There are many reasons why I w... free essay sample

There are many reasons why I wish to participate in the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Program. Going to Girls State is a great way to learn more about our local government. I have always been interested in history and government and Girls State seems to be the perfect place where I can learn more. I have very little knowledge of how the government operates, and I want to change that. I want to be proactive in learning and be prepared for when I have a say in the government. This summer, I will turn eighteen, the official voting age in the U. S. Im interested in having a better understanding for our nation as a whole. I want to be able to make informed decisions based on knowledge and experience when it comes time to vote. Not only will it help me make informed decisions for voting, I will also learn more about rights, privileges, procedures, and the responsibilities of U. We will write a custom essay sample on There are many reasons why I w or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page S citizens. I would also like the chance to further develop my leadership skills. I am always looking for ways to allow myself to grow as a person and a better leader. I strive to be a fair and kind leader in every role that I take on. It will push me outside of my comfort zone while also helping me develop new relationships along the way. My parents and I have dropped off every one of my siblings to either Girls State of Boys State respectively. I would see all the different people smiling and excited to be there, all while making the long trek up the stairs to my siblings room. When we went back to pick them up, they were bursting with things to say, whether it be new things that they hadnt known before, friends they made along the way, or funny stories to tell. It seemed liked they talked about the experience for the whole summer and long after that. It made a lasting impression on them to this day. They made friends they still keep in contact with and they say things like, I learned that at Girls State. The opportunity to go seems like one in a lifetime. This summer I would like to be the one my parents drop off at Girls State, and when they pick me up, have new experiences and stories to share with them. Thank you for considering me as a Girls State representative. I know if I am selected, I will represent the American Auxiliary Legion with pride and respect throughout the week and long after that.

Ethics in Banking Essay Example

Ethics in Banking Essay Example Ethics in Banking Essay Example Ethics in Banking Essay Example Banks are financial institutions the main function of which can be generalized to the creation of wealth. The performance of any banking institution in the world is measured by their capacity to maximize the financial base. It means that banks are evaluated on how they set their monetary policies to maximize financial assets in the given periods of time. The banking industry is the most important industry in controlling every aspect of the world economy. The reason is that governments, non-governmental organizations, as well as the general population, entirely rely on banks for any financial operation. Banks simply control the world. Therefore, the question of ethics in the banking industry is essential to analyze their great responsibility. The essay seeks to examine ethics in banking in relation to the government. It is especially focused on the takeover of banking by the government. The paper also points out the consequences when banks do not follow the ethical code of conduct. Banking ethics simply refer to ethical or moral principles that a certain bank may choose to follow. These ethics guide a bank during its operations. In banking ethics, there is no one universal code of ethics that has been set. Thus, banks have the right to set up their own ethical conducts. It is then their task to try and appeal to customers, partners, as well as investors. Banks go through the verification of partners and investors to determine their ethical standing. Thus, investors venture into banks with ethics on mind. Ethical banking seeks to establish an ethical bank. Ethical bank is the one where investors should not run a business not taking bank’s ethics into account. It also means that a bank seeks not to compromise its ethical policies and standings. It does not accept any investment that is against ethics. Ethical banking promotes investment opportunities that encourage social and environmental enterprises. Ethical Banking and the Government The banking industry is faced with several ethical questions in its operations. There are also different consequences as far as these policies are concerned. There are a lot of economic, social, and environmental issues arising in this century. It means that the banking industry has to make a lot of ethical decisions, especially as far as government control is concerned. The financial crisis that occurred between 2008 and 2011 was caused by the banking sector. The reason is that it is a section of the economy that is responsible for controlling all financial investments in it. Governments all over the world were left collecting the pieces of a broken economic structure (Labaton Sucharow LLP, 2012). It raises great concern for ethical principles that governments should stick. Independence in the banking industry was responsible for this crisis because governments could lend and borrow money without any limitation from state banks. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the banking indu stry in detail as far as ethics are concerned. Much work has to be done to estimate ethics in banking for its effectiveness. Citizens of different countries have been left discussing on whether governments should apply monetary policies fully to control baking institutions across the globe after the financial crisis of 2008. However, there are many implications and factors to consider before one is to come to a proper conclusion. The survey that was carried out in the United States of America on whether governments should control their operations proves that employees have a different point of view on the problem. About 20 percent of employees in the banking industry feel that they would break the law if they can access insider trading that would make them millionaires. About 25 percent of all employees have experienced misconduct in the past and have not reported on it. The most astonishing statistics in the survey show that 40 percent of the interviewed employees said that to make it, the banking industry required illegal and unethical conduct. It specifically shows how those employed in the banking sect or feel about ethical banking. The statistics can still be applied today, but it was rather strong in the years prior to the financial crisis. Thus, the issue of ethical banking is critical (Wehinger, 2013). The scandals that have occurred in the banking sector in the past have further questioned the ability of the banking industry to stick to the ethical code. Such scandals include a serious scandal when several traders from banks across the world colluded to manipulate banking rates. These interbank lending rates determine what millions of people in different countries pay for their mortgages. They also determine profits that people receive from their savings in individual banks. Such a scandal plays a major role in creating a low level of confidence in the banking sector as unethical one. It also questions the role of the government in these matters. For such a scandal to happen, the supervision and regulation of an individual government must have been poor or even unavailable. The presence of scandals in these reputable financial organizations shows that the financial sector has performed cynical and even destructive actions. Too many of these actions actually threaten the lives of c itizens across the globe. The reason is that banks are responsible for the control of resources to individual citizens and even the government. It may lead to the misallocation of funds and resources, financial crises, as well as negative or low returns and interests of pension funds. The public has shown cynicism and anger towards the banking industry in the previous decades. Especially, it happens after the misappropriation of funds such as poor investment of pension funds to obtain negative returns. Different economic researchers have accused the banking industry of disregarding the clients’ interests and even denigrating them. Different clients have also noted that banks advised people to invest in products and stocks, of which other companies were trying to get rid. The reason is that the partners themselves and stakeholders undertake investment projects that have potential profits. Therefore, the code of ethics for banks in terms of putting their clients ahead of organizational gain is actually a hoax. It does not mean that banks should not be profit-making investments. However, they should not make money at the expense of their clients. The main objectives of banks are to assist clients in savings, investments, and lending. Therefore, they must make their profits from service charges and interest rates (Bryfonski, 2010). Rather than targeting the client’s savings, they should develop ways to assist the client in making financial decisions to invest savings in profitable ventures. Therefore, the concept of an ethical bank has not become a reality. Government intervention has taken place in the banking industry. In every economy, there are banks and other financial institutions that are privately owned as well as a central bank or a reserve bank is controlled by the government. The government bank or the reserve bank acts as a controller of interests and the flow of currency in the economy. For example, in the United States, the Federal Reserve Bank controls the lending rates of commercial banks. It determines the interest rates that commercial banks charge to their customers. Governments also control the flow of currency from commercial banks to the public. The aim of it is to control inflation as well as the value of currency. Government control is also available in specific banking institutions. The government sets specific laws for commercial banks, which they have to follow. The government is not engaged in the control of other banking operations. Thus, the banking industry is independent in terms of its dealing with clien ts. It is evident in the lack of uniformity in the industry. Different banks have different lending rates, mortgage interest rates, as well as the terms of service (Groarke, 1998). The lack of total control of the banking industry raises the question of public welfare. The public’s trust in the banking industry has been lost after the financial crisis. That is why banks have attempted to make several changes to gain it back. For example, several banks have tried to reduce their exposure to risks through deleveraging of assets, coming up with effective risk models, and reducing shadow banking activities. Banks are now focused on gaining back their home markets rather than competing with each other in the global market. In some countries, the government has intervened to create two separate banking entities, dividing into investment banking and retail banking. It has put retail banks away from the risks faced by investment banks. Thus, retail banks are now safely back, offering savings, credits, and other financial services. On the other hand, investment banks have focused only on offering investment advices instead of financial services. However, economis ts and bankers who support universal banking do not agree on this form of banking control (Reynolds Newell, 2011). They say that the fact that the government has separated these two activities does not necessarily mean better management in the banking sector. They believe that the solution lies not in government control but better risk modeling and financial signals. There are also different ways in which governments have decided to control banking operations. Several governments, especially in free trade areas, such as Europe, have joined to set new laws in banking. The main objective of these laws is to increase liquidity and capital requirements for commercial banks. Governments coordinate these requirements in an international setting. The laws are set to adopt more binding and tougher capital regulations in order to improve the risk management of these banks. Earlier on, before the financial crisis, the public saw the banking sector as a too big enterprise to fail. It was not the case of the financial crisis of 2008. Now, government efforts aim at reducing this threat. The laws are intended to make stakeholders in the banking industry realize that banking is an investment like no other and requires particular attention. The laws encourage individual banks to evaluate their ethical code of conduct to create a universal banking sector (Wehinge r, 2013). Other individuals in the banking industry have undertaken different programs to regulate banks. The main form of bank control is the limit of banks to home markets. It is done to prevent penetration from international markets. However, this form of control is not effective as banks are not free to invest in other regions. These regions could have scarce liquidity. Therefore, in this case, investment in other countries would be a flow of healthy capital. It is not an effective action in the banking industry that is struggling to recover after the financial crisis. The freedom of banks to invest in foreign markets has provided them a chance to stabilize due to the flow of healthy capital. Control weakens the banking system further. Government control in this case is safe, but it does not give the opportunity for investors to venture into new markets and take risks (Bryfonski, 2010). Total control of the banking industry is not quite effective. The government should not struggle to overtake private commercial banks and undertake banking operations itself. The main essence of private banking in the global market is to undertake investments. The meaning of investment is a venture that involves risks. Banks are enterprises that can venture into any investment freely because they have available capital to invest at the right time. The only reason why partners decide to start a bank is to get into investment activities at any time in any region. There are no investments without risks. Banks are themselves a risky investment. Most citizens feel that investment banks attempt to find enough capital and the right risk models for the global market. Banks give the public a chance to invest in the global market. The government is supposed to act as a welfare agent for its citizens. In banking, the government aims at ensuring that it protects the public from exploitation by b anks. Therefore, it means that the government cannot encourage risky investments. If a client were to lose his/her money in an investment, the government as a welfare agent and the bank should cover the risks. It simply implies that the government cannot protect the public and advise them to risk their funds at the same time. Instead of fully control banks, the government should engage in a healthy bank regulation. It means that governments have to set a universal ethical code of conduct to guide all banks. Afterwards, governments should observe banks more closely to ensure that they adhere to the code of conduct. After all, the public is involved in risky investments in banking of own free will. The role of the government is to ensure that banks are not responsible for causing another financial crisis (Bryfonski, 2010). The government should employ the best economic analysts to give advice to commercial banks and the whistleblowers of illegal and unethical conduct at the same time. Thus, the government must act only as a regulatory body to maintain control on standards in banks. It will prevent the notion too big to fall that exists in the banking industry. This notion holds that the financial sector, especially commercial banks, has too much control over the international economy. As a result, it cannot fail without adverse effects on the economy. Therefore, the government always supports commercial banks on the brink of their collapse. The government acts as a bailout for these banks to avoid bankruptcy. Analysts believe that it would prevent the failure of the system. The government should have different regulatory measures to control the banking industry in order to prevent a repeat of the financial crisis, as well as the protection of public exploitation by bankers. The first method of control that has failed in the past is the minimum requirement. It is a method of regulation when the government requires commercial banks to maintain a minimum capital ratio. It is done to ensure that banks do not over-borrow or lend more money than they can maintain. At the beginning of the global economic recession, commercial banks held little money in their reserves. Somehow, banks in the US found a leeway to determine the one responsible for their supervision and regulation. The main aim of the minimum requirements is to promote the objectives of the regulatory body. In this case, the federal government should control the minimum requirement in order to control the exposure of certain sectors of commercial banks to risks. It acts as a protective measure. It ensures that commercial banks can maintain their capital ratios even in times of economic downfall. In this case, the government should not intervene to bail out collapsing banks. This method of regulatio n has failed for commercial banks in the country. For this reason, the government had to control some of the smaller banks, which had not maintained their capital requirements during the financial crisis (Wehinger, 2013). Large banks were controlling most after giving loans to the smaller ones. The government had to get money from the public reserve to bail out the banks. In regulation, the government should make sure that it will not happen in the future. They should engage in better regulatory and supervisory methods to ensure that every bank maintains its capital ratio requirements. The government also acts as a supervisory body. This method of regulation has failed in the past. The government issues a bank license to commercial banks so that they could carry out banking operations. The government also goes ahead and supervises the activities of a bank. When applying for a bank license, applicants present their ethical guidelines. Moreover, there are other requirements that banks should fulfill before procuring the license. The government as a regulatory body ensures that the requirements are met in different ways. They include giving directions on the right action, obtaining undertakings from commercial banks, revoking the banking license, and imposing penalties. The government has failed to supervise commercial banks effectively. It has led to non-compliance with the requirements. Banks have also found a leeway in going against the supervisory body. It has resulted in activities against their ethical code of conduct. The government ends up assisting banks with problems that could be easily avoided. Thus, the government should not seek how to control banks but rather supervise their operations effectively. This way, banks will adhere to their requirements, thus operating effectively (Reynolds Newell, 2011). The Federal Reserve Bank requires that each bank reports and discloses its annual financial information. This information and other details should also be available from the bank any time the Federal Reserve Bank requires it. Before the financial crisis of 2008, the government did not audit commercial banks. It trusted that their financial information was correct. It gave banks a chance to doctor their books of accounting. Later, the Federal Reserve Bank found out that banks were in different financial positions that they actually reported. It was a great risk for depositors and creditors who assessed wrong information in determining the level of risks when making investment decisions (Groarke, 1998). It means that banks could have a chance to go against a key ethical requirement, market discipline. Market discipline ensures that there is control over prices as well as lending rates in the market. Without market discipline, market prices are distorted. The market also lacks financial health. Besides, the government cannot use information on market prices to indicate the real financial health of commercial banks. In the process of regulation, regulatory bodies have made amends to secure commercial banks. The persistence of major financial scandals clearly shows that commercial bank regulation has a long way to go. The government has to develop new approaches aimed at bringing back trust in the banking industry. Commercial banks should also apply general logic in their operations. Most commercial banks do not adhere to their ethical code as far as compensation and pay are concerned. The government has made interventions in the industry to improve the economic situation that favor commercial banks. However, compensation and pay for bankers does not help make banking a better industry. Most people feel that bankers are unfairly rewarded rather than punished. The banking industry does not impose the right penalties for those in the industry (Reynolds Newell, 2011). The perfect example is a manager receiving huge bonuses in good times as well as bad times. Managers can reap maximum rewards in times of credit crunches that is unfair for the financial sector. It shows that the banking industry is ready to absorb any economic gains easily. However, they run back to the government in times of economic downfall to bail them out. The government has bailed out banks from the financial crisis. Among these banks, there are managers and directors who reaped millions from the crisis. In this case, governments should leave banks to collapse rather than bail them out. The reason is that investors in banks have given their management the chance to take advantage of their investments. Commercial banks should also regulate their operations to avoid running back to the government after their collapse (Groarke, 1998). The fact that regulators have focused on making banks more efficient and transparent shows that the financial sector can improve. However, the government has paid little attention to the improvement of the sector for maximum benefits to the society in general. Banking has failed to fulfill its social function. The government has only focused on the financial part of banking with financial models and investment advices. Nevertheless, ethical banking involves the society and the bank’s environment. Banks should base their evaluation on real outcomes in the society. These include safety, access, performance, fairness, trust, and accountability. It will ensure financial health as well as social welfare. Every commercial bank will struggle to understand the market not only in terms of the economy but also as a society. Policymakers and regulators should realize that failure in the market at the level of institutions affects the society as a whole. The question is not whether the go vernment controls banks fully or not. Rather, it is what the government is doing to improve the market at the institutional level, which will translate down to ordinary financial users (Reynolds Newell, 2011). The notion that banks are too big financial sectors to fall is particularly selective. Only three decades ago, the global economy did not depend on banking. Banking played a minor role in it. Financial institutions were not in the list of major industries in different economies. However, it has changed drastically with changes in investments. Today, every economy in the world fully depends on the health of its banking sector. Overreliance on the financial markets poses the question of whether banks should be listed as basic utilities, such as electricity or water. The response to this question is in the trust that people are ready to give to financial markets. It is vital for the systems, which depend on trust, to work. The public heavily relies on banks to take care of financial savings. Their importance cannot be overestimated. Therefore, it is the role of the government to come up with regulatory measures to ensure that the banking sector is healthy. It does not imply that the gov ernment has to take over banking entirely. Rather, it means that the government should give banks freedom to invest and, at the same time, regulate their operations to avoid collapse (Groarke, 1998). Regulators should support collapsing banks only when banks really require it. It means that the carelessness of managers and investors is not a reason for bailing out. The government must also provide investment advice to the public. Economic experts have recently come up with principles to guarantee that the government can protect the public from commercial banks. It will ensure that commercial banks run as independent entities and fully assist the society. These principles will also improve disclosure, transparency, as well as responsibility, as far as ethical conduct is concerned with providing financial services. Moreover, they will make certain that the public is not a victim of misconduct of bankers. The principles aim to restore trust that is not achievable unless investors and customers feel secure about the banking sector. It is now the role of the government and banking authorities to adopt and follow the principles. This way, the global economy will stay ahead in matters of development to prevent any other crisis. The point that the government should completely absorb commercial banks will not assist in providing financial health. It will discourage risky investment and healthy competition in the marke t.

Internet safety & appropriate use of digital technology Essay

Internet safety & appropriate use of digital technology - Essay Example It goes without a word that the societies have become a global village, with the support of the vast technologies that allow people to socialize, share, create, and manipulate available digital information and images across the globe. These substantial benefits in the current digital age have however, propelled numerous irregularities ranging from illegal to unethical conducts, such as unauthorized copying and reproduction of copyrighted works, cyber and computer crimes, irresponsible postings of online contents, invasion of privacy, and unsafe use of the digital information and technology (James et al, 2009). To avoid and prevent all those factors, while promoting effective use of the technology, the society (both adults and the young generation) needs adequate information to guide them on what can and cannot do. Using Copyrighted Work Technology through the use of binary digits has enabled production of replicas of original works of authors. Because the modern computers are very ad vanced, people and especially students find it very easy to locate written materials and copy them in their assignments, or compile them as reports of their work. Very genuinely, some do not have the idea behind the copyright law and the penalties associated; but others have overlooked the legitimacy of the copyright protections, to accomplish their activities at the expense of the others (authors). According to Popek, copyrights protections exist where a work has been created (whether, music, artwork, written books, magazines, films, and software among others) by an author and demonstrates his or her creativity, besides having being recorded and proved to be original; as such, copyright law makes it legal to sue any persons or companies for criminal charges, if they acted against the author’s wish (which could be unauthorized copying, creating replicas, sharing or viewing on other grounds) (2011). All the published works are always protected by the copyright law, and unless the author authorizes certain activities, the people accessing the copyrighted work are bound to use it according to what the law specifies. It therefore becomes important to acknowledge the author when documenting one’s work, if at all there exists a replica of a part or the whole of the copyrighted work. An original work is someone’s intellectual property; hence the society is obliged to respect that and access the services through a legal process, such as buying and using the legal opportunities provided by the author of the work, otherwise if law is enforced, the violations are harshly charged for the crime. The people, especially students and those who deal with documentations need to refer their borrowed ideas and quotations to the authors of the published work, in appreciation and with respect to the law. It saves them from engaging in plagiarism and directs them towards building their own original work with authenticity. Safe use of the technologies is a matter of self-discipline to behave as supposed, whether being observed or not. Knowing that, students with advanced technological devices, such as enabled cameras and internets in their smart phones can avoid cheating and plagiarism, because even available systems can detect copies of published work. Privacy Dealing with information technology

Technology in Zara Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Technology in Zara - Term Paper Example This study discusses that Zara’s strategy is to focus on the popularity that has been achieved on its consumers rather that popularizing the less recognized stock. The managers are accorded outstanding obligation to determine the products that would have a positive implication on the revenue that would be generated by the company. The desire to trust these employees with the principal decision has led to the generation of the realized profit because the company does not dictate the available merchandize, but have an indirect link to consumers through the manager. An added strategy to regulate the revenue spent is realized in the reduction of advertising fees as the company fails to engage in the process. This strategy is applied in creating a modernized store to attract the customers because of the position in the urban centers that require better display. Zara applied a consistent procedure to ensure its goals are attained, and a wider market niche satisfied. These were categ orized into simpler units.This paper outlines that orders were placed to La Coruna on a two times weekly basis. This ensured that the required items that were on demand delivered to customers and the managers applied a system that checked on the deliveries through a dial-up modem system. Fulfillment was achieved through checking for orders that the customers had been engaged in consuming updating the manuals to satisfy the ordered merchandize.... The managers are accorded outstanding obligation to determine the products that would have a positive implication on the revenue that would be generated by the company. The desire to trust these employees with the principal decision has led to the generation of the realized profit because the company does not dictate the available merchandize, but have an indirect link to consumers through the manager. An added strategy to regulate the revenue spent is realized in the reduction of advertising fees as the company fails to engage in the process. This strategy is applied in creating a modernized store to attract the customers because of the position in the urban centers that require better display. Zara applied a consistent procedure to ensure its goals are attained, and a wider market niche satisfied. These were categorized into simpler units. Orders were placed to La Coruna on a two times weekly basis. This ensured that the required items that were on demand delivered to customers and the managers applied a system that checked on the deliveries through a dial-up modem system. Fulfillment was achieved through checking for orders that the customers had been engaged in consuming updating the manuals to satisfy the ordered merchandize. Value Chain Designing and manufacturing ensured that the latest fashion had been implemented, and a wider collection maintained in stock. The design established the trend within the market to alter the merchandize that would sell more to the clients predicting the future pattern of the goods. This made sure that Zara had stayed with the competitors to capture the consumer market that appreciated the latest trend of items. The

The Base Catalysed Transesterification Mechanism Biology Essay

The Base Catalysed Transesterification Mechanism Biology Essay The transesterification reaction is base catalyzed. Any strong base capable of deprotonating the alcohol will do (e.g. NaOH, KOH,  Sodium methoxide, etc.). Commonly the base (KOH, NaOH) is dissolved in the alcohol to make a convenient method of dispersing the otherwise solid catalyst into the oil. The ROH needs to be very dry. Any water in the process promotes the saponification reaction, thereby producing salts of fatty acids (soaps) and consuming the base, and thus inhibits the transesterification reaction. Once the alcohol mixture is made, it is added to the triglyceride. The reaction that follows replaces the alkyl group on the triglyceride in a series of steps. The carbon on the ester of the triglyceride has a slight positive charge, and the  carbonyl  oxygens have a slight negative charge. This polarization of the C=O bond is what attracts the RO-  to the reaction site. R1 Polarized attraction | RO- -> C=O | O-CH2-CH-CH2-O-C=O | | O-C=O R3 | R2 This yields a  tetrahedral intermediate  that has a negative charge on the former carbonyl oxygen: R1 | RO-C-O- (pair of electrons) | O-CH2-CH-CH2-O-C=O | | O-C=O R3 | R2 These electrons then fall back to the carbon and push off the  diacylglycerol  forming the ester. R1 | RO-C=O + -O-CH2-CH-CH2-O-C=O | | O-C=O R3 | R2 Then two more RO groups react via this mechanism at the other two C=O groups. This type of reaction has several limiting factors. RO-  has to fit in the space where there is a slight positive charge on the C=O. MeO- works well because it is small in size. As the chain length of the RO- group increases, reaction rates decrease. This effect is called  steric hindrance. This effect is a primary reason the short chain alcohols, methanol and ethanol, are typically used. There are several competing reactions, so care must be taken to ensure the desired reaction pathway occurs. Most methods do this by using an excess of RO-. The acid-catalyzed method is a slight variant that is also affected by steric hindrance. ACID CATALYSED: The reaction kinetics of acid-catalyzed transesterification of waste frying oil in excess methanol to form fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), for possible use as biodiesel, was studied. Rate of mixing, feed composition (molar ratio oil:methanol:acid) and temperature were independent variables. There was no significant difference in the yield of FAME when the rate of mixing was in the turbulent range 100 to 600  rpm. The oil:methanol:acid molar ratios and the temperature were the most significant factors affecting the yield of FAME. At 70  Ã‚ °C with oil:methanol:acid molar ratios of 1:245:3.8, and at 80  Ã‚ °C with oil:methanol:acid molar ratios in the range 1:74:1.9-1:245:3.8, the transesterification was essentially a pseudo-first-order reaction as a result of the large excess of methanol which drove the reaction to completion (99 ±1% at 4  h). In the presence of the large excess of methanol, free fatty acids present in the waste oil were very rapidly converted to methyl est ers in the first few minutes under the above conditions. Little or no monoglycerides were detected during the course of the reaction, and diglycerides present in the initial waste oil were rapidly converted to FAME. Industrial methods Batch process Preparation: care must be taken to monitor the amount of water and  free fatty acids  in the incoming biolipid (oil or fat). If the free fatty acid level or water level is too high it may cause problems with soap formation (saponification) and the separation of the glycerin by-product downstream. Catalyst is dissolved in the alcohol using a standard agitator or mixer. The alcohol/catalyst mix is then charged into a closed reaction vessel and the biolipid (vegetable or animal oil or fat) is added. The system from here on is totally closed to the atmosphere to prevent the loss of alcohol. The reaction mix is kept just above the  boiling point  of the alcohol (around 70  °C, 158  °F) to speed up the reaction though some systems recommend the reaction take place anywhere from  room temperature  to 55  °C (131  °F) for safety reasons. Recommended reaction time varies from 1 to 8 hours; under normal conditions the reaction rate will double with every 10  °C increase in reaction temperature. Excess alcohol is normally used to ensure total conversion of the fat or oil to its esters. The glycerin phase is much denser than biodiesel phase and the two can be gravity  separated  with glycerin simply drawn off the bottom of the  settling  vessel. In some cases, a  centrifuge  is used to separate the two materials faster. Once the glycerin and biodiesel phases have been separated, the excess alcohol in each phase is removed with a  flash evaporationprocess or by distillation. In other systems, the alcohol is removed and the mixture neutralized before the  glycerin  and esters have been separated. In either case, the alcohol is recovered using  distillation  equipment and is re-used. Care must be taken to ensure no water accumulates in the recovered alcohol stream. The glycerin by-product contains unused catalyst and soaps that are neutralized with an acid and sent to storage as crude glycerin (water and alcohol are removed later, chiefly using  evaporation, to produce 80-88% pure glycerin). Once separated from the glycerin, the biodiesel is sometimes purified by washing gently with warm water to remove residual catalyst or soaps, dried, and sent to storage. Supercritical process An alternative, catalyst-free method for transesterification uses  supercritical  methanol at high temperatures and pressures in a continuous process. In the supercritical state, the oil and methanol are in a single phase, and reaction occurs spontaneously and rapidly.[6]  The process can tolerate water in the feedstock, free fatty acids are converted to methyl esters instead of soap, so a wide variety of feedstocks can be used. Also the catalyst removal step is eliminated.  High temperatures and pressures are required, but energy costs of production are similar or less than catalytic production routes. Ultra- and high-shear in-line and batch reactors Ultra- and High Shear in-line or batch reactors allow production of biodiesel continuously, semi- continuously, and in batch-mode. This drastically reduces production time and increases production volume. The reaction takes place in the high-energetic shear zone of the Ultra- and High Shear mixer by reducing the droplet size of the immiscible liquids such as oil or fats and methanol. Therefore, the smaller the droplet size the larger the surface area the faster the catalyst can react. Ultrasonic-reactor method In the ultrasonic reactor method, the ultrasonic waves cause the reaction mixture to produce and collapse bubbles constantly. This cavitation provides simultaneously the mixing and heating required to carry out the transesterification process. Thus using an ultrasonic reactor for biodiesel production drastically reduces the reaction time, reaction temperatures, and energy input. Hence the process of transesterification can run inline rather than using the time consuming batch processing. Industrial scale ultrasonic devices allow for the industrial scale processing of several thousand barrels per day. Microwave method Current research is being directed into using commercial microwave ovens to provide the heat needed in the transesterification process.The microwaves provide intense localized heating that may be higher than the recorded temperature of the reaction vessel. A continuous flow process producing 6 liters/minute at a 99% conversion rate has been developed and shown to consume only one-fourth of the energy required in the batch process.Although it is still in the lab-scale, development stage, the microwave method holds great potential to be an efficient and cost-competitive method for commercial-scale biodiesel production. Lipase-catalyzed method Large amounts of research have focused recently on the use of enzymes as a catalyst for the transesterification. Researchers have found that very good yields could be obtained from crude and used oils using lipases. The use of lipases makes the reaction less sensitive to high FFA content which is a problem with the standard biodiesel process. One problem with the lipase reaction is that methanol cannot be used because it inactivates the lipase catalyst after one batch. However, if methyl acetate is used instead of methanol, the lipase is not in-activated and can be used for several batches, making the lipase system much more cost effective. ADVANCES: The project funded by a federal grant, aims at finding a production system that is affordable. Steve Bond, Blue Sun Energys marketing manager CLAIMS that it costs about $20 a gallon to produce biodiesel out of algae at the present and the com[anys aim is to get the costs down to under $2 a gallon. The company believes that it has already made advances in biodiesel production that makes it greener and more versatile than other production methods on the market. The company says its product reduces emissions of pollutants including global warming gases like nitrogen oxide. According to the company, many biodiesels products actually increase nitrogen oxide emissions. Blue Sun Energy also claims its additive helps boost fuel economy by seven per cent, reduce wear in fleet vehicles and even improve performance in cold-weather conditions. SUMMARY: The importance of biodiesel as a renewable and economically viable alternative to fossil diesel for applications in compression ignition (CI) engines has led to intense research in the field over the last two decades. This is predominantly due to the depletion of petroleum resources, and increasing awareness of environmental and health impacts from the combustion of fossil diesel. Biodiesel is favoured over other biofuels because of its compatibility with present day CI engines, with no further adjustments required to the core engine configurations when used in either neat or blended forms. Studies conducted to date on various CI engines fuelled with varying biodiesel types and blends under numerous test cycles have shown that key tailpipe pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, aromatics, sulphur oxides, unburnt hydrocarbons and particulate matters are potentially reduced. The effects of biodiesel on nitrogen oxides emission require further tests and validations. The improvement in mos t of the diesel emission species comes with a trade-off in a reduction of brake power and an increase in fuel consumption. Biodiesels lubricating properties are generally better than those of its fossil diesel counterpart, which result in an increased engine life. These substantial differences in engine-out responses between biodiesel and fossil diesel combustion are mainly attributed to the physical properties and chemical composition of the fuels. Despite the purported benefits, widespread adoption of biodiesel usage in CI engines is hindered by outstanding technical challenges, such as low temperature inoperability, storage instabilities, in-cylinder carbon deposition and fuel line corrosion. It is imperative that these issues are addressed appropriately to ensure that long-term biodiesel usage in CI engines does not negatively affect the overall engine durability. Possible solutions range from biodiesel fuel reformulation through feedstock choice and production technique, to the simple addition of fuel additives. This calls for a more strategic and comprehensive research effort internationally, with an overarching approach for co-ordinating sustainable exploitation and utilisation of biodiesel. This review examines the combustion quality, exhaust emissions and tribological impacts of biodiesel on CI engines, with specific focus on the influence of biodiesels physico-chemical properties. Ongoing efforts in mitigating problems related to engine operations due to biodiesel usage are addressed. Present day biodiesel production methods and emerging trends are also identified, with specific focus on the conventional transesterification process wherein factors affecting its yield are discussed. REFRENCES: 1.Otera, J. Chem. Rev. 1993, 93, 1449. 2.Weissermel, K.; Arpe, H.-J. In Industrial Organic Chemistry, VCH Verlagsgesellschaft, 2 nd Ed., Weinhein, 1993, p 396. 3.Rehberg, C.E.; Fisher, C.H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1944, 66, 1203. 4.Rehberg, C.E.; Faucette, W.A.; Fisher, C.H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1944, 66, 1723. 5.Rehberg, C.E. Org. Synth. 1955, III, 146. 6.Haken, J.K. J. Appl. Chem. 1963, 13, 168. 7.Shishido, K.; Irie, O.; Shibuya, M. Tetrahedron Lett. 1992, 33, 4589. 8.Chavan, S.P.; Zubaidha, P.K.; Ayyangar, N.R. Tetrahedron Lett. 1992, 33, 4605. 9.Vatlas, I.; Harrison, I.T.; Tà ¶kà ©s, L.; Fried, J.H.; Cross, A.D. J. Org. Chem. 1968, 33, 4176. 10.Narasaka, K.; Yamaguchi, M.; Mukaiyama, T. Chem. Lett. 1977, 959. 11.Taft, R.W. Jr.; Newman, M.S.; Verhoek, F.H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1950, 72, 4511. 12.Billman, J.H.; Smith, W.T. Jr.; Rendall, J.L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1947, 69, 2058. 13.Haken, J.K. J. Appl. Chem. 1966, 16, 89. 14.Frank, R.L.; Davis, H.R. Jr.; Drake, S.S.; McPherson, J.B. Jr. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1944, 66, 1509. 15.Wulfman, D.

Islamic Studies †Death and Disease Essay

Death and disease occur all around us; they are universal human experiences. Muslims look upon death as a transitional phase between this life and the next. Since ‘the enjoyment of the present life is but little as compared with the hereafter’ a true Muslim shall not fear death. Death and disease are both necessary methods of biological control, without which problems such as overpopulation would be widespread. They also allow us to appreciate life and good health respectively, without which our society is likely to take a lot more for granted. The classic theistic view of this life being a test by God is one upheld by Muslims. In perspective of this, disease is principally viewed as one of the ways of carrying out this test – the ultimate reward for which being paradise. A practical utopia in which there is no suffering would lead to a world of automata; one in which our freedom would be undermined and thus nullifying the test for which we were placed on earth. Those of us who abuse this freedom and live for this life alone shall be punished by Allah, some remaining in hell for eternity. This can be seen by some to conflict with God’s mercy as it may seem harsh, however Muslims take the view that it is necessary so as to differentiate fully between good and evil, awarding each only what they deserve. Disease can be one of the means of coming to death and is an experience that comes to us all. It can be seen to have several purposes depending on the circumstances. The following verse illustrates Muslim’s views on life being a test: â€Å"He who has created death and life that he might try you-which of you is best in deeds.† In order to be tested we must undergo hardship- disease being one example. Those with patience and who affirm their faith whilst saying as all who are suffering should: â€Å"Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return† are those who will have succeeded in the test. Those who blame Allah and result in blasphemy or kufr are those who will have failed. This test is essential as it allows differentiation between the latter and the former. The word test in Arabic can also mean misfortune, an example of which being disease, which has other purposes besides being a test. Yet only Allah is able to assess these purposes and thus we are only able to make generalised comments. For the believer, disease or more generally misfortune is a bounty from Allah as it can be a means of purification of sins and also enduring disease increases our reward. The prophet was reported to have said: ‘You are not a believer until you see misfortune to be a bounty and good fortune to be undesirable’ This is because many of those who are given the ‘illusory’ pleasures of this life stray from the right path, for as we know ‘power corrupts.’ All misfortune to believers is of benefit. A Muslim scholar was reported to have said. â€Å"God did not cause disease upon a Muslim in this life but that it will be of benefit to him.† Thus it is common that Allah gives Muslims the most misfortune, they are suffering from disease in all parts of the world- yet it shall be of benefit to them. Yet why are those non-believers not usually tested equally? It is because they have already failed in their test- Satan needs not spend time with those who are already corrupt. The Prophet peace be upon him was reported to have said: â€Å"The greater Allah’s love for a person the harder is his test† Thus there is a hierarchy of misfortune, the greatest being upon the greatest of us, notably the prophets. Yet for the disbeliever the hereafter begins to manifest itself in this life. Disease can be seen as a just punishment brought upon by themselves: â€Å"And whatever misfortune befalls you, is due to what your own hands have wrought† A contemporary example of this being the sexually transmitted diseases present in today’s ever-increasing promiscuous society. Surely AIDS and the like of it were brought about by ‘their own hands’? However, the above verse does not apply to true Muslims as the following explains: When Ali, son of Hussein-the grandson of the Prophet, was taken to Yazid to be tortured by him, Yazid said â€Å"And whatever misfortune†¦.hands† Ali replied, â€Å"This verse is not concerning us (me), that which is regarding us is ‘There befalls no misfortune either in the earth or in your own persons, but it is recorded in a Book before We bring it into being’ † Thus Muslims are expected to be patient and to endure disease. Islam has taken various measures to help those with disease. The Quran rightly says, â€Å"There is no inconvenience for the sick.† This is reflected in the fact that those who are ill do not need to fast, those who have a bad leg may sit whilst praying and many other examples. Others with disease should be treated with sympathy, compassion and kindness. Yet the disease of physiological bearing is insignificant when compared with the misfortune that is the spiritual disease. Those who are ‘ill’ from within are thus also suffering from disease, yet their disease is one of choice. The Quran describes those who are spiritually sick in the following way: â€Å"In their hearts was a disease, and Allah has increased their disease.† Death is an experience that all of us will go through, as Allah reiterates in the holy Qur’an on three separate occasions: â€Å"Every soul shall taste of death† Muslims believe that every person on earth is given a specific time in which to live, thus ‘no person can die except by Allah’s leave- a decree with a fixed term.’ With this in mind, Muslims should not fear the future. If a person’s time has come, there is no evading Azrai’l, the angel of death: â€Å"Say, ‘If you had remained in your homes, surely those who on whom death had been enjoined would have gone forth to their deathbeds.† With the belief that our lives are not our own possessions and that only Allah has the right to take life from us, homicide, suicide and euthanasia are forbidden in Islam. Also, excessive mourning and lavish graves are also forbidden. Yet how can Muslims believe in life after death? Is it possible that after decaying in the earth we can be brought back to life? There are many ways in which this belief may be justified. One way takes the form of an experimental argument entirely based on physical research, John Hick suggests that â€Å"even if we discount the entire range of physical phenomena it remains true that the best cases of trance utterance are puzzling, and taken at face value are indicative of survival and communication after death.â €  There are also countless philosophical arguments notably in Plato’s Phaedo or in the works of Socrates that may also account for the practicability of resurrection. Yet the argument presented in the Quran, in my opinion, is the most direct and feasible. The argument put forward in surat Yasin is self-explanatory: â€Å"Does not man see that We have created him from a mere sperm drop? Yet lo! He is an open quarreller†¦. He says ‘Who can resurrect the bones when they are decayed?† Say, ‘He who created them the first time will resurrect them†¦ Verily his command when he intends a thing is only that He says to it, ‘Be’ and it is.† Death signifies the end of our worldly life. It is the parting of the material and non- material forms; the body and the soul. The soul, or al-Nafs, differentiates man from the rest of creation, constituting humans to be the ‘crown’ of Allah’s creation. Muslims believe that Allah only gi ves to us what is just, similarly our dying is a means of justice; for us and others. Death is a necessity and not just a reality, this is highlighted in the following hadith: Prophet Muhammad was reported to have said: â€Å"A tribe once approached the prophet of their time and said, ‘Pray to your Lord that death shall no longer be bestowed upon us. And so the prophet prayed and Allah no longer bestowed upon them death. As the years passed, the population grew until the houses became cramped and the generations many. Men were no longer able to go out and work as they spent their time feeding, washing and cleaning their parent, grand parents, great grand parents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ And so the tribe went back to their prophet and asked that he pray Allah return death and death was returned† Death can also be understood on different levels. Let us consider the following verse: â€Å"Only those who listen can accept. And as for the dead, Allah will raise them to life, then to Him shall they be brought back† Yet is not resurrection the same as being brought back to life? So why has Allah said that He ‘will raise them to life then to Him shall they be brought back.† The distinction here can be interpreted as meaning those who do not listen (to Allah), but are physically alive, are spiritually dead. Similarly those of whom one may think to be dead may also be alive: â€Å"Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of Allah as dead. Nay they are living in the presence of their Lord and are granted gifts from him.† For the believer, death can be seen as a purification of his sins, it is the last pain that a pious Muslim shall endure, but for the non-believer it is the first of an eternity of suffering. One Muslim scholar stated that for the true believer, ‘Death is a journey from a prison to a palace’, as â€Å"the life of this world is nothing but an illusory enjoyment† . Yet death can also be seen as a mercy for non-believers: â€Å"Death signifies a rest for he who obeyed his desires in this life, for surely the longer he lived the greater would be his punishment.† From the countenance of the angel of death, Azra’il, one can tell where he shall reside. It is said that upon death we are shown our position in heaven or hell. For the believer the soul will depart easily, however the non-believer says ‘My Lord, send me back that I may do righteous deeds in the life that I have left behind’ and the soul departs in a struggle. Yet death is an irrevocable barrier. It is true that our souls leave our bodies every night when we are asleep, yet ‘He retains those against which he has decreed death, and sends back the others till an appoi nted time.’ And so after our death we are unable to acquire any more reward, except, as the Prophet Muhammad said, â€Å"From three things are we able to obtain reward after our death; A charity, knowledge given to others and noble offspring. At death we are in a transition state between this life and the hereafter, known as al- Barzakh. The Quran describes those in the ‘Barzakh’ as being Sakra or in a state of stupor. There they will be questioned as to what they did in this life. Punishment or reward starts in this state yet in a non-material form until the Day of Judgement where both body and soul will be resurrected. The practical implications of death to a Muslim are that he must realise that life has a purpose; the hereafter. And thus Muslims should use their time on this earth as efficiently as possible, aiming to fulfil this purpose before the toll of death is upon us. This is reiterated by all the pious men of Islam. The fourth caliph, Ali Ibn Abu Talib’s (peace be upon him) words should be adhered to by all: â€Å"Live for this life as if you are to live forever, and live for the hereafter as if you were to die tomorrow.† To make full use of these implications, death should be constantly in our minds. To fully understand why Allah allows his servants to suffer from disease, we may consider other views on this topic. The problem of suffering has lead many to disbelieve In Allah. There are three main classic theistic views on this matter. One approach taken by Christian Science, according to its founder himself is that ‘Sin, disease, whatever seems real to material sense is unreal.’ The argument being that suffering does not really exist. Another approach put forward by Swinburne and Hick focuses on the notion that all evil is punishment which is justly inflicted by god. Another view, according to Alvin Platinga says that all suffering comes from the abuse of free will. With regards to disease he proposes that non-human persons have caused us disease by abusing their freedom. Yet all three views can be seen to be flawed. The first view, probably is the most ridiculous of all, and yet even i f ‘one could rationally defend this odd conclusion†¦even if evil is an illusion, it is a painful one and it is therefore false that evil is nothing but an illusion.’ The second approach being that all disease or suffering is a just punishment from God can also be challenged. D.Z. Phillips asks, â€Å"What then are we to say of the child that is dying from cancer?,† surely this cannot be deserved. The third approach seems much more feasible, and has some grounds in Islam. But is disease caused by angels who come down to earth and wreak havoc due to their abuse of free-will? This view by Platinga is one that has no basis in Islam. Islam has provided us with a synthesis of these views. As stated before, for the non-believer it can be punishment, for the believer it can be a test of faith or a purification of sins. It is also true that a world without suffering would render our purpose of life null. Disease also serves to emphasise, through contrast, good health. Thus it allows us to appreciate our times of good health more. Eternal hell is mentioned several times in the Quran and Muslims thus believe that some people will go to hell for eternity. Yet it is seen that this does not contradict Allah’s mercy for several key reasons. Allah is the most merciful but only to those who actively go about seeking his mercy, for Allah only helps those who help themselves. One who disobeys Allah’s orders cannot be expected to be shown as much mercy as those who are good Muslims. And yet it is not as if Allah has left us without direction and guidance. Every man and woman instinctively knows the difference between right and wrong, there are enough signs leading to Allah for â€Å"those who think and reflect† and Allah has sent down many prophets and scriptures to guide mankind. Any deviation is thus out of man’s own arrogance and thus should be punished deservingly. Hell for the sinners is also justice to those who did good in life, for if those that lived for the pleasures of the worldly life too went to heaven this would be a grave injustice to the pious amongst us. As opposite’s, heaven and hell serve to emphasise each other. Thus the prospect of hell acts as a deterrent preventing many from doing wrong and thus making the world a better place. Socrates goes one step further claiming that heaven comes from hell, â€Å"opposites come from opposites in the case of things which have an opposite.† Although the words of Socrates seem somewhat extreme, taken in a less literal sense, what he says has bearing on all that which we have discussed; Death, disease and hell. We may ask our selves, would there be death without life? Or would there be disease without good health? Or would there be hell without heaven? All of which Allah has bestowed upon us creating a perfect natural balance. Bibliography An introduction to the philosophy of religion by Brian Davies Islam by Rosalyn Kendrick Islamic Teaching Course, volume one by the IPCI Meezan Al-Hikmah volume 1,4 and 5(in Arabic) by Mohammed Shahristany Plato’s Phaedo by Plato Philosophy of Religion by John Hick Summa Theologiae by Aquinas The translation of the Holy Quran by Yusuf Ali Holy Quran, 9;38 Holy Quran, 67;3 Holy Quran, 2;157 Holy Quran, 42;31 Holy Quran, 57;23 Holy Quran, 24;62 Holy Quran, 2;11 Holy Quran, 3;186, 21;36, 29;58 Holy Quran, 3;155 Hick, J., Philosophy of Religion, p128 Holy Quran, 36;78-83 Holy Quran, 6;37 Holy Quran, 3;170 Holy Quran, 3;186 Holy Quran, 23;100 Holy Quran, 39;43 Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, Ia, 13,5. Davies, B., An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, 37 Ibid,37 Gallop (ed.), Plato’s Phaedo, 17ff

The Do This, Get That Guide On Health Argumentative Essay Topics

The Do This, Get That Guide On Health Argumentative Essay Topics Medicine is a rather delicate course. Age, health problems, and level of physical activity are merely a few elements that ought to be taken into account when writing a meal plan for an individual. You cannot create an argument if you don't take a stance and just add details about the given subject. The thing you ought to do to be able to structure an argumentative essay is to set a claim that's debatable. The main purpose of the death penalty is to decrease the quantities of abhorrent crimes on earth. You first have to pick a good topic with an argument, credible information to strengthen your viewpoint, a good stance on your side, and a great counter-argument that will help you sound less biased. What to Do About Health Argumentative Essay Topics You can't control anybody's opinion, and everyone is eligible to make their own choices, even if it has to do with smoking. If you would like to learn what an argum entative essay is, the very first thing you ought to remember is that its primary objective is to convince the audience to accept your viewpoint. In order to genuinely convince readers of your viewpoint, the argumentative essay must also appear at the opposing views. The primary reason why somebody is writing an argumentative essay is to make an effort to persuade or sway another man or woman or perhaps a group of men and women in your rightness in a particular theme. Should you need assistance with essay writing, feel free to get in touch with our friendly support group or place an order and we'll gladly help you. A standard argument raised against using school uniforms is it denies students an opportunity to totally express themselves. The very first step is where a lot of students become stuck. If you feel you require assistance with your written assignments it is preferable to request skilled help from online writing service. Key Pieces of Health Argumentative Essay Top ics Remember an argumentative essay is based more on facts instead of emotion. Argumentative writings is a particular sort of a paper. Argumentative essays utilize logic, facts, and reasoning to influence the victor. An argumentative essay is a sort of thesis or composition in which you have to present your view and endeavor to convince others your facts and arguments are correct. There are a few particular elements which are necessary in an argumentative essay. Normally, argumentative essays aren't similar to othertypes of essays. An argumentative essay is a certain kind of academic writing. Writing an argumentative essay can occasionally be confusing since you don't necessarily understand how to compose a convincing argument. If you're assigned to write an argumentative essay, you will need to be prepared to defend a particular point of view. Restate your thesis and provide an overview of the points you have argued on. The thesis gives you a guideline on how best to go about with writing the essay. Then you ought to endeavour to choose the right argumentative essay format. Life, Death and Health Argumentative Essay Topics You have lots of things to speak about in your essay! In choosing your topic, it's frequently a good notion to start with a subject which you already have some familiarity with. If you have the ability to settle on a topic that interests you, you'll have a whole lot easier time writing it since it's going to be more interesting and you won't be dying to quit working. When you're picking your topic, remember that it's much simpler to write about something which you presently have interest ineven in case you don't know a great deal about it. Details of Health Argumentative Essay Topics When it has to do with writing an argumentative essay, the most significant point to do is to select a topic and an argument which you can really get behind. Look through the list of topics cautiously and start making a mental collection of the evidence you are able to use on topics you want. The topic has to be interesting, the topic has to be essential and finally the topic has to be informative. You are going to want to make certain you decide on a topic that you're interested in. Argumentative essay topics are so important since they are debatableand it's essential to at all times be critically contemplating the world around us. If you're looking for argumentative essay examples here's a great one below. Locating good essay topics you could discuss effectively and create powerful argumentative essays is a tricky work. Writing a persuasive, argumentative essay can be challenging, and at times it can find a little confusing.