De-icing operations at Minnesota Saint Paul

Executive SummaryThis study explains the consequences of research into how de-icing operations at Minnesota Saint Paul could be improved. The findings were that this airdrome should utilize a combination of infrared warming and antifreeze crop-dusting in order to defrost aircraft in a fast, safe, cost effectual and environmentally friendly manner. The de-icing procedure is called the â€Å" thrust through method † and this study has backed up its probe through elaborate computations and the usage of a determination matrix to compare the benefits of the thrust through method against utilizing others. Although there are some jobs such as its comparatively long payback clip of 2.5 old ages, plus risk the airdrome may hold to pay license fees due to patents on the engineering, the benefits of the thrust through method outweigh these drawbacks. One ground for this is that after the payback period the airdrome will do an one-year economy of about $ 7,080,000IntroductionRationale for the research The procedure of taking ice, hoar or snow from the surface of an aircraft is known as aircraft de-icing. This is an indispensable process because if these substances accumulate on an aeroplane they will magnify the retarding force force that the plane experiences. This will cut down the ability of its wings to bring forth adequate lift force to let it to take-off or tactic whilst in flight. Besides, harm could be caused if a big piece of ice dislodges from the plane and hits sensitive constituents like its engine. This could take to riders losing their lives in a clang and others losing their belongingss. The Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, modulate all major civil air power operations in America. One of their regulations is that aircraft must be free of ice before takeoff and during flight. Background This study uses Minneapolis Saint Paul ( MSP ) airdrome, Minnesota, as its primary instance survey. This is because aircraft at this airdrome often needs to undergo make up one's minding as a consequence of the cold clime before, during and after winter in that part. MSP airdrome spans 3,400 estates, has five tracks, five de-icing tablets and â€Å" served more than 32 million travelers in 2009 doing it 15th in the United States andA 30th in the universe in footings of figure of riders served yearly. † ( MSP Airport, 2010 ) De-icing is presently carried out at MSP airdrome by operators who spray an ethylene-glycol based aircraft de-icing fluid onto planes. Storm H2O drains to roll up the waste fluid, before it is transported by a truck to a recycling installation to be treated. It needs intervention because its high Biochemical Oxygen Demand ( BOD ) makes it harmful to the environment. Research Aims and Aims This probe aims to happen a method and chemical to utilize for de-icing planes which is more environmentally friendly, cheaper and faster than that which is presently used in MSP airdrome. It should be a â€Å" entire solution engineering † which eliminates/reduces all the jobs that the current de-icing method causes without bring forthing damaging side effects. These purposes will be achieved by finishing the undermentioned aims: Identify a replacement de-icing fluid which has the same/better de-icing functionality but costs less and is safer than the one presently used in MSP airdrome. Find a better manner to recycle the waste de-icing fluid Ensure that the new utility chemical allow de-icing fluid to be recycled Find another manner to take snow from aircraftGENERIC DESIGN PROCESSAdministrations frequently use a generic design procedure as they turn a merchandise thought into a manufactured point. Using a systematic, good organised designed procedure helps to cut down the research and development clip that a fresh merchandise experiences. The design squad for this undertaking used a generic design procedure and the actions that they took at each phase are detailed below: Merchandise Planning – First the squad used merchandise planning to assist do that dependable and valid research was carried out directly off. This started this by keep backing a treatment in which they clarified the purpose and aims of the undertaking. Then they identified their strengths and failings in relation to these aims to assist them take which responsibilities they were responsible for. Finally they agreed upon timescales in which to accomplish each aim. Designation of Customer Needs – Customers demands guided the squad ‘s merchandise inventions that were found. The squad held interviews with a representative from each major stakeholder group in the air hose industry, such as the air hose director and spray operator, to let them to voice their demands. This made it easier for the squad to put merchandise specifications and design a merchandise that they would O.K. . Constitution of Product Specifications – The client demands were ranked in order of their importance. The rank of each demand was relative to a weighting, tungsten, which was later used in a determination matrix. This information was used to bring forth merchandise specifications which were further defined utilizing prosodies. Coevals of merchandise thoughts – A insight was held to bring forth merchandise thoughts. This was utile because it encouraged the squad to construct thoughts on top of one another. From this they saw similarities between thoughts and linked some of them to specify a entire solution engineering. Choice of merchandise thoughts – A determination matrix was used to quantitatively compare the importance of each client demand in relation to the merchandise thoughts. The merchandise with the highest mark was selected for proving. Testing – The entire solution engineering was further evaluated in footings of its public presentation and economic viability. Because it was really good its specifications were was sent to industries so that they could construct a paradigm. Figure 1 – An illustration of the generic design procedure Figure 1 illustrates the merchandise design methodological analysis which begins with merchandise planning and ends with proving and industry. The flecked lines show that if one phase of the design procedure did non give advantageous consequences the squad would travel one or multiple phases back in order to polish their old purposes. Then they would progress through each phase of the procedure once more until they reached the concluding testing and fabrication phase. This process of measuring and re-assessing merchandise developments ensured that hapless designs were eliminated or improved before they reached the testing and industries phase.NeedAssorted clients have an involvement in aircraft de-icing operations ; these persons are referred to as stakeholders. The success of this venture will depend on how good it meets the demands of these persons. Hence, the squad evaluated each stakeholder ‘s demand utilizing an interview and ranked it harmonizing to its importance.Informa tion GatheringThe stakeholders were identified on the footing on who will pay for, sell, usage and run the de-icing engineering, these included air hose pilots and riders etc. They were interviewed and their responses are summarised below.Spray operatorQ1: How do you defrost a plane? â€Å" A container on a truck is filled with de-icing fluid which is assorted with H2O to a 50 % concentration by volume. I sit in an enclosed cabin and heat the fluid onboard the truck to 70oC before I spray it onto the plane until all the ice thaws. †Airport directorQ2: How of import is the BOD of a de-icing fluid? â€Å" Very of import, we pay the intervention works about $ 0.35 per US gallon and the monetary value goes up if the BOD additions. Our airdrome is fined if the BOD5 discharged to the environment exceeds 900 metric tons per twelvemonth. Q3: How long would you anticipate to wait for a return on your investing? â€Å" 1.5-2 old ages † Q4: How much does ethylene glycol cost? â€Å" The norm is $ 5-7 per gallon. † Q5: What safeguards were taken since your last incident? â€Å" We thought of retraining staff, but now operations are run by an outsourced concern. De-icing tablets and a drainage system were installed. †Aircraft directorQ6: What do you believe of incorporating a warming system onto aircraft? â€Å" Not ideal for commercial planes because it ‘s expensive †Air traffic accountantQ7: How severe is the break caused by aircraft de-icing? â€Å" During the extremum of the winter season there are regular holds. Aircraft must be de-iced once more if they exceed a holdover clip of 5 proceedingss. †Ranking of demands and ‘sanity check ‘The squad identified the most of import stakeholder demands and ranked them as listed below. Each demand was given a weighting, tungsten, harmonizing to its rank as portion of a ‘sanity cheque ‘ . Table 1 – The rank of each stakeholder demand and its weightingNeedWeight-ing, tungstenReasons1 ) Safety4 Safety was the top concern of every stakeholder. Aircraft at MSP airdrome can merely transport riders if they obey safety ordinances set by the FAA.2 ) LifeCost3 Some stakeholders disagreed on fiscal issues sing how much hard currency should be spent on certain points. e.g most spray operators would wish luxury de-icing cabins whereas airdrome directors would instead put the money. However, all stakeholders agreed that no de-icer with a high life-time cost would be acceptable.3 ) Speed2 Slow de-icing can do net income losingss due to detain flights.4 )Environmental impact1 Although the airdrome will be fined for doing inordinate pollution these costs are usually absorbed by clients.Constitution OF PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONSMost of the demands highlighted by stakeholders were expressed in a qualitative mode. They needed to be converted into specifications in order to avoid fiddling yet expensive betterments being made to MSP airdrome. To make this the worst instance de-icing conditions that could potentially take topographic point at MSP airdrome were defined and as portion of saneness cheque. Following prosodies were used set up specifications for merchandise and procedure design methods that could get by with the worst instance de-icing scenarios at the airdrome. Specification 1 – Annual length of operation The day of the months in which the planes will necessitate to be de-iced scopes from November to early April because on these day of the months the temperature in Minneapolis Saint Paul is below stop deading. Therefore, any new de-icing method must be able to run through this period of 5 months and 1 hebdomad ( 157 yearss ) every twelvemonth. ( Figure 2 ) Figure 2- The mean last temperature in MSP every twelvemonth from 1971-2000 Specifications 2 – The instance survey aircraft and its ice coverage The mass of ice on a plane was calculated utilizing a worst instance scenario, which was that one of the biggest commercial rider planes ; the Boeing-747 ( BBC, 2007 ) needed to be de-iced. It was assumed that the top country of both its wings was covered by a 1cm thick bed of ice. Flying country ( Boeing-747 ) = 541.2 M2 ( Airliners, 2010 ) Ice Thickness = 0.01m Ice Coverage 100 % i Volume of ice on wings, Volice = 5.412 M3 ( App. 1, Eqn 1 ) Density of ice, I?ice = 917kg/m3 ( Kotz, 2009 ) i Mass of ice, = 4962.8 kilogram ( App. 1, Eqn 2 ) Specifications 3- Heating Duty Latent heat of merger of ice= 333 kJ/Kg ( Bird, 2003 ) i Minimum warming responsibility = 1652.6 MJ ( App 1, Eqn 3 ) Specifications 4 – The utility de-icing fluid The atmospheric temperature in MSP airdrome during the de-icing season is 20oF ( -29oC ) therefore the replacement ADF stop deading point must be less than 20oC in order to keep its functionality. Additionally it must supply a freezing point depression of more than 20oC as a consequence of this ambient temperature. All the stakeholders agreed that merchandise safety is of topmost importance, so the replacement ADF should be less toxic than ethylene-glycol. Additionally they agree that the one-year natural stuff costs of the new cubing method should be less than that of the current method. Two ways to make this are to utilize less cubing fluid per plane in the first case ; this should be less than the 408 gallons per aircraft required by the current de-icing method ( App. 1, Eqn. 9 ) , or to recycle the de-icing fluid.GENERATION AND SCREENING OF IDEASThe squad worked separately and brainstormed together to assist maximize the figure of good thoughts that were generated. Whilst making so they reflected upon the merchandise specifications to and stakeholder demands to assist test thoughts.De-icing IdeasDe-icing boots – Rubber boots are attached to the front borders of wings on the plane. The aircraft inflates these boots with air to do ice that take ice that has accumulated on them. An unacceptable hazard of utilizing this method in MSP is that the system must be activated every bit shortly as a before an big ice bed can organize and hit other parts of the plane when it dislodges. Bleed air- In this method hot air from the aircraft engines is blasted on to the ice to run it. Although this could run ice really rapidly the airdrome director at MSP airdromes commented that incorporating heating systems on to aircraft is â€Å" non ideal for commercial planes because it ‘s expensive † . Mechanical Scraping/Blowing Employees use coppices, or fabrics to physically force ice off the aircraft. This method would be really easy to set into pattern at MSP because the equipment the required is really inexpensive. But it is more likely that harm will be done to aeroplanes as the employees scrape ice so the resulting aircraft care cost is could be really high. A propene ethanediol based de-icing fluid – Propylene ethanediol is a popular de-icing fluid and is regarded as non-toxic, hence it was chosen for farther probe.Decision MatrixThe interviews that were conducted with the stakeholders highlighted that some client demands are more of import than others. Although the importance of some specific demands differed in each stakeholder group four demands were systematically rated as indispensable. These standards were analysed in a determination matrix with weighing Markss taken from Table 1 Table 2- Decision Matrix which focuses on the alternate deinking methodsOptionEthylene Glycol( Benchmark ) APropylene GlycolInfrared + Propylene-glycolStandardsBurdeningtungstenRatingMarkRatingMarkRatingMarkSafetyA 5 2 10 4 20 7 35Life CostA 4 5 20 5 20 6 24SpeedA 3 A 5 15 A 4 16 6 18Environmental impactA 2 A 1 2 A 5 10 6 14EntireA 14 A 13 47 A 18 66 A 25 91 Harmonizing to this determination matrix the best de-icing solution should be based on a combination of infrared and propylene ethanediol de-icers is the best as this option has the highest sore. The 2nd best method would be to utilize an ADF which is based on propene ethanediol instead than ethylene ethanediol.SELECTION OF IDEASA comparing of ethylene-glycol and propylene ethanediols based de-icing fluidsThe most freezing point sedatives in aircraft de-icing fluids in the US are ethylene ethanediol ( EG ) and propylene ethanediol ( PG ) . Because PG and EG have a similar life-time cost, in this chapter the chemicals will be compared at a 50 % concentration by volume in footings of their safety, de-icing velocity and environmental impact because these are three of the most of import needs the stakeholders. Safety Ethylene ethanediol has a comparatively high toxicity when compared to Propylene-Glycol. It has been classed by the US Congress as a risky air pollutant ( HAP ) , if 2268 kilogram or more flights into the environment within 24 hours users are obligated to describe the event under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act ( CERCL ) . However propylene ethanediol is non classified as a HAP, and users are non required to inform CERCL if it is released. Both chemicals are said to be non-lethal if worlds if they are breathed in with air or adsorbed through tegument. However, unlike PG, EG is toxic to worlds and mammals if it is ingested straight. Even though PG it is regarded as non-toxic it is still a wellness jeopardy because it uses O as it biodegrades which could do some beings to smother. De-icing Speed The freezing point of Propylene-glycol is -34oC which is somewhat higher than ethylene-glycol which freezes at -37oC. This is one of the grounds why MSP airdrome still uses EG. Another is that a lower volume of antifreeze is required for EG to accomplish the same freeze point depression as PG. MSP airdrome suffers severe conditions extremes so it needs to utilize an ADF which is dependable, particularly in highly cold conditions as this is by and large when it takes longer to defrost aircraft Propylene-glycol ‘s boiling point is 106oC whereas ethene ethanediol has a boiling point of 102.2oC for ethene ethanediol. In this instance Propylene-glycol is the better pick because it can reassign heat to frost at a higher temperature than ethylene ethanediol. Discussion There are some drawbacks with respect to utilizing ethylene ethanediol as a de-icing fluid, particularly refering its environmental impact. But, overall EG and PG have a similar de-icing public presentation degree.The Rate of Melting due to Heat Conduction EntirelyThe ADF is heated to 70oC before it is sprayed onto the plane, this heat entirely will do the ice to run through heat conductivity. The rate of this warming was calculated utilizing equation 1a, 1a ) Where Q= is the heat flow rate in the X-direction in kJ/s, A is the country normal to the way of heat flow in M2, dT/dx is the temperature gradient and K is the thermic conduction of ice The thermic conduction of ice at -20oC is 2.39 W/mK, the country normal to the way of heat flow is equal to the flying country of the Boeing 747 =541.2m2, the temperature alteration that occurs is ( 70oC- -20oc ) =90oC and the thickness of the ice x is 0.01m. Therefore the rate of heat transportation by the temperature of the de-icing fluid alone is 2a ) The reasonable heat is kJ ( App. 1, Eqn 12 ) The latent heat of merger is 1652612.4 kJ, ( App.1, Eqn 3 ) Summarizing the above gives the sum of het required to run the ice on a Boeing 747 from a starting temperature of -20oC which is Hence minimal clip that it would take to run the ice on the plane by heat conductivity entirely is This is a really fast clip, particularly as harmonizing to the undertaking brief, de-icing at MSP airdrome usually takes 10 proceedingss per plane. One ground ground for this difference is due to the fact that the ADF fluid is non ever in full contact with ice, merely its bottom surface is. Additionally these computations assume that heat transportation occurs over the whole of each flying equally, which is non the instance in existent life because de-icing fluid is sprayed onto the wing in different locations consistently. A concluding cause of this difference could be due to the fact that snow has a lower heat conduction, K, than ice and so any snow on a plane would take down the rate of heat transportation from the ADF.Entire SOLUTION TECHNOLOGYDrive-Through De-icingFigure 3 – An illustration of the thrust through de-icing engineering The concluding design construct was to carry on de-icing operations as a thrust through system. First the aircraft enters the Infrared airdock where and warm air blows snow of its wings whilst they are heated by infrared radiation for a typical continuance of 5-10 proceedingss. Ice on the plane thaws onto an inclined incline and the effluent is channelled into the waste aggregation zone. Water is channelled through bing storm H2O pipes into substructure to the located under the floor of the crop-dusting and waste aggregation country. The effluent is pumped out and transferred by a truck into the airdrome ‘s detainment pools. When the effluent has been removed compaction stoppers are removed and the plane moves into the spraying country. Here it is sprayed with propene ethanediol for up to 5 proceedingss to assist forestall any ice forming on it before takeoff. The propene ethanediol drains into a separate country of the aggregation chamber and is pumped to a detainment pool until it is due to be recycled. Finally the compaction plus are reinstalled so the system is ready to defrost another plane. Recycling Solution Minneapolis presently uses three Glycol Recovery Vehicles to roll up effluent. Using the IR installation eliminates the demand to defrost aircraft utilizing ethanediol by around 90 % , so no more of these vehicles will necessitate to be bought if the new engineering is adopted. Besides the airdrome has saved capital costs by utilizing their bing storm H2O drains to roll up both ethanediol and storm H2O. These storm drains can and should go on to be used if MSP airdrome adopts the Drive-Through De-icing system to salvage hard currency and clip during the installing of the new system. Harmonizing to ( Big book ) â€Å" Careful direction of the keeping systems enables the airdrome to roll up adequate effluent with high ethanediol concentrations to do glycol recycling/recovery economically feasible. † The bulk of ethanediol which is recycled is sold to makers who use it in other glycol-based merchandises. Analysis OF ECONOMIC VIABLITY Rate of return on investing ( ROI ) 3a ) Payback Time 3b )=2.5 old agesUnfortunately the payback clip on the thrust through de-icing method is non fast plenty to fulfill the Airport Directors at MSP who expect a payback clip of â€Å" 1.5-2 old ages † . A higher rate of return on investing would cut down the payback clip so it would be wise to look into extra ways to cut down the cost of de-icing utilizing this engineering, and ways to better its efficiency. Patent issues Because this entire solution engineering uses de-icing methods which have been used in industry antecedently, but it combines them in a alone manner it is hard to measure whether or non it can be patented. Furthermore, it is expected that it would take a long clip to patent the merchandise even if it were possible because of its complexness and usage of old de-icing thoughts. The writer has recommended that MSP airdrome consults a attorney sing these affairs if they do non necessitate to utilize the de-icing solution instantly. If MSP airdrome do necessitate to utilize the engineering instantly they might hold to pay licence fees to one or more patent proprietors. Decision The findings from this probe have shown that the solution engineering that MSP airdrome should utilize to better its aircraft de-icing solution involves utilizing infrared warming and a propene ethanediol as a utility chemical for ethylene-glycol. The procedure is called the â€Å" thrust through method † and the major advantages of this intercrossed solution are that it meets the demands of its stakeholders by being safe, holding a low life-time cost, fast aircraft de-icing rate and low environmental impact. Evidence of this has been provided through a determination matrix and several mathematical ratings. Unfortunately this solution has a payback clip of 2.5 old ages, so research should be carried out to uncover how to do the one-year rate of return on the investing higher. Finally, this intercrossed system uses patented engineering so MSP airdrome might hold to pay license fees for a figure of old ages if it used the thrust through method. However, after the payback period the one-year economy of $ 70,844,300 per twelvemonth outweighs any of these drawbacks. Further Recommendations Find ways to cut the operating cost of the Drive-Through De-icing system as this will raise the one-year rate of return that this engineering provides. If the rate of return is high plenty the payback clip will drop below 2 old ages and the airdrome directors in MSP will hold this demand fulfilled. Use hot air to blow snow off the aircraft in the IR airdock. This will assist to run the snow and ice excessively, nevertheless the cost of warmin+ 3.0g air may countervail the benefit of a faster de-icing clip. Nb, as shown by the weightings, tungsten, in Table 1, the life-time cost of the engineering is more of import that the de-icing velocity that it provides.MentionsBooks and DiariesBird J.O. , 2003, Science for technology, pp. 205, Newnes, 2003, UK Ketler P. , Mosher M. , Scott A. , 2008, Chemistry: The Practical Science, media enhanced edition, Cengage Learning, pp. 478, UK Kotz J.C. , Paul T. , Townsend R.J. , 2009, Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity, Cengage Learning, pp. 15, USA Tsokos K.A. , 2010, Cambridge Physics for the IB Diploma, pp. 172, Cambridge University Press, UK Sinnot R.K. , 2005, Coulson and Richardson ‘s Chemical Engineering Series: Chemical Engineering Design, pp. 439, Butterworth-Heinmann, UKOnline ResourcesMSP Airport, 2010, About Us, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.mspairport.com/about-msp.aspx, 24/10/2010 RSS Weather, 2003, Minneapolis-St. Paul, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rssweather.com/climate/Minnesota/Minneapolis-St.Paul, 23/10/10 Airliners.Net, 2010, The Boeing 747-400, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.airliners.net/aircraft-data/stats.main? id=100, 20/10/2010 BBC, 25/10/2007, A380 superjumbo lands in Sydney, hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7061164.stm, 19/10/2010 Energy Information Administration, October 2010, Electric Power Monthly, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm.pdf, 15/10/2010 Wingss Magazine, 2007, Infrared De-icing: Giving glycol a tally for its money, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wingsmagazine.com/content/view/1325/38/ , 23/10/10APPENDICIESAppendix 1Specifications 2 -The instance survey aircraft and its ice coverageThe mass of ice on a plane was calculated utilizing a worst instance scenario, which was that one of the biggest commercial rider planes ; the Boeing-747 ( BBC, 2007 ) needed to be de-iced. It was assumed that the top country of both its wings was covered by a 1cm thick bed of ice. Flying country ( Boeing-747 ) = 541.2 M2 Ice Thickness = 0.01m Ice Coverage 100 % of flying country ( 1 ) Density of ice, I?ice = 917kg/m3 ( Kotz, 2009 ) ( 2 )Specifications 3 -Heating DutyThe ice on the aircraft needed to be provided with adequate energy to get the better of its 333kJ/Kglatent heat of merger, L, to run. The sum of heat energy, Q, required to accomplish this was calculated utilizing Equation 3 ( 3 ) ( Bird, 2003 )Specifications 4 – The utility de-icing fluidIn this subdivision the volume of ethene ethanediol and propene ethanediol needed to defrost a individual Boeing-747 will be calculated and compared. The prosodies are based upon a 50 % by volume solution of each chemical. Volume of Ethylene Glycol Required The freeze point depression of an ideal solution is given by the expression ( 5 ) Where a?† Tf represents the freeze point depression, m, is the solute concentration and Kf represents the freeze point depression invariable of H2O which is 1.86A °KA ·kg/mol ( Kilter P. , Mosher M. and Scott A. Andrew Scott, 2008 ) The coveted freeze point depression, a?† Tf is 20oC because winter temperatures in MSP autumn to that temperature, harmonizing to the undertaking brief. ( 6 ) The figure of moles of ethanediol required to accomplish the freeze point depression: ( 7 ) The chemical expression of ethylene-glycol is CH2OHCH2OH Mr Carbon = 12, Oxygen=16, Hydrogen=1 iMr ethene ethanediol = 2*16+2*12 + 1*6= 62 g/mol Therefore the mass of ethylene-glycol required per plane is: ( 8 ) The denseness of UCAR ADF at 20oC is 8.9 lb/gal ( US ) ( 1.07 kg/L ) ( SAE AMS 1424 Ethylene Glycol-Based Type I Fluids page 8 ) Therefore the volume of ethylene-glycol required is at least 408 US gallons ( 9 ) Because the de-icing fluid used in MSP airdrome is 50 % ethylene-glycol and about 50 % H2O, defrosting a individual plane would necessitate duplicate the sum of ADF which works out at 6,184 liters.The cost of ethene ethanediol per aircraftIn general the chemical constituents in de-icing fluids, such as H2O, have a sum cost which is well less than that of ethylene-glycol. Hence the cost of these constituents in de-icing unstable solutions as deemed insignificant and ignored. Harmonizing to the airdrome director that was interviewed the minimal cost of a gallon of ethene ethanediol is $ 5 per US gallon ( 10 ) In MSP airdrome there is an norm of 293 takeoffs per twenty-four hours from 5 de-icing tablets ( MSP Airport, 2010 ) Assuming that during the de-icing season in MSP lasts 157 yearss and every plane needs to be de-iced the one-year cost of ADF is about ( 11 ) Reasonable heat required Harmonizing to the undertaking brief winter temperatures in Minneapolis Saint Paul autumn to-20oC. Ice must be brought to its runing point of 0oC before it can undergo a stage alteration from solid to liquid. Where Cp is the specific heat capacity of ice at -20oC which is 2 kJ/kg/K, ( Tsokos KA, 2010 ) , m is the mass of ice and a?† T is the temperature difference ( 12 ) Harmonizing to Wingsmagazine ( 2010 ) Ian Sharkey, the manager of de-icing services, with Radiant Aviation Services stated that during an ice storm on March 15-16, 2007 his squad had an â€Å" norm aircraft â€Å" block † clip ( aircraft brakes on to brakes off ) of less than 43 proceedingss for big aircraft † hence it was assumed that the Boeing 747 could be de-iced in this timeframe every bit good. This information was used to gauge the power that the IR deice would necessitate to convey the ice on an aircraft from -15oC to 0oC in 43 proceedingss, ( 13 ) Latent heat required Next was calculated which is the power needed to run the ice on the aircraft at 0oC in 47 proceedingss. ( 14 ) Therefore the entire power needed to run ice on the aircraft in 43 proceedingss by utilizing infrared deink engineering, QIR is ( 15 ) To do the value of QIR more realistic some premises refering the sum of energy loss, between the heat beginning and the wing were added. From this the excess power that the optical maser will necessitate to give out in order to get the better of the inferred energy lost as between the beginning and its finish ( transport efficiency ) and the energy lost due to contemplation by the ice on the surface of the wing ( absorption efficiency ) was calculated. Laser device efficiency, I ·laser=0.33, Transport efficiency, I ·transport = 0.75 Absorption efficiency, I ·absorbtion =0.75 The optical maser device, conveyance and soaking up efficiencies cut down the sum of energy that heats the ice. This is called the efficiency loss, 1-I ·i, and it was calculated as follows,( 16 ) Hence, ( 17 ) Similarly, ( 18 ) Hence, the per centum excess energy, , required to cover for these energy losingss is ( 19 ) In existent footings ( 20 ) From this the entire IR power required to run ice from ice from its initial temperature of -20oC ( 21 ) = 586kW+227.9kW +1090.5kW= 1904.4 kilowattCost of de-icing utilizing IR energyConvert to kWh, The entire IR energy demand was converted into kWh as the de-icing clip of about 43 proceedingss for a Boeing 747 in highly rough conditions ( wingsmagazine, 2010 ) ( 22 ) In Minnesota during 2010 the â€Å" Average Retail Monetary value of Electricity to Ultimate clients † within was $ 0.068 per kWh ( Electric power monthly, 2010 ) Therefore the estimated the cost of defrosting a Boeing 747, by IR radiation in 43 proceedingss is: ( 23 ) We must account for the cost of anti-icing fluid ; this 10 % of the normal sum of ethanediol ( 24 ) Hence, ( 25 ) This system runs for 157days, with 293 takeoffs per twenty-four hours which gives an one-year running cost of approximately $ 26.8 million per tablet. ( 26 ) The capital cost of the IR de-icing tablets The JFK airdrome is a hub airdrome runs commercial rider flights in a similar manner to the the MSP airdrome. The JFK airdrome cost â€Å" $ 9.5-million † and can keep big aircraft such as the Boeing 747, which this study focuses on. Due to these similarities it can be assumed that the cost of the IR installation in 2010 will be around US $ 9.5 million every bit good. However a cost index should be used because the IR installation in JFK airdrome was commissioned in 2006 ( Wingsmagazine, 2010 ) The cost of the hanger was scaled up utilizing the CEPCI, so that it would be accurate for 2010. The latest information available to us was the CEPCI for 2008, it was 575.4 so and as of April 2010 it is 55.3 ( Access Intelligence, LLC 2010 ) . Taking this into history an estimation of the cost of the hanger in 2010 was made. ( Eqn 27 ) ( 27 ) There are five IR de-icing tablets so the entire capital cost is $ 49,219,345 Fixed cost – Staff fees The IR airdock, spray country and aggregation country will each hold a supervisor and operator, working an 8 hr, 9AM-5PM displacement for 5 yearss per hebdomad. Their wages will be ?18,000 ( technician ) and ?24,000 ( supervisor ) . The senior director for each de-icing tablet will hold a wage of $ 30,000. MSP will necessitate 5 new IR de-icing tablets to replace the 5 EG de-icing tablets that they presently use.

Russian History Questions

Name _________________________________ Date __________ Period ___________ Researching Russia Directions: Using the reference materials (including but not limited to the Internet, almanacs, atlases, encyclopedias, and books), research the answers to the following questions. The Internet is a useful source but you should make use of other resources should it not be available! 1. On November 1, 1993, the parliament of the Russian Republic of the USSR granted Russian President ______________________ broad power to begin radical economic reforms. 2. In 1991, the population of Russia was estimated at ________________________. 3. In the ninth century, Scandinavian chieftains established the first Russian state, centering it on ___________________ and Kiev. 4. When did Lenin die? _____________ How did he die? _____________________ 5. The ‘900-day siege’ of Leningrad lasted from June 1941 until January ___________. 6. When did Stalin die? ________ How old was he? _______ 7. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, massive Soviet military aid to __________________ helped assure communist victories throughout Southeast Asia. 8. Russia comprises over ________% of the total area of the former USSR and has ____________________ square miles, making it the largest country in the world. 9. What is the current life expectancy for Russian males? 10. The Russian monetary unit is the _________________. 11. The breed of cat known as the Russian blue is distinguished for its vivid ___________ colored eyes and the _____________ quality of its blue-gray coat. 12. Who is the author of War and Peace? 13. Who is the author of The Brothers Karamazov? 14. Which Russian author was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature for Doctor Zhivago but declined the prize? 5. Leningrad’s St. Isaac’s Cathedral on Decembrists’ Square was designed by French architect ______________________ and built between 1819 and 1858. 16. The _______________, or Russian wolfhound, was first imported into the United States in 1889. 17. In 1854, British poet Alfred Lord Tennyson made Balaklava famous in his poem _______________________ ________. 18. On January 22, 1904, George Melitonovich Balanchivadze was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. He gained a reputation for the foremost representative of neoclassicism ballet. His professional name was __________________________. 9. Russian physiologist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov is best known for what experiment? ____________________________________________________________ _________ 20. In 1910, Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova made her American debut with Russian dancer ______________________ at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. 21. Which Russian chemist compiled the ‘periodic table of elements? ’ ______________________________________ 22. On what date was the Russian Sputnik I put into orbit? ______________________ 23. On what date was the Russian Sputnik II put into orbit? ______________________ 24. September 17, 1957, was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Russian rocket pioneer Konstantin E. _________________________. 25. On January 2, 1959, unmanned interplanetary flight was proved feasible when the Soviet Union’s Mechta entered into orbit around the sun. 26. The Volga River is ________ miles, or ________ kilometers long. 27. What was the name of the imperial family that ruled Russia from 1613 until 1917? _______________________________ 28. The age of romanticism in Russian literature is from the late _________ until the early 1840s. 29. Who wrote The Twelve (1918)? __________________ 0. During World War II, the Soviet Union and Finland fought each other in two wars. The ‘Winter War’ was from 1939 to __________________. The ‘Continuation War’ was from 1941 until ______________. Who lost both wars? 31. When did the Russo-Japanese War begin? ____________ 32. When did the Russo-Japanese War end? ___________ 33. Catherine the Great (1729-96) ru led Russia for _________ years. 34. In what year did construction of St. Basil’s Cathedral begin? 35. The breed of dog known as the borzoi originated in Russia in the 1600s. Its average weight is __________ to ___________ pounds. 36. When World War I broke out, Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky settled in what country? _______________________ 37. In which direction would you travel if you drove from Tula to Moscow? __________ 38. The island Great Lyakhov is in the _____________ Sea. 39. Who wrote Boris? _____________________________ 40. The ‘900-day siege’ of Leningrad during World War II caused ____________ deaths. 41. Russia is ____________ times the size of the United States but has a population of less than _______% percent of the people in the United States as of 2000. 42. What is the per capita Russian income? _____________________ 43. What is the life expectancy for Russian females? _____________ 44. In 1967, the Soviet government produced a film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace in commemoration of 50th anniversary of the Revolution. The Russian language version of the film ____ hours and _____. 45. ____________________ delivers gifts to Russian children on New Year’ s Eve. 46. In which direction would you travel if you drove from Moscow to St. Petersburg? __________________________ 47. The ________________ Mountains form a dividing line between Asia and Europe. 48. The _____________________ Strait separates Russia and Alaska. 49. Tsar Nicholas II was married to the granddaughter of Queen _____________ of England. 50. Name the son of Tsar Nicholas who suffered from hemophilia. _______________ 51. Twenty-three of the _________________ volcanoes on Kamchatka Peninsula are active. 52. The Caucasus Mountains are composed of limestone and ______________ rocks with some volcanic formations. 53. The Caspian Sea has a surface area of about ________________ square miles. 54. In December, Moscow averages _______________ days with overcast skies. 5. St. Isaac’s Cathedral is located on ______________ Prospect, a famous thoroughfare in Leningrad. 56. In the late 1980s, the population density of the USSR was _______ persons per square mile. 57. In the mid-1980s, the population density of the USSR was _______ persons per square mile. 58. The State _______________ Museum in Leningrad is considered to be one of the world’s great museums. 59. Valent ina V. ___________ was the first woman to orbit the earth. 60. The ___________________ Railroad runs north of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. USS

Nairobi Securities Exchange

Investors use earning information to calculate the level of cost of equity capital. The cost of equity for a firm is computed by adding up the risk free rate and a premium for exposure to systematic risk as follows: Cost of equity = Risk-free rate + (risk measure) x (Market risk premium) 1.4 Nairobi Securities Exchange The Nairobi Securities Exchange offers a trading platform for both the local and international investors who are looking to gain exposure to Kenya and Africa's economic growth. NSE play a critical role in the growth of Kenya's economy by encouraging savings and investment by helping local and international companies access cost-effective capital. NSE is regulated by the Capital Markets Authority of Kenya. CMA approves public listing and fosters investor's confidence by ensuring rules, regulations and requirements for trade are complied with and market integrity is sustained in order to guarantee orderly, fair and efficient markets (CMA, 2016). CMA retains investor's confidence by ensuring rules, regulations and requirements for trade are complied with and market integrity is maintained. CMA also plays an important responsibility of mobilization and allocation of capital resources in the economy in order to provide incentives for long term investments (NSE, 2016) In Kenya, listed firms are required to produce quarterly, semi-financial statements and audited annual reports. Financial statements are prepared according to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and audited using International Standards on Auditing (ISA). The CMA guidelines encourage firms to disclose additional information on director and management remuneration (CMA, 2016). The performance of the NSE is an indication as to whether the investors have trust in the safety of their investment, trading goes down significantly with low investor's confidence.NSE is categorized into three different market segments namely the Main Investment Markets (MIMS), the Alternative Investment Markets (AIMS) and the Fixed Income Securities Market Segment (FISMS). According to CMA (2017) as at December 2017, listed companies at the NSE were 64, categorized into 11 sectors namely: Agricultural sectors, Automobiles and Accessories sector, Banking sector, Commercial and Services sector, Construction and Allied sector, Energy and Petroleum sector, Insurance sector, Investment sectors, Manufacturing and Allied sector, Telecommunication and Technology sector and Growth and Enterprise Market Segment sector Banking sector is the largest sector represented with 18% of the total firms listed at the NSE, second is commercial and Services sector and Manufacturing and Allied with 15% each, Agricultural sector which is one of the country major economic sector is represented by 11% of the total firms quoted. Telecommunication and Technology and Growth and Enterprises Market sectors were the lowest each with 2% of the total firms quoted. Through NSE, disclosures have had an impact on how investors trade, when the level of disclosure is high, investors confidence increases hence higher level of trading. The CMA guidelines encourage firms to disclose additional information on director and management remuneration (CMA, 2016). The performance of the NSE is an indication as to whether the investors have trust in the safety of their investment, trading goes down significantly with low investor's confidence.1.5 Statement of the Problem Inherent shortcomings of traditional reporting have prompted development of voluntary disclosure models. Transparency and disclosure creates and sustains confidence of investors, stakeholders and the winder society and provides opportunity for continuous improvement of business structure and processes. Corporate governance is currently an area broadly being researched on by many scholars, due to increased application of corporate governance practices all over the world after major corporate scandals due to lack or improper disclosure. This study targets one pillar of corporate governance on the cost of equity capital, which is voluntary disclosure. Disclosed information provides a signal with an aim of revealing the state of a company to the investors for consideration in investment activities. Information has important and vital role, information should be understandable, complete, accurate, timely and reliable (Fahdiansyah, 2013). Information is considered informative if it is relevant and can change stakeholder's belief and gives confidence to investors. Annual reports are important tools in communicating essential information about a company both financial and non financial information (Barako, 2007). The key drivers of corporate value in critical areas of the business are not reported under the traditional accounting model, as such theorist and researchers have begun to develop models for additional voluntary information disclosure. The concept of voluntary disclosure has been growing given the needs to keep with the clients expectations. Investors and clients have challenged companies on the need to provide more than what is required by the law and regulations. In Kenya, investors obtain essential information regarding trading activities of listed companies in NSE through their annual reports and other bulletins from CMA. Studies done in Kenya context include a study Mwangi and Mwiti (2015) investigated the impact of voluntary disclosure on stock performance, Mutiva (2015) examined the effect of voluntary disclosures on financial performance of firms quoted at NSE, Lopokoiyit (2012) investigated the effect of the corporate governance practices on share prices of companies listed at the NSE, these studies found a direct relationship between voluntary disclosure and company performance. Study by Asava (2013) investigated the effect of voluntary disclosure on stock returns of listed companies, her study reveals that there was no correlation between voluntary disclosure and stock returns. Barako (2007) in his study of determinants of voluntary disclosure in Kenyan listed company's' annual reports, observed that companies cannot link their board disclosure, foreign ownership and firm size significantly affect financial performance. Studies by Diamond and Verrecchia (1991), Botoan (1997), Hail (2002), Botosan and Plumlee (2002), Richard and welker (2001) and Lopes and Alencar (2008), shows a negative association between voluntary disclosure and the cost of equity capital using direct approach. However these studies were done in developed economies with few studies done in the context of developing nations, these studies tested the association between voluntary disclosure and several aspects such as profitability (Verracchia and Webber, 2006) stock liquidity. However most of these literatures are leaning more on factors that influence the extent of voluntary disclosure. Literatures from previous studies conducted locally have skewed more to factors that influence extent of voluntary disclosures with few on the effect of voluntary disclosure on the cost of equity capital on firms listed in NSE, the motivation of this research is developed by the fact that majority of past research have given conflicting arguments creating a dilemma that necessitates further research on the effect of voluntary disclosure on the cost of equity capital of firms in Kenya. 1.6 Objective of the study The general objective of this study is to examine the effects of voluntary disclosure on the cost of equity of capital. The following are the specific objectives.i). To examine the effect of forward-looking information voluntary disclosure on the cost of equity capital.ii). To determine the effect of financial information voluntary disclosure on the cost of equity capital.iii). To evaluate the effect of corporate social responsibility information voluntary disclosure on the cost of equity capital. iv). To establish the effect of Board information voluntary disclosure on the cost of equity capital. 1.7 Research question The study will be guided by the following research questions.i. What if the effect of forward-looking information disclosure on the cost of equity capital?ii. What is the effect of financial information disclosure on the cost of equity capital? iii. What is the effect of Corporate Social Responsibility information disclosure on the cost of equity capital? iv. What is the effect of Board Size information disclosure on the cost of equity capital? 1.8 Significance of the study Voluntary disclosures provide an extra way for investors to judge a company's performance. This study will therefore enable the investors to make better investment decisions and better capital allocations. It will also emphasize on increased transparency which reduces information asymmetry that may exist between the investors and the management team. This study will likewise extend the literature on voluntary disclosure to academicians. The study will also help listed and unlisted companies in Kenya in understanding the role of voluntary disclosure in the management of their firms with aim to reduce cost of its equity capital.CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW2.1 IntroductionsThis chapter introduces theories that explain the subject of voluntary disclosure and past empirical studies relating to the variables under the study.2.2 Theoretical ReviewReporting and disclosure are the most important tools that companies use to communicate with interest-related parties. Several theories have been documented to relate voluntary disclosure. They are Agency theory, Capital Need theory, Signaling theory and Stakeholder theory. Literature review presents theories about the subject of voluntary disclosure. 2.2.1 Agency TheoryAgency theory was developed by Jensen and Meckling in 1976 who defined agency relationship as a contract under which one or more persons delegate decision making authority to another person to perform some services on their behalf. Agency theory explores the relationship between a principal and an agent. In the context of a company, the manager (agent) acts on behalf of the shareholder (Principal). Company owners empower managers to make decisions on their behalf. Shareholders do not actively participate in the management of their investments instead they engage managers to act on their behalf. This makes managers have information advantage hence creating incentive to maximize their own value as opposed to that of the shareholders. Scott (2012) stated that the application of agency theory is used to explain the conflict of interest between managers and investors. The agency problem arises due to conflict of interest between the investors and management because their goals are not in agreement. Agency theory is concerned with solving two problems arising in the agency relationship: an agency problem arises when there is a conflict between the goals of the principal and that of the agent making it difficult for the principal to accurately evaluate and determine the value of decision made by the agent. Secondly problem of risk sharing arising from diverse attitude of the principal and the agent towards risk, the problem is each tends to select a different action when the risk happens (Depoers, 2000). One way in which agency problem can be minimized is by means of contract, it helps in bringing shareholders interest in line with managers' interests (Healy and Palepu, 2001).These contracts require management to disclose relevant information to investors and to creditors. Consequently principal can check if the management complied with the contract agreements and evaluate if their decisions are in alliance with their interest, monitoring managers by mean of contract comes with a cost at the expense of manager's compensation and in order to reduce any potential conflict, principals incur monitoring costs while agents incur bonding costs which guarantees the interest of the principal is prioritized. Agency costs are the total of monitoring costs, bonding costs and residual loss. According to agency theory, disclosing information voluntary is viewed as a better mechanism of mitigating the agency problem between the agents and principals (Hawashe, 2014). Managers who posses private information about a firm are able to use their information they posses to make credible and reliable communication to interested parties to optimize the value of the firm (Barako, 2007), these disclosure may include investment opportunity and financing policy of a company, however managers who pursue their own interest may fail to make proper information disclosure. Managers increases the level of voluntary information which is expected to reduce the agency cost (Barako et al., 2006) and also to convince the external users that managers are acting in an optimal way (Watson et al., 2002). OCED (2004) states that a strong disclosure policy is one of the expected monitoring forms that is useful as a basis of adequate information for investment decision making by investors. 2.2.2 Capital Need TheoryThe main aim any company is to attract external finance to increase their capital either through debt or equity, however companies are disclosing more information voluntary as a measures of minimizing costs of raising its capital. The capital need theory can help to explain the reasons behind the disclosure

Patient Safety and Medication Administration in Nursing Research Paper

Patient Safety and Medication Administration in Nursing - Research Paper Example The understanding that is developed is that in order for a nurse to avoid medication errors, the nurse ought to ensure that whatever medication is being administered is being given in the right format (Elliott M and Liu Y. Zhang, Patel & Johnson believed that nurses must ensure that all these right procedures are followed but Conrad et al. (2010, p. 141) on the other hand stated that it may not all medications that would have to go through all the 9 rights but at least in all cases, 5 of these should be used. Reflecting on the 9 rights, Palmieri et al. (2009, p. 36) noted that the 9 rights have been made to cover aspects of medication, which when ignored, can lead to serious errors with the administration. To have a better understanding of how the 9 rights helps to prevent or minimize errors, Elliott M1, Liu Y. stated that one may simply turn the ‘right’ to ‘wrong’ and know the effect that a refusal to abide by the procedures can bring. Another important int ervention that has been noted to be very effective with the minimization of errors is the organization of medications within the medication room (Alldred et al. 2008, 320). In order jurisdiction, this is referred to as sorting, labeling, or nomenclature (Alldred et al. 2008, 321). Nurses have been noted to make the Accidental mistake of confusing the labels of some medical products for others. Because of this when there is a mixture of drugs with similar packages, the chances that there will be mix up leading to errors are higher.

Baroque and Rococo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Baroque and Rococo - Essay Example It is typified by bold, curving forms and elaborate decoration and ornamentation. Rococo is an architectural design characterized by simplicity, the variant colour shade, frivolity and freedom of brushwork. The rococo architecture style is characterized by elaborate curves and scrolls, intricate patterns, delicate details, ornaments, asymmetrical shapes and light colours. Although, and pride of the owner they differ in some aspects, these two styles share some similarities. The baroque and rococo were two stylistic periods that conveyed tow entirely different sensibilities; while one was heavy-handed and complex, the other conveyed simplicity and fanciness and pride of the owner. Thus, the difference between the two styles can be summed up in terms of function, mood and method or design. Architectural style involves some collective aspects that distinguish a building from the rest of the architecture. These details transform an ordinary building to a unique piece of art that is satis factory to the eye. Baroque and rococo were developed at a time when customers demanded luxury design that was magnificent. It would glorify their power and pride of the owner. Thus, was preferred by nobles, monarchs and churches. Both styles attempt to reveal and arouse highly emotional effects in their designs. Baroque designs are magnificent and appealing and appear amazing as do rococo designs. They excite all primarily due to their luxury and outlook of their ample space and imposing dà ©cor.

I don't have a topic but want something in the line of Essay

I don't have a topic but want something in the line of IT,telecommunication or netorking - Essay Example takes place regularly and firms that are able to keep pace, have experienced enhanced performance, reduced costs, shorter lead times and better service delivery. It also revealed that along with technology, people have to be trained to use the technology. Integration of technology has to be aligned with the business objectives and information flow is paramount to the success of IT implementation. Uncertainties and risk cannot be avoided in technology but can be minimized with the right application and training of personnel. This study would have managerial impact on the use of IT in supply chain management. The study has limitations as some technology could have been overlooked. This study has added to the existing knowledge because under one umbrella the latest technology and its impact have been reviewed across different industries which employ supply chain management for their operations. Information Technology (IT) is changing the world; it has become infused in life and it brings many challenges with it. Every aspect of management today requires information on which to build the organization. Nothing moves without information but mere information is not power. Information is no doubt the most vital asset that an organization possesses but the sheer volume of information that flows in an organization makes it essential for the managers to understand its importance. Strategic decisions are taken on the information and information changes by the minute. The right dissemination and application of information is power. The conversion of data from internal and external sources into information requires the use of information technology. It helps in enhancing the decision making process, enhances the operations, helps in overall growth of the company. It includes hardware, software, people, communication system, and the data itself. Information Technology can be used in a ny type of company be it manufacturing, retailing, or the service industry. While IT can be

Consider the mediatisation of warfare. Does the rise of social media Essay

Consider the mediatisation of warfare. Does the rise of social media change the ability of western military to control perceptio - Essay Example The government resources and power was no match for the hordes of people which were notified through the social media about where and when to meet for rallies and demonstrations. The Egyptian civil war was known as the Facebook Revolution, largely in recognition for the huge role of Facebook and the social media on the turnout of the war in the favor of the majority of Facebook users. This is a phenomenon which would likely be repeated in the future. There have already been incidents when the media and the social media has had an impact on warfare, so much so that it has also affected the western ability to control the perceptions of contemporary conflicts. This essay shall discuss this point further, seeking to answer how the rise of social media change the ability of western military to control perceptions of contemporary conflicts. This essay shall argue that the rise of the social media has decreased the ability of the western military to control perceptions of contemporary confl icts, especially in relation to how these wars are fought, how necessary or unnecessary they may be, how long they are fought, and in what favor the wars should end. Initially, a general overview of the impact of the social media on warfare will be discussed. This shall include a discussion on key theories related to the subject matter. This shall be followed by a discussion of various incidents where the social media has impacted on warfare in different parts of the world. The latter part shall then relate the impact of the social media on how the western military has been able to control (or not control) the perceptions of contemporary conflicts. B. Body In considering the theories discussed during this course, the media determinism theory is likely the closest theory which would help explain the impact of the social media on warfare and the outcomes of warfare (Chandler, 1995). The theory discusses how the media seems to imply a direction in opinions and actions which is not with in the cultural or political influence. There is a belief in this case that the media has a strong governing impact on society. It impacts on how individuals think and how they relate with each other. It drives social progress and innovation. This theory declares that media impacts significantly on society and it can have a significant cause and effect relationship with society (Chandler, 1995). Media technologies, including the social media can bring about change in society. This theory is a simplistic assessment of complicated situations, with cause and effect relations decreased to their lowest premise, sometimes managed in those conditions. Innis and McLuhan have applied this theory as they declare how the media can shape a person’s and society’s self-perception as well as realization (Chandler, 1995). In general, this theory highlights the fact that the media can impact significantly on how society and technology can impact on the general population. In this case, the social media is an innovation of the media. It is a new aspect of media relations which is also having a similar impact on society and how they understand, perceive, and conceptualize information. In other words, the theory supports the notion that the social

Collegeaged Drinking in USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Collegeaged Drinking in USA - Essay Example These figures, which are quite staggering, stand as a testament to the magnitude of the problem and underscore the importance of asking and answering the following question: what are the factors which drive college students to drink and can university policy annihilate this problem. Available evidence suggests that the primary factors are immaturity, lack of self-control and peer pressure, further suggesting that a well-designed policy response can stem the problem. There is strong evidence to suggest that heavy and binge drinking among college students are the outcome of psychosocial immaturity. Professors Fischer, Firthum, Pidock and Dowd, undertook an extensive study to identify alcohol drinking patterns amongst college students and their causes. Following a thorough review of the literature on the causes of binge and heavy drinking among college students, Fischer et al. surveyed 1,592 students (915). The research findings clearly indicated that the primary cause of heavy and binge drinking was psychosocial immaturity. This is itself, according to the researchers, was a problematic finding as the root causes of the said immaturity were traced back to the relationship the respondents had with their parents (915). Those who had experienced a less than healthy relationship with their parents or who had not benefited from a stable family environment, exhibited signs of psychosocial immaturity. This made them vulnerable to alcoholism (915-916). T he implication here is that family environment proved the most important predicator of susceptibility to alcohol abuse. While psychosocial immatirity has been identified as an important predictor of alcohol abuse among college students, lack of control is another. Psychology professors, Leeman, Fenton and Volpicelli contend that empirical evidence strongly suggests that heavy and binge drinking among college students is symptomatic of "impaired control" (42). Impaired control, which may be defined as "a breakdown of an intention to limit consumption in a particular situation" (42) has been identified as a trait common to the majority of college students who engage in binge and heavy drinking. These students may not have a prior intention to heavily drink in a particular situation and, indeed, need not have an alcohol abuse problem but they most certainly have a self-control problem. Their inability to control their drinking in a particular situation is indicative of their inability to control their own selves. In fact, the survey study conducted by Leeman, Fenton and Volpicelli shows that in many inst ances, students did not have any prior intention to engage in binge drinking and, quite importantly, had a contrary intention. Nevertheless, when finding themselves in a situation where alcohol is available and those around them are encouraging them to drink, they embark upon heavy drinking (44-45). While their inability to stop themselves or adhere to their original intent not to drink heavily may be construed as symptomatic of alcoholism, it is not necessarily so. Instead, it is symptomatic of an "impaired control" problem which may later escalate into a substance abuse problem (45-46). Therefore, a leading cause of binge and heavy drinking amongst college students may be identified as lack of

The Australian Tourism Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Australian Tourism Policy - Essay Example The first tourism policy in Australia was formulated. The policy was geared towards addressing issues of mismanaged tourism attraction sites, destinations, and resources. The policies that followed throughout the years until 2003, had notable words like development which could be broken down into development, sustain which could be fragmented into sustainable and sustainability. These issues were vividly explained and strategic plans were written down on how the issues of mismanagement and development of tourist attraction sites and destinations were not sustaining the ever rising demand for tourist satisfaction. In general, as described by Lin & Suzanne (2009) ‘the policies aim at improving international marketing strategies and effectiveness through a greater focus on regional dispersal and by refreshing and enhancing’. The recent policies as recorded by Grace (2007), ‘concentrate on the improvement of the existing attractions sites in order to match the internat ional tourism expectation’. The policies would aim at making Australia a world-class tourism destination. The policies would also be geared towards the development of tourism destinations that would that would fully meet the tourists’ demand for better infrastructure so as to increase the national revenue acquired from the tourism industry. The policies noted the tourism industry was suffering from a shortage of world-class service for the tourist hence the policy also included the strategies to combat this anomaly.... The recent policies as recorded by Grace (2007), ‘concentrate on the improvement of the existing attractions sites in order to match the international tourism expectation’. Furthermore, the policies would aim at making Australia a world class tourism destination. The policies would also be geared towards the development of tourism destinations that would that would fully meet the tourists’ demand for better infrastructure so as to increase the national revenue acquired from the tourism industry (Katrina & Andrew, 2000). The policies noted the tourism industry was suffering from a shortage of world class service for the tourist hence the policy also included the strategies to combat this anomaly. Inclusion of public education and educational programs on how to deal with different kinds of people from different languages regions was one of the major boosts to the tourism industry in Australia. Further report by Philip (1994), ‘By addressing the major policy ch allenges in the medium to long term, the strategy will provide a framework that will assist the Australian tourism industry, in partnership with government, to achieve specific outcomes that enable it to achieve international competitiveness, and economic, social and environmental sustainability’. This would be done by first coordinating the three levels of government. That is, the federal government which would aim to create an optimum policy environment for tourism development, particularly in respect to the international marketing of Australia, product quality and development, industry sustainability and profitability, air services arrangements, tourism infrastructure, visitor visa

Global perspectives assessment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global perspectives assessment - Research Paper Example This means that the US criminal justice system including its law enforcement could go beyond the boundary of the state as the crime itself could be created beyond boundaries, but could still have substantial threats on the part of the nation. At this point, the US could remarkably play the role of a global police, trying to maintain peace and order situation of the whole world just as to ensure stability of peace in its state. This is a significant and probable response to the growing international dimensions of crime. Criminals might be staying out of the US state, but still could inflict potential threats due to the spreading wide coverage of their scope, connections and evolving organizational control. In response to this, the US state should also therefore expand the exposure of its criminal justice system throughout the world. Let us add to the problem when technological influences on global criminality enter the scene. The advancement of technology at the other part of it does not only bring comfort, but trouble at the same time if used at the criminals’ vantage point of view. Concerning this, the US criminal justice system needs to make its effort twice as much, double its time and never delay in order to keep its pace even more than the level of the criminals. Added to the issue is the diversified US culture, leading to the point that the US criminal justice system requires international cooperation so as to ward off probable threats on America’s borders and of other relevant crimes. The heterogeneous culture in the US though it may provide certain advantages, but at the other side of it, the bottom line is that there are other probable problems tied up with it. For example, the diverse culture creates a portal making it easy for bigger syndicates to easily move in and out of the US federal state. They became too familiar with the US culture, but on the other side, the US still needs to learn more about varying culture. This signifies the need to learn more about the existing different cultures on the part of the US, be familiar with them too and use this for its competitive advantage. That is why it requires constant international cooperation to solve existing crimes and even those new cases as upshots of varying changes not only brought by technology and different cultures, but the globalization in general. For this reason, the US is strongly advancing to create an effort to solve crimes and as much as possible hinder possible great impacts they could bring to the entire state. Compare and contrast international criminal justice systems Socialist law traditions are used by the states that are communists and are formerly communists. They employed the Marxist-Leninist ideology (Joerges & Ghaleigh, 2003). Another branch of law is civil law which deals with legal disputes among individuals or organizations and those who win the case may be able to receive compensation (Dunham, 2008). The common law on the other hand is a case-based reasoning law, evaluating the case and then applying what laws might probably apply to it (Holmes, 2005). Embodied in the Islamic law are the religious duties employing Allah’s commands (Standke, 2008). As noticed, these international criminal justice systems have varying foundations and beliefs as their means to ultimately come up with the right and appropriate decisions. While socialist law is

Chinatown Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chinatown - Case Study Example Water has a sexual meaning in the movie and this is portrayed by the different characters present lie Jake and Cross from the movie. Water is a very essential commodity for both internal and external use. Poor planning in the water system may not achieve the desired effect on urban planning because good urban centers have stable water supply system. Transparency in the urban water commission enhances urban development as individuals are attracted to places with availability of such factors like water and security. Urban centers are characterized by large populations who cannot stay permanently in areas without water for a long period, therefore, most urban planers take into consideration the availability of water when erecting structures or drawing up the map of a new urban center. Suburbanization is eminent in Chinatown movie by the culture presented by the film producer in the movie. A perfect example of the differences in the suburbs is the presence of the Mall which greatly differs in the different areas mentioned in the movie. Urban growth and suburbanization are a process where developments happen gradually and within a set period of time. It is traced through the obscure era when there was scarcity of resources to an era when the mission of drought management, water quality and good control of the environment is achieved. Urban growth must be accompanied by a tremendous increase in the population of individuals within a given urban center. The increase in the urban centers will promote the development of suburbanization since there will emerge class difference amongst the individuals living in the area. Political corruption is an issue of concern in Chinatown movie. An example is that Polanski flees from the unfair verdict of the judge who was corrupt and wanted to wreck political career. The movie is filled with issue of political and moral corruption and this lies the political planning of the movie.

Darwin as the New Mythology Essay Example for Free

Darwin as the New Mythology Essay It has been a major struggle for the scientific community to understand the persistence of religious belief. After centuries of writing by rationalist thinkers, it remains a mystery why so many continue to believe in the old gods. The survival of religion has been though revolution, political and economic change and every conceivable alteration of consciousness throughout the ages. â€Å"Common sense† would then say that religion, in some very real sense, is true, is righteous and factual if it has survived so many changes. Buckert, however, holds that the only way to explain this persistence, short of admitting there is much truth behind it, is that it assists humanity in adapting to changing environments: in short, making religion part of the Darwinian universe. This review will revolve around the methods used by the author in deriving his conclusion, really on the basis that his treatments of the specific cases are so lacking in detail as to be purely superficial. Hence, the real meat of the book lies in methodology, the â€Å"suggestion† of alternate ways of looking at religion. Buckert begins by making the claim that nearly all researchers on religion hold: that there are undeniable similarities among all religions, regardless of their background or geographical origin (4-6). There is the ubiquity of prayer and sacrifice, the saturation of symbol and other forms of communication within groups, and ultimately, the creation and maintenance of group solidarity, itself an important ingredient in winning the struggle for survival (13). Ultimately, the book makes a single argument: religion makes sense because it assists in the struggle for survival. Even institutions such as self sacrifice and the rejection of competition among certain religions are in fact adaptive behaviors that maintain the solidarity necessary to function in a hostile world. There is no specific reason who religion and religious ideas specifically are necessary for this, nor does this explain the persistence of belief, though it may offer a suggestion as to its ancient origin–which are two different arguments. One interesting (and irritating) feature of this book is that there is no real â€Å"argument† given in the standard sense, rather than a series of suggestions loosely held together by what might be called â€Å"popular Darwinism. † This singular suggestion, that religion â€Å"works† for maintaining solidarity is certainly nothing new, and offers such a superficial view of disparate religions that it remains merely a suggestion, a means of planting doubts among readers who are followers of a certain religious system. Religions such as Christianity or Islam are described in one or two sentence snippets, clearly â€Å"sacrificing† detail for the sake of a smoothly running argument, the ultimate drawback of this work. Giving this thesis in more detail, the author brings this thesis to bear on such objects as guilt, hierarchy, meaning and gift giving–all of these exist in the realm of biology and the world of problem solving within the context of group solidarity, itself a biological mechanism. Again, all of these are described in a few lines, providing a superficial context for the generalizations upon which the book is based. Guilt, for example (cf 103-105), is the beginning of problem solving. Natural disasters, disease, etc. are inevitably met by questions such as â€Å"why us? † Hence, guilt fixes blame so that the group can then go about the business of reinforcing its solidarity to fix the problem. Uses of guilt and shame are constant to punish deviants and maintain solidarity, not to mention reinforcing the world of hierarchy and authority relations. â€Å"Meaning† is offered, on the most general level possible, as finding a purpose in a universe of â€Å"infinite complexity† (26). Of course, Darwin himself could also serve these ends. â€Å"Sacrifice† is treated in an interesting, yet radically general way, as the utilitarian doctrine as sacrificing the part for the whole. In other words, the author uses the example of an animal chewing off its own foot to get out of a trap. Human sacrifice is something like that. This is the basic structure of the book and the method of generalization. â€Å"Generalization† here is deliberately called a method because the argument only works (or at least works smoothly) when it functions at a high level of generality. A specialized study of religious systems will bring out so many deviations from this general scheme as to render it useless. Hence, it must remain at a superficial level. What is the most significant element of the book, however, is the methodology itself. The best way to understand the flow and structure of this work is to grasp the methodological assumptions that are inherent in it. None of these assumptions are argued for, and it is assumed that readers will agree a priori. a. Objects in the natural world create the consciousness not just of peoples, but of communities. Consciousness is not considered an autonomous object and free will is rejected implicitly, consciousness is created by the existence of objects in space and time, and hence, is controlled by them. b. Putting this differently, Buckert assumes that consciousness is a material object, itself part and parcel of the world of cause and effect. This is tantamount to holding that the religious objects of worship or fetish are not actually real, but are artifacts, in fact, residual categories, of the enslavement of consciousness to the world of matter and competition. Even more, that all religions are like this and have the same root, regardless of the background, geography or time period in which they develop. c. The beliefs and methods of the modern scientific mind and their conclusions are assumed to be true, and hence, any treatment of religion (or any social phenomenon whatever) must conform to their demands. In other words, instead of couching his phrases in terms of religion according to â€Å"natural selection,† Buckert phrases his approach in terms of â€Å"facts† and â€Å"truth† about the world of material bodies and cause and effect, within which consciousness develops and takes its course. Needless to say, this approach undercuts his own claim to objectivity and scientific rationalism. d. Another major methodological assumption here is that all thought patterns, or patterns of consciousness require a cause, and this cause is provided by group solidarity and the struggle for survival. Putting this differently, each pattern of consciousness, that is, any systematized belief system must have its roots in evolutionary biology to be made sense of. This is to say that any thought pattern that can be traced throughout time in some superficially similar pattern must have a cause with roots in biology. Of course, this means that group solidarity is itself a biological function and hence, all forms of thought that reinforce such solidarity. e. A striking claim made implicitly throughout the book (and made the bedrock of the argument) is that religious claims are ultimately false. Better, not so much false or true but beyond such evaluations because the purpose is survival and competition, rather than claims of truth or falsity. Of course, religious devotees regularly make truth claims, and many of these claims are directly detrimental to their survival or flourishing. The answer to these claims can be found in the â€Å"Escape and Offerings† chapter (chapter two), where the author holds that when one can see sacrifice as beneficial (cutting off an arm that could infect the whole body, for example), the personal sacrifices of martyrs, etc, can be explained (34-38). This is the â€Å"fallacy of equivocation,† since one is using the word â€Å"sacrifice† in two very different senses and contexts. One might see the utility in sacrificing one to save the whole, but this has nothing to do with explaining the desire for martyrdom or the sacrifice of millions in persecutions of religion. â€Å"Sacrifice† is here used in two different senses. f. States of consciousness such as guilt or reciprocation make no sense unless placed in a Darwinian context. This is merely the thesis restated. But implicitly, this argues that states such as guilt are residual categories of the evolutionary process, and hence, are not real, they are epi-phenomena at best. The argument comes down to justifying one’s own feelings of guilt by claiming that these guilt feelings assist in the development of group solidarity, and hence, it is acceptable that I feel them. Again, this is equivocation, making the jump from the collective to the individual within the same argument. In fact, equivocation is just as much central to Buckert as anything else, since the entire structure of the book is a regular back and forth between the animal world and the development of human religion. Hence if it can be justified in the animal kingdom, it is justified in human society, and if in human society, then the individual. g. Finally, Buckert fails to see the self-referential argument involved. If thought processes are part of the biological process and creative of social solidarity (or are derivative from it), then the Darwinian consensus of the modern scientific establishment also then falls into this category. Such a consensus assists biology in developing its rhetorical weapons, its receipt of grant money and its social prestige. How are these not nearly identical to the present argument concerning religion? In conclusion, the Buckert book here under review is a series of logical equivocations and false parallelisms. Ultimately, the book might have worked if the field of ancient religion had been its specific base (and it the author’s field, after all), rather than seeking to answer the question of the persistence of religion over time. Religion in its primitive, polytheistic sense might fit Buckert’s thesis. However, the existence of a sophisticated Christianity in the High Middle Ages, on the other hand, does not so fit. Developed, literate religions such as Islam have created as many barriers to group solidarity as catalysts, and hence, the argument breaks down. One might conclude that since modern societies have developed new means of reinforcing group solidarity, this method of explanation then fails (a priori) to explain why billions still believe.

The Contemporary Challenges Of The Muslim Ummah Religion Essay

The Contemporary Challenges Of The Muslim Ummah Religion Essay Before scrutinizing those challenges, let us have a quick look to the definition of challenges and ummah, the key words throughout this study. Challenge is a simple everyday word. If one browses through several dictionaries he will find out that the definition given by those dictionaries is more or less the same, which is a demanding or stimulating situation  [1]  . Specifically, it refers to (the situation of being faced with) something needing great mental and physical effort in order to be done successfully and which therefore tests a persons ability.  [2]   No doubt that our ummah faces many challenges, both internal and external. While external challenges come from our surrounding most of them created by the West to control and destroy us, internal challenges are challenges that occurred within us, which sometimes difficult for us to identify (and admit) and much more dangerous compared to external challenges, if we fail to manage and overcome them. This study will focus first in discussing the internal challenges and will touch about the external challenges later. Internal Challenges Disunited Ummah: The No. 1 within Enemy The first and foremost internal challenge that Muslims need to overcome urgently is their disunited ummah. As we know, the mission of the prophet Muhammad was to bring peace and unity to the feuding tribes of the pre-Islamic days. However, after the prophet passed away, the Arabs returned to their feuding wars. Blindly tribal loyalties returned. Disputes over which tribe had the right to succeed the leadership of the Muslims ummah after the death of the prophet eventually led to the most serious and dangerous schism among Muslims. Certainly, the quarrel between Muslim sects and nations are obviously contrary to the teachings of Islam. Let us admit that Islam and the Muslim world today are divided and disarray. They are unable to cope with the changes that are happening in this world and are reversing further and further backwards. Therefore, we should resolve our own quarrels to present a united ummah. Most importantly, we should never be our own enemy. Disappointingly, personal quarrels and ambitions for power seem allowed in Muslim world, which eventually disrupt government administration, leaving it incapable of addressing the needs of the people  [5]  . As a result, Muslim nations remain largely underdeveloped, poor, unskilled, uneducated and incapable of contributing positively towards the well being of the Muslims, their faiths and nations. Though many of us are blessed with rich resources, we are unable to put such resources to the optimal use, to serve and defend Islam and Muslims against those who loudly confess their hatred against us and bravely proclaim their intention to frustrate us. The bad situation becomes worse when the best, skilful and knowledgeable people of us emigrate and contribute to the wealth and prosperity of other nations, to the some extent, to the nations which are hostile to us. This frustrated situation happened because we are unable to offer these talented people with facilities, plus the conditions of our nations are unsuitable for the application of the considerable attributes that they possess, simply because we are too busy with our petty quarrels  [6]  . Thus, we need the right people to rule the nations, and to get this, the one and only situation is to revert to the teaching of Islam, the really true teachings, not the teachings which are interpreted to justify the bad things we are doing as good. If we are not sure what is really meant by the true teachings, we need to ask only few questions. Does Islam advocate wars and violence amongst Muslims? Does Islam advocate oppression of the people by the government, or destabilize the government by the irresponsible acts of the people? Can we really say that it is our religious duty to be poor, without knowledge and skills, incapable of defending ourselves against our enemies? We clearly know the answers to all these questions, and yet, we do not care to follow the Islamic answers to these questions. Instead, we quibble about small issues, fight over minor differences. We divide Muslims and cause them to fight because differences created in our practices in Islam. Fundamentalists: The True Muslims or Extremists? Another internal challenge faces by Muslim in this contemporary world is fundamentalist Muslims. Realizing or not, fundamentalism is one of the most abused word. Most of the time, it is associated with extremism. Yet, if the teachings of Islam are revised, it would be obvious that the past best Muslims were fundamentalists. On the contrary, nowadays, the people who are usually described as fundamentalists are far away from following of the Islamic teachings. Most of them have seemingly reverted to the pre-Islamic jahilliyyah ways of extreme loyalty to their groups, to fanaticism or taasub  [7]  . The answer lies in correcting or abandoning the incorrect interpretations of Islam by some of the so called ulama. These interpreters, no matter how learned they may be in teachings of the religion, or how large may be their followers, or how established their teachings, are not prophets. Prophets can not be wrong, but these interpreters of Islam can be. If Islam appears rigid and doctrinaire, it is because the learned interpreters make it so. They tended to be harsh and intolerant when interpreting during the golden day of the Muslim empires. And so, long after the Muslims have lost their predominant era, and the world has changed, the Muslim were exhorted to adhere to interpretation which are no longer adequate or relevant. What Muslims must do is to go back to the teaching of Holy Quran and genuine Hadiths, study and interpret them in the context of the present day. It is Allahs will that the world has changed. It is not for man to reverse what has been willed by Him. Islam is not only meant for seventh century Arabs. The faithful must look for guidance from the teachings of Quran and Hadiths in the present context. If we Muslims understand this, then there will be fewer misunderstandings among us, and the world will be a better place if all misunderstandings are removed. External Challenges Globalization: The Modern Form of Colonization Globalization as defined by the West is the generalized expansion of international economic activity which includes increased international trade, growth of international investment (foreign investment) and international migration, and increased creation of technology among countries. Globalization is the increasing world-wide integration of markets for goods, services, labor, and capital.  [8]  Some Muslim scholars are exalted and believed that globalization will benefit and give positive impacts on Muslims, while others (including this study) take a more skeptical and critical view of this process. Realizing or not, globalization in its current manifestation is benefiting the West as their idea of a borderless would simply means the unbridled flow of capital across borders. The huge amount of wealth some of us have accumulated through the extraction of our national resources has not been invested in our own countries. We have instead taking advantage of the free flow of capital to invest in the developed countries. Effectively we have enriched them  [9]  . Unfortunately, they have used our money that we have invested, to invest back in our countries, destabilize and impoverish us by pulling out their investment suddenly. Then, they take advantage of our poverty to gain control over us. Much of our money is hold hostage abroad and is actually used against us. In fact, we are not even able to use our natural resources to enrich ourselves. We find ourselves quite helpless and unable to adjust and take advantage of these new ideas and concepts. Our own resources are the cause of our present impoverishment and weakness. But, we do not really care because we always believe that they can provide us with powerful means to assert our influence in the whole world, to strengthen and protect us from oppression. All we need is simple, the will to regulate the supply. Yet, we cannot even do this  [10]  . Nowadays, colonial control of land by military strength or physical colonialism can no longer be accepted by society worldwide, even no longer necessary. Control to currency trading that globalization has introduced holds similar effects. This form of colonialism could be achieved without sacrificing the life of soldiers. When a country becomes poor, it will be politically unstable and a power struggle will ensue. As a result, there will be successive change in leadership until a candidate who is willing to submit to the world power is found. In other words, before getting to that moment, colonization has occurred. Still, there are some of us who do not believe that what is happening now can throw us back to the early days of colonialism  [11]  . When we agreed to globalization, we thought that we would be able to share the wealth and technology of the rich countries. But, the rich countries are actually thinking about how globalization would enable them to exploit the untapped resources of the poor countries by using their huge capital and sophisticated technology. Even though exploiting the poor to enrich themselves causes more poverty and misery, so long as it is done in the name of globalization, it is still considered as fair and proper. The attack on the currencies of South East Asian countries in 1997 is the good example on how they exploit globalization  [12]  . Islam stresses a balance between materialism and spiritualism, between life in this world and hereafter. The loss of the spiritual values in the West has resulted in unbridled materialism. Money is considered as the most important thing in life. As a result, money is literally worshipped as an end in itself, not as a mean to an end. Nothing must get in the way in the acquisition of more money. And in the process of doing so, economic has to be devastated, people killed, children starved. All these are perfectly all rights as long as the objective is to make more money  [13]  . Therefore, all Muslims should work together to defend the sovereignty of our nations. What we are doing is actually defending our own independence. No less than that. Do remember, those who created the economic, political and social problems that we are facing now are just like the colonists who once colonized us. Do not ever think that their behaviors have changed. As the Malay proverb says, Tigers will always have their stripes. Globalization a world without border is a terminology introduced by the West, not by us, by Muslims. Surely, the West did not come out with this new thought to lose out. It is invented for their own interest. Let us not accept it without scrutiny, without suspicion. Let us not accept all this simply because we want them to regard us as sophisticated. Let us not be proud of being praised by them when we show how up-to-date our thinking is  [14]  . Globalization might bring many benefits to us, but this new thinking will destroy us more. The attack of our currencies is part of globalization and we only end up losing. Information Technology Another Cold War Nowadays, it is obvious that information, rather the mastery over it, will determine the course of future struggles between nations. Recent breakthroughs in the field of communication and computer technologies have made it the most valuable currency of the age. If natural resources were what represented wealth and power in the past, information now claims an equal place, and is poised to become, in the near future, the most basic source of strength  [15]  . Muslim countries have struggled so hard to catch up with advanced nations. This new technology may affect this struggle in two opposite ways. Firstly, it is possible that it may take the battle still harder. The technology might make the gap between Muslims and industrial world more difficult to bridge, increase the westernization of our culture, and further tighten the grip of those already in control of the world. However, if we take it positively, the same technology may provide wider opportunities to Muslims nations to free themselves from cultural and economic influence of the West, loosen their control over the means of knowledge, and reduce its influence over oppressed nations. Of course, these opportunities will come for us only if we know how to exploit this technology to gain our objectives. It would need vision, strategy, cooperation and solidarity. That is the only way the challenges of the next century can be met. A quick survey at the state of information in Muslim countries will show how difficult it is to speak of a joint Islamic information in the absence of strong cooperation among them. The lack of comprehensive researches and field studies reflect the true state of information in Muslim societies. Therefore, any evaluation of the state of information in the Muslim world would be no more than a general opinion based purely on personal experience and observation. To cure a disease, of course we need to be clear about what really cause it. Generally speaking, information in Muslim countries continue to suffer because of several reasons continuous dependency on foreign media, low level of cooperation and exchanges of information among Muslim nations, centralization and state control of information, and emphasize more on technical and material aspects while manpower development gets low priority. It would be unrealistic, and almost impossible to believe that individual Muslim country would be able to confront these challenges separately  [16]  . Cooperation must always be the principle guidance. Instead of complaining about foreign cultural and media invasion of our societies, we must take the initiative to stop the invasion. Appeal to Islamic government to cooperate with the private sector for the establishment of joint information, advertising projects, and supporting and encouraging information industries can be one of the valuable suggestion. To ensure the successful implementation of such projects, there must be unified policies and plans to facilitate and attract investments plus a joint Islamic fund to provide loans to finance these projects. Moreover, the infrastructure of Muslim countries should be linked together, commercial information and advertising representation unified, communication mechanism consolidated and an Islamic information bloc set up. All these promises brought about by the information revolution should make us view them with optimism and make the right investment in a way that would ensure the advancement of our societies and enable us to face the challenges facing us. They should also inspire us to plan carefully and lay down a solid ground for a coordinated effort that would free us from Western information domination. The cure lies in our ills and we know the cure. What is needed is a joint initiative to start the treatment. Conclusion Perhaps, it is too much to expect that our Muslim ummah would awake and fight all the challenges discussed above. But, still, we need to fight because it is a duty towards our religion. If we learn from the Islamic Civilization of the past, it will tell us that how a great faithful ummah can lead to greatness and establishment of one of the greatest, if not the greatest ever, civilization on earth. What has been done once by Muslims can be done again, and perhaps the second one will be everlasting. It is for us, Muslims, to decide. God willing, we will awake and we will decide, we will fight, and insha Allah, we will win.