Energy Outlook Report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Energy Outlook Report - Coursework Example The changes in the oil prices and the demand, supply and consumption levels in the market would highly affect the energy sector in Russia. The consumption of natural gas as major energy resource will be attaining momentum and the coming twenty years can be labelled as the era of gas as a main source of energy. The market position of Russia as a leading country in the global energy market may be affected by different changes which the country would try to balance through their strategies. Russia is likely to be affected by the changing situations in the market in the forecasted period. The exports of oil and gas from Russia are forecasted to be lower due to the decrease in the demand levels for these sources of energy across the world. The high costs and the existing system of taxation are likely to put a constraint on the energy resources of Russia as exported in the global energy market. Russia is a leading country with respect to world energy and is a significant player in the international market of energy and power. The energy market of Russia is a critical contributor to the world economy and also directly influences the stability of the economy of Russia. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the development and future outlook for the energy sector of Russia with respect to the global energy market perspective is significant in understanding and planning the development of the economy. The analysis of the future of the energy sectors in Russia and the global market is done to evaluate and analyse the strategies of the country with respect to the development of the energy market and the economy of the country. The global energy landscape has been undergoing major transformations after the event of the economic crisis of 2008. The characteristics of the energy outlook has been demonstrating increasing volatility in the prices of the hydrocarbons, the changing demand and supply equations, increasing level of

United Nation Organization Essay Example for Free

United Nation Organization Essay United Nations Organisation was established after World War II with a motto to maintain world peace. And this in fact is known to every one of us in general. But the question is, was this really successful in doing the same i.e., maintaining the peace in every part of the world or are there any failures? Perhaps this is also one of the most important area to assess. Successes and Failures of the United Nations since its establishment, i believe is a very essential topic to be focused. Here are some of the positive roles played by UN and its failures. Successes of the United Nations The First and foremost it has prevented the occurrence of any further world wars. Instrumental in the maintenance of international balance of power. It played a Significant role in disarming the world and making it nuclear free. Various treaty negotiations like Partial Test Ban Treaty and Nuclear non-proliferation treaty have been signed under UN. Demise of colonialism and imperialism on one hand and apartheid on the other had UN sanctions behind them. UN Acted as vanguard for the protection of human rights of the people of the world, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948. Despite crippled by Bretton Woods Institutions, UN has played limited but effective role on economic matters. Supported the North-South dialogue and aspired for emergence of new international economic order. Agencies of United Nations like WHO, UNICFF, UNESCO have keenly participated in the transformation of the international social sector. Peace keeping operations, peaceful resolution of disputes and refugee concerns had always been on the list of core issues. Since 1945, the UN has been credited with negotiating 172 peaceful settlements that have ended regional conflicts. The world body was also instrumental in institutionalization of international laws and world legal frame work. Passage of various conventions and declarations on child, women, climate, etc, highlights the extra-political affairs of the otherwise political world body. It has successfully controlled the situation in Serbia, Yugoslavia and Balkan areas. A number of peace missions in Africa has done reasonably well to control the situation. Failures of the United Nations: UN opinion on Hungary and Czechoslovakia were ignored by the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1950s. Israel had been taking unilateral action through decades in its geographical vicinity and nothing substantial has come out even by September 2010. No emphatic role in crisis of worst kinds like the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam crisis etc. UN was nowhere in the picture when the NATO rained bombs over former Yugoslavia. Uni-polarity and unilateralism has shaken the relevance of the world body. Unilateral action in Iraq was bereft of UN sanction. Failed to generate a universal consensus to protect the deteriorating world climate, even at Copenhagen in 2009. Number of nuclear powers in the world has kept on increasing. UN Could not control the horizontal expansion and proliferation of weapons and arms. Financial dependence on the industrialized nations has at times deviated UN from neutrality and impartiality. The world body has failed to reflect the democratic aspiration of the world. Without being democratic itself, it talks of democratization of the world. Aids is crossing regions and boundaries both in spread and intensity. Domestic situation of near anarchy in Iraq and many regions of Afghanistan, despite on active UN. The US President scheme of withdrawal has not able to bring any specific solutions in the region. In fact, the situation has been further aggravated. The UN totally exposed in the case of US invasion on Iraq in name for the search weapon of mass destruction. US has withdrawn its combat forces but the law and order and mutual distrust has worsened and at this juncture UN seems to be clueless.

Ilisu Dam Project Development

Ilisu Dam Project Development The proposed Ilisu Dam is a single project under the umbrella of the massive Southeastern Anatolian Project (Guneydogu Anadolu Proje) or GAP. The GAP was a major development endeavour for Turkey and aimed to develop projects using the power of the two largest rivers in Asia, the Tigris and Euphrates, that run begin in Turkey and run through to the Arabic Gulf. GAP was conceived to meet Turkey’s rising energy needs by the construction of 22 irrigation dams and 19 hydroelectric plants, harnessing the hydroelectric potential energy contained in these two massive rivers (Stern, 2004). The GAP attracted international attention due to its focus on the human effects of the project and attention to sustainability. International credit agencies from the Canada, USA Japan, UK and other European governments along with the World Bank stepped forward to fund the project which they see as one being integral to the socio-economic development of Turkey which is an important US partner and is aspiring to join the EU. Certain aspects of the GAP, specifically the Ilisu Dam, have come under attack from citizens groups concerned about the social and political ramifications of the dam and the project is currently on hold after major sponsors pulled out and completion date has been pushed from early 2000 to 2010. This paper will examine the proposed dam and the issues that surround it. Turkey was once part of the Ottoman Empire emerged from the demise of that empire and was inaugurated as a nation in 1923 under Mustafa Kemal who was later honoured as the â€Å"Father of the Turks†. Under his authoritarian leadership the Anatolians of the region saw improvements in social and economic status. The nation enjoyed a peaceful transfer to democracy in the 1950s though has since seen several military coups but always with a peaceful transfer back to democracy (CIA World Factbook. 2005). The nation borders the Black and Mediterranean Seas and its neighbours include Bulgaria, Greece to the West and Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria to the East. The country is a member of the UN and NATO since the 1950s and is seen as a leading nation in the Asia region. There have been recent conflicts with separatist Kurds in the South Eastern portion of the nation. The Kurdish separatist movement is known as Congress of Kurdistan (KGK) or the communist PKK and have links with Kurds in bordering Iraq and Syria (CIA World Factbook. 2005). The nation has been adopting major environmental and social reform in hopes of being admitted to the rapidly expanding EU. The GAP is aimed at developing the south eastern 8 Anatolian provinces which are home to the majority of the Kurdish population of the nation. The project is the largest ever development project Turkey has ever undertaken and seeks to improve the lives of nearly 10% of the Turkish population (Ilisu Engineering Group, 2001; Stern, 2004). The south eastern part of Turkey is a poverty stricken area plagued by low income, violent instability and inequality (Morvaridi, 2002). The area’s faming consists of low-mechanization with few cash crops and the region suffers from aridity despite the presence of major rivers like the Tigris and Euphrates. The region also suffers from the Kurdish separatist movement which has attracted the attention of the Turkish and this has been compounded by the militants fleeing Iraq due to the recent US and UK invasion. The focus of the GAP is to develop the energy potential of the region while providing irrigation for crop growing to the region. Historically most of the development in Turkey was concentrated on the North and Western regions of the nation, leaving the South and East to languish in obscurity. This lack of investment in the region could be a driving reason behind the Kurdish separatist movement. It is Turkey’s national interest to tap the resources of this region and hopefully quell the separatist movement by funnelling development funds into the area to improve the lives of its inhabitants. The GAP has already begun to pay off as other projects other than the Ilisu Dam have already been completed. GAP related dams already account for more than 15% of Turkey’s energy needs and has potential to reach 22% (Kaygusuz, K, 1999). The final goal for land irrigation is 20% of Turkey’s total irrigable land which is nearly 1.7 million hectares of land United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, 2005). In the region of Sanliurfa – Harran, agricultural benefits are being seen with huge increases in cash crop production (mainly cotton), the establishment of new industries such as beef along with development of textile industry which is raising the standard of living in the region (Northwest Texas International Trade Center, 2004). Energy production is the other prong of the pitchfork of progress that is GAP. In 2002 Turkey’s energy consumption peaked at 126.9 billion KWh. Due to industrialization, development and population growth this figure is projected to rise to 265 billion KWh by 2010 and to 528 billion KWh by 2020 (Stern, 2004). Turkey has scarce fossil fuels so a major source of energy for the nation is hydroelectricity which accounts for 40% of Turkey’s energy needs (Stern, 2004). GAP was conceived to help meet these rapidly increasing energy demands and if GAP does not relieve some of the energy strain put on the nation then other sources of energy must be found. The politics of the GAP are tricky as other nations lie down stream of Turkey on the Tigris and Euphrates. Iraq and Syria are dependent on the flows from the two rivers and by Turkey assuming control of these cross-border water resources tension has been created due to rights to access of the water. Turkey has to be sure to manage the water resources of these rivers in such a way as to not disadvantage the residents of these nations lest they risk war. The GAP falls into the realm of sustainable development as it aims to use a renewable energy source for a long term benefit to the people of the region. The standard definition for sustainable development was generated by a report produced by a United Nations commission in 1987 entitled Our Common Future which is better known as the Brundtland Report after the head of the commission. The definition of the phrase sustainable development is wide ranging and open to subjective interpretation but Our Common Future (1987) defined it as: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. From Our Common Future (Bruntland, 1987) This report generated much response as world leaders began to respond to the issues tackled in the report. The environmental movement began in earnest with the 1960s with the publication of Rachel Carson’s landmark book Silent Spring. (Carson, 1962). The emergence of a demand of environmental responsibility from global citizens was often at odds with economic development planning and a compromise was necessary. Development in 3rd world nations was unchecked and often at the expense of environmental resources. Companies, unable to dispose of environmentally hazardous waste in 1st world nations, looked to pawn it off on 3rd world nations. Economic development was at the forefront of 3rd world nation’s development policies as deforestation, overfishing, herbicide and pesticide application raged rampant with little thought paid to environmental ramifications. An example of this was the 1972 United Nations Conference on Human Environment which was held in Stockholm, Sweden. At this conference the goal was to tackle the problem of acid rain problems of northern Europe. The nations pushing for a solution that addressed the industrial development roots of the problem were strongly opposed by the Soviet-led Block of 77 which accused the nations of pushing an eco-agenda and refused to cooperate (WSSD, 2000). However a positive outcome from this conference was birth of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Through the 1970s and 1980s the UN began to fund more initiatives focused on conservation and human environment issues (IISD, 2002). Public initiatives began to spawn environmental non-government organizations (ENGOs) such as the Environmental Defence Fund in 1967, International Institute for Environment and Development in 1971 and the Worldwatch Institute in 1984. These major environmental policy groups are still active and important today. Major environmental disasters such as Bhopal, India and Africa’s starvation in the 1980s brought further attention to human and environmental development (IISD, 2002). In 1992 the World Summit on Sustainable Development was held in Rio, Brazil. This marked a major effort by the world’s nations to tackle human development in the context of environmental issues and try to develop a model of development that was sustainable. Sustainability can only come about without the degradation of natural capital that provides the necessary requirements for human life. It has been determined that a healthy population is dependent on a healthy environment. Links are often drawn between human health and environmental health outside the realm of needs production as poisons in the environment negatively affect human health as evidenced by historical use of pesticides and their effects. Further conferences on sustainable development in 1997 (Rio+5) and most recently Rio +10 in Johannesburg 2002 has further developed the notion of sustainable development. Due to public pressure corporate social responsibility has become a focus for corporations based in the developed world and this is further evidenced by the emergence of ethical investment funds which critically screen the companies they invest in. Dam construction was a popular activity in the first half of the 20th century and experienced a peak in building activity in the 1970s (WCD, 2000). It is not that the usefulness of the dam in providing energy, irrigation and flood control has passed; it is that there are fewer rivers that are left to be damned and social and environmental awareness of issues surrounding dam construction has increased. However dam construction continues as it is an important source of energy and nations are forced to meet the energy requirements of their citizens. More than 20% of the world’s energy supply comes from dams and more than 60 countries depend on hydroelectricity for greater than 50% of their total energy needs (WCD, 2000). The World Bank still funds dam construction but less than in the past with 1.3% of the bank’s funds going toward dam-related projects and 0.9% being spent on the construction of new dams (The World Bank, 2000). In 2000 the World Commission on Dams (WCD), a United Nations research body, released a landmark report entitled Dams and Development – A New Framework for Decision-Making. This research was undertaken in response to the new realizations on the effects of dams and the role they could play in sustainable development. The report noted that nearly 1/5th of the world’s energy was generated through hydroelectricity and that 1/6th of the global agriculture was dependent on irrigation from dammed rivers. It has been estimated that global levels of hydroelectric generation, which is largely carbon-neutral, precludes the need of an extra 4.4 million barrels of oil a day (WCD, 2000). If all dams were decommissioned and destroyed the damage to humankind would have enormous and alternatives would have to quickly be found to provide the benefits that we glean from dams. There are several high profile dams being constructed globally today. The larger projects like the Three Gorges Dam project in China and the Narmada Dam project in India. These dams are large and multi-purpose aiming to help these nations meet development needs of energy and irrigation. Though dams have been integral to social and economic development there are costs as well. Large dam projects typically involve the displacement of people living near the river upstream of the dam. The WCD (2000) estimated that between 40 and 80 million people have been displaced by dam building often with little or no compensation. Water and Conflict Fresh water is a requirement for life as we know it. Humans are made up of more than 70% water and can live only days without a source of drinkable water. Clean water is needed for drinking as well as for farming, industry, sanitation and household uses. Unfortunately fresh water is scarce on Earth and its distribution uneven. With the majority of fresh water resources concentrated in a few nations the need for shared management of water resources is obvious. Turkey is a water poor nation as are its neighbours Syria and Iraq (WCD, 2000; Stern, 2004). The Tigris and Euphrates are two of the main sources of water for these two nations and they have their sources in Turkey. In a river system such as this the actions of the users upstream have an impact on those downstream. Since rivers do not follow nationally contrived boundaries this can cause conflicts between nation-states as one nation, acting within its own borders, can have significant impact on other nations. It was just this sort of trans-boundary environmental issues that incensed the UN to act and create bodies to help manage and resolve such issues. Acid rain, smog, ozone and pollution are all similar in that though no national borders are trespassed, damage it still felt by other nations. New solutions and methods are needed, and are being develo ped by ENGOS, industry and government, to tackle problems such as these The Ilisu dam project was approved in 1982 and because of the date of approval the project is not automatically subject to the Regulation on Environmental Impact Assessment which is current Turkish environmental policy (Ilisu Engineering Group, 2001). However due to the scope of the project and the international attention it attracted an Environmental Impact Assessment Report produced by a consortium of international experts under the moniker of the Ilisu Engineering Group was commissioned by the Turkish authorities and firms involved in construction of the dam. The Ilisu Dam will consist of a reservoir with a surface area of 313 km and a volume of 10.4 billion cubic meters. The power station will have a capacity of 1,200 MW and is expected to be capable of producing 3,800 GWh of power per year (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001; Stern, 2004). The dam will transform the local environment, inundating land that is typically arid, causing a shift in the ecology of the area. Resettlement of the Kurdish people in the Anatolian regions is the main source of resistance to the construction of the dam. It was determined that approximately 183 settlements will be affected, 82 would be inundated entirely and 101 would be affected by flooding (Stern, 2004; Morvaridi, 2002). Exact numbers of people are unavailable because conflicts in the region have driven people out of their villages and have encumbered census takers from obtaining accurate estimates of population. The estimates range from 30,000 to 70,000 people, mostly Kurds, losing homes or land or both. Under Turkish law these people would be allotted cash compensation or an offer of resettlement under Turkish law (Morvaridi, 2002). This compensation plan becomes much more complicated when it is realized that many of the people living in the region do not hold deeds to their land and many have expanded their land without government planning permission (Morvaridi, 2002). Determining who would be eligible for compensation would be a long and painful bureaucratic process that would undoubtedly leave many people unsatisfied. Some have claimed that this project is part of a Turkish plot to expatriate the Kurdish people from their native lands. Human rights NGOs mobilized on behalf of these groups and were able to influence the international financiers into relenting on their backing. However the dam’s constructors and the Turkish government point to the social and economic benefits to the people of Turkey and the direct benefits to the people of the Anatolian provinces. The construction of the dam will bring jobs, training and an influx of money to a previously impoverished region. The availability of ample fresh water for irrigation, possibility of a fishery and tourism opportunities also bear consideration. The possibility exists for real economic and social benefit to the region if the project is handled properly with attention paid to women’s rights and economic opportunities, education and investment in long term planning (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Cultural Issues A second major objection to the dam is archaeological potential of the area. The proposed site has seen much history pass through the area. Mesopotamia was centered here, the Romans conquered the area and the Silk Road wove through what is now South Eastern Turkey. Access to the area was previously restricted due violent conflicts between the Turks and the Kurds but in the lull archaeologists have began excavating the area. One site in particular is Hasankeyf which has visible archaeological evidence dating to 2000 years ago and the ruins may evidence a settlement dating back to 7th century B.C.E (Young, 2000). The excavation of Hasankeyf began in 1986, was stopped in 1991 due to civil strife, and excavation resumed only recently with a laughable grant from the Turkish government of  £15,000 from the Ministry of Culture. The government is spending only  £76,000 in exploring the area agriculturally before the dam is built, a meagre effort at best. Even the Ilisu Engineering Group revealed that some of the worst damage of the dam would be in the loss of untold archaeological treasures (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Political Issues The construction of the Ilisu dam would require the water flow to be suppressed in the construction of the dam. Even the slowing of the flow of the river has consequences for the downstream inhabitants in Syria and Iraq. The people of these countries rely on the river for sanitation, industry and personal use and as the rivers are already over taxed any further reduction will surely have negative consequences on the people of these regions. With the construction of the Ilisu dam reservoir there is the potential that Turkey can fully cut Iraq and Syria off from the flows of these vital rivers. In the coming years when the crisis over water deepens this could be an ill-advised political tactic for Turkey to dominate these nations. Due to the volatile nature of the region it is hoped that it does not come to this. However in 1997 the UN approved the Convention on the Non-Navigational Uses of Transboundary Waterways with a vote of 103: 3. The convention was aimed at preventing damage to international waterways with emphasis on peaceful resolution and prior notification between nations. China, Burundi and Turkey all rejected the treaty (Bosshard, 1998). Dam Alternatives The main focus of the dam is to meet Turkey’s energy needs. In the way of natural energy resources Turkey is scarce. To match the 1,200 MW output of the dam numerous coal, lignite or oil plants would need to be constructed which will have a negative impact on the environment of the region and the globe. In the Ilisu Engineering Group’s 2001 Environmental Impact Assessment the group concluded that it would be necessary to import and consume over 2,500 tons of oil per day, releasing 3 million tons of CO2 per year. A coal plant would do much the same. Photovoltaic technology is not advanced or cost-effective enough to possibly take the place of such a large MW project with the costs being three times per kilowatt what hydroelectricity would cost (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Wind projects are under consideration in Turkey but it will take the construction of wind farms as well as the GAP to meet Turkey’s energy needs in the coming decade. The major avenue for reducing the need to build the dam is in increasing energy efficiency. The Ilisu Engineering Group’s report pointed to this avenue as a necessary one for exploration as Turkey’s energy needs continue to grow. Current Status and Future The Ilisu dam’s future is uncertain as major international funding fell apart over concerns of the dam’s social and ecological impact. In November 2001 the British construction firm Balfour Beatty backed out of the deal as the UK export credit agency pulled its support due to public pressure. Another construction company, Impregilo of Italy, also pulled shortly afterwards and the Swiss bank UBS did the same less than 6 months later (BBC, 2002) Through Turkish government still plans on carrying on the project the lack of financial backing makes it impossible to go forward. For the time being the project is on hold. Recommendations A baseline study of wildlife and ecology with the intention of creating reserves nearby for displaced species. Adequate funding and time for proper exploration of Hasankeyf and investigation of other potential sites. Negotiation with Syria and Iraq on the use of the river. Finding a solution that benefits these nations is vital to the dam’s construction. A plan for compensation of people displaced by the dam. Compensation will need to be based on more than proof of land ownership and a census of the area will be necessary to determine the scope of the compensation plan. Negotiation with the Kurdish people of the region, guaranteeing them a greater say in the compensation funds from the dam and in the monetary benefits to be gained from its construction. Moves to further improve the existing energy infrastructure to ensure maximum benefits are garnered from the dam. Development of industry and agriculture in the area to aid in the development of the region. The Ilisu dam is a highly controversial project is a necessary part of Turkish development, providing energy for tens of thousands of people. Dams, though notorious for displacement of people and conversion of landscapes, are a multi-purpose high energy yielding alternative to fossil or nuclear power generation. In terms of sustainable development they are a much better option than fossil fuel and provide the best energy option until wind and photovoltaic energy technology improves. The dam is controversial and for good reason. The Turkish government must take into account the many parties that will be affected by the dam and work to mitigate their concerns. However without this dam Turkey will be hard pressed to meet energy needs and be able to develop for the social and economic benefits of their people. The Ilisu dam may not be an ideal solution to Turkey’s energy needs but it seems to be the best currently available. Bibliography BBC. 2002. Swiss bank quits Turkish dam project. Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1844465.stm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. Bosshard, P. 1998. Ilisu a Test Case of International Policy Coherence. Berne Declaration, November 1998. Available from http://www.rivernet.org/turquie/ilisu.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005.  © Copyright of European Rivers Network Bruntland, G. (ed.), 1987. Our common future: The World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Carson, R. 1962. Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001. Ilisu Dam and HEPP Environmental Impact Assessment Report. IISD. 2002. Sustainable Development Timeline. Available from http://www.iisd.org/rio+5/timeline/sdtimeline.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. Kaygusuz, K. 1999. Energy and water potential of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). Energy Sources ; Vol. 21 ; Iss: 10 ; PBD: Dec 1999. Morvaridi, B. 2002. Social Review of the Ilisu Dam Resettlement Action Plan. UK Export Credit Guarantee Department. Northwest Texas International Trade Center. 2004. Gap Irrigation Project In Turkey.  © Northwest Texas International Trade Center 2000-2004. Available from http://www.nwtitc.org/gapturkey.htm>. Last accessed April 24th, 2005. Last Updated 02/06/2004. Stern, S. 2004. International Project Finance: The Ilisu Dam Project in 2004 and the Development of Common Guidelines and Standards for Export Credit Agencies. Journal of Structured and Project Finance. New York: Spring 2004.Vol. 10, Iss. 1; p. 46. The World Bank. 2000. Statistics on the World Banks Dam Portfolio. Available from http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/pb/dams/factsheet.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service. 2005. Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP). Available from http://www.fas.usda.gov/remote/mideast_pecad/turkey/turkey.htm>. Last accessed April 24th, 2005. WSSD. 2000. Towards Sustainable Development: A Guide To The Process Towards The U.N. World Summit For Sustainable Development. Johannesburg, 2002 WCD. 2000. Dams and Development – A New Framework for Decision-Making. Young, P. 2000. Hasankeyf: A city in Peril. History Today; Nov 2000; Vol. 50 Iss 1. pg. 3.

International Copyright Circumvention Essay -- Technology Copyright Es

International Copyright Circumvention A little under three years ago, I heard about a case where a programmer had been arrested for a program that bypassed the copy protection mechanisms in one of Adobe's products1. People who have published information on or performed security circumvention in the past, even when done in a non-destructive manner have faced some legal problems. Specifically, it reminded by of the Kevin Mitnick case2 a few years earlier. In that case, a hacker was detained for two years, without bail, pending a trial, for gaining access to (but not damaging) several corporate networks. This new case however had an different twist - the security circumvention was done only to let people access documents that they already had a right to have, and it was done outside the United States. That raises issues regarding the United States having any right to do what they did, and even if they did have the right, was a wrong even committed. This case is an example of something which a decade earlier would never have even been considered to be illegal. But, it falls into in of the heavily opposed section 12013 of the new Digital Millenium Copyright Act which tries to halt circumvention of anti-piracy measures. There was opposition before the law passed, but it became stronger when the DVD CAA tried to oppress distribution of the DeCSS - code that could bypass the encryption used on DVDs.4 (this was before the Abode case) The intended purpose of DeCSS was to facilitate the development of an open-source DVD player. There were no DVD players for Linux, BeOS, FreeBSD, or any of the other operating systems that now have DVD players thanks to the DeCSS code. However, if the DVD can be decrypted and decompressed, it can also be re-compressed and re-distributed in another medium more practical for bootleggers, such as VideoCDs. (Which could also be done simply by playing the DVD in a normal DVD player, recording the output, just not producing as high quality results.) At the time no such re-encoding tools were available, and such behavior would be protected under traditional fair use for personal backups. Furthermore, the code was released anonymously by someone outside the United States. This lead to an initial attack using trade secret laws (The DMCA's anti-circumvention aren't protected by international treaties on copyright such as the Berne c... ...umvention tools is and has been illegal anyway. And trying to aggressively impose the views of our companies on our countries is certainly uncalled for. Works Cited "Fallout From Def Con: Ebook Hacker Arrested by FBI", Slashdot. July 2001 http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/07/17/130226&mode=thread&tid=93 (for more from Slashdot on the case: http://yro.slashdot.org/search.pl?query=Sklyarov) "Free Kevin Mitnick" http://www.freekevin.com/ "Unintended Consequences: Five Years under the DMCA", Electronic Frontier Foundation, http://www.eff.org/IP/DMCA/unintended_consequences.php "CSS and DeCSS", DeCSS Central, http://www.lemuria.org/DeCSS/decss.html "Berne Covention for the Protection of Literary and Scientific Works" http://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/overview.html "Enforcement of DMCA Criminal Penalties Suffers Setback", Copright Corner. March 2003. http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/Copy-corner53.htm Locke, John. "Two Treatise of Government" Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1967. http://www.ecn.bris.ac.uk/het/locke/government.pdf "Constitution for the United States of America" September, 1787. http://www.constitution.org/constit_.htm

Sea World

Sea World Did you ever wish that something amazing would occur in your life, and when your wish is fulfilled, the outcome is better than you imagined? Well ,welcome to my stunning story about my adventurous trip to the Orlando's Sea World Water Park†¦.. The day begun just fine. I was ten years old and it was a few days after I arrived in Florida. It was summer, in the year 2009 and my cousins and I were very bored. Before I arrived in Florida, my aunt promised me that she would have taken me somewhere, but she wasn't sure where as yet.A few minutes later, my older cousin- Que wanner arrived from work, exclaiming that she got free tickets to Sea World. Hearing about it all the time and watching the advertisements on the television, I was really anxious! â€Å"When are we going Que wanner? †, I asked, curiously. â€Å"How about we go now! † she replied. â€Å"Ye aah! † I screamed, ambivalently. I ran to my closet and took out: a pink strapless top,white short shorts, my new swimsuit, my towels and my pink and white hi-top sneakers. After packing my bag, I scampered down the stairs. Everyone was ready except mom. She was having trouble with finding her swimsuit.Five minutes later, we were on our way to Sea World. We laughed and sang until we arrived at the amazing place. I could smell the fresh aromatic scent of the fresh water-park as I stepped out of the car. I heard the birds chirping, a patter and the trees danced with the cool breeze. The first thing I saw, was a huge roller coaster extending over a small building in the sky, that seemed like a mini tower. The water park was colorful and everything was in order. As we were about to enter the building, there was an anile lady shouting and she created a big scene in front of a group of men.I think she was a bit of a coquette. Anyways we continued to enter the park. First, we visited the zoo. There were a lot of cameras flashing, as the different animals posed. We visited the tiger, the zebras,polar-bears,lions,snakes, ,stingrays and other animals. My cousin, a future veterinarian was overwhelmed with joy. After seeing that, we couldn't wait to explore the rest of the park. Secondly,we entered a building with a big aquarium roof and information about rocks made of limestone,and other information about the animals in the aquarium. The building was really pretty ; I couldn't wait to explore more!Third, we we went back outside. We were trying to decide where to visit next but the park was filled with different â€Å"catchy† attractions which made it hard to decide. I saw a big blue roller coaster that shaped like a stingray and a sign-Manta was printed on it. â€Å"Can we try that one? † my cousin Alyssa asked. â€Å"You guys can go but I'm not coming! † mom said nervously. â€Å"Are you scared ! † we teased her. My aunt, my cousins and I headed to the ride. Grandma and mom were sitting on a bench waiting. We walked briskly to the ride and it was also filled with a big aquarium roof, with real animals.At the door,there was a lady checking if we were at the average height to enter to the ride. As we stepped up, she said my aunt,my cousin-David and I were great, but Alyssa didn't make it to the average height. Disappointed, we walked Alyssa back to the bench, and tried to catch the ride. We sat in seats that were set in a horizontal order. It left within five seconds. As my first roller coaster, I was nervous. It carried us all the way in the sky,in the water, then diagonally back into the sky. It ended within one minute. I couldn't wait to race back and tell mommy and grandma about the excitement and the joy I felt on the ride.After talking, we left the park for twenty minutes and went to the nearest Wendy's Restaurant to eat. After eating, we returned to the park. We went on the simulator ride which welcomed relaxation and comfort. Then we went on a water slide which was quite risky, but fun. The place was getting re ally dark, it was 5:42. My aunt said that we would have to leave soon because the park closes at 6:00. We saw a sign that said a show by the famous whale- Shamu. We went into the building and there was a very big pool with deep water and some divers with buckets filled with dead, raw fishes.They were feeding dolphins and whales. As we were watching the show, I observed that the whale-Shamu, was pretty amazing, friendly and he was famous. The audience was cheering as he performed some cool tricks, which entertained me a lot. When the show was over, we were all tired but disappointed because we had to leave . Sea World Water park is the best water park I have ever visited! If I were to recommend a water park to a friend ,or a place to just relax and have some fun, I would really go for Sea World Water Park! MY WONDERFUL TRIP TO SEA WORLD Name:Celine DeCambre

Relationship between Humans and Nature Essay

The relationship between humans and nature is an important topic in which many people contribute ideas to and have done studies on. It is important for people to see that nature is a necessity and that we are responsible for protecting it. In essays and an article, John Steinbeck, Lynn White, Peter Kahn, Rachel Severson, and Jolina Ruckert discuss their beliefs and information they have found to be true about humans and nature living together. In the article â€Å"Americans and the Land†, John Steinbeck talks about the American settlers’ impact on the land. He states that the relationship between humans and nature used to be one of settlers living with or against nature, but has over time come to humans living on or from the land. Steinbeck writes his feelings of humans being very irresponsible in their use of land back in a time when they thought there was an abundance of resources. He writes that people â€Å"burned the forests and changed the rainfall; they swept the buffalo from the plains, blasted the streams, set fire to the grass† (Steinbeck). During the time of the Indians, humans attacked and defended themselves without giving thought to the damage they were causing to their environment around them. To go along with how little Americans thought about the environment, Steinbeck addresses how people went land-mad. Because they had so much of it, â€Å"They cut and burned the forests to make roo m for crops; they abandoned hyknowledge of kindness to the land in order to maintain its usefulness† (Steinbeck). The idea of conservation didn’t much start until after engines and heavy mechanical equipment were in full use. And even since conservation and people finding awe and beauty in  the nation’s national parks, most people don’t think twice about using engines and machines to keep us warm or cool, give us light, or transport us quickly. In response to this essay, I do have to agree that in the past people did not know about the damage they were causing on the earth. However, I disagree with Steinbeck when he says that people do not think twice about using all available technology. I know that through conservation efforts, most everyone is very aware of the impact they have on the environment. Although people are not as in tune with nature as the Native Americans were, I think we could learn from them and appreciate and take more responsibility for nature. Lynn White, Jr.’s essay â€Å"The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis† addresses the relationship between humans and nature by bringing up the issue of what Christianity tells people about their relationship with the environment. It is interesting that White brings up the component of religion in how people treat nature because it is a huge aspect that oftentimes doesn’t get talked about much. White states that Christians believe that God gave them dominance over nature and that it was given to serve man. Because of this dominance that we have, people feel indifferent about exploiting nature and using it to serve themselves. Although I know this is true and is found in Genesis, I believe God intended it differently. I believe that just as God has ultimate rule over the earth and exercises his authority with loving care, he expects humans to do the same with the environment. God was careful in how he made the earth, and He wants us not to be careless and wasteful in how we take care of it. Although, I do agree that this mindset is a problem and has been a problem, so the best way to combat this is to teach Christians to dig deeper in to God’s word to figure out what exactly He means when he says something like that. Peter Kahn, Jr., Rachel L. Severson, and Jolina H. Ruckert discuss the impact on humans of how technological nature is coming to replace actual nature in the essay. In the essay, they come to the conclusion that this replacement causes changes in the physical and psychological well-being of the human species. Kahn, Severson, and Ruckert state that nature is imperative to have in human lives. The authors did a study in which they found that simply  looking outside of a window reduces heart rate which in turn reduces stress. Near the end of the essay, the authors discuss the issue of Environmental Generational Amnesia. This is a condition that humans may face in which, because of â€Å"adapting gradually to the loss of actual nature and to the increase of technological nature, humans will lower the baseline across generations for what counts as a full measure of the human experience and of human flourishing†(Kahn, Severson, and Ruckert, 37). In a study, they figured out that technological nature is better than no nature at all. And they also know that humans have an evolutionary need to affiliate with nature, so we either have to adapt to technological nature, or go extinct. The authors know that talking to people about these environmental issues is becoming harder as most people aren’t aware of or simply don’t believe that they are a problem. I think that this was a very important study to do and shows people the importance and necessity of going out into nature. The relationship between humans and nature is important to everyone because we really can’t escape the fact that we are living together. Knowing the history of why nature is so important to humans can help create a sense of responsibility for its well-being which in turn should unite people to try to make a difference in how we are treating it and using current technology. Because of Kahn, Severson, and Ruckert we now know that nature is something that humans innately need and that increases our health. Reading the ideas and conclusions of these authors about this topic has made me wonder about what my own stance on nature is, how my faith effects that, and if I am substituting technological nature for real nature. Works Cited Kahn, Peter. Severson, Rachel. Ruckert, Jolina. _The Human Relation with Nature and_ _Technological Nature._ (2009). http://depts.washington.edu/hints/publications/Human_Relation_ Technological_Nature.pdf Steinbeck, John. _Americans and the Land._ https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxlbmdsaXNoMTEwMzI4bGN8Z3g6NGIwMDEzNDA4NDhhYzEw White, Lynn. _The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis._ (1974). http://www.uvm.edu/~gflomenh/ENV-NGO-PA395/articles/Lynn-White.pdf

Walking with Dinosaurs essays

Walking with Dinosaurs essays In Walking With Dinosaurs, the film is segmented into stories based on a certain type of dinosaur or a specific period in dinosaur evolution. The first segment of the film focuses on the first dinosaurs, in the Triassic period, 220 million years ago. The Coelophysis is featured here. They show the Coelophysis hunting Placerias, an ancient reptile not related to dinosaurs. They show how the speed and agility of the Coelophysis helped it survive and dominate. Another reptile featured in this segment is the Cynodont. These creatures are referred to in the film as the missing link between mammals and reptiles. They had backbones that moved from side to side as they walked, but they were also covered with fur. The largest carnivore of the period is the Postosuchus. This reptile is a distant relative of the dinosaurs. They only creature that they had to protect themselves from was another Postosuchus. The flying reptile of this period that the documentary shows is the Peteinosaurus. This dinosaur had fingers to protect his wings, which were made of a very fine membrane. The next period they explore is the Jurassic, about 152 million years ago. They describe this as the age of the giants. The first dinosaur they feature is the Diplodocus. They emphasize the length and massive size of the dinosaur, and then go on to show the life span of the Diplodocus from egg to adult. The first Carnisaur shown in this segment is the Ornitholestes, a dinosaur with a crested head and two long clawed fingers. These dinosaurs are connected to the line that led to birds. Stegosauri were also around in this period. They flushed blood into their back plates to frighten away carnivores. Allosaurus preyed on the herbivores of this period as well. The final moments of this segment are dedicated to the Brachiosaurus, a Sauropod much larger than the Diplodocus. Still in the Jurassic period, they move the focus from l...