God’s Business Man Essay

A successful Christian business man may sound like an oxymoron, but that was R. G LeTourneau. He built big, powerful machinery that could do things that no other machine could do before, but he also believes that a Christian business man owes as much to God as a preacher does (LeTourneau, 1967). Mr. LeTourneau states, â€Å"God needs businessmen as partners as well as preachers† (1967). Imagine a man becoming a very successful Christian business man, the founder of LeTourneau University, and a leader of many missionary works. The proceeding essay will discuss the man, his faith, and my personal reflection of R. G. LeTourneau. R. G. LeTourneau-The Man- Robert Gilmour LeTourneau (November 30, 1888 – June 1, 1969) was born in Richford, Vermont. R. G. Letourneau had little interest in a formal education, and left school at the young age of fourteen. While working in Portland, Organ at the East Portland Iron Works, as a machinist, he studied mechanics from an International Correspondence School, but never finished. Although he did not earn a formal education he did become famously know for earthmoving machinery, which he was granted hundreds of patents for his inventions. The bulldozer, bridge spans, scrapers of all sorts, rollers, dump wagons, the electric wheel, logging equipment, portable cranes, and many others are examples of his revolutionary inventions. R. G. LeTourneau always had a positive attitude, and did not quit when he faced problems. He prayed about the issues, reviewed them, and continued to work hard until he resolved the problems. R. G. LeTourneau once said â€Å"The only difference between can and can’t is a little extra effort† (1967). R. G. LeTourneau- His Faith-Mr. LeTourneau was also known to be a Christian business man that was very generous. He was the founder of a private Christian university, LeTourneau University, in Longview, Texas as well as a philanthropist to many Christian causes. His life’s verse was Matthew 6:33: â€Å"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (1967). He was the fourth child with five brothers and three sisters, and he was described as a restless, impulsive, energetic, determined, ambitious, and a hard worker. He clashed most with his father as a young boy. Later in life LeTourneua married Evelyn Peterson, and helped raise four boys and one daughter. When R. G. LeTourneau turned 30 he dedicated his life to God and did so for the next fifty years. He was respected by his employees and business par tners as a Christian business man. He worked personally alongside his employees, at the controls of his machines, and closely with business partners at corporate meetings. Mr. LeTourneau practiced his faith and communicated it with his employees and others by publishing a paper called NOW, and it reached others worldwide spreading his Christian message. R. G. LeTourneau- My Personal Reflection-Mr. LeTourneau said â€Å"When I visualize a 150-ton crane, I want to see it lift 10 ton the next morning† (1967). I have the same personality traits as Mr. LeTourneau, which is being determined and ambitious. I understand his motivation and vision for inventing new machines. I am personally doing this in my current position at work. I help others by showing them a new way to do things, and assist them with the design and commissioning of the ideas we envision. Another quote from LeTourneau states â€Å"If you waste dollars for me, it’s not too serious- I can make that up. But don’t waste my time – it can’t be recalled† (1967). I understand this quote, because I have learned that my time is very important and time management is imperative for me to be successful in my life, both professionally and personally. I have learned that R. G. LeTourneau was an amazing person, and one of his most impressionable accomplishments was that he founded LeTourneau University. I am filled with joy that I have chosen to earn my business degree from LETU, because I will not only earn my business degree, but will also develop my relationship with God. In conclusion, R. G. LeTourneau â€Å"God’s Businessman† was truly an amazing person. He was a great inventor of earthmoving equipment as well as a generous Christian philanthropist. He founded a private Christian university named LeTourneau University, and conference grounds that carry his name. He believed that God came first and everything else will follow. Mr. LeTourneau was a hardworking man, who preferred to spend his time at the drawing board or spending time on the factory floor with his workers, than live the high-life with other successful businessmen. R. G. LeTourneau suffered a stroke in March 1969, which he never recovered from, and died on June 1, 1969. LeTourneau is known for his earth moving equipment, but will be remembered as â€Å"God’s Businessman†.

Importance of Teamwork

Discuss the Importance of Teamwork for the Systems Analyst A systems analyst is in charge of the operating system and associated subsystems. In addition, he is responsible for identifying alternatives for optimizing computer resources. This necessitates a joint action with other persons, whether they are internal clients or external. If the system analyst carries out efficient teamwork, and harmonizes the contributions of all clients towards an agreed objective, his efficiency will be far greater than individual accomplishment. Teamwork refers to the mutual effort by a group of persons for achieving a common goal.On the other hand the system analyst designs new IT systems to ameliorate business efficiency and productivity. The systems analyst need to present their designs to clients and once the design is approved; they work closely with the user team to launch the solution. To achieve this, the systems analyst needs to work closely with the customers, examine the business model bein g currently used by the business and the flow of information in the organization. His findings are discussed again with the customer team and he devises an apposite improved IT based solution.During his work, the system analyst also draws up the outline of the new system, finds out and estimates the cost and specifies how the client will use the information. At each of these steps the systems analyst is required to team up with the potential users and use such a teamwork behavior that will lead to better performance (U. S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006). The systems analyst usually has to evaluate and study the organizational culture of the client, he has to assess and understand the preferences of the team members of the client and review the current circumstances of the client organization.This is important for the systems analyst to liaison widely with the external or internal clients. For example, the systems analyst may have to liaison with the systems de alers to get the cost estimate correct and he has to liaison with the company managers to assess their needs correctly. The systems analyst has to translate client requirements into highly complex and detailed project briefs. This effort would not be possible unless he collaborated extensively with the users. This requires teamwork. Teamwork is also important because the systems analyst is often required to draw up proposals for modified or replacement systems.In addition, he is required to create logical and innovative solutions to complex problems. What the systems analyst is required to do is to identify options for potential solutions and evaluating them for both technical and business suitability. To draw up proposals for modified or replacement systems, teamwork is required to ascertain the preferences of the user team members. Further, to come up with logical and innovative solutions, the systems analyst must be able to get feedback from people outside the team.In short the s ystems analyst must be able to join forces with outside and inside people to successfully complete his project. While dealing with the client, the systems analyst must be able to get a wide range of views from the staff, peer groups, customers and senior management of the client organization, He must be able to take a wide outlook when he is setting behavioral goals for themselves. The systems analyst should improve the quality of these goals by joining forces the users and developers so that there is technical compatibility as well as client satisfaction.This co-ordination role of the systems analyst requires a high degree of teamwork. It is the responsibility of the systems analyst to ensure that the budgets are not exceeded and the deadlines are adhered to. In order to achieve these goals the systems analyst needs to identify and manage conflicting expectations of different person and even groups. For instance, he must be able to manage the conflict between the user requirements and budgetary constraints. In addition, he must be able to initiate and harmonize the dialogues between different groups, for example the client management and developers (U. S.Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006). In practice the systems analyst needs to research, plan, maintain, troubleshoot, configure, install and upgrade operating systems. In addition, in several organizations he is required to troubleshoot, maintain, install, plan and upgrade hardware and software interfaces with the operating system. For this he needs to analyze and interpret the current or planned business procedures or problems. The system analyst needs to work independently as well as work towards the team goals of maintaining the operating systems as well as the systems in excellent condition.Moreover, he needs to understand the goals of the system users and meet their expectation. The users of the system should feel a sense of ownership towards the systems that they are using. They should feel committed to the systems that they have helped to create. This feeling can only be created if there is teamwork between the systems analyst and the users. The users of the system should collaborate with the systems analyst to use their abilities and knowledge to contribute to the success of the system. There are a number of routine tasks that a systems analyst needs to perform in the due course of his work.For example, he has to work with technical staff, such as networking to put into operation connectivity and compatibility among systems. Even for these tasks teamwork is very important. Moreover, teamwork is required of the systems analyst for assisting personnel of other departments in matters related to information technology, training new recruits in the use of computer resources and providing information technology orientation to new recruits. The systems analyst must gain the trust of all the users he is dealing with; only then will they express their opinion, conflicti ng views and enquiries.A systems analyst must make a sincere effort to be upright, truthful and honest. He should have active listening skills. He should aim towards participative decision-making and resolve problems constructively. Teamwork has become an important part of the job specification of a systems analyst and many organizations evaluate the teamwork skills when recruiting a systems analyst. Most systems analysts realize that teamwork is important because either the system is sufficiently complex that it takes a team with multiple skills to design, and a better system will result when a team approach is adopted.In short it is important that systems analysts learn to work in a team environment so that they will have teamwork skills so important for their jobs. To sum teamwork is very important for the systems analyst. He is required to regularly collect information, examine and evaluate current or planned systems. Each of these actions requires interaction with individuals a nd teaming up with diverse individuals. Even in his regular and mechanical responsibilities he needs to meet with people and get them involved in the IT process. Finally, even in case of multifarious support duties that are assigned to him, collaboration is essential.

Oil and Global Warming in Saudi Arabia Essay

Oil has been identified as a very important resource; it provides a lot of significant benefits to mankind. It is used for numerous purposes such as transportation, heating, electricity production, and industrial applications. It has a high energy density which makes it an efficient fuel source plus the fact that it is fairly easy to transport and store. Its versatility is of great importance, and this is proven by being by most valuable commodity in world trade (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003,). According to Doyle, it is estimated that two billion dollars switch hands in petroleum transactions, making it the world’s first trillion dollar industry (cited in O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003). Oil is very profitable for corporations as well as for governments since oil taxes generate a lot of income. Oil is important for the national economic viability of Saudi Arabia as it accounts for more than 80 percent of total national exports. Other countries that are dependent on the oil business are Libya, Kuwait, Iran, and Venezuela (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003). Environmental Effects of Oil Oil transport, refining, exploration, drilling, and extraction have had negative effects on the environment, but much attention has recently been focused on the negative environmental impacts of the use of oil. It is widely believed that burning fossil fuels contribute to global warming since carbon dioxide, an abundant greenhouse gas, is produced as oil is burned. Findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicate that around three quarters of total carbon dioxide emissions come from fossil fuel use (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003). To be able to fully understand the how oil use affects global warming, it is necessary to get a clear understanding of the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon. Imagine a greenhouse and that is just how the greenhouse effect works. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, and ozone trap heat thereby slowing its escape from the atmosphere. The dramatic increase in the release of greenhouse gases has brought about an abnormal increase in the average world temperature already estimated at around 1 percent at the turn of the century. However, without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would be too cold to sustain the currently thriving ecosystems (West, 2008b). Due to the fact that oil is a widely used resource and that oil produces significant amounts of carbon dioxide as it â€Å"generates roughly 30 percent more carbon dioxide from every unit of energy produced,† it can be inferred that dependence on oil has extensively contributed to global warming (Barry & Frankland, 2001, p. 362). Importance of Oil to Saudi Arabia In all parts of the world, oil is considered as an important resource especially in modern life. â€Å"Any measures to reduce oil consumption were hampered by powerful opposition of certain governments and inter-governmental organizations† (Barry & Frankland, 2001, p. 362). Oil is particularly of great importance especially to members of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) since it constitutes a great part of the income of member countries. Saudi Arabia is a member of the OPEC including Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. Saudi Arabia may be considered as the most important oil producer since it produces large amounts of oil as it accounts for 13 percent of the world’s total oil output. It makes up 35 percent of the OPEC’s total oil production in 1991. Saudi Arabia has also been identified as the â€Å"swing producer† of oil since it has the capacity to affect the level of supply and demand as well as affect international oil prices. Oil is important to Saudi Arabian economy as figures in 1991 pointed out that oil accounted for 73 percent of the country’s revenues. 90 percent of total oil exports in 1991 come from Saudi Aramco (Country Studies). However, data from Beyond Petroleum Statistical Review of World Energy shows that despite the knowledge of the implication of oil in global warming, the consumption still increased—the 3163. 5 million tonnes consumed in 1992 jumped to 3462. 4 in 1999 (Beyond Petroleum, 2008). Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change Despite the great number of proponents pointing to global warming as a real environmental threat, Idso and Idso (2008) indicate that it is â€Å"highly unlikely† that increases in carbon dioxide emissions will lead to global warming. They cited numerous arguments that would disestablish the link between the global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. They primarily indicated that there is a â€Å"weak short-term correlation† between carbon dioxide and temperature increase. Thus, the emissions may not be the likely cause of any warming that is being experienced or will be experienced. Even as both temperature and carbon dioxide emissions have increased, this does not necessarily mean that the two are interrelated. To identify a clear causal relationship, the presumed cause must precede the presumed effect. Several cycles of increase and decrease must also be present in order to make a concrete judgment that the two factors indeed affect each other. They also indicated that â€Å"a strong negative climatic feedback† will prevent any catastrophic warming from manifesting. These play a major role in the planet’s climate system but are totally ignored by scientists lobbying for the existence of global warming. They cited numerous other factors that would disprove the existence of global warming. II. Saudi Arabia The Oil Industry The Saudi Arabia landscape is characterized by the presence of several multi-million dollars worth of infrastructure created to support the oil production capability of the country. These infrastructures are costly investments made by different companies. The effort to contain the emission of carbon dioxide from oil manufacturing and processing sources has different impacts, particularly in economics. Another â€Å"important issue concerns taxes and duties on oil products consumed in oil-importing countries as well as environmental taxes and duties on emissions of carbon dioxide, aimed at curbing oil demand and potentially harming oil exporters’ revenues† (Noreng, 2006, p. 16). Oil production felt a decline. In 2002, daily oil production in Saudi Arabia was 8,928 thousand barrels, and this steadily climbed to 11,114 thousand barrels in 2005. However, this dropped to 10,853 and 10,413 thousand barrels in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Last year, Saudi Arabia’s total oil output dropped by 440,000 barrels per day and is the largest decline in the world last year. In addition, the whole of the Middle East produced 25,176 thousand barrels daily in 2007. The Middle East is also the world’s largest oil producer and holds the highest share in the world’s remaining oil reserves at 21. 3 percent with 264. 2 thousand million barrels. In measuring oil consumption, Saudi Arabia does not consume as much with 2,154 thousand barrels daily. The United States is the largest oil consumer with a consumption rate 20,698 thousand barrels per day (Beyond Petroleum [BP], 2008). Saudi Aramco and the Environment Saudi Aramco or Arabian-American Oil Company, which is based in Saudi Arabia, is the world largest oil company. It produces the most quantity of oil and also leads the count with its oil reserves. It has 102 oil and gas fields within its grasp as of the middle part of 2007. Its oil reserves amount to 259. 9 billion barrels and it produces 8. 9 million barrels per day. Its oil exports for the year 2006 amount to 2,541,692,569 barrels (Country Studies, 2008). Saudi Aramco has unveiled that it would help fight global warming through cutting carbon dioxide emission in the oil and gas business. Experts indicated that persuading Saudi Aramco to fight against global warming is a big step forward since it is the world’s largest oil producer. Saudi Aramco president and Chief Executive Officer Abdallah Jum’ah told a panel from 163 nations in a meeting in Germany about expanding the Kyoto Protocol that â€Å"the petroleum industry should actively engage in policy debate on climate change as well as play an active role in developing and implementing carbon management technologies† (Hammond, 2006, n. p. ). He clearly indicated that national oil players such as Saudi Aramco can make great contributions in forwarding anti-climate change efforts. During the meeting, Robert Socolow from Princeton University also indicated that 40 percent of the increase in carbon dioxide emissions comes from the oil industry. He also indicated that the oil industry is the major cause of global warming. Aramco officials also stated that research and development effort have already leaned towards removing or reducing carbon dioxide omissions coming from oil (Hammond, 2006). Saudi Aramco has expressed that it cares for the environment such that it has an Environment Protection Department that provides leadership on environmental issues and its operations are always environmentally responsible. Saudi Aramco considers the environment as a basic responsibility and a company commitment. The company has developed a variety of operational requirement that give consideration to environmental impacts such as â€Å"sanitary codes, project environmental assessments, air and water quality standards, occupational health regulations, hazardous material communication guidelines, waste management procedures, and vital oil spill contingency plans† (Saudi Aramco, 2008). The Environmental Impacts of Oil Oil has always been an environmental issue. From searching for oil, refining it and until its usage, it is always regarded as an environmental threat. Oil exploration and drilling are the first phases in the oil life cycle. It is also referred to as the â€Å"upstream phase† (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003, p. 593). Drilling and extracting oil affect the natural ecosystems, human health, as well as local cultures. It does not matter if the drilling is on-shore or off-shore; the effects are just the same. The physical modifications in the environment caused by oil exploration, drilling, and extraction are so devastating that they could be more harmful than a large oil spill. The more devastating effects of these are â€Å"deforestation, ecosystem destruction, chemical contamination of land and water, long-term harm to animal populations (particularly to migratory birds and marine mammals), human health, safety risks for neighboring communities and oil industry workers, and displacement of indigenous communities† (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003, p. 593-594). Oil exploration requires heavy equipment, and moving these equipment results in deforestation and erosion. Mobile rigs used for temporary drillings can reach weights of over two million pounds. On the other hand, drillings make use of large amounts of water and also contaminate it in the process. It is released afterwards which leads to the contamination of land. Exploration and extraction have also been known to produce large volumes of drilling wastes and associated wastes. In addition, oil processes make use of a waste pit where chemicals and other wastes from the oil process are being dumped. Exposure of these oil pits is a threat to aquifers as well as to animals and birds. They can mistake the pits for water holes, therefore engorging themselves in chemical waste. Exploration, drilling, and extraction also lead to a variety of health risks for humans. These risks may arise from radioactive materials that have surfaced from drilling as well as the bioaccumulation of oil, mercury, and other hazardous elements in animals that are consumed by humans (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003). Oil Spill Threat In order for oil to be delivered to different parts of the world, oil transport is necessary, and the main mode of oil transport is through oil tankers. However, moving oil using pipelines is becoming vastly popular. Oil currently accounts for half of all sea cargo and oil pipelines now spread more compared to railroads. Oil transport has also led to an environmental threat known as oil spills. Large oil spills receive much attention particularly because of media coverage; however, small cumulative spills go undocumented and measuring the amount of oil spillage from these proves to be significant. Accidents have been known to occur at all segments of transport as well as at each point of transfer. Also, since the 1960s, at least one large-scale oil spill has been documented every year (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003). Ocean transport of crude oil and petroleum products accounted for 3,000 gallons spilled per billion ton-miles in 1983 and nearly 8,000 gallons per billion ton-miles in 1984. Pipeline spills contributed less than 100 gallons per billion ton-miles for both years. (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003, p. 599) Oil spills have also been known to occur during extractions. A 2002 estimate by the National Academy of Sciences indicated that 38,000 tons of petroleum hydrocarbons from oil and gas operations were released into the world’s oceans (O’Rourke & Connolly, 2003, p. 595). Saudi Aramco Oil Spill Contingency Plan Saudi Aramco has always been responsible in handling oil spills such that it has developed a contingency plan against to help counter oil spills. Saudi Aramco’s first focus on handling oil spills is being self-sufficient. It â€Å"built specialized oil spill recovery and containment vessels, and purchased equipment and materials to combat spills† (Zaindin, 1996, p. 2). In 1989, it even designated a committee to review and assess the anti-oil spill capabilities of the company. The task force made recommendations which were called the Global Oil Spill Contingency Plan which (1) â€Å"establish[ed] an oil spill policy for [the company’s] worldwide operations,† (2) â€Å"direct[ed] Saudi Aramco and its affiliates to join major cooperatives and assign[ed] regional responsibility for oil spills† and (3) â€Å"require[d] the development, implementation, and maintenance of regional and owned tanker oil spill plans† (Zaindin, 1996, p. 2-3). Saudi Aramco has also established an Oil Spill Committee in 1990 and this committee instituted a policy for the prevention and cleanup of oil spills resulting from the company’s operations. The Global Oil Spill Coordination Group was created to put into action and coordinate company activities that address the oil spills. If an oil spill takes place, a Regional Oil Spill Coordinator cleans the oil spill with the aid of an Oil Spill Response Team. The director takes care of the spill and is responsible for safe and efficient control, cleanup operations, disposal, restoration, as well as documentation processes. The response team is always ready as they receive special regular trainings (Zaindin, 1996, p. 3-4). Equipment that could effectively handle small to medium-sized oil spills have been stationed at the vicinity of the Red Sea and in case of any large oil spills, additional resources will be brought to immediately address the threat. Saudi Aramco has also inked ties with organizations that provide cooperative assistance in case of oil spill, namely, the Oil Spill Response (OSR) Ltd. based in England, Clean Caribbean Cooperative (CCC), Marine Preservation Association (MPA), Marine Industry Repsonse Group (MIRG), and the Gulf Area Oil Companies Mutual Aid Organization (GAOCMAO) (Zaindin, 1996, p. 4). III. Involvement Saudi Arabia and Japan Saudi Arabia has been involved in a lot of international treaties. One of these treaties was signed with Japan when both countries, among other things, acknowledged the importance of the stability of the world oil market as well as the importance of adopting security measures against global warming (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2007). Both sides reaffirmed the importance of the stability of the world oil market. The Japanese side expressed its appreciation and understanding for the Saudi Arabia’s balanced oil policy, which is a secure and reliable source for providing oil supplies to the international markets in general, and to the Japanese market in particular†¦while stressing the significance to further promote bilateral cooperation in energy, based upon mutually complementary relationship between Saudi Arabia, with its largest hydrocarbon resource in the world, and Japan, with its advanced energy-related technologies. The Saudi side expressed its intention to continue to assure stable oil supply to Japan, and the Japanese side expressed its appreciation for this (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2007). Both sides [also] decided that the international community should adopt appropriate measures against a possible global warming, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as stated in the international agreements on climate change. In this regard, the Japanese side expressed its willingness to develop its cooperation in both levels of government and private sectors to promote the clean development mechanism (CDM) that contributes to combating the possible global warming as well as achieving sustainable developments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of the roles of the private sectors in both countries for promoting CDM projects (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2007). Saudi Arabia should use the power of the law, as well as submit to the rule of international law, in order for efforts versus global warming to be successful. â€Å"Law plays an important role in environmental protection at both the international and the national levels† (Chopra, Leemans, & Kumar, 2005, p. 41). However, a drawback to this concept is the fact that Saudi Arabia itself shows signs of not being fully amenable to the stipulations of several international agreements and international laws on global warming. â€Å"Some OPEC countries (e. g. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) also opposed the FCCC (Framework Convention on Climate Change) for fear of its potential impact on the price of crude oil† (Alexander & Fairbridge, 1999, p. 637). The Clean Air Act and Addressing Global Warming The Clean Air Act is a law that has been passed by some countries in a hope to control air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Numerous developed countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have adopted such laws and even some third world countries have done so. Saudi Arabia has yet to adopt such a law. In the United States, the Clean Air Act is a federal law which means that its coverage spans the whole country and it has been an effective tool in regulating greenhouse gas emissions. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) plays a crucial role in regulating processes regarding the law such as setting limits on certain air pollutants. The Clean Air Act which resulted in reduced air pollution has improved human health as well as the status of the environment. Since 1970, the six common air pollutants have been reduced to 50 percent while air toxics from large industries including oil refineries have been reduced by 70 percent. Additionally, new cars are 90 percent cleaner and are expected to be a lot cleaner in the future. Ozone depleting chemicals such as CFC’s have also ceased production. This all happened while the economy prospered and energy and vehicle use increased (EPA, 2008). The same benefits could possibly be reaped if Saudi Arabia would adopt the same policies. The 2007 Climate Change Performance Index indicated that Saudi Arabia is at the bottom of the list when it comes to addressing global warming followed by the United States, China and Malaysia. Sweden, Britain and Denmark were identified as the countries that have been doing the most to prevent further global warming. Nevertheless, the report indicated that what Sweden, Britain and Denmark are doing are not enough to prevent further climate change. IV. Organizations Different organizations and alliances take part in addressing global warming, like the Kyoto Protocol and the WTO. While Saudi Arabia is an active international player, it is not always in agreement with the rest of the group. Referring to the act of non compliance to the Protocol’s instituted policies, Grosse (2005) stated that â€Å"Saudi Arabia has been among the non-Annex I countries that have been particular to the Protocol† (p. 155). â€Å"The issue of subsidies favoring the coal, nuclear renewables sector has been raised by Saudi Arabia in the WTO’s Committee on Trade and Environment,† according to Yamin and Depledge (2004, p. 256), in reaction to the WTO policies. The Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol is one doctrine that binds nations that have ratified it to help fight against global warming by reducing their emissions of six greenhouse gases, namely, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, HFC’s and PFC’s. It was instituted in Kyoto, Japan on December 1997 and was opened for ratification on March 16 of the succeeding year. The main goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 5. 2 percent below the 1990 greenhouse gas emission levels from 2008 to 2012. Countries that have bound themselves to the protocol must adopt certain policies and strategies in order to meet the specified emission targets. However, the protocol has been subject to a lot of debate because it exempts developing countries, such as China and India as well as Saudi Arabia, from having emissions cuts. The United States refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol because of the exemption of the developing countries. US President George W. Bush also stated that they will not sign the protocol because it does not bind developing countries and that it would be harmful to the US economy (West, 2008a). Late in 2004, the government of Saudi Arabia has approved of the Kyoto Protocol, but being a developing country, Saudi Arabia is not bound to adopt any cuts on greenhouse emissions although it is expected that the Saudi Arabian government will suffer huge financial losses as the developed countries approve the protocol. According to Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi, the government will have accumulated losses amounting to $19 billion by 2010 because of the policies that the developed nations will adopt in order to reduce their emissions to meet the specified targets (Planet Ark, 2004). Carbon Capture and Storage Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is one approach that scientists are looking at which could probably help mitigate global warming. It has been regarded that CCS will reduce the costs associated with mitigating climate change as well as provide flexibility in attaining greenhouse gas reduction goals. CCS makes use of new technology. It collects and concentrates the carbon dioxide produced in industrial and energy related sources and transports it to a storage location where it will be kept away from the atmosphere. This would allow the use of fossil fuels such as oil with a minimum level of greenhouse emissions (Metz, Davidson, de Coninck, Loos, & Meyer, 2005). Geological storage is one form of CCS. It is done by injecting carbon dioxide in dense form into rock formations underground. Porous rock formations have great potential in storing carbon dioxide. Such rock formations may include those that previously hold oil and natural gas. This kind of carbon storage is already being used in three industrial sites, namely, the Sleipnir Project in the North Sea, the Weyburn Project in Canada and the In Salah Project based in Nigeria. Moreover, 30 megatons of carbon dioxide per year is injected for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). This is mostly in Texas and the United States. This system of carbon capture and storage makes use of almost the same technology used for the exploration and production of gas (Metz, et al. , 2005). Geological storage may however be associated with some risks. Leakage from stored carbon dioxide may provide certain risks which are classified as either global risks or local risks. Global risk is identified as the release of carbon dioxide which will have significant effects on global warming. On the other hand, carbon dioxide leakage may also expose humans, ecosystems and groundwater to certain risks. These are the local risks (Metz, et al. , 2005). Annex 1 shows an overview of geological storage. Annex 1: Overview of Geological Storage Another type of carbon storage is ocean storage. It is done by injecting captured carbon dioxide at depths of greater than 1,000 m. under the ocean. This would isolate the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for centuries. Consequently, the stored carbon dioxide will become part of the global carbon cycle. However, just like geological storage, ocean storage also has certain risks such that it can cause a great deal of harm. Studies have indicated that animals have been found with reduced rates of calcification, reproduction, growth, circulatory oxygen supply and mobility, and even an increased mortality rate. Annex 2 shows detailed information on Ocean Storage (Metz, et al. , 2005). Annex 2: Overview of Ocean Storage Mineral carbonation and industrial use is yet another form of carbon capture and storage. Mineral carbonation makes use of converting carbon dioxide into solid inorganic carbonates through some form of chemical reaction. Mineral carbonation is actually a natural earthly process called â€Å"weathering† but human intervention needs to hasten this process since it is too slow to become a viable carbon storage system. Industrial use involves using carbon dioxide â€Å"directly or as a feedstock for production of various carbon-containing chemicals† (IPCC, __, p. 39). Industrial use makes use of chemical and biological processes wherein carbon dioxide is utilized as a reactant. The industrial use of carbon dioxide can help keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere by instead diverting it into a â€Å"carbon chemical pool†, but this measure will only be of great benefit to preventing climate change if there is a significant amount of carbon dioxide taken away from the atmosphere. Refer to Annex 3 for more detailed information (Metz, et al. , 2005). Annex 3: Mineral Carbonation and Industrial Use Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have expressed support with the development of this technology. Norway also demonstrated great interest with Carbon Capture and Storage technology. Norwegian Oil and Energy Minister Aaslaug Haga has requested the support of the Saudi Arabian government in the development of CCS to which Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi responded eagerly. Dagens Naeringsliv quoted al Naimi saying that â€Å"both Saudi Arabia and Norway are concerned about the environment and want to reduce emissions with all possible means. CO2 capture and storage is an excellent way to reduce emissions† (Acher, 2008, n. p. ). These countries want carbon capture technology included in the Clean Development Mechanism so that industrialized countries can cooperate to help advance this technology (Acher, 2008). According to the European Technology Platform on Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants, it is the lack of funding which impales research on carbon capture which then limits its potential (Kanter, 2008). The King of Saudi Arabia announced that the Saudi Arabian government will shell out 300 million USD for research on climate change, and this includes Carbon Capture and Storage technology. Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates also made an assurance that each of them will be giving $150 million each tom support the Saudi Arabian endeavor (OPEC, 2007). Saudi Arabia shelling out that huge an amount of money for climate change research would indicate that the kingdom is now giving attention to climate change. The World Trade Organization Saudi Arabia is now also a part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has recently signed a bilateral trade agreement with the United States. The trade agreement came at a good time since Saudi Arabian imports have experienced a decline. The WTO has become a sign of respect and acceptance for Saudi Arabia particularly because it is the only GCC country and the largest oil producer (Zahid, 2005). Saudi Arabia initially did not join GATT, the WTO’s predecessor global trade agreement because oil, its sole export at the time, was not part of GATT (still not part of WTO). Later, as the Kingdom developed its downstream oil and petrochemical capacity, joining WTO became a key imperative in order to protect its exports from inordinate tariffs by mature, high-cost producer countries. (Zahid, 2005) For new aspirants at the WTO, rules may be harsh such that they will need to sign bilateral agreements with any member country that requests it, and the terms will have to be extended to other member countries. Afterwards, a multilateral agreement should be inked with all member countries before being admitted into the WTO (Zahid, 2005). According to Zahid, the WTO had some negative impacts on Saudi Arabia but the WTO may be likened to a medicine. â€Å"It is painful to swallow but it eventually makes you better† (Zahid, 2005, n. p. ). In the short term, the WTO will hurt Saudi Arabia, but in the long run, the Saudi Arabian economy will prosper because of the WTO such that there will be increased transparency, protection of copyrights, rule of law, and foreign investment. Saudi Arabia’s exports will also have access to WTO member countries (Zahid, 2005). The full impact of WTO will be a long and unfolding story for the country. We still need to know the details of the final agreement. WTO has given other countries long implementation periods and many exceptions. Also, we have to see what the final Saudi offer is in terms of tariffs, sectors, binding rates, etc. With this report, we start a series on what the WTO means for Saudi Arabia. (Zahid, 2005) On one point of view, it is regarded that the WTO can enforce better greenhouse gas reductions compared to the Kyoto Protocol. Peter Franklin of the Guardian proposes the: Negotiat[ion of] a successor to Kyoto and then let the WTO enforce it. Nations that failed to meet their carbon targets would have a proportionate tariff slapped on their imports. Such a system could even be used to deal with countries that refused to sign up to the new agreement. The WTO would unilaterally impose a target on each non-signatory nation, with their excess carbon emissions and consequent penalties being assessed in absentia. The export-led economies of China, India and other key Kyoto absentees would be particularly susceptible to such pressure (Franklin, 2006). The Kyoto Protocol has no fangs and this could be filled in by the WTO as those who do not approve of reducing greenhouse targets will have to suffer some consequences from the WTO. This could however be treated as a disrespect to a country’s sovereignty. In the long run, since the WTO would attract more foreign investment, foreign investments will also be encouraged in developing alternative, renewable energy solutions in Saudi Arabia. Consequently, CCS can thrive from a commercial point of view as the awareness of climate change would trigger interest in forwarding this technology for economic gains. The WTO system encourages a good government, which in turn will help in framing policies for increased participation in anti-climate change efforts. V. Problems and Solutions The planet’s worsening climate condition is partly the doing of the industrial cities in Saudi Arabia, from where carbon dioxide emissions from oil manufacturing and processing come from. The investment of Saudi Arabia in finding solutions for the problems posed by global warming is research and resources. Countries like Saudi Arabia allocate funds for studies. It focuses its studies on oil-related aspects of global warming management. It is important for countries to sponsor studies so that they can get first hand information about global warming and its implications. â€Å"Nations should foster the continued development of these epistemic communities not only to stimulate new avenues of research, but also to help create greater opportunities for consensus building and coordinated action† (Lee, 1995, p. 14). In reducing carbon dioxide emissions coming from oil, there are a variety of methods that could be adopted. One is eliminating subsidies to prevent increase in consumption levels. Simply saving up on energy use can help alleviate greenhouse emissions. Resorting to renewable energy sources provides great potential in dealing with this environmental threat since these renewable energy sources produce no amount of emissions whatsoever. For countries like Saud

My Proof of Theism

Introduction to Philosophy 200 Spring 2008 My Proof of Theism Jenny Wiggins In this essay, I plan to give proofs that defendtraditional theism. Traditional theism is defined by E. K. Daniel in his essay, A Defense of Theism, as: â€Å"there exists a being, God, who has all of the following attributes: God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), supremely good (omnibenevolent), infinite, eternal, a being who possesses all perfections, transcendent to the natural universe, but the creator of the universe (Daniel, p. 259). † I find it ironic to prove theism in philosophy class. Even Greek philosophers believe in a higher power. The question that is not always agreed upon is which or what higher power to believe? That being said, since there are views that refute theism, I will also take some of these arguments and try to find their weakness. The first classical argument that I will put forth to argue the existence of God is the first cause argument also known as the cosmological argument. This argument simply says that everything has a cause, so if we proceed backwards to find every cause,we would never be able to stop. This is unintelligible. For one to think about it rationally there must be a first cause, a cause that in itself is uncaused. This uncaused being we will call God. Therefore, God exists. The first cause argument proposes that the universe is finite, which means it is limited, and to think of it as infinite would be unintelligible. It also says that the universe is contingent, by stating that each thing in it has a cause. Since the universe could not have caused itself, there must something uncaused that caused the universe. Daniel reformulates the first cause (cosmological) argument this way: P1: Everything in the universe is finite. P2: Whatever is finite is limited. P3: Hence, whatever is limited cannot be the cause of its own existence. P4: Everything in the universe is contingent. P5: Whatever is contingent is dependent on something else for its existence. P6: Hence, whatever is contingent cannot be the cause of its own existence. P7: The totality of things making up the universe is also finite and contingent. P8: Thus, the totality (universe) must also have a cause for its existence. P9: Since it cannot be the cause of its own existence, the cause must be something external to the universe. P10: That is, since the universe cannot contain the reason for its existence within itself, the reason for its existence must be something external to it. P11: Hence, there must exist an infinite and self-subsistent (non-contingent) being who is the cause of the universe. P12: Unlike that which is finite and contingent, such a being must exist necessarily. P13: Such a being is commonly called God. Conclusion: Therefore, there exists an infinite, necessary, and uncaused cause – God (Daniel, p. 68). A question to this argument may be: Do the attributes of finite and contingent, referring to the universe, necessarily need an uncaused being to have created its existence? The very definitions of finite and contingent rationally conclude, yes. If the claim that an infinite sequence of causes was untrue the universe would possibly not exist at all, because if even one of those causes were taken out all succeeding causes would cease to exist. I would also like to take a look at another classical argument which is the design argument also known as the teleological argument. The design argument says that the universe is created in such a way that everything is designed and adapted for a purpose (Daniel, p. 261). The fact that the universe and everything in it seems to be put there in an orderly fashion with things working together in order to give purpose and produce a means to an end, suggests that there was a maker. Consider my argument in defense of the teleological argument below: P1: If we examine an automobile of any kind, we can see that each part has a purpose and design. P2: We can also see that there is an order and complexity. P3: We find that the parts are arranged in such a way that they will operate together in order for us to drive the automobile. P4: This is certainly evidence of rationality and design. Conclusion: Hence, there exists a rational being that designed and brought the automobile into being. Daniel defends the teleological argument by reformulating it in this way: P1: Look out at the universe and the things within it. P2: The universe also shows evidence of design and purpose. P3: We detect orderliness and intricacy. P4: More importantly, we find purposiveness: a marvelous adaptation of means to ends. P5: An example of such purposeful adaptation is the existence of two sexes for the end of procreation or the structure of the eye for the end of seeing. P6: All this is also evidence of rationality and design. P7: Hence, there must exist a rational being who designed and brought the universe into existence. Conclusion: That is, there must exist a Cosmic Designer –God (Daniel, 269). An objection to the teleological argument could be: This earth is not well made; there are plenty of things that do not have adaptation of means to ends. An explanation for this is even though it seems that something does not have purpose for one reason or another it does, but we cannot understand it. Yet another objection may be can we hypothesize that in order to have something of an intricate design that there had to be an intelligent maker? The answer would be yes because a designer cannot make something intelligent by not being so himself. Last but not least I would like to look at the moral argument. This argument states that people have a sense of moral obligation, a feeling to do what is good and right, coming from outside of them. There is no explanation for the sense of completemoral obligation that a person feels other than there is a moral law giver transcendent of the universe. Therefore, such a moral law giver, God, must exist. Human needs and behavior do not explain the complete sense of obligation to do what is right or moral (Daniel, p. 261). Take for example the missionaries sense of obligation to do whatever is in their power humanly and spiritually to help others that they do not even know. The missionaries may possibly risk their very own lives by entering a violent situation just by feeling a complete moral obligation to do so. Another example may be of parents that forgive a murderer who has murdered their only child and they are unable to conceive a new child. These instances are examples of the moral argument. Our doing of good works and deeds by complete moral obligation that is felt to come from outside of ourselves at the forfeit of our own happiness makes no sense unless there is something outside of this universe that compels us to do so, I believe that that compelling force is God. An objection to the moral argument would be: Couldn’t our parents have simply brought us up to do what is morally right? It is not a sense in that one can be taught but a complete sense that will not fail. The decision we make may go against what we are taught as children. I will now take a look at the problem of evil which is most frequently used in the argument against theism. In H. J. McCloskey’s essay, God and Evil, he states the problem in this way, â€Å"Evil is a problem for the theist in that a contradiction is involved in the fact of evil on the one hand, and the belief in the omnipotence and perfection of God on the other. God cannot be both all-powerful and perfectly good if evil is real. † An argument can be formulated to disprove the existence of God in the following way: P1: God is a being that is both all-powerful and perfectly good. P2: An all-powerful being could eliminate all evil. P3: A perfectly good being would eliminate all the evil it has the power to eliminate. P4: Evil exists in the world. P5: Therefore, there is no being that is both all-powerful and perfectly good (McCloskey, p. 328). An argument that would refute the problem of evil is as follows: P1: Evil is necessary to appreciate goodness. P2: Evil is unreal. P3: Evil is necessary for the goodness of the world. The world is made better by the evil in it. P4: Evil is not due to God but to man’s misuse of the free will that God gave him (McCloskey & Hick, 332 &347). With regards to the latter of these two arguments one might think of the analogy of having something that you think is not good, losing it, and then realizing that what you hadwasn’t so bad in the first place. Most people learn lessons from the hardships that they face in life and go on to live an even better life. Man does not always make the most rational decisions in his life and those bad decisions usually have consequences. This is no evidence that there is not an all-powerful and perfectly good God. K. D. Ellis refutes theism in his essay, Why I Am an Agnostic, on the grounds that there are no good reasons, meaning no reliable empirical evidence or sound rational arguments, to believe that there is a God (Ellis, p. 296). He suggests that the classical arguments that are stated in Daniel’s essay, â€Å"may offer some support for the plausibility of the belief in a god, but they are not sufficiently strong enough to compel our assent to the conclusion that a god exists. † He also says that there is no knowledge in the statement, God exists (Ellis, p. 297). However, Ellis also refutes atheism because of the philosophical atheist’s main arguments flaw which is as follows: P1: There is no good reason for anyone to believe that God exists. Conclusion: Therefore, God does not exist. This way of arguing is an argument of ignorance. To say I know what you mean by the ideal of God as a transcendent entity, but, he does not exist. This argumentis fallacious. This is Ellis’ reason for refuting atheism (Ellis, p. 298). Ellis instead makes his stand with agnosticism, because there are no good arguments for God’s existence or refuting God’s existence. Both claims cannot be trueas he states, â€Å"I have tried to show that we cannot know which is true. † Therefore, he takes the position of traditional agnosticism (Ellis, p. 301).

Juvenile Crime Statistics Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Juvenile Crime Statistics Paper - Essay Example This figure was significantly less than the one recorded in previous years. There was an increase in juvenile crimes in 2005, 2006, and 2007, which made the law enforcers fear that the nation would witness a severe crime wave. The crime data collected in 2008 indicated that violent crimes had declined and young adults were being involved in simple assaults and drug offenses. According to Puzzanchera, (2009), most juveniles were being arrested for commission of crimes such as larceny, simple and aggravated assault. Minor crimes that were committed by juveniles during 2008 were property crimes. In relation to this, the FBI assesses trends in property crimes by monitoring offences such as theft of motor vehicle, larceny and burglary. These crimes increased during 2007-2008. According to Puzzanchera (2009), the number of juvenile female who were involved in the commission of crimes increased in 2008. Law enforcers were able to arrest over 600,000 females who were below the age of 18. During this year, females were arrested for robbery, simple assault, larceny and disorderly conduct. Moreover, during 2008, more female juveniles were arrested for commission of larceny whereas there was a decline in the number of males committing larceny. Puzzanchera (2009) indicates that minorities were highly involved in the commission of the aforementioned crimes. In all cases in which juveniles were arrested for the commission of violent crimes, half of the crimes involved black youth, 1% involved youth of Asian origin, 47% involved white juveniles and 1% involved youth of American Indian origin. In the commission of property crimes, two thirds of the arrested juveniles were white, while the rest were blacks with an insignificant number of Asian and Indian youth. In general, youths of black origin where represented in all instances of juvenile arrests. In 2008,

Toasting the Rebellion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Toasting the Rebellion - Essay Example The examples of how such public display of Celebration shaped the formation of various revolutions are explained quite vividly in the text. Some of the examples are, The Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party and The Stamp Act Riots. The text points out that despite the idea behind such Toasting and loud singing are revolutionary the act in itself have been carried out in a very peaceful manner on various occasions. Thus, the focus remained on affirmation of political and national identities rather than public outcry. The significance of Toasts and Singing were usually carried out by huge amounts of drinking and singing in famous public places like Tavern and coffeehouses. At first the tradition was to play and sing songs that are mainly patriotic, however later the tradition moved on to playing satirical Ballads especially on politico-administrations. Usually its significance lay in venting oneself out, and to display one’s spirit openly. Most of the time, such Toasts and songs we re utilized in exerting enough pressure by certain politico groups. A huge amount of nationalism and collective consciousness was created among the people of similar beliefs, or even drawing people on one’s belief, during that time.

Advance process Engineering Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Advance process Engineering - Assignment Example (I) Any value in a pump system can be taken as an outlet. Therefore, taking point j to be an outlet, it the head loss of the point can be calculated from the point j as; †¦(II) Therefore the flow velocities in the pumps will be given as; †¦. (III) †¦ (IV) †¦ (V) The friction factors in the respective pipes can be calculated using Colebrook equation as below †¦ (VI) †¦ (VII) †¦. (VIII) Question 3 a) i.) Such high pressure is needed to provide the propelling force of the gas and to reduce the volume of the gas being transported. ... This is achieved by putting a given quantity of a solid into appropriate conditions that result in solid/fluid mixture to have properties of a fluid. The relationship developed to predict the minimum fluidizing velocity is mainly based on experimental work, despite the fact that many of its important applications is in high temperature locations. According to the tests to show the relationship between fluidization over a range of given temperature, there is a marked discrepancy between prediction and the value of the measured velocity when physical properties values are used appropriating the operating conditions. There is a relationship between the pressure drop across the fluidized bed and buoyant weight per unit area in that the pressure drops is approximately equal to buoyant weight per unit area. There are two approaches in describing these two phenomena in which one considers the process of sedimentation occurring due to dense packing and the other considers the general velocit y of the particles. For either consideration, bed voidage is necessary at minimum fluidization. Voidage refers to the function to the particle distribution, particle size and particle shape. The voidage reduces with an increasing size distribution. Also, the operating temperature relates to the voidage in that as the bed voidage increases, there is a significant increase in operating temperature. During the experiment, the hot fluidized bed is contained in a 188 mm diameter stainless steel cylinder. The fluidization gas is then introduced into the bed through stainless steel distributor plates having a diameter of 0.5 and 1.0 mm drilled holes on a 6 mm 6 mm square pitch