Friday, November 15, 2019

The Paris Climate Accords and Trumps Withdrawal

The Paris Climate Accords and Trumps Withdrawal The political climate in the United States around climate change has always been complicated. Since the 80s and 90s when climate change became an issue of cultural significance, with momentum building towards rapid progress under the Obama presidency. Unfortunately, with recent moves by the Trump administration, much of this progress is in jeopardy. Donald Trumps recent move to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accords is a wrong headed and dangerous move, calculated to placate his blue-collar and big-oil backers. While largely symbolic, withdrawal from the Paris Accords will have very real implications for US businesses and the environment. The Paris Accords, a UN treaty organization which allows signatories to set their own goals and benchmarks in reducing emissions, has succeeded for the most part in what it was created to do: get the global community as a whole to the table to discuss climate change. While it offers no specific mechanisms to enforce compliance, and does not create objective standards to measure progress, it has sparked massive awareness about climate change. Because of the Paris Accords, dozens of developing countries have begun their own climate action initiatives. China, for instance, recently announced that it would spend $360 billion by 2020 on renewable energy, with the goal of completely eliminating coal power plants (1). India set similar goals, committing to use less fossil fuels and invest in the efficiency of their power grid, with many other developing countries across Asia and Africa following suite. Here in the United States, the federal government set higher auto-efficiency standards an d demanded less carbon emissions from fossil fuel power plants (2), all sparked by the Paris Accords. Clearly, the Paris Accords have been a valuable tool to gather global support around action on climate change, and a complete US withdrawal from the treaty is a major setback. The environmental implications of US withdrawal are not necessarily clear. President   Trump set a timetable of close to 3 years for withdrawal from the Accords, leaving many unknowns about how rapidly US regulations will be restructured. We do know, however, that US emissions are unlikely to decrease, with most experts projecting that emissions will remain flat over the next decade (3). It is also fair to assume that less federal support will be given to clean energy, which could jeopardize the profitability of many green-tech companies. In addition, the UN Green Climate Fund, which funds green-energy projects in developing countries, will likely receive no financial support from the US government (4). In sum, withdrawing from the Accords means no central coordination against climate change and little to no funding of international research or green infrastructure. The business implications of this are more easily measurable. Green energy is the fastest growing industry in the US, estimated to be worth over $200 billion in revenue a year. Trumps withdrawal from the Accords signals that the federal government will also reduce subsidies for clean-technology, which has helped fuel its rapid growth. Losing growth in this industry would mean thousands of jobs lost, and potential billions lost in stock investments. Most large corporations directly benefit from cutting edge cleantech; cheap and efficient solar panels, power storage, and building efficiency having helped to drastically reduce their operations costs over the past decade. In addition, many businesses fear that societal blowback will negatively impact their businesses. Leaving the Paris Accords was an extremely unpopular move, with over 65% of Americans estimated to be in opposition (5). Businesses realize that the United States needs to be at the bargaining table on climate change, because it is such a huge issue to American voters and consumers. The decision to leave the Paris Accord faced immediate and sharp backlash, with the most vociferous being from the business community. In early May, the CEOs of 30 Fortune-500 US corporations wrote a letter to Trump, urging him to stay in the Paris Agreement. The Corporations included Coca-Cola, 3M, PG&E, and Disney (6). Only a few short days after the announcement, over 360 companies and several hundred local state municipalities signed an open letter pledging to take independent action on climate change regardless of the federal governments policies (7). Business magnate Michael Bloomberg organized the letter, and personally pledged   to give $15 million to the UN Green Energy Fund to help offset funds it would lose because of US withdrawal (8). These businesses, in their own words, seek to set an example and demonstrate that the actors that will provide the leadership necessary to meet our Paris commitment are found in city halls, state capitols, colleges and universities, investors and businesses(9). The way forward, then, is clear. Businesses and individuals must act independently. It is widely understood that climate change cannot be ignored. Without the support of the US federal government, making progress here at home will be difficult. However, as businesses and individuals across the United States are showing, independent action can make an impact. Green-energy companies and products like Tesla must be supported with the vote of our dollars. Climate research must be independently funded; charities that give to climate research need donations. The oil-interests and businesses that bought influence in the White House must be boycotted and petitioned, the politicians who supported this decision must be voted out of office. Above all, as a society, we must raise our voice and riot; rage against the cabal of business interests that do not care about our environment.   Sources (1) https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/world/asia/china-renewable-energy-investment.html (2) http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/column-economics-politics-trumps-paris-withdrawal/ (3) https://qz.com/995109/trump-is-reportedly-pulling-the-us-out-of-the-paris-climate-accord-what-happens-next/ (4) http://www.npr.org/2017/06/01/531056661/5-things-that-could-change-when-the-u-s-leaves-the-paris-climate-deal (5) http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2017/06/daily-chart-1 (6) https://hbr.org/2017/05/u-s-business-leaders-want-to-stay-in-the-paris-climate-accord (7) http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/17/502425711/hundreds-of-u-s-businesses-urge-trump-to-uphold-paris-climate-deal (8) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/former-new-york-city-mayor-michael-bloomberg-has-said-he-will-personally-make-up-the-15m-in-funding-a7769416.html (9) http://wearestillin.com/

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Alernatiove Ending to George Bernard Shaw´s Pygmalion Essay -- George

Alternative Ending to Pygmalion Act V After Higgins, confesses to his undying love for Eliza. Eliza decides to leave Higgins’s home because felt that it would only hurt Higgins more to have her stay another moment in his home because she did not share the same feelings for him. She now resides at the home of Mrs. Higgins. Mrs. Higgins’s drawing room. She is at her writing-table as before. The parlor-maid comes in. THE PARLOR MAID [at the door]: Mr. Henry, madam, is downstairs MRS. HIGGINS: Well, show him up. THE PARLOR-MAID: He’s using the telephone, madam, phoning the police, I think MRS.HIGGINS: What! THE PARLOR-MAID [coming further in and lowering her voice]: Mr. Henry is in a state, madam. I thought I’d better tell you. MRS. HIGGINS: If you had told me that Mr. Henry was not in a state it would have been more surprising. Tell them to come up when he’s finished with the police,. I suppose he’s lost something. THE PARLOR-MAID: yes, madam [going] MRS. HIGGINS: Go upstairs and tell Miss Doolittle that Mr. Henry is here. Please tell her that she mustn’t come down until I call for her. THE PARLOR-MAID: Yes, madam Higgins bursts in. he is, as the parlor-maid has said in a state. HIGGINS: Look here, mother; a terrible thing has happened. MRS. HIGGINS: Yes dear, Good-morning [He checks his impatience and kisses her, whilst the parlor-maid goes out]. What are you talking about? HIGGINS: Eliza has left me! MRS.HIGGINS: What did you do? You had to have frightened her!! HIGGINS: But I did what you told me to I told her how I felt about her†¦ MRS. HIGGINS: Oh my word, my son has taken words of advise from me†¦. HIGGINS: I told her how I felt about her; nevertheless she turned away from me and left in the middle of the night. She over heard the conversation between the Colonel and I and how I gloated on how I changed Eliza. MRS. HIGGINS: In that case Henry she had every right to leave. HIGGINS: But mother, I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve sent the police looking for her. MRS. HIGGINS: Now, what are the police going to do? HIGGINS: What they’re paid to do, their job. MRS. HIGGINS: Henry, she left because she wanted to. [Calls for the parlor-maid and signals her get Eliza HIGGINS [Without notice he rambles on]: I left my pride behind to tell her how I felt about her and how I have grow... ... HIGGINS: No I am not ELIZA: I am not your ginny pig anymore, go and experiment on another poor helpless young girl HIGGINS: Eliza please just give me a chance. ELIZA: I use to think I loved you†¦ HIGGINS: What! ELIZA: †¦but now I know that you were just using me as an experiment to gloat to your friends about. HIGGINS: Eliza, don’t say that ELIZA: It’s the truth, you wanted for your trophy, not the you love and would forever. HIGGINS: Stop with the stupidity and come home I love you and I want you to stay with me ELIZA: I can’t come home with you. HIGGINS: Why not Eliza? Eliza looks at Henry in silence and then looks away. Henry holds her by her elbows. ELIZA: Because†¦ HIGGINS: Because what? I love you isn’t that enough? ELIZA: No, because I don’t love you Henry Higgins looks at Eliza confused and speechless. ELIZA: I can’t marry you because I am marrying Eddie. HIGGINS: What!! ELIZA: And you can’t change my mind. Eliza exit the drawing room and leaves Henry standing there. Henry doesn’t know what to do but only to go home. He leaves the room and says goodbye to his mother. He feels ashamed and brokenhearted. The woman

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Hobbies: Video Games

Many people have hobbies, game nights, video games, friends, animals, the list goes on. These are all just the small things people have that help them through their lives. They are the small things they do to have fun. These things keep time moving fast and keep life lively. Then there are the other things that make things easy, and help people get through the week or even the day. The little things I like to do are just enough to keep me going. These things I do are easy, difficult, fun, relaxing, and soothing. One of my favorite things to do is play video games. I have played video games my entire life. These games help me cope with and small problem I have. They help me forget what was happening before I started playing. My favorite game is Call of Duty, while playing I am able to vent, get mad at people, release some pressure that has been built up throughout the week. Another little thing I like to do is bowl. I bowl every Saturday morning on a league with my friends Connor and Nick. We have a great time and compete against kids from other schools. I like to go ice fishing in the winter with my father. This is a great way me and my dad spend time together. Other things I like to do in the winter is go snowboarding. Snowboarding helps me relax and have a good time outside. Also I like to go horseback riding with my sister. We have ridden horses since we were about 8 years old. It’s the only way we are able to find time to hang out. I also enjoy watching the television series Axe Men with my sister and my brother in law. It is a very fun show and I like spending time with them. It reminds me of what my father and I do a lot. My father and I are always in the woods cutting down trees for our new house. It releases a lot of build up tension and stress that I have from home and from school. Another one of my many hobbies is playing sports. I have always found time in my life to play sports. Even as a younger kid. Growing up I have always played baseball in the spring. I have been very successful in baseball. Playing in an All Star team for many summers and being the pitcher on that team. In the Fall I play soccer. I have been on the Varsity soccer team for the past three years. In the Winter I play basketball on the team at school. Our basketball team has never been very successful but it is still fun to play and to be on a team. I spend a lot of my time playing sports. I have always kept my grades up so I could play sports so I think it has been a good hobby because of that. It gave me more initiative to keep my grades up. I like to spend time at home and hang out with my family. My mother is always trying to make cooking one of my hobbies but I do not enjoy cooking. I enjoy eating what she cooks but I do not enjoy cooking it Most of all, my favorite weekly hobby is writing essays. In my lifetime I have had a lot of hobbies come and go. Most of my hobbies have stuck with me throughout my life though. Playing sports has been my main hobby. My second main hobby is playing video games. All of my hobbies throughout my life have kept me sane. Without all of my hobbies I would not be the same person I am today. They keep me grounded. I am actually very thankful for all of the hobbies I have been able to keep and pursue throughout my lifetime.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Motherboards essays

Motherboards essays Motherboards are the main part of a computer system. Also called a main board a motherboard is responsible for connecting all the components of a computer system and allowing them to communicate between each other. In 1924 the Tabulating Machine Company was renamed to IBM. Hewlett Packard was founded in 1939. The first transistor was invented in 1947. In 1967 IBM created the first floppy disk. In 1968 Intel Corp was founded. In 1970 the first microprocessor was born as well as the first Random-access memory module otherwise known as RAM. In 1972 Compact discs were invented. In 1975 the first personal computer hit the market with one kilobyte of memory. Its cost was around $397. In 1981 the Commodore is released which later becomes the worlds most popular computer. In 1985 Microsoft and IBM begin working together on their new operating system called windows. These are the main points on the history of motherboards. This history was found at www.motherboards.org. On the Website www.howstuffworks.com it describes motherboards like a small scale of a city. The main chips take power from one source and the information travels on a multiple lane highway to get to all of the components of a computer system. Over the years motherboard sizes havent really changed but the functionality of the main board has substantially increased. A motherboard is a multi-layered printed circuit board. Copper circuit paths called traces carry signals and voltages across the motherboard. Different layers carry different data to and from the bios, processor, and memory buses. One of the most essential parts of a motherboard are the fans. Fans are used to cool the different components of the motherboard as well as the computer down to a temperature that will push out peak performance out of the computer. When electricity is running through a computer system it generates increasing heat. This along with density an...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Decision Making Assessment of your organization Term Paper

Decision Making Assessment of your organization - Term Paper Example The problem needs to be defined first and there should not be any type of disagreement between the stakeholder and the decision maker. The criteria, requirements and goals need to be set properly. For effective decision making the problem should be first defined. The problem statement should clearly state the initial and desired conditions. The root cause along with the limiting assumptions needs to be identified. The second step of decision making is to set the requirements clearly. By requirement it is meant that conditions that are the acceptable solution to the problem must meet. Again solution to the problem must meet the requirement. The third step of decision making deals with setting up the goal. Goal does not only mean requirement to be met but it means clearly defining the wants and desires. The forth step defines identification of the alternatives. The alternatives should be close to the requirements of the condition. It transforms the initial condition into desired condit ion. The fifth step is to clearly define the criteria for the problem solution. For judging the effectiveness of the alternative, setting of criteria becomes important. Whether the alternative properly achieves the goal or not is dependent on the definition of criteria. For solving the decision problem proper tool needs to be used. Selection of proper tool is a challenging task and depends on the decision of the decision maker. In the seventh step the alternatives are mapped with the criteria to see whether the alternatives are in sync with the criteria. After this evaluation is done the decision maker now ranks the alternatives and chooses the most promising alternatives. In the final step the alternatives chosen by the decision maker needs to be validated with the requirement and goal of the problem (Fulop, n.d., pp. 1-3). This study assesses the decision making process of US Army Corp Engineer and helps the senior leaders in understanding the decision making culture of the organi zation. Decision making environment US Army Corp Engineer has a large team of dedicated soldiers and civilians who are delivering engineering services to their customers. Environmental sustainability is the guiding principal of the organization, which encourages the employees to work diligently and efficiently to strengthen the communications of United States by building proper infrastructure. US Army Corp aims towards promoting stability and improving quality of life. Developing the waterways of America is one of the chief mottos of US Army Corp. By doing this they aim to energize the economy of the nation by improving the movement of the commodities and providing recreation opportunities to the lakes and marinas. Therefore most of the decision making process involves the procedures related to the development of the waterways (About Us, 2013). Behind any decision taken by the US Corp Engineers the main reason is to â€Å"strengthen the security system, energize the economy and red uce the risks from disasters† (Mission & Vision, 2013). For this motive a group of skilled individual is constantly working to provide innovative and sustainable solutions (Mission & Vision, 2013) In the policy of the US Army Corp a special guidance to the planning of integrated watershed and coastal system has been found. The development clearly states that civil works planning must incorporate watershed whether the planning involves project viability study or

Friday, November 1, 2019

Critical Case Study Exploration by Using Gibbs Model Essay

Critical Case Study Exploration by Using Gibbs Model - Essay Example 3). On top of the sustained practice, it is also necessary to avoid relying on a single learning strategy. For instance, a student can incorporate both visual and verbal methods in learning. Student can hold discussions with fellow students thus brainstorming what they have learned in class (Davis 2009, p. 21). Studies have exposed the significance of discussing with fellow students what one has learned in class. The last but not least strategy that can improve the failing student’s performance is the incorporation of practical sessions in the syllabus. It is impractical for a student to attain success by holding to the effective learning strategies only. Therefore, alongside such strategies, it is requisite for teachers to devise effective teaching strategies for purposes of augmenting the student’s performance. The Constructivist teaching is one of the current teaching strategies allowing students to examine what they are familiar with, thus making knowledgeable decis ions on the learning content. Moreover, the inclusion of some practical lessons in teaching is crucial, in enhancing a student’s understanding of the course content. This section will utilize Gibbs (1998) reflective model to answer some questions related to the case study. For instance, the first question demands that I identify my thoughts and feelings from the given case study. It is apparent that the student’s performance in the placement has tremendously declined. Prior to commencement of the program, I had a strong feeling that she would depict a high level of understanding for the subject. The result of my thought would be because she seemed kind and caring for patients. However, after the program commences, it is clear that I am totally mistaken because of incompetency demonstrated by her (Bulman 2004, P. 2). Therefore, her inefficiency in whatever she engages herself in makes me think of the possibility of poor learning and teaching practices. Her inability to prioritize the patients’ needs has shown her high level of incompetency. For instance, the student’s inability to relate the class theory to the practical is a clear indication of ineffective teaching, as well as learning methods. In my scrutiny, the student nurse ought to take their class work serious thus depicting a high level of competency in class work. Therefore, the case study indicated that nursing students did not dedicate their efforts to learning. I thus propose that, for an effective performance, the instructors ought to integrate teaching strategies that allow for the student’s active participation. The main reason behind the declined level of incompetence is due to the standardized examinations, which students must sit for in determining the level of qualification. Sources have shown that, it is only after a nursing student excels in such exams that they attain the acquiescence to deal with patients. Those who fail to excel in such exams ought to r etake them until their verification by the authorities. The literature also illustrates the issue of nursing incompetence in the stagnated, as well as the developing countries. Poor teaching strategies are the main causes of the decline in performance. Furthermore, the policy that aids in the examination of nursing qualification is erroneous thus a high level of ineptitude (Iyer 2001, p. 4). Therefore, the concerned authorities have implemented strategies