Obamas Plan to Achieving Peace and Prosperity Essay Example for Free

Obamas Plan to Achieving Peace and Prosperity Essay In Cairo, Egypt, President Barrack Obama conducted a speech, addressing the problems that both Americans and the Muslims are facing. During his speech, Obama mentions the current issues that the whole world is facing as well as the solutions to these problems. Such solutions, according to Obama, can only be implemented by working together. Islamic Stereotypes President Obama mentions two stereotypes of the world against the Islamic civilization that are rooted in a history of hatred, division, and terrorism: (1) They are inevitably hostile to both the world and the human rights it upholds, and (2) their civilization is crude. These stereotypes are false since only Islamic extremists possess such hostility towards the world, and the Islamic civilizations progress and its contributions have been quite evident throughout history — their role in the European Renaissance and enlightenment, for instance, was invaluable. Islam is a Part of America Islamic culture has been evident within Americas borders, wherein Muslim communities enjoy the freedom to practice their religion while relishing the lifestyle brought about by American culture, which provides opportunities for people who seek a better life. Migration brought their culture into the country, and this cannot be denied because the constitution, which America upholds, protects their freedom to practice their cultural beliefs within the country. Through their citizenship and their involvement within American society, the United States integrated them as a part of America. Being Shaped by Different Cultures Throughout history, various cultures have influenced each other. For example. it has been mentioned in the speech as well as in history books that the Renaissance was brought to life by the Muslim culture when traders traveled across continents through trade routes. Thus, being influenced by other cultures is inevitable. It is primarily rooted from the need for different peoples to understand each other, and in the process, they prosper and achieve progress. There is a shared interest that drives peoples into adopting the best aspects of other cultures in order to promote a better future for everyone. Issues that Need to be Addressed In his speech, Obama enumerates certain issues that needs to be resolved in order to promote peace and prosperity. He adds that it should be an imperative for people from all cultures to work as a unified entity in order to solve the following issues: Violent extremism in all of its forms; Situation between Israelis, Palestinians, and the Arab world; Shared interest in the rights and responsibilities of nations on nuclear weapons; Democracy; Religious freedom; Womens rights; and Economic development and opportunity. By working together in solving these issues, he believes that the world would become better than what it is today. Obama also believes that it is a necessity to address these issues for the sake of future generations — for our children. Reference Obamas Middle East Speech: VIDEO, Full Text. (2009, June 4).

Dystonia in the Joint Hypermobility Syndrome

Dystonia in the Joint Hypermobility Syndrome Ehlers-Danlos syndrome first described by Tschernogobow (1896) in Moscow and Ehlers (1900) in Copenhagen is a mostly autosomal inherited genetic disease of collagen synthesis that sensitizes the ensemble of the connective tissue which becomes less resistant and less elastic. These two characteristics explain the symptomatology: fragility of the skin, of the vessels (haemorrhages) and the presence of a diffuse proprioceptive syndrome due to dysfunction of the receptors which are implanted into little or non-reactive connective tissue. Diagnosis of the hypermobile type of EDS is solely clinical as there is to date no genetic maker for the most frequent form of EDS. The rarity of the disease needs to be put into question before the crowd of patients at consultations. Our experience is based on an active database of 2212 patients which all fall under the Villefranche criteria. A great number of signs and symptoms have yet to be attributed to this syndrome. They are, combined with the una wareness of physicians about the syndrome, at the origin of therapeutic errors accompanied by the iatrogenic effects of prejudice towards these patients. This is the case of dystonia which is present in 75% of our cases. Dystonia plays an important part in the functional discomfort which is at the origin of a number of handicap situations. It seems to be related to dysautonomia common amongst the patients, proprioceptive problems and the multiple pains caused by the syndrome. Dystonia treatment with Amantadine and L-Dopa permits to obtain results which go further than the normally associated extra-pyramidal treatment and opens new perspectives on the management of a syndrome that has been particularly difficult to treat. Key-Words : Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), dystonia, dysautonomia, L-dopa, pains, fatigue. Dystonia in the joint hypermobility syndrome (a.k.a. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type). Introduction Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) recognition went through many vicissitudes since the first outstanding description by Tschernogobow (1) and Ehlers (2) respectively in Moscow in 1896 and in Copenhagen in 1900. EDS genetic grounds have been recognized since 1949 (4) collagens role as early as 1956 (5). EDS was studied in parallel by the rheumatologists (Brighton and Grahame) and the geneticist (Beighton) who are each working mainly on articular hypermobility with different assessment tests. There is perfect similarity between the rheumatologists joint hypermobility syndrome and the geneticists EDS hypermobility type. These two denominations refer in fact to the same illness. However, a great body of clinical manifestations has not yet been assigned to this syndrome. They are, in combination with the physicians usual unawareness of this syndrome, the cause of many diagnostic wavering with their iatrogenic side-effects that harm the patients. This is the case with dystonia. MATERIAL AND METHODS 2,212 patients were diagnosed and followed up in the Ehlers-Danlos consultation in Paris, between 2006 and 2015. They were all examined by the same physician with the same evaluation grid both qualitative and quantitative allowing to rate from 0 to 4 the symptoms subjective severity and objective data from clinical examination. The populations age varies from 2years to 69 years (mean age: 32). 80% are women. Inclusion criteria All the patients in this study met the criteria of the geneticians Villefranche classification (6). On top of the criteria within this classification, we observed a group of 153 patients examined in 2013 with a quotation of severity equal or superior to 2/4 (medium intensity) with clinical manifestations of the following: multiple pains (95%), fatigue (93%), proprioceptive problems (92%), hemorrhages (93%), GERD (72%), bucco-dental manifestations (72%), hyperacousia (75%), diplopia (74%), SOB (76%), dysautonomia: heavy sweating (70%), cold intolerance (74%), a pseudo Raynaud with cold extremities (84%), cognitive problems : attention (79%) and memory (72%). As of date there is no genetic test available for the hypermobile form of EDS. Finding other cases amongst the patient’s family (95%) is a strong diagnostic argument. Dystonia identification Dystonia was diagnosed if a patient suffered from one or several of the following symptoms: Involuntary muscular contractions without movement such as fasciculation on the face, blepharospasm mainly, on the thigh, reminding of a mobile phone vibration in a trouser pocket, Sudden movements such as a fit of the wrist, the shoulders, the legs or wide movements which results in hitting objects or people or throwing off balance the patient for whom they occur in the lower limbs Trembling, jerking, hesitant hand movements Trembling fingers or thumbs in motion or at rest Muscular contractions often described as hardening of muscles, rigidity, constraining movement, or as cramps Lasting contractions in forced flexion of the thumb or fingers, in flexion and adduction of the feet, Writer’s cramp when writing after variable amounts of time, Incessant, repetitive movement in flexion or extension of the foot and knee when sitting with feet on the ground, Repetitive movement of the trunk alternating between flexion and extension at the hip Diffuse tonic crises at the lower limbs with alternating, violent movements worsened by tenting to immobilize them Short contractions of the lower limbs leading to a fall Partial or generalized tonic-clonic movements and the possibility of hematomas facilitated by the fine skin and the fragility of the vessels. These can be confused with seizure activity but the EEG remains normal Restless leg syndrome at night, which sometimes evolves into very violent jerks Bruxism, which we often encounter in EDS patients could be related to dystonia These dystonic contractions provoke luxations of the shoulder, fingers, a hip, knee or the maxilla. They are most commonly of short duration but can prolong over several days, weeks, months or exceptionally years as we have observed in a few cases. Dystonia is associated with the accentuation of other manifestations of the syndrome. Pain often increases to a very intense level in the part of the body where the dystonia occurs. Dysautonomic problems (vasomotor, sweating, tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension, freezing and cold intolerance, nausea, sensations of generally feeling unwell, POTS) at which Jaime Bravo (7) attaches fatigue. Pain itself can also provoke dystonia sometimes due to subcutaneous or intramuscular injections, traumatism, or simply during physical exam manoeuvre. It is perceived as painful by these hyperalgesic patients. Dystonia exists in 75% of our patients with the following severity index : 2/4 (39%), 3/4 (29%) and 4/4 (7%). The treatment of dystonia within EDS Our therapeutic approach of EDS (8) centres on the amelioration of the proprioceptive troubles, of the pain as well as the fatigue. Foremost we use proprioceptive shoe inlays and particularly proprioceptive clothing specifically adapted for EDS, derived from the treatment of burn victims and oxygen therapy against fatigue, shortness of breath and migraines. For the last five years we have successfully used Amantadine after the discussion with Pierre Cesaro (neurologist, specialist in the treatment of Parkinson). (9) When it was taken of the market in France we sought to replace it with L-Dopa which we prescribe at a low dosage (62,5 mg q3d –Modopar: 50mg L-Dopa +12,5mg Benserazide hydrochloride) adjusted to the needs of the patient especially in severe cases. We describe here the case of a 54 year old woman, a family medicine physician, who had been diagnosed with EDS-HT. Signs present since childhood worsened at the age of 52: muscular pain, intense fatigue, proprioceptive problems manifesting most importantly with difficulties waling. Signs of dystonia could be observed in the lower limbs. She is very tired with crises of somnolence that disturb her professional life. The fatigue and muscular pain is partially alleviated by wearing proprioceptive shoe inlays, 3 sessions of oxygen therapy (3L/min) 20min/day, baclofen and L-Carnitine. The effects alleviate progressively over the course of 2 months a generalised sensation of muscular rigidity of the legs and face with difficulties in the articulations, muscular twitches increasing in frequency. She started progressively on a treatment with Modopar (62,5mg q3d). The results were spectacular; after 2 weeks she recuperated fluid motion in her legs, the involuntary muscular contractions disappeared, but there was also improvement in her vigilance and in the fatigue. She stopped the Baclofen without forfeiting anything in her muscular state. After 4 months of the treatment with L-Dopa the effects on her vigilance are maintained with the total loss of the hypersomnia. She can cut down her intake of Tramadol extended release threefold. Whereas before she thought about stopping all of her professional activities, she is now able to pursuit her professional life with efficacy. The oxygen therapy is maintained as well as the L-Carnitine for their action on muscles, because c utting down this part of the treatment lead to an increase in muscular pain. Discussion 1 Identifying dystonia as a frequent and evocative manifestation of EDS Dystonia should be looked for in any patient diagnosed with EDS. It even contributes to its diagnosis. On the other hand, when dystonia is present in a patient often associated with psychiatric problems one should think of the possibility of EDS as a diagnosis and inquire about the other evocative signs: diffuse overall pain, fatigue, hypermobility, cutaneous fragility, joint problems, hemorrhages and familial cases. 2 Reflections on the pathophysiology We estimate that the alteration in proprioception plays a large part in the clinical manifestation of EDS. The receptors placed in a more elastic tissue, diminished in its thickness, easily deformed and compressed, having lost their elasticity (with a loss or attenuation of the elastic recoil),which do not or not well (not enough or too much) to solicitations. This is particularly true for the skin, which is the most important organ for the postural proprioception and for movement. This is also very true for the control of muscular activity via neuromuscular connections. This receptor dysfunction is also a plausible explanation for the anarchy within the autonomic nervous system, especially the crises of tachycardia and hypotension due to a loss in reactivity of the carotid sinus receptors implanted in altered collagen. This explanation can be expanded towards the mechanism causing dyspnea at effort, as the mechanoreceptors of the joints do not transmit the proper signals to the resp iratory centers. One of the arguments in favor of this explanation is the positive effect special compressive clothing has on the proprioceptive control of the limbs (less falls, fewer luxation of the shoulder and fingers) and the improvement of the respiratory difficulties when wearing these clothes on the trunk. It is logical to interpret dystonia by way of the same mechanism and the poor information which is received by the specialized area of central nervous system. The positive effect observed by Roland Jaussaud (10) on a patient presenting with permanent, multiple, involuntary movements which completely ceased after starting to wear the special EDS compressive clothing. An association between dystonia and dysautonomia has often been made (11). This corresponds to our observations made in consultation, especially in the instances that our patients came to call â€Å"their EDS crises†. These crises are often accompanied by postural orthostatic hypotension (POTS) which pla ys an important role in the sensation of fatigue. (7,12). They are habitually painful, even very painful. These observations suggest an intricate pathophysiological relationship between dystonia, dysautonomia and pain in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which become the main therapeutic focus. 3 How to treat dystonia in EDS? The treatment of the proprioceptive problems (clothes and inlays), of the pain (inlays, local treatments to be preferred over the general route), of the fatigue (mostly oxygen therapy) and of the autonomic dysfunction by way of beta-blockers at low dose (13) seems to be a necessary prerequisite to be adjusted towards each patient individually. The specific treatment with anti-Parkinson medications have mostly been followed by their effects included on their effects in grand dystonic crises. The observation of positive effects outside of dystonia bears two questions: Firstly the role of dystonia itself on fatigue by way of less muscular activity and a better automatic control of movement, but also the role of dopamine as a molecule itself in this systemic disease. Conclusions Manifestations of dystonia in EDS is an important adjunct to further diagnosis and treatment, the understanding of its pathophysiology of this complex disease, which is little or poorly diagnosed, altering considerably life quality of the patients suffering from it and a source of many disabling situations. The integration of all the manifestations of dystonia into the symptomatology of EDS enriches the clinic of this syndrome and furthers/advances new therapeutic perspectives in a particularly hard to treat pathology. L-Dopa seems to have positive effects that transcend those researched on dystonia itself.

My Story :: Personal Narrative

As I begin this assignment, I really don’t know what to write. Should I begin with how I was born and rise up in a country that is far away from American? Maybe talking a little bit about my background will help my classmates get to know who I am, and that is the least thing I can do now. I was born in Saigon City, Vietnam, a country located in Southeast Asia, within a big family. My parents have five elder brothers, two sisters before they have me. I had problems after my birth; a little disorder (nothing serious) in my brain caused me some troubles and worry to my parents. It took three years to be cured through continuos visit to my doctor in Saigon City. Those days were really difficult not only for my parents and me, but also for the whole family too because I was submitted to terrible exams according to my age. My family thought that I wouldn’t be able to grow up like other normal kids. However, with the praise of every member in my family, I was healthy after all .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the time I was ready for kindergarten, my two elder brothers allowed to come to the United States to study aboard. This was a big change in my family because my parent wanted to save money for my brothers’ education. Therefore, they sold our house and asked my two elder’s sister to help them with our family business instead of going to college. The clearest thing I remember about this issue was my sisters not happy with this decision. However, in my country, the idea of women with high education isn’t expected as compare to men. Therefore, I think it is the tradition that effects my parent to decide this way. As for me, I continue to grow through school and the love of my parent. In the school I spent wonderful times with my friends. I used to participate with my group in mom’s day every year dancing. At the same time, I also started to go to my ballet classes. First my mother sent me because she wanted, and when she decided to put m e out of my classes I asked her not to do that. According to my mother, I quit everything to go to my ballet classes, and never I refused to go.

The Role of Women in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Essay -- Medieval

The Role of Women in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Sir Gawain and The Green Knight is an example of medieval misogyny. Throughout Medieval literature, specifically Arthurian legends like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the female characters, Guinevere, the Lady, and Morgan leFay are not portrayed as individuals but social constructs of what a woman should be. Guinevere plays a passive woman, a mere token of Arthur. The Lady is also a tool, but has an added role of temptress and adulteress. Morgan leFay is the ultimate conniving, manipulating, woman. While the three women in this legend have a much more active role than in earlier texts, this role is not a positive one; they are not individuals but are symbols of how men of this time perceive women as passive tokens, adulteresses, and manipulators. Guinevere from the very beginning of the legend is portrayed as a passive, typical lady of the court. In stanza four, the author describes Guinevere almost as a trophy or ornament of the court: "Queen Guinevere very gaily was gathered among them/....The prettiest lady that one may describe/She gleamed there with eyes of grey/To have seen one fairer to the sight/That no one could truly say" (74-84). Guinevere does not take an active role in the court. She does not have speaking role and basically just sits among the knights of the Round Table. Her passivity and silence could be the result of medieval anti-feminism. According to Bloch in medieval times what a woman wants is to speak. Medieval authors such as Andreas Capellanus, the supposed author of The Art of Courtly Love writes, "Furthermore, not only is every woman by nature a miser, but she is also envious, and a slanderer of other women......fickle in her speech,....a li... ... because of her beauty. And Morgan leafy while she might be an all-powerful sorcerer, she is a ultimately a manipulator and scapegoat. Works Cited: Bloch, R. Howard. Medieval Misogyny and the Invention of Western Romantic Love. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1991. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Edition, Volume One. General Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: Norton, 1993. Works Consulted: Bennett, Michael J.   "The Historical Background" in A Companion to the Gawain-Poet, pp. 71-90.   Derek Brewer and Jonathan Gibson, editors.   Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 1997. Putter, Ad.   An Introduction to the Gawain-poet.   New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1996. Riddy, Felicity.   "Jewels in Pearl" in A Companion to the Gawain-Poet, pp. 142-55.   Derek Brewer and Jonathan Gibson, editors.   Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 1997.

Anthropological Examination of ‘The Hunger Games’ Essay

Introduction In the movie ‘The Hunger Games’ a female and a male is chosen from twelve districts to compete in a game called Hunger Game. They must fight for their life and survive outdoors in order to go home. There is only one winner out of the 12 districts, out of 24 people, only one goes home. Anthropology, one of the three social sciences is the study of development of the human species and human cultures throughout the world, also the ways of living of a group of people, traditions and conventions. The hunger games provide three aspects from the anthropological perspective; functional theory, cultural materialism and feminist anthropology. The movie hunger games has a strong anthropological view. Functional theory Functional theory, one of the school of thoughts in anthropology, is a theory that believes every belief, action and/or relationship has a purpose to meet the needs of an individual or society. In the movie, the purpose of this game is simply for the enjoyment and entertainment for The Capitol. The twelve males and twelve females from each district are to be cleaned and to be put in their best clothes at the reaping. When the male and female are picked from each district they are taken to the capitol to be cleaned thoroughly, put them in costumes and make them presentable at the opening ceremony. An action was taken in the game by Seneca Crane, the head game maker, and the rule of the game was changed, he allowed the game to have two winners, because of this he was executed, the action of changing the rules of the game was taken for society. Cultural materialism Cultural materialism is the theory of materials or conditions within the environment that influence development, a school of thought in anthropology. The biggest cultural materialism in The Hunger Games was their clothing. In district twelve, the people wear clothing that are alike in the  reaping. The females wear dresses or blouse and skirt that are alike, they are faded white, pink and/or grey, the designs are also the same. The males in district twelve wear shirts and dress pants, faded grey or white. On the other hand, the people living in The Capitol is dressed very high fashion, and colourful, they also have a lot of makeup on. The cultural materialism difference between the both classes is the lower class, from the districts, wear non-colourful faded clothes and people of the high class, from The Capitol, wear colourful unique clothing. Feminist anthropology Feminist anthropology, a school of thought in anthropology, is the study of gender roles and how male are dominate. In the movie, males and females are picked to compete in the hunger games, although there’s a bias perspective that a female would not make it so far, nor win. The instructor and counsellor of district 12 told Katniss that she wouldn’t make it far, because she is a female but mainly because of her attitude. To every one’s surprise, Katniss and Peeta win at the end. Conclusion The movie ‘The Hunger Games’ has a strong anthropological view. The three schools of thought, functional theory, cultural materialism, and feminist anthropology, each have a strong view in the movie the hunger games. It shows why they changed certain things in the game, their culture and why they do the hunger games annually. It shows the cultural difference between the high class and low class. Lastly the bias perspective between female and male.

Peak Oil and Energy Security Essay

Energy security means having access to the requisite volumes of energy at affordable prices in association with national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. From the perspective of a government concerned and the management of strategic interests, energy security implies energy policies and standby measures that can be implemented in the event of a supply disruption—and at a cost that its citizens consider reasonable. Such measures include energy supply diversification and a certain volume of energy stock. Definitions of Energy Security: The International Energy Agency (IEA) definitions of energy security have focused on the â€Å"adequate supply of energy at a reasonable cost†, and have referred to energy security to be just â€Å"another way of avoiding market distortions† (IEA, 1995). The underlying belief of these definitions is that â€Å"smoothly functioning international energy markets† will deliver â€Å"a secure – adequate, affordable and reliable – supply of energy† (IEA, 2002). IEA has claimed that energy security always consists of both a physical unavailability component and a price component, although their relative importance depends on the market structure (IEA, 2007). The European Commission’s Green Paper (EC 2000) states that energy security also entails respecting environmental concerns and working towards sustainable development. They clarify that the security of supply does not seek to maximize energy self-sufficiency or to minimize dependence, but aims to reduce the risks linked to such dependence. Energy plays an important role in the national security of any given country as a fuel to power the economic engine. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. The modern world relies on a vast energy supply to fuel everything from transportation to communication, to security and health delivery systems. Some sectors rely on energy more heavily than others; for example, the Department of Defense relies on petroleum for approximately 77% of its energy needs. The growing uncertainties about stability and security that exist in the global energy market have fuelled the need for nations to have a comprehensive energy security strategy. Energy security is also essential for the economic growth and development of  countries as energy in-security can hamper the productive activities in the economy as well as undermine consumer welfare. Rapid urbanization and rising middle-class incomes around the world have led to explosive growth in electricity demand. Thus, to the growing urban communities, energy security simply means keeping the lights on. Chester (2010) lists five fundamental aspects that characterize ‘energy security’. Firstly, energy security is about the management of risk – the risk of uninterrupted, unavailable energy supplies; the risk of insufficient capacity to meet demand; the risk of unaffordable energy prices; the risk of reliance on unsustainable sources of energy. These risks may be caused due to energy market instabilities, technical failures or physical security threats. Secondly, the definition of energy security may be framed to reflect a country’s energy mix, the abundance of local resources and import dependence. Thirdly, the term energy security reflects a concept of strategic intent, implying that energy security is not a policy in itself, but that specific policies have to be adopted by governments to achieve the objectives of energy security. Fourthly, energy security has temporal dimensions – the risks and threats to physical supply differ across short, medium and long-term horizons. Short-term risks include terrorism attacks and technical failures. Long-term risks, on the other hand, concern the adequacy of supply to meet demand and adequacy of infrastructure to deliver supply to markets. Fifthly, the term energy security has to be applied keeping in mind the significant differences between the oil, gas, nuclear and other energy markets and infrastructure. As energy is essential for the economic growth and development of a country, it has come to be recognized as a ‘strategic commodity’. This is because any uncertainty in its supply can threaten the effective functioning of an economy (Sahir and Qureshi, 2007). It therefore becomes an imperative for a country to ensure secure energy supplies at affordable rates. This crudely defines the idea of ‘energy security’. Threats to energy security include 1. The political instability (tensions in Northern Iraq, Southern Sudan, the Niger Delta and the East Mediterranean as examples of how competition for energy resources can cause instability) of several energy producing countries. â€Å"Energy should be a motor for development and cooperation, not a source of conflict,† said Mr. Terje Roed-Larsen. 2. The manipulation of energy supplies, 3. The competition over energy sources, 4. Attacks on supply infrastructure and, 5. Dominant countries reliance to the foreign oil supply. 6. Increased world competition for energy resources due to the increased pace of industrialization. Renewable energy Renewable energy resources and significant opportunities for energy efficiency exist over wide geographical areas, in contrast to other energy sources, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. Rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and technological diversification of energy sources, would result in significant energy security and economic benefits. The deployment of renewable technologies usually increases the diversity of electricity sources and, through local generation, contributes to the flexibility of the system and its resistance to central shocks. For those countries where growing dependence on imported gas is a significant energy security issue, renewable technologies can provide alternative sources of electric power as well as displacing electricity demand through direct heat production. Renewable bio-fuels for transport represent a key source of diversification from petroleum products. Long term measures to increase energy security center on reducing dependence on any one source of imported energy, increasing the number of suppliers, exploiting native fossil fuel or renewable energy resources, and reducing overall demand through energy conservation measures. Facts and Figures: 1. Oil expert Mike Ruppert has claimed that for every calorie of food produced in the industrial world, ten calories of oil and gas energy are invested in the forms of fertilizer, pesticide, packaging, transportation, and running farm equipment. 2. The impact of the 1973 oil crisis and the emergence of the OPEC cartel was a particular milestone that prompted some countries to increase their energy security. 3. Japan, almost totally dependent on imported oil, steadily introduced the use of natural gas, nuclear power, high-speed mass transit systems, and implemented energy  conservation measures. It has become one of the world leaders in the use of renewable energy. 4. India is carrying out a major hunt for domestic oil to decrease its dependency on OPEC, while Iceland is well advanced in its plans to become energy-independent by 2050 through deploying 100% renewable energy. 5. Amount of sun that hits the world in an hour is enough to power the world for one year. With the addition o f solar panels all around the world a little less pressure is taken off the need to produce more oil. 6. Geothermal can potentially lead to other sources of fuel, if heat would be taken from the inner core of the earth to heat up water sources, we could essentially use the steam creating from the heated water to power machines, this option is one of the cleanest and efficient options. 7. Hydro-electric which has been incorporated into many of the dams around the world produces a lot of energy, as the dams control the water that is allowed through seams which power turbines located inside of the dam. 8. Bio-fuels have been researched using many different sources including ethanol and algae, these options are substantially cleaner than the consumption of petroleum. â€Å"Most LCA results for perennial and ligno-cellulosic crops conclude that bio-fuels can supplement anthropogenic energy demands and mitigate Green House Gas emissions to the atmosphere. 9. Juliet Alohan writes on the crucial need for its prioritization in Nigeria. It is estimated that by the year 2022, about two million unemployed Nigerians would be gainfully employed if renewable energy is introduced to complement regular electricity supply. 10. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE special envoy for energy and climate change, and CEO of Masdar, said: â€Å"With energy demand predicted to grow nearly 50% over the next 20 years, competition for resources will increase. Energy is therefore becoming a key piece of the global security puzzle. Any significant move to solve the energy crisis is also a step toward creating peace and stability among the nations of the world.† 11. The Renewable Energy Global Status report showed that by the end of 2011, total renewable power capacity worldwide exceeded 1,360 Giga Watt (GW), up to 8 per cent over what it was in 2010. The report added that renewable energy supply constituted more than 25 per cent of total global power-generating capacity, which is estimated at 5,360GW in 2011. Case Study: Energy Security Context in India Sudarshan and Noronha (2009) lay out five important factors that have contributed to increasing energy demand in India. First, the real income of India has grown at a rate of 6-7% per annum over the past two decades, and the Planning Commission of India has a future targeted growth rate of 8-10% per annum for the next decade. TERI (2006) estimates that India will require 2023 MTOE (Million Tonnes of Oil Equivalent) of energy by the year 2031 to feed such economic growth rates. Second, a structural shift has been taking place in India, which has accelerated since the 1991 economic reforms. This shift is from agriculture towards the services sector, which is relatively energy intensive. Next, an annual population increase of about 1.9% p.a. has been observed over the past two decades. Importantly, the urban population in India was 25.5% in 1990 and is expected to rise to 40% by 2030. Given per capita energy demand in rural areas is low, this will further feed into India’s gross energy demand. Fourth, there is a growing transport sector. Fifth, an energy transformation is taking place, with a shift from biomass to electricity in rural India. Further, as of 2005, only 55% of rural Indian households had electricity access. Electricity demand is expected to rise, even as the government has significant plans to meet the demand (Planning Commission, 2008). Increasing import dependence of India on fossil fuel-rich countries has hence forced the government to rethink the way India engages with these countries. Given the factors influencing the demand and consumption of energy in India, the Planning Commission of India defined energy security by modifying the definition of energy security given by The World Energy Assessment (UNDP 1999) to suit the Indian context better. This definition is accepted by the Indian government, and it is as follows: â€Å"We are energy secure when we can supply lifeline energy to all our citizens irrespective of their ability to pay for it as well as meet their effective demand for safe and convenient energy to satisfy their various needs at competitive prices at all times and with a prescribed confidence level considering shocks and disruptions that can be reasonably expectedà ¢â‚¬  (Planning Commission, 2006) This definition includes the key aspects of energy security, including those related to poverty and economic growth. The idea that the provision of energy ought to be â€Å"irrespective of their ability to pay† is a slight departure from the definitions of energy security  accepted by several nations, which tend to be market oriented. By factoring in poverty and the inability of India’s citizens to pay for energy, it only stops short of according energy the status of a ‘right’. The income distribution angle is hence incorporated in the definition. Additionally, this definition accounts for India’s import dependency of energy and the possibility of disruptions in the supply. There is also a veiled reference to what would be considered an appropriate level of risk, although this has not been quantified due to the uncertainties involved. In the context of India’s energy security needs, Verma (2007) lays out a two principles to maintain energy security. He states that firstly, India must diversify the supply of energy, both by location and source. Secondly, he states that the resilience of energy systems must be maintained, which is a reference to â€Å"security margins† that act as buffers against shocks and provide facilities for recovery after disruptions. Resilience can come through spare capacity, strategic reserves, backup supplies of equipment, adequate storage capacity along supply change and the stocking of critical components of electricity generation. Any policy measures taken by the government need to thus needs to incorporate these conceptual frameworks. Understanding these concepts is necessary in order to pursue rational policy making in the energy domain. Of course, policy implementation would ultimately revolve around day-to-day governance issues, and fiscal, administrative and political bottlenecks.

Business Card Etiquette

Business Card Etiquette: A Must Master Have you ever experienced how mortifying it is when you’re asked for a business card and you don’t have any? Either you forgot to bring one or run out of business cards, this incident is embarrassing both to the asker and to the one being asked for. Habitually forgetting the business cards is the most famous neglect that someone makes when it comes to business card etiquette. In the business world it is important to always remember the business card etiquette as this would speak much of you and the business that you are representing. So, what do we have to be harking backed to when it comes to business card etiquette? First, it is always helpful to have a system to remember to bring a bunch of cool business cards with you every time. Put it in a business portfolio or your purse or desk drawer or a cool business card holder, whichever is applicable and more convenient for you. As one of your most important marketing weapon, a cool business card should always be present in business meetings and basically everywhere. This system would also save you from doing the same mistake that most forgetful entrepreneurs do. The second business card etiquette you should be dredging up on is that it should present creativity. Creative business cards not only state your name, contact numbers, or company logo. The style itself should discourse what kind of service you do or product you provide. You might even want to try cool digital business cards if you’re on the PC or electronic business world. Creative business cards give respect to the card giver and receiver alike. Third thing to consider in business card etiquette is the poise of the card. Cool business cards make the receiver want to keep the card for some reasons like future reference or simply because it is something likable. Either way, cool business cards promote boost in the owner’s individuality. The last and most important thing to ruminate in business card etiquette is the manner on how you present your card. Handing over wrinkled, torn or stained business cards give a reflection on how you see the receiver. This is a big no, especially when you’re dealing with CEOs and managers of companies. Also, it is but proper not to present business cards during personal or emotional correspondence like condolences, get well soons, and even congratulations. So, you can understand that business card etiquette is as much as important as the card itself. Mastering it not only brings potential income to the business but a lasting impression of good reputation as well. Design diaries batch 2 (9-28) 9. China  Travel Depotwww. chinatraveldepot. com Anyone planning to travel along China might want to browse www. chinatraveldepot. com, the official website of the top destination service provider of the country. The site provides information regarding China activities, flights, hotels, tour packages, cars rental, Yangtze cruises, top China tours, prices, and promotions. Basically, what they offer is within- China travel services. But they also provide an option for add- on international travel services by teaming up with Expedia, one of the leading online tour operator in the world. The company also deals with the possibility of customization options and packages to provide the perfect travel destination. China Travel Depot serves over 60 chain stores and outlets located all over China. 10. Extreme Piewww. xtremepie. com It’s up for the hippies to search for the biggest surf, snow, ride, and skate brands online at www. extremepie. com. Nike, Oakley, Nixon, Jansport, Billabong, Converse, Sanuk, Roxy, Havaianas, Element, and Reef are just some of the wide array of brands to choose from. The site features a full assortment of styles that are hip for the current season. Products are categ orized as to usage (by ladies, men, and kids), gift items, and hardware. Extreme Pie offers their customers with a 110% price promise and a good pact of 90 day returns policy(both subject to company’s discretion). The company also gives a deal of free delivery for UK Mainland residents at some point detailed in the terms. 11. Fitness Footwear  www. fitnessfootwear. com If someone is looking for quality footwear, fitnessfootwear. com is a must- visit site for him. Trendy and superior footwear from brands like Adidas, Birkenstock, Reebok,The North face, Under Armor Tactical, New Balance, Havaianas, Merrell, Vivo Barefoot, Fitflop, Hi- Tec, and Saucony are in store at www. fitnessfootwear. com. Another great feature of this site is that it has a shoe size converter for UK, Europe, and USA shoes. Visitors can choose from the variety of Running, Toning, Casual, Outdoor men’s and women’s shoes, insoles, socks, and accessories. To top all that, product updates, promotions, and discounts are given to customers who sign up to the FitnessFootwear. com newsletter. 12. Moonbasawww. moonbasa. us Moonbasa is powered by Mola Group, a China- based company established in 2007, which currently have 800 employees. They specialize in women underwear and clothing but also offer other products such as shoes, handbags, home textile used outdoors and indoors, and Euro- style apparel. They have an elite staff of hunting professionals like Terry Drury, Mark Drury, Jay Gregory, Spook Span, Ronnie â€Å"Cuz† Strickland, Hank Parker, Rick Kreuter, Keith Beam, and more. The company started in the 70’s when the owner, Pete Shepley, experimented with new ideas for bow release aids. From flexible plastic arrow vane to replace the feathers, he trialed to the perfection of his first compound bow. Today, the line of PSE products vastly includes Pro Series Bows, Main Line Bows, Field Ready Bows, Recurve Bows, and a lot more.