Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Essay --

An all the more intriguing subject of ongoing occasions is another social change known as Transcendentalism, a development that is centered around speculation and settling on choices dependent on instinct. Visionaries, individuals who follow the development, are prestigious for having a solid association with life and nature. They feel that people in present day times depend a lot on each other for counsel and assessments. The possibility of Transcendentalism is that by understanding exercises in nature, one can be nearer to God both profoundly, and intellectually (LibertyEnglish). As per Ralph Waldo Emerson, an unmistakable figure of this new development, he composes, â€Å"Why ought not we have a verse and theory of knowledge and not of convention, and a religion by disclosure to us, and not the historical backdrop of theirs?† (Age-of-the-Sage) Many individuals and religions have added to the development of Transcendentalism over the recent decades. Individual Transcendental ists see introspective philosophy not as a religion, yet a lifestyle (UShistory.org). Introspective philosophy is said to have been impacted by Romanticism (Bingham 19), which started in ...

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Aaron Barret Essay Example For Students

Aaron Barret Essay Bio of Aaron Barrett (artist/guitarist of Reel Big Fish) †from official websiteLittle Aaron Barrett was brought into the world an extremely little 0-year old youngster on August 30th once. He was extremely little. He had a charming head and a delicate catch nose. He was wiggly. He enjoyed breathing air. He was incredibly adorable and he had a mother that was a charming minimal blonde woman and a father that had a major dark facial hair. Once in a while they would take pictures of little Aaron Barrett in light of the fact that they thought he was so charming and they needed to take a gander at photos of him being little some time or another when he was large. Little Aaron Barrett had earthy colored hair. Here and there he sang melodies about being cheerful and different things like that. His voice was extremely charming, much the same as his eyebrows. Little Aarons daddy was a craftsman. He was a generally excellent craftsman named Picasso Barrett. He never marked any of his arti stic creations with his genuine last name so nobody would have the option to locate his unlisted telephone number. Rather, he gave the vast majority of his fine art to his companion Pablo in France. So Little Aaron Barrett figured out how to draw. He had pastels. In the end he would figure out how to utilize Paint and other slick things to make workmanship manifestations. At the point when Little Aaron was in seventh grade he wore striped Gotchaâ„ ¢ shirts and shorts and he figured out how to skateboard. He could even ride his skateboard without tumbling off some of the time! He was extremely glad about that. Little Aaron Barrett got a Sharkâ„ ¢ watch. At some point, Little Aaron Barrett became Medium Aaron Barrett. Medium Aaron Barrett was really decent. Once, Medium Aaron Barrett kissed a genuine young lady! His sister was there. She made Medium Aaron Barrett kiss a genuine young lady with the goal that he would not be a weirdo. Medium Aaron Barretts sister was a young lady as well, however not the genuine young lady that he kissed once. Medium Aaron Barrett concluded that he would have been cool one day. He figured out how to play the guitar one summer. At that point he went to his secondary school and began conversing with individuals. He wore extremely pleasant shirts that had striking hues all over them. He had a companion named Matt Wong. Matt Wong was extremely pleasant. At some point, Medium Aaron Barrett and Matt Wong were hanging out and they chose to be in a band. In the long run they would figure out how to play their instruments quite well, as well. At that point they met some others and the others could sorta play instruments, as well. At that point they went to certain spots. There was a period that they were eating squaw bread one day, and they concluded that they needed to play squaw music. They were truly amped up for squaw music since they truly loved squaw bread. Fun occasions were had by all. In the end, Medium Aaron Barrett got his heart broken once, twice, multiple times a woman. This made him quite unpleasant. In any case, he was still genuine pleasant. Medium Aaron Barrett was turning out to be Aaron Barrett, the Man. He played the squaw music like a devil and moved around and got things done and went to places. Aaron Barrett, the Man was pretty frickin cool. Before long, Aaron Barrett, the Man met his closest companion, Scott Barrett. Scott Barrett was not his sibling, in spite of the fact that he urgently needed to be. Rehash: Scott Barrett isn't Aarons sibling. Scott Barrett was popular for doing astonishing tricks on BMX bicycles and for being a universal playboy with gobs and gobs of cash that he earned during a stretch as a lion tamer. Aaron Barrett, the Man felt that was extremely slick, and completely needed to be companions with him. So Scott continued to change Aaron Barrett, the Mans life. It was a lovely thing. At that point Aaron Barrett, the Man went to go see Karas Flowers perform lovely music. He had never been so energized in his life. They were his top pick! Aaron Barrett, the Man got a kick out of the chance to eat taquitos. They were sooooooo yummy. Out of nowhere, Aaron Barrett, the Man met the adoration for his life! Her name was Diana and she was a Chinese Supermodel, yet a British pop star and a Vietnamese B-film sovereign. She was satisfied to turn into the

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Meeting With a Psychologist or Psychiatrist for PTSD

Meeting With a Psychologist or Psychiatrist for PTSD PTSD Treatment Print Should You See a Psychologist or a Psychiatrist to Treat Your PTSD? By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Updated on January 19, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children Tom Merton / Getty Images There are a number of different types of treatment providers that can diagnose and treat PTSD, such as psychiatrists and psychologists. Learn how to distinguish between these two to determine which professional is right for you. Psychologist Training and Qualifications Psychologists are people who have either a Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) or a Psy.D (Doctor of Psychology) in a field such as clinical or counseling psychology. In some cases, a psychologist may have an Ed.D. (Doctor of Education). To get a Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D., a person must go to graduate school. Graduate programs in clinical or counseling psychology usually last about five to six years. During that time, psychologists receive extensive training in the assessment and treatment of various psychological disorders. In meeting with a psychologist, you want to first make sure he is licensed by the state in which he is practicing. You may also want to ask about his professional orientation. It can also be important to ask about his training and area of expertise to make sure hes a good fit for you. Depending on the type of training received, each psychologist is going to have his own beliefs and ideas about the origins of psychological disorders and how to treat them. These beliefs and ideas are generally referred to as an orientation. Moreover, dont forget the importance of having a personal connection with a mental health provider. Even if a psychologist is perfectly qualified doesnt mean he is the right provider for you. Find Support With the 9 Best Online Therapy Programs Psychiatrists Training and Qualifications Psychiatrists are people who have an M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) that have decided to specialize in the treatment of mental illness. Psychiatrists have been to medical school. Like psychologists, psychiatrists also receive extensive training in the assessment and treatment of various psychological disorders. They are also going to have their own beliefs and ideas about the origins of psychological disorders and how to treat them. Many, although definitely not all, psychiatrists may follow a biological or disease model of mental illness. Unlike psychologists, psychiatrists are qualified to prescribe medication. Other Types of Mental Health Professionals Some mental health professionals are not called doctor. These mental health professionals may have a masters degree in social work, clinical psychology or counseling psychology. These individuals have also received training in the assessment and treatment of psychological disorders. As with other mental health professionals, you will want to ask about their professional orientation, training, and expertise and whether or not they are licensed to practice. Individuals with a masters degree who are licensed to treat psychological disorders will often have LCSW follow their name. This stands for licensed clinical social worker. Knowing What to Ask Your Therapist Can Help Reduce Anxiety Which Type of Mental Health Provider Is Best? There really is no good answer to this question. The mental health professional that is best is the one who best fits your needs. Ask a lot of questions. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the person you are meeting with. Do you agree with their treatment approach? Treatment requires sharing a lot of personal information with someone. Make sure that you trust and feel comfortable with the person you are meeting with. How PTSD Is Treated

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Group Dynamics for Organization - 956 Words

It is important to understand group dynamics in the business world because most businesses require that in order to function large numbers of employees must work together in order to achieve goals for the organization. Groups can take many forms. We will examine different types of groups and how they are designed. Group designs are based on the following principles: Introspection. Engaging in self-evaluation and a gap analysis of one s leadership profile with peers adds a special dimension to this critical facet of the development process. Emotional intelligence. Ultimately, executive development is about augmenting candidates emotional intelligence to manage their emotions and actions better, as well as those of others.†¦show more content†¦Group cohesiveness provides the bonds that hold a group together. There are many benefits to group cohesiveness. Here are just some of the general benefits of having a group that sticks together : The communication within the group is much more extensive. In other words, people who like each other communicate better and more often with each other. Groups that are more cohesive have positive interactions with one another. People are more friendly and there is an increased feeling of the group as a whole. As a result, the group acts as a whole not as individuals. A group that has a high level of group cohesiveness is much more successful in achieving their goal. The feeling of togetherness in the group motivates members to achieve the desired objectives of the group so their efforts increase. The members in groups that are cohesive are much more satisfied with that group. As a result, they are more willing to stay in the group longer and often recommend the group to others. Are leaders an important aspect of groups? In almost every group environment, there will automatically be one or more individuals of that group who will emerge as a leader and/or take on key leadership roles in order for the group to function and achieve the groups overall objective. A group trying to solve a list of problems or achieve a list of objectives will tend to meander along inShow MoreRelatedGroup Dynamics in Organizations1884 Words   |  8 PagesGroup Dynamics in Organizations Kirsten O’connell Mgt 415: Group Behavior in Organizations Steven Bedell May 3, 2010 Abstract Ð  well-managed organization needs adequate talent to achieve its goals. In addition, organizational leaders need to understand the individuals that are working for the organization. By learning how the behavior and culture of individuals affects the organization, leaders and organizations move one step closer to success. Organizational behavior is Ð ° field of study devotedRead MoreGroup Dynamics Of Organizations And Group Behavior2172 Words   |  9 PagesThis research paper will be about group dynamics in organizations and group behavior pertaining to effectiveness with debate and scientific research. This research paper will see which is more effective groups or individuals in an organization. We will attempt to determine what true answer is and which one will have a scientific proven effect. According to Kreitner Kinicki (2013), Organizations behavior is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to better understanding and managing people at workRead MoreImpact Of Group Dynamics On The Productivity Of An Organization1701 Words   |  7 Pages Impacts of Group Dynamics on the Productivity of an Organization Organizations around the globe understand clearly the needs of the people they serve. For employees, the need for training is always to enhance their capacity in a way that helps them to perform their work effectively. Scholars in the sociological and business sectors have developed effective approaches to improving the performance of employees (Jackson-Dwyer, 2013). For business, the reason behind the enhanced trainingRead MoreThe Impact Of Group Dynamics On The Productivity Of An Organization1801 Words   |  8 PagesAbstract The study will explore the impacts of group dynamics on the productivity of an organization. Survey will be used as the method of study, where a convenience sample will be selected and the units of analysis arrived at using the stratified sampling method. The sample size will be determined by randomly selecting a sufficient number of both male and female non-managerial employees. The number of female respondents should be approximately equal to the number of male respondents to reduce theRead MoreThe Importance of Workplace Diversity in an Organization1092 Words   |  5 PagesIN AN ORGANIZATION The Importance of Workplace Diversity in an Organization Gina Cazeau/MGT 307/Week4/May2009 University of Phoenix/Professor R. Cullivan Abstract This paper will define a team and a group, and the difference between the two. It will also examine the importance of workplace diversity in an organization and howRead MoreThe Difference Between Groups and Teams1157 Words   |  5 PagesThe difference between groups and teams Sheri Anderson University of Phoenix Organizational Behavior and Group Dynamics MGT-307 Dennis Keegan April 02, 2012 Groups and Teams It is many differencesRead MoreEffective Team Management and Leadership Skills1437 Words   |  6 Pagesthe collective skills, collective performance and knowledge and collective decision- making of all members of an organization. The difficulties in this agenda will not be with current staff, it will be with the current management. This is specifically significant in a school setting where there is interaction with peers, and students from varying backgrounds and of different age groups. There are various times when the impediment to making such collective efforts comes from the administration itselfRead MoreLeadership And Management Dynamics Of A Physician Run Organization1309 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership of Others The leadership and management dynamics of a physician run organization are complex and challenging. The biggest challenge is managing the differing opinions and perspectives of multiple physician owners. Up until recently, I have viewed my role with the physician owners as passive. My approach was to provide guidance with operational and strategic decision making and essentially let this group lead themselves. By shifting the style of my interactions with the physicians to aRead MoreQuestions On Group And Team Terminology And Concepts From A Theoretical Perspective1516 Words   |  7 Pages1. Questions Related to Group Dynamics Introduction This assignment asks you to respond to a number of questions that address the more. Be sure to include citations in proper APA citation format and a reference list following the conclusion of the essay. This assignment is worth 15 percent of your final course grade. Purpose The purpose of this assignment is to further develop your knowledge of group and team terminology and concepts from a theoretical perspective. Task Answer each of the followingRead MoreThe Importance Of Communication And Group Dynamics990 Words   |  4 PagesHealth care organizations are no different from other organizations on how they communicate and their group dynamics. Therefore having such understanding it is important to know which are the best ways of communication and how successful teams or groups can be successful. When there is a break down in communication then goals and objectives of the organizations will not be easily met and problems will arise because of this. In the same way if a group is not well directed then its goals will also

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Problem Of Care Aids - 1374 Words

The next portion of this analysis is the evidence that the situation provides. Care aids in Canada have a document that outlines competencies needed in order to provide the public with safe, competent and ethical care (HCA Core Competency Profile, 2014). Upon my analysis of this document, the care in the situation had not met competencies 1.0: Health and Caring, 3.0: Communication Skills, 5.0: Safety, and 6.0: Responsibility, Accountability and Ethical Behavior. I begin to question what the ramifications are for care aids that do not meet these standards in Canada. Is it possible that the care aid has forgotten the competencies in which she is required to meet? It could be that the care aid isn’t educated about dementia and wasn’t aware of†¦show more content†¦Determining Step two of this process involves determining what the relevant ethical principles are being met or missed in the scenario (The IDEA, 2008). Nonmaleficence is characterized by the act of avoid ing harm of our clients while in addition, weighing this harm against the benefits of the action (Bastable, 2014). In this scenario, the care aid did not meet the ethical principle of Nonmaleficence, as she scolded and teased the resident because he had not cleared his entire plate; telling him that he wouldn’t get his hat back until he started being a â€Å"good boy†. Although the care aid may have felt that scolding the resident would prevent him from doing wrong in the future, her intervention did not result in a positive outcome. Subsequently, causing harm to the client by triggering anger and confusion. In addition, the care aid lacked the ethical principle of beneficence. Beneficence is much like nonmeleficence, but is characterized by portraying actions that promote good (Burkhardt, Nathaniel Walton, 2014). Considering this definition, her actions did not benefit the client nor promote good, as the resident was unable to correlate the scolding to the notion of clearing his plate. I also feel that the ethical principle of Justice was involved in this situation, as the care that was provided wasn’t fair, equitable or appropriate to the client (Burkhardt,Show MoreRelatedA Research Study On Palliative Care1663 Words   |  7 PagesHIV and new cases in older people. To manage this increasing population a holistic care is needed. According to World Health Organization (2002) â€Å"Palliative care is an approach which improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing life-threatening illness, through the prevention, assessment and treatment of pain and other physical, psychosocial and spiritual problems† (para. 1). Palliative care aim is not to prolong life, but it helps greatly in relieving pain and symptoms ofRead MoreAn Evaluation of Hiv-Aids Care and Prevention Strategies in Uk1067 Words   |  5 PagesI N T R O D U C T I O N An Overall View of HIV/AIDS Statistics in UK: According to the Bureau of Hygiene and Tropical Diseases, in the early 1980s, the number of people diagnosed with HIV was a increasing steadily. From 1987 to 1990 the cumulative number of HIV diagnoses reported was almost doubled (from 8,016 to 15,166) (1, 2). Between 1990 and 1997 there were between 2,000 and 2,700 HIV diagnoses reported annually.(3) From 1999 there was a huge rate of increase in the number of annual HIV InfectedRead MoreDiscrimination of Hiv/Aids1466 Words   |  6 Pages1 Discrimination of HIV/AIDS Discrimination of HIV/AIDS-positive people in medical field and in society is morally wrong In the rural area of Nigeria, an AIDS patient cut his hand and, when he went to the closest hospital to bandage it, the doctors kept transferring him from one outpatient department to another medical ward, then to another one because they did not want to get infectedRead MoreThe Health Of The Modern Health Care968 Words   |  4 Pagesextensive discussion within the American health care system; nonetheless, few comprehend the bearing to the modern health care environment. An array of factors like personal, social, economic, and environment issues influence and determines the health of individual and population, acting in various combinations (Knickman Kovner, 2015). These determinants of health, known as population health determinants generally include genetics, access to health care, individual behavior, social determinant, physicalRead MoreThe Health Of The Population Health937 Words   |  4 Pagesof extensive discussion within American health care system, nonetheless, fe w comprehend the bearing to modern health care environment. An array of factors like personal, social, economic, and environment issues influence and determines the health of individual and population, acting in various combination (Knickman Kovner, 2015). These determinants of health, known as population health determinants generally include genetics, access to health care, individual behavior, social determinant, physicalRead MoreHiv / Aids And Aids856 Words   |  4 PagesHIV/ AIDS affects many people in the world. One of the many places that have the highest HIV/ AIDS epidemic is in South Africa. South Africa has one of the highest prevalence of HIV/ AIDS in the whole world. There are 6.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. There is a 19.1% adult HIV/AIDS prevalence, 340,000 new infections, 200,000 AIDS related deaths, and 42% adults on antiretroviral treatment. South Africa has the largest antiretroviral treatment program in the world. There areRead MoreUnit 3961370 Words   |  6 Pagesphysical problems, learning dif ficulties and sensory loss. Extra support may be required for individuals that may have these multiple disabilities. Multiple conditions and disabilities can affect an individuals wellbeing emotionally and physically. They may require extra support and encouragement with any activities they undertake, as well as empathy, support and encouragement with any emotional needs they may have. Looking at multiple and/or disabilities there could be certain additional problems thatRead MoreMass Education On Hiv / Aids1073 Words   |  5 PagesProject I: Mass education on HIV/AIDS to reduce stigma a. Who is the in-country implementing partner? The Global Fund will partner the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC), a humanitarian social relief organization. The organization’s mission is to protect the health and lives of the people by launching its Nationwide HIV Programme. Within RSCS, it organizes a wide array of programs, ranging from disaster prepared to First Aid training. HIV/AIDS prevention and care is among one of the programs thatRead MorePositive And Negative Factors Affecting Quality Of Life For Women With Hiv / Aids929 Words   |  4 Pagesquality of life for women in Sub-Saharan African with HIV/AIDS. One major positive factor that increase quality of life is the support system that religion can provide. It is documented that â€Å"Women s narratives also illustrated how their faith was an important source of ongoing psychological support as they learned to live with their diagnosis† (Maman et al., 2009). Churches and pastors provide support and a community for women with a HIV/AIDS diagnosis. This i s crucial for women to fight depressionRead MoreCase Study : Medication And Medical Appointments Essay1376 Words   |  6 Pagesday to stave off the progression of AIDS (â€Å"What Is HAART?,† 2012). The individual is more likely to continue HIV/AIDS treatment if they are not having to constantly struggle to obtain said treatment. 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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

A Telephone Based Wireless Remote Controller Free Essays

Abstract—A telephone based wireless system for the remote operation of the home appliances is proposed. The telephone, acting as a remote controller, generates a DTMF signal corresponding to each dialed digit which is converted to a BCD code by the Telephone interface circuit. This is given as input to the transmitter module which is then used to control various home appliances through a receiver module. We will write a custom essay sample on A Telephone Based Wireless Remote Controller or any similar topic only for you Order Now Data processing stages of the transmitter and receiver modules have been implemented using digital components, thereby avoiding possible use of conventional devices like monostable multivibrators. Due to the fully digital nature, the proposed design is less complex and hence the implementation is cost effective. I. INTRODUCTION With the advancement in science and technology, human beings have developed a tendency to make their everyday life amply luxurious with the aid of technology. This has led to the development of many sophisticated gadgets and equipments that assist them partially/fully in their daily activities. Operating all such electronic/electrical instruments in a modern house might be difficult for the elderly as well as disabled people. Our primary motivation to build a simple and low cost system which remotely operates all the home appliances stems from this point. We integrate our system with a standard telephone set so that the telephone can be used for the dual purpose of telephony and remote controller for various home appliances. The proposed system mainly consists of 3 modules, viz. , telephone interface circuit, transmitter and receiver. The transmitter module is in turn made up of a digital data processing block and a wireless (infrared) transmitter block and the eceiver module is made up of a wireless (infrared) receiver block, digital data processing block and a decoding block. In the scheme, a telephone receiver acts as a remote terminal to provide input Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals to the telephone interface circuit which converts them to corresponding 4 bit Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) codes. The transmitter generates an 8 bit frame using this BCD code to facilitate asynchronous communication . The receiver decodes the received signals after checking for any transmission errors (single bit) in the frame. These decoded bits act as control signals for the operation of home appliances. The system employs an asynchronous type of communication [1] in which the transmitter and receiver clocks are independent. The receiver clock does not have any prior information regarding the phase of the transmitter clock [2]. This leads to the problem of choosing the correct sampling instants at the receiver [3]. Hence the data is transmitted in the form of frames instead of individual bits. Each such frame consists of start bits, information bits, and stop bits [1]. This is explained in detail in the subsequent sections. When the system is idle, the data processing block of he transmitter gives constant logical high output. Since the transmitter consumes more power in transmitting logical high than logical low, the output of data processing block is negated before transmission to save power in the idle state. The receiver module also senses this and remains idle whenever the transmitter is transmitting continuous logical low. The reception of a start bit changes the state of the r eceiver from an idle to an active state. It then has to sample the remaining data bits in the frame at proper sampling instants. Most of the standard hardware schemes involve the use of monostable ultivibrators at the receiver to recover the data bits following the start bit. The monostable multivibrators commonly rely on variable components such as resistance and capacitance values, as well as they often account for a major part of the propagation delays associated with the receiver. We have extended this treatment to a fully digital design that presents more challenging tasks including a digital output feedback. Moreover, use of all digital components in the data processing stages reduces the propagation delay considerably. The complete design outline of all the modules of the roposed system is presented in Section II. Results and discussions are given in Section III. Finally, we present our conclusions in Section IV. II. DESIGN OUTLINE The block diagram of the proposed telephone based wireless remote control system is shown in Fig. 1. In the proposed system, the telephone set performs the dual functions of telephony and remotely controlling various devices. The remote control mode of the telephone can be activated by pressing ‘#’ from the keypad of the telephone. After the desired tasks are accomplished, ‘#’ should be pressed again to deactivate the control system. This is one of the functions of the telephone interface circuit, which is discussed next. A. Telephone Interface Circuit The telephone interface circuit integrates the designed system with the standard telephone system. As shown in Fig. 2, it basically performs the job of receiving the signals from the local loop and converting them to the standard digital signals in the BCD format. When any telephone button is pressed, a unique DTMF signal is produced for a short duration [4] which is converted to corresponding BCD code by a standard DTMF to BCD converter (KT-3170) [5]. The dual tone frequencies and the BCD codes associated with each dialed digit are shown in Table 1. The system remains in the idle state until ‘#’ button is pressed which sets the telephone to remote control mode. This mode remains activated until ‘#’ button is pressed again. This is realized in the hardware by using the BCD code corresponding to ‘#’ as the clock to toggle the J-K flip-flop (74112). The flip-flop output toggles whenever the ‘#’ button is pressed and this is directly used to control the mode of operation of the telephone. The DSO output of KT-3170 [5] is used to generate a start it for the system as it is logical high whenever a received tone pair has been registered and the output latch is updated. As the latched 4-bit BCD code is directly available at the output of KT-3170, it is given as such to the data processing block of the transmitter. These data bits are then processed to facilitate asynchronous communicatio n as explained below. B. Transmitter The 4-bit output of KT-3170 can not be directly transmitted as individual bits as the proposed system employs asynchronous mode of communication. The 4-bit BCD code is thus transmitted as frames for proper reception [1]. We have chosen an eight bit frame for our system which consists of a start bit followed by four data bits, a parity bit and two stop bits. Parity bit enables the system to detect any single bit error during transmission. Stop bits mark the ending of the frame. The frame is then transmitted using infrared (IR) transmitter. As shown in Fig. 2, the transmitter mainly consists of two blocks which are explained below. 1) Fully Digital Data Processing Block: This block performs the function of converting individual bits to 8-bit frames in order to carry asynchronous communication. First bit of the frame is the start bit (taken as 0) which is generated when any of the buttons is pressed. The succeeding 4 bits are the data bits (BCD code) generated by the telephone interface circuit as explained before. Next bit is taken as parity check bit generated by XORing the first 5 bits of the frame. Last 2 bits, termed as stop bits, are taken as 1. Following the generation of the start bit, the data bits are loaded in the parallel to serial converter (74165) using a D-type flip-flop (7474) and the frame is transmitted serially. 2) IR Transmitter Block: This module transmits the frames enerated in the previous section using an IR emitting diode. The data to be transmitted is modulated using Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) with a carrier square wave of 38 kHz. The transmission range of the system is thus highly improved over the case when data is transmitted without modulation. As the data processing stage gives logical high output in the idle state, it is negated before tran smission to save power. Thus, a logical low is actually transmitted whenever the system is in idle state. C. Receiver The receiver also has 2 working states, viz. , idle and active. It remains in the idle state until it detects a start bit. It then receives the frame starting from the start bit and checks for a single bit error. If error is detected, no action is taken and the information has to be transmitted again by the user. The received data bits are then decoded which act as control signals for the operation of various appliances. As is evident from Fig. 3, receiver circuit can be subdivided into 3 blocks which are explained below. 1) IR Receiver Block: This block receives the transmitted frames and converts the signal back to Transistor Transistor Logic (TTL) levels. A standard 38 kHz IR receiver (TSOP 1738) [6] is used for this purpose. 2) Sampling Clock Generator: The main function of this block is to generate a sampling instant at approximately the middle of the transmitted bit interval. The start bit activates this block and loads counter 1 (4-bit up-counter) with value ‘0’. The clock frequency of this counter is 16 times the bit rate. When the output of this counter changes from 7 to 8, the most significant bit changes from ‘0’ to ‘1’ and this rising edge is used as the sampling instant for the data. Start bit also loads the counter 2 (4-bit down-counter) with the frame size i. e. , 8. When this reaches the value ‘0’, the whole block is disabled and is reactivated only when next start bit arrives. 3) Data Sampler and Decoder: The serial input data is sampled according to the sampling instant generated in the previous stage and is converted to parallel form using serial to parallel converter (74164). This data is then checked for any 1-bit errors by XORing the bits. If error is found, no action is taken and the data has to be retransmitted. If no errors are found, the data is decoded using 4-16 decoder (74154) and he signal is given to the appliance for the completion of the corresponding task. III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS The proposed system has been fully implemented and successfully tested in the standard telephone local loop. The transmitter, kept near the telephone set, taps the DTMF signal from the local loop and transmits the corresponding data frame wirelessly . This signal is received by the receiver installed at the switch board. It decodes the data and takes the corresponding action. At least ten control signals, corresponding to each digit from 0 to 9, can be generated using a standard telephone set. The transmitter was previously implemented without a modulator where the IR LED was kept ON for transmitting logical high and OFF for transmitting logical low. This limited the distance between the transmitter and receiver to a maximum of 30 cms for proper reception. The range of the wireless system has increased to several meters after modulating the data using 38 kHz square wave. This range also depends on the current flowing through the infrared diode which has to be properly tuned to maximize the range. A standard TSOP 1738 receiver is used in the proposed ystem, which requires a minimum burst length of 10 cycles for proper detection. This puts an upper limit on the data rate supported by our system which is practically observed to be 2. 8 kbps [5]. The IR transmitter is highly directional and requires the receiver to be in line of sight of the transmitter. The reception angle of the receiver is observed to decrease with increasing distance between the transmitter and receiver. T his is because of the fact that the power is not uniformly distributed and is concentrated in narrow transmission angle. Moreover, the signal power reduces when the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is increased. So, the receiver has to be highly aligned with transmitter when operating at some substantial distance from it. This problem is of not much concern for our system because the transmitter and receiver, being static in nature, can be properly aligned at the time of installation. The data processing blocks of both the transmitter and the receiver are fully digital in nature. This comprehensively reduces the propagation delays involved and increases the rate at which data can be processed in these blocks. Though, data rate is not very important in the present application but this feature makes the design of our data processing blocks suitable for high data rate applications which are commonly seen in wired communication. IV. CONCLUSIONS A wireless system has been proposed to operate the home appliances remotely using a standard telephone set. This has been successfully tested and is found to be working satisfactorily within a distance of 10 meters. The telephone receiver performs a dual-function of telephony and remotely controlling various devices with the help of its ‘#’ button on the keypad. The telephone interface circuit is easily integrated with the standard local loop thus avoiding any changes in the telephone set. Hence, the proposed system is compatible with any type of telephone working on standard local loop. The system employs asynchronous mode of communication which avoids the need to synchronize the transmitter and receiver clocks, thus making our system less complex and hence cost effective. The proposed fully digital innovative design of the data processing blocks reduces the propagation delay and makes them useful for even high data rate applications. Moreover, the system is capable of detecting the single bit errors occuring during transmission. The proposed system can be used in a wide range of practical applications such as speed control of motors, switching of appliances, control of robots, etc. The above discussed characteristics like simple design, high practical utility and easy installation makes our system highly marketable. REFERENCES [1] Gorry Fairhurst. Asynchronous Communication [Online]. Available: http://www. erg. abdn. ac. uk/users/gorry/course/phy-pages/async. html. [2] D. Comer, Computer Networks and Internets with Internet Applications. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2004. [3] A. Subramanian, V. P. S. Makh and A. Mitra, â€Å"A New Digital Transceiver Circuit for Asynchronous Communication†, Enformatika Trans. , vol. 8, pp. 237-241, Oct. 2005. [4] DTMF Background [Online]. Available: http:// www. ece. utexas. edu/mason/codesign/dtmf. html. [5] Samsung Electronics Datasheet. KT3170 Low Power DTMF Receiver [Online]. Available: http://www. ortodoxism. ro/datasheets/SamsungElectronic/mXuusvq. pdf. [6] Vishay Semiconductors Datasheet. Photo Modules for PCM Remote Control Systems [Online]. Available: http://www. vishay. com/docs/82030/82030. pdf How to cite A Telephone Based Wireless Remote Controller, Essay examples

Friday, May 1, 2020

Farenheit 451 Life free essay sample

What is it like to live in a parallel universe where everything is opposite and nothing seems to make sense? In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the author portrays a different point of view through his science fiction dyspepsia novel. In this novel, Bradbury portrays a lifestyle of no individuality, no questioning, or not even reading a book, in result, causing people to react without thinking. Therefore, this novel could be considered a warning to todays society and the outcome of the future. Many people in todays world act like conformists much like the people in Fahrenheit 451. For instance, in this scene Mildred describes the following; They write the script with one part missing. Its a new idea. The homemaker, thats me, is the missing part. When it comes time for the missing part, they all look at me out of the three walls and I say the lines. We will write a custom essay sample on Farenheit 451 Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Here for instance, the man says, What do you think of this whole idea Helen?. And I say, I say, I think thats fine! (pages 17-18). In this description, it is clear that Mildred is a person who mindlessly follows certain standards to be in the social norm, thus a conformist. In fact, this is often used today through social networking devices such as Youth where people listen to the videos and become obsessed and infatuated with a particular style or social norm. In contrast, l sometime think drivers dont know what grass is or flowers because they never see them slowly, she said l rarely watch the parlor walls or go to races or Fun Parks. So Vie got lots of time for crazy thoughts, I guess. Pages 6-7) This illustrates how when Claries take things slowly, she gets to see the whole world and not Just a portion of it eke if she was rushing. In comparison to todays world, if people would slow down and take the time to think, the world wouldnt have as many conformists. Today, social networ king has taken on a major role in daily lives. In Fahrenheit 451, it describes a similar experience; Picture it. Nineteen century man with his horses, dogs, carts, slow motion. Then in the twentieth century speed up your camera. Books cut shorter. Condensation. Digest tabloids. Everything boils down to the gag, the snap ending. (page 52). Thus, implying that life has become fast pace and individuals have very little time to read, enjoy life or hobbies. In fact, the use of cell phones today dictates the life of many teenagers who dont have time to socialize face to face and conveniently do so through cell phones. Furthermore, messages are condensed to abbreviations such as 101 and OMG as a way of saving time. Additionally, There was a tiny dance of melody in the air, her Seashell was tamped in her ear again and she was listening to people far away Why didnt he buy himself and audio-seashell station and talk to his wife late at night Page 39) This scene shows how Montage wants to talk to his wife but she is constantly on her ear phones. This is yet another example that can compare to how teenagers today are constantly using technology so much that is distracts them from other things. In Fahrenheit 451, books are burned to prevent individuality and solicit a form of censorship of what is acceptable and what is not in accordance with government, social, and cultural norms. Specifically this scene; cant ever have my books, she The people in those books never lived. Come out of it now! This form of censorship and eradication of literature is designed to prevent individualism and to foster a specific belief. Also comparing to how in todays world, people do not want other individuals to stray from the social cycle. Furthermore, Im antisocial they say. I dont mix. Its so strange. Im very social indeed. (page 26). This quote shows how Claries doesnt fit into her school because she doesnt reason like the other students. When this is equated to the world today, it can be used as an example on how people preferential people through looks, different thoughts, and overall appearance and section them out from what is considered normal. Throughout this book, Bradbury shows the reader how technology can brainwash people into mindless fools with no originality. This compares to how in todays world, people use technology as a way to fit in. Therefore, this concludes Fahrenheit 451 can be a warning to society and the outcome of the future. In conclusion, how much exposure can this world handle until we become mindless people?

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Marketing the Nintendo free essay sample

Relating relevant marketing theories to different aspects of Nintendo’s marketing scheme. Discussing how Nintendo are attempting to influence, modify or impact the consumer’s behaviour in particular. 3. Organisation and Product Overview Nintendo Co Ltd was founded 1889 in Kyoto, Japan; by Fusajiro Yamauchi. This company would eventually go on to develop and release this generations most successful gaming console; the ‘Nintendo Wii’. Originally the company produced and marketed a playing card game called Hanafuda. Becoming quite successful in this area the company eventually enlisted on the Osaka stock exchange in 1962 and continued to push further into the Japanese toy market (developing an assortment of toys over the time period). In the 1970’s Nintendo started introducing electronic technology to the Japanese toy industry; culminating in 1976 with the release of the first home television game (‘Colour TV Game 6’). The Nintendo as we know it today had been born. Nintendo have released many electronic hardware and software over the years; uilding up a strong relationship with the consumer along the way. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing the Nintendo or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With its release of countless gaming consoles and characters that have obtained icon status throughout the world, Nintendo is now a recognised name throughout the world. By observing the company history we can see how through constant successful releases Nintendo has nurtured a strong brand loyalty from its consumers. Introduced in 1985, ‘Nintendo Entertainment System’ was an instant hit; almost single-handedly revitalising the video game industry. Selling over 60 million units, this product introduced consumers to the names Mario and Zelda for the first times. Following the success of the NES, Nintendo released the iconic Game Boy in 1889 (a hand held gaming system). Although the screen was only 4 shades of grey, the device defined portable gaming and was extremely enjoyable. â€Å"Game Boy is the most successful video game ever†¦ selling over 150 million copies worldwide† (History-Nintendo, retrieved on 20/5/11 from http://www. nintendo. com. au/index. php? pageID=13). The Game Boy would see itself continually innovated over the years. However Nintendo didn’t ignore its home gaming consoles during this time, endeavouring to release more powerful gaming consoles, starting with the 16 bit ‘Super Nintendo’ (released 1991) and its successor the ‘Nintendo 64’ (released 1997). With the N64 setting new standards in realistic gaming. With the N64’s success leading the way for the Nintendo’s ‘Game Cube’, this was the first Nintendo product to utilise disk technology instead of cartridges. The ‘Game Cube’ was the final step that led to the development of the Wii. With each predecessor (both home and portable consoles) adding tiny bits of consumer information, consumer loyalty/base, technological advancements and company experiences to its development. The Wii was conceived in 2001, around the same time the ‘GameCube’ was first seeing release. Shigeru Miyamoto (co designer) stated in an interview that the concept involved focusing on a new form of player interaction. The consensus was that power isnt everything for a console. Too many powerful consoles cant coexist. Its like having only ferocious dinosaurs. They might fight and hasten their own extinction. (The Big Ideas Behind Nintendos Wii, retrieved on 20/5/11 from http://www. businessweek. com/technology/content/nov2006/tc20061116_750580. htm). It was conceived as a cheap, more easily accessible, fun gaming system. Designed for a broader audience; opposed to its main competition the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The Wii was designed with some differences to its predecessors and competitors. The main difference is in the controller. Wii utilises a wireless, motion detection controller that resembles a television remote control. This was decided to allow more adults and non-gamers to enjoy the Wii; as the motion capture aspect allowed all ages and experience levels to pick up a controller and point, swing or slice away. This technology eventually leading the way for the ‘Wii Fit’ product range; which in itself is a huge success. Another difference is in the price, with Wii only costing $250 US up against the $500-$600 price for competition consoles. Since its launch, the sales numbers of the Wii have been higher than its competitors around the world. With the Wii selling more units in America (first half of 2007) than the Xbox 360 and the PS3 combined. (Nintendo the big winner, PS3 dead last for the first half of 2007); with this lead even larger in the Japanese market. As of April, 2011, Nintendo announced they had sold 86. 01 million Wii consoles. (Nintendo: Wii successor coming in 2012 retrieved on 20/6/11 from http://news. cnet. com/8301-13772_3-20056950-52. tml) With Nintendo’s huge customer base, reputation for high quality products, creation of iconic names (Mario Donkey Kong ect. ), history of innovation and understanding of their new broader target market, it is no surprise that the ‘Wii’ has been as successful as it has been. 4a. Theory 1 – Wii marketing in relation to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a human motivation theory that is based around the p sychology of consumers as individuals with ongoing or enduring wants and needs. The theory aids marketers and producers in determining what goods and services satisfy various ‘levels’ of human requirements, with five basic levels of needs that rank from low too high in priority (Refer Appendix A). (Schiffman, 2011). 4b. How does this apply to Nintendo Wii? Nintendo’s Wii is a product that can be associated with the requirements of physiological needs, social needs and esteem or ego needs. Physiological Needs * Health and fitness * Education * Competition and Entertainment The invention of the Nintendo Wii is about getting gamers off the couch and expanding gaming for greater use in our daily lives, particularly with the development of the Wii Fit which allows for a fill workout and attainment of weightless/fitness goals. Brain-training games, language games, musical games and sports/fitness games have been able to challenge consumers across a range of physiological and cognitive skills (Nintendo 2006). The marketing of Wii was aimed at promoting the benefits of its use, for entertainment in collaboration with the psychological benefits and entertainment factors. The ‘newness’ of this design means that intrigue was prominent in capturing and maintaining people’s attention and desire to try the new retail. A major landmark in marketing was also created when Nintendo launched its ‘Ambassador Program’ which was a trial for the Wii where people could give feedback on its use. This program involved multigenerational families, hard-core gamers and modern Mums hosting their closest friends and families in a social event that broadened the horizons of their target market (Surette 2006). Marketing the Wii within households as a ‘necessity’ was aimed at the physiological needs section of Maslow’s Hierarchy, attempting to show that this product is able to fulfil aspects of everyday life for its consumers. Nintendo also ensured that the gaming console was made affordable to consumers, with packaged bundles ranging from $250 – 500 depending on the accessories required (Nintendo Article). This meant that the product was not segregated to being purely a ‘luxury’ item, and places it in an achievable bracket when analysed in Maslow’s theory. Social Needs * Inclusion, importance of the affiliation need Love, affection and happiness * Interaction and relationships building The creation of Wii brought forth a new identity and experience to gaming, making the use of the product accessible to people of all ages and for purposes beyond entertainment. The Wii incorporates both physical and cognitive activity in its games, reaching a wi de variety of interests. The Wii also allows multiple players to be involved in the game at any one time, which is repeatedly demonstrated in its advertising campaigns, affiliating it with the ‘social needs’ in Maslow’s Hierarchy; where we show the want for ompanionship, inclusion and interaction. A primary example of Wii utilising our intrinsic need for ‘belonging’ as a part of the marketing of Wii can be seen in television advertisements featuring popular Australian family the McGrath’s playing active and seemingly enjoyable games on Wii Sports as a bonding session. This was a part of Nintendo targeting both gamers and non-gamers to this new technology, bringing an experience where without the barriers of age or previous experience (Nintendo Thinkbox 2011). The development of social and cyber networks in conjunction with ownership and playing of the Wii helped to create a ‘community’ of interest, once more building on the need for belonging for its members. The promotional strategy by Nintendo to make Wii Sports a standard purchase with all Wii’s differentiates it further from major competitors in PlayStation, whereas substitutable goods, the Wii works out cheaper with games and console pricing. The Wi-Fi connection on the Wii, also allows consumers to play online against friends, creating more interconnectivity and affirmation of social needs (Wii Article). Ego Needs * Inward or outwardly associated with self-esteem * Self-evaluating, Achievement * Image Association In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the ‘Ego Needs’ emulate from feelings of achievement, satisfaction with the association with an image and an overall connection with either inward or outward self-esteem through successes. Gaming products are an entertainment device which works on the premise that individuals will want to improve over time and gaining satisfaction out of doing so (Rogers 2004). This can be linked to the feeling of ‘prestige’ in the ego needs, with the Wii specifically allowing its users to self-evaluate their progress, such as in the game ‘Wii Fit’ where consumers are able to monitor their fitness and health gains from using the game. These health improvements and the image association of the ‘class’ of the Wii brand can also lead to improved self-esteem for the consumer (Schiffman, 2011). Nintendo has used its products differentiation from the norm of gaming products (which are standardised by fixed controllers) and variety of self-improvement games to increase its market share. Wii sampling events including gaming hours, retail midnight and music tours created hype around a range of games and benefits in accordance with this notion (Janiszewski 2010). Studies have shown particularly that adults and the older generation are a growing share of the market with the ageing workforce, and tend to look for more emotional outcomes or ‘being experiences’ leading to self-realisation and actualisation when purchasing new goods and services (Goodhead 1991). The positioning of Wii products as a gateway to experiences encourage purchasing for this purpose, making will span from one extreme of Maslow’s Hierarchy to the other. 4c. Conclusions and Recommendations Nintendo launched the Wii marketing campaign with a distinct aim to â€Å"involve non-gamers [and] expand the market† (Fils-Aime 2006) in the phenomenon of this new and innovative device. The main problem with the hierarchy in analysing the products connection to the target market is that it can’t be tested empirically so there is no way to measure when one need transfers across to the next. However, Wii can currently only be connected with three of the five levels of the pyramid, giving potential for new initiatives in marketing campaigns to expand upon this. The way that Wii has been marketed thus far has set is aside from its major competitors in PlayStation and Xbox, sticking to the motto that â€Å"playing is believing†, keeping Nintendo Wii as the actively involving gaming console (Janiszewski 2010). The future of the Nintendo Wii would be best benefitted from maintaining the successes of its hand-promotional campaigns, and continuing with expanding this niche market which has enthralled consumers globally. a. Theory 2 – Wii marketing in relation to Emotional Appeals As defined by Schiffman, Emotional motives are those that â€Å"imply the selection of goals according to personal or subjective criteria† (2011). There are feelings associated with this type of marketing such as â€Å"adventure, fear, romance and status† (Mortimer, 2008) ju st to name a few. It has become apparent according to research conducted by Mahjan and Wind that marketing to the emotion of an individual is on the rise; especially consider that not all purchasing decisions are made logically. Therefore it has become a key component of advertising today to be able to connect on an emotional level to the average consumer as well as to get them to purchase the product in question. The Nintendo Wii has been one of the highest selling game consoles in history, surpassing its main competitors, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3. In the discussion below we will discuss how Nintendo has been able to use the emotional appeals approach to connect with their audience and been very successful in doing so. 5b. How does this apply to Nintendo Wii? The Wii has been one of the largest users of advertising that uses emotional appeals as of late. Because the Nintendo Wii is not your typical product that the average consumer would buy because it is not one that requires a straight forward â€Å"rational approach† (Mortimer, 2008). Instead it requires a much more emotionally based decision. It requires us to not listen to that voice of reason that is rational motives and in the case of the example given by Mahjan and wind â€Å"just do it†(2002) the logo for the sporting brand Nike. We don’t specifically know what ‘it’ is but it compels our emotions to do something that makes us feel better. One such example of the Nintendo Wii using this approach that was named earlier in this paper was the television commercial that shows the McGrath Family, one of Australia’s most prolific sporting families, enjoying themselves in the comfort of their home, playing video games on the Nintendo Wii. The advertisement has very little information involved with it but it does however invoke the emotions so that a consumer can be thought to believe that this make me feel better, focusing on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, in particular a consumers increased self-esteem (Schiffman, 2011). This example is shown to be following the trend that the â€Å"Messages are becoming more vague while the emotions are becoming more vivid† (Mahajan and Wind, 2002). Other examples of celebrity endorsement for the Wii include Olivia Newton-John, Dame Helen Mirren and Rebecca Gibney. Another example of Nintendo using emotional advertising would be on their international website â€Å"www. wii. com â€Å" (Nintendo, 2010), on the website it show a group of at least 3 or more people sitting around a Wii while one person participate in a game. This exemplifies Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, in particular â€Å"social needs† (Schiffman, 2011) which is a very large motivator for emotional advertising. An example of this is given by Schiffman et. al. when discussing physiological arousal. He states that â€Å"television programs can generate physiological arousal†. When the consumer see’s the commercial, there needs are aroused and in this scenario, their needs are that they need to belong and their thought process makes them think that purchasing a Wii may help them with belonging, whether it would be in a group or in society in general. Due to this already successful approach involved with the sales of the Nintendo Wii. It is obvious to see that this approach with celebrity endorsements and emotionally motivated commercials is working very successfully with their sales as they have surpassed the 2 million units sold mark in Australia in 2010 (Salter, 2010). Another advertising campaign that has been utilised successfully by Nintendo Wii is the reintroduction and reinvigoration of their original titles back into their video game selection due to the Wii’s â€Å"planned obsolescence† (Mahajan and Wind, 2002). This allows for â€Å"continuity in the relationship† (Mahajan and Wind, 2002) as such. An example is Intel, a very successful company that specialises in software chip manufacturing. Just because the product may change, it does not mean that the effect has to as well. Intel have realised this through the consistent use of â€Å"its ‘inside Intel’ branding, along with a distinctive set of musical tones and cool looking, clean-room-suited representatives†(Mahajan and Wind, 2002) and because of this consistent approach, Intel have been quite successful. 5c. Conclusions and Recommendations Nintendo have been one of the market leaders when it comes to emotional appeals. Their market share as well as their advertisements alone, put them apart from any other competitor at this stage, however as more of their rivals start to adapt to this style of advertising, they will need to learn to be able to change their strategy in order to remain a power within the market force. 6a Theory 3 – Wii marketing in relation to Involvement theory Involvement theory focused on how advertisements or brand could stimulate to individuals personality makes link to its. Involvement has been used commercial ad on TV and paper, the early involvement theories relate to advertising and consumer behavior combined concept from research called as split brain theory. According to research, the left hemispheres of the brain ‘specialized’ in the sorts of information they process, it has roles that primarily cognitive activities such as reading, speaking and attribution information running. On the other side, the right hemisphere is that also responsible for non-verbal, timeless, pictional and holistic information. (Leon schiffman). It was discussed that activities such as watching commercial ad on TV were fairly passive minimally involving and were controlled by right side, on the other hand, such as reading print media were more involving and were controlled by left side on brain. (Herbert E,Krugman). In other words, the left side is more likely rational, active and realistic. The right side is emotional, metaphoric, impulsive and intuitive. Consumer involvement is now recognized well as an usual, or motivating, factor that drives consumer influences consumer are making decision whether purchase this product or not. There have four types of involvement level; †¢High involvement / rational †¢High involvement / emotional †¢Low involvement / rational †¢Low involvement / emotional 6b. How it relates to Wii? Wii now competed against several video consoles such as Xbox, play station in market area. In compare to those feature between PS3 ,Xbox and Wii, both PS3 and Xbox the main difference is use their own pad for using it while Wii uses remote controller which can be used as a handheld pointing device and detects movement in three dimensions. Next picture shows to customer make them attraction of wii, but also it shows to how Wii works. The available activity is that main difference against other consoles. Wii targets widely even who aren’t big fan of video games because Nintendo expects that they wanted to bring new consumers, not only sell to limited game users so that they focused on Wii strives to stimulate to customer leads play Wii. Generally thinking of playing game, it used to referred aspects of bad sight, Wii is that more easily to use to people more widely age. The main type of involvement involved in a Wii purchase is High Involvement/Emotional. Although not as expensive as a car or holiday in which most High involvement purchases are associated, the Wii is still expensive enough and has enough competition that it does involve high involvement from its consumers. Wii’s marketers make a point to highlight the differences in their product and its competitors to appeal to the high involvement involved in making a purchase between the 3 big gaming consoles on the market (PlayStation and Xbox being the other two). Their advertisements appeal to the emotional side of high involvement. Showing the social aspect of Wii in almost all of their ads ( which feature up beat music and bright colours) and also showing the social responsibility and the feelings of becoming healthier with their ‘Wii Fit’ product range. Their website has a huge amount of information on it. Showing features, upcoming additions, games, and many more things that appeal to the high involvement buyer. Nintendo does its best to make the gaming experience a family orientated decision and likes to inform all members of the family of the benefits they could receive from purchasing a Wii. This also appeals to the emotional side of the consumer through family. 6c. Conclusions and Recommendations Wii still holds a huge advantage over its competitors with emotional involvement and also through our research we found also gives a lot more information on their website as opposed to its main competitors. If you could find fault with their advertising is that it’s stayed the same for the past 3 years and with the introduction of similar products from tis competitors it has lost a bit of its advantage in being different therefore its high involvement style of marketing could begin to be not as effective.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Definition and Examples of Inflections in English Grammar

Definition and Examples of Inflections in English Grammar Inflection refers to  a process of word formation in which items are added to the base form of a word to express grammatical meanings. The word inflection comes from the Latin inflectere, meaning to bend. Inflections in English grammar include the genitive s; the plural -s; the third-person singular -s; the past tense -d, -ed, or -t; the negative particle nt; -ing forms of verbs; the comparative -er; and the superlative -est. While inflections take a variety of forms, they are most often prefixes or suffixes. They are used to express different grammatical categories. For example, the inflection  -s  at the end of dogs shows that the noun is plural. The same  inflection  -s  at the end of  runs  shows that the subject is in the third-person singular (s/he runs). The inflection -ed is often used to indicate the past tense, changing walk to walked and listen to listened. In this way, inflections are used to show grammatical categories such as  tense,  person, and number. Inflections can also be used to indicate a words part of speech. The prefix en-, for example, transforms the noun gulf into the verb engulf. The suffix -er transforms the verb read into the noun reader. In The Frameworks of English, Kim Ballard writes, When considering inflections, it can...be helpful to use the notion of a  stem.  A stem is what remains of a word when any inflections are removed from it. In other words, inflections are added to the stem of a word. So  frogs  is made up of the stem frog  and the inflection  -s, while  turned  is made up of the stem  turn  and the inflection  -ed. Inflection Rules English words follow different rules for inflection based on their part of speech and grammatical category. The most common rules are listed below. Part of Speech Grammatical Category Inflection Examples Noun Number -s, -es Flower → FlowersGlass → Glasses Noun, Pronoun Case (Genitive) -'s, -', -s Paul → Paul'sFrancis → Francis'It → Its Pronoun Case (Reflexive) -self, -selves Him → HimselfThem → Themselves Verb Aspect (Progressive) -ing Run → Running Verb Aspect (Perfect) -en, -ed Fall → (Has) fallenFinish → (Has) finished Verb Tense (Past) -ed Open → Opened Verb Tense (Present) -s Open → Opens Adjective Degree of Comparison (Comparative) -er Smart → Smarter Adjective Degree of Comparison (Superlative) -est Smart → Smartest Not all English words follow the rules in this table. Some are inflected using sound changes known as vowel alternations, the most common of which are ablauts and umlauts. The word teach, for example, is marked as past tense by changing its vowel sound, producing the word  taught (rather than teached). Likewise, the word goose is pluralized by changing its vowel sound to produce the word geese. Other irregular plurals include words like oxen, children, and teeth. Some words, such as must and ought, are never inflected at all, no matter the context in which they appear. These words are considered invariant. Many animal nouns share the same singular and plural forms, including bison, deer, moose, salmon, sheep, shrimp, and squid. Conjugation The inflection of English verbs is also known as conjugation. Regular verbs follow the rules listed above and consist of three parts: the base verb (present tense), the base verb plus -ed (simple past tense), and the base verb plus -ed (past participle). For example, following these rules, the verb look (as in, I look around the room) becomes, in both the simple past tense and the past participle, looked (I looked around the room, I have looked around the room). While most verbs follow these conjugation rules, there are over 200 words in the English language that do not. These irregular verbs include be, begin, bid, bleed, catch, deal, drive, eat, feel, find, forget, go, grow, hang, have, hide, leave, lose, meet, pay, prove, ride, ring, seek, send, shall, shine, show, sing, spin, steal, take, tear, wear, and win. Since these words do not follow the rules for most English verbs, their unique conjugations must be learned on their own. ​Sources S. Greenbaum, The Oxford English Grammar. Oxford University Press, 1996.R. Carter and M. McCarthy, Cambridge Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press, 2006.Kim Ballard, The Frameworks of English: Introducing Language Structures, 3rd ed. Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.A. C. Baugh, A History of the English Language, 1978.Simon Horobin,  How English Became English. Oxford University Press, 2016.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

The link between psychology and resistance to change Essay

The link between psychology and resistance to change - Essay Example Resistance to organizational change mainly comes from the people within the organization. This has been described as â€Å"psychological and organizational response† that comes from the attitude of people irrespective of the nature of change (Bovey & Hede, 2001). There are various reasons that have been identified which contribute to resistance to change on the part of employees. The most common factors that have been identified as contributing factors fuelling resistance are inadequate involvement of employees in the change management, ineffective process of communication and inadequate knowledge about change. The biggest manifestation of resistance to change occurs through expression of grievances, lower efficiency, aggressive attitude towards higher management and reduction of output of the organization. In order to understand the concept of resistance to change it is important to understand organizational change. Organizational change can be defined as an adaptation to the changing environment with an objective of improving the performance. There are two broad types of organizational change which can occur the first one can be defined as first order change and the second one is strategic or revolutionary change. In the former one the basic framework of the organization remains unaltered but in the second one the basic framework changes. The earliest mention of resistance was noticed in the article published by Lewin (1947cited in Gravenhorst, 2003) and the subsequent works published in the concept of group dynamics. The works of Coch and French (1948cited in Gravenhorst, 2003) had introduced the idea of resistance to organizational change but instead of properly shedding light on the concept they had rather introduced it as a motivational problem. The works of Watson (1969) had ide ntified that there are multiple stages in which the employees express their resistance to change. The first stage is characterized by

Monday, February 3, 2020

Strategic Planning For Digital Marketing Communications Research Paper

Strategic Planning For Digital Marketing Communications - Research Paper Example Based on the outcome of this analysis, the management of the organization gets a clear perspective of the possible ways in which it might utilize the opportunities and deal with the threats successfully. Although this analysis is similar to the analysis made for any other for-profit organization, there are certain key differences. Oxfam NGO also faces some of these problems. Managers in a non-governmental organization (NGO) need to consider the impact of factors such as volunteer staff, fundraising, volunteer staff and long-term goodwill. Since these organizations do not depend on profit for their survival, the above-mentioned factors play a major role in achieving success in the long run (Turkishweekly, 2013). From the analysis (see SWOT table in appendix), it has been found that in the NGO industry, organizations face several challenges in conducting marketing communication activities. Some of the noteworthy challenges are briefly discussed below. General issues Challenge Absence o f strategic planning Many organizations in the NGO sector do not run as proper business enterprises, they face the lack of strategic planning. However, this lack of planning often creates indecisiveness or barriers in the path of marketing. Oxfam faces this problem of strategic planning at the marketing level (Ngoconnect, 2009). ...NGO industry issues Challenge Lack of funds Fundraising remains one of the major concerns for non-profit organizations. 80% of Oxfam’s activities depend on the financial assistance provided by its members, associates, and private partners while the government provides 20% of assistance (Oxfam, 2013a). Finding private donors is a challenging task. Depending on the status of the economy, the financial conditions of the donors fluctuate. Poor networking Some NGOs are not very successful in establishing strong networks with clients and other NGOs.

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Analysis of Vietnams Energy Supply and Production

Analysis of Vietnams Energy Supply and Production Vietnams economy has expanded rapidly in recent years, with its real gross domestic product (GDP) growing 7.7% in 2004 and 8.4% in 2005. Growth is forecast at 8.0% in 2006. Vietnam has had Normal Trade Relations status with the United States since late 2001, with 2002 marking the first time Vietnam shipped more goods to the United States than to Japan. Despite rising exports, Vietnam currently runs a slight trade deficit, but is projected to begin having trade surpluses by 2007. Much of Vietnams large rural population relies heavily on non-commercial biomass energy sources such as wood, dung, and rice husks. As a result, Vietnams per capita commercial energy consumption ranks among the lowest in Asia. The countrys commercial energy consumption is predicted to rise in coming years, primarily due to increases in the use of natural gas. Vietnam claims ownership of a portion of the potentially hydrocarbon-rich Spratly Islands, as do the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, China, and Taiwan. Vietnam, China, and the Philippines agreed in March 2005 to conduct a joint seismic survey for potential oil and natural gas reserves in a portion of the disputed area. Vietnam also claims the Paracel Islands, which China first occupied in 1974. Oil: Vietnams Oil Production and Consumption, 1980-2005. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003, internal EIA estimates.). Enlarge: Vietnams Oil Production and Consumption, 1980-2005. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003, internal EIA estimates.) Vietnam has 600 million barrels of proven oil reserves, according to data from Oil and Gas Journal, but that total is likely to increase as exploration continues. Crude oil production averaged 370,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2005, down somewhat from the 403,000 bbl/d level achieved in 2004. Bach Ho (White Tiger), Rang Dong (Dawn), Hang Ngoc, Dai Hung (Big Bear), and Su Tu Den (Ruby) are the largest oil producing fields in the country. Although it is a significant oil producer, Vietnam remains reliant on imports of petroleum products due to a lack of refining capacity. Overall, Vietnam had net exports of 111,000 bbl/d of oil in 2005. Most of Vietnams crude oil is exported to refiners in Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Vietnams largest oil producer is Vietsovpetro (VSP), a joint venture (JV) between PetroVietnam and Zarubezhneft of Russia. VSP operates Vietnams largest oil field, Bach Ho. Other foreign partners include ConocoPhillips, BP, Petronas, and Talisman Energy. Following the October 2003 commencement of drilling operations in the Su Tu Den (Black Lion) crude field, PetroVietnam reported increasing production volumes. PetroVietnams April 2003 discovery of an oil deposit in Dai Hung, estimated to have a capacity of 6,300 bbl/d, was expected to further increase Vietnamese production. The decline in production overall from 2004 to 2005 was primarily the result of declining production at the Bach Ho field. The planned development of several new oil fields in coming years is expected to increase Vietnamese production. A new well at Block 15-1s Su Tu Trang (White Lion) field flowed 8,682 bbl/d in early 2004 and is scheduled to be developed by 2008. In October 2004, Japanese oil companies Nippon Oil Exploration (35 percent interest), Idemitsu Kosan (35 percent), and Teikoku Oil (30 percent) announced plans to fund the development of Blocks 05.1b and 05.1c in the Nam Con Son Basin. Two months later, the Korean National Oil Corporation (KNOC), along with several Korean partners, finalized terms for the $300 million development of Block 11-2, which includes the Flying Orchid Field. PetroVietnam has a 25 percent interest in the joint venture. Exploration in Vietnam continues to yield new discoveries. In 2002, large oil and gas deposits were discovered in the Ca Ngu Vang (Golden Tuna) and Voi Trang (White Elephant) fields. SOCO Vietnam estimates that its Ca Ngu Vang well may contain up to 250 million barrels of oil. In July 2004, VSP discovered new stocks of oil in its Dragon field. Three months later, a joint venture comprised of American Technologies, Petronas, Singapore Petroleum, and PetroVietnam announced a 100-million-barrel oil discovery off Vietnams northeast coast. In September 2004, the Vietnamese government offered nine exploration blocks in the Phu Khanh basin off its southern coast. In November 2004, Japanese oil companies Nippon Oil Exploration, Idemitsu Kosan, and Teikoku Oil signed an agreement to explore in two offshore blocks southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. They plan to drill a test well in 2006 and complete exploration by 2007. In December 2004, Talisman Energy was awarded the right to conduct exploration in the Cuu Long Basin, and received additional acreage in an adjacent area in April 2005. ONGC of India was awarded drilling rights in the deepwater Block 127 in the Phu Khanh Basinoff Vietnams central coast in October 2005. ChevronTexaco also received acreage in the Phu Khanh Basin in the most recent round of awards, with an award for Block 122 in October 2005. PetroVietnams storage and transportation division, Petrolimex, recently completed a new oil storage facility in the central Khanh Hoa province. The depot is largest in the country, with a total storage capacity of 3.68 million barrels. Refining: Vietnam is in the process of building its first refinery. The $1.5 billion Dung Quat Refinery, located in Quang Ngai province, will have a crude distillation capacity of approximately 140,000 bbl/d. After several years of delays in financing the project, construction finally began in November 2005. Commercial operation of the refinery is expected to begin in early 2009. Vietnams distribution infrastructure is discontinuous, with the north and south of the country functioning largely as separate markets. Completion of the Dung Quat Refinery, located in the center of the country, should lead to greater interaction between the regions. A second refinery project is under consideration at Nghi Son, north of Hanoi in the Thanh Hoa province. The Vietnamese government has estimated the 150,000 bbl/d plant will cost $3 billion. In August 2004, Mitsubishi Corporation agreed to participate in building Nghi Son for completion in 2010. In December 2004, Vietnam contracted the International Business Company (IBC) of the British Virgin Islands to conduct a feasibility study for a third oil refinery, to be located at Vung Ro in the southern Phu Yen province. The Vietnamese government hopes to complete the refinery within 12 years. Natural Gas: Vietnams Oil Production and Consumption, 1980-2005. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003.). Enlarge: Vietnams Oil Production and Consumption, 1980-2005. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003.). Vietnam has proven gas reserves of 6.8 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), according to Oil and Gas Journal. Vietnams natural gas production and consumption have been rising rapidly since the late 1990s, with further increases expected as additional fields come onstream. Natural gas is currently produced entirely for domestic consumption. The Cuu Long basin offshore from the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, a source of associated gas from oil production, is the largest Vietnamese natural gas production area. Only two fields in Vietnam have been developed specifically for their natural gas potential: Tien Hai, with a potential output of 1.76 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d); and Lan Tay/Lan Do of Nam Con Son, which began producing over 5 Mmcf/d in 2002. In the Nam Con Son Basin, a $565 million, 230-mile pipeline was completed in June 2002 connecting the Lan Tay and Lan Do fields to the mainland at Vung Tau. The Nam Con Son project consists of five subsea wells linked to a production platform and a pipeline leading to an onshore treatment plant. Gas is piped to three generating plants at the Phu My industrial complex, where electricity is provided primarily to areas surrounding Ho Chi Minh City. In December 2004, the Vietnamese government announced that output from Nam Con Son was expected to reach 88 billion cubic feet (Bcf), exceeding planned production by 90%. The project currently supplies the Phu My 1, Phu My 3, Phu My 2.1 power plants and the extended Phu My 2.1 plant. Phu My 2.2 will begin using output from the field soon thereafter. In December 2002, a consortium headed by Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) signed an agreement to install facilities to pump and supply 130 Mmcf/d of natural gas to Vietnam. The natural gas, located in the Rong Doi and Rong Doi Tay fields on Block 11-2 of the Nam Con Son Basin, is sold to PetroVietnam under a 23-year contract. PetroVietnam resells most this volume to Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). Production at the fields began in mid-2005. In December 2004, KNOC and PetroVietnam signed agreements to further exploit natural gas in both Blocks 11 and 12. Construction of an additional pipeline to bring ashore natural gas from block 11 began in October 2005, and is scheduled for completion in October 2006. The Su Tu Den and Rang Dong oil fields, both of which have considerable Vietnamese reserves of associated natural gas, are located near the 62-mile pipeline from the Bach Ho field. An estimated 60 Mmcf/d of gas from the fields is earmarked for consumption in power plants in southern Vietnam. Both TotalFinaElf and ChevronTexaco (originally Unocal) have found natural gas in exploratory drilling of the Malay basin. Additionally, Talisman Energy has found natural gas at the Cai Nuoc field in block 46. The discovery is close to block PM-3-CAA, which straddles the maritime border with Malaysia, and is expected to contain up to 100 Bcf of recoverable gas reserves. A contract was awarded to McDermott International in March 2006 for construction of a 200-mile pipeline, which will transport natural gas from the PM3-CAA block to Ca Mau province in southern Vietnam. It is scheduled for completion in 2007. In December 2004, PetroVietnam announced that it was reconsidering the $70 million Phu My gas pipeline project from Phu My to Nhon Trach due to increased expenses associated with land costs in compensation areas. The pipeline was initially planned to transport associated gas from the Bach Ho and Rong fields for power generation. Coal: Vietnam contains coal reserves estimated at 165 million short tons (Mmst), the majority of which is anthracite. Production has increased dramatically over the last decade, with Vietnam producing over 18 Mmst in 2003. As a result, Vietnam exported a record 7 Mmst of coal, primarily to Japan and China, in 2003. Although Vietnam has historically relied on hydropower for electricity, it has recently promoted the construction of coal-fired power plants. Vinocoal plans to build eight coal-fueled thermal power plants with a total capacity of 2,900 megawatts (MW) by 2010. Six are currently in various stages of planning and construction. In December 2004, the Vietnamese government approved Vinacoals proposal to invest in a 200-MW, coal-fired thermal power plant in the Son Dong district. The plant is scheduled to begin operation in 2007. Coal-fired power plants are expected to eventually account for 25% of Vietnams total electricity production. The Vietnamese government estimates that 10.2 Mms t of coal is needed per year to meet increasing domestic demand, projected at 20,000 MW by 2010. Vietnam continues to exploit new coal reserves within its borders. In March 2003, a significant coal bed was discovered in the Red River Delta region of northern Vietnam. Vinacoal plans to use the reserve for thermal power plants. In October 2004, Vinacoal entered talks with Chinas Fujian Province Coal Industry Corporation to jointly exploit the Bac Coc Sau mine in the Quang Ninh province. Electricity: Vietnams Electricity Generation, 1980-2003. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003.). Enlarge: Vietnams Electricity Generation, 1980-2003. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003.). Although Vietnams per capita electricity consumption is among the lowest in Asia, demand has risen in recent years, straining the countrys limited generating capacity. Rapid commercial sector growth, population migration to major cities, and elevated living standards have all contributed to a growing demand for electricity. In 2003, Vietnam had a total electric generating capacity of 8.8 gigawatts (GW) and generated 39.7 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, of which 52 percent was hydropower. Electricity demand in Vietnam is forecast to grow 15 percent per year until 2010. Vietnam currently buys power from China to prevent shortages in the north, and plans to begin purchasing from Laos in 2008. The majority of thermal electricity generation in Vietnam depends on coal-fired plants, though natural gas use is expanding. EVNs Pha Lai is the largest coal-fired power project in Vietnam, with the second of two 300-MW units coming into service in 2003. In order to meet increased demand, construction or expansion is planned for 32 power stations (7,547 MW) before 2010. The state power company, Elà ©ctricità © of Vietnam (EVN), plans to commission 16 hydropower plants by 2010 and increased capacity at the Uong Bi coal-fired plant to 400 MW in 2005. Vinacoal also has plans to construct eight additional coal-fired power plants. Vietnam currently has five hydroelectric expansions underway. The countrys Son La project, which began construction in late 2005, is anticipated to have a generating capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW) by 2012, will be the largest hydroelectric project in Vietnam when completed. In September 2004, construction began on the Ban Ve hydroelectric power plant, expected to begin operations in 2008. EVN began work on four additional hydroelectric projects in late 2004. The Dong Nai 3 and Dong Nai 4, both located in the Central Highlands region, are expected to be completed within four years and to provide approximately 520 MW of generating capacity. In December 2004, EVN began construction of the Se San 4 hydropower plant in the central highlands provinces of Gia Lai and Kon Tum. The plant is anticipated to have a capacity of 330 MW and to generate 1,390 million kWh per year. Vietnam also plans to build three additional plants in the region before 2010. In March 2004, EVN announced plans to spend $1.3 billion to build and refurbish power plants with a combined capacity of 1,510 MW. The projects include the combined cycle power plant Phu My 2.1, the hydroelectric facility Can Don, the Phu My 3 and Phu My 4 thermal plants, and Na Duong. Additional projects include the Song Ba Ha, Bac Binh, Se San 4, Dong Nai 3 and Dong Nai 4 hydrostations, the Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh extension, and the O Mon 600-MW thermal plant. The development of natural gas-fired plants in the Phu My complex of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has helped to offset Vietnams heavy reliance on hydropower, which can be vulnerable to disruption when monsoon rainfall is unusually low. In March 2003, the 720-MW Phu My 3 power plant commenced operations. The $450 million plant, owned by a consortium led by UKs BP, was Vietnams first foreign-invested, build-operate-transfer (BOT) project. EVN has contracted to purchase the output under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Mitsubishi received an award in February 2006 for the construction of a 330-MW natural gas-fired power plant in the southern Mekong delta. The plant will come online in early 2009, running initially on fuel oil, and switching to natural gas when pipeline infrastructure is completed. More foreign companies are beginning to enter the growing Vietnamese power market in the form of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) projects. EVN and a consortium including Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), Sumitomo, and Elà ©ctricità © de France (EdF) began BOT construction of the Mekong Deltas 715-MW Phu My 2-2 in January 2003. The plant is fueled by gas from Nam Con Son Basin. EVN plans to develop a national electricity grid by 2020 by patching together several regional grids. The countrys distribution infrastructure is poorly maintained, but has benefited from recent improvements. A North-South power cable transmits electricity from Vietnams largest generator, the Hoa Binh hydropower plant in the North, to large population centers in the South, linking the country into one electricity grid and helping alleviate electricity shortages in Ho Chi Minh City. The $56 million project was funded by the World Bank. Vietnam is considering the construction of a 500-KV, 188-mile power line from Pleiku to Danang city at a cost of $130 million. The Vietnamese government has estimated that an additional 9,300 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 173,600 miles of medium- and low-voltage transmission lines will be necessary to accommodate new capacity by 2010. In September 2004, EVN announced plans to invest $330 million over five years to upgrade transmission lin es surrounding Hanoi. Vietnam plans to complete its first nuclear power plant by 2020 as an alternate means on meeting demand. In December 2004, the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology submitted a pre-feasibility study for the 2,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear plant to the National Assembly. Fossil Fuels Coal, Oil and Natural Gas: Where Fossil Fuels Come From: There are three major forms of fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas. All three were formed many hundreds of millions of years ago before the time of the dinosaurs hence the name fossil fuels. The age they were formed is called the Carboniferous Period. It was part of the Paleozoic Era. Carboniferous gets its name from carbon, the basic element in coal and other fossil fuels. The Carboniferous Period occurred from about 360 to 286 million years ago. At the time, the land was covered with swamps filled with huge trees, ferns and other large leafy plants, similar to the picture above. The water and seas were filled with algae the green stuff that forms on a stagnant pool of water. Algae is actually millions of very small plants. Some deposits of coal can be found during the time of the dinosaurs. For example, thin carbon layers can be found during the late Cretaceous Period (65 million years ago) the time of Tyrannosaurus Rex. But the main deposits of fossil fuels are from the Carboniferous Period. For more about the various geologic eras, go to www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html. As the trees and plants died, they sank to the bottom of the swamps of oceans. They formed layers of a spongy material called peat. Over many hundreds of years, the peat was covered by sand and clay and other minerals, which turned into a type of rock called sedimentary. More and more rock piled on top of more rock, and it weighed more and more. It began to press down on the peat. The peat was squeezed and squeezed until the water came out of it and it eventually, over millions of years, it turned into coal, oil or petroleum, and natural gas. Coal: Coal is a hard, black colored rock-like substance. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and varying amounts of sulphur. There are three main types of coal anthracite, bituminous and lignite. Anthracite coal is the hardest and has more carbon, which gives it a higher energy content. Lignite is the softest and is low in carbon but high in hydrogen and oxygen content. Bituminous is in between. Today, the precursor to coal peat is still found in many countries and is also used as an energy source. The earliest known use of coal was in China. Coal from the Fu-shun mine in northeastern China may have been used to smelt copper as early as 3,000 years ago. The Chinese thought coal was a stone that could burn. Coal is found in many of the lower 48 states of U.S. and throughout the rest of the world. Coal is mined out of the ground using various methods. Some coal mines are dug by sinking vertical or horizontal shafts deep under ground, and coal miners travel by elevators or trains deep under ground to dig the coal. Other coal is mined in strip mines where huge steam shovels strip away the top layers above the coal. The layers are then restored after the coal is taken away. The coal is then shipped by train and boats and even in pipelines. In pipelines, the coal is ground up and mixed with water to make whats called a slurry. This is then pumped many miles through pipelines. At the other end, the coal is used to fuel power plants and other factories. Oil or Petroleum: Oil is another fossil fuel. It was also formed more than 300 million years ago. Some scientists say that tiny diatoms are the source of oil. Diatoms are sea creatures the Picture of oil formationsize of a pin head. They do one thing just like plants; they can convert sunlight directly into stored energy. Oil has been used for more than 5,000-6,000 years. The ancient Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians used crude oil and asphalt (pitch) collected from large seeps at Tuttul (modern-day Hit) on the Euphrates River. A seep is a place on the ground where the oil leaks up from below ground. The ancient Egyptians, used liquid oil as a medicine for wounds, and oil has been used in lamps to provide light. The Dead Sea, near the modern Country of Israel, used to be called Lake Asphaltites. The word asphalt was derived is from that term because of the lumps of gooey petroleum that were washed up on the lake shores from underwater seeps. In North America, Native Americans used blankets to skim oil off the surface of streams and lakes. They used oil as medicine and to make canoes water-proof. During the Revolutionary War, Native Americans taught George Washingtons troops how to treat frostbite with oil. As our country grew, the demand for oil continued to increase as a fuel for lamps. Petroleum oil began to replace whale oil in lamps because the price for whale oil was very high. During this time, most petroleum oil came from distilling coal into a liquid or by skimming it off of lakes just as the Native Americans did. Then on August 27, 1859, Edwin L. Drake (the man standing on the right in the black and white picture to the right), struck liquid oil at his well near Titusville, Pennsylvania. He found oil under ground and a way that could pump it to the surface. The well pumped the oil into barrels made out of wood. This method of drilling for oil is still being used today all over the world in areas where oil can be found below the surface. Oil and natural gas are found under ground between folds of rock and in areas of rock that are porous and contain the oils within the rock itself. The folds of rock were formed as the earth shifts and moves. Its similar to how a small, throw carpet will bunch up in places on the floor. To find oil and natural gas, companies drill through the earth to the deposits deep below the surface. The oil and natural gas are then pumped from below the ground by oil rigs (like in the picture). They then usually travel through pipelines or by ship. Oil is found in 18 of the 58 counties in California. Kern County, the County where Bakersfield is found, is one of the largest oil production places in the country. But we only get one-half of our oil from California wells. The rest comes from Alaska, and an increasing amount comes from other countries. In the entire U.S., more than 50 percent of all the oil we use comes from outside the countrymost of it from the Middle East. Oil is brought to California by large tanker ships. The petroleum or crude oil must be changed or refined into other products before it can be used. Refineries: Oil is stored in large tanks until it is sent to various places to be used. At oil refineries, crude oil is split into various types of products by heating the thick black oil. Oil is made into many different products fertilizers for farms, the clothes you wear, the toothbrush you use, the plastic bottle that holds your milk, the plastic pen that you write with. They all came from oil. There are thousands of other products that come from oil. Almost all plastic comes originally from oil. Can you think of some other things made from oil? The products include gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation or jet fuel, home heating oil, oil for ships and oil to burn in power plants to make electricity. Heres what a barrel of crude oil can make. In California, 74 percent of our oil is used for transportation cars, planes, trucks, buses and motorcycles. Well learn more about transportation energy in Chapter 18. Natural Gas: Sometime between 6,000 to 2,000 years BCE (Before the Common Era), the first discoveries of natural gas seeps were made in Iran. Many early writers described the natural petroleum seeps in the Middle East, especially in the Baku region of what is now Azerbaijan. The gas seeps, probably first ignited by lightning, provided the fuel for the eternal fires of the fire-worshiping religion of the ancient Persians. Natural gas is lighter than air. Natural gas is mostly made up of a gas called methane. Methane is a simple chemical compound that is made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Its chemical formula is CH4 one atom of carbon along with four atoms hydrogen. This gas is highly flammable. Natural gas is usually found near petroleum underground. It is pumped from below ground and travels in pipelines to storage areas. The next chapter looks at that pipeline system. Natural gas usually has no odor and you cant see it. Before it is sent to the pipelines and storage tanks, it is mixed with a chemical that gives a strong odor. The odor smells almost like rotten eggs. The odor makes it easy to smell if there is a leak. Energy Safety Note! If you smell that rotten egg smell in your house, tell your folks and get out of the house quickly. Dont turn on any lights or other electrical devices. A spark from a light switch can ignite the gas very easily. Go to a neighbors house and call 9-1-1 for emergency help. Saving Fossil Fuels: Fossil fuels take millions of years to make. We are using up the fuels that were made more than 300 million years ago before the time of the dinosaurs. Once they are gone they are gone. So, its best to not waste fossil fuels. They are not renewable; they cant really be made again. We can save fossil fuels by conserving energy. Natural Gas Distribution System: We learned in Chapter 8 that natural gas is a fossil fuel. It is a gaseous molecule thats made up of two atoms one carbon atom combined with four hydrogen atom. Its chemical formula is CH4. The picture on the right is a model of what the molecule could look like. Dont confuse natural gas with gasoline, which we call gas for short. Like oil, natural gas is found under ground and under the ocean floor. Wells are drilled to tap into natural gas reservoirs just like drilling for oil. Once a drill has hit an area that contains natural gas, it can be brought to the surface through pipes. The natural gas has to get from the wells to us. To do that, there is a huge network of pipelines that brings natural gas from the gas fields to us. Some of these pipes are two feet wide. Natural gas is sent in larger pipelines to power plants to make electricity or to factories because they use lots of gas. Bakeries use natural gas to heat ovens to bake bread, pies, pastries and cookies. Other businesses use natural gas for heating their buildings or heating water. From larger pipelines, the gas goes through smaller and smaller pipes to your neighborhood. In businesses and in your home, the natural gas must first pass through a meter, which measures the amount of fuel going into the building. A gas company worker reads the meter and the company will charge you for the amount of natural gas you used. In some homes, natural gas is used for cooking, heating water and heating the house in a furnace. In rural areas, where there are no natural gas pipelines, propane (another form of gas thats often made when oil is refined) or bottled gas is used instead of natural gas. Propane is also called LPG, or liquefied petroleum gas, is made up of methane and a mixture with other gases like butane. Propane turns to a liquid when it is placed under slight pressure. For regular natural gas to turn into a liquid, it has to be made very, very cold. Cars and trucks can also use natural gas as a transportation fuel, but they must carry special cylinder-like tanks to hold the fuel. When natural gas is burned to make heat or burned in a cars engine, it burns very cleanly. When you combine natural gas with oxygen (the process of combustion), you produce carbon dioxide and water vapor; plus the energy thats released in heat and light. Some impurities are contained in all natural gas. These include sulphur and butane and other chemicals. When burned, those impurities can create air pollution. The amount of pollution from natural gas is less than burning a more complex fuel like gasoline. Natural gas-powered cars are more than 90 percent cleaner than a gasoline-powered car. Thats why many people feel natural gas would be a good fuel for cars because it burns cleanly. Biomass Energy: Biomass is matter usually thought of as garbage. Some of it is just stuff lying around dead trees, tree branches, yard clippings, left-over crops, wood chips (like in the picture to the right), and bark and sawdust from lumber mills. It can even include used tires and livestock manure. Your trash, paper products that cant be recycled into other paper products, and other household waste are normally sent to the dump. Your trash contains some types of biomass that can be reused. Recycling biomass for fuel and other uses cuts down on the need for landfills to hold garbage. This stuff nobody seems to want can be used to produce electricity, heat, compost material or fuels. Composting material is decayed plant or food products mixed together in a compost pile and spread to help plants grow. California produces more than 60 million bone dry tons of biomass each year. Of this total, five million bone dry tons is now burned to make electricity. This is biomass from lumber mill wastes, urban wood waste, forest and agricultural residues and other feed stocks. If all of it was used, the 60 million tons of biomass in California could make close to 2,000 megawatts of electricity for Californias growing population and economy. Thats enough energy to make electricity for about two million homes! How biomass works is very simple. The waste wood, tree branches and other scraps are gathered together in big trucks. The trucks bring the waste from factories and from farms to a biomass power plant. Here the biomass is dumped into huge hoppers. This is then fed into a furnace where it is burned. The heat is used to boil water in the boiler, and the energy in the steam is used to turn turbines and generators . Biomass can also be tapped right at the landfill with burning waster products. When garbage decomposes, it gives off methane gas. Youll remember in chapters 8 and 9 that natural gas is made up of methane. Pipelines are put into the landfills and the methane gas can be collected. It is then used in power plants to make electricity. This type of biomass is called landfill gas. A similar thing can be done at animal feed lots. In places where lots of animals are raised, the animals like cattle, cows and even chickens produce manure. When manure decomposes, it also gives off methane gas similar to garbage. This gas can be burned right at the farm to make energy to run the farm. Using biomass can help reduce global warming compared to a fossil fuel-powered plant. Plants use and store carbon dioxide (CO2) when they grow. CO2 stored in the plant is released when th Analysis of Vietnams Energy Supply and Production Analysis of Vietnams Energy Supply and Production Vietnams economy has expanded rapidly in recent years, with its real gross domestic product (GDP) growing 7.7% in 2004 and 8.4% in 2005. Growth is forecast at 8.0% in 2006. Vietnam has had Normal Trade Relations status with the United States since late 2001, with 2002 marking the first time Vietnam shipped more goods to the United States than to Japan. Despite rising exports, Vietnam currently runs a slight trade deficit, but is projected to begin having trade surpluses by 2007. Much of Vietnams large rural population relies heavily on non-commercial biomass energy sources such as wood, dung, and rice husks. As a result, Vietnams per capita commercial energy consumption ranks among the lowest in Asia. The countrys commercial energy consumption is predicted to rise in coming years, primarily due to increases in the use of natural gas. Vietnam claims ownership of a portion of the potentially hydrocarbon-rich Spratly Islands, as do the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, China, and Taiwan. Vietnam, China, and the Philippines agreed in March 2005 to conduct a joint seismic survey for potential oil and natural gas reserves in a portion of the disputed area. Vietnam also claims the Paracel Islands, which China first occupied in 1974. Oil: Vietnams Oil Production and Consumption, 1980-2005. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003, internal EIA estimates.). Enlarge: Vietnams Oil Production and Consumption, 1980-2005. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003, internal EIA estimates.) Vietnam has 600 million barrels of proven oil reserves, according to data from Oil and Gas Journal, but that total is likely to increase as exploration continues. Crude oil production averaged 370,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2005, down somewhat from the 403,000 bbl/d level achieved in 2004. Bach Ho (White Tiger), Rang Dong (Dawn), Hang Ngoc, Dai Hung (Big Bear), and Su Tu Den (Ruby) are the largest oil producing fields in the country. Although it is a significant oil producer, Vietnam remains reliant on imports of petroleum products due to a lack of refining capacity. Overall, Vietnam had net exports of 111,000 bbl/d of oil in 2005. Most of Vietnams crude oil is exported to refiners in Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Vietnams largest oil producer is Vietsovpetro (VSP), a joint venture (JV) between PetroVietnam and Zarubezhneft of Russia. VSP operates Vietnams largest oil field, Bach Ho. Other foreign partners include ConocoPhillips, BP, Petronas, and Talisman Energy. Following the October 2003 commencement of drilling operations in the Su Tu Den (Black Lion) crude field, PetroVietnam reported increasing production volumes. PetroVietnams April 2003 discovery of an oil deposit in Dai Hung, estimated to have a capacity of 6,300 bbl/d, was expected to further increase Vietnamese production. The decline in production overall from 2004 to 2005 was primarily the result of declining production at the Bach Ho field. The planned development of several new oil fields in coming years is expected to increase Vietnamese production. A new well at Block 15-1s Su Tu Trang (White Lion) field flowed 8,682 bbl/d in early 2004 and is scheduled to be developed by 2008. In October 2004, Japanese oil companies Nippon Oil Exploration (35 percent interest), Idemitsu Kosan (35 percent), and Teikoku Oil (30 percent) announced plans to fund the development of Blocks 05.1b and 05.1c in the Nam Con Son Basin. Two months later, the Korean National Oil Corporation (KNOC), along with several Korean partners, finalized terms for the $300 million development of Block 11-2, which includes the Flying Orchid Field. PetroVietnam has a 25 percent interest in the joint venture. Exploration in Vietnam continues to yield new discoveries. In 2002, large oil and gas deposits were discovered in the Ca Ngu Vang (Golden Tuna) and Voi Trang (White Elephant) fields. SOCO Vietnam estimates that its Ca Ngu Vang well may contain up to 250 million barrels of oil. In July 2004, VSP discovered new stocks of oil in its Dragon field. Three months later, a joint venture comprised of American Technologies, Petronas, Singapore Petroleum, and PetroVietnam announced a 100-million-barrel oil discovery off Vietnams northeast coast. In September 2004, the Vietnamese government offered nine exploration blocks in the Phu Khanh basin off its southern coast. In November 2004, Japanese oil companies Nippon Oil Exploration, Idemitsu Kosan, and Teikoku Oil signed an agreement to explore in two offshore blocks southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. They plan to drill a test well in 2006 and complete exploration by 2007. In December 2004, Talisman Energy was awarded the right to conduct exploration in the Cuu Long Basin, and received additional acreage in an adjacent area in April 2005. ONGC of India was awarded drilling rights in the deepwater Block 127 in the Phu Khanh Basinoff Vietnams central coast in October 2005. ChevronTexaco also received acreage in the Phu Khanh Basin in the most recent round of awards, with an award for Block 122 in October 2005. PetroVietnams storage and transportation division, Petrolimex, recently completed a new oil storage facility in the central Khanh Hoa province. The depot is largest in the country, with a total storage capacity of 3.68 million barrels. Refining: Vietnam is in the process of building its first refinery. The $1.5 billion Dung Quat Refinery, located in Quang Ngai province, will have a crude distillation capacity of approximately 140,000 bbl/d. After several years of delays in financing the project, construction finally began in November 2005. Commercial operation of the refinery is expected to begin in early 2009. Vietnams distribution infrastructure is discontinuous, with the north and south of the country functioning largely as separate markets. Completion of the Dung Quat Refinery, located in the center of the country, should lead to greater interaction between the regions. A second refinery project is under consideration at Nghi Son, north of Hanoi in the Thanh Hoa province. The Vietnamese government has estimated the 150,000 bbl/d plant will cost $3 billion. In August 2004, Mitsubishi Corporation agreed to participate in building Nghi Son for completion in 2010. In December 2004, Vietnam contracted the International Business Company (IBC) of the British Virgin Islands to conduct a feasibility study for a third oil refinery, to be located at Vung Ro in the southern Phu Yen province. The Vietnamese government hopes to complete the refinery within 12 years. Natural Gas: Vietnams Oil Production and Consumption, 1980-2005. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003.). Enlarge: Vietnams Oil Production and Consumption, 1980-2005. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003.). Vietnam has proven gas reserves of 6.8 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), according to Oil and Gas Journal. Vietnams natural gas production and consumption have been rising rapidly since the late 1990s, with further increases expected as additional fields come onstream. Natural gas is currently produced entirely for domestic consumption. The Cuu Long basin offshore from the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, a source of associated gas from oil production, is the largest Vietnamese natural gas production area. Only two fields in Vietnam have been developed specifically for their natural gas potential: Tien Hai, with a potential output of 1.76 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d); and Lan Tay/Lan Do of Nam Con Son, which began producing over 5 Mmcf/d in 2002. In the Nam Con Son Basin, a $565 million, 230-mile pipeline was completed in June 2002 connecting the Lan Tay and Lan Do fields to the mainland at Vung Tau. The Nam Con Son project consists of five subsea wells linked to a production platform and a pipeline leading to an onshore treatment plant. Gas is piped to three generating plants at the Phu My industrial complex, where electricity is provided primarily to areas surrounding Ho Chi Minh City. In December 2004, the Vietnamese government announced that output from Nam Con Son was expected to reach 88 billion cubic feet (Bcf), exceeding planned production by 90%. The project currently supplies the Phu My 1, Phu My 3, Phu My 2.1 power plants and the extended Phu My 2.1 plant. Phu My 2.2 will begin using output from the field soon thereafter. In December 2002, a consortium headed by Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) signed an agreement to install facilities to pump and supply 130 Mmcf/d of natural gas to Vietnam. The natural gas, located in the Rong Doi and Rong Doi Tay fields on Block 11-2 of the Nam Con Son Basin, is sold to PetroVietnam under a 23-year contract. PetroVietnam resells most this volume to Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). Production at the fields began in mid-2005. In December 2004, KNOC and PetroVietnam signed agreements to further exploit natural gas in both Blocks 11 and 12. Construction of an additional pipeline to bring ashore natural gas from block 11 began in October 2005, and is scheduled for completion in October 2006. The Su Tu Den and Rang Dong oil fields, both of which have considerable Vietnamese reserves of associated natural gas, are located near the 62-mile pipeline from the Bach Ho field. An estimated 60 Mmcf/d of gas from the fields is earmarked for consumption in power plants in southern Vietnam. Both TotalFinaElf and ChevronTexaco (originally Unocal) have found natural gas in exploratory drilling of the Malay basin. Additionally, Talisman Energy has found natural gas at the Cai Nuoc field in block 46. The discovery is close to block PM-3-CAA, which straddles the maritime border with Malaysia, and is expected to contain up to 100 Bcf of recoverable gas reserves. A contract was awarded to McDermott International in March 2006 for construction of a 200-mile pipeline, which will transport natural gas from the PM3-CAA block to Ca Mau province in southern Vietnam. It is scheduled for completion in 2007. In December 2004, PetroVietnam announced that it was reconsidering the $70 million Phu My gas pipeline project from Phu My to Nhon Trach due to increased expenses associated with land costs in compensation areas. The pipeline was initially planned to transport associated gas from the Bach Ho and Rong fields for power generation. Coal: Vietnam contains coal reserves estimated at 165 million short tons (Mmst), the majority of which is anthracite. Production has increased dramatically over the last decade, with Vietnam producing over 18 Mmst in 2003. As a result, Vietnam exported a record 7 Mmst of coal, primarily to Japan and China, in 2003. Although Vietnam has historically relied on hydropower for electricity, it has recently promoted the construction of coal-fired power plants. Vinocoal plans to build eight coal-fueled thermal power plants with a total capacity of 2,900 megawatts (MW) by 2010. Six are currently in various stages of planning and construction. In December 2004, the Vietnamese government approved Vinacoals proposal to invest in a 200-MW, coal-fired thermal power plant in the Son Dong district. The plant is scheduled to begin operation in 2007. Coal-fired power plants are expected to eventually account for 25% of Vietnams total electricity production. The Vietnamese government estimates that 10.2 Mms t of coal is needed per year to meet increasing domestic demand, projected at 20,000 MW by 2010. Vietnam continues to exploit new coal reserves within its borders. In March 2003, a significant coal bed was discovered in the Red River Delta region of northern Vietnam. Vinacoal plans to use the reserve for thermal power plants. In October 2004, Vinacoal entered talks with Chinas Fujian Province Coal Industry Corporation to jointly exploit the Bac Coc Sau mine in the Quang Ninh province. Electricity: Vietnams Electricity Generation, 1980-2003. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003.). Enlarge: Vietnams Electricity Generation, 1980-2003. (Source: EIA, International Energy Annual 2003.). Although Vietnams per capita electricity consumption is among the lowest in Asia, demand has risen in recent years, straining the countrys limited generating capacity. Rapid commercial sector growth, population migration to major cities, and elevated living standards have all contributed to a growing demand for electricity. In 2003, Vietnam had a total electric generating capacity of 8.8 gigawatts (GW) and generated 39.7 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, of which 52 percent was hydropower. Electricity demand in Vietnam is forecast to grow 15 percent per year until 2010. Vietnam currently buys power from China to prevent shortages in the north, and plans to begin purchasing from Laos in 2008. The majority of thermal electricity generation in Vietnam depends on coal-fired plants, though natural gas use is expanding. EVNs Pha Lai is the largest coal-fired power project in Vietnam, with the second of two 300-MW units coming into service in 2003. In order to meet increased demand, construction or expansion is planned for 32 power stations (7,547 MW) before 2010. The state power company, Elà ©ctricità © of Vietnam (EVN), plans to commission 16 hydropower plants by 2010 and increased capacity at the Uong Bi coal-fired plant to 400 MW in 2005. Vinacoal also has plans to construct eight additional coal-fired power plants. Vietnam currently has five hydroelectric expansions underway. The countrys Son La project, which began construction in late 2005, is anticipated to have a generating capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW) by 2012, will be the largest hydroelectric project in Vietnam when completed. In September 2004, construction began on the Ban Ve hydroelectric power plant, expected to begin operations in 2008. EVN began work on four additional hydroelectric projects in late 2004. The Dong Nai 3 and Dong Nai 4, both located in the Central Highlands region, are expected to be completed within four years and to provide approximately 520 MW of generating capacity. In December 2004, EVN began construction of the Se San 4 hydropower plant in the central highlands provinces of Gia Lai and Kon Tum. The plant is anticipated to have a capacity of 330 MW and to generate 1,390 million kWh per year. Vietnam also plans to build three additional plants in the region before 2010. In March 2004, EVN announced plans to spend $1.3 billion to build and refurbish power plants with a combined capacity of 1,510 MW. The projects include the combined cycle power plant Phu My 2.1, the hydroelectric facility Can Don, the Phu My 3 and Phu My 4 thermal plants, and Na Duong. Additional projects include the Song Ba Ha, Bac Binh, Se San 4, Dong Nai 3 and Dong Nai 4 hydrostations, the Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh extension, and the O Mon 600-MW thermal plant. The development of natural gas-fired plants in the Phu My complex of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has helped to offset Vietnams heavy reliance on hydropower, which can be vulnerable to disruption when monsoon rainfall is unusually low. In March 2003, the 720-MW Phu My 3 power plant commenced operations. The $450 million plant, owned by a consortium led by UKs BP, was Vietnams first foreign-invested, build-operate-transfer (BOT) project. EVN has contracted to purchase the output under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Mitsubishi received an award in February 2006 for the construction of a 330-MW natural gas-fired power plant in the southern Mekong delta. The plant will come online in early 2009, running initially on fuel oil, and switching to natural gas when pipeline infrastructure is completed. More foreign companies are beginning to enter the growing Vietnamese power market in the form of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) projects. EVN and a consortium including Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), Sumitomo, and Elà ©ctricità © de France (EdF) began BOT construction of the Mekong Deltas 715-MW Phu My 2-2 in January 2003. The plant is fueled by gas from Nam Con Son Basin. EVN plans to develop a national electricity grid by 2020 by patching together several regional grids. The countrys distribution infrastructure is poorly maintained, but has benefited from recent improvements. A North-South power cable transmits electricity from Vietnams largest generator, the Hoa Binh hydropower plant in the North, to large population centers in the South, linking the country into one electricity grid and helping alleviate electricity shortages in Ho Chi Minh City. The $56 million project was funded by the World Bank. Vietnam is considering the construction of a 500-KV, 188-mile power line from Pleiku to Danang city at a cost of $130 million. The Vietnamese government has estimated that an additional 9,300 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 173,600 miles of medium- and low-voltage transmission lines will be necessary to accommodate new capacity by 2010. In September 2004, EVN announced plans to invest $330 million over five years to upgrade transmission lin es surrounding Hanoi. Vietnam plans to complete its first nuclear power plant by 2020 as an alternate means on meeting demand. In December 2004, the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology submitted a pre-feasibility study for the 2,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear plant to the National Assembly. Fossil Fuels Coal, Oil and Natural Gas: Where Fossil Fuels Come From: There are three major forms of fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas. All three were formed many hundreds of millions of years ago before the time of the dinosaurs hence the name fossil fuels. The age they were formed is called the Carboniferous Period. It was part of the Paleozoic Era. Carboniferous gets its name from carbon, the basic element in coal and other fossil fuels. The Carboniferous Period occurred from about 360 to 286 million years ago. At the time, the land was covered with swamps filled with huge trees, ferns and other large leafy plants, similar to the picture above. The water and seas were filled with algae the green stuff that forms on a stagnant pool of water. Algae is actually millions of very small plants. Some deposits of coal can be found during the time of the dinosaurs. For example, thin carbon layers can be found during the late Cretaceous Period (65 million years ago) the time of Tyrannosaurus Rex. But the main deposits of fossil fuels are from the Carboniferous Period. For more about the various geologic eras, go to www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html. As the trees and plants died, they sank to the bottom of the swamps of oceans. They formed layers of a spongy material called peat. Over many hundreds of years, the peat was covered by sand and clay and other minerals, which turned into a type of rock called sedimentary. More and more rock piled on top of more rock, and it weighed more and more. It began to press down on the peat. The peat was squeezed and squeezed until the water came out of it and it eventually, over millions of years, it turned into coal, oil or petroleum, and natural gas. Coal: Coal is a hard, black colored rock-like substance. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and varying amounts of sulphur. There are three main types of coal anthracite, bituminous and lignite. Anthracite coal is the hardest and has more carbon, which gives it a higher energy content. Lignite is the softest and is low in carbon but high in hydrogen and oxygen content. Bituminous is in between. Today, the precursor to coal peat is still found in many countries and is also used as an energy source. The earliest known use of coal was in China. Coal from the Fu-shun mine in northeastern China may have been used to smelt copper as early as 3,000 years ago. The Chinese thought coal was a stone that could burn. Coal is found in many of the lower 48 states of U.S. and throughout the rest of the world. Coal is mined out of the ground using various methods. Some coal mines are dug by sinking vertical or horizontal shafts deep under ground, and coal miners travel by elevators or trains deep under ground to dig the coal. Other coal is mined in strip mines where huge steam shovels strip away the top layers above the coal. The layers are then restored after the coal is taken away. The coal is then shipped by train and boats and even in pipelines. In pipelines, the coal is ground up and mixed with water to make whats called a slurry. This is then pumped many miles through pipelines. At the other end, the coal is used to fuel power plants and other factories. Oil or Petroleum: Oil is another fossil fuel. It was also formed more than 300 million years ago. Some scientists say that tiny diatoms are the source of oil. Diatoms are sea creatures the Picture of oil formationsize of a pin head. They do one thing just like plants; they can convert sunlight directly into stored energy. Oil has been used for more than 5,000-6,000 years. The ancient Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians used crude oil and asphalt (pitch) collected from large seeps at Tuttul (modern-day Hit) on the Euphrates River. A seep is a place on the ground where the oil leaks up from below ground. The ancient Egyptians, used liquid oil as a medicine for wounds, and oil has been used in lamps to provide light. The Dead Sea, near the modern Country of Israel, used to be called Lake Asphaltites. The word asphalt was derived is from that term because of the lumps of gooey petroleum that were washed up on the lake shores from underwater seeps. In North America, Native Americans used blankets to skim oil off the surface of streams and lakes. They used oil as medicine and to make canoes water-proof. During the Revolutionary War, Native Americans taught George Washingtons troops how to treat frostbite with oil. As our country grew, the demand for oil continued to increase as a fuel for lamps. Petroleum oil began to replace whale oil in lamps because the price for whale oil was very high. During this time, most petroleum oil came from distilling coal into a liquid or by skimming it off of lakes just as the Native Americans did. Then on August 27, 1859, Edwin L. Drake (the man standing on the right in the black and white picture to the right), struck liquid oil at his well near Titusville, Pennsylvania. He found oil under ground and a way that could pump it to the surface. The well pumped the oil into barrels made out of wood. This method of drilling for oil is still being used today all over the world in areas where oil can be found below the surface. Oil and natural gas are found under ground between folds of rock and in areas of rock that are porous and contain the oils within the rock itself. The folds of rock were formed as the earth shifts and moves. Its similar to how a small, throw carpet will bunch up in places on the floor. To find oil and natural gas, companies drill through the earth to the deposits deep below the surface. The oil and natural gas are then pumped from below the ground by oil rigs (like in the picture). They then usually travel through pipelines or by ship. Oil is found in 18 of the 58 counties in California. Kern County, the County where Bakersfield is found, is one of the largest oil production places in the country. But we only get one-half of our oil from California wells. The rest comes from Alaska, and an increasing amount comes from other countries. In the entire U.S., more than 50 percent of all the oil we use comes from outside the countrymost of it from the Middle East. Oil is brought to California by large tanker ships. The petroleum or crude oil must be changed or refined into other products before it can be used. Refineries: Oil is stored in large tanks until it is sent to various places to be used. At oil refineries, crude oil is split into various types of products by heating the thick black oil. Oil is made into many different products fertilizers for farms, the clothes you wear, the toothbrush you use, the plastic bottle that holds your milk, the plastic pen that you write with. They all came from oil. There are thousands of other products that come from oil. Almost all plastic comes originally from oil. Can you think of some other things made from oil? The products include gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation or jet fuel, home heating oil, oil for ships and oil to burn in power plants to make electricity. Heres what a barrel of crude oil can make. In California, 74 percent of our oil is used for transportation cars, planes, trucks, buses and motorcycles. Well learn more about transportation energy in Chapter 18. Natural Gas: Sometime between 6,000 to 2,000 years BCE (Before the Common Era), the first discoveries of natural gas seeps were made in Iran. Many early writers described the natural petroleum seeps in the Middle East, especially in the Baku region of what is now Azerbaijan. The gas seeps, probably first ignited by lightning, provided the fuel for the eternal fires of the fire-worshiping religion of the ancient Persians. Natural gas is lighter than air. Natural gas is mostly made up of a gas called methane. Methane is a simple chemical compound that is made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Its chemical formula is CH4 one atom of carbon along with four atoms hydrogen. This gas is highly flammable. Natural gas is usually found near petroleum underground. It is pumped from below ground and travels in pipelines to storage areas. The next chapter looks at that pipeline system. Natural gas usually has no odor and you cant see it. Before it is sent to the pipelines and storage tanks, it is mixed with a chemical that gives a strong odor. The odor smells almost like rotten eggs. The odor makes it easy to smell if there is a leak. Energy Safety Note! If you smell that rotten egg smell in your house, tell your folks and get out of the house quickly. Dont turn on any lights or other electrical devices. A spark from a light switch can ignite the gas very easily. Go to a neighbors house and call 9-1-1 for emergency help. Saving Fossil Fuels: Fossil fuels take millions of years to make. We are using up the fuels that were made more than 300 million years ago before the time of the dinosaurs. Once they are gone they are gone. So, its best to not waste fossil fuels. They are not renewable; they cant really be made again. We can save fossil fuels by conserving energy. Natural Gas Distribution System: We learned in Chapter 8 that natural gas is a fossil fuel. It is a gaseous molecule thats made up of two atoms one carbon atom combined with four hydrogen atom. Its chemical formula is CH4. The picture on the right is a model of what the molecule could look like. Dont confuse natural gas with gasoline, which we call gas for short. Like oil, natural gas is found under ground and under the ocean floor. Wells are drilled to tap into natural gas reservoirs just like drilling for oil. Once a drill has hit an area that contains natural gas, it can be brought to the surface through pipes. The natural gas has to get from the wells to us. To do that, there is a huge network of pipelines that brings natural gas from the gas fields to us. Some of these pipes are two feet wide. Natural gas is sent in larger pipelines to power plants to make electricity or to factories because they use lots of gas. Bakeries use natural gas to heat ovens to bake bread, pies, pastries and cookies. Other businesses use natural gas for heating their buildings or heating water. From larger pipelines, the gas goes through smaller and smaller pipes to your neighborhood. In businesses and in your home, the natural gas must first pass through a meter, which measures the amount of fuel going into the building. A gas company worker reads the meter and the company will charge you for the amount of natural gas you used. In some homes, natural gas is used for cooking, heating water and heating the house in a furnace. In rural areas, where there are no natural gas pipelines, propane (another form of gas thats often made when oil is refined) or bottled gas is used instead of natural gas. Propane is also called LPG, or liquefied petroleum gas, is made up of methane and a mixture with other gases like butane. Propane turns to a liquid when it is placed under slight pressure. For regular natural gas to turn into a liquid, it has to be made very, very cold. Cars and trucks can also use natural gas as a transportation fuel, but they must carry special cylinder-like tanks to hold the fuel. When natural gas is burned to make heat or burned in a cars engine, it burns very cleanly. When you combine natural gas with oxygen (the process of combustion), you produce carbon dioxide and water vapor; plus the energy thats released in heat and light. Some impurities are contained in all natural gas. These include sulphur and butane and other chemicals. When burned, those impurities can create air pollution. The amount of pollution from natural gas is less than burning a more complex fuel like gasoline. Natural gas-powered cars are more than 90 percent cleaner than a gasoline-powered car. Thats why many people feel natural gas would be a good fuel for cars because it burns cleanly. Biomass Energy: Biomass is matter usually thought of as garbage. Some of it is just stuff lying around dead trees, tree branches, yard clippings, left-over crops, wood chips (like in the picture to the right), and bark and sawdust from lumber mills. It can even include used tires and livestock manure. Your trash, paper products that cant be recycled into other paper products, and other household waste are normally sent to the dump. Your trash contains some types of biomass that can be reused. Recycling biomass for fuel and other uses cuts down on the need for landfills to hold garbage. This stuff nobody seems to want can be used to produce electricity, heat, compost material or fuels. Composting material is decayed plant or food products mixed together in a compost pile and spread to help plants grow. California produces more than 60 million bone dry tons of biomass each year. Of this total, five million bone dry tons is now burned to make electricity. This is biomass from lumber mill wastes, urban wood waste, forest and agricultural residues and other feed stocks. If all of it was used, the 60 million tons of biomass in California could make close to 2,000 megawatts of electricity for Californias growing population and economy. Thats enough energy to make electricity for about two million homes! How biomass works is very simple. The waste wood, tree branches and other scraps are gathered together in big trucks. The trucks bring the waste from factories and from farms to a biomass power plant. Here the biomass is dumped into huge hoppers. This is then fed into a furnace where it is burned. The heat is used to boil water in the boiler, and the energy in the steam is used to turn turbines and generators . Biomass can also be tapped right at the landfill with burning waster products. When garbage decomposes, it gives off methane gas. Youll remember in chapters 8 and 9 that natural gas is made up of methane. Pipelines are put into the landfills and the methane gas can be collected. It is then used in power plants to make electricity. This type of biomass is called landfill gas. A similar thing can be done at animal feed lots. In places where lots of animals are raised, the animals like cattle, cows and even chickens produce manure. When manure decomposes, it also gives off methane gas similar to garbage. This gas can be burned right at the farm to make energy to run the farm. Using biomass can help reduce global warming compared to a fossil fuel-powered plant. Plants use and store carbon dioxide (CO2) when they grow. CO2 stored in the plant is released when th