renewable energy :: essays research papers

Fuel Cell: Fuel cells have been known to science for 150 years and have become the subject of intense research since World War II. A fuel cell generates electricity by producing a chemical reaction. It consists of two electrodes (cathode and anode), which is also where the reaction occurs. Hydrogen is the basic fuel cell, but all fuel cells also require oxygen, and both are supplied from external reservoirs. Most of the hydrogen and oxygen used, combine to form a harmless byproduct, namely water. Therefore, fuel cells generate electricity with very little pollution. It is the purpose of the fuel cells to produce an electrical current that can be directed outside the cell to do work, such as powering light bulbs or an electric motor. There are five different fuel cells, solid oxide, alkali, proton exchange membrane (40-50% efficiency), phosphoric acid, and molten carbonate. Biomass Energy: This is one of the oldest sources of energy known to man. Biomass energy is energy from organic matter. The organic matter contains stored sunlight in the form of chemical energy. Biomass fuel, which can be a liquid, solid, or gas, comes from plants, residues from agriculture or forestry, and the organic component of municipal and industrial wastes. Even the fumes from the landfills can be used. When the fuel is burned, the energy is released. The use of this energy has potential to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The waste generates about the same amount of carbon dioxide as fossil fuels but as the plants grow (for biomass purposes), carbon dioxide will be removed from the atmosphere. This is the major source of energy in the developing world. Wind Energy: Surface air currents that are warmed by solar rays create wind, which is an indirect source of energy. Wind farms consist of many

Body Language in Business Communication

Body Language in Business Communication Body language is a non verbal form of communication that is widely used by people in everyday environment. Alone, or in conjunction with the words, body language has a big influence on how we communicate to others. In business world it can cause both positive and negative results in communication. If used properly, body language can help create a friendly atmosphere in any conversation and can significantly enhance your verbal message. It can help win the interview, make a sale, give a successful presentation and profit from business negotiations. Therefore, today’s businesspeople more and more some time studying the different forms of the body language to achieve the maximum positive influence on people. They also do it, so they can better understand people around them as well. Body language is defined as everything what can be communicated without or in addition to words: facial expressions, physical movements (gestures), posture or silent actions. The study by UCLA (University of California in Los Angeles) showed, that words account for only 7% of the messages person conveys. The remaining 93% are non-verbal factors. As Lidia Ramse, business etiquette expert says: â€Å"In the business setting, people can see what you are not saying. If your body language doesn't match your words, you are wasting your time. † (The Sideroad: Body Language in Business by Lidia Ramse) In fact, psychologists divide body language in two categories: intentional and unintentional (subconscious). We cannot always verbally express what we feel, so our body language does it for us. At the same time, we can use our body language intentionally to express something without saying a word. It is good to understand that our body language can be also interpreted subconsciously as well. As people do not always pay close attention to what we do, certain actions can trigger a formulation of certain opinion about person. Mary-Lo use Angoujard, CEO and Founder of Rapporta Limited, gives a good example of the person, whose arms folded across the body, head down, stiff torso, hunched shoulders and crossed legs. She calls it â€Å"closed† body language that causes people think that this person is shy by nature, cold or ill or simply disagreeing strongly with something. (Raporta- Bringing Positive Energy to Business Communication) In addition to all above mentioned, nonverbal signals can suggest the attitude, understanding, empathy and ethics. That is why it is important to analyze and study your own body language and evaluate others’. Then you can learn how to use it in your own advantage and how to better understand your copartners to make your business communication process the most successful it can be. These are some tips on the most practical and common body language signals. Handshake Handshake is a form of gesture that is most commonly associated with greeting. Other common uses of it are starting the meeting, making an offer (deal) or completing an agreement. The main purpose of the handshake is to convey trust, balance and equality. In general handshake should be firm, full and supported by an eye contact. It can help convey your confidence and get a good start for further communication. Handshake can reveal your associate’s personality. The stronger the handshake the more aggressive or important the associate can be. Posture Standing tall and holding the head straight is not only a sign of a good posture. It can also show confidence, make the message come across easier and make it a subject of importance. Use of Personal Space Use of personal space is another important factor, but it is also culture oriented. Understanding of this term differs from one country to another. â€Å"For Western Europeans and Americans, a space of 14 to 16 inches is considered non-intrusive. But those from the U. K. might consider a distance of 24 inches to be more comfortable†, concludes Tatiana D. Helenius in her article about international business dealings (CNN. Money). As protocol and etiquette consultant Margaret DelVecchio said: â€Å"Awareness of the level of personal space required is crucial†¦. If not gauged properly, inappropriate proximity or distance can lead to misunderstandings and be interpreted as insult (CNN. Money). † It is also important to pay attention as to what stance your college has: is he sitting or standing? You should not take more space than other person does suggesting your bigger significance. In conclusion, it is important to mention that human body can produce over 700,000 unique movements. These movements have been divided into about 60 symbolic signals and around 60 gestures. Brenner Books: Body Language in Business). After careful examining of your own attitude you can choose and work on the most successful for the particular message body signals and correct unnecessary ones that caused you failure in the past. Nonverbal communication when coupled by good verbal skills together with knowledge of the mater ial and ethical behavior will have huge impact on others and bring successful results to any business. Works Cited Angoujard, Mary-Louise. â€Å"Is Your Body Talking Good Business? Body Language in Business – Sort it out and Communicate with Greater Impact. Rapporta – Bringing Positive Energy to Business Communication. Copyright 2006 Rapporta Ltd. Retrieved on 24 July, 2007 from: < http://rapporta. com/press07. htm> â€Å"Body Language Rules Biz Travel†. CNN. com/World. 8 July, 2003. Retrieved on 23 July, 2007 from: < http://edition. cnn. com/2003/WORLD/europe/07/08/biz. trav. body. language/index. html> Brenner, C. Robert. â€Å"Body Language in Business: How to Sell using Your Body! † BrennerBooks. com. Copyright 2001-2004, Brenner Information Group. 9 December 2004. Retrieved on 22 July, 2007 from: < http://www. brennerbooks. com/bodylang. tml> Helenius, D. Tatiana. â€Å"Body Language Savvy. † CNN Money. 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Tim e Warner Company. 3 May, 2000. Retrieved on 22 July, 2007 from: < http://money. cnn. com/2000/05/03/career/q_body_language/> Morgan, Nick. â€Å"The Truth behind the Smile and Other Myths – When Body Language Lies. † HBS Working Knowledge. Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2002. Retrieved on 23 July, 2007 from: < http://hbswk. hbs. edu/archive/3123. html> Ramsey, Lidia. â€Å"Body Language in Business. † Sideboard. com. Blue Boulder Internet Publishing 2007. Retrieved on 23 July, 2007 from:

Imperialistic Attitude Conveyed in Jonathan Swift’s...

One must sometimes wonder what an ideal utopian world would be like. The first things to come to mind would probably rather trivial, such as golden roads, chocolate fountains, etc. However, the underlying core of what a utopian society would be like is one that would have an abundance of two seemingly unknown words, morality and humanity. Morality and humanity would be the greatest grace for any society to have, for any government to be driven by. Sadly, this is usually not, nor has it really ever been, the case. Instead, government is run by a largely imperialistic attitude. That is, whatever can satisfy the greed and hunger of a nation is what matters, not the inhumane suffering that follows afterwards. This imperialistic and dehumanized†¦show more content†¦After all, a country’s economic status is much more important than the well-being of other countries. It really is nothing more than dangerous nationalism. The sea captain Martin, in Candide, says it best, in sp eaking of imperialistic government best, with, â€Å"He’s mixed up in the affairs of this world to such an extent that he may well be in me, just as he’s in everything else†¦I’ve scarcely seen one town that did not wish the ruination of his neighbor, or one family that did not want to see the end of another. Everywhere you look, the weak execrate the strong while they grovel at their feet, and the strong treat them like so many sheep, providing wool and meat to be sold. One million regimented assassins, rushing from one end of Europe to the other, commit murder and brigandage by the rule book in order to earn their daily bread, because there is no more respectable profession; and in cities, where people appear to live in peace and the arts flourish, men are devoured by more envy, worry, and dissatisfaction than all the scourges of a city under siege. Secret sorrows are more cruel even than public tribulations† (Voltaire 501). War is, in itself, probably the most sickening aspect of this idea of globalization. There is nothing but pain, anguish, and agony that come out of war- nothing good at all. Possibly even more sickening than the horrors of war, however, is the pride that people have in it.