The Potential Of The Kalabagh Dam Environmental Sciences Essay

The Potential Of The Kalabagh Dam Environmental Sciences Essay Should the government commence the construction of Kalabagh Dam or should the project be abandoned? Kalabagh Dam, one of the largest projects pending in Pakistan, is to be located on river Indus at a site about 100 miles away from the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. The project was first conjured by the Government of Pakistan under the regime of Ghulam Muhammad in 1953. However, its project report which intended to inform and convince everyone about its economic and technical feasibility was completed by 1984 during the rule of the military leader Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. The Kalabagh Dam project was designed with the support of the United Nations Development Program under the supervision of the World Bank. Having a live storage capacity of 6.1 million acre feet of water and producing 2400MW of electricity, Kalabagh Dam appears like the only solution to the water related issues facing Pakistan. Since the inception of this project till today, all four provinces continue to argue abou t the projects potential disadvantages and advantages. The benefits of building and running this dam which include obtaining cheap energy and increasing crop yield are tempting; however, after conducting an unbiased cost benefit analysis, it appears that the projects harmful effects like the displacement of people, damage to the environment, high cost, and no significant control over flood water flow outweigh the few advantages that might be achieved through its construction. The first and foremost important purpose for the Kalabagh Dam is considered to be the filling up of the huge gap in the demand and supply of electricity. According to PEPCO, Pakistan Electric Power Company, the total electricity shortfall in Pakistan is 3000 to 4000 MWs; supply from various sources being 11,815 MWs and the demand being 14,904 MWs. Pakistans population suffers greatly due to this deficit because it has to face long hours of load shedding also in areas which face unbearably hot summers. Electricity shortage to industries is detrimental to the economy, reducing exports in a country which already faces an alarming negative balance of payments. Not only is industrial load shedding disconcerting, threatening to destabilize the economy drastically if supply is not urgently met, or programs are not put into action immediately, but household shortage of electricity is also upsetting the social and economic infrastructure of the country. A study carried out by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) on the development of the power sector found that presently only 65 to 70 percent of 172 million people have access to electricity. The dire need for the demand of electricity to be met, then, cannot be ignored. The study by the Competition Commission of Pakistan also detailed that the country can generate a total of 40,000 MWs from Hydel resources, but owing to lesser exploitation, only 6500 MWs have been utilized from this energy source. The Kalagbagh Dam can hence be seen as a project that is immediately required in order to extract electricity from Pakistans natural resources. However, alternative, less controversial and hence more readily implementable plans to meet energy demands are also prevalent. Various small plans that cater to meeting the demand for electricity cannot be ignored; for instance wind energy projects, nuclear power reactors, coal power projects as well as solar energy utilization projects are also present. Solar energy panels covering several rural areas of Pakistan are under construction right now, with some of them near completion. These projects as a whole are expected to generate electric power of at least 3500 MWs together. Similarly Pakistan has a total of abou t 185,000 metric ton reserves of coal, while only 3300 metric tons have been exploited as yet for power generation. China has agreed to build several other power plants in Pakistan which are set to complete in the coming years; these plants, including Nandipur (425 MWs, Thermal), Guddu(800 MWs, Thermal) and Neelam-Jhelum(1000 MWs, Hydro), Chashma (1200 MWs, Nuclear) will add more than 3000 MWs of power generating capacity. Therefore Kalabagh dams importance as the only source for filling in the energy shortage is diluted; furthermore the heightened debate over it which has been stretching over for many years now stalls the process of implementing more energy generating programs. At the same time, the Kalabagh Dam project is considered to act as a cheap alternative source of energy. However, this cheap energy advantage in the production of electricity conversely will not benefit the population because WAPDA (Water And Power Development Authority) and KESC (Karachi Electric Supply Company) are both under debt incurring losses of 28% and 40% respectively.(Forex) This means that any cost advantage earned by both of these bodies due to using a relatively cheaper hydro-electric energy source will not be passed down to the customers. Additionally, Pakistan has abundant coal in the Thar reservoir in Sindh from where coal can be extracted and used to produce cheap electricity; foreign investment has been attracted over the years to exploit such reserves providing a feasible alternative to the much disputed Karbala Dam. The problem posed by diminishing storage capacities of dams due to silting which occurs over the years must be taken into account as well. A study carried out by TAMS-Wallingford in March 1998 explains that the capacity lost in Tarbela and Mangla Dams is approximately equal to the proposed capacity of Kalabagh Dam. The study says that a de-silted Tarbela Dam will yield the same benefit as the Kalabagh Dam; however the cost incurred would be one seventh of that than in the case of the construction of a new dam in net present value terms. Therefore, the Kalabagh Dam will only be a more expensive replacement providing storage capacity that is equal to that provided by the construction of new outlets at Tarbela dam which will enable sediments to flush out from the reservoir and will be far more beneficial as indicated by the study as well. Thus it appears that Kalabagh Dam is merely amongst one of the many options available when it comes to filling the energy gap and not the only solutio n possible, and certainly not the most viable one. Additionally, the proposed Kalabagh Dam Project is an expensive one. Pakistan, being the 54th poorest country in the world has recently been struck with a devastating flood which has exacerbated the prevalent poverty among the populace.(Aneki) The total expected cost of the Kalabagh Dam project was estimated to be about 6 billion dollars in 2000.(Khan) Pakistan expects to meet this cost by private funding, government funding, and foreign aid, the latter forming the major portion. However, Pakistans lower credibility and high rate of corruption makes it unlikely to be a candidate for private funding. Additionally, 6 billion dollars invested in Kalabagh Dam can rather be spent on the development of smaller projects costing lesser and directed at uplifting and benefiting the poverty struck masses. However, proponents of the Kalabagh Dam argue that Pakistan is facing an acute water shortage which is negatively affecting its agro-based industries. Pakistan relies heavily on rain water for irrigation and due to irregularity in the rain pattern agriculture output is suffering. Water is not only needed for irrigation purposes but also to increase crop production; the NCS report states: at present 12.2 million hectares of land are available for double cropping, as against the 4.38 million hectares that are double cropped clearly water is the constraining factor. This report tells us about the significance of the water shortage faced in Pakistan. However it needs to be assessed whether the shortage of water really is the problem or if the inefficient use of available water is the actual cause of reduced output. Excess water seepage in Pakistan has resulted in the issues of water logging and salinity which renders fertile land unusable. Rather than building a new dam, if the emphasis is laid on a more efficient use of the available water, the chances for water logging and salinity will lessen, resulting in a more cost efficient and beneficial course of action. The World Commission on Dams reported that lower irrigation efficiency than expected resulted after the construction of the Tarbela Dam, one of the largest dams in Pakistan; it seems unlikely that a new dam can cater to the irrigation problems being faced currently when the efficiency level of the existing dam is poor. Money should instead be spent on devising efficient ways of water distribution to the agricultural land. A widespread notion amongst the masses is that dams help to prevent floods. It is commonly held to believe that if the Kalabagh dam had been constructed and was running at the time when the flood hit Pakistan, it would have helped in reducing the extent of damage that occurred. This thought was further reinforced when the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yousaf Raza Gilani, gave a statement in Multan after visiting a flood affected area that deaths and destruction in the floods could have been averted if the Kalabagh Dam had been built.(Daily Times). However, a former chairman of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), Fatehullah Khan Gandapur, who headed IRSA from 1993 to 1998 said, The dams effect on floods would have been contrary to what the prime minister claimed. Gandapur elaborated on how he thought that Kalabagh dam would have resulted in increased flooding; he also claimed that the dams construction would have caused reverse flow in Kabul River, water logging in the entire Pesha war valley and the submersion of the Nowshera district. His statement shows how the idea that the Kalabagh dam could have prevented or reduced the damage of the flood may not be entirely true. Politically driven statements can lead the general public to form an uninformed and uneducated opinion. The flood which began in July 2010 and resulted at one point in one-fifth of Pakistan being under water was estimated to have floodwater of volume approximately equal to 100 Million Acre Feet whereas Kalabagh dam has a capacity to hold just 6 Million Acre Feet of water. It may be indeed troubling to see how the Prime Minister of Pakistan thought that Kalabagh dam with capacity almost 17 times less than the floodwater would have considerably averted the damage caused by the flood. Moving on to the environmental aspect, the construction of the Kalabagh dam would disrupt the Delta ecology and the Mangrove forest. Environmentalist Muhammad Tanveer warns that large dams have depleted wetlands in the Indus Delta and destroyed marine life; the effects spread over 300 square kilometers. Mangrove forestation is also suffering; mangroves are salt tolerant trees that grow on river deltas and in coastal areas and are important economically and environmentally. They help clean the soil and water containing excess salt by taking it up through the roots and later excreting it by shedding its leaves. Also Mangroves are a natural habitat to a large number of insects, birds, micro organisms, different mammals as well as snakes; further advantages include protection of coastal areas from cyclones and hurricanes, reducing sedimentation in the sea and acting as a breeding ground for fish and crabs. Mangrove forests have reduced to 100,000 hectares from 3 million hectares and the primary reason Tanveer quotes is the impediment upstream in Indus delta. He goes further and claims that Riverine forests on the banks of the Indus also face extinction. If another large dam is built, forests will have to face the consequences which will eventually upset the balance of the whole ecosystem. Reduced water flow in the River Indus which will result if the Kalabagh dam is constructed will also adversely affect forests and the ecosystem they support. The cost of land acquisition and resettlement of the displaced people is also necessary in deciding about the construction of the Kalabagh Dam. The newspaper Dawn reported in 2008 that the dam would take up 110,200 acres of land and displace about 120,000 people; the land acquisition and resettlement cost had been estimated to be 68 billion rupees. According to the World Commission on Dams, the Tarbela Dam directly affected 96,000 people from 120 villages while those people indirectly affected were not quantified. Out of those 96,000 people displaced in 1953 with the promise of land at another place, many affectees hold valid allotment letters but have not been given land due to non-availability. If all the affectees of 1953 have not been given lands by now, guaranteeing land for 120,000 more people seems like a flimsy commitment, and would result in greatly increasing the number of the homeless. In any case, even if all the harmful effects of the project are ignored, the project cannot be carried out without the consent of all the provinces. Without political agreement over this controversial topic, this project will turn into a disastrous one in the history of Pakistan. Building a dam at the cost of national unity does not seem like a reasonable course of action. Although China and India when faced with similar problems went ahead with the projects and did benefit from them, unparalleled political instability is at stake in the case of Pakistan. Since 1953, all four provinces are at a conflict over its construction with Punjab being in its favour while the other three rejecting it, Sindh being the strongest opponent. Officials in other provinces have blamed Punjab of only being concerned in its own water requirement at the cost of harming other provinces. About 11 members of Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) went on a hunger strike demanding the immediate shutdown of the Kalaba gh project over which chairman Bashir Qureshi said that his movement is backed by the 40 million people of Sindh. The Sindh assembly and all political, religious and nationalist parties, irrespective of ideology, have given the thumbs-down to the controversial water projects. (OneWorld South Asia). This shows that going ahead with the Kalabagh Dam project will jeopardize national unity and thus abandoning the project in favour of another hydro-electric dam or other alternative energy source seems like a much viable option. Kalabagh Dam projects cost benefit analysis shows that it is not economically and environmentally feasible. If the project is carried out, not only will national unity be threatened but agricultural land, mangrove forests and in turn the eco system will also be harmed; additionally 120,000 people will be at risk of becoming homeless. Furthermore, the advantages of the Kalabagh Dam can be obtained in other ways which do not have significant costs attached to them. The benefit of increased water storage capacity can be obtained by de-silting the Tarbela and Mangla dams, increased crop yield can be achieved by improving the efficiency with which water is utilized and the energy gap can be filled by completing and starting new small projects and making use of abundant coal reservoir in Thar. The Kalabagh Dam project is not a necessity, it is just one proposal, formed during the process of finding solutions to the problems Pakistan faces, which seems to have taken the shape of an irresolv able dispute. As such then, it is evident that this dam rather than being a viable solution to the energy crisis has instead stalled the urgently required process of exploring Pakistans natural resources.

Christian Discipleship :: Religion Jesus Christianity Essays

Christian Discipleship Discipleship means ^one who follows^ or ^one who learns^ and this meaning has not changed over the centuries. The first disciples must have felt very special just as do today. Also, the first disciples were not fully understood and were rejected. This is true for disciples today aswell. The Bible is the most important reference for a Christian today. It contains all sorts of stories from the Old Testament and the New Testament. The New Testament concentrates on the life of Jesus which is probably more important to Christians than the Old Testament because Jesus^ death means that everyone has a chance to have all of their sins forgiven. The book I will be concentrating on is the gospel of Mark. Mark ^zoomed in^ on whom Jesus chose to be his disciples and what they were like. When people read Mark^s gospel they realise that you can be a disciple of Jesus no matter who you are. Jesus said, ^It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but the sinners^ (Mark 2:17) Many people today see this and are inspired. They see that they too can be forgiven for all of their sins and lead a better life. Being a disciple today is nearly the same as being a disciple in the time of Jesus. As a disciple today you still have to have a true belief in God and to follow the word of Jesus. This is also true for disciples 2000 years ago. Christians today do not suffer as much as they did in the time of Jesus but in some countries Christians do get persecuted and even attacked or killed. The first twelve disciples are not so sacrificial and some probably wouldn^t give their life for God. However, there are still Christians who would do anything for God but this is only a small percent of Christians. The first twelve disciples weren^t just Christians straight away, they dropped all of their things to follow Jesus and spent years learning about God. Nowadays, many people wouldn^t just drop all of their things to follow someone they know nothing about. Many people are told about God and Jesus for a long time before becoming a Christian, just like in Emmanuel College in assemblies and in tutor prayer. Jesus told taught crowds of people that they must sacrifice everything to be a proper disciple. Some people want to learn more about Christianity but don^t want to be sacrificial in their living making them unable to be a disciple.

Free Oedipus Rex Essays: The Role of Characters :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

The Role of Characters in Oedipus the King Characters play a very important role in the play "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles. Without characters, the play would lack a certain dimension and be very difficult to read. The presence of characters in the play make it more easily understood. If characters did not appear in the play it would be close to impossible to understand it since everything that takes place is through the words of the characters. Also if there were no characters the outcome of the play would be different. The significance of characters in the play is very obvious. Without them the play would be much shorter and much more boring. The role of characters is very important to the play. Characters make the play possible just by the virtue of existing. If they did not exist the play would not either. If the play did not exist then the characters would not either. The characters and the play are codependent and need to have a symbiotic relationship to ensure their mutual survival. A lack of characters in the play would make very difficult reading and perhaps more difficult viewing. A lack of characters would necessitate some other device to be used and a substitute has not been found that replaces the role characters play in a play. An example from the play is when Oedipus was speaking to Teiresias: "I did not know then you would talk like a fool ­or it would have been long before I called you". If there had not been any characters in this play, this could not have happened. If the play did not have characters the outcome would be much different. All the actions and conversations could not have taken place without the use of characters. Characters made the play and its tragedy possible. Without characters nothing could have taken place. They made it possible for Oedipus to kill his father and have sex with his mother and for everything that was bad to happen. If Jocasta or better Oedipus did not exist within the context of the play everyone would have been much happier and the tragedy could have been avoided. Even if the herdsman who saved Oedipus as a child did not exist or the messenger from Cithaeron the tragedy of the play would have been avoided and made for a much happier ending.

Child Welfare Information Gateway Essay

In every state in the United States, teachers are subject to mandatory reporting laws (Smith 2006). In most cases that means the teacher is required to contact a law enforcement agency or child protective services regarding the allegations of abuse.   The law is rapidly changing regarding the requirements for reporting abuse and in many cases mandatory reporting laws have been extended from child care professionals and medical professions to the clergy as well (Smith 2006). Each state’s definition of when a teacher must report suspected abuse varies, but there is no state that penalizes a teacher who, acting in good faith made a report that turned out to be wrong. In the case of Mary, once her friend tells the teacher that Mary’s new step-father is â€Å"doing bad things to her†, the teacher is under a legal and moral obligation to report the suspected abuse to the proper authorities for investigation. If the teacher has reason to question the validity of Mary’s friend’s statement, she should explain that to the investigating authority as well, but making the report is an indisputable necessity. Teachers and others who are listed as mandatory reporters can face civil and criminal penalties for failing to report suspected abuse if something untoward should happen to the child. More importantly, though teachers are trained to spot early signs of abuse and neglect and report them, teachers do not have the extensive training necessary to investigate the accusations and make a determination whether abuse is happening. In this way, a teacher is not only protecting the child, but also protecting herself in reporting (Smith 2006). The issue for the teacher can be one of legal protection and emotional protection. Most people, including teachers, would feel tremendous guilt if they determine no abuse was happening, failed to report it to other authorities and then the child was injured through abuse. The decision then to talk to Mary about the accusations is a difficult one. Obviously, if Mary has been a student that the teacher is close with and has routinely shared her private life with her teacher, then approaching the subject delicately can let Mary know there is someone on her side. However, if talking with Mary is mishandled, it could hamper her future school relationships and potentially hamper the official investigation into the abuse. The correct way for a teacher to handle this would be to talk to the student privately at a time when it does not appear that talking with the teacher is punishment. Talking with her over a recess break or during a fun classroom activity could lead a seven-year-old to believe that she had done something wrong and was being punished for it. Therefore, given Mary’s age it might be appropriate to begin the conversation in as non-threatening a manner as possible. Selecting Mary for a chance to offer â€Å"special assistance† to the teacher might be an easy way to arrange to have the conversation. If Mary is helping the teacher to retrieve supplies or set up a fun classroom segment, she might be more at ease than if a formal meeting were set up. Remember, the key is making Mary comfortable. Once the when has been established, the how of the discussion becomes less arduous, though it is still a difficult task. The teacher must again continue to be as non-threatening as possible and must be certain not to betray Mary’s friend’s trust. If Mary believes her friend is â€Å"tattling† on her, she is likely to become more withdrawn and less willing to talk.   One approach that might work is to ask Mary about the symptoms she was exhibiting in a non-accusatory way. For example, asking Mary if she’s having trouble sleeping or casually discussing Mary’s home life. A teacher could consider an opening question like, â€Å"Mary, I noticed you seemed really sleepy this morning (last week, Tuesday, whenever). Do you have trouble sleeping at night like I do?† The teacher immediately establishes a common thread with Mary and does not appear to be asking about troubling or scary situations. Then, the teacher should ask deeper more pertinent questions based on the flow of the conversation. If it is determined that Mary has been abused, the consequences for her could be grave. Most studies report that the age and amount of psychological development at the time of the abuse largely affect the long-term consequences. (Child Welfare 2006). In Mary’s case, long term physical effects can include poor health or injury, depending on what types of bag things her step-father is doing to her. Children who are exposed to sexual abuse face a danger of sexually-transmitted diseases in addition to the physical effects of the abuse. Psychological consequences of the abuse can be even more damaging, long term.   An abused child is likely to have inappropriate social boundaries, either being to gregarious and open sexually or becoming withdrawn. They often also face cognitive development problems and mental health issues. As teens, children who were abused face greater risks of drug and alcohol abuse and greater instances of juvenile delinquency and crime. In short, if this is occurring, then Mary needs to be protected as soon as possible. (Child Welfare 2006). Longitudinal studies have shown that the longer the abuse continues, the more drastic the consequences might be. REFERENCES Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2006 , http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long_term_consequences.cfm, July 24, 2007. Smith, Susan K. â€Å"Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect† Nov. 2, 2006, July 24, 2007.

Pirates of Silicon Valley Essay

1. How would you describe both Jobs’ and Gates’ innovation process? a. Internal: An innovation process must have a defined goal, mission, and vision to keep the innovation competitive and successful. A firm should start with internal planning and move on to the execution of their innovation once goals and objectives have been defined. Steve Jobs was a rebel who built illegal blue boxes and spent his youthful energies pulling pranks that repeatedly got him suspended from high school. He wasn’t a technical genius (that was his partner Steve Wozniak) but he had an intuitive sense of design and usability, and an almost improvisational approach to business decisions. Jobs was, in essence, a jazz musician who relied on his innate creativity, and turned his lack of formal training into a strength rather than a weakness. His vision, to create a computer for ordinary people’s use, seemed wildly far-fetched to most people at the time. Furthermore, IBM laughed at this idea and even questioned why an ordinary person would need a computer. Finally, despite being turned down by investors and laughed at for his ideas, Apple was born in his garage, and the Macintosh was born. Jobs believed in closed-systems (or fully-integrated systems), meaning that one company designed the computer, the software and all connected devices and peripherals. This belief is what gives Apple products their unique look, and also why Apple products work so well together. Jobs had a successful internal innovation process because he had the technological expertise, a clear vision guiding him to success, and a supportive team that was prepared to work late nights and long days to make this vision become a reality. Bill Gates’ internal innovation process began with the help of his friend Paul, writing code for computers. They eventually dropped out of Harvard to pursue their passion of programming and with the invention of BASIC a new vision was born. They got signed by MITS and convinced competitors, IBM, Xerox, and Apple that they needed his exper tise to write code for their computers. Once Gates had his foot in the door at Apple, he had access to new code and ideas, which got him thinking he could do it better than Jobs was doing at Apple. He was able to infiltrate and leave unscathed with Apple’s operating system. Furthermore by  pirating his competitors’ operating systems, he gained enough knowledge and expertise to start his own company, Microsoft. It appears Gates was more unorganized than Jobs in the sense that he lacked proper preparation. He had an incomplete operating system until he stole code from other systems like Xerox and Apple. Consequently, Bill Gates’ internal innovation process was largely due to replicating other companies’ code. Although this was a dishonest plan, he succeeded by tricking his competitors and ultimately joined Apples team in the end, keeping his project hidden on the side. b. External: External innovation involves enhancing or adding to something that already exists. In Jobs’ case, he is creating the first personal computer as opposed to creating the first computer. In Gates’ case, he is enhancing the computer with programming and integrating a â€Å"language† for computers that already exist. Steve Jobs’ mai n external pressures in his innovation process were his competitors. While he did not notice it at the time, his biggest competitor, Bill Gates, was pirating his software behind his back. Steve Wozniak also quit at one point because of Jobs’ poor leadership and self-obsession. Jobs demanded too much of his workers and in return his company despised working for him. Ultimately, Jobs succeeded in his external innovation process but at the cost of losing friends, and good employees. Unlike Steve Jobs, Bill Gates was more successful through his external innovation process. The Microsoft model was a product of imitating his competitors. Bill Gates convinced his competitors that they needed his talents and in return he gained invaluable knowledge. He did not collapse under pressure and stayed humble throughout his success to ultimately take advantage of his competitors and land on top. 2. For both internal and external acquisition of technology, how was implementation handled? What areas were Jobs and Gates Hardware and Software particularly lacking? Implementation was handled fairly well by both Jobs and Gates. Although they did not have much of a â€Å"written plan† they still seemed to have a plan of what they wanted to do with the information they knew, and in what direction, more or less, they wanted to go in. Jobs had a somewhat fairly  well thought out plan in the sense that he went around everywhere for loans and eventually changed his image in order to better his chances. Luck also struck Jobs’ when the investor came to his garage and offered him a $250,000 investment to help him with the Apple Computers. Jobs implemented his first innovation, Lisa through Apple. He had reputable tangible assets including capital, technology, office space, and many technicians. While the technicians were vital assets to Jobs, they were being over worked and were under appreciated. Throughout the movie it is clear that there was a negative company culture emerging, which inversely impacted his intangible assets. Jobsâ€⠄¢ narcissistic personality got him punched in the face at one point. This displays how Apple workers disliked Jobs as a leader and were constantly on edge from lack of sleep and high expectations. The film portrayed Bill Gates as a superior leader than Jobs because he remained loyal to his team throughout the film. Beginning in his garage and eventually moving towards a partnership with Apple, Gates was able to continuously motivate his team and keep morale high. He focused on engaging his team and explained to competitors how they needed his expertise to create a programming language. Gates gained all the resources he needed through gaining access to his competitors software and ended with great a implementation process for Microsoft. In both of their implementation processes, they lacked a bit of control and awareness. Gates’ had somewhat better control and awareness in the sense that he saw the flaws in Jobs’ reign. Jobs (once Apple computers became bigger than just two guys in a garage) was not fully aware of what he was becoming and what he was doing to his company internally. He had two different sides in his company competing against each other and he also treated his employees like machines rather than people. Gates (along with Jobs’ friend Wise) was aware of this p roblem and helped Jobs overcome it. 3. How well did Jobs and Gates understand the environment in which they were trying to compete? What specific areas challenged their chance of success in the environment? In understanding the environment that Gates and Jobs were competing in, they understood it very well. Both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates had extensive  knowledge about building and coding computers. Jobs had a vision of giving the public access to computers. He was very knowledgeable in starting Apple and turning his vision into reality. Similarly, Gates was skilled in computer programming and was able to build Microsoft with the help of his competitors. Steve Jobs’ main challenge was dealing with employees and becoming a true leader. He was forced to grow up very quickly and without the experience, his image as a leader suffered. In one scene of the movie, Jobs walks into an interview barefoot and tells the candidate that he does not belong at Apple and then makes inappropriate personal attacks. This lack of professionalism shows that Jobs did not have managerial skills or leadership experience. On the other hand, it is clear Gates had business experience or had at least studie d business topics. Gates knew how much he could get away with. His sneakiness got him the information he needed but at the expense of jeopardizing his integrity. Gates’ understood that he needed to convince people (IBM) that they not only did not have what he was offering and creating, but that they needed what he was offering. The areas that challenged their chance of success in the environment were consumers and IBM. IBM said no one would use personal computers because average everyday people had no use for one. It was key that Gates knew how to sell his ideas and products, even if they hadn’t even been produced or built yet. Finally, while both had extensive computer technology knowledge, Jobs lacked personal business skills and Gates lacked a defined plan of action. They both knew they were on to something bigger than the both of them and this is not always an easy idea to cope with.

Lotus Car Rental Alternative Fuel Assessment Essay

Introduction The creation of a fleet of alternative fuel sourced automobiles would be a wise decision for the Lotus Car Rental Company. There are two major issues that are on the minds of people these days, the environment and money. By creating a fleet of alternative fuel based automobiles the Lotus Rental Care Company can help ease the fears of people in both categories. By having the ingenuity to have a fleet of alternative fuel automobiles; the Lotus Car Rental will set themselves apart from the rest of the rental car companies. Lotus Car Care will be the leaders in environmentally safe car rentals. The following research paper will discuss the background of this topic, the costs of working with alternative fuel automobiles, the technical aspects of alternative fuel, the environmental aspects of alternative fuel as well as discuss some recommendations for the Lotus Car Rental Company. Background The Lotus Car Rental Company is looking into adding a fleet of alternative fuel sourced vehicles to their supply. Alternative fuel sourced vehicles are classified as being resources other than petroleum. A few of these sources are produced here locally and some are derived from renewable sources. They often produce less pollution than does gasoline. (â€Å"Alternative Fuel Vehicles†, 2012). Hybrids are also considered to be an alternative sourced vehicle. A Hybrid vehicle is one that utilizes more than one form of onboard energy to achieve propulsion (â€Å"Edmunds.com†, 2009). Financial Feasibility Several factors influence the financial feasibility of adding alternative fuel vehicles to the fleet: vehicle cost, maintenance, advertising, and return on investment. Additional considerations include: market share, future growth, and implementation cost. The first consideration is the cost of adding hybrid vehicles to fleet inventory. Individual vehicle cost ranges from $23,000 to $37,000 and the models available include Honda Civic, Volkswagen Jetta, Lincoln MKZ, and Lexus ES300H (Almeida, 2009). Fleet costs would be less depending on number of units purchased and vehicle upgrades. Lotus Rental Car’s rentals fall into three categories: economy, mid-size, and luxury. Based on a cursory review of Lotus Rental Car’s primary income producers, the number of hybrid vehicles added should fall within the three to five percent range for each category. The initial outlay should equal or be less than the number of vehicles within each specific category that will be retired within the purchase year. For instance, if ten percent of economy vehicles will be retired then five percent of the new vehicles purchased will be hybrid. By timing the introduction of the new hybrid vehicles with inventory retirement the initial cost outlay will be mitigated. The anticipated maintenance costs will be similar to the previous year’s cost and no change is expected. Income from vehicles retired is expected to equal the same percentage as non-hybrid automobiles and will not constitute a negative financial impact. Advertising is a major consideration, although the cost is not expected to increase. Target markets will be in major cities where Lotus Rental Car’s already has a large presence. Urban centers with environmentally conscious drivers are the best place to begin a new hybrid product line. Adding information regarding the new line to existing websites provides maximum exposure with minimal cost. Other markets include environmentally conscious corporate businesses that already have a corporate account with Lotus. Market share and future growth is connected to advertising and return on investment. The implementation costs are minimal. The monthly return on investment is tied to advertising, environmental activity, and rental cost. Advertising includes national campaigns and local markets. The rental market incorporates online sales and local customers. The majority of travelers will book a rental vehicle prior to arriving at the rental company. Pricing will play an important factor in a rental commitment. Up-sale will increase income potential. Economy vehicles rentals begin at $9.99 and increase, depending on the current sales program. The cost may decrease, depending on the number of days booked, special pricing, and additional sale of navigation, XM radio, and infant seats. However, the average rental price for an economy vehicle is $29.99 per day and hybrid vehicles rent from $65.99 to $159 per day. The return on investment per day would range from $35 to $129. It is clear the automotive industry is offering a variety of hybrid vehicles in response to customer demand. The future of the automotive industry includes alternative fuel vehicles of all models. As the automotive industry embraces hybrid sales that increase their market share, so should the vehicle rental industry. Entry into a new product line will have higher costs than non-alternative vehicles until the product becomes well immersed into the market. In the case of hybrid vehicles it is prudent that Lotus Rental Car adds hybrid vehicles to their urban centers and joins the environmental movement along with major vehicle manufacturers. It is clear that as time passes, a portion of new business will gravitate toward rental car companies that offer alternative fuel vehicles. Lotus Rental Car company will lose future market share and the expense of entering the hybrid market will increase if Lotus Rental Car company enters the market after its competitors (Schueneman, 2009). Technical Aspects One of the many advantages of owning a hybrid vehicle is saving money at the pump. Unlike your standard gas running car, this on average would do about 21 mpg highway and city driving. Hybrids on average are doing 30 mpg highway and city. An article written on nationalgeographic.com it shows the actual fuel saving over a year span â€Å"The average American driver between the ages of 34 and 55 drives 15,291 miles annually. Divide this annual mileage figure by 21 miles to the gallon for the standard model, and you will find that you would buy about 728 gallons of gasoline a year. In contrast, if you divide the annual miles figure by 30 for the hybrid, you would determine that the annual gas purchase would be of about 510 gallons. You would save 218 gallons of gas a year with the hybrid. Multiply this by a conservative $3.50 a gallon for a dollar savings of $763. By selecting the hybrid over the standard model, you would make up for the $5,560 difference in sticker price in seven to eight years. Subtract the maximum tax incentive and you could recoup the $2,160 difference in less than three years. Thus, in this example, you would save money either by paying full price and driving your hybrid for more than eight years, or by driving it for more than three years with a tax credit.†(Nationalgeographic.com by Lynne Haley Rose). So although the price tag is little higher on hybrids you will easily make your money back in the gas savings. Most people may think,† Yeah, you save on gas, but don’t get the as much horsepower when you purchase a hybrid vehicle.† The idea of combining electric and gas does seem to leave much room for speed and maneuverability. This assumption is not true; yes hybrids do have smaller gas engines, but they make it up with their electric engine. Coupled with the gas engine, the electric engine can send power to various parts of the car, mainly the wheels. This is a very good advantage over standard horsepower, because it could actually supply more power to the car; which increases its speed. With all this talk about horsepower and speed, we begin to think about maintaining a hybrid car. Once again, just because it’s a hybrid doesn’t mean it’s more expensive. Most of the basic normal maintenance requirements like oil changes and tune ups cost about the same as standard cars. They even have their own perks. A standard car requires an oil change every 3,000 miles; whereas hybrids are every 6,000 miles. One of the most expensive items on a hybrid is the car’s battery; which can run you up to 3,000 dollars. Don’t let this number scare you, because these batteries have no real recorded life expectancy â€Å"a long time† is what I kept seeing in my research. As said in (8 Reasons to Buy a Hybrid Car) â€Å"There’s no difference between a hybrid and the gas-powered car parked in your garage — it can accelerate just as quickly and cruise just as fast on the highway, and it handles just as smoothly. Most important, hybrids are just as safe to drive.† (By Alan Rider Parents.com). Hybrids have come a long way since the first Prius 10 years ago. They’ve excelled in mpg, horsepower and style. There are a number of hybrids out there now and many styles to choose from in the standard and luxury lines. As far a comfortable ride, hybrids and standard cars are the same. Now, of course, if you go out and get a Lexus hybrid you’re going to have more luxuries than if you purchased a Toyota hybrid. Most cars you get know have all of the technical capabilities available and if they don’t they can be added. Technology will not stop growing and with that so will the new age of hybrids. Environmental Aspects Petroleum based fuels can create harmful emissions like carbon dioxide; nitrous oxides, and particulate matter, all of which degrade the environment (â€Å"5 things you need to know about alternative fuel vehicles,† 2008). These methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and other gasses are known as greenhouse gases. When these gasses build up they contribute to global warming. HybridCar.org claims that Hybrid vehicles produce 80 percent less greenhouse gases than conventional fuel based vehicles (â€Å"Hybrid Cars And Pollution†, 2005). Toxicity is another problem with petroleum fuel based vehicles. The producing of some forms of alternative fuels can create fewer toxins than those produced by traditional fuel vehicles. For instance, biodiesel is a fuel that is created from leftover vegetation like corn stalks. Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic which makes it safe for the environment. Noise pollution is also a form of pollution. Car engines can produce 110 decibels of noise, which is twice as loud as a normal conversation.. The noise will come from the fuel pump, pistons and compressors that create the combustion and cycle the fuel. Vehicles with alternative fuel sources such as hydrogen fuel cells will produce no sound or vibration as they require no moving parts to produce fuel. Recommendations The research has shown that a fleet of alternative fuel sourced vehicles would be the best idea for everyone involved. The positive feedback generated by offering this fleet of vehicles would be astounding. The market for rental cars with alternative fuel capabilities is very small and the Lotus Car Rental Company would have the market cornered. The cost of maintain a fleet of these vehicles are no different than that of petroleum fueled vehicles. The consumer that is able to rent these vehicles will also benefit by being able to save more money on energy for the vehicle. The environment will also benefit from this addition to the Lotus Car Rental fleet. The amount of pollution and emissions that can be cut back will be helpful to the surrounding community and the future generations to grow up in the community. Conclusion The creation of a fleet of alternative fuel sourced automobiles would be a wise decision for the Lotus Car Rental Company. After conducting much research, the decision to incorporate a fleet of alternative fuel sourced automobiles would be in the best interest of the public as well as the company. The research has shown the monetary benefits, the technical benefits as well as the environmental benefits of acquiring a fleet of alternative fuel sourced automobiles. The benefits of having a positive company reputation are enormous. Having an environmentally friendly car rental company has the potential of being a lucrative decision. Living a green lifestyle has become an important thing in this day and age. The Lotus Car Rental Company will have cornered the market by having an entire fleet of environmentally friendly automobiles. References Alternative fuel vehicles. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/current.shtml Edmunds.com. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/what-is-a-hybrid-car-how-do-hybrids-work.html Almeida, A. (2009, August 13). Average Cost of a Hybrid Car. Retrieved from CarsDirect: http://www.carsdirect.com/car-pricing/whats-the-average-cost-of-a-new-hybrid-car Schueneman, T. (2009, February 12). Enterprise Rent-a-Car Adds 5000 Hybrids to its Fleet of Fuel Efficient Cars. Retrieved from sustainablog: http://sustainablog.org/2009/02/enterprise-rent-a-car-adds-5000-hybrids-to-its-fleet-of-fuel-efficient-cars/ 5 things you need to know about alternative fuel vehicles. (2008, July). greencar.com, (), . Retrieved from http://www.greencar.com/articles/5-things-need-alternative-fuel-vehicles.php Hybrid cars and pollution. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.hybrid-car.org/hybrid-cars-pollution.html

Essay on Automated Bleeding of Chickens

Essay on Automated Bleeding of Chickens Essay on Automated Bleeding of Chickens Title Level Credit value Protect broilers/chickens in automated bleeding operations 2 Provisional 2 Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1.1 1.2 Check that routine maintenance and cleaning of the bleeding system are carried out Check and adjust the automatic neck cutter system including ï‚ · bleed time ï‚ · speed ï‚ · cutting height ï‚ · pitch Monitor birds to ensure that the automatic neck cutter system severs the arteries and that there are no signs of recovery Take action to deal with birds that show signs of recovery Follow FBO’s procedures to commence operations operate the system and deal with birds that are not bled effectively. State the responsibilities that must be fulfilled under animal welfare regulations for the bleeding of birds State the behavioural characteristics of birds in bleeding operations Outline why it is important to minimise avoidable pain, suffering and stress State how to recognise signs of ï‚ · consciousness ï‚ · sensibility ï‚ · effective killing Stat e how bleeding kills the bird, and which arteries must be severed State why bleeding should produce a rapid loss of blood and what should be done if this does not happen Describe how to carry out a back-up killing Learning Outcomes The learner will: 1. Prepare and operate automated operations and monitor bird protection in accordance with Food Business Operator’s (FBO’s) procedures 1.3 1.4 1.5 2. Understand how to protect birds in automated bleeding operations in accordance with FBO’s procedures 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Unit of Assessment in Animal Protec tion for Food Operations  © I mprove 3rd Draft June 2011 method and the circumstances in which this would be necessary 2.8 Outline the FBO’s procedures for protecting birds and operating the automated bleeding system. Additional information about the unit Unit purpose and aim(s) This unit supports workforce development for those whose role includes responsibilities for the protection of broilers/chickens in automated bleeding operations. The unit is designed for use by operatives and others who carry out these workplace activities. The aim of the unit is to determine competent performance to recognised National Occupational Standards. This unit meets the requirements of EU regulation 1099/2009 for the protection of animals at time of killing. Five years from date of accreditation This unit of assessment relates directly to Improve National Occupational Standards; MP.112S Operate a poultry bleeding system MP.113K Understand how to operate a poultry bleeding system This unit is designed to assess the skills and knowledge of learners in the workplace for those whose role includes responsibilities for the protection of broilers/chickens in automated bleeding operations. The learner must be able to dem onstrate their competent