Monday, November 25, 2019

The Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia

The Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia Introduction The Empty Quarter is also known in Arabic as the Rub’ al Khali, a large desert covers the southern side of Saudi Arabia and forms part of the southeastern part of the Arab peninsula. The region forms the largest desert in the Arab peninsula.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Empty Quarter region has sand dunes that are averagely 600m high and the region experiences summer daytime temperatures of up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures decrease up to 32 degrees Fahrenheit at night. The barrenness of the region, together with the harsh temperature makes its inhospitable. As a result, the area has mainly remained unexplored. This essay is a description of the region that play a key role in the economy of Saudi Arabia and is very important to the world as a source of energy. Despite its recognition as a major oil producer, ot her interests of equal importance exist in the Empty Quarter. Importance of the Empty Quarter Saudi Arabia has concentrated on oil mining as the main source for its foreign exchange reserves despite the fact that the country is endowed with other rich minerals that are yet to be fully exploited. The region is big covering 650,000 square kilometers and starts from Saudi Arabia and covers Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates on the southern part. The Empty Quarter was more hospitable in the past; fossils of hippos indicate that it initially was a wet area before drying up. The inhospitable nature of the region is believed to have started in 300 CE. Historically the region is known for the early civilizations and cities that were constructed in it as well as the trade routes that passed through. Currently, the region is an archeological attraction and several artifacts have been found. The area is known for its prominent role in movies and novels by famous film and book publishing companies in the world. For example, the Empty Quarter has been chosen to be the setting of a new video game for the popular console by Sony, PlayStation 3, which will be released to the public in November.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The sand dunes covering the region are monotonous. The area is secretive and presents wonders, for example although it contains very little vegetation and receives marginal rainfall annually, the area supports a number of animal species. These include, gazelles, Oryx; that are a special breed of antelopes with straight horns, sand cats, which are beautiful wild cats that get their water supply from their animal preys. In addition, there are spiny tailed lizards. These animals surface at the desert immediately after the winter rains and bring back the life of the region that is otherwise nonexistent. The subsequent dissertation th at has occurred over the years is responsible for the formation of vast oil reserves beneath the sand dunes that now make up mountain like structures in this region. The oil deposits of the Empty Quarter amount to 7 billion barrels, making it the second largest reserve in the world. There is an increasing interest by oil and gas exploration companies in the region that is informed by the discovery of the new fields that are yet to be covered with the current gas-oil separation plants and their vast resources. In the oil production business, the north eastern part of the Empty Quarter is the main exploited oil part in the region. During the early times of the oil exploration and production, there were few companies; however, the discovery of huge oil reserves in the region attracted interest from a worldwide pool of companies in the oil and gas industry. Other Endowments of the Region Other than the oil and gas industry, the Empty Quarter is attractive for the Hotel and Tourism indus try. The popularity of desert tourism, which includes camel rides and festival, is a recent export of the region to the world. The vastness of the desert is attractive for tourists seeking to enjoy the sand and sun at their own discretion. In addition, the land availability attracts investors wishing to set up resorts to accommodate such tourists.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Historically deserts have been associated with camels and caravans; a recollection of this experience is now possible in the Empty Quarter with the advent of desert tourism service. Investors are keen to maintain the traditional concept of the desert history while adding modern facilities to accommodate tourists who otherwise would be unable to survive in the harsh desert conditions as the locals do. Another attraction of the desert is sky watching for sky lovers. The vastne ss of land without settlements and obstructions makes it a wonderful for night sky watching. To increase the attractiveness of the region, hotel and tourism investors artificially construct oases to complete the relaxation experience of their guests away from the congestion of cities in a quiet environment occasioned by regular sound waves of winds blowing on sand dunes (Construction Week Para.2-5). The Empty Quarter is also endowed with another energy source other than oil. The second energy source, solar, abundant in the Empty Quarter dessert, is renewable and has attracted a considerable interest from renewable energy interest groups and green crusaders. On the contrary, the oil reserve in the Empty Quarter is a non-renewable resource and therefore each successful drilling and production depletes the remaining reserve of the region. The growth of the world economy and especially in the Far East region has resulted to an increased demand for oil and gas as a source of energy. The expanding middle class in newly industrialized countries such as China and India as well as their rapidly growing manufacturing and construction industries drives the demand for oil and thereby increases its depletion from the Empty Quarter. Emerging Interests New technology has made it possible to prospect for minerals and archeological artifacts and this has catalyzed a renewed interest on the area. Solar energy is now touted as the next frontier because of its renewability and its abundance in the region.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the current development of solar power technology is still a limiting factor. The Saudi government still depends on the oil revenue from the region and as a result has been less concerned about the environmental pollution that the occurs in the area as a result of the oil industry. This negligence is also aided by the fact that the region is vastly bare apart from seasonal small animal appearances and oases. However, this does not absolve the region of air pollution that is associated with oil and gas emissions in the separation plants (Falola and Genova p.175). Conclusion The Empty Quarter is a unique and economically important region that makes up almost half of the southern part of Saudi Arabia. Its endowment with natural resources makes it the backbone of the Saudi economy. New developments in the region aided by advanced technology are seeking to override, albeit slowly, the overall dominance of the oil industry. Construction Week. The Liwa Desert Hotel, Empty Quarter . 8 June 2010. Construction Week. Retrieved from https://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-8592-tilal-liwa-desert-hotel-empty-quarter. Falola, Toyin and Ann Genova. The Politics of the Global Oil Industry: An Introduction. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005. MaxCalderan. Empty Quater. 14 August 2010. MaxCalderan. Retrieved from https://www.maxcalderan.net/. Wise Geek. What is the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia. n.d. Wisegeek.com. Retrieved from https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-empty-quarter-of-saudi-arabia.htm.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Ethics of Product Pricing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics of Product Pricing - Essay Example Two, more common arguments, put forward by these companies are that they need to cover R & D costs and they have to cover the development costs before the product becomes obsolete. R & D costs are those costs associated with manufacture of the drugs, research done to find the cure of a disease and any other costs that are bore by the drug manufacturing companies in order to bring their product in the final shape, one that is presented to the consumers for sale. These costs are often very high and in order to cover those costs products are marked-up with these costs against the expected sales. Similarly, whenever a company develops a product, it saves its rivals from spending on the research and they use the research done by the original developer and enjoy free-riding at the expenses of the first developer. So, firms are forced to cover those costs before the patent expires and rivals start copying the drug. As a result, they charge high price to cover these costs during the time whe n patent is still active. As a result, this behavior is reflected in high prices for the consumers. John Rawl’s theory of distributive justice was based on equity and liberty. It focuses on equal distribution of assets between different members of the community. Rawls also stressed that everything must be done in an act of achieving fairness. He negated the idea that actions of one person should harm another person. This can be related to the pharmaceutical industry in a way that both rich and poor in the society should receive equal health care regardless of their abilities to pay. This will create an atmosphere in the society that will lubricate the process of societal goods in which all will work towards a common aim of doing something good for society. For example, drug companies might share R & D costs, in order to provide good for the consumers or society by providing them cheaper medicines. Similarly, it can also

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Argue for or against the elimination of speed limits Essay

Argue for or against the elimination of speed limits - Essay Example (Reddy) Germany's autobahn is free of speed limits for most of its 12,000 km. The Germans' pride in their free-speed autobahn is wellknown. The autobahn was in the news recently when Greenpeace ctivists put up banners that read "120", demanding a speed limit of 120 km/h on the Autobahn. But the powerful German car makers' lobby disagrees. Car manufacturers argue that emissions from cars are already very low. Limiting the speed has no additional benefit, they say. One car maker went as far as to say that the idea of speed limits was like "hitting the automobile industry between its legs!" (Connolly) This is not surprising, since car manufacturers promote their products as macho machines. Reckless speed is equated to manliness. Their stance that emissions from cars are low does not address the safety issue or the fuel wastage. Predictably, politicians are on the back foot - unpopular decisions are best postponed indefinetely. The public mood in Germany is also said to be one of "anger" - anger at the perceived erosion of their freedom. A strong, sustained campaign targeted at the grass roots is the need of the hour.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Short Essay on Gender Stereotypes (450 words) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Short on Gender Stereotypes (450 words) - Essay Example rest in issues related to punctuality attendance and priorities involving family concerns to undermine women’s capability in performance (McDermott, 2007, p31). In this context, women are assigned duties that limit their potential as certain responsibilities as managerial posts are left a reserve for men. In light of the above issue, when a man exhibits enthusiasm and drive to similar portfolios, his behavior would be granted as normal whereas to the female she might be branded as aggressive, which is attributed to outdated sex roles and socialization (Cranny-Francis, 2003, p45). However, the reality is that having more women in positions of power affects gender wage inequality as much of the gap in wages stem from occupational sorting Peterson (Cranny-Francis, 2003, p47). Therefore, placement of women in managerial and supervisory occupations should mitigate gender wage gap. Salaries of women in managerial and supervisory positions should also be updated and earn more wages than male employees who are their juniors. This will be a major step in eliminating female stereotyping that they are inferior to men. Currently, the increase of female managers in various organizations has been characterized by a decrease in the wage gap among managers. This is the reason as to why female manage rs still earn fewer wages and are less powerful than men (Cranny-Francis, 2003, p89). Women in the positions of power serve as mentors to other women. This can also mitigate gender difference through increasing number of women in positions of power. Placing women in managerial posts is necessary because, if inequality lessens under women, then existence of mentor women might have an unbalanced representation over time. Clothing is one is one of most visible consumption performing a major role in the social construction of identity. It is one of the most visible makers of social status and gender. Therefore, it is useful in maintaining or subverting symbolic boundaries. It has shown

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Reflection on the Role of Consumption in Everyday Life

Reflection on the Role of Consumption in Everyday Life Meghan Tenorio Consumption in Everyday Life Eating a hamburger. Buying a t-shirt. Buying a car. Buying gasoline. Just a few things that everyone will do or will most likely do in their lifetime. Consumption is the using up of goods and services by consumer purchasing or in the production of other goods. Someone in the field of international studies can be looking for a relationship between consumption and its role in the environment, national identity, gender, and economic development. Consumption’s role in daily life is inevitable, and as we advance further into the 21st century we can see just how much it connects the people as a whole. â€Å"A pound of sugar is only a quantity, a convenient load, not an object in itself. The book, however – and here it prefigures the durables of our time – is a distinct, self-contained object, exactly reproduced on a large scale. One pound of sugar flows into the next; each book has its own eremitic self-sufficiency† (Anderson 34). This quote is just an example of the simultaneous consumption of the newspaper-as-fiction. Consumption may never be predictable. While â€Å"particular morning and evening editions will overwhelmingly be consumed between this hour, and that, only on this day, not that; sugar, the use of which proceeds in an unclocked, continuous flow; it may go bad, but it does not go out of date† (Anderson 35). Consumption is also not limited to one thing at a time; it may be and usually is simultaneous. As the same newspaper reader reads on the subway or in the barbershop while getting his hair cut, he is performing multiple acts of consumpt ion at once. This assures the reader that the world is visibly rooted in the act of consumption in everyday life. Print-capitalism, a possible form of consumption, is a way that communities can achieve a sense of national identity and connect on a profound level. â€Å"Hence, the printer’s office emerged as the key to North American communications and community intellectual life† (Anderson 61). Assuming that consumption is a social process says that our identity focuses on symbolic aspects rather than the actual material consumption. In the book Eaarth by Bill McKibben consumption is spoken about in the sense of environment – water, land, and especially forms of energy. It is one of the main reasons that the earth is where it is right now – slowly (or perhaps not as slowly as we thought) degrading into earth where any kind of adaptation will prove impossible. As he states, â€Å"Global warming is no longer a philosophical threat, no longer a future threat, no longer a threat at all. It’s our reality. We’ve changed the planet, changed it in large and fundamental ways†¦ We need now to understand the world that we’ve created, and consider – urgently – how to live in it† (McKibben Xiv). The Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius offers the idea a century ago that we were â€Å"evaporating our coal mines into the air,† and calculated that this could eventually raise temperatures, but nobody seemed to pay much attention. We’re not going to get back th e planet we once had. â€Å"We’re like the guy who ate steak for dinner every night and let his cholesterol top 300 and had a heart attack. Now he dines on Lipitor and walks on the treadmill, but half his heart is dead tissue† (McKibben 16). Through high levels of consumption, we’ve burned the coal and the oil, and released the first dose of carbon, that carbon that raised the temperature enough to start the process in motion. Once it’s in motion there is nothing to shut it off but can only be slightly lessened. Without even realizing it â€Å"†¦now, we’ve turned our cars and factories into junior volcanoes, and so we’re not just producing carbon faster than the plant world can absorb it; we’re also making it so hot that the plants absorb less carbon than they used to† (McKibben 23). From the time that we wake up, the second we turn on that coffee pot till the second we turn off the lights and go to bed (don’t forge t the furnace or the air-conditioner that is probably still running) we are burning coal and gas and oil. Our tendency for consumption – not only consumption but more specifically over-consumption – is why we are where we are environmentally. â€Å"Richard Heinberg, the analyst who was one of the first to alert the world to the impending oil peak, once compiled a list of things made from oil that ran from computer chips, insecticides, anesthetics, and fertilizers, right through lipstick, perfume, and pantyhose to aspirin and parachutes† (McKibben 30). These are just a few products that we all consume in one way, or another. This consumption, the overuse of oil, is leading to global warming. It is possible to slow down the growth but only with the cooperation on a small scale – â€Å"small, not significant; dispersed, not centralized† (McKibben 120). All this can add up to the results we are looking for. This means reshaping our society. Growth and expansion requires a kind of centralization: a concentration of resources and the need for consumption. What we are looking for is the opposite. Our earth may never be the same, but at least we will still have an earth to thrive on in whatever shape or form. Consumption has a huge involvement in economic development in the way that whatever we consume benefits the economy. This holds true to many products: food, beauty products, intangible items, and even something as simple as a plain white cotton t-shirt. In the book The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli it shows many examples of how consumption all over the world can have effects on the growth of the economy in the U.S. The shirts that have the â€Å"Made in China† label are usually made out of cotton that comes from Texas. Texas cotton doesn’t brag about where it was born and raised: †Desolate, hardscrabble, and alternately baked to death, shredded by windstorms, or pummeled by rocky hail, west Texas will never have much of a tourist trade† (Rivoli 3). However, there is a very good chance that your t-shirt and mine were born there in a city called Lubbock, the self-proclaimed â€Å"cottonest city† in the world. Cotton may see m like an unlike candidate for economic success in the United States, but the consumption rates prove it to be a good candidate as most of cotton comes from the U.S. Cotton growers can also appeal to other aspects of consumption than only t-shirts. â€Å"Connoisseurs agree that when it comes to frying chips, cottonseed oil is best† (Rivoli 52). Colgate-Palmolive is also a major customer when it comes to cottonseed oil. This just proves the fact that consumption occurs in multiple ways at once – from the cotton to the cottonseed oil – and, therefore, can help the economic growth and stability more rapidly. Although, because of the abundance of cotton growers in the U.S., other countries fail to find economic stability through cotton production itself as well as the U.S. has. Consumption is an everyday thing and starts as soon as you wake up right up until you turn the lights off at night. It has its benefits up to a set point but also needs to be regulated if we want to maintain a livable planet. Consumption can be a social act, as well as materialistic. Either way, consumption as a whole benefits our national identity and economic development, though if not taken down to the local level it could be harmful to our environment and planet as we know it. Works Cited Anderson, Benedict R. OG. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso, 1991. Print. McKibben, Bill. Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet. New York: Times, 2010. Print. Rivoli, Pietra. The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power and Politics of World Trade. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, 2005. Print.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Free Essays on A Dolls House: An Essay :: Dolls House essays

A Doll House A Doll House was one of Henrik Ibsen's most controversial plays. He wrote this realistic play in 1879. Ibsen's writing style of realism was clearly shown in this play. This play was controversial at the time it was written, shocking conservative readers. But, at the same time, the play served as a rallying point for supporters of a drama with different ideas. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the Art Nouveau style became an international movement. For the first time in decorative arts history there was a simultaneous movement throughout Europe and America. Art Nouveau brought the finest designers and craftsmen together in order to design buildings, furniture, wallpaper, fabrics, ceramics, metalwork and glasswork. Art Nouveau was considered more than a style, it was a philosophy. From this philosophy carefully designed articles for the home were designed intended to fit into the scheme of the whole Art Nouveau style. Line was the most important aspect of the Art Nouveau period. Art Nouveau was a rebellion against machine made articles of the 19th century that were copies of past designs. Art Nouveau was also a reaction against the old Victorian tradition. Art Nouveau designers borrowed from the past but because of the emphasis on line and adaptation of natural forms to design. Art Nouveau is easily distinguishable from any other p eriod in decorative arts. In conjunction with Art Nouveau style, the Edwardian style of costume and dress was also implemented during this time period. The Edwardian style embodied both extravagance and pageantry. A Doll House was a play written well ahead of its time. This play was written in a time when it was considered an outrage for a woman such as Nora not only to display a mind of her own, but also to leave her husband in order to obtain her freedom. This play relates to the Art Nouveau and Edwardian period because just as the furniture and clothing were considered decorative pieces, so were women. Women were expected only to tend to the husband's and children's needs. Women were not supposed to do anything without first consulting the husband and certainly never do anything without his prior knowledge and approval. Women were expected to be at home and always looking presentable for their husbands. *Please note all visual elements for this term paper can be viewed at the conclusion of this project.