Masdar City An Example for Cleantech Innovation

Masdar City An Example for Cleantech Innovation © Shutterstock.com | LMspencerThe low-rise, mixed-use high development city that is Masdar and the pride of Abu Dhabi, is a wonderful example of existing and growing cleantech innovation. This article takes you through 1) introduction to Masdar, 2) features, 3) commercial occupants, 4) support and criticism, and 5) first private homes on the way.INTRODUCTION TO MASDAR CITYWhat is it?Masdar City is one of the few successful examples of arcology â€" structures incorporating architectural design principles for thickly populated habitats (hyperstructures) with the aim of minimizing environmental impact. The project depends on solar as well as other sources of renewable energy. The construction of the city was begun with the objective of creating it the world’s first completely sustainable, zero-emission city. The ambitious city was first announced in 2006 as a $18-22 billion project.How did it happen?The U.A.E President and ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was aware that oil â€" the key source of Abu Dhabi’s wealth, would one day run out. So, he asked his advisers to develop a long-term plan that would enable the country to expand their economy away from hydrocarbons. The solution they arrived at was renewable energy. Abu Dhabi could be a part of the global energy campaign and make money from it too.The idea was to build a fully functional city, the making of which would trigger better local comprehension of and more investment in green technology and industry. Expertise in those industries would in the short term enable the Emirate to sell more of whatever remaining oil it had overseas, and in the long term, offer them considerable revenue. It was also expected that by providing office space to eco startups and housing a green-concentrating university, the city could function as an incubator for a fresh generation of Emirati greentech entrepreneurs. This in turn could help invigorate a local population used to big pay packe ts and subsidies and, it was hoped, additionally, boost Abu Dhabi’s international reputation.Who is handling the project? © Flickr | GDS InfographicsSultan Al Jaber, a young Emirati with an MBA, and an economics Ph.D. from Coventry University was entrusted with the massive task. As of December 2013, the 39-year-old was leading a team of 233, and doubling as a cabinet minister. In 2006, the team was just six-member strong. Masdar, an auxiliary of Mubadala Development Company is heading the project. The contract was awarded to design practice Foster with the team being led by Evenden (currently senior executive partner at the company).FEATURESSolar poweredMasdar is solar powered by way of a 54 acre (22-hectare) field of 87,777 solar panels. There are also solar panels on the city’s roofs. The initial plan was to power the whole city using on-site means such as rooftop solar panels. However, later, it was discovered that developing a solar field on the ground and in the center of the desert was more efficient. It was easier to make a man brush these solar panels on the ground rather than to have to acce ss individual buildings to clean the solar panels on their respective roofs.With respect to solar panels, blowing sand that sticks on the panels has come as an obstacle. So Masdar has been collaborating with other companies to build surfaces having smaller pores then those of sand particles to keep the sand particles from sticking. Work is also in progress towards coatings that repel bacteria and sand which could be used on solar panels and various other applications.According to Foster + Partners, the land around the city would contain photovoltaic and wind farms, plantations and research fields, enabling the community to be fully energy self-sufficient.Architecture and temperatureThe city’s construction resembles that of ancient Arab cities, and the temperature is cooler than the surrounding desert.This cleantech city has terracotta walls adorned with arabesque patterns. To people viewing the city from a distance, it appears to be a cube. Foster’s design team began their proje ct by touring ancient cities such as Muscat and Cairo to see what it was that kept these cities cool. They discovered that the solution these cities had to handle hot desert temperatures was narrower; shorter streets typically extending no more than 70 meters. The streets’ end buildings generate adequate wind turbulence to propel air upwards leading to a flushing effect that keeps the street cool. Following this model, the streets in Masdar are also short and narrow, and buildings are clustered together to form walkways and streets protected from the sun. A wind tower 45 meters high and modeled on conventional Arab designs sucks air from above and channels a cooling breeze through the city’s streets.The vertical faces of the buildings are clothed with screens that resemble a terracotta mesh. These screens keep the sun out while allowing entry to the breeze. The design of the walls (cushions of air restrict heat-radiation) has helped decrease demand for air-conditioning by an ama zing 55 percent. A cooling effect is also contributed by the site being at a raised level compared to the surrounding land. Owing to the distinct architecture that keeps the city cool, the temperature here usually seems 15 to 20 degrees less than what’s felt in the surrounding desert.Palmwood is used as an exterior wood (appears in features such as the entrance gates, doors, and screens) all through the city. Palmwood is a sustainable hardwood-substitute created by Pacific Green and utilizing plantation coconut palms that have ceased to bear fruit.BioFuelsWonderful development in biofuelsSaltwater fed desert plants could provide jet fuel for companies such as Etihad Airways and Boeing.No water taps or light switches to cut water and electricity use, green water management.Water and lighting are controlled by movement sensors that reduce water and electricity consumption by 55 and 51 percent electricity. In addition, about 80 percent of utilized water would be recycled.Waste water would be recycled as many times as it can be recycled and would be used for crop irrigation and other applications.PV (photovoltaic) panels are cleaned with water only twice a year. The remainder of the year, the cleaning is done manually with brooms.TransportationPractically car-free, walking is encouragedThe nearest rapid transport connections and amenities are at a maximum distance of 200 meters, thereby encouraging the practice of walking. Almost all cars have been replaced by a set of driverless electric vehicles that take residents around under the site.The first design banned automobiles, with the intention of accomplishing travel through PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) systems and public mass transit, with existing railways and roads linking to other locations outside the city. As per an amended design, public transport within the city would depend on means other than PRTs. Instead, there would be a combination of clean-energy vehicles and electric vehicles for mass transit wit hin the city. Most of the private vehicles would be limited to parking lots along the city’s perimeter. The emirate’s existing metro line and light rail would link the cleantech city’s center with a greater metropolitan area.Shams 1Possibly the most noteworthy of what Masdar has to offer is situated even further afield. This is Shams 1, the Middle East’s biggest solar plant and the world’s biggest CSP (concentrated solar plant) at 100MW with 258,000 mirrors and a huge (220 tons) custom-made 125 MW steam turbine produced by MAN. It is a 100MW solar field situated on a 2.5 square kilometer plot of land, 150 km southwest of Masdar. The solar field is so huge that even for a person looking from atop a sand dune situated 75 meters away, the site goes beyond his field of vision. Though the $600 million costing plant is situated outside Masdar City, it is an essential aspect of the project’s story. This plant is just one of a number of green tech projects that Masdar executed. The funding for Shams 1 comes from Masdar’s investment arm.Shams1 is ten times larger than Masdar City’s and functions differently. It has no panels, only curved five-meter-wide mirrored blades sparkling in the heat. Each of these blades reflects the sun’s 40-degree centigrade rays on to the center of a pipe of liquid. The considerable concentrated heat causes the liquid to be heated to a temperature of several hundred degrees celsius. The liquid is then pumped through an on-site station â€" the heat producing electricity that would save 175,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Finished at the beginning of 2013, the solar plant would take 20,000 Abu Dhabi homes off-grid.Masdar City Welcome Video COMMERCIAL OCCUPANTSMasdar InstituteThe Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), a graduate level research university concentrating on environmental sustainability, clean technology and alternative energy was the cleantech city’s first occupant. The Institute was responsib le for the engineering plans of the energy efficient city and is the focal point of research and development activities.MIST’s building, developed with the help of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology utilizes 70 percent less electricity and potable water than regular buildings of a similar size. It is also fitted with a metering system that continuously monitors power consumption. The campus has been designed in a manner that highlights the flexibility, modern materials, and the adoption of traditional architectural elements to enable an optimized blend of natural lighting and cooling to minimize energy requirements.By 2013, the institute was 336 student strong, of which 42 percent were from the U.A.E, and 35 percent were women. The faculty and students of the Masdar institute are involved in more than 300 joint projects with academia, government agencies, and private enterprises. Their research tends to center on smart grids and smart buildings, renewable energy, environmen tal engineering, electronics, water use and energy policy and planning.SiemensMasdar City is home to a regional headquarters for Siemens. Designed by the British architecture firm Sheppard Robson, the LEED platinum building is the most energy economizing in the whole of Abu Dhabi. It utilizes energy efficient and sustainable building techniques and materials.The 130,000 square-foot building has been constructed around the concept of a “box within a box.” The structure incorporates an airtight and highly insulated inner façade that insulates from the sun and a lightweight shading system made of aluminum on the exterior. Under the building, the plaza is funnel-shaped. This shape is useful for sucking winds blowing at the time, beneath the building. Thanks to the Venturi effect, a breeze moves through atria in the building structure, up to the building’s roof, cooling public spaces without energy expenses. In addition, the atria enable daylight to enter the building center so as to decrease the need for artificial lighting, thereby bringing down energy consumption further. All the building’s automation systems are from Siemens.The building has won several awards including the award for best office building (MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Awards 2012) and best office architecture (International Property Award Winners Arabia 2012).IRENAAs of May 2013, construction has begun for the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Masdar City. The headquarters of IRENA, co-located with the Masdar headquarters, would generate renewable energy from the 1,000 square-meters rooftop photovoltaic solar panels to deliver renewable energy. The building would also incorporate systems to achieve water usage that is less than 50 percent that of a typical building in Abu Dhabi.The combined headquarters campus would comprise three buildings on the territory of the 32,000 square-meter complex. There would be a common community courtyard f or the buildings that would connect the offices to restaurants, shops and open areas.Incubator buildingThe Incubator building is perhaps the most futuristic of all structures in the city. A cuboid structure constructed around a central core that is fixed with drought-resistant plants, the building was made with recycled aluminum sheets and extrusions, and recycled structural steel in keeping with Masdar’s attempts to encourage a sustainable supply chain of materials. Dressed in colorful ceramic plates that assist the Incubator building with meeting Masdar’s strict energy requirements, it also functions as something of a huge mirror that reflects the surrounding campus.The Incubator building incorporates office and retail space to accommodate regional offices for multinationals, start-ups, and small-and-medium-sized enterprises. It was designed to house approximately fifty companies and to attract brilliant companies and people who would like to research and engineer sustainable water and energy projects in a free economic zone.Some of the prominent tenants in the building are Mitsubishi, General Electric (GE) and Schneider Electric. GE’s ecomagination center in Masdar City is the center’s first ever ecomagination center and also the first resident in the 10000 square meter, four storey Incubator building. The center offers exhibitions and training on water and energy efficiency.SUPPORT AND CRITICISMThe project is supported by many major entities including the U.S. government, the World Wide Fund for Nature (an international conservation charity), and Greenpeace. In response to the project’s dedication to zero waste, zero carbon and other environmentally friendly objectives, WWF and the sustainability group BioRegional have endorsed the city as an official One Planet Living Community. The Alliance to Save Energy honored the city with a 2012 EE Visionary Award in appreciation of the city’s contributions to the furthering of energy efficiency.Just as Masdar City has its advantages, it has its shortcomings too:The city has no affordable housing, so a considerable number of the city’s workforce have to drive to their jobs. The city’s only residents are the university’s students.Though Greenpeace supports the project, they emphasize that more importance should be attached to retrofitting already existing cities for greater sustainability rather than building new zero-carbon cities from scratch.Life in the city is not urban. There are just a small number of cafes, a bank, a travel agency and an organic supermarket. However, the cafes are dead outside of mealtimes and the only customers for the travel agents are the lecturers.Some skeptics are of the view that the city would only be representative of Abu Dhabi and that it would turn into a luxury option for the affluent.Another disadvantage is the inaccessibility of the cleantech city from central Abu Dhabi.Masdar: The City of the Future | Fully Charged FIRST PRIVATE HOMES ON T HE WAYAs per information from May 2014, Masdar is taking key steps to developing the cleantech city’s first private homes. The 500 new houses, to be designed by Woods Bagot promise to be super sustainable and completed within the next two years. As per a report from The National, the development has already been leased in full to educational establishments and corporations to be owned by Masdar. This plan is part of a bigger $15-18 billion development plan that would result in 2,000 homes to accommodate a maximum of 40,000 residents and 50,000 workers.It is likely that Masdar Institute educators and students, and representatives and blue collar workers of businesses (large and small) that set up shop in any of the six office plots, would take up residence in the new neighborhood. However, there would also be 750 homes available on the open market.The Masdar City project is expected to be completed in the period between 2020 and 2025.

Essay Okonkwo, Things Fall Apart - 1015 Words

An Essay on Things Fall Apart Man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all. (Aristotle). Okonkwo is a perfect example of Aristotle’s quote in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Even though he is said to be the most powerful man in Umuofia, Okonkwo’s personal imperfections of fear, failure and uncontrollable anger do not allow him true eminence as a human being. Okonkwo is one of the most influential men in the Ibo tribe. In his tribe, he is both feared and honored. Which is evident by this quote, Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond... [He] had brought honor to his tribe by throwing Amalinze the Cat...(Achebe page:3) This suggests that†¦show more content†¦Okonkwos first and most prominent flaw is his fear of becoming a failure. It is greatly influenced by his father, but Okonkwo takes his fear to the extreme. Okonkwos father was a very lazy and carefree man. He had a reputation of being poor and his wife and children had just barely enough to eat... they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back. (Achebe Page: 5) In Umuofia, a father is supposed to teach the children right and wrong, and in this case, the lessons were not taught, but self-learned. Okonkwo had to rely on his own interpretations of what defined a good man and to him that was someone that was the exact opposite of his father. As a result of his own self-taught conclusions, Okonkwo feels that anything resembling his father or anything that his father enjoyed was weak and unnecessary. Because of his fear to be seen as weak, Okonkwo even strikes down a child that calls him father: (and as the machete came down] Okonkwo looked away. He heard the blow... He heard Ikemefuna cry My father, they have killed me!... Okonkwo draws his machete and cuts him down, he does not want to be thought weak. (Achebe page:61) The fact that he kills the child shows that the way that he thinks is wrong, that reputation is more important than the life of a child. Although it is a shame to beShow MoreRelatedThings Fall Apart Okonkwo Analysis735 Words   |  3 Pageswas respected by everyone in the community. People were not judged on by their fathers success. Because of this Okonkwo works hard to gain status and made it his goal in life to not be like his father. In the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Okonk wos actions were due to extreme belief in his village`s saying that if you worked hard you would be greatly rewarded. When Okonkwo was a young boy he grew up with a lazy father which he despises â€Å"In his day he was lazy and improvident and was quiteRead MoreThings Fall Apart, Okonkwo Is A Tragic945 Words   |  4 PagesIn Chinua AchÐ µbÐ µÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s novÐ µl Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is a tragic hÐ µro. AristotlÐ µÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s PoÐ µtics dÐ µfinÐ µs a Tragic HÐ µro as a bÐ µnÐ µvolÐ µnt man of high status who Ð µxhibits a tragic impÐ µrfÐ µction (â€Å"hamartia†) and Ð µxpÐ µriÐ µncÐ µs a dramatic rÐ µvÐ µrsal (â€Å"pÐ µripÐ µtÐ µia†), as wÐ µll as an Ð µxcruciating momÐ µnt of appÐ µrcÐ µption (â€Å"anagnorisis†). Okonkwo is a bÐ µllwÐ µthÐ µr and hardworking mÐ µmbÐ µr of thÐ µ Igbo community of Umuofia whosÐ µ tragic impÐ µrfÐ µction is his grÐ µat fright of his doom and failurÐ µ. Okonkwo’s fall from gracÐ µ in thÐ µ IgboRead MoreSimilarities Between Okonkwo And Things Fall Apart1242 Words   |  5 Pagesking Macbeth atte mpts to ward off any threat to his reign and succession by all means. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo, the main character, equally does anything and everything to prove his valor. Though set in 11th century Scotland and 19th century Nigeria respectively, and portrayed through the main characters of Macbeth and Okonkwo, the authors of both Macbeth and Things Fall Apart each demonstrate an extensive yet subtle examination regarding the notion of how exorbitant amounts ofRead MoreOkonkwo as a Tragic Hero-Things Fall Apart1198 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ OKONKWO AS A: TRAGIC HERO Aristotle once said â€Å"A man doesn’t become a hero until he can see the root of his downfall.† The protagonist of the book â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo demonstrates characteristics of being an Aristotelian tragic hero. According to Aristotle, a Tragic Hero is one who exhibits a tragic flaw that causes a reversal of fortune to him in his own error of judgment. Okonkwo is a leader and a hardworking member of the Igbo tribe of the village of Umofia whoseRead MoreAn Analysis Of Okonkwo s Things Fall Apart 1259 Words   |  6 PagesIn Things Fall Apart the novel, Okonkwo was determined to be nothing like his father Unoka, this â€Å"strict adherence to masculine standards, (which causes the destruction of his family, creates dissent in his tribe, and leads him to his death) supports the value of the feminine in Igbo culture.† â€Å"Though it may seem that women are seen as the weaker sex in Ibgo society,† (E., Skwiot personal c omment, August 23, 2016) The novel is set at the end of the twentieth century. It describes in detail aboutRead More Okonkwo in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay973 Words   |  4 PagesOkonkwo in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart  Ã‚  Ã‚   Okonkwo, as presented by Chinua Achebe in the novel Things Fall Apart, wished to be revered by all as a man of great wealth, power and control--the antithesis of his father. Okonkwo was driven by the need to exhibit utmost control over himself and others; he was an obsessive and insecure man. Okonkwos father, Unoka, was a failure, a loafer, and People laughed at him (1426). This would bring great shame to any man as it did for OkonkwoRead MoreOkonkwo The Power Hungry Warrior in Things Fall Apart1323 Words   |  6 Pages Okonkwo, The Tragic Hero The novel, Things Fall Apart, takes place in a Lower Nigerian village of Iguedo and Mbanta and is centered around a man by the name of Okonkwo. Okonkwo, the protagonist, is introduced as the most renowned warrior of all tribes who brought great honor to his tribe by becoming the top wrestler of the villages. Throughout the book, Chinua Achebe expresses Okonkwo as a man whose obsession with power is what ultimately leads him to failing in attempts to obtain that power throughRead MoreEssay on The Values and Beliefs of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart629 Words   |  3 PagesThe Values and Beliefs of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart is a novel, which is directly focused on the tribes and the local life of the native people. The protagonist in this novel is a proud strict and tough man with the name of Okonkwo. Okonkwo was born in the mid-nineteenth century, in the Igbo village of Umuofia, (which we now know as southeastern Nigeria). Okonkwos life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. His father was a man Read MoreMasculinity in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Okonkwo Essay1833 Words   |  8 PagesThings Fall Apart: Okonkwo’s Masculinity The Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a straight to the point story, embedded with interesting elements that capture readers’ attention. In my view, when I read the story, I found many interesting things about the theme of the book. But The Masculinity Okonkwo was what captures my attention. The story opens up to a Traditional Igbo lifestyle, a theme which is highly stylized from its ritual to the actions performed for certain ceremonies. Most of the actionRead MoreThings Fall Apart: Okonkwo Character Analysis Essay856 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel Things Fall Apart, strength and pride are very important aspects of the main character, Okonkwo, however, these traits may sound like excellent traits to possess but because of the way he was raised, Okonkwo harbours many of his emotions under an outer shell of violence, strength and pride. His traits can be shown by looking at where he has come from in his life, for example, Okonkwo has acquired a large amount of wealth in his life because of his hard work and dedication which he also

The Old Man And The Sea - 1238 Words

The endless advance of time has left many writers, and their works forgotten. Only a select few live on, Ernest Hemingway being a prime example. With his straight forward style of writing and his Sinatra-esque personality his name still continues to live on to this day. His most famous work called â€Å"The Old Man and the Sea† which follows and old washed up fisherman whom is down on his luck embarks on a voyage where he is thrown into a long bout with a tremendous marlin. The novel landed Hemingway a Pulitzer Prize in 1953 signifying the peak of his career. After this novel Hemingway coping with the throes of alcoholism drove himself into deep and darkening depression. No longer a functioning alcoholic, writing became a somewhat†¦show more content†¦Although they still took the story exactly where they needed to go without boring the reader. As many say that F. Scott Fitzgerald’s constant description of things may leave them in awe with how beautifully constructed his sentences are. It leaves you wondering where the plot was going. This was never an issue of Hemingway’s he delivered the plot right at your feet, which may be why his stories where so well received in his later life. War struck the world after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparking world war 1( the great war). The alliance system hurdled countries against each other like no other war before. With the new technological advancements soldiers had never been more dangerous raising the death toll tremendously. As a noble young man Ernest enlisted in the itallian military as an Ambulance driver where he saw more than enough bloodshed. After sustaining some battle injuries a certain nurse in a hospital caught Hemingway’s eye causing him to go mad with lust. He proposed the the nurse she accepted the young authors proposal only to run away with another man in just a few short weeks. Crushed by the love lost Hemingway later poured and channeled these emotions into later works of his own including â€Å"`A Very Short Story†, and much more widely renowned â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†. Still in recovery fromShow MoreRelatedThe Old Man And The Sea1561 Words   |  7 Pages The Old Man and The Sea is more than a book about a fish and an old man, it teaches us strength and never giving up on ourselves. The Old Man and The Sea is written by Ernest Hemingway about Santiago, The Old Man. Hemingway is a writer known for his iceberg themes in his novels, where ten percent of its message is what you read and the ninety percent is hidden. That ninety percent is up to interpretati on. My interpretation is Hemingway’s The Old Man and The Sea he expressesRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea1154 Words   |  5 PagesThe sea in a way is like a living being. The way it rhythmically carries itself, showing all of its majestic beauty. The sea has such power, each wave coordinately smashing against whatever stands in its way. Sea erosion, most commonly known as coastal erosion, is the slow process of wave action constantly shaping and reshaping the coastlines of our world. In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway portrays nature as a continuum-an endless progression of the invention and destruction which is ultimatelyRead MoreThe Old Man and the Sea900 Words   |  4 PagesThe Old Man and the Sea is a short, but rich novel about an old fisherman who, after eighty-four unsuccessful days in a row, hooks the largest fish of his life. Written by Ernest Hemingway in 1951, and published in 1952, the novel was the last of Hemingway’s novels to be published during his lifetime. The book was praised by critics, and became an immediate success. The story was also awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and was a factor in Hemingway winning a Nobel Prize. The story was publishedRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea Essay1718 Words   |  7 Pagesearly to mid 20th century. Known mainly for his success in writing the critically acclaimed novel, The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway had many symbolic meanings instituted throughout this novel and many other works. Many having the theme of a hero confronting a natural force, as seen when Santiago confronts the mighty sea. Along with the heroic themes, Hemingway had become a religious Catholic man growing up and decided to include many religious references and biblical allusions. Since the beginningRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea1128 Words   |  5 PagesLiterature Analysis 3 The Old Man and the Sea was written by Ernest Hemingway. It was published by the Charles Scribner’s Sons in 1952, and contains 127 pages. The genre is literary fiction. The story is about an old man named Santiago who fishes alone in the Gulf Stream and has been very unsuccessful for the past 84 days. A simple tale, this takes timeless themes of courage of one man’s struggle and personal triumph. The author’s purpose was to write both a realistic andRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea1412 Words   |  6 Pagesboth having completely different writing styles and ideas, seem to have an underlying similarity in how they view leadership and heroism. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway and Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh both show internal battles and undeniable fate within characters throughout each novel. In The Old Man and the Sea Hemmingway uses Santiago, the old Cuban fisherman, to represent internal transformation, renewed life, triumph, and defeat. Ghosh also represents similar struggles throughRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea1586 Words   |  7 Pageswithin the plot of the novel, The Old Man and the Sea and the motion picture, Life of Pi. In the novel, the old fisherman, Santiago spends a few days out at sea attempting to capture the fish of his dreams. He battles through pain, thirst and hunger in order to bring the Marlin to the shore. However, whi le losing his prey, he gains a priceless experience combined with pride, respect and compassion. On the other hand, the main character in the movie survives at sea for 227 days with a wild animal,Read MoreThe Old Man And The Sea1121 Words   |  5 Pagesimpact on the author of The Old Man and The Sea, Ernest Hemingway. Gertrude, an American novelist, poet, playwright and art collector, served as a mentor for Ernest. The novelist also served as a godmother to Ernest along with her companion, Alice B. Toklas. Ernest Hemingway used his experience with Gertrude in his 1952 book, The Old Man and The Sea. Santiago and Manolin share a relationship similar to Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. Throughout The Old Man and The Sea, Ernest Hemingway providesRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea1395 Words   |  6 PagesBoth The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway and â€Å"To Build a Fire† by Jack London both explore the literary conflict of man verses nature. Both main characters sha re many similarities; however, they also have various differences that set them apart as well. In The Old Man and the Sea the story is about Santiago, an old fisherman who sets out one day and catches the fish of a lifetime. Santiago then spends multiple days fighting the fish in the middle of the ocean. â€Å"To Build a Fire† is about aRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea993 Words   |  4 Pages one Earnest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, is a captivating story about and old seasoned fisherman named Santiago. It is a tale of his epic struggle with the greatest catch of his life after not catching anything for eighty-four days. He face psychological challenges and encounters multiple villains. Santiago is fishing with a young boy named Manolin and the boy leaves the old man to go on another boat. Hemingway explains to us why they boy had to leave the boat. â€Å"But after forty

Reforming Public Education Visual Outline Free Essays

Reforming Public Education in America Visual Outline Corrie Broughton Western Governors University WGU Student ID # 000235996 Reforming Public Education in America 1. The world around American school children is changing, but the public school system is failing to keep up with all the changes. Many programs that are in place were great 50+ years ago but now true reform is needed. We will write a custom essay sample on Reforming Public Education Visual Outline or any similar topic only for you Order Now A. The United States used to have the highest standards in the world for education. B. With so many budget cuts, the education of American children is suffering. There is little money for updated textbooks, new technology, and even to updated buildings. Many teachers reach into their own pockets to supply their classrooms even with the basics of paper and pencils. C. Taxes should be paying for world-class education in America, but the government is not using those dollars wisely. School district boards are in complete charge of how the money is distributed to each school. Not all schools will receive the same amount, some will get more and some will get less. 2. The public education system needs change. Children are getting further and further behind in math and science when compared to other countries. The No Child Left Behind law has some good goals but those goals are hard to achieve because the standards are set too high. It’s hard to judge what the standards are because each state has their own test for student achievement. A. Very little money for schools means no new textbooks or technology available to students. Cut backs also mean no counselors or school nurses on campus. Additionally, school buildings do not get much-needed repairs. B. Student/teacher ratios are too high. Teachers cannot give individual attention to students, and students struggle with keeping up with the curriculum. Poor performing teachers make the same amount of money as a good teacher. Tenure and the teacher’s union protect all teachers from any form of discipline. C. U. S. schools have failed to keep up with other countries in education. The common factor with all of the countries that have students achieving their standards is all students use the same curriculum and there is not a No Child Left Behind Law. The United States has the shortest school year and fewest amount of hours children spend in the classroom. 3. Research suggests that the U. S. ducation system could benefit from reform because there is very little money for schools; there are over-crowded classrooms with tenured teachers who are protected by the unions and other countries are surpassing America’s once great education system by leaps and bounds. References Athavale, G. (2009, October 29). U. S. education falling behind those of other countries. Retrieved from http://www. saratogafalcon. org/content/us-educat ion-falling-behind-those-other-countries Behrent, M. (2009, Summer). Reclaiming our freedom to teach: Education reform in the Obama era. [Part of the special issue, Education and the Obama presidency]. Harvard Educational Review 79 (2), p. 240-6. Retrieved from http://wguproxy. egloballibrary. com/login? user=trueurl=http://vnweb. hwwilsonweb. com/hww/jumpstart. jhtml? recid=0bc05f7a67b1790e84eb37b49561a968d1ff2c9fe8790d78c3c4d7ec0aaa2d1d11262f4eeb607acdfmt=C Howell, W. ; West, M. ; Peterson, P. (2011 Fall). The public weighs in on school reform Retrieved from Education Next, 11(4), and 10-22 A Failing Grade For Public School Funding (2010, June 01). [Editorial] Los Angeles Times Retrieved from http://articles. latimes. com/2010/jun/01/opinion/la-ed-funding-20100601/2 Leana, C. 2011, Fall). The missing link in school reform p. 30-35 Retrieved from http://go. aft. org/socap National Commission on Excellence in Education (1903, April 26). A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform. Retrieved from http://www2. ed. gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/index. html Resnick, L. ; Nolan, K. (1995 March). Where in the world are world-class standards? Educational Leadership, Vol. 52, p. 6-10, 5p Retrieved from http://www. ascd. org/publications/educational_leadership/mar95/vol52/num06/Where_in_the_World_Are_World-Class_Standards?. aspx Schools and Testing: Left How to cite Reforming Public Education Visual Outline, Papers

One of my favorite things to do when traveling in Essays

One of my favorite things to do when traveling in a new city is to visit the museums. I have never been to a city that did not offer the usual museum fare, usually in the form of the "Anytown Art Museum", or the "Anytown Museum of Natural History". While these types of museums house some incredible artifacts, and I do visit them often, I also like to seek out museums of a more unusual sort. Museums are mostly the same just about everywhere you go, both in the United States and Europe. They offer the visitor a glimpse into the past culture of any given city or country by displaying relics found throughout the world. But there are also many museums that showcase artifacts of the culture in a much more specific way. Some fine examples of these kinds of museums include the Pez Museum, close to San Francisco, dedicated to the little candy dispenser, the Muzeum hracek in Prague, dedicated to toys of the world, both past and present, the Dungeon, a history of Medieval torture, also in Prague, and the Liberace Museum in Las Vegas, dedicated to all things Liberace--and I mean all things. The Pez Museum is not actually in San Francisco, but is located south of the city in a town called Burlingame. If you are in the Bay Area for any reason, do not miss this museum! Remember when you were a little kid, and you loved to collect Pez dispensers? Well, times have changed, and now Pez c ollections mean big money, and big business. The most expensive Pez dispenser to date is the short lived Mr. Potato Head dispenser, complete with a make-it-yourself face. This Pezsells for $5,000 at auction! This museum contains literally hundreds of Pez Dispensers, collected since their inception back in the Fifties. While Pez may not compare to a Rodin sculpture in terms of being considered classical art, obviously there are some people out there who appreciate the finer nuances of a mere candy dispenser. Toy museums abound throughout the world. I have been lucky enough to have visited two toy museums in my life, both in Europe. The first one was in a quaint town in Germany called Rothenburg. This town dates back to the Medieval era, and is one of the few towns in western Europe that is still contained within its original defense walls. Because most of the buildings inside the walls are original, this town has become a major tourist attraction for European tourists. The Toy and Puppet Museum in Rothenburg is displayed in a 15th century house just outside the walled part of the city. It contains over 800 dolls and puppets from France and Germany dating back some 200 years. When you walk into this museum, you are immediately overwhelmed by all of the faces staring back at you. Most of the dolls and puppets are in cases, and as you wander through the halls, you get this creepy feeling of their eyes following you as you go. The puppets are fascinating. Once upon a time, puppet shows traveled throughout the countryside, entertaining the masses just like the movies do today. Puppet shows were also a vehicle to bring news of the current events and developing politics of the cities to those in the countryside. It is fascinating to see the development and evolution of these puppets through the ages. As the cultures of France and Germany changed, so did the puppets facial expressions, clothing and accessories. The other toy museum I visited was located in the Count's chambers in Prague Castle, the Museum hracek. This museum offers more of a variety of toys than just dolls and puppets like the one in Rothenburg. The museum showcases toys from the last 150 years including intricate toys made oftin and toy clocks that really work. The delicate workmanship of these clocks and tin toys speaks volumes about the evolution of toys from then to now. Children love technological toys no matter what age they live in. The Barbie doll collection here needs to be seen to be believed. Hundreds of Barbie dolls live in their own separate room of the museum. They range from the

footnotes on sam- sex marraige Essay Example

footnotes on sam footnotes on sam- sex marraige Essay footnotes on sam- sex marraige Essay Footnotes: 1 . Christian Broadcasting Network, Americans Question Who Makes a Family, www. cbn. com, Sep. 15, 2010 2. Nate Silver, Divorce Rates Higher in States with Gay Marriage Bans, www. fivethirtyeight. com, Jan. 12, 2010 3. Ross Douthat, The Marriage Ideal, wrww. nytimes. com, Aug. 8, 2010 4. Kathryn Perry, The Cost of Gay Marraige In Dollars and Cents, Christian Science Monitor, May 27, 2009 5. American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association Reiterates Support for Same-sex Marriage, www. apa. org, Aug. 11, 2010 6. Freedom to Marry, Marriage 101, www. eedomtomarry. org (accessed Sep. 15, 2010) 7. Tara Siegel Bernard and Ron Lieber, The High Price of Being a Gay Couple, wrww. nytimes. com, Oct. 2, 2009 8. American Anthropological Association, Statement on Marriage and the Family, wrww. aaanet. org, Feb. 26, 2004 9. Margaret Talbot, Marriage as a Dynamic Institution, www. newyorker. com, Jan. 12, 2010 10. Do We Really Want to Redefine Marriage, www. floppi ngaces. net, Aug. 11, 2010 11. Glen Law, Gay Marriage and the Slippery Slope,' www. latimes. com, May 21, 2008 12. Ballot Arguments, wmwprotectmarriage. com (accessed Sep. , 2010) 13. Fiona Tasker, PhD, and Susan Golombok, PhD, Growing Up in a Lesbian Family: Effects of Child Development, 1997 14. M. V. Lee Badgett, PhD, When Gay People Get Married, 2009 15. William N. Eskridge, Jr. , Equality Practice: Civil Unions and the Future of Gay Rlghts, 2001 16. Paula Ettelbrick, Since When Is Marriage a Path to Liberation? , OUT/LOOK National Gay and Lesbian Quarterly, Fall 1989 17. Stanley Kurtz, The End of Marriage in Scandinavia, Weekly Standard, Feb. 2, 2004 18. Stephen J. Heaney, A Marriage Tail, www. thepublicdiscourse. com, Aug. 13, 2010 19. Dana Mack, Now What for Marriage? , wrww. wsJ. com, Aug. 6, 2010 20. Andrew Sullivan, Same-Sex Marriage pro and con, 2004 21 . David Carter, Stonewall: The Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution, 2005 22. George Chauncey, Why Marriage? : The History Shaping Todays Debate over Gay Equality, 2004 23. Tricia Andryszewski, Same-Sex Marriage: Moral Wrong or Civil Right? , 2007 24. Gregory M. Herek, PhD, Facts About Homosexuality and Mental Health, www. ucdavis. edu (accessed Sep. 16, 2010) 25. North Carolina Passes Same- sex Marriage Ban, CNN Projects, www. cnn. com, May 8, 2012 26. Alan Cooperman, Jonathan Finer, and Fred Barbash, Gay Couples Wed in Mass. , Washington Post, May 17, 2004 27. House Rejects Same-Sex Marriage Ban, Washington Post, Oct. 1, 2004 28. Jennfer C. Pizer, Lambda Legal Applauds Perry v. Schwarzenegger Ruling Striking Down Prop 8, www. lambdalegal. org, Aug. 4, 2010 29. Same Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships, www. ncsl. org, Apr. 2010 30. Maura Dolan, Federal Panel Puts Same-sex Marriage on Hold as Appeal of Prop. 8 Ruling Goes Forward, www. latimes. com, Aug. 17, 2010 31 . ABA Supports Legalizing Same-sex Marriage, wrww. upi. com, Aug. 1 1, 2010 32. : American Psychological Association Reiterates Support for Same-sex Marriage, www. apa. org, Aug. 11, 2010 33. Church Statement on Proposition 8 Ruling, www. newsroom. lds. org, Aug. 4, 2010 34. Jeffrey Donovan, Pope Condemns Gay Marriage, Warns on Biotechnology Before Trip to U. K. , www. bloomberg. com, Sep. 13, 2010 35. Nate Silver, Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage Appears to Shift at Accelerated Pace, www. fivethirtyeight. com, Aug. 12, 2010 36. Americans Split Evenly on Gay Marriage, www. cnn. com, Aug. 11, 2010 37. Amber G. Marcellino, et al. , Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate H. R. 2517 (29 KB) , www. cbo. gov, Dec. 17, 2009 38. J. Frank Vespa-Papaleo, et al. , The Legal, Medical, Economic Social Consequences of New Jerseys Civil Union Law (414 KB) , wrww. nJ. gov, Dec. 10, 2008 39. Recognition of Same-Sex Couples Worldwide (21 KB) , www. lambdalegal. org,July 19, 2010 40. Answers to Questions About Marriage Equality (357 KB) , www. hrc. org, Dec. 8, 2009 41 . Vaughn Walker, JD, Opinion, Perry v. Schwarzenneger (343 KB) , wrww. uscourts. gov, Aug. 4, 2010 42. Richard J. Podell, American Bar Association Recommendation (117 KB) , www. christianlaw]ournal. m, Aug. 10, 2010 43. William C. Thompson, Jr. , Love Counts: The Economic Benefits of Marriage Equality for New York (127 KB) , www. comptroller. nyc. gov,June 2007 44. James G. Pawelski, MS, et al. , The Effects of Marriage, Civil Union, and Domestic Partnership Laws on the Health and Well-being of Children, Pediatrics, July 2006 45. Nanette Gartrell, MD, and Henny Bos, PhD, US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Psychological Adjustment of 17-Year-Old Adolescents, Pediatrics, July 7, 2010 46. Rachel H. Farr, Stephen L. Forsell, and Charlotte J. Patterson, Parenting and Child Development in Adoptive Families: Does Parental Sexual Orientation Matter? , Applied Developmental Science, July 19, 2010 47. AnJan Choudhury, JD, Application for Leave to File Brief Amici Curiae in Support of the Parties Challenging the Marriage Exclusion, and Brief Amici Curiae of the American Psychological Association, California Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, National Association of Social Workers, and National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter in Support of the Parties Challenging the Marriage Exclusion (277 KB) , www. courtinfo. ca. gov, Sep. , 2007 48. Laura Langbein and Mark A. Yost, Jr. , Same-Sex Marriage and Negative Externalities, Social Science Quarterly, June 2009 49. Bruce Peterson, JD, Majority Opinion, Baker v. Nelson (186 KB) , www. marriagelawfoundation. org, Oct. 15, 1971 50. W. Bradford Wilcox and Elizabeth Marquardt, The State of Our Unions: Marriage in America 2009 (851 KB) , www. stateofourunions. org, Dec. 2009 51 . Brady E. Hamilton, PhD, Joyce A. Martin, MPH, and Stephanie J. Ventura, MA, Births: Preliminary Data for 2008 (312 KB) , National Vital Statistics Reports, Apr. 6, 2010 52. Bruce J. Ellis, Does Father Absence Place Daughters at Special Risk for Early Sexual Activity and Teenage Pregnancy? (827 KB) , Child Development, May 2003 53. Judith Stacey and Timothy J. Biblarz, (How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents Matter? , American Sociological Review, Apr. 2001 54. Joseph Card. Ratzinger, Considerations Regarding Proposals To Give Legal Recognition To Unions Between Homosexual Persons (67 KB) , wrww. vatican. va, June 3, 2003 55. Steven Levinson, JD, Majority Opinion, Baehr v. Lewin (152 KB) , www. umass. edu, May 5, 1993 56. John Dooley, Baker v. Vermont (202 KB) , Majority Opinion, www. umass. edu, Dec. , 1999 57. Jake Tapper, President Obama Supports Legislation to Repeal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), www. abcnews. com,July 19, 2011 58. David Nakamura, Obama Backs Bill to Repeal Defense of Marriage Act, www. washingtonpost. com,July 19, 2011 59. A Contentious Debate: Same-Sex Marriage in the U. S. , www. pewforum. org,July 9, 2009 60. US Supreme Court, Loving v. Virginia, la w. cornell. edu,June 12, 1967 61. Remarks from NAACP Press Conference On Marriage Equality, NAACP. org, May 21, 2012 62. Should Homosexuals Have Equal Protection Rights Based on Their Sexual Orientation? , ProCon. org, Apr. 2009 63. Denmark Approves Same-Sex Marriage and Church Weddings, BBC website, June 7, 2012 64. Jackie Calmes and Peter Baker, Obama Says Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legal, New York Times, May 9, 2012 65. Michael K. Lavers, Uruguayan President Signs Marriage Bill into Law, Washington Blade, May 7, 2013 66. Marriage Legislation Becomes Law, Radio New Zealand website, Apr. 21, 2013 67. France Gay Marriage: Hollande Signs Bill into Law, BBC website, May 18, 2013 68. Ezra Klein, Sorry, Justice Scalia: Theres No Evidence That Gay Parents Arent Great Parents, Washingtonpost. com, Mar. 27, 2013 69. Shankar Vedantam, Bans of Same-Sex Marriage Can Take a Psychological Toll, NPR. org, May 20, 2013 70. Ryan T. Anderson, Marriage: What It Is, Why It Matters, and the Consequences of Redefining It, Heritage. org, Mar. 11, 2013 71 . Jillian Keenan, Legalize Polygamy! , Slate. com, Apr. 15, 2013 72. Jeffrey M. Jones, Same-Sex Marriage Support Solidifies Above 50% in U. S. , Gallup. com, May 13, 2013 73. United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Perry v. Brown (704 KB) , wrww. uscourts. gov, Feb. 7, 2012 74. David G. Savage, Gay Marriage Ruling: Supreme Court Finds DOMA Unconstitutional, ww. atimes. com,June 26, 2013 75. US Supreme Court, United States v Windsor (320 KB) , wmw. uscourts. gov, June 26, 2013 76. Bill Mears, Supreme Court Dismisses Californias Proposition 8 Appeal, www. cnn. com,June 26, 2013 77. US Supreme Court, Hollingsworth v Perry (169 KB) , wmw. uscourts. gov, June 26, 2013 78. Chris Kirk, What Countries Have Marriage Equality? , www. slate. com,July 17, 2 013 79. Where State Laws Stand, www. freedomtomarry. org (accessed July 1 7, 2013) Sources: Jonathan H. Adler, Is Judge Walkers Opinion Really That Compelling? , www. volokh. com, Aug. 2010 Paul Axel-Lute, Same-Sex Marriage: A Selective Bibliography of the Legal Literature, www. law-library. rutgers. edu, Sep. 1, 2010 Frederick Hertz, Making It Legal, 2009 Michael Mello, Legalizing Gay Marriage, 2004 Rhode Island Couples Talk Marriage Equality in New Video, www. glad. org, Mar. 16, 2010 David A. J. Richards, The Case for Gay Rights: From Bowers to Lawrence and Beyond, 2005 R. Claire Snyder, Gay Marriage and Democracy, 2006 Stonewall Rebellion, wrww. nytimes. com, Apr. 10, 2009 Suzanna Danuta Walters, All the Rage: The Story of Gay Visibility in America

The Freelance Writer at Home

The Freelance Writer at Home The Freelance Writer at Home The Freelance Writer at Home By Colin Of all the benefits of being a freelance writer, working from home has to be one of the best. You can set your own pace, manage your time how you want it, and best of all, you get to be your own boss. Leaving the negatives out of the equation for the moment, what can a freelance writer do to make sure her working environment is as comfortable, supportive, and reliable as it would be, were she working in a city centre office? I’m not talking about front door security, a subsidized canteen, or even an ample supply of free staples and pens. I’m talking about the little things that affect productivity, like comfort, and staying sane. Here’s a few things all freelance writers can do to make the working day go that little bit easier. Buy A Good PC/Laptop This is more important than many writers realize, because when I say â€Å"good,† I really mean â€Å"reliable.† There’s nothing more infuriating to have a PC that hangs on you as a deadline approaches. If you can’t trust the machine you are working on to be there when you need it, maybe it’s time to reinvest. PCs and laptops are relatively cheap these days, and if you only intend to use it for writing on and connecting to the Internet, you need not go for a brand spanking new top of the range model. Save yourself some money and opt for a lesser model that’s just as new. So long as you can load up the software you need, and get onto the Internet, it will do just as well. Keep Software Current Maybe your PC is reliable and trustworthy, but it’s getting kind of slow. Windows 3.1 has almost ground to a halt and your printer drivers won’t install any more. If this sounds like you, not only should you be upgrading to newer hardware, but you should also think about updating your software. All things man-made ground to a halt and die, especially PCs, which have an optimal performance life expectancy of around five years. Therefore keeping up with the latest technology isn’t so much a flashy thing to do, it’s a vital one if you are running a home-based business and need to keep up with your competitors, and continue to produce quality work. Use A Reliable Printer Owning a suitable printer can not only save you time, but also money. I tend to favor laser printers for their speed and relative cost to maintain, but you should do some research to find out what type, make, and model suits you. Some printers are notorious for paper jams or the rate at which they require a refill, so find out before you buy. But A Nice Desk A nice desk that fits your writing style and feels comfortable should be a priority for every home-based writer. Among the most important things to consider when buying a desk are: Width: will it fit where you want it to go? Height: it should be comfortable to type on and have plenty of leg room. Cost: the cheaper the better, but you will get what you pay for. Surface space: how good is its ability to cope with papers and books strewn all over it and still allow you room to work on? Is there room for your PC/laptop, printer, telephone, etc.? Does there need to be? Keyboard drawer: some desks come with a pull-out drawer on top of which the keyboard rests. Some people don’t like these and find them awkward – do you? Invest In A Comfortable Chair A good chair in terms of comfort and design is an important investment for anyone who intends to sit on it for most of their working day. Not only is it good for comfort reasons, but also for health and safety. The main qualities in a chair to consider are: Back height: do you prefer high backs or low? Support: is the back supportive enough to keep your back straight, and protect you from potential spinal damage? Height to desk: can the height be adjusted to allow you to look at the screen straight on, and so that your arms are comfortable while you type? You would be amazed how many repetitive strain injuries writers get, purely caused by poor chair height. Swivel or static: do you want your chair to swivel, or do you prefer it grounded? Wheels: Do you like your chair to be able to move around easily? Material: are you a leather fan, or do you prefer cloth? CD/Radio Some writers concentrate easier with low music playing in the background; the type of music they listen to often influencing what they write. Others prefer to have total silence. Either way, having a small CD player or radio handy can be useful should the mood take you or if you rely on it. If you’re stressed about an urgent deadline, the facility for some Vivaldi might just do the trick. Book Case If you have the space, think about getting a book case. A lot of writers like to have their favorite books nearby, but also for practical reasons, being able to retrieve a reference book quickly without breaking your train of thought, is worthwhile reason enough. Warmth Working in a cold room is horrible, so make sure you have a source of warmth for those cold winter months. I have a radiator in my office as opposed to a heater, because I find the warmth much more pleasant as opposed to an air heater, which dries out my eyes. Window Being able to look out to the real world is something all home-based writers should do on a regular basis. Getting involved with your work to the point where you start to forget that life exists on the other side of the door, is a dangerous place to get to. Fish Tank A small quirk of mine, but I love the background noise generated by the tropical fish aquarium in the corner of my office. It’s not the fish that make the noise – they don’t talk to me or anything like that but the bubbles and flow of water give me the calming sensation of standing next to a gentle flowing river, which in turn, helps me focus on what I am writing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Dialogue Dos and Don'tsWhat's a Male Mistress?15 English Words of Indian Origin