George Orwell s Animal Farm - 1984 Words

In the novel Animal Farm, by George Orwell, and the film Elysium, directed by Neill Blomkamp, the authors present a world where inequality between different social classes is evident. Both Orwell and Blomkamp explore the idea of inequality by setting their text in a society where the weak are oppressed by the strong who have power and authority over them. In Animal Farm, Napoleon takes over the farm and becomes a dictator, setting a hierarchy of power to sustain power. Whilst in Elysium, Max, the main protagonist, fights back against the authority of Elysium and sacrifices his life to ensure free healthcare for all back on Earth. To explore the idea of inequality, both authors uses symbolism to explore the theme of oppression, the†¦show more content†¦The seven commandments in Animal Farm are initially made to ensure that all animals are equal and have no connection to humans at all. However, over time Napoleon through his assistant Squealer manipulate the seven commandme nts, taking advantage of the fact of that most animals are Illiterates. The pigs distort the commandments to suit their own selfish interests, like when Napoleon changes the commandment about drinking. Changing it from ‘No animal shall drink alcohol,’ to ‘No animal shall drink alcohol to excess,’ which oppresses the other animals, as the subtle changes to the commandments allow the pigs to manipulate and control the other animals without any protest, as the new laws allow the pigs to do whatever they want. The pigs’ superior intelligence and education allow them to bring the other animals into submission through the use of propaganda and revisionism of the seven commandants. However in Elysium, security robots made by the company Armadyne, can be seen as the main symbol of oppression in the film. The security robots are made to keep the peace however use unnecessary force to subdue people. Security robots are programmed to maintain the earth-bound populace and stopping them from reaching Elysium. Security robots are equipped with batons and advance weaponry and a variety of combat skills. The Mise en scene reveals that

Topic Two Ethics And Immigration - 1255 Words

Sydney Hutton PHIL 453 Paper One 2/24/16 Topic Two: Ethics and Immigration Without some sort of global government regime, the problems that plague nations around the world are dealt with based on how their nations sees fit, or how their government is structured. One of the main ethical issues that our world is facing is the issue of immigration, both legal and illegal. Each nation has a different policy, thus allowing issues of morality to be questioned on an international scale when dealing with immigration. Through careful consideration of the literature read in class and the viewing of Posada, it is my understanding that the biggest moral problem relating to immigration is the criteria of selection and criteria of exclusion in which nations operate under to assess who is granted entry into a country. The lack of a unified system for admission, with variance on criteria, clearly proposes flaws in the structure and faults within each approach. In her essay, â€Å"A Note of Justice, Care and Immigration Policy†, Annette Baier states that there are multiple attitudes in which immigration policies can be approached. From a feminist ethics point of view that would be best suited with regards to international ethics is that in which she describes as â€Å"universalist and rights-based† (Baier 150). In this approach â€Å"all foreigners would have the same right to apply for a visa to enter a given country, and only those with some special legally recognized claim (those seeking politicalShow MoreRelatedGuidelines For Address All Of The Points Below1705 Words   |  7 Pagescharge management, marketing and accounting department. As I look after 8 employees, I have one full time and part time staffs to assist my work. In marketing department, Aaron is the marketing manager who in charge marketing department and he has two assistants to support him. In my opinion, our structure of company is pretty well organised to communicate easily between different department even if small company. However, we need more accounting staffs to assist and monitor our accountant as accountingRead MoreThe Ethical Theory Of The Election Of 20161268 Words   |  6 Pagesyear’s election were more unconventional then years past, this election held an uncanny resemblance to elections of past years in the United States. The ethical and moral issues voters frequently take into account are as follows: race, culture, immigration and populism. Many ethical theories play into elections, on both the sides of the voters as well as the candidates. The â€Å"ethical theory† described is an approach or belief based off one’s own morals or values. The ethical theory of UtilitarianismRead MoreThe Worker Next Door884 Words   |  4 Pageswhere he could have improved or even left out certain parts of his essay that would have made this writing better, and more realistic to his audience. I spotted a couple areas where the author went on a tangent of barely related areas to illegal immigration. Along with that, it doesn’t really seem like he tried to appeal to ethos too much, but gives some attention to logos and pathos early on in the essay and at the end. The first paragraph of this essay is a rhetorical question that asks how differentRead MoreAmerican Immigration Policy, Citizenship, And The Relationship Between Foreign Policy And Constitutional Law1477 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract This research describes the legal ins and outs of American immigration policy, citizenship, ‘border control’, and the relationship between foreign policy and constitutional law, regarding refugees. Since the birth of the United States in 1776, citizens, from countries all around the world have considered making the trek to America, in hopes of pursuing a different, more prosperous life. Yet, many of history’s hopeful travellers have learned- legally entering America is potentially theRead MoreWhat I Learned From The Group Project On The United States Illegally By Their Parents Should Be Deported Essay1575 Words   |  7 Pagesbeliefs that have been handed down to us from generation after generation when it comes to ethics, morals, and standards as well as our thoughts on religion, government, politics, family, etc. Our culture can be one that drives what theory we support in relation to different ethical dilemmas we face on a day to day basis. If you are raised in a more liberal culture, you will be for The Dream Act as well as immigration as liberals believe in human rights. Conservatives on the other hand believe in personalRead MoreDefining The Divisions At One Time, Our Nation Is Divided By Race And Social Class853 Words   |  4 Pagesview as higher or different than their adversaries. Then there are those who want to create new ideas and give their idea a fighting chance in this ever so active society. Therefore, historical, modern, and principled issues classify the groups of topics that divide our Nation. Historically, racism and equality have served to be the basis of issues that have stemmed and grown from the constitution. Racism was a huge issue and is still seen as an issue even today. Although equality is at the bestRead MoreEvaluating Arguments, Opinions, And Beliefs Project Essay1633 Words   |  7 Pagesbeliefs that have been handed down to us from generation after generation when it comes to ethics, morals, and standards as well as our thoughts on religion, government, politics, family, etc. Our culture can be one that drives what theory we support in relation to different ethical dilemmas we face on a day to day basis. If you are raised in a more liberal culture, you will be for The Dream Act as well as immigration as liberals believe in human rights. Conservatives on the other hand believe in personalRead MoreImmigrants From Latin America s Annexation Of Mexico Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pages Historically, Latinos have struggled against ethnic labeling, immigrati on as well challenges surrounding education. This can traced back to mid-19th century when according to Harvest of Empire America’s annexation of Mexico which gave the United States Texas, California, and the southwest. â€Å"Mexico’s territory was cut by half and its mineral resources by three-quarters. These appalling numbers help explain so much. In fact, you can arguably lay Mexico’s poverty and loss through emigration rightRead MorePreparation For Brief Argument Gathering Information1498 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment 1: Preparation for Brief Argument-Gathering Information Record: National News: PBS News Hour January 19, 2016 6:25-6:45 PM Reporter: Judy Woodruff 1) Fate of Obama’s immigration actions goes to Supreme Court a) Program’s purpose is to stop deportation of illegal immigrants. b) Immigrants will work legally. c) 26 states have sued against this action and are questioning Obama’s executive authority under the Take Care Clause 2) Inside the Deal a) After years in Iranian jail, Americans areRead MoreImmigration Perpectives in US1473 Words   |  6 Pagesopportunity to make more money. The United States is a country that was founded by and has grown exponentially as a direct result of immigration. A survey from the United States Census Bureau in 2009 showed the current number of immigrants living in America was 38,517,234. (http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states-1) Each immigrant from around the world brings with them culture, lifestyle and religious differences that may seem

Topic Two Ethics And Immigration - 1255 Words

Sydney Hutton PHIL 453 Paper One 2/24/16 Topic Two: Ethics and Immigration Without some sort of global government regime, the problems that plague nations around the world are dealt with based on how their nations sees fit, or how their government is structured. One of the main ethical issues that our world is facing is the issue of immigration, both legal and illegal. Each nation has a different policy, thus allowing issues of morality to be questioned on an international scale when dealing with immigration. Through careful consideration of the literature read in class and the viewing of Posada, it is my understanding that the biggest moral problem relating to immigration is the criteria of selection and criteria of exclusion in which nations operate under to assess who is granted entry into a country. The lack of a unified system for admission, with variance on criteria, clearly proposes flaws in the structure and faults within each approach. In her essay, â€Å"A Note of Justice, Care and Immigration Policy†, Annette Baier states that there are multiple attitudes in which immigration policies can be approached. From a feminist ethics point of view that would be best suited with regards to international ethics is that in which she describes as â€Å"universalist and rights-based† (Baier 150). In this approach â€Å"all foreigners would have the same right to apply for a visa to enter a given country, and only those with some special legally recognized claim (those seeking politicalShow MoreRelatedGuidelines For Address All Of The Points Below1705 Words   |  7 Pagescharge management, marketing and accounting department. As I look after 8 employees, I have one full time and part time staffs to assist my work. In marketing department, Aaron is the marketing manager who in charge marketing department and he has two assistants to support him. In my opinion, our structure of company is pretty well organised to communicate easily between different department even if small company. However, we need more accounting staffs to assist and monitor our accountant as accountingRead MoreThe Ethical Theory Of The Election Of 20161268 Words   |  6 Pagesyear’s election were more unconventional then years past, this election held an uncanny resemblance to elections of past years in the United States. The ethical and moral issues voters frequently take into account are as follows: race, culture, immigration and populism. Many ethical theories play into elections, on both the sides of the voters as well as the candidates. The â€Å"ethical theory† described is an approach or belief based off one’s own morals or values. The ethical theory of UtilitarianismRead MoreThe Worker Next Door884 Words   |  4 Pageswhere he could have improved or even left out certain parts of his essay that would have made this writing better, and more realistic to his audience. I spotted a couple areas where the author went on a tangent of barely related areas to illegal immigration. Along with that, it doesn’t really seem like he tried to appeal to ethos too much, but gives some attention to logos and pathos early on in the essay and at the end. The first paragraph of this essay is a rhetorical question that asks how differentRead MoreAmerican Immigration Policy, Citizenship, And The Relationship Between Foreign Policy And Constitutional Law1477 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract This research describes the legal ins and outs of American immigration policy, citizenship, ‘border control’, and the relationship between foreign policy and constitutional law, regarding refugees. Since the birth of the United States in 1776, citizens, from countries all around the world have considered making the trek to America, in hopes of pursuing a different, more prosperous life. Yet, many of history’s hopeful travellers have learned- legally entering America is potentially theRead MoreWhat I Learned From The Group Project On The United States Illegally By Their Parents Should Be Deported Essay1575 Words   |  7 Pagesbeliefs that have been handed down to us from generation after generation when it comes to ethics, morals, and standards as well as our thoughts on religion, government, politics, family, etc. Our culture can be one that drives what theory we support in relation to different ethical dilemmas we face on a day to day basis. If you are raised in a more liberal culture, you will be for The Dream Act as well as immigration as liberals believe in human rights. Conservatives on the other hand believe in personalRead MoreDefining The Divisions At One Time, Our Nation Is Divided By Race And Social Class853 Words   |  4 Pagesview as higher or different than their adversaries. Then there are those who want to create new ideas and give their idea a fighting chance in this ever so active society. Therefore, historical, modern, and principled issues classify the groups of topics that divide our Nation. Historically, racism and equality have served to be the basis of issues that have stemmed and grown from the constitution. Racism was a huge issue and is still seen as an issue even today. Although equality is at the bestRead MoreEvaluating Arguments, Opinions, And Beliefs Project Essay1633 Words   |  7 Pagesbeliefs that have been handed down to us from generation after generation when it comes to ethics, morals, and standards as well as our thoughts on religion, government, politics, family, etc. Our culture can be one that drives what theory we support in relation to different ethical dilemmas we face on a day to day basis. If you are raised in a more liberal culture, you will be for The Dream Act as well as immigration as liberals believe in human rights. Conservatives on the other hand believe in personalRead MoreImmigrants From Latin America s Annexation Of Mexico Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pages Historically, Latinos have struggled against ethnic labeling, immigrati on as well challenges surrounding education. This can traced back to mid-19th century when according to Harvest of Empire America’s annexation of Mexico which gave the United States Texas, California, and the southwest. â€Å"Mexico’s territory was cut by half and its mineral resources by three-quarters. These appalling numbers help explain so much. In fact, you can arguably lay Mexico’s poverty and loss through emigration rightRead MorePreparation For Brief Argument Gathering Information1498 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment 1: Preparation for Brief Argument-Gathering Information Record: National News: PBS News Hour January 19, 2016 6:25-6:45 PM Reporter: Judy Woodruff 1) Fate of Obama’s immigration actions goes to Supreme Court a) Program’s purpose is to stop deportation of illegal immigrants. b) Immigrants will work legally. c) 26 states have sued against this action and are questioning Obama’s executive authority under the Take Care Clause 2) Inside the Deal a) After years in Iranian jail, Americans areRead MoreImmigration Perpectives in US1473 Words   |  6 Pagesopportunity to make more money. The United States is a country that was founded by and has grown exponentially as a direct result of immigration. A survey from the United States Census Bureau in 2009 showed the current number of immigrants living in America was 38,517,234. (http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states-1) Each immigrant from around the world brings with them culture, lifestyle and religious differences that may seem

Informatica Paramter File Free Essays

Using Parameter file Using Workflow and Session Parameter File Simultaneously Author: Amit Singh Yadav Date written: 18/01/10 Declaration I/We hereby declare that this document is based on my/our personal experiences and/or experiences of my/our project members. To the best of my/our knowledge, this document does not contain any material that infringes the copyrights of any other individual or organization . Amit Singh Yadav Target readers: All Keywords: Informatica Parameter File, $PMMergeSessParamFile, workflow, informatica, parameter file, session, merge files The Challenge: Using Parameter file The challenge is to use session level parameter file and workflow level parameter file at the same time. We will write a custom essay sample on Informatica Paramter File or any similar topic only for you Order Now The problem being that when you define a workflow parameter file and a session parameter file for a session within the workflow, the Integration Service uses the workflow parameter file, and ignores the session parameter file. Session Parameter File: It contains session parameters which contain values that can change from session to session, such as database connections or file names. PMSessionLogFile and $ParamName are user-defined session parameters. Also variables that we use in source queries like date criterion e. g. $$Lastrun Workflow Parameter File It contains workflow level parameters. For example, you can use a workflow variable in a Decision task to determine whether the previous task ran properly. In a workflow, $TaskName. PrevTaskStatus is a predefined workflow variable and $ $SessionName is a user-defined workflow variable. Problem Statement: Using both session and workflow level parameter file. First let me tell you why we need both the parameter files in our workflow. Recently we decided to use third party scheduling tool, Workload Manager (WLM), scheduling product by CA Inc. WLM schedules jobs across platforms e. g. dependent jobs across Informatica, teradata, UNIX MF can be scheduled together. Now the requirement of this scheduler is that 1. You need to have a scheduler level parameter file with all the sessions names used in the workflow. 2. You need to use this same parameter file as workflow level parameter file in your workflow. The problem we faced was that our current situation is: The sql query in our sessions is select * from where date ’$ $lastrun’. We have a session level parameter file and every time the session runs it picks $$lastrun from the session parameter file. At the end of the session a script is run which updates the $$lastrun with today’s date so that next time when the session is run it picks up data for dates $$lastrun. This is how our session level parameter files looks: $ more mStaging_PCare. parm Using Parameter file [s_mStaging_PCare] $$lastrun=2009-12-20 —–? session_name ———- ? Lastrun date Now if a workflow level parameter file is used, the variable $$lastrun will have to be mentioned in the workflow parameter file. And If we will mention $$lastrun there, then Informatica will pick up the date from the workflow parameter file, while the session level parameter file variable, $$lastrun, will be updated by a script in the session so, we need something through which we can use both workflow and session parameter file. Solution: There is a very useful property in Informatica called $PMMergeSessParamFile which when set to TRUE will force Informatica to read both session and workflow parameter file. What we did was we created a new workflow parameter file with the all the sessions name in it and for every session we have set $PMMergeSessParamFile=TRUE. Now when workflow runs it looks for $$lastrun in workflow parameter file and when it does not find the value there, it looks for $ $lastrun in session parameter file. It gets the value there and session succeeds. In the end the script updates the session level parameter file with today’s date. In this way we were able to use both 1. Workflow level parameter file which was the requirement of WLM. 2. Session Level parameter file which was required by our session since the script updates session level parameter file and we did not wanted to change the script. This is how our new workflow level parameter files looks: $ more PCare_Staging_WLM. par [s_mStaging_PCare] ——–? Session Name – —-? parameterized connection $DBConnectionSource=Tera_ETL_VIEWS_NE $PMMergeSessParamFile=TRUE ——? Property set to true Using Parameter file After using this parameter file Informatica will pick up connection name from the above parameter file and $$lastrun from session parameter file since $PMMergeSessParamFile is set to TRUE. This is what was required. Usage: 1. 2. This property will allow users to use both session and workflow level parameter file at same time. Like in the scenario above. Suppose there are sessions which are based on Incremental logic i. e. Session level parameter file is automatically created by UNIX script. Now if users wants to have parameterized connections for such sessions then either they need to change their script which generates parameter file or they can simple use $PMMergeSessParamFile and mention parameterized connection names at workflow level parameter file. . If users want a workflow to run two concurrent instances. If two workflows use same set of re-usable sessions then it helps in making parameter file names parameterized. It removes hard coding of parameter file name from sessions. For more details please refer Informatica help section. Path given below. Parameter Files Configuring the Parameter File Name and Location References: Informatica Help Guide How to cite Informatica Paramter File, Papers

Greater Accessibility Education Inequality -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Greater Accessibility Education Inequality? Answer: Introducation People try to get higher level of education to obtain higher wage rate per hour. It is believed that higher level of education makes skilled worker (Yirmiyahu, Rubin and Malul 2017). Moreover, a skilled worker gets higher amount of wages compare to an unskilled or semi-skilled worker. Economists also consider this relation as interesting. The government of a country can impose any policy to promote higher education. On the other side, skilled workers work efficiently as they get higher wages compare to others. This further helps a country to increase its gross domestic product (GDP). People with higher level of education generally enjoy a good standard of living. Hence, for developing and developed countries, education is an important factor (Verger, Altinyelken and Novelli 2018). It further helps a country to develop. Therefore, education is an important factor for a countrys economy. Hence, economists try to establish a relation between education and wage rate of a country. This fu rther helps to implement a theory. Moreover the government of a country can apply different policies, based on the relation. Method: Here, education is considered as an independent variable and wage is considered as a dependent variable. To obtain higher level of education, a person has spent many years. In this report, education is measured by this number of years. Moreover, wage is measured as the earning per hour of a worker. To understand an association between education and wage, a statistical tool will be used. The simple linear regression analysis is used to analyse this relation (Fox 2015). Furthermore, a scatter plot will help to draw a simple linear regression analysis. To analyse further, a trending line will help to plot this regression line by covering maximum scattered points. By analysing this regression line, one can understand that whether education has any impact on wage or not. It will also describe that whether both variables have positive or negative relations. Results: This section will summarise various outcomes of both education and wage by doing statistical analysis. In this section of the report, descriptive analysis related to education is done. In figure 1, a scatter diagram shows the relation between education and wage. Education is taken as independent variable. This scatter diagram is roughly showing a positive relation between education and wage. However, it does not follow any exact relation between number of years of education and wage per hour (Fox 2015). At a same education level, some persons are getting high amount wage per hours and some are getting comparatively low wages per hour. Hence, wage discrimination is sharply found among different workers with same years of educational experience. The estimated regression equation is y= 2.123x 6.914. Here, y is the independent variable, that is, education. On the other side, x represents wage, that is, dependent variable. Slope coefficient measures the steepness of a regression line between education and wage. Here, slope is 2.123. As the equation gives a positive value of the slope, it indicates a positive relation between these two variables (Mooi, Sarstedt and Mooi-Reci 2018). When education increases by 1 unit, wage increases by 2.123. In this equation, P value is 0.0000. P-value of 5% or less that indicates statistically significant. Here, P value is less than 0.5. This will reject the null hypothesis that the coefficient has no effect (Walsh et al. 2014). Hence, this shows a statically significant association. The regression equation does not provide a good fit. Best-fitted line represents the best approximation of all given data. Here, a trend line has drawn. There are many points, which are above the line and below the line. Here, the value of r-square is 0.1706. This indicates that wage explains an estimated 17% of the variation in education (D'Agostino 2017). This value is very low. Using the equation y= 2.123x 6.914, predicted wage rate will be calculated. Here, x is the year of education of a worker and y is the predicted wage rate of that worer. When a person has 12 years of education, the predicted wage will be 18.562. On the other side, when a person has 14 years of education, the predicted wage rate will be 22.808. Hence, as a person has two years of extra education, he can earn extra 4.246 wage per hour. Description: The result does not provide any sharp relation between education and wage. However, this research has done based on only 101 data. As the sample size is small, the outcome cannot be predicted exact outcome. Hence, the linear regression is showing a rough image of the whole data set. The outcome of this analysis is not consistent. People believe that higher studies will help them to attain higher amount of wage. This is one of the chief reasons behind higher education. However, in this report the outcome does not present this concept accurately (Fox 2015). This wrong outcome further negatively affects higher education. There are various points, which are situated far from the regression line. Moreover, at the same level of education, some people are earning higher amount of wage per hour. This will not help the government of a country to implement a particular policy. Hence, this report will note properly help any researcher to further. However, number of education does not indicate any particular stream of education. Different people chose different streams of education. Hence, with same educational year with different educational stream affect wage rate. Recommendation: To implement a proper recommendation, a proper association between education and wage is needed. The government or private sector will offer higher wage for those people, who have higher years of educational experience. Wage discrimination of workers with same educational level is not wanted. Educated people with more years of experience want to earn more compare to other people, who have low level of education. This will further help those workers to work efficiently. If two persons with same educational level will earn different amount of wages, then it will adversely affect the efficiency level of them. Furthermore, both private and government sectors will increase their hourly wage rate to attract more workers. On the other side, government should promote higher level of education so that people can earn higher amount of wage. This will further help a country to operate efficiently. Education helps a country to grow and develop further. Hence, perfect policy related to education is important. Moreover, only number of years of education is mentioned. However, various streams of education are not mentioned. Engineers or doctors earn more wages compare to other people. Hence, those data do not provide any detail information related education. This will further mislead researches. Hence, with number of education, types of jobs should be mentioned, References: D'Agostino, R., 2017.Goodness-of-fit-techniques. Routledge. Fox, J., 2015.Applied regression analysis and generalized linear models. Sage Publications. Mooi, E., Sarstedt, M. and Mooi-Reci, I., 2018. Regression Analysis. InMarket Research(pp. 215-263). Springer, Singapore. Verger, A., Altinyelken, H.K. and Novelli, M. eds., 2018.Global education policy and international development: New agendas, issues and policies. Bloomsbury Publishing. Walsh, M., Srinathan, S.K., McAuley, D.F., Mrkobrada, M., Levine, O., Ribic, C., Molnar, A.O., Dattani, N.D., Burke, A., Guyatt, G. and Thabane, L., 2014. The statistical significance of randomized controlled trial results is frequently fragile: a case for a Fragility Index.Journal of clinical epidemiology,67(6), pp.622-628. Yirmiyahu, A., Rubin, O.D. and Malul, M., 2017. Does greater accessibility to higher education reduce wage inequality? The case of the Arab minority in Israel.Studies in Higher Education,42(6), pp.1071-1090

Conditions of Behavioural Changes Towards Efficient Energy Use Essay Example

Conditions of Behavioural Changes Towards Efficient Energy Use Paper Conditions of behavioural changes towards efficient energy use – a comparative study between Sweden and the UK Abstract The main objective of this study is to compare how specific conditions in certain countries (in this case, the UK and Sweden) can stimulate or attempt to compel householders to be more energy efficient, or can obstruct this. Each country is deploying different policies in differing contexts in the attempt to reduce carbon emissions. European goals for energy and emission reductions now constitute the main frame for long-term energy policy changes, but national governments develop and implement policy in contrasting ways. Important aspects are: geographical context, degree of liberalisation of electricity and gas industry, energy systems, metering infrastructure, and the nature of electrical load problems. The following conditions are described and compared in this paper: (1) electricity and gas use; (2) role of utilities and other ‘external’ agen ts in residential demand reduction; (3) regulations; (4) quality of feedback on energy use to the householder; (5) customer behaviour. The comparison shows the significance of factors that are sometimes overlooked when considering the potential for demand reduction and load management, and produces some lessons and questions that are widely applicable. Introduction Europeans are gradually becoming familiar with the ‘20/20’ policy goals for a reduction of at least 20 % in greenhouse gases (GHG) by 2020, along with a 20 % increase in the share of renewables in the delivered energy mix (CEC, 2008). In this paper, we concentrate on the GHG reduction goal as it applies to residential buildings, assuming that households are expected to contribute substantial reductions in delivered energy, in addition to adoption of lower-carbon energy supply. Patterns of energy use are associated with many variables such as climate/weather, social norms, income, market conditions, dominant technologies and infrastructure. Therefore the process of working towards these goals will vary considerably between member states of the EU. We will write a custom essay sample on Conditions of Behavioural Changes Towards Efficient Energy Use specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Conditions of Behavioural Changes Towards Efficient Energy Use specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Conditions of Behavioural Changes Towards Efficient Energy Use specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In this paper, we take just two member states, Sweden and the UK, and examine how specific conditions can encourage householders to lower the environmental impact of their energy consumption – or obstruct them. The paper attempts to look at the whole energy system in each country, in order to identify the most significant elements for change and to contribute towards a framework for comparison of energy and climate policies across the EU. Climate change policy and targets Over the past 20 years, the UK has taken a lead internationally in setting ambitious climate targets. The government is committed to reduce GHG emissions by 12.5 % by 2008-2012 (relative to 1990), under the Kyoto agreement. It looks as though this target will be met, but this is largely because of reduced emissions from power stations between 1990 and 2007, when coal was replaced by natural gas. Changes at household level have been far less significant. UK climate policy is now governed by the even more ambitious 2008 Climate Change Act, under which ‘It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that the net UK carbon account for the year 2050 is at least 80 % lower than the 1990 baseline’. Carbon budgets are to be set by an expert committee for five-year periods, and the budget for the period including the year 2020 must be such that ‘the annual equivalent of the carbon budget for the period is at least 26 % lower than the 1990 baseline’ (UK Government, 2008, pp1, 3). The Act states that carbon budgets should be set with regard to scientific knowledge, technology relevant to climate change, economic, fiscal and social circumstances, and ‘circumstances at European and international level’. They are also required to take into account reportable emissions from international aviation and shipping. The Act represents a serious attempt to legislate for radical cuts in emissions, while leaving the government with escape routes from policies that it may see as unpopular or unachievable. There is evidence from surveys that the public see the government as having a major role to play in mitigating climate change (e.g. CoI, 2007), so clear, consistent and credible policies are going to be important in terms of peoples’ acceptance of the need to make changes. As supply, buildings and appliances become more efficient, additional emissions reductions will rely increasingly on user behaviour and on adoption of low-carbon technologies. In Sweden, the Parliament decided in June 2006, according to a suggestion from the Government, that energy use in residential and tertiary sectors should be lowered by 20 % per heated space unit, until year 2020 (Swedish Parliament, 2006). By year 2050, the energy use in these sectors should be halved (compared to today’s level). By 2020, the dependence on fossil fuels for energy supply in dwellings should be broken, and ways of measuring and achieving this are being debated at present. According to the Kyoto Protocol, Sweden has a commitment not to increase its emissions by more than 4 % (within the EU agreement) but has decided voluntarily to reduce its emissions by 8 %. In the directive for renewable energy published by European Commission Sweden’s target of renewable fuels amounts to 49 % by 2020. The proportion of renewable energy used in Sweden has in fact increased from 33.9 % in 1990 to 43.3 % in 2006, mostly thanks to electricity generation in large scale hydro power plants (Swedish Energy Agency, 2008). The Swedish Government doesn’t intend to take any decisions about decommissioning of nuclear power stations during its present mandate period (2006-2010). Moreover, there is even a very new agreement between the government Alliance parties on replacement of existing 10 reactors in the future. New long term forecasts from the Swedish Energy Agency show that Sweden can export about 25 TWh electricity in year 2030, which means lower GHG emissions in the importing countries. The question is what impact those decisions will have on public perception of the need for demand reduction and on changing of energy behaviour patterns. In summary, the two countries have comparable goals for energy use by 2020, (provided that the number of heated units does not rise substantially in Sweden). But both countries have a long way to go in order to demonstrate how they are going to reach goals and to come to terms with necessary changes. The public see government as having a major role to play in climate change mitigation, so clear leadership and credible ‘maps’ of how to achieve change are going to be important over the next few years. Electricity and gas use Structure of consumption in households The differences in structure of consumption reflect differences in fuel mix, climate/weather and building standards. They are also affected by differences in lifestyle, such as household size and occupancy, appliance ownership and day-to-day usage patterns. The residential sector in Sweden accounts for 32 % of total final energy use, amounting in 2008 to 124 TWh. Electricity is a dominating energy carrier in this sector – about 73 TWh per year. Almost 60 % of this energy is used for space heating and domestic hot water production (see Figure 1). The average annual domestic electricity use amounts to about 6 200 kWh per household in detached houses, and to about 40 kWh per m2 and year in flats (Swedish Energy Agency, 2007). The total statistically corrected energy use in this sector remained relatively stable in Sweden between 1970 and 2000, after which it has started to show a decline, mostly for space heating and domestic hot water supply. This decline was caused by different distribution and conversion losses at the point of use for fuels and other energy carriers as district heating or electricity. Another contributing reason for this reduction in energy use could be the increasing number of heat pumps. Other factors reducing energy use in residential buildings are various energy conservation measures (for example additional thermal insulation or upgrading windows in older buildings). In the UK, the residential sector also accounts for roughly a third of delivered energy, but the distribution of end-uses is different. Approximately 60 % is used for space heating alone (this figure reflects the low energy efficiency of UK homes, in a milder climate), with a further 25 % for water heating (Utley and Shorrock, 2008). Each household consumes approximately 20 MWh of delivered energy per year, compared with roughly 21 MWh for each Swedish household. UK consumption per household is however finally beginning to fall, as shown in Figure 2, with an accompanying decline in overall emissions – a 5 % fall in the domestic sector between 2006 and 2007 (DEFRA, 2008; BERR, 2008a). A rise of 140 % in gas bills over the years 2003-8 and 93 % in electricity bills will have been a major factor (Consumer Focus, 2008). The cost of fuel is a far more significant factor in the size of bills in the UK than in Sweden. Sweden uses a relatively small quantity of energy gases when compared with many other European countries; the distribution network for natural gas in Sweden is being extended. Natural gas is at present distributed to about 30 municipalities meeting about 20 % of their energy demand. On the national level, gas supplies cover almost 2 % of total energy demand. About 0.4 TWh of natural gas was used for space heating and domestic hot water production in detached houses 2007 and the same amount was used for this purpose in apartment buildings (Swedish Energy Agency, 2008). By contrast, around 70 % of delivered energy to housing in the UK is natural gas; 22 % is electricity. Domestic gas consumption in 2006 was approximately 400 TWh – five hundred times higher than in Sweden (BERR, 2008b). In 2006, 91 % of homes had central heating. 87 % of this was gas-fuelled and 6 % electric, with just over half the electric central heating using cheap night-time electricity to charge ‘storage heaters’ which release the heat gradually in the course of the day (Utley and Shorrock 2008, Tables 32 and 21). These differences are reflected in the daily and seasonal load curves for each country. There are still concerns about increased installation of electrical heating in new buildings, particularly in social housing and high-rise dwellings, because of the relatively high emissions (see Figure 3). However, the main single area of growth in electricity demand is consumer electronics – an area where product policy can make a substantial difference but where householders also need to be aware of how their consumption is ‘invisibly’ rising (EST, 2007). There is still some limited scope for reducing the number of homes heated by coal and oil in the UK; beyond that, the prospects for lowering emissions l ie with demand reduction, decarbonising the electricity supply, and using gas more strategically. There is very little district heating, although there is plenty of scope in high-density urban areas. This is a legacy of bad experiences with district heating programmes in the 1960s; and partly due to an individualistic approach to home ownership (70 % of householders own their homes and only 20 % live in social housing). The low energy efficiency of the housing stock, along with the lack of district heating, emerge as specific problems for the UK. There is a lot to be achieved through retrofitting of homes. Major changes are needed in the scale of district heating (urban areas) and micro-CHP or heat pumps (for suburbs and rural areas). The high carbon content of UK electricity, even after the ‘dash to gas’ in the 1990s, increases the urgency of investing in more renewable sources. Only 4 % comes from ‘new’ renewables (see Figure 3). While Sweden is much less reliant on gas for heating than the UK, it needs 0 10 20 30 40 50 Hydro Other renewables Nuclear Gas Oil Coal Other fuels Net imports % Sweden UK 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 kWh Gas Total delivered energy to control electricity demand and maintain low-carbon supply. In both countries, the rise in use of consumer electronics poses a major challenge. Grid infrastructure and operation The UK electricity grid is largely self-contained, with a 2 GW interconnector to France and a smaller one to Ireland. The highest load has been 62 GW (BERR, 2008b). Ageing nuclear and coal plants mean an uncertain future for electricity supply; but replacing either is very controversial. The UK has recently become a net importer of gas, with gas interconnectors with the Netherlands and Norway. Government is keen to avoid over-reliance on imports, but there is little storage capacity, and little incentive for suppliers to invest in it. Reducing demand for both electricity and gas is becoming increasingly important for reasons of security as well as climate. In Sweden, the energy market is liberalised since 1996. Total electricity production capacity amounts to about 32 GW of which 2 GW are secured by contracts with the industry. The highest load demand ever was 27 GW (Nordel, 2008). Electricity transfers between northern and southern parts of Sweden, mostly during very cold winters, can be uncertain because of the bottlenecks in the grid connections. Two nuclear reactors (Barsebà ¤ck 1 and 2) were definitely stopped but upgrading of the remaining ten plants means higher electricity production capacity in nuclear plants than ever before. Sweden has also AC power lines to Denmark, Poland, Germany and Finland; discussions on a new commission in Lithuania are in progress. The current plans for wind power production include requirements on local authorities to create opportunities for 10 TWh of wind power production by year 2015. The UK energy market is fully liberalised and ‘unbundled’. Suppliers do not own the pipes and wires through which their product is delivered; instead, they coordinate the transmission, distribution, metering and retail functions. As a result, infrastructure changes such as ‘smart’ metering and adaptation of the networks to accommodate distributed generation can only be introduced after legally complex changes in the market structure. By contrast, in Sweden the strong link between suppliers and distribution networks means that it has proved relatively easy to roll out automated meter reading in preparation for frequent, accurate billing from June 2009. These differences will affect the information on energy reaching customers and their relationship with suppliers. Major changes have occurred in the electricity markets in the Nordic countries, moving away from national or regional monopolies to international markets. Today, electricity users can easily choose their electricity suppliers. All the Nordic countries, except Iceland, can trade on the Nordic electricity exchange, Nord Pool. The price of electricity within this area is determined mostly by hydro power in Sweden and Norway, nuclear power in Sweden and Finland, price levels of fuels and governmental policy and incentives. Increase of the consumer electricity price in recent years was due to increases in energy taxation rather than in generation costs (Swedish Energy Agency, 2008). Electricity pricing (tariffs) Six suppliers account for over 90 % of residential sales of gas and electricity in the UK. There is a large, confusing number of possible variable- and fixed-rate tariffs, which makes it difficult to choose between suppliers. ‘Social tariffs’ are available for those receiving certain state benefits, but many lowincome customers in Great Britain (not Northern Ireland) pay higher-than-average unit rates, because they use prepayment meters and are charged more for these. Roughly 14 % of electricity customers have a prepayment meter, and 11 % of gas customers (Owen and Ward, 2007). Interestingly, the introduction of semi-smart prepayment meters in Northern Ireland for electricity, at no extra cost, has led to an increase in prepayment customers, to over 25 % (Boyd, 2007). When customers do switch suppliers – and the UK has the highest rate of switching in the EU – they almost always do so for reasons of price. Tariffs normally include a standing charge and are then either fixed-rate per unit of consumption, or declining block tariffs: there is normally no incentive to conserve by staying below a ‘threshold’ consumption level (Baker and White, 2008). New tariffs are beginning to give customers some incentive to reduce their usage1 but, given the lack of price regulation, it is not in a utility’s interest to reduce volume sales for all its customers. The ‘coordinator’ role played by the supplier allows for relatively simple bills: customers are normally charged one or two figures for their consumption (for example, 250 units at 13 p/unit plus 114 units at 8 p), to which is added value-added tax at 5 %. Network and ‘environment’ charges are incorporated in the basic charge per unit, as shown in Table 1, but this is rarely explained within the bill. In Sweden, four electric companies are dominating on the market: Vattenfall, Fortum, E.On and Gà ¶teborg Energi. The total electricity price charged to the Swedish customers consists today typically of three parts: electricity fee, network fee and taxes. The only part of the electricity bill that the customers themselves are able to influence is the electricity fee. All customers have the opportunity to switch their electricity supplier or renegotiate their existing contract, and, in this way, get a lower price. The second part of the total electricity price, the network fee, is paid to the network owner in the area. The network owner provides the physical transmission of electricity from the generation plants to the end-user. Customers cannot choose their network provider so the network fee must be reasonable and non-discriminatory. Network tariffs are supervised and published by the Swedish Energy Agency. The third part of the electricity charge is taxes. In Sweden, like in all the other Nordic countries, the consumption of electricity is taxed. Swedish customers have to pay two different types of taxes, an energy tax and a value added tax (VAT). The energy tax for domestic customers depends on the region. Industries pay no taxes at all at user level. The VAT is applied to the total price of electricity, including the energy tax. About 40 % of the total electricity price to a domestic customer is the price of electrical energy, 20 % is the share of the network tariff and taxes account for 40 % (Pyrko, 2006). Domestic users pay different rates of electricity tax, depending on where they live (in the north or the rest of the country). In addition to the various spot taxes on energy, there is value-added tax of 25 %. The standing charge of the grid fee depends on fuse level, starting from 10A or 16A for flats, typically 20A or 25A for villas. In the UK, most homes effectively have a load capacity of 21kW and there is no option for changing this – and no differential pricing according to fuse level. In summary, the energy market is oligopolistic in both countries, with confusing tariffs for customers and a lack of price regulation so that there is little or no incentive for suppliers to move from volume sales to energy services. The higher standing charge paid by customers who move to a higher fuse level acts as some incentive to keep consumption from rising in Sweden. At the same time it can also reduce willingness to save kWh if only a limited part of the cost can be influenced by the customers. In the UK, many tariffs are arranged so that the marginal cost of consumption falls as consumption rises, but the cost of fuel forms a higher proportion of the final cost to the consumer than in Sweden, so a reduction in kWh consumed will make a more substantial difference to the final payment. The Swedish bill is more transparent about components of cost, but also more confusing to the customer. The price of electrical energy forms a lower proportion of the cost to the consumer than in the UK, where the tax is lower. Role of utilities and other ‘external’ agents in residential demand reduction The main single policy instrument for residential energy efficiency in the UK is the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT)3 . This makes the energy suppliers into major agents of government climate policy. They spend a fixed amount per customer on efficiency measures or renewable technologies each year, which are accredited with carbon savings, and accounted towards the supplier’s annual target. The measures can be installed in buildings anywhere – not just in the homes of their customers – but the suppliers are required to spend at least 40 % of the money on ‘priority’ (disadvantaged) customers (EST, 2008). They are allowed a limited amount of experimentation with new measures and programmes. CERT and its precursors are widely cited as successful, in that they have led to the deployment of thousands of efficiency measures. Plans are being drawn up for a more ambitious Supplier Obligation, under which suppliers will operate under carbon caps and measurement of consumption (not estimation) will become central to evaluation. In both countries, the question is raised of how much suppliers can be responsible for the behaviour of their customers, especially if they do not have a long-term contract with them. They are required by government to compete over lower energy prices (implicitly encouraging consumption), while at the same time encouraging conservation and promoting social equity. No fee or tax paid by the Swedish customers is destined for energy efficiency measures. However, the customers buying electricity have to pay fees for â€Å"green† certificates intended to be invested in renewable electricity production. The utilities offer also different services helping customers to either save energy, to make their installations more efficient or to switch fuels used for space heating purposes. Other agents in demand reduction (apart from individuals) are local authorities, the construction industry, the education and business sectors, and non-governmental organizations. There is scope for more recognition of the potential of these agents in reducing demand, because they tend to be closer to the public and/or may be trusted more than the utilities, or central government (Parag and Darby, 2008). Regulations Legislation to control residential consumption and emissions EU legislation on energy and climate is common to both countries (for example, minimum standards for appliances, Energy Performance Certificates for housing). However, there are differences in the extent of compliance/implementation of EC rules; there is also the effect of national and local standards and regulations. In Sweden, the electricity certificate system was introduced in 2003 with the objective to increase the amount of renewable sources in electricity production by 17 TWh between year 2002 and 2016. Another administrative policy measure is the Act concerning Energy Declarations for Buildings, based on an EU Directive. Owners of detached houses, apartment buildings and commercial premises are obliged to provide information on the energy demand of the building and other significant parameters of the indoor environment, in an energy declaration. The purpose is to promote efficient energy use and good indoor comfort in buildings. The energy declarations process should be fully implemented at the end of 2008 (Swedish Energy Agency, 2007). There are comparable provisions for Energy Performance Certificates on buildings in the UK. Subsidies/allowances to improve efficiency Fuel poverty in the UK – that is the condition of needing to spend more than 10 % of household income in order to be warm in winter – means that millions of homes need investment to bring them up to an acceptable standard, given the long history of poorly-insulated dwellings. The government funds efficiency improvements for elderly and vulnerable households through the Warm Front, Warm Deal and Warm Homes programmes. There is also the more recent Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP), which gives grants towards the cost of renewable / microgeneration technologies. The Energy Saving Trust manages a network of energy advice centres. which concentrate on getting wealthier homeowners to invest in their properties; various agencies offer additional advice and support to homeowners and tenants, funded by local authorities, energy suppliers and a range of other organisations. There is a continuing shortage of face-to-face advice in the home, with follow up, which is more effective but more expensive than the norm. Experience to date shows that more could be achieved if the Warm Front-type programmes were more flexible in the measure they funded, and if their assistance were to be targeted more on the worst housing; a promising development is the ‘Warm Zones’ programme, in which whole areas are tackled at once. The LCBP has suffered from inadequate and interrupted funding, making it difficult for the fledgling renewables industry to develop (Boardman, 2007). A lot of work on energy efficiency in residential buildings was carried out in Sweden since late 1970s. Special renovation grants called â€Å"ROT† have been available for the building owners. A particular conversion grant, available until 2010, was introduced in Sweden at the beginning of 2006 in order to reduce the use of oil and electricity for heating purposes in residential buildings and certain commercial premises. It is available for conversions to district heating, biofuel-fired heating systems, heat pumps or solar heating. However, grants for conversion away from oil were withdrawn from the beginning of 2007, because all funding had been used up. Until the end of 2008, owners of public premises can apply for grants for conversion and energy efficiency improvement measures. Grants for installation of solar cells for use by public premises have also been available from 2005, and remained available until 2008. The previous tax reduction concession for the installation of biofuel fired heating systems and higher-performance windows in new detached houses have been replaced by a corresponding grant (Swedish Energy Agency, 2007). In general, grants are now more geared towards efficiency improvements in the UK and to improving the lot of the ‘fuel poor’, while in Sweden, after a period of constant improvement of energy efficiency in the building stock and fuel switching from oil to electricity, there is now a trend towards converting heating systems from electricity to other energy sources (district heating, biofuels and heat pumps). Quality of feedback on energy use to the householder Article 13 of the EU-ESD of 2005 obliges governments to improve the state of feedback via metering and billing, but member states vary in the extent to which they are implementing this. The normal state of residential energy feedback in the UK is poor, and so is the state of householders’ knowledge about their consumption (Logica, 2006). Estimated bills are still common, and direct debit (with the customer paying the same sum every month, regardless of actual consumption) is the single most common payment met hod (approximately half of all customers). Prepayment customers have relatively good feedback, but most of these have limited ability to make reductions. The government has begun to prepare the ground for a rollout of smart meters to all households, and define ‘smart meter’ as including some form of customer display. This rollout is unlikely to be complete until 2019, due to the scale of operation and the difficulties posed by a highly-liberalised market. In the meantime, there is debate over the best ways of improving feedback without smart metering, through displays and improved billing. Real-time electricity clip-on consumption displays have become quite popular among householders, but market penetration is still fairly low. The UK Demand Reduction trials of different types of feedback, with and without smart metering, are under way in over 40,000 households. These trials are carried out by four of the major suppliers, but suppliers are also carrying out their own tr ials. Full UKDR results will not be available until 2011, and data from most other trials is confidential, so there is something of an information vacuum at present. In the meantime, some smaller, niche suppliers are offering smart metering with feedback to commercial and industrial customers, and this is just starting to happen for residential customers as well (eg first:utility). In Sweden, monthly readings for electricity bills are compulsory starting from June 2009. Millions of smart meters are at present installed in all residential buildings and the bills have to be based on monthly readings for all the customers. Some of the utilities are carrying out pilot trials with energy use feedback on the Internet or domestic displays: as in Italy, the definition of a smart meter does not necessarily include a customer display. Many trials and studies have been carried out on different ways of feedback to the customers: for example through bills (Hallin et al, 2007), information panels (Bartusch, 2007) and energy use statistics (Ersson and Pyrko, 2009). Energy user behaviour Attitudes towards energy conservation While there is increasing talk of energy conservation in the UK, practice lags some way behind. A report for the Sustainable Development Commission commented on how ‘energy and power are not terms within the natural language of mainstream householders. Gas and electricity operate at the level of the subconscious within the home†¦ Whilst there does seem to be some latent cultural guilt about the notion of waste†¦ there appeared to be virtually no sense of being able to †¦ significantly reduce energy consumption in the household†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Dobbyn and Thomas 2005, p6). There is evidence that average temperatures in homes have risen by around 6 °C since 1970, often from a low base but sometimes to well over 21 °C (Shorrock and Utley, 2003), and it is not usually thought abnormal to leave lights, heating and appliances switched on when they are not in use. Changing user behaviour is increasingly recognised as essential in order to bring emissions down, and the mantra of ‘encourage, enable, engage, exemplify’ has been adopted by government and some NGOs: they aim to put structures and programmes in place to get people acting (SCR 2006). Policymakers are recognising that attitudes may follow behaviour change rather than preceding them: hence the emphasis on action. Energy displays and smart metering are seen as a way of engaging people with their consumption and promoting behavioural change, but displays are adopted on a voluntary basis only in both countries, while trials of different types of feedback continue. There is some sense that Sweden’s good and unlimited energy supply is treated as a â€Å"citizen right†. In both countries, a lot of people just don’t care about energy efficiency but there is a strong difference between generations: seniors are more aware and/or more frugal (Carlsson-Kanyama Lindà ©n, 2002), and between conditions of house ownership: owners are usually more aware than tenants (Pyrko et al, 2002); and they have more options open to them when it comes to acting to improve their environmental impact (Walker and Cass, 2007). Response to price signals in relation to demand response Sharp rises in gas and electricity prices have had some effect on overall consumption in the UK, as discussed above. But ‘demand response’ for better electricity load management is not yet a widely-used concept, partly because supply margins have been generous until recently. Most customers are only familiar with one type of time-of-use pricing: the ‘Economy 7’ tariff for cheap-rate electricity that is available over night, mostly used by those with electric storage heating. A three-rate time-of-day tariff is available in Northern Ireland, and has led to some reductions in peak demand (Boyd, 2008). In Sweden, only one electric utility – Sollentuna Energy in Stockholm area – has a special kind of tariff with load demand fee. This solution probably could lower load demand with about 5 %. However, in a survey carried out in 2006 more than 70 % of the customers wanted to have their old â€Å"flat† tariff back! (Pyrko, 2005). Some studies performed in Sweden 2005-2008 (Lindskoug, 2006) with critical peak pricing have shown that the customers are willing to lower their load demand with about 50 % during some hours if the electricity price was 3 times higher than normally. The Swedish experience with demand response is something for UK to learn from for the future, especially with its increasingly tight supply margins, and with more renewable electricity coming on-stream. Relations between government and householders: mutual expectations Most householders in the UK want government to give a lead on climate change (CoI, 2007) but do not necessarily like it when the government acts, especially when price increases are involved – for example, the protests over transport fuel price rises in 2000. Government has arguably spent too much time and effort ‘individualising’ the issue of energy conservation emphasising personal responsibility and small incremental steps (Hinchliffe, 1996), rather than spending more time on a more strategic approach, eg stronger market transformation/ product policy, better training and regulation for the construction industry, better enforcement of building regulations, and improved feedback to end-users. Citizens, not very trusting of either government or business (Christie and Jarvis, 2001), may be willing to act independently of central government, on their own or as part of voluntary organisations or local initiatives. They recognise that moving to a low-carbon society is more than just a matter of individual responsibility. Generally speaking, citizens in Sweden expect always that â€Å"someone does something†. â⠂¬Å"This is an issue for politicians† is another expression very often heard in Sweden. Decisions should be made for the society’s best. Then people should be informed about the â€Å"right† and â€Å"rational† way to be effectively involved in the process. This means that the society, in overall view, trusts or at least follows, the decisions taken by the government. (Daun, 1989). Relations between customers and utilities In the UK, the relations between customers and utilities tend to be poor (eg SDC, 2008; Devine Wright and Devine Wright, 2005). There is little loyalty to suppliers, and decisions to switch are made almost entirely on grounds of price (Boardman and Palmer, 2003). Although long-term contracts are now possible, they are unusual. It is normal to be able to switch suppliers within 28 days of signing up, so suppliers are unwilling to invest in the energy efficiency of their customers, on an ‘energy services’ model. As utilities h ave to expend a lot of time and money on recruiting customers, they would very much like to cultivate long-term customers. They see improved feedback as a service that they can use to encourage loyalty, and smart meters as a potential gateway into the home, that can allow them to sell other services, eg telecoms, security, home automation. In spite of these drawbacks, government policy is strongly, and increasingly, geared towards using energy suppliers as agents for demand reduction, as they have been the agents for getting efficiency measures into homes through the EEC and now the CERT. There is a fundamental difficulty here, in that supplier profits are not decoupled from volume sales. Suppliers do of course have a relationship with each household, making them an obvious choice as agents for some government climate policy, but until they have an incentive to reduce the number of kWh they sell, it is hard to see why they should be the primary agents. In Sweden, the relations are s ometimes very poor between some bigger companies and their customers. Installation of smart meters has caused some conflicts in the initial stage. Local companies possess much more loyalty; the customers care about â€Å"their† company (Pyrko, 2005). New ideas are also developed to strengthen feedback and improve company’s image and relations with customers. There is an expectation from the Swedish politicians that the energy utilities will take their â€Å"environmental and climate responsibility† and will act as principal agents in improving energy efficiency and encourage energy savings (SOU, 2008). Discussion and conclusions Both countries have comparable goals for energy use reduction by 2020. Many measures are needed to achieve these goals, and our analysis suggests that some of these will need to differ, in line with differences in the national context. A comparison shows that Sweden is less dependent on gas and coal for heating than the UK but very relia nt on electricity for this purpose. Sweden is also more linked into other markets than the UK. Sweden is part of the larger Nordpool, which is in turn joined up with a huge European grid; and it produces low-carbon electricity that will become increasingly valuable as emissions’ trading becomes more important. The energy market is oligopolistic in both countries, with confusing tariffs and very low incentives for suppliers and/or customers to develop or demand energy services. Even if the 11 Swedish bill is more transparent about costs, it is also more confusing to the customer. The price of electrical energy is lower in proportion to the total cost than in the UK, where the tax is much lower. There are several substantial differences in terms of the conditions for behavioural change in relation to residential energy use. The UK still has to do a great deal to catch up with the quality of building in comparison to Sweden, and this is inevitably a slow process involving many a ctors and a great deal of education and training. The low-carbon electricity supply clearly affects Swedish climate policy and may lead to some complacency about the need to reduce demand. In the UK, where electricity is relatively carbon-intensive and where gas increasingly has to be imported, energy security concerns and price rises are having an impact on policy, and on public perceptions of the need to reduce consumption and diversify supply. Ownership and operation of the utility networks have affected progress in metering and billing. It has been impossible to implement smart metering in the UK as yet, because of the fragmented nature of the supply industry (although the decision to install smart gas and electricity meters was made in 2008). Large-scale trials of different modes of feedback are under way in the UK. In Sweden, there is a fullscale smart meter rollout and obligatory monthly readings should start in June 2009. There has not been much progress yet in terms of impr oved energy feedback on the bills or domestic displays in Sweden, although there are some large-scale trials of web-based feedback. Government support for efficiency measures, renewable energy sources, advice and advice programmes is undertaken in both countries, with a mixed record. A major policy question is however: how much should utilities be the agents of government policy on emissions reduction and energy efficiency? If utilities do not have incentives to lower consumption, how effective can they be? How much should other agencies and actors be involved, eg local government? Utilities in both countries are trying to cultivate customer loyalty – and see improved feedback as a way to do this – but they have a difficult task ahead. Swedish citizens are more trusting of their government, they often expect that â€Å"someone does something† and that the decisions are made for the society’s best (Daun, 1989). UK citizens, not very trusting of either gove rnment or business, may be more willing to act independently of central government. However, they recognise that moving to a low-carbon society is more than a matter of individual, isolated behaviour. There is an urgent need to develop technologies and systems in such a way that end-users become more aware of energy and also have the incentives and the tools to manage their usage better. In order to do this, those who supply the technologies and systems also need to have an interest in demand reduction. At present, suppliers in both countries (but perhaps especially in Sweden, with its high reliance on electricity) have more interest in load management than in lower consumption levels. 20 % emission reductions mean substantial changes in patterns of usage, with improvements in both energy efficiency and electricity load management. These reductions are intended as a prelude to sustainable low-impact energy systems in the long term, and for that they need public support. In looking a t the context for public engagement and behaviour change in two countries in northern Europe, we have shown how, even in nations with many similarities, policies need to be sensitive to the context in order to succeed. References Baker W and White V (2008) Towards sustainable energy tariffs. A report for the National Consumer Council by the Centre for Sustainable Energy, Bristol Bartusch C (2007) Visualisering av elanvà ¤ndning i ferbostadshus. (Visualising electricity use in blocks of flats). Elforsk, report 08:18 Boardman B (2007) Home truths. A low-carbon strategy to reduce UK housing emissions by 80 % by 2050. 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Values, behaviour, life styles and technology) CEC (2008) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. 20 20 by 2020: Europe’s climate change opportunity. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2008:0030:FIN:EN:PDF Christie I and Jarvis L (2001) How green are our values? In British Social Values: 18th report. SAGE, London CoI (2006) Attitudes to climate change – wave 3. Research carried out for DEFRA by the Central Office of Information, London Consumer Focus (2008) Ofgem energy supply market probe – initial findings report consultation. December 2008, Consumer Focus, London Daun, Ã… (1989) Svensk mentalitet (Swedish mentality). Rabà ©n Sjà ¶gren, Stockholm Devine-Wright H and Devine-Wright P (2005) Representing the demand side: ‘deficit’ beliefs about domestic electricity users. Proceedings, ECEEE Summer Study Dobbyn J and Thomas G (2005) Seeing the light: the impact of micro-generation on our use of energy. Report for the Sustainable Development Commission, London Ersson E Pyrko J (2009) El-info via digitala kanaler. Fallstudie 1 †Min elfà ¶rbrukning† hos Skà ¥nska Energi. (Information via digital channels. Case study 1 †My electricity use† at Skanska Energy). Lund University, Energu Science s, ITRN LUTMDN/TMHP–09/3039–SE. EST (2007) The ampere strikes back. How consumer electronics are taking over the world. Energy Saving Trust, London EST (2008) A Quick Guide to CERT. Energy Saving Trust, London. www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/esr/content/download/80179/184319/file/CERT%20Quick%20 Guide.pdf Hallin et al (2007) Att presentera fà ¶rbrukning grafiskt – den samlade kunskapen. (To present the usage graphically – the integrated knowledge) Elforsk. Hinchliffe, S (1996) Helping the earth begins at home: the social construction of socio-environmental responsibilities. Global Environmental Change 6 (1) 53-62. HoC (2008) Energy prices, fuel poverty and Ofgem. 11th report of Session 2007-8 of the House of Commons Business and Enterprise Committee, volume 1. London Logica (2006) Energy efficiency and the consumer – a European survey. Logica CMG, London Nordel (2008). Nordel’s statistics. Owen G and Ward J (2007) Smart meters in Great Britai n: the next steps? Sustainability First, London Parag Y and Darby S (2008) Demand reduction triangular relations: the effect of government, consumer and energy supplier inter-relations on carbon emissions reduction from the UK residential sector. Proceedings, 7th academic conference of the British Institute of Energy Economics, Oxford, September 24-25, 2008 Pyrko J (2005) Direkt och indirect laststyrning I samspel? – Fallstudier (Direct and indirect load control – case studies). Lund University, Energy Sciences. Pyrko J et al (2002) Preliminà ¤r debitering och mà ¤tperiodens là ¤ngd (Preliminary billing and the length of the billing period). Energy Sciences, Lund University. SCR (2006) I will if you will. Towards sustainable consumption. Sustainable Consumption Roundtable, London. http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/I_Will_If_You_Will.pdf SDC (2008) Supplier Obligation Project. Sustainable Development Commission, London. http://www.sd-commission.o rg.uk/pages/supplier-obligation-project.html Shorrock LD and Utley JI (2003) Domestic Energy Fact File. Building Research Establishment Publications, London. http://projects.bre.co.uk/factfile/BR457prtnew.pdf SOU (2008) Và ¤gen till ett energieffektivare Sverige (The way to a more energy efficient Sweden) Statens offentliga utredningar (State Official,Reports) SOU 2008:110 Swedish Energy Agency (2008) Energy in Sweden. Report ER 2008:15. Swedish Parliament (2006) Bill no. 2005/06:145. National programme for improving the efficiency of energy use in buildings and smart energy construction. UK Government (2008) Climate Change Act. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2008/pdf/ukpga_20080027_en.pdf Utley JI and Shorrock LD (2008) Domestic Energy Fact File. Building Research Establishment Publications, London. http://www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/rpts/eng_fact_file/Fact_File_2008.pdf Walker G and Cass N (2007) Carbon reduction, ‘the public’ and renewable energy: engaging with socio -technical configurations. Area 39 (4), 458-469

Recipes for Crystal Growing Solutions

Recipes for Crystal Growing Solutions Find a crystal growing recipe. This table includes recipes for preparing solutions of common crystal grown in aqueous or water solutions. Crystal Growing Solution Tips In most cases, prepare a crystal growing solution by dissolving a powdered or granular solid in boiling water. You want a saturated solution, so dissolve as much of your chemical, called the solute, as possible in the water, which is your solvent. Usually, its fine to add too much solute to the water, so that you get some undissolved material at the bottom of your container. Filter this liquid through filter paper, a coffee filter or a paper towel and use the filtered solution to grow your crystals. Crystal Growing Recipes Crystal Growing Solution sugar crystals or rock candyclear or dyed with food coloring 3 cups sugar1 cup boiling water alum crystalsclear, cubic 2-1/2 tablespoons alum1/2 cup very hot tap water borax crystalsclear 3 tablespoons borax1 cup very hot tap water Epsom salt crystalscolorless 1/2 cup Epsom salt1/2 cup very hot waterfood coloring (optional) Rochelle salt crystalsclear, orthorhombic 650 grams Rochelle salt500 ml boiling water table salt crystals(sodium chloride) 6 tablespoons salt1 cup very hot tap water copper acetate monohydrateblue-green, monoclinic 20 g copper acetate monohydrate200 ml hot distilled water calcium copper acetate hexahydrate 22.5 g calcium oxide in 200 ml wateradd 48 ml glacial acetic acid20 g copper acetate monohydrate in 150 ml hot watermix the two solutions together monoammonium phosphatecolorless or easily dyed 6 tablespoons monoammonium phosphate1/2 cup hot tap waterfood coloring sodium chloratecolorless, cubic 113.4 g NaClO3100 ml hot water sodium nitratecolorless, trigonal 110 g NaNO3100 ml hot water potassium ferricyanidered, monoclinic 46.5 g potassium ferricyanide100 ml boiling water nickel sulfate hexahydrateblue-green, tetragonal 115 g nickel sulfate hexahydrate100 ml hot water

Boeing is the Manufacturing of Commercial Airplane and Military Research Paper

Boeing is the Manufacturing of Commercial Airplane and Military Airplanes - Research Paper Example In its growth, Boeing has managed to broaden its portfolio and grow its revenues and profitably, which has translated into improved stakeholder value. Boeing is ranked second after Airbus on being the maker of commercial jets and falls second after Lockheed Martin as a defense contractor. This research paper explores how Boeing leverages leveraged its performance through the use of strategic information architecture systems to meet its strategic enterprise objectives. Background Overtime, Boeing has grown to become one of U.S. biggest commercial jet manufacturers to command a significant global market share. The core objective of Boeing centers of continuing to lead the industry and creating innovative aircrafts and satisfying the entire customer’s growing needs. Boeing aspires to be the strongest, and the best integrated aerospace-based company globally. Boeing has grown to become the largest global aircraft manufacturer by revenue, deliveries, and orders, as well as one of t he largest aerospace and defense contractor globally. Boeing’s Commercial Aviation Services section enables Boeing to provide efficient, timely technical support to help airlines operators to keep their airplanes in optimum operating state. The acquisition of McDonnell Douglas in 1997 played a big role in raising the stature of the company. In 2010, Boeing revenue stood at USD 64.306 billion, which a drop of 6% from 2009 full-year results. The drop in revenue can be linked to multiple factors such as a reduction in airline demand, as well as production interruptions and consequent negative publicity connected to delays for the delivery of 787 Boeing Dreamliner (Boeing, 2011). The Boeing 787 Dreamliner can be regarded to be the most successful product that Boeing has launched in the recent past judged by the numbers of orders that Boeing has received. In the 1st Quarter of 2011, Boeing succeeded in raising its revenue by 2% from the 2010 revenue of $30.79 billion to $31.45 bil lion. Similarly, Boeing’s net income increased to $3.31 billion in 2010 from a 2009 net income of $1.31 billion. The 250% jump in net income emanate from the streamlining and efficiency procedures that Boeing implemented. During the first half of 2011, Boeing’s net income increased by 17% from $1.31 (2010) to $1.53 billion (2011) (Boeing, 2011). This demonstrates the economic success that Boeing currently enjoys owing to the robustness of its operations and the capability to utilize its resources productively. Boeing’s Organization and Management of Information Systems Boeing has a strong commitment towards the long-term enhancement in its products and processes. Boeing has a strong commitment towards customer satisfaction and improving shareholder value, which necessitates that Boeing continuously work together to enhance the overall efficiency and productivity within its design, administrative, manufacturing, and support organizations. The need for continuousl y improve products makes technology a central factor in generating the future of the aerospace industry. Boeing’s client base extends in over in over 90 countries, which has necessitated its adoption of partnerships across the globe in technology, service, and manufacturing sectors. Furthermore, Boeing enjoys a robust, in-house, research, design and technology-development departments and has also extended research and develop centers and programs in a number countries.  Ã‚  

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Use of Software Engineering Principles in Ensuring the Forensic Integrity of Digital Forensics - Research Proposal Example The methodologies and principles will be reviewed using a mixed research approach. Qualitative and quantitative research methods will be used in different stages of the study. Software engineering is part of software development. It works using distinct activities or phases with the intentions of improving management and planning. Software engineering methodologies and principles include the specific artifacts and deliverables created and completed in order to maintain or develop an application. Some of the most common methodologies in software engineering are prototyping, waterfall, iterative and incremental development, rapid application development, spiral development and extreme programming (Khurana, 2007). A software development process is a set of practices, methods, transformations and actions used to affirm and obtain software and its associated products. Information technology specialists have used many software development approaches. In most of the cases, a developmental or management team prefers a combination of approaches. Traditional methodologies such as waterfall have distinct phases known as software development lifecycle. Software engineers have discussed the issue of the organization of software development in order to deliver cheap, fast and better solutions for years. The best software engineering principle and methodology is the one that provides the power to choose and react fittingly and expeditiously to various changes within its environment (Watson & Jones, 2013). The methodology should also have an ability to be imposed within its surrounding. The suitable principle or methodology should also be flexible. Different methodologies can be used during the software engineering process of digital forensic software. Digital forensic software helps in investigating computer crimes. The software development process of this software is a very delicate, and

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Hiring and Firing Professors - Essay Example Moreover, the type of school is another point of consideration. A private school and a public school have different working conditions. This may include tenure and security. For private schools, teachers are less secure and are easily dismissed from service. Another cause is the tendency to do research more over teaching because research is more attractive and more interesting for it gives more pay and is counted much more in terms of professional advancement (Etzioni). Amitai Etzioni's "Confessions" gives insights on this question of student participation. According to him: "On the question of hiring, firing and promoting faculty, we favored some student participation." This is through the "fine teaching-evaluation instrument" which is a questionnaire given out to students by semester to evaluate the professor's teaching. He adds that the result must be "given to committee which passes on promotions and renewal of contracts, as a students report on teaching." The student assessment of the teaching performance "would provide some systematic information and thus might increase the reward - and maybe pressure - for good teaching, at least as seen by the students." I agree with the idea of Etzioni that students must have a part in the hiring and firing of professors but limited only on the teaching-evaluation instr... nd promoting faculty, we favored some student participation." This is through the "fine teaching-evaluation instrument" which is a questionnaire given out to students by semester to evaluate the professor's teaching. He adds that the result must be "given to committee which passes on promotions and renewal of contracts, as a students report on teaching." The student assessment of the teaching performance "would provide some systematic information and thus might increase the reward - and maybe pressure - for good teaching, at least as seen by the students." I agree with the idea of Etzioni that students must have a part in the hiring and firing of professors but limited only on the teaching-evaluation instrument, except on rare cases of grave misconduct and abuse of authority of the teacher. There are several reasons why students' participation should be limited to the questionnaire only. One is that students are "transient members of the university community and will not have to live with the consequences of their action." This refers to undergraduate students. For graduate students, the case may be a little different for they stay beyond the four or five years' stay of the undergraduates. Another reason is that "students often have a highly unrealistic idea of what 'the system' can realistically do" such as "much larger faculty staff to provide for more intimate instruction; but they are horrified at any suggestion that students should pay a still higher tuition fees" (Etzioni). In addition, "there are matters that students can have no say - for example, what political views a teacher may have or must not have when hired or retained, what he will teach specifically (as distinct from what areas will be taught), or what specific competence will be required for

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Media Essays Media Tool Celebrities Media Tool Celebrities In Order to Feed the Public’s â€Å"Need to Know† the Media has Become a tool of Celebrities to Facilitate Their â€Å"Out of Control† Life-Styles Daily we read them, headlines that are crafted to focus our attention on the lives of celebrities. Whether those headlines are found on the opening screens of our Internet Service Providers or, be they the headlines that we read while standing in line at the check-out counter of our local grocery store, we are spoon fed daily doses of the moral and ethical failures of the rich and famous. Daily we hear about them, they are the lead-in stories for our local news broadcasts and the fodder for jokes on late night television. They are true life accounts of extreme and outrageous conduct of celebrities. Whether we hear the accounts as news items or as punch-lines, celebrity escapades seem to document a wasting away of talent and squandering of the endless possibilities that are celebrities are afforded. Even though we would expect these headlines to appear in dramatized versions of tabloid newspapers known for sensationalized journalism. More and more we find the exploits of the same few persons repeatedly making their way into main stream media as well. This outcome was most predictable, as the habits and life-styles that are practiced and lived by celebrities; together with the indulgences provided to them collide with the norms of social conscience and the requirements of law. We the consumer, are encouraged to fill the void in our lives by being observers to their’s. To a large segment of society those daily doses of celebrity voyeurism serves to feed a craving not unlike doses of heroine to a junkie. We as a society crave to know more because we have for the longest period of time, been given glimpses of these celebrities successes and failures. Some of us relish when their lives are filled happiness and success, taking pride in their accomplishments. Some of us are jealous of them, consider them pampered and spoiled, relishing the fact that they find themselves in trouble or, are acting in conformity with a self-destructive path. What is happening in the lives of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Jen, or Lindsay Lohan? Who is their latest love interest? Where do they party and with whom? What are the latest fashion trends they are setting? What problems have they gotten themselves into most recently? All these questions and more are answered for us even before the questions are asked. Are these questions answered for us because the media wants to fuel our interest in celebrities’ lives? Or, are they answered for us because the media is merely responding to the demands of the public’s â€Å"need to know†? Or, is the media being used as a tool of the celebrity, a means for the celebrity to increase demand for themselves as a commodity that results in their ability to earn ever increasing sums of money that can be used to sustain their life-style? The media and celebrities have a strange symbiotic relationship. Celebrities go out of their way to garner the spot-light when it is convenient for them and when the headline or photos help to foster their image. Yet, that same celebrity will not hesitate to berate the media when the headline writers and paparazzi portray them in a bad light or invade the privacy the celebrities claim they desire. This inter-relationship between celebrities and the media is aimed at one audience, the public that fuels both with money. Consequently, it must be argued and I firmly believe that the media is a tool of celebrities that facilitates their â€Å"Out of Control† life-styles in an attempt to capitalize on the general public’s tendency to â€Å"Celebrity Worship†, a tendency that has recently been classified by degree and personality type in the â€Å"Celebrity Attitude Scale†.1 The Celebrity Attitude Scale identifies three (3) personality profiles, â€Å"Entertainment-Social† (This dimension comprises attitudes that fans are attracted to a favorite celebrity because of their perceived ability to entertain and become a social focus); â€Å"Intense-Personal† (The intense-personal aspect of celebrity worship reflects intensive and compulsive feelings about the celebrity, akin to the obsessional tendencies of fans); and, â€Å"Borderline-Pathological† (This dimension is typified by uncontrollable behaviors and fantasies regarding scenarios involving their celebrities). Whether the medium is print, television or Internet web sites, the media is â€Å"banking† on every member of the public to whatever degree, being inflicted with Celebrity Worship and if not already smitten, the media is dedicated to causing those not yet smitten to become so by discovering the latest tidbits that can be converted into breaking news about the lives of celebrities. â€Å"Banking† is the appropriate word. It was in 1957 that American citizens’ obsession with celebrities was fist responsible for attaining gross merchandising revenues that exceeded One Billion Dollars (US$1,000,000,000.00) annually.2 It would be a monumental task to estimate the current gross merchandising revenues generated and numbers of persons that â€Å"Celebrity Worship† is directly responsible for employing. However, it is easy to comprehend that from the scope of the task of writing, photographing, publishing, distributing and selling accounts of celebrities latest adventures on a national and international basis; and, taking into consideration payrolls, travel expenses, advertising revenues, publication and broadcast processes and the sales of merchandise, that the number of persons employed would total into the hundreds of thousands; and, gross revenues would exceed the Gross National Products of many of the world’s nations. Not only are the media outlets scoring big profits from publicizing the information they obtain about celebrities in order to obtain increased readership and ratings that translate into increased revenue from advertising and magazine sales, so too are the celebrities who are getting rich in the process as their names, likeness and mere presence become a commodity to a hungry public. By way of example, in 2004 through 2005, Paris Hilton was paid as much as $300,000.00 to attend foreign events, including parties thrown in her honor. During the course of that year, she earned an estimated $6,500,000.00 in personal appearance fees, was mentioned in 17,591 press clips and 592 radio and television shows.3 However, after her release from jail, it was reported but subsequently denied by her publicists, that she was demanding Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand British Pounds ( £350,000.00), which is approximately $662,000.00, to appear on a British Radio Show to discuss her prison ordeal. Likewise, Lindsay Lohan granted Ok Magazine an exclusive interview within 17 hours of checking herself into the Cirque Lodge rehabilitation facility and again, upon returning to Los Angeles following her discharge from the facility. The interview was not motivated merely by a desire to evidence to her fans that she was sincere about changing her life’s direction. Rather, to a great extent, it was motivated by the fees she charged them to publish the exclusive interview and the pictures taken of her with her estranged father. The media’s coverage of celebrities creates a spiral effect. The more publicity they garner propels them to earn increasing sums of money. The increasing sums of money then allow them to engage in outrageous conduct that garners them more publicity all of which fuels the public’s demand in furtherance of the adage that has now become entrenched in the marketing of celebrities: â€Å"there is no such thing as bad press†. Either because celebrities believe that â€Å"there is no such thing as bad press†, or because their lavish life-styles and high profile names make them believe they are beyond suffering the repercussions of their conduct, celebrities have been â€Å"Out of Control† in the conduct of their lives and pose a risk of harm to themselves and to others. Whether their â€Å"Out of Control† conduct is the product of attempts by some to keep their names in the public spot-light in what they perceive as a marketing ploy that will inspire, delight and perhaps enlarge their fan base; or, the arrogance that is fueled by their celebrity status, the acts and omissions of some celebrities has in many instances shocked the American conscious. Moreover, to a certain degree, it may have had very strong backlash that is only now being recognized and that may result in some celebrities learning that they need to exert self-control and discipline in their lives. The masses observe and interact with each other in idle gossip about the lives of celebrities. The masses comment on the unacceptability of these celebrities conduct. Yet, that same society encourages these celebrities’ actions by continuing to pay for the magazines, watching the shows and reading the web site â€Å"blogs† perpetuated by the media. The added publicity then provides positive reinforcement to their unacceptable conduct. Consequently, the general public’s reaction to the media coverage contributes to these celebrities’ downward spiral by â€Å"Operant Conditioning†, the psychological theory that positive reinforcement of bad acts will perpetuate bad acts.4 The lives of celebrities take over our world in many ways. We turn on the television the celebrities are there. We go to the market the celebrities are there. We turn on our computer and search them out. Our societies’ pop culture has turned watching drugged out or drunken, half naked, rich girls into a national past-time. We have to take the time to ask ourselves, are these people desired to be our next generations’ role models? If so, the world is going to be a very scary place. Yet, our consuming dollars elevate them in the hearts and minds of the young who observe their parents and their peers obsessing on the lives of these celebrities. Through the demand placed by the public for access to more and more information on these celebrities, we are giving these celebrities more opportunity, career success, name recognition, and profit from their own bad behavior. This in turn results in more and more outrageous conduct as they take us to new moral and social lows. It has often been said by celebrities that they do not want to be role models for our children. Yet, the spot-light that is cast upon them by media attention puts them in that power position. â€Å"As tweens [children between the ages of 8 to 12 years] grow up they don’t have a lot of prior knowledge when it comes to lots of situations, and so they look for someone to imitate. [†¦] For tweens this often means the person is someone they want to be like†.5 Since these celebrities are role models nonetheless, should we not let our dollars force them into becoming if not good role models, role models that will not engage in conduct that is reckless to the life and property of others? This was the message being sent with the incarceration of Paris Hilton; this is the message that awaits Lindsay Lohan now that she has emerged from rehabilitation to face the consequences of her reckless driving while under the influence of controlled substances; and, this is the lessen that has been learned by Brittany Spears, who is now paying one of the most costly of all prices for her conduct, the loss of her children. As the news of the effects of the harm caused by each of these celebrities reached out to society through the media what was the result? Vehement protests by their ardent fans to how their favorite celebrity was treated; bashing and name calling by those that dislike or are envious of them; and, increased sales of magazines for those that got the â€Å"Money Photo†. Persons with untold wealth can always afford to do what those who do not have such vast amounts of discretionary money cannot afford to do. But we as a society can little afford to support the publications that would flaunt their conduct and make it appear to be acceptable. A message must be sent to the media, that they are a tool of these celebrities who are using them to gain access to ever increasing sums of wealth. Therefore, if the media will not censor their own publications, then it is necessary for the power of money to do it, by way of boycotting the publications that support these celebrities’ bad acts by providing publicity to them. Bibliography 1.Maltby, J., Houran, J., Lange, R., Ashe, D., McCutcheon, L.E. (2002). Thou Shalt Worship No Other Gods Unless They Are Celebrities. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 1157-1172. 2.The Teacher Who Lured Celebrities Paul E. Duffield Music Educators Journal, Vol. 43, No. 5 (Apr. May, 1957), p. 80 and 82 3.Forbes Magazine Top 100 Celebrities (2005), Estimates compiled by Forbes; published sources include Billboard, Pollstar, Adams Media Research, Publishers Weekly and Nielsen SoundScan. Press clips compiled by LexisNexis; TV/radio mentions compiled by Factiva. 4.Ferster, C. B., Skinner, B. F. (1957). Schedules of reinforcement. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. 5.Adapted from National Institute of Child Health Human Development (2003). Modeling your own behavior to provide a consistent, positive example for your child. Washington, DC: National Institutes of Health. Penn State Cooperative Extension, Pike County, Tween Topics (2003)