulting from an additional absorption tower and the increased operational costs incurred from a NaOH feed. Increasing operating pressure does not have any significant on-site environmental releases/impacts other than an increased compression duty. SCR may have been chosen due to its ease to be retrofitted and its high removal efficiency. In comparison to other options, SCR provides the best performance for NOx removal. Choosing BAT: Environmental considerations Consider the LCA results shown in Figure 5 and answer the following questions: Why do you think the SCR option has higher fossil fuel and ozone depletion than the base case? The requirement of natural gas for the production of ammonia is likely to be the primary cause of increased fossil fuel depletion for SCR. NOx formed during ammonia production may also be a cause of the increased ozone depletion associated with SCR. In addition to this, ammonia slip may result in ammonia being released to atmosphere which then reacts with ammonia to produce ammonium nitrate. The fact that SCR is better for some impacts but worse for the others when compared with the base case makes it more difficult to chose BAT. If you as a plant operator had to choose between these two options, which one would you choose? Justify your choice by discussing the significance of global impacts (such as ozone depletion and fossil fuel depletion) and regional and local impacts (such as acidification and photochemical smog). In comparison to the base case, SCR only has a slightly higher fossil fuel and ozone depletion; whereas other impacts such as acidification and human toxicity are significantly reduced through using SCR. As efficiencies are made in the ammonia production process, SCR could potentially have a reduced impact on fossil fuel depletion. In addition to this, the production of ammonia using energy from renewable sources is also an option to reduce fossil fuel depletion, as well as the ability to generate hydrogen from the electrolysis of water using renewable energy. Based purely on environmental considerations, which process out of the three options (base case, HP and SCR) would you choose as BAT? Explain why. Based only on the environmental considerations, HP demonstrates BAT. In comparison to the base case and SCR, HP has the least environmental impact for fossil fuel depletion, global warming, ozone depletion, acidification, photochemical smog, and human toxicity. Compare now the SCR and HP options in terms of the level of NOx emissions that they can achieve. Which process would you as an operator choose? Why? The HP modification has a removal efficiency of 84%, removing 1202 ppm of NOx; however, SCR has a greater removal efficiency of 93%, removing 1332 ppm of NOx. As the base case plant produces 1432 ppm of NOx per hour, the outlet concentrations for the HP and SCR modifications are 230 ppm and 100 ppm, respectively. SCRs effectiveness in removing NOx is notably greater than that of the HP option; therefore, from an operational point of view, SCR would be chosen. Combine both the environmental impacts and the levels of NOx emission that each option can achieve and make an overall choice of BAT. Justify your choice by taking into account the IPPC principles. Both options satisfy the IPPC principles to a certain extent. However, HP has greater compliance than SCR with the IPPC principles. HP and SCR both provide protection for the environment as a whole by reducing NOx emissions from the nitric acid plant. Although, SCR has improved removal efficiency over HP, the impact of ammonia production fails to demonstrate SCR as the BAT in comparison to HP in this case. HP provides a better case for pollution prevention, by reducing NOx formation throughout the process; whereas SCR demonstrates a case for pollution control. As prevention is preferred to control, HP again provides the better option. In providing a balance between the environment, economics and social impacts, HP provides the better option. Significant reductions in global warming potential, acidification and human toxicity are made through employing HP over SCR, with notable gains in reducing fossil fuel depletion, ozone depletion and photochemical smog. Although SCR demonstrates a n improved NOx removal efficiency, overall, the environmental impact as a whole can be reduced by employing HP modifications. Further to this, the income generated by HP modifications, can contribute to further plant modifications leading to improved process efficiencies. Therefore, considering its wider compliance with IPPC principles HP would be chosen as BAT. Choosing BAT: Socio-economic considerations Choose your preferred NOx prevention or control option considering the internal (MAC) and external costs (MDC) shown Tables 6 and 7. Justify your choice. With regards to the marginal abatement costs (MAC) for NOx emissions, the HP option clearly proves to be the more attractive option due to the savings made ( MAC =  £ -92 per ppm). The surplus energy generated and increase in acid produced leads to improved revenue which consequently reduces the operating cost of the plant. However, SCR increases operating cost by  £ 225 per ppm of NOx removed. In order to asses if SCRs improved removal efficiency can justify such a cost, the marginal damage cost of both options was compared. The results indicate that MDC due to NOx emissions was lower for SCR ( £ 35,770 per year) than for HP ( £ 82,320 per year). However, the MDC fails to consider environmental impacts other than NOx emissions. If costs were considered for the impacts of ammonia production, it is likely that the MDC for SCR would be much higher. Considering this, HP was chosen as the best option. Choosing BAT: The whole picture List all criteria relevant for choosing BAT in the above case study. On the basis of the results obtained, rank the three options in order of their desirability. You may wish to create a ranking table, assigning a number to each technology to indicate the order of preference on a scale from 1-3 (e.g. number 1 indicates the best option and 3 the worst); this ranking should be done for each criterion you have listed. NOx removal efficiency/Marginal Damage Costs SCR HP Base Case Marginal Abatement Costs HP Base Case SCR Life-Cycle Environmental Impacts HP SCR Base Case Compliance with IPPC Principles HP SCR Base Case Identify BAT for the conditions of this case study, assuming that you are Head of Engineering and Technology Division in a company. Justify your choice. Based on the criteria listed in question 1, HP demonstrates the most suitable option for IPPC compliance, reducing overall environmental impacts as well as providing savings in operating costs. Although SCR has a greater NOx removal efficiency, HP is consistently and in some cases significantly better than SCR in reducing environmental impacts such as fossil fuel depletion, global warming, ozone depletion, acidification, photochemical smog, and human toxicity. In addition to this, choosing HP not only reduces the plants environmental impact, but allows for improved energy generation onsite. Therefore, gains in efficiency can be made, reducing reliance on volatile energy prices. The HP option does not require additional feedstock, unlike SCRs ammonia requirement, and is therefore not as directly exposed to price fluctuations. Thus, the option of HP modification is econo

Fighting and School Violence Should Not Be Tolerated :: School Violence Essays

When you are a middle or high school public school teacher, events happen instantaneously, and you have to be equal to the task of confronting the challenge of an unexpected situation face to face. You never know when or where school violence will erupt; a teacher only knows that it inevitably will. Teachers not only must be wary of being inadvertently injured by enraged â€Å"students† fighting in the hallway or the cafeteria, a peer might even wind-up becoming a threat to one’s physical safety. I recall one particular eighth grade Washington trip. As usual, I was chaperoning one hundred twenty eighth graders on the Hammonton Middle School’s annual class DC trip. We had just arrived back at the Mt. Vernon Motel after visiting the Jefferson Memorial. The nine chaperones were fatigued, but the â€Å"students† were still rambunctious. Since the â€Å"children† had been well behaved, the school rewarded them with a pizza party in the motel’s Madison Room. Five of the Hammonton’ chaperones escorted the first half of â€Å"students† from the party back to their rooms, which were located in a remote section of the expansive motel. The other half of the entourage was later escorted to their quarters by three other chaperones and myself. Another male teacher and I made sure all of our â€Å"students† had evacuated the Madison Room, and we brought up the rear of the second batch of sixty kids. Suddenly, a male chaperone from a Catholic high school class that had also been staying at the Tyson’s Corner motel came running over to us, screaming the larynx out of his throat. â€Å"Are you in charge of those nasty kids on the other side of the building?† he hollered. â€Å"Yes we are,† I answered. â€Å"There are five of our chaperones already over there.† â€Å"Well, your kids are banging their fists on the walls and setting a bad example for my kids!† he angrily shouted with a crimson face. â€Å"You’d better get over there quick and settle them down or I’m gonna’ call the cops!† â€Å"Look,† I calmly replied, â€Å"I’ve been assigned to this group of sixty students. Our school has five very capable chaperones already over there to deal with that problem.† Apparently, the livid fellow did not relish my explanation. He took a huge swing at my jaw. I ducked down just in the nick of time. His blow glanced off the top of my head and knocked my baseball cap off.

Essay --

Isabel Archer: Her Quest For Freedom And Downfall The Portrait of a Lady is the most stunning achievement of Henry James's early period--in the 1860s and '70s when he was transforming himself from a talented young American into a resident of Europe, a citizen of the world, and one of the greatest novelists of modern times. Quest of freedom â€Å"The Portrait of a Lady† is a story about protagonist Isabel Archer, a penniless orphan. Many rich suitors come to her with a proposal of marriage but she declines, as she wanted to make an art of her life that is to follow her dreams, as she was a spirited and intelligent young woman. She was strong minded and stubbornly independent with an intensely sensual nature and a powerful desire to explore and engage with the world on her own and sees marriage as a prison that would limit her ability to experience her life. Isabel unexpectedly inherits a fortune, freeing her particularly from the need to marry. Now she could do whatever she wanted. She wanted to confidently pursue her dream and didn’t want anyone hold her back. Her cool independence is not a very "feminine" ideal, she seems to show no need but to fly. During her childhood she spends her time reading romantic philosophy, cultivating an idealistic view of the world of art, philosophy and learning, that of Europe but couldn’t have a practical taste of things. So when she inherits a fortune whole world spreads out in front of her giving her the opportunity to fulfil her dreams and to make an art of her life. She wanted to enjoy and break free. Now she could see and feel things in real terms. She didn’t want to get married and put an end to her freedom. She was a proud woman and was not shy to express what she felt. When someone asks her ... ...is that she has not been educated. None of her friends or relatives contributes to her education. Her father had assumed that the free, unfettered life with no real guidance was sufficient. Her Aunt thought that a visit to Gardencourt, to Paris to purchase clothes, and to Florence was sufficient. Ralph thought that providing Isabel with a fortune would be sufficient. They were all wrong. An education requires other more important components. An education requires others who care for and contribute to one's development. Isabel Archer did not have any of these others. It was no wonder that her education misfired. References Arnold Kettle, â€Å"Henry James: The Portrait of a Lady,† in The Portrait of a Lady, ed. Robert D. Bamberg (New York: W.W. Norton), 679. http://artsweb.bham.ac.uk/maf/Project1-02/Portrait.htm http://www.online-literature.com/henry_james/

Calyx & Corolla

Calyx & Corolla formula 1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Calyx & Corolla formula? Strengths ?Through working closely with the supplier or grower Calyx & Corolla provides a much fresher product to the customer than their competitors. Through Federal Express Calyx & Corolla have an excellent relationship with the growers. Calyx & Corolla uses 30 quality growers to supply their flowers. The top eight of these growers supply close to 80% of their orders, however no one grower supplies more than 25% of its products to Calyx & Corolla (Wylie and Salmon, 1999).Calyx & Corolla has exclusivity agreements with all growers they do business with. The management of Calyx & Corolla works very closely with the growers on a continual basis to ensure that quality arrangements and packaging are achieved. Growers are paid wholesale prices and an extra surcharge to provide the extra services of arranging and packaging the flowers. To accomplish these extra services or retail responsibilit ies, the growers employ additional people.Calyx & Corolla senior managers stay in close contact with representatives from each grower they do business with to collaborate on availability of flowers, arrangements, schedules, accessories and packaging supplies. Calyx & Corolla's relationship with their shipper, Federal Express, is just as strong and critical as their relationship with the suppliers. They have a special contract with Federal Express that includes special handling of the packaged flowers. During peak periods, Federal Express provides trailers to the growers to expedite the shipping process. During adverse onditions, such as extreme weather, Federal Express provides extra delivery services by not leaving packages in situations where the flowers could be damaged or ruined. To help track shipments and provide better customer service, Federal Express provides computer terminals to both Calyx ; Corolla and the suppliers. Because the majority of their business is realized dur ing peak periods, around holidays, Calyx ; Corolla is working to help alleviate the peaks. By offering continuity programs, promotional tie-ins and corporate client business, they can offset slow periods and lessen the mpact of sudden demand during peak periods. The management team at Calyx ; Corolla works very closely with their own staff. Realizing the importance of a high quality sales and customer service staff, they hire serviceoriented people with a genuine interest in flowers and plants. Senior managers are personally involved in the training and daily working environment of their employees. Calyx ; Corolla had nearly an 80% margin of flower sales (Wylie and Salmon, 1991), and possessed an experienced and dedicated management team and a sophisticated information system and customer database to analyze sales.Calyx ; Corolla appears to have a strong potential for a bright future, but the company also had some apparent weaknesses in their business. Weaknesses 1. Why has Calyx ; Corolla been successful? 2. What are the potential sources of channel conflict in the Calyx ; Corolla system? 3. What steps should Ms. Owades and her associates take next to more fully develop Calyx ; Corolla? 4. How would you determine the life-time value of a customer? 5. Visit their website. How has this helped Calyx ; Corolla? It can effectively target potential buyers who patronize florists and other retailers versus mail order.

Iron Crowned Chapter 26

â€Å"So, let me make sure I'm following this correctly.† I sighed and shifted on the bed, knowing Dorian was repeating this conversation mostly because he liked seeing my discomfort. â€Å"Your ‘technology' can tell you you're having a boy and a girl, when they're due, and allow you to hear their heartbeats,† he continued. â€Å"But some medicine inexplicably totally counteracted the other one you take to prevent pregnancy.† â€Å"Took,† I muttered. â€Å"Seeing as it's kind of pointless now.† Dorian leaned back in a plush armchair, face expressing overly dramatic pondering. After fainting, I'd been given a guest room befitting my status, a good sign since â€Å"hospitality† simply meant protection and in no way related to one's accommodations. It wasn't quite as nice as Dorian's room, of course, but the mattress was thick and fluffy, and the green velvet canopy coordinated with the heavy brocaded bedding. As sick as I'd felt, I honestly would have been content to curl up on the floor somewhere. I'd been awake for about an hour now, alone in the vast room save for Dorian. â€Å"What a fascinatingly bizarre turn of events,† he mused, stroking his chin. â€Å"If you thought the Iron Crown scared people, just wait until this news spreads. Which, of course, it already has.† I draped a hand over my forehead. â€Å"Isn't it bad enough that I'm carrying a world-conquering prophecy child? Why all the political fallout?† â€Å"Because you're carrying a world-conquering prophecy child,† he responded. â€Å"It's the type of thing people tend to have strong feelings about.† â€Å"I thought almost everyone wanted to conquer the human world.† â€Å"Most,† he agreed. â€Å"But not all. Especially those who – after observing your record thus far – might fear you'll conquer this world first.† I rolled over to my side, giving me a better view of him. Since the earlier spectacle, Dorian had masked whatever personal feelings he had about my pregnancy, switching into cunning ruler mode. â€Å"But not you,† I said. â€Å"You've always been in favor of this – fulfilling the prophecy.† â€Å"I've never made a secret of that,† he agreed. â€Å"From the moment we met.† That was true, at least. He'd sat on that desire while we were involved, but I'd always known it lurked. â€Å"You've just kept other secrets instead,† I blurted out. He didn't answer me right away, but those green-gold eyes weighed me thoughtfully. â€Å"Yes. Yes, I have. Secrets I now regret.† That silenced me for several moments. I hadn't expected any kind of apology. Something in me softened toward him. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"If I hadn't deceived you about the Iron Crown,† he explained, â€Å"we would still be together.† I could only stare. The piece of me that had never stopped loving him tentatively reared its head. It was hard to believe he was here confessing his feelings, admitting that what we'd had had been more important than his scheming. It gave me a new insight into him, one that astonished †¦ yet pleased me. â€Å"And if we'd stayed together,† he continued, â€Å"I would have been the lucky beneficiary of this medicinal slip.† So much for new insight. I groaned and turned away. â€Å"Of course. Of course that's the real source of your regret. You don't get to lead the revolution.† I heard him get up and sit on the bed beside me. A few seconds later, he actually had the audacity to lie down. I wiggled over to make room. â€Å"It's more than revolution,† he said. â€Å"I also told you the first time we met that I'd have a child with you, regardless of any prophecy.† â€Å"I'm not convinced that the ‘with me' part was so relevant.† Dorian touched my cheek and turned my face toward his. â€Å"Do you really believe that? Do you really believe my feelings for you were so small that your being the mother of my child wouldn't have meant the world to me?† I started to snarkily correct him with worlds, but it seemed petty. â€Å"I don't know what I believe,† I said honestly. â€Å"I don't even know if I have the energy or motivation to analyze our relationship when I have this going on.† I rested my hand on my stomach. Dorian's eyes followed that motion, utterly captivated. â€Å"Despite your foolish fathering choices, this †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached toward my stomach as well, then pulled back. â€Å"This is a miracle. This is a prophecy fulfilled. This is life. And really, Kiyo is no longer relevant. He's given up any claims to these children. They are yours and yours alone now.† My fingers tightened on my stomach, not painfully, but more in a possessive type of way. My gaze grew unfocused. â€Å"I still can't believe that. I can't believe that he'd dismiss his own children so easily. That he'd dismiss me so easily †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I doubt it was easy. You aren't that easy to get over.† A small note of bitterness there. â€Å"But his opposition to the prophecy was too great. Just as my support is great enough to take you in – despite your betrayal – and embark in the madness to come.† Betrayal? I started to tell him he was the last one who should accuse anyone of that – but held back. â€Å"Will people think you're crazy to do it?† â€Å"Hardly,† he snorted. â€Å"Most will think they're my children anyway, ironically enough.† No one except Jasmine had heard my brief paternity exchange with Dorian in the hall. I frowned. â€Å"I think sometimes Kiyo does too.† â€Å"They can be.† My first reaction was that this was some sort of joke of his, but all humor had disappeared from his face. â€Å"I don't think you fully understand genetics.† â€Å"I understand that parenting is more than just blood,† he said, still deadly earnest. â€Å"And as I said: he's relinquished any claims. You are in control, and if even he and others question the children's parentage, then so much the better. Simply declare me the father. Have it recorded, and by our laws, the children will be mine for all intents and purposes.† Something about that set off my alarms. â€Å"What do you mean ‘intents and purposes'?† He shrugged – a bit too casually. â€Å"Titles. Prestige. Protection. Inheritance – if either is strong enough to hold my kingdom. Which, according to the prophecy, your son should be.† â€Å"I don't know,† I said. There might be some safety benefits to this sort of gentry â€Å"adoption,† but I had a feeling that Dorian wasn't telling me all of them – particularly things that benefited him alone. He was still upset with me. He didn't like Kiyo. There was no reason that I could see for this. â€Å"I have to think about it.† â€Å"Think fast,† Dorian said. â€Å"Things will be in motion soon, particularly once we get you back to your own lands.† â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"Why would you want to claim someone else's children? I mean, I get your wanting to see the prophecy come true, but you don't have to take that extra step.† â€Å"Maybe someone else's children are better than no children at all,† he said. It was another odd statement from him, a surprising one. Both philosophical and touching. Yet, I still believed there was a deception here. This wasn't out of love for me. Not anymore. His hand moved toward my stomach again and he didn't pull it away this time, though he made sure to keep away from my hand. â€Å"Let me ask you a question,† he said when I made no response. â€Å"Why did you choose to keep these children? Do you fear the unholy procedure your people use to end life? Were you unable to live with your daughter's blood on your hands?† My mind rewound back to that day at the doctor's. That day? Hell. It had only been earlier today. So much had happened since then that weeks might have gone by. My horrible ordeal with Kiyo had blurred the memories, but now, the ultrasound came back to me, the sights and sounds as real and vivid as though I were experiencing them all over again. â€Å"I heard their heartbeats,† I said at last. â€Å"And I saw them.† Well, kind of. Those blurs still didn't look like much to me, but the point was irrelevant. â€Å"And when I did †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I groped to explain my feelings. â€Å"I just †¦ I just wanted them. Both of them. None of the rest mattered.† A slow, strange smile spread across Dorian's face. â€Å"That,† he declared, â€Å"is the most gentry thing I've ever heard you say.† Normally, I would have mocked him for using â€Å"gentry† instead of â€Å"shining ones.† It was a slip he sometimes made around me. His words' content, however, was of more importance. â€Å"That's ridiculous.† â€Å"Not so. Humans overthink things. They throw away life heedlessly. Honestly, after all this time, I was beginning to think you were more human than shining one.† â€Å"I hate to tell you, but I am,† I said. Dorian made himself more comfortable, and the hand on my stomach moved so that his arm lay over me, almost – but not quite – an embrace. It was possessive, like I was a prize that had fallen into his lap. â€Å"Are you, my dear? You're expressing philosophies very like my own. You're carrying a child that will allegedly conquer the human world – a world you can't go back to for a while, seeing as it would give the kitsune an edge. You're safer here in this world where, I'd like to add, you rule not one but two kingdoms. That,† he declared triumphantly, â€Å"makes you, by my reckoning, more like a gentry than a human.† I looked away, not meeting his eyes – because I had a crazy feeling he was right.