Samstag, 13. Dezember 2008
'Masdar Plan': Article Summary
The article ‘Masdar Plan’ discusses the ambitious project that is currently being put into practice in Abu Dhabi, the Masdar initiative which was unveiled in 2006. The Masdar initiative consists of a research institute for environmental technologies, an investment arm for these technologies and an eco-city; it aims to find solutions for global energy security issues, climate change and sustainable human development. Though this project will not have an effect on Abu Dhabi’s environmental impact (carbon footprint), since it is too tiny to negate the fact that people from countries in the UAE have the highest greenhouse gas emissions per head, it is a step to diversify the economy in preparation for when its primary income, oil, runs out.
The Masdar Initiative is, unlike other extravagant projects on Abu Dhabi’s part, continuing in construction. A grant of $15 billion from the government is, in addition to investments into different areas of the project by companies such as Credit Suisse, the financial means of this project. Constructing the facilities in an environmentally friendly way is proving to be a difficulty, since, for example, the concrete and steel being used has to have a high recycled component. One branch of this project is the Masdar Institute for Science and Technology (MIST) that, with the aid of MIT, is recruiting and training faculty to teach the students, who will first be admitted in 2009. MIST is appealing to great minds with the promise of minimal teaching requirements, many opportunities to pursue research, and the ‘open laboratory’. The eco-friendly city, Masdar City, has received most scrutiny, since its promise of zero-carbon emissions seems a bit overambitious, especially when considering the harsh environmental conditions. It plans to do this by using the most efficient & beneficial technologies to benefit the environment. Buildings are created to be extremely energy efficient, solar panels are being installed throughout the city and in large areas to provide the energy needed, water will be recycled, cars are prohibited, personal rapid transport pods are the only means of fast transportation, and the greenery is chosen according to its drought resistant properties. In addition, space has consciously been left for new technologies of the future. Overall, the project is due to be completed in 2016.
This project is considered to be more of a development project than an environmental one. Its hopes of producing more energy than it consumes are not within reach at this moment; its claim to producing zero carbon is, at the moment, slightly false. This is because the primary energy providers, solar panels, cannot generate enough energy to power the city by night. Gas-fired power is currently being imported until better solar energy storing technologies are developed. Overall, Masdar still has a long way to go until it can truly have an impact.
Samstag, 6. Dezember 2008
'Green Iron': Article Summary
The article ‘Green iron’ was published on Economist.com on the 14th of November 2008. The link to the article is: http://www.economist.com/research/articlesbysubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=348924&story_id=12587219
Iron is normally not associated with having any sort of outstanding advantages with regards to preserving the environment. However, iron shavings can now be utilized as a cheap, efficient and quick way to clean industrially polluted water, as a research project in China demonstrates. The method was applied to a wastewater facility in the Taopu district of Shanghai, where small pharmaceutical, petrochemical and textile factories contaminate the water with dyes, phosphorus and nitrogen. This method, only recently developed but based on prior information, is applied to industrial waste water since the standard water cleaning system isn’t effective if water contains toxic and non-biodegradable compounds. The idea is simple; the waste water passes through iron shavings, which are cheap and readily available (treated with a solution of copper chloride to increase their effectiveness), which attract the non-biodegradable chemicals, react with them by sharing electrons and therefore degrade them. After this, the water can be treated as normal waste water. The method has been proven to work, at least at this small of a scale, since it, for example, the removal of nitrogen went from 13% to 85%. At 20 cents a kilogram in China, with an additional 5 cents for the treatment with the copper chloride solution, the iron shavings method developed by Dr. Wei-Xian Zhang could prove to be especially useful in developing countries. Already, larger wastewater plants that apply this method are being planned in China and, hopefully, this idea will be picked up by other countries as well.
Sonntag, 30. November 2008
'Eating Carbon': Article Summary
Past methods of carbon dioxide emission reduction include pumping the gas into underground caverns or into old oil fields. However, peridotite, a rock found in the upper mantle of the earth, has a huge appetite for the gas that can be increased with human interference; it therefore presents an alternate method. Though the rock’s original location, 20 km from the surface, would pose a difficulty in reaching it, plate tectonics have forced parts of the mantle, and therefore peridotite, to the surface. This has occurred in, for example, the Omani desert and along the coasts of Greece and Croatia. Peridotite, when exposed to air, reacts quickly with carbon dioxide to form carbonates such as limestone; this has been known to geologists for some time.The application of the use of peridotite has experienced some difficulties. For example, it has been suggested that ground up peridotite could be used to soak up power stations emissions; however, transport would be very costly and create more emissions. An alternative was presented by Peter Kelemen and Juerg Matter, from Columbia University, stating that channeling the emissions from their production site to underground layers of peridotite would be more efficient. Peridotite absorption rates could further be increased by drilling and fracturing the rock. Alone the Omani deserts outcrop could absorb 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year, a large fraction of the 30 billion tons that humans produce in a year. Therefore, peridotite has the potential to significantly decrease the carbon dioxide levels in certain regions, though it is limited by the fact that it is only located in a few select locations.
Sonntag, 16. November 2008
'Pay the Piper': Article Summary
This article deals with Obama’s ambitious plans in regard to improving America’s and, as a result, the World’s environment, though these face certain difficulties. These plans include the goal to, by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below the rates of 1990, as well as the $150 billion energy overhaul plan. However, three factors also play a role in the future execution of these plans and these are the Congress, the economic crisis as well as the public and their interests.
One would think that since the Democrats are the majority in both houses of congress, Obama would have little difficulty in, for example, passing environmentally friendly bills or in receiving the funding for his projects. However, the Republicans retain enough power to put an indefinite veto on certain bills. In addition, the newly elected democrats have a more moderate stance, rather than a liberal one. The second factor that is hindering Obama’s environmental initiative is the recent economic crisis. Though it is a popular belief that investing heavily into the environmental market will also stabilize the economy, little proof supports this thesis. Big spending to impact America’s rate of emissions or increasing the price of fossil fuels are two options that both would negatively affect the economy or the political image. Therefore it would be easier to tackle one obstacle at a time, starting with the economic crisis. Finally, the economic crisis caused a further decrease in public interest for the environment. The publics worry about global warming is overshadowed by their demand for lower fuel prices.
The best option, it is suggested, is to force polluters to pay for the damage they inflict; however, this repercussion would now extend to the entire American population, not only the large corporations. This contradicts the message that politicians are trying to send; resolving the environmental issue would also relieve the economic situation. Well, you can’t have everything.
Mittwoch, 12. November 2008
Annotated Bibliohraphy
"About Altria Overview." Altria. 2008. Altria Group Inc.. 3 Nov 2008
This website is a resource that provides insight on what type of public image the Altria Group is trying to promote and maintain. It does so by giving information on what companies Altria owns, the people it employs and the conditions they work in, the Groups philosophy and goals as well as the financial stance of the group. Though the site clearly aims to manipulate the viewer by emphasizing the positive aspects of the company, such as the diversity in employment, and keeps the negative aspects extremely vague, this in itself is of value since it demonstrates the Altria mindset. Overall, the information the site provides in addition to it illustrating the real aims of the Altria Group make it a valuable source.
"Altria Group." Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. 31 October 2008. Wikimedia Foundation Inc. 3 Nov 2008
This site gives the general idea of what the Altria Group is by touching on the group’s holdings, its history, the corporate governance and the tobacco brand names it owns. Its main focus is on the tobacco component of the company, only mentioning the company’s interests in the food industry in the history. The author of the page is clearly more concerned with the tobacco aspect of the company, though the page strives to be objective in its detailed history. Nonetheless, the detailed history of Philip Morris as well as the information given on the group’s brand name holdings and board of directors proves to be very useful. All in all, the site is a good starting point to the research, though its focal point and biased bibliography could manipulate the reader’s opinion.
Dresler, Carolyn.Marks, Stephen P., 1943- The Emerging Human Right to Tobacco Control
Human Rights Quarterly - Volume 28, Number 3, August 2006, pp. 599-651
This article explains the human right to tobacco control that, in addition to other efforts to control the morbidity and mortality rates related to the tobacco industry’s actions, should be implemented more vigorously in today’s society. The Section dealing with the public perspective on tobacco control discusses the effects of tobacco today on public health, the environment and work conditions, in addition to making bleak predictions on worldwide conditions in future. It relates these problems back to the tobacco industry’s relentless aggressive expansion and marketing. The authors focus clearly rests on the health and societal issues caused by smoking and the tobacco industry, which, it can be argued, are largely responsible for these effects. However the author fails to mention the factor that people do make the conscious decision to smoke even though they are fully aware of the consequences. Overall, this article provides valuable statistics and information on the tobacco industry, even if it fails to mention one fact that cannot be blamed on the tobacco industry.
"ETS Strategy: Corporate Affairs PM -USA." Legacy Tobacco Documents Library. University of California. 4 Nov 2008
This document, a corporate affairs report of Philip Morris USA, deals with the ‘problem’ of ETS (also known as second-hand smoke) and how to alter and manipulate public opinion on it. The document shows several plans of action to alter the public opinion, which include shifting the blame on general bad indoor air quality, giving credibility to funded research with respected members of the academic community and by using all possible resources to bring ‘research’ results to the public. This document clearly illustrates Philip Morris’s awareness of the public’s concern and the health issues regarding second hand smoke as well as its strategy to eliminate all public doubts. Though the document was created in 1989, it is still an excellent example of the tobacco industry’s initiative to manipulate the public opinion, providing deeper insight on the steps that are taken to pacify the public.
K. Jackler, Robert. "Not a cough in a Carload." Stanford University: School of Medicine. Stanford Universtiy. 4 Nov 2008
This site provides visual proof of the history of consumer manipulation conducted by the cigarette industry by using tobacco ads of the late 1920’s to early 1950’s and supplementing these with short explanations. Visuals illustrate that advertisements used ‘medical’ authority, targeted women and younger generations, made claims to purity and mildness and generally manipulated the consumer in a seemingly obvious fashion long before social awareness had been raised. Though the site solely focuses on the history of consumer manipulation, since the creator of the site, with the aid of several family members, created it to commemorate another family member’s death due to lung cancer, it still provides good primary sources . The subjective view on the cigarette companies misleading the consumers of this site is compensated by the quality of the visuals it supports its explanations with.
McDaniel, Patricia. "Philip Morris’s Project Sunrise: weakening tobacco control by working with it." University of California Postprints. 2006. University of California. 4 Nov 2008
This document deals with the analysis of Philip Morris’s ‘Project Sunrise’ that aimed to ensure the social acceptability of smoking and the company’s existence itself mainly by weakening its opponents by working with them. It gives a detailed analysis of the strategies Philip Morris developed to modify public opinion (for example, the creation of ‘truth squads’, that promoted the Philip Morris point of view in the media), its ‘counterattacks’ targeting tobacco control activists public image and the overall success of this campaign. Though this document uses overly negative terminology to describe Philip Morris’s strategy of public manipulation, all the information given was taken primarily from formerly private documents of the company itself. Overall, the strong bibliography that cites a spectrum of resources as well as the mostly objective analysis of Philip Morris’s strategy to alter public opinion from 1995-2006 make this document a very valuable source.
Moskowitz, Michael, Robert Levering, and Michael Katz. Everybody's Business: A Field Guide to the 400 Leading Companies in America. 1st Ed. New York: Doubleday, 1990.
The book not only summarizes Philip Morris’s company structure; it also explains Philip Morris’s history, global influence and social responsibility in the years leading up to 1990. It focuses specifically on the company’s tendency to strive for the ‘first place’ in all areas, as illustrated by the purchase of General Foods and Kraft, leading food companies in the U.S. In addition, it cites the work conditions of the company, which are exemplary in regard to minority groups, as well as its policy of non-acknowledgement of the blatant health issue regarding smoking. Though the book presents a fairly balanced image of Philip Morris, placing the company under the chapter named ‘Sin’ illustrates the author’s bias. Nevertheless, the book is a good source since it provides insight on the corporate philosophy, its stance in the world market in the late 20th century and its general public image, however vague some of the statements made in the book may be.
"News from the schools, February 2008." Economist.com. 27 Feb 2008. The Economist Newspaper. 4 Nov 2008
This article, though it deals primarily with the controversial issue of the usefulness of MBA degrees, also touches on the tobacco industry’s involvement in these schools. It illustrates Altria’s strategy of reaching the younger demographic by, for example, funding student groups and research programs, apparently to aid the educational system. The article uses the example of the McCombs School of Business, who stopped funding by Altria due to ethical reasons, to illustrate the tobacco industry’s false intentions. Though the article may be biased since it doesn’t consider the fact that the tobacco industry may have a genuine interest in supporting the youth of today, it still provides an excellent example of the tobacco industry’s involvement in many areas to expand its market.
Smith, Elizabeth A., and Ruth E. Malone.. "Philip Morris's Health Information Web Site Appears Responsible but Undermines Public Health." Public Health Nursing 25.6 (Nov. 2008): 554-564. Advanced Placement Source. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 5 Nov. 2008
This document deals with the false or incomplete information placed on the internet that can mislead consumers of the tobacco industry. It states that Philip Morris’s website from 1999 to 2008 had undergone important changes, from at first hardly mentioning the health issues related to smoking, to acknowledging the existence of scientific consensus on the risks of smoking to, finally, agreeing to the blatant health issue that cigarettes present (though stating this in a hardly comprehensible manner). Through the use of vague language, contradictory statements and association with health organizations whose tobacco control initiatives Philip Morris has repeatedly undermined, this website was created to mislead the consumer. The detailed analysis of the aspects Philip Morris tries to manipulate on its website is what makes this source valuable.
"Some of the "Most Wanted" Corporate Human Rights Violators." Global Exchange. 02 Dec 2007. Global Exchange. 4 Nov 2008
This website provides information on the corporations that are known to for their violations against the human rights. The site states that the Altria Group’s crime is the aggressive selling and marketing of cigarettes, which is the second major cause of preventable death in the world. The site makes certain allegations against Philip Morris and Altria in general that it does not support with sufficient examples or backed up statistics. In addition, the human rights abuses taking place in the tobacco production business are not mentioned. However, the site still provides useful information on Altria’s actions and their effects as well as information on who is working to counteract the company’s behavior.
"Tobacco Advertising Gallery." Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. 4 Nov 2008
This site provides examples of tobacco ads from all over the world. Its main purpose is to illustrate visually the massive amounts of money that goes into the promotion of cigarettes per year. It also shows, in sharp contrast, the miniscule amount of advertisements that campaign against smoking. Of course the site could be falsely portraying this balance since it obviously cannot illustrate all the advertisements for and against smoking that currently exist in the world. Nevertheless, it still is of value since it provides visuals of the presence of the tobacco industry in many forms, not only in posters.
Tozun, Ned . "Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris International." Students for Informed Career Decisions. 14 July 2000. Stanford University. 5 Nov 2008
This site gives a company profile of Philip Morris up to date to 2000, clearly illustrating its pro’s and con’s as well as providing financial information. The website focuses mainly on the company’s position in regard to the environment and its policies of advertising towards the youth. The author is clearly opposed to the tobacco industry, since although Philip Morris also is involved in Kraft foods; the environmental issues of Kraft are not mentioned. The site illustrates that the primary concerns of college students today in regard to future employment lie in the environmental and social scope. However, this site still proves to be valuable since it clearly distinguishes the pros and cons of Philip Morris.
"WHO REPORT on the global TOBA CCO epidemic, 2008." World Health Organization. 2008. World Health Organization (WHO). 4 Nov 2008
This site, in addition to providing statistics and information on the tobacco epidemic as well as on what is being done/should be done against it, clearly states reasons as to why all this is to be blamed on the tobacco industry. Since this site mainly deals with world health, it focuses on smoking related statistic and aims to promote health by reducing smoking effectively. It also states that the tobacco industry’s policy of aggressive marketing and expansion is to blame, the exploitation of workers being an additional problem to this. Although it doesn’t mention that a person’s choice to smoke also plays a role in this epidemic, the information given is factual. Therefore this site, though it doesn’t mention other faults of the tobacco industry, such as its effect on the environment, is very reliable since its sole purpose is to provide accurate world statistics and health information.
Dienstag, 11. November 2008
'Green, easy and wrong'; Article Summary
The article ‘Green, easy and wrong’ deals with two of the critical issues of today, the economic crisis and global warming, and the solution that has been proposed to eliminate the both of them. To solve these two problems governments have to invest in green technology which will, in turn, boost the demand for it while easing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. Though this theory has become popular worldwide, it has gained most attention and momentum in America, where billion dollar proposals for ‘green investment’ are being pushed, in the hopes of creating millions of new workplaces. From the historical viewpoint, the solution should work since past synergy between two goals had been successful. However, one consequence of similar plans including subsidies was increasing food prices affecting the developing countries, due to overinvestment in the ethanol business. It seems that, though commitment to climate change and giving the economy a boost as separate entities are good proposals, combining the two by funding renewable energy will not succeed. Instead, a system similar to the European model, which makes polluters pay for their CO2 emissions and by reduces the cost of clean energy, should be developed.
Personally, I don’t think two problems that span the entire globe can a) be solved by one countries initiative alone and b) be solved by such a seemingly simple solution. Granted, the above stated solution does not consider all possible deciding factors that would be involved in the elimination of these problems, though I am sure they are where the decisions for ‘Green New Deal’ are being made. However, chances are that the environment alone needs a lot more than just change in energy sources in order to slow or even halt the effects of global warming. Then again, the easiest solutions are known to be the right ones.
Montag, 10. November 2008
'Forest-friendly Farming': Article Summary
This article deals with the subject of how there is a possible variation to farming, which could lessen the negative impact of farming on the environment. It is common knowledge that all around the world, species are endangered or disappearing because their natural habitat is turned into farm land; this is especially applicable in the tropics. However, a team of researchers of Stanford University have discovered a method of farming, employed in the Western Ghats (mountain range in south-west India) that, although the area has been cultivated for over 2,000 years, still sustains its biodiversity. This is because the locals mainly cultivate areca palms, which are large, free standing trees, providing a habitat for the regional forest birds. These palms are usually grown alongside other species such as vanilla and bananas, which makes the plantations structurally complex therefore making them, like the forest, compatible for many species. Moreover, these plantations rely on mulches made of leaf debris coming from the forest, therefore making this form of agriculture dependent on an intact ecosystem.
Of course the solution here isn’t to start planting areca palms instead of rice; it is the cultivation of multiple crops, in addition to being slightly dependent on natural resources. This would, potentially, allow for benefits both economically and environmentally. Although this method may work in the given environment, I don’t believe it can be applied to all regions in the world. Firstly, certain regions may depend solely on one crop, which of course is potentially devastating in economic terms; however, changes to this system would probably do more harm than good. Secondly, the climate has to be right for a variety of plants to grow in. Moreover, this step does not really solve the problem for the need of farmland. It is a good step towards preserving the biodiversity in certain areas, yet it isn’t applicable to the entire world.
Samstag, 1. November 2008
'How green was my valley?' : Article Summary
Kashmir valley has been regarded as one of the most beautiful places on earth; this is all due to the Kolahoi Glacier, located in the Himalayas, which is a frozen reservoir of fresh water that keeps the valley fertile. However, due to decades of human conflict and apparent climate changes, it is melting away at an alarming rate. Though the environmental issue has not been the focus of attention, due to the fact that the area of Kashmir has been disputed by India and Pakistan for decades, making it dangerous to even establish regular monitoring of the glacier, the looming environmental disaster has finally been acknowledged.
The disappearance of this glacier not only threatens to make Kashmir a water stressed area; it would also threaten the livelihood of millions. Though the beauty of this valley, due to its fertility, is a causal factor for the dispute over it, losing it would mean that no water supplies would be available during May and June. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) accused the government of treating environmental issues as afterthoughts to politics. Without any preventative measures, the Kolahoi glacier could be gone within 10 years, making Kashmir a very undesirable place to be.
Donnerstag, 30. Oktober 2008
The dry last pitch: Article Summary
‘The dry last ditch’ focuses on the problems of Australia’s biggest river system; the Darling and the Murray River, both severely affected by the worst drought of the century in addition to constant farm irrigation. The Australian federal government as well as the New South Wales (NSW) state government is trying to hinder the complete ‘annihilation’ of this river system on which so many depend with the water –buyback – scheme. This scheme involves buying water entitlements from farmers, which would reduce the amount of farm irrigation that uses up unusually high amounts of water. An example of this is Toorale, a 91000 hectare large farm, whose antique water storing system’s inefficiency allows for the evaporation of 2 meters of stored water per year. The government hopes to send back 14 billion liters to the rivers, which was the amount Toorale was allowed to take from the rivers per year.
However, the price for this project is a big one and not one that everyone is willing to pay. Toorale again plays a major part, since the abolition of the farm, the most productive of the reason, would shrink the economy by 10%, in addition to creating unemployment. The debate of keeping current conditions or aiding an environmental cause remains disputed. Though the water buyback plan isn’t perfect, it seems as though at the moment there is no other way to avert an oncoming environmental disaster. If the goal of cutting the water consumption of these rivers by 53% is an attainable goal is the question…
Samstag, 18. Oktober 2008
One World? Summary
The main focus of this article is the theory that globalization, although it is a changing force in today’s society, the extent of the progress it has brought about is exaggerated since today’s globalization can be seen as a mere continuation of globalization that happened a century earlier. Globalization at present is driven by two forces: technology and liberalization. They enable the natural barriers of time and space to be overcome by easing means of communication, lowering communication costs, and lowering foreign trade barriers. As a result, trade has increased twice as fast s output and cross-border trade in shares is ten times as fast. Although these facts do portray the clear trend towards globalization, it can be exaggerated. For example, it is said that globalization today is blurring the lines between nations by opening trade barriers yet Britain and France are only slightly more open to trade than they were in 1913 and Japan has in fact become less open now. Another example is that product markets are still more integrated in their own countries than in other nations. Finally, labor toady is less mobile than it was in the 19th century because factors such as language, culture and qualifications hinder the cross border integration of labor forces. When looking back at globalization, around 50 years before WWI it was driven mainly by falling transport costs, like it is driven by falling communication costs today. However, after WWI the nations, in a way, ‘crawled back into their shells’ and had fierce restrictions on capital movement. Such a move would be virtually impossible in today’s society, since increased international integration, giant multinationals and easy communication pathways would make such a move incredibly difficult to follow through with. on the whole, though globalization may not be as progressive as it is portrayed, this time around it would be much harder to undo.
Freitag, 17. Oktober 2008
Globalization Definitions Summary
Globalization: The process of the individual’s livelihood becoming more independent through economic, specifically business, advancements. Increased international trade and the outsourcing of factories are examples of effects of globalization.
'Fewer creatures great and small' Article Summmary
This article is about how, due to mankind, the rate of extinction is at an all-time high and though steps such as the Convention of Biological Diversity have been taken, no real effort is being made to preserve the world’s biodiversity. The formerly mentioned treaty was signed by nearly all governments in 2002 and vowed to significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010. However, this goal seems impossible to reach now, as the newest version of the red list of threatened species published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) shows that, for example, 223 species whose condition had changed from the previous year are now closer to extinction. A major factor affecting this rate is global warming, which according to predictions, could kill 20 -30% of species if global average temperatures increased by more than 2°C. What people don’t realize is that many benefits come from natural processes, for example, the pollination of crops, whose losses cost the world inordinate amounts of money each year. A solution, though it is not flawless, was proposed by Johan Eliasch. He stated that if forests were included in the carbon market, therefore forcing the reduction of deforestation (which accounts for very high carbon emissions), then global warming could be slowed and biodiversity could be saved, in addition to poverty being lessened. The problem with this plan is that it would cost the world huge, according to predictions, $4 billion a year for 5 years and a further $ 11-19 billion until 2020. However, deforestation rates would decrease by 75% by 2030 and carbon emissions would sink by 50%. At the moment, the world will have to make do with the small steps made by a small percentage of the world’s countries. Yet at present moment, the economic crisis is probably the primary problem on these governments’ minds.
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Mittwoch, 24. September 2008
Win-Win : Article Summary
The article revolves around the subject of prizes that create incentive for the development of new ideas and products that could, for example, improve environmental conditions. It states that a well focused prize can lead to ‘radical and sudden breakthroughs’, inspire dedication and, more importantly, solutions that industries seems reluctant to develop. Foundations developing these prizes already exist; for example, the X Prize Foundation created the Progressive Automotive X prize, which offers $10 million to anyone who can design a car that gets 100 miles per gallon. This foundation is brainstorming more ideas for prizes that should inspire new forms of clean, cost effective and renewable energy; it is also open to anyone to submit their own ideas for a prize. Other existing prizes include a prize for a way to remove man made greenhouse gases, for breakthroughs in marine renewable energy, etc. These all have one factor in common: they offer a large amount of money.
Personally, I think the concept of a prize, especially a prize focused on something that everyone can benefit from, is a good one. It allows people’s natural competitiveness and need for the limelight to be focused on something that may improve conditions on earth drastically. However, it has to be considered that not everyone happens to have sufficient spare change to fund such a prize, so it won’t be as if these prizes will allow for leaps in advancement in every area. Therefore, let’s hope that human’s natural competitiveness and greed aren’t the driving force behind these innovations, but the genuine concern for the environment.
Dienstag, 23. September 2008
Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain married Courtney Love, singer for the band Hole, on February 24 1992 and their daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, was born August 18th. Throughout his career he suffered from severe stomach pains that no doctor could find the origin of. These pains led him to serious drug, specifically heroin, abuse; he claimed it was the only way of numbing the pain. When he knew he was going to be a father he attempted to become clean, yet failed even after several attempts.
Kurt Cobain was found dead in his Lake Washington home on April 8th, 1994, apparently 3 days after his actual death. He had been in very bad health the month before. The cause of death was a gunshot to the head. In his suicide note he quotes Neil Young’s song My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue): “It is better to burn out than fade away.”
Mittwoch, 17. September 2008
Chapter 2 Summary: No Logo
Montag, 15. September 2008
'Adapt or Die' - Article Summary
The article is about how adaption to global warming is now seen as the better direction to be taking than trying to prevent it, according to environmentalists. The reasons for this are the realization of the speed of global warming and the fact that it affects the poor and those living on island states. Now, ways of aiding (not only financially) those affected by it are being developed by governments and organizations. The UN, for example, is laying down the details for how to control the spending of the first carbon tax that are focused on international adaptation. This means that countries that can't afford to adapt might possibly receive financial aid, to enable them to protect themselves from starvation, rising water levels, etc.
However, certain problems are arising with this new approach to global warming. Problems such as the huge amount of money needed, the fight over what projects deserve priority and how to use the money, etc, can't be pushed into hindsight. Overall, a need to make steps forwards is rising, as is the temperature.
Mittwoch, 10. September 2008
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Montag, 8. September 2008
Summary of Chapter 1 of 'No Logo'
This chapter focuses on the differences in advertising and branding, and how marketing techniques and focus have changed over the years. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the focus was on advertising a new product, presenting the people with a product that would make their life more efficient. Yet as products were mass produced by machinery, several companies could create the same or similar products; now the goal was to 'persuade' the consumers to choose one product over the other. Branding already started as early as the 1880's, where brands such as Uncle Ben's created brand loyalty by putting friendly, familiar faces as their icons. However, real worth wasn't associated with the 'image' of a brand until the 1980's, when Philip Morris bought Kraft for six times its worth; however, others were soon to catch on to the 'brand hype'. Of course this also called for almost aggressive expansionism in the advertising industry. Nowadays, it is all about selling an image or lifestyle, which is called branding. Brands create familiarity and emotionally tie the consumers to them. They aren't even responsible for the production of their products anymore, which is delegated to companies in 3rd world countries. Overall, one thing is evident: the brand has become more important than the product.
Sonntag, 31. August 2008
The Merchants of Cool

Internet
AOL
CompuServe
Netscape
AOL MovieFone
Digital City

MapQuest.com
Spinner.com
Film
Warner Brothers Studios
Castle Rock Entertainment
New Line Cinema
Fine Line Features
TV
WB Television Network
HBO
Cinemax

Time Warner Sports
CNN
CNN International
CNN en Espanol
CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News in Latin America
CNN Headline News in Asia Pacific
CNN Mobile
CNN+
CETV
CNN Newsource
CNN Pipeline
CNN To Go
CNN fn
CNN Radio
CNN Interactive
Court TV (with Liberty Media)

TBS
TNT
Cartoon Network
Turner Classic Movies
Comedy Central (50% -- Viacom has other 50%)
New York 1 News
Warner Bros. Television (production)
The WB Television Network
Warner Bros. Online
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Technical Operations
Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Warner Bros. Studio Facilities
Warner Bros. Television Animation
Hanna - Barbera Cartoons
Telepictures Production
The CW Television Network

Kids' WB!
Warner Home Video
Warner Bros. Domestic Pay - TV
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Warner Bros. International Television Distribution
The Warner Channel

Adult Swim
Boomerang
Books
Little, Brown & Co.
Bulfinch Press
Back Bay Books
Warner Books
Oxmoor House
Time Life Books
Road Runner
Warner Publisher Services
Time Distribution Services

Magazines
Time
Time Asia
Time Atlantic
Time Canada
Time Latin America
Time South Pacific
Time Money
Time For Kids
Fortune
Fortune Asia
Fortune Europe
FSB: Fortune Small Business
All You

Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated International
SI for Kids
Money
People
Who Weekly (Australian edition)
People en Espa�ol
Teen People
Entertainment Weekly

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Mittwoch, 27. August 2008
Toy Truck
On the other hand, there is vertical integration, or internal synergy; this is when one corporation creates a product. An example of this is Howard Stern, who works for Viacom, through MTV. While the toy truck was created by two seperate companies, Howard Stern and every product involving him is, inevitably, part of Viacom. For example, Howard Stern's autobiography was made into a movie by Universal Studio's, which is owned by Viacom. Therefore, the profit 'stays in the family'. The profit of the sales of the toy truck is shared, in theory, and McDonald's is also profiting from the advertising on the truck.
All in all, the driving force behind a product is still always the lure of profit, even if it was created by one company or several.
Montag, 25. August 2008
Reply to 'A Vision of Students Today'
At the moment, about 4 out of my 7 teachers know my name. The others are still learning.
I complete 100% of the readings given to me.
So far, 33% of them relate to my life.
I am provided my textbooks by the school and I do work with them, but not 100% of the time.
All the people in my classes come to class.
I will read about 12 school books this year.
I'm estimating that I will visit about 200 webpages this year and 150 facebook profiles.
For school I will write about 37 pages.
I will only write about 60 e-mails this year.
I get an average of 8 and a half hours of sleep a night.
I watch about 1 hour of tv a day, depending on what's on.
I spend about 2 hours online a day.
I spend about 30 minutes a day listening to music.
I don't call people on my phone, but I spend about 45 minutes a day smsing people.
I spend 4 and 1/3 hours in class.
I eat 1 and a half hours a day.
I don't work yet.
If there's a test, I study about 1 hour a day.
I don't think my parents will make me pay for this school, so I won't be in debt after I finish. Then it depends on where I go to college.
Freitag, 22. August 2008
Global me
Zara, A Coruña
Onitsuka Tiger, Kobe
Hollister, Columbus
Esprit, San Francisco
H&M, Västerås (Sweden)
Marc O'Polo
Tommy Hilfiger, New York
Levi's, San Francisco
Diesel, Molvena
Puma
Sony, Tokyo
Philips, Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Apple, California
Motorola, Chicago
Bang&Olufsen, Denmark
Coca Cola, Columbus
Oreo, New Jersey
Miele, Germany
Nivea, Germany
Kellog's, Michigan
Languages: English (fluent), German (fluent), French, Greek
Countries: Switzerland