Arabic Women in Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Arabic Women in Leadership - Term Paper Example In order to find the position of Arab women as leaders within various organizations, this paper will first discuss the social and traditional mindset towards Arab women where they are viewed as primarily suitable for domestic work; then it will discuss gender discrimination in workplaces in Middle East, and explore to seek whether men have innately better leadership qualities then women. While studying these issues the paper will also discuss the fine thread balance that working women must maintain between their professional and family life, the various obstacles that they face while entering the line of businesses, the indicators that are signaling a change for the rights of Arab women and the training programs or ways for leadership development focused on improving the workplace situation of Arab women.    Discussion Traditional gender bias in domestic labor in the Arab countries: Increased participation of women in workplace (primarily after WWI and WWII) had led to a kind of re volution that broke down the age old notion of division of labor where it was believed that in a family, men were breadwinners, while women took part in the domestic chores (unpaid), and were dependent on their male members for support of a financial kind (Blau, 1964). The bargaining and contract models, social exchange models had once predicted that increased participation of women in the workforce would bring them more freedom and justice both in office, and in home as regards fair division of unpaid domestic labor (England and Farkas, 1986). However this did not take place in reality and women were still facing bias, where they were still being viewed as being more suitable... This essay discusses that there have been some perceivable changes in the Middle East countries in the area of private businesses, with more women are forming their own enterprises, thus slowly changing the equation of a woman role in the national economy (ibid). Here OECD presents encouraging figures, where it shows that in Bahrain, in the 1960s, women workforce comprised of only around 5% of the total labor force of the country, compared to an average 30% women workforce in the US during the same time.Similarly, inâ€Å"United Arab Emirates, where female-owned businesses faired considerably better than those in the US in 2007, with 33% of the Emirate companies surveyed earning annual revenues of more than US$100,000, compared to only 13% of women-owned businesses in the US in the same year†¦.and from 1990 to 2003, women's share of economic activity in the MENA region increased by a fifth. In the Arab countries, there is no doubt that the patriarchal mindset is still widely pr evalent and women still considered more suitable for unpaid domestic work. Women are treated with general bias at workplaces, and especially so while selecting candidates for top managerial posts in a company when they are overlooked simply for their sex without any consideration for their capabilities or efficiencies. To make complete use of the economic potential, both men and women in the Arab countries must be given equal opportunities at the workplace, or else, the economy of these regions would always remain underused.

Making Communication Count Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Making Communication Count - Assignment Example Therefore, while she was attempting to illustrate the proposed changes to me, I kept on nudging my head as if I was agreeing to her. At one point, she asked me if we have enough funds assigned to use ICT in our coming classes and I answered, â€Å"I think that would help students†. The statement was self-explanatory about span of my attention at that particular point in time. Once she clarified what she meant I responded by saying, â€Å"I don’t know if students from ethnic minorities are up for this kind of advancement.† A visible expression of dismal was visible on her face as she was actually an Asian American herself. The statement was based on the workshop that I had attended a week earlier about discrepancies in our educational system about which she did not knew anything. Analyzing my non-verbal and verbal communication during this meeting, there are few changes that would be required to make this conversation better. Firstly, there should have a complete display of focus and undivided attention. If not possible, the meeting should have rescheduled as it is unethical not to exercise self-discipline during a dialogue. Furthermore, there was also a lack of responsibility and consideration for values of the respondent in this situation. Perhaps, use of culturally sensitive language and explanation for my statement would have made the overall conversation more effective. Part 2 Description of the Scenario Leaders in educational settings need to be aware of the responsibility that is inherent to their organizational status. Being a head of department makes faculty members responsible for their statement as their views and inputs are being examined by school’s management whereas the same piece of information can have a significant impact on the behavior and strategies used by junior faculty members. In a meeting with school principal, Mr. James and a junior teacher named Ms. Rachel (Pseudonym) who had recently joined and was suppose d to be supervised by me, there were some mixed responses and directions given by Mr. James that later on created difficulty for me and Ms. Rachel. The meeting began with principal being over occupied with domestic telephone calls which made us question if the meeting bears any importance to him. Once done with that, Mr. James kept on leaning back and forth on the chair which further projected an impression that he is not even considering it to be an important conversation despite the fact that it was Ms. Rachel’s first official encounter with him. While addressing the new teacher, Mr. James kept on addressing her as â€Å"Newbie† and mentioned that we have many students from you people i.e. the teacher was Iranian. I believe that instead of showing racism, he was just attempting to make her feel that her presence in the faculty will further help students. While continuing discussion about the curriculum and division of classes, he just mentioned that all the instructi ons are available on your portal and I will be providing directions to Ms. Rachel in day to day proceedings. However, instead of using the word ‘direction’, he said ‘helping’ which projected an impression that I will not be responsible for new teacher’s performance evaluation which was against organizational policies. When

Future Developments of Video Games Essay Example for Free

Future Developments of Video Games Essay The field of video games is one of the most exciting because it is constantly developing and advancing so quickly. Unlike a lot of areas of ICT which have reached a level of stability, all parts of games, gaming and games development are still growing and will continue to grow. This means there is the potential for individuals to have completely new ideas and be the first to create something in the field. The popularity of games is growing exponentially, with more and more people discovering an interest and passion for games all the time. A game now will reach a much larger, international audience and games developers can bring enjoyment to a vast array of people. Console manufacturers, games developers and other involved in the game industry and notoriously secretive about new projects being developed until they are almost ready for announcement and release and even then sometimes games and products can be cancelled at the last minute. All employees working in the industry have to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) most of the time which forbids them legally from revealing any of their companys secrets. Releasing any information about a product could potentially jeopardise its sales. Technology evolves in amazingly rapid speeds. If you need any real observable proof of the speedy advancement of digital technology over the years, take a look at the gaming industry. From the very early years of black-and-white 2D games like Pong (1972) to the first 3D game, 3D Monster Maze in 1981, and from primitive first-person shooters like Wolfenstein 3D (1992) to complex, life-like shooters like Battlefield 3 (2011), there’s no doubt that the gaming industry has seen its fair share of technological evolution. Hardware Developments Each new generation of console hardware made use of the rapid development of processing technology. Newer machines could output a greater range of colours, more sprites, and introduced graphical technologies such as scaling, and vector graphics. One way console makers marketed these advances to consumers was through the measurement of bits. The TurboGrafx-16, Sega Genesis, and SNES were among the first consoles to advertise the fact that they contained 16-bit processors. This fourth generation of console hardware was often referred to as the 16-bit era, and the previous generation as the 8-bit. The bit-value of a console referred to the word length of a consoles processor (although the value was sometimes misused, for example the TurboGrafx 16 had only an 8-bit CPU, and the Genesis/Mega Drive had the 16/32-bit Motorola 68000, but both had a 16-bit dedicated graphics processor). As the graphical performance of console hardware is dependent on many factors, using bits was a crude way to gauge a consoles overall ability. For example the NES, Commodore 64, Apple II, and Atari 2600 all used a very similar 8-bit cpu. The difference in their processing power is due to other causes. For example the Commodore 64 contains 64 kilobytes of RAM and the Atari has much less at 128 bytes of RAM. The jump from 8 bit machines to 16 bit machines to 32 bit machines made a noticeable difference in performance, so consoles from certain generations are frequently referred to as 8 bit or 16 bit consoles. However, the bits in a console are no longer a major factor in their performance. The Nintendo 64, for example has been outpaced by several 32 bit machines. Its only inevitable that gaming hardware is going to constantly be improved, with more processing power, graphics capabilities, sound quality and memory capacity. The input method using a controller has drastically developed over the years beginning with a clunky controller and simple joystick on arcade games, the video game controller has evolved to be ergonomically designed to feel comfortable to avoid injuries such as the ones in the repetitive strain injury group or carpal tunnel syndrome. Most modern controllers are designed with the relaxed position of the hands in mind, resulting in the pronged design that reduces soreness and cramps after extended use, compared to older pads such as the NES or the Sega Master System. There are still a vast array of input methods to create an even more immersive experience, these include: steering wheel, pedals, light guns, dance pads, balance board, fishing rod, microphone and rhythm game controllers (drums and guitars). Many of these have been specifically designed to be used for a certain game or gaming series, such as guitar hero for example. The evolution of the controller to include more buttons p roves that video games themselves are advancing as more buttons are required to complete different tasks within the game. New input methods are being developed to make the gaming experience more enjoyable and interactive, such as being able to control the character by body movement with sensor pads or clothing such as gloves. This type of input method can be seen back in the EyeToy for Playstation 2 which used a video camera. Most recently this market had been taken by storm with the introduction of the Wii and its totally unique controls. Many console manufactures have adopted this technique can be seen in the Playstation Move and the Xbox Kinect which both involve the player as a means of controlling the game instead of pressing buttons. This means of input is being pushed forward by many of the console manufacturers as it removes the stigma of video games being only for people who sit down all day and are lazy, and they are also seen as an alternative to exercising. The gaming industry has helped develop graphics and sound technology that can be incorporated as VR (Virtual Reality). An early 1990s attempt at a headset for console gaming and for hobbyists, was made by Future Vision Technologies. A modern example would be the Wii where the controller tracks and sends motion input accurately. There is also a new VR headset system in development designed specifically for gaming called the Oculus Rift. The headset provides approximately a 110 degree field of view, absolute head orientation tracking, USB interface and a 1200800 resolution with the final consumer version aimed at 19201080. Some of the future games that will support the Oculus Rift includes Doom 4, Strike Suit Zero, Team Fortress 2, Miner Wars 2081, Minecraft and many more. Virtual reality has always been something that was portrayed in movies and television shows as something that will be the future of gaming. Attempts at creating it in the past have not shown popular results. However, it is something which is becoming more of a reality as technology advances, although whether we will ever reach the point of it becoming the standard of gaming is yet to be seen. Software Development The aim of software development is usually to reach a new level of realism or immersion. As processing power and memory increase, enhanced art and animation are able to be created. This allows images and movement to be more realistic. In the early days of first-person shooters, non-player characters (NPCs) had the intelligence of nicely rounded rocks. But theyve been getting much better lately look no further than Half-Lifes storytelling NPCs and Unreal Tournaments excellent bot AI. The market success of titles such as these has prompted developers to put more effort into AI, so it looks as if smarter NPCs will continue to show up in games. AI researchers rarely use computer games for their research, outside of classic board and card games such as chess, checkers, and bridge. Possibly they see most game AI problems as simple engineering problems. This view has not been completely unjustified because often the goal of game AI is not to create intelligence, but to improve gameplay through the illusion of intelligent behaviour. Many of the techniques used to improve the illusion of intelligence have nothing to do with intelligence, but involve cheats, such as giving game AIs extra production capability or the ability to see through walls, or faking it by creating bots that talk to each other but completely ignore what is said. There also has been a drift in AI research toward problems and approaches where precise empirical evaluation is possible. Needless to say, gameplay isnt something that todays AI researchers feel comfortable evaluating. Although there is currently a significant gap between game developers and AI researchers, that gap is starting to close. The inevitable march of Moores law is starting to free up significant processing power for AI, especially with the advent of graphics cards that move the graphics processing off the CPU. The added CPU power will make more complex game AI possible. Still, game developers should still be wary of AI researchers who say, My algorithm doesnt run in real time right now, but just wait. In a few more years, Im sure the processing power will be there. A second, equally powerful force that is closing the gap is sociological. Students who grew up loving computer games are getting advanced degrees in AI. This has the dual effect of bringing game research to universities and university research to game companies already there are at least five AI Ph.D.s at game companies. AI researchers are discovering that building interesting synthetic characters in computer games is much more than just an engineering problem. Moreover, games provide cheap, robust, immersive environments for pursuing many of the core AI issues. They could be the catalyst for a rebirth in research on human-level AI The final force is the game-playing public, who are starting to demand better AI. With the saturation in the quality of computer graphics, better physics and AI are the two technologies that have the most potential to improve gameplay. Players are looking for more realistic AIs to populate their worlds with interesting non-player characters (as in The Sims) and humanlike opponents who must be out-thought and not just out-shot (and who dont cheat). AI can also provide dynamic game control, adjusting the gameplay based on how the game is played. Imagine playing a first-person shooter where the AI not only reacts to your behaviour, but also anticipates your actions by using an internal model of the way you play the game to make its plan. It also adjusts its skill at the tactical level to match yours, so that the game is never a blowout for either side. What can computer game developers do to hasten the collaboration of developers and AI researchers? The most important thing is to make commercial computer game interfaces available to AI researchers. Developers of games such as Unreal, Quake, and Half-Life publish DLLs, making it possible for not only hobbyists but also AI researchers to build bots that play games. If developers from other genres such as real-time strategy games follow suit, you would see an explosion of research on AI for these games. Game developers can also join AI researchers in discussing AI problems and solutions in open forums. There is now a yearly symposium sponsored by the American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) on AI and interactive entertainment that brings together game developers and AI researchers. Building good AIs is hard and difficult work. Automated learning approaches such as neural nets and genetic algorithms can tune a well-defined set of behavioural parameters, but they are grossly inadequate when it comes to creating synthetic characters with complex behaviours automatically from scratch. There is no magic in AI, except for the magic that emerges when a great programmer works very hard. With the development of artificial intelligence, NPC characters are becoming cleverer. It is predicted that this AI will continue to offer more and more realistic opponents who can think almost like a human. New Technologies It is becoming more popular to connect the Xbox 360 to a Windows PC, which is easily possible as both are Microsoft products. XNA is a set of tolls which allowed games to be built for Xbox and tested through this connectivity. Where hobbyists had been frowned upon by consol manufacturers in the past, Microsoft are positively encouraging homebrew gaming. They run competitions to find newly developed XNA games and release them on Xbox Live Arcade. This is not only evidence of the future of homebrew games and hobbyist being accepted, but it also signals the integration of console with other media equipment with the seventh generation being best known for major consoles branching out into other types of media rather than solely focusing on games. All three consoles offer basic abilities such as photo-viewing, listening to music and browsing the web, as well as the ability to connect to external memory such as USB flash drives and SD cards. The Xbox 360s DVD player was plagued by quality issues but other media options became available later such as an external HD-DVD drive (now a dead standard), Zune downloadable content, Netflix streaming and Last.fm internet radio. PlayStation 3, on the other hand, offered HD movie playback out of the box via Blu-ray in addition to later services like Netflix streaming, and Qriocity music. This new generation for the first time has all of the major consoles focusing on online integration. All three have their own connection services: Wiis Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, Xbox Live, and PlayStation Network. Competition has branched now from simply offering the best games to the best online content; smaller games can now be purchased and downloaded from online stores within the consoles, and extra applications such as Netflix streaming and Facebook connectivity are heavily supported. Almost all games sold in retail have online support, including online multiplayer and downloadable content for bug patches and new features, potentially increasing replay value in certain games for even years. Another notable feature in current-gen gaming is the use of avatar characters. Nintendo first introduced Miis with the Wii console, caricatures of players that could be created and used in flagship titles such as Wii Sports; however they lack the ability to customize that Xboxs avatars have, as clothes and accessories can be purchased online or unlocked in games played. PlayStation 3, instead of an in-game character, offers PlayStation Home, a social simulator where avatars can talk and explore, and customize their homes with elements from games played. This basic idea allows the person playing the games to have a more personalised feel to their console and that they have become truly integrated with it. The console is becoming a central element that is integrated into a whole media system. People may become to get rid of their stereos and DVD players as this one central piece of equipment makes many other defunct. It may even be that in the future the console is the integral part for controlling a house, including the lighting, temperature and other devices. With more reliable and faster internet connections, the technology of cloud computing has begun to gain some momentum. The Sims creator Will Wright embraces the idea of cloud gaming as a crucial part of the future of the industry. For one thing, the gaming industry sees it as an opportunity to make games as easy to access as music and movies.

Capacity Planning And Timing Strategy Business Essay

Capacity Planning And Timing Strategy Business Essay This report discusses a case study on capacity planning and facility location at Georgia Pacific a company that has undergone growth. The case study illustrate the importance of growth and its linkage to the environment. The report first start with defining the capacity planning and control then looks at capacity-timing strategy Georgia Pacific uses and the factors that influence this strategy. Then looks at major factors that it used to make its capacity expansion decision and what other factors might the company have considered. The report then further explain the technique Georgia Pacific used to make its facility location decision and what other facility factors might the company have considered. Also the report looks at how environmental considerations affect capacity planning and facility location at Georgia Pacific and lastly in my own opinion explain if Georgia pacific has made the correct capacity planning and facility location. Finally the report concludes with Georgia paci fic production style, the manner in which the company operates as a team, its environmental consideration and decision making process. Definition on capacity planning In operations management, capacity is referred as an amount of the input resources available to produce relative output over period of time.(citation) Strategic capacity planning is important in an organisation mainly because its facilitate the organisation to meet its future requirements. Planning guarantee that operation cost are kept at a minimum level without affecting the quality, it also guarantee that organisation remain viable to attain its long-term plan for expansion Capacity planning and timing strategy Long range capacity planning and control primarily depends on a range of factors and some of the factors Georgia-Pacific used base on the on changes in capacity are Market conditions: The timing of the market and making a decision base on the market gives the organisation a competitive edge as well as an increase in market share. Georgia-Pacific have used these strategy to increased its production capacity base on the changes in the market, as the market grew production was increased so as to meet the demand. Technology: The change in the technology means organisation, required fewer resource to operate its production and therefore this means that with the advance technology Georgia-Pacific can increase its production ability with only slight equipment changes. Equipment: So to achieve a large increases in production capacity, Georgia-Pacific use improving the already existing equipment, or set up new equipment, The major factors that influence the buying of sawmill is because of the strategic location of the sawmill and since the capacity of the sawmill was restricted in 1970 when it was first built buying it 1987 and expanding the operation such as adding drying kilns, a planner mill for finishing on site and a warehouse for storing the finish lumber to improved production capacity and the fact that the plant has the basic equipment and the has company owned forests in the area were more economically viable. Factors deciding the expansion The timing in making a decision to expand a business is vital, as you need to carefully study the fiscal benefits of such expansion such as assessing having the cash for the investment to cater for the additional inventory, new facilities or equipment. At Georgia-Pacific the various factors considered in deciding whether to buy and expand the sawmill in Florida for example are Market conditions: Florida has an excellent market condition such as the speedy growth of population and the boom in home construction because of these strategic position of the location of Florida gave Georgia-Pacific an edge over their competitors Raw materials à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ Georgia also considered this site because it own forest in the area that also had other position of privately owned timber. Environment- That the other major factors to consider was legislation and government policies regarding the environment Georgia Pacific considered this factor and assessed the environmental regulation of Florida and find out that Florida has more strict environmental regulations that make it hard to build a new plant than to acquire an existing plant. Economics- This is a major factor to considers when planning for capacity expansion as this affect the economic viability of the organization. Georgia pacific has considered this factor by analysing the return on investment when acquiring facilities and found out that acquiring and expanding was much easier and economically viable that building new facilities. Labor à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ The availability of labor both skill and unskilled is very important when considering making a decision for capacity expansion. As for Georgia pacific the nearby facility mean that the sawmill could draw some trained personnel. Equipment à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ As for a long term capacity expansion the availability of equipment to carry the operation is a major factor to consider. For Georgia pacific the already existing sawmill had the vital required equipment and facilities such a functioning road system, a nearby rail road spur, and electricity facilities. Overall at Georgia pacific acquisition of the sawmill offered exceptional potential for capacity expansion and the sawmill was expanded in 1998 hence greatly contributed to the success of the Georgia pacific. What other factors might the company have considered Other factors include Facilities location decision The decision on where to locate facilities is the most important factors in capacity planning and its where the success of the company depends. Facility location involves organisation seeking to locate, relocate or expand their operation, the decision process encompasses the identification, analysis and evaluation of a selection among alternative, Since at Georgia Pacific facility location mostly involves long term commitment of resources the decision on where to locate facilities are mainly affected by several factors such as financial, capacity and technology as well as political, economic and social.. However in the case study at Georgia pacific corp. the main focus of consideration are raw material, market condition labor force, government regulation and policies and finally energy utilities Market condition- Georgia pacific asses the market condition by serving so as know the demand and place the product close to the location. Raw materials- Georgia pacific review the availability of raw so to have adequate supply of locally available raw materials at a low price Government regulation- Georgia pacific choose where the state and local government welcome companies by looking at factors where they have relax tax and environmental policies as well as attitude of the local towards industry such as florida Labor- Georgia pacific have assessed the availability of local work force that can be easily train Utilities- Georgia pacific have considered the availabilities of all utilities necessary such as such as water, electricity and natural gas. Other factors that Georgia pacific could have also consider could be the availability of less expensive land with a bigger space as well as land with quality and efficiency facilities such as such as roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, airport and cargo facilities, energy systems, and telecommunications. Also there other crucial factor that George pacific could consider could be the cost of transportation in terms moving the product as well as the supply cost. For example proximity to supplier can be excellent for JIT production as it improves performance of deliveries and reduces inventory as well as reducing cost. Environmental consideration In general environmental consideration is part of capacity planning and facility location. It was paramount that Georgia Pacific makes itself environmental friendly. Since Georgia pacific depends on timber as a natural resource, they need to assess location where environmental policies are either relax or less strict. For example Georgia Pacific had to buy the sawmill in Florida with strict environmental rules that makes it more difficult to build a new facility. In order to reduce pollution caused by transportation Georgia pacific corp. have considered locating the material close to the site by expanding operation such as adding drying kilns, a planner mill for finishing and a warehouse for storing the finish lumber on site. also choosing municipal sewage disposal system on site at skippers site ,also the skipper was near an excellent timber base and a nearby resin plant that uses the residuals Opinion on Georgia Pacific It is believe that Georgia Pacific has made the correct capacity planning and facility location since all consideration were carefully analyses and decision made base on the out came. The main emphasis was the market condition and the raw materials. The market condition was important because it focuses on the product demand, equally the availability and the location of raw materials so as to reduce the cost of transportation as well and meet the demand of the government or state environmental policy on industries all the factor discuss above were carefully consider by Georgia pacific corp. hence execute a well plan capacity planning and facility location. Conclusion In the case study it looks like at Georgia Pacific the emphasis is on growth, and so capacity increase and acquisition is a way of life. It assesses possible increase of capacity by working as a team to solicit suggestion and obtaining information and use a check list for major factors such as deciding on market demand, technology equipment and labor. Also since the company depends on timber as a natural resource environmental consideration is equally important. All of the above factors are very important part and parceled in decision making on capacity planning and facility location. The factors listed on this report are very crucial when making capacity decisions. Capacity planning is a very important aspect in manufacturing companies, as it to do with meeting the customers demand. They also have a long term impact. Capacity also determines the selection of appropriate technology, type of labour and equipments. The right capacity ensures economically viable business

Essay examples --

The establishments of institutional banking in Saudi Arabia date back to the First World War in 1885 when Gellatly Hankey merchants in Jeddah. Then in the late 1920’s some central bank functions were exercised by an official General Finance Agency such as the issuing of coins, the collecting and channeling of public revenue, and the management of the public debt. After that in 1932 a finance ministry was founded which exercised the roles of the General Finance Agency. Lastly The Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) was founded in August 1952 by two royal decrees. SAMA is the central bank of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that was established in 23/5/1377H. The objective of this establishment was to be the central bank for the government, control banks and money changer, and to support the Saudi Riyal. SAMA set the regulations of banks in Saudi Arabia. In 6/7/1379H, 31-12-1959 the Saudi Riyal was established as the official currency of Saudi Arabia. In 22/2/1386H by a Royal Decree the Banking Control Law has issued SAMA to issue â€Å"Pre-payment Services Rules in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia†. The...

web dubois :: essays research papers

WEB DUBOIS WEB Dubois was born and raised in Barrington, Massachusetts. After high school and with the help of friends and family, and a scholarship he received to Fisk College (now University), he eagerly to Nashville, Tennessee to further his education. This was his first trip south. And during his stay there, his knowledge of the race problem became clearer. He saw discrimination in ways he never dreamed of, and developed a determination to expedite the emancipation of his people. Consequently, he became a writer, editor, and an impassioned orator. And in the process, acquired a belligerent attitude toward the color bar. While he was teaching an Atlanta University, Dubois wrote about and studied Negro morality and Negro urbanization. During this period a controversy grew between DuBois and Booker T. Washington, which later grew into a bitter personal battle. Washington argued the Black people should temporarily forego "political power, insistence on civil rights, and higher education of Negro youth. They should concentrate all their energies on industrial education." DuBois believed in the higher education of a "Talented Tenth" who through their knowledge of modern culture could guide the American Negro into a higher civilization. (DuBois’ Dusk of Dawn). When Dubois began to solicit help for â€Å"organized determination and aggressive action on the part of men who believe in Negro freedom and growth†, twenty-nine men from fourteen states answered the call in Buffalo, New York. Five months later in January of 1906 the "Niagara Movement" was formed. Its objectives were to advocate civil justice and abolish caste discrimination. Though they were criticized for their radicalism, this was the first significant black organized protest movement of the twentieth century. The downfall of the group was attributed to public accusations of fraud and deceit engineered presumably by Washington advocates. In 1909 most members of the Niagara Movement merged with some white liberals and thus the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was born. DuBois was not altogether pleased with the group but agreed to stay on as Director of Publications and Research. He was also editor in chief of its publication â₠¬Å"the crisis for more than 20 years. He used his mighty pen to denounce racial injustice all over the country and grew more and more popular. This period marked the height of DuBois' popularity. The Crisis magazine subscription rate had grown from 1000 in 1909 to over 10,000 in May of 1919.

Adopting Thorium Energy

When it comes to nuclear power most people would think about uranium. Our current state of nuclear power harnesses power through nuclear fission. The heat generated from this process boils water which drives massive steam turbines to create electricity. While this sounds like a fairly simple process the dangers it presents are massive. Reactor core meltdowns and the waste products are serious dangers the environment. There is an alternative element that can be used in place of uranium which is more efficient, abundant, and most importantly†¦safer. That element is thorium. Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive chemical element. It is named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder. When used in a system for generating electricity its waste materials are 10 – 1000 times less long lived than uranium. This provides profound benefits over uranium when it comes to storing waste products. Thorium provides a greater energy yield than uranium; 5,000 tons of thorium is equivalent to about 61,000 tons of uranium. Those amounts are what’s needed to provide energy to the entire planet. At this point you’re probably wondering why we’re not using it if it’s safer and more powerful. Thorium has had a complicated history. Not because of any potential dangers it may have presented, but the potential dangers it didn’t possess. Uranium based nuclear power plants serve another purpose. Their waste products aid in the creation of weapons. Thorium’s waste products are not as easily weaponized. During the cold war governments were hesitant about funding a fledgling source of energy. Instead they opted to continue to invest and expand the infrastructure of the established uranium based nuclear plants. The last government funded thorium reactor was shut down in 1973 and thorium research nearly died along with it. In short; the benefits of weapons were chosen over having a safer and more energy independent future. The very nature of thorium allows for a facility orders of magnitude safer than the uranium nuclear power plants. When a nuclear power malfunctions or is damaged there is possibility of it exploding and releasing radioactive aterials into the atmosphere. The three worst nuclear power plant disasters occurred in 1979 with Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania; 1986 with Chernobyl; and in 2011 with the disaster in Fukushima, Japan. Chernobyl is estimated to remain uninhabitable for approximately 20,000 years while Fukushima is expected to remain so for 20 years or more. Entire cities abandoned do to the inherent danger of uranium based nuclear energy. Thorium has a sort of built-in fail-safe in that it requires extremely high temperatures to operate. This is alone makes for one its safest qualities. Without going into too much detail; if a thorium power plant were to lose power the devices heating its reactor tank would stop working. This would decrease the operating temperatures of thorium and its reactions would cease. The thorium would then be drained into a collection tank through the force of gravity. Unlike uranium power plants; thorium has no need to use water as a coolant. In an emergency a thorium power plant can shut itself down without any human intervention. Only recently has thorium once again become a serious contender for replacing uranium. As countries move to dismantle their nuclear arsenals thorium moves closer to the forefront of an energy independent future. Not all countries are as forward thinking as others though. China is currently the most forward thinking when it comes to thorium and has already outlined plans to have a new thorium reactor by the end of the decade. Estimates show that China has enough thorium to power its electricity needs for 20,000 years. That amount of potential and safe energy is unheard of. The United States alone sits on a reserve of about 440,000 tons of thorium in storage. Remember that 5,000 tons could power the entire planet for a year. The total estimated thorium content on Earth is around 120 trillion tons. So much energy waiting to be harnessed. The United States has let politics get in the way of what truly matters for far too long. The main hurdle to building new thorium plants is that new regulations would have to be established first. Those who make their fortunes off the established nuclear power plants no doubt lobby politicians to prevent thorium from becoming the leading source of energy. America will hurt itself if it allows other countries to gain too much of a head start in thorium energy research. Though thorium is not without its hurdles; its potential cannot be denied or ignored any longer. It’s extremely energy dense. There will never be a shortage of it. It’s incredibly safe. The waste products are less long lived and cannot be made into weapons. Like the Norse god it was named after thorium is set to take the world by storm.