Free Essays on Ashland Oil Inc.

Introduction In 1987 Ashland Oil, Inc. was the sixtieth largest company in the country with revenues exceeding $7 Billion; it was also the nation’s largest independent oil refiner. A significant portion of oil supplies came from the Middle East and Nigeria under contract. In order to reduce dependence on the volatile refining industry Ashland Oil, Inc diversified into other activities such as transportation of products, chemical marketing, coal etc. Refining continued to be a corporate leader however Ashland Petroleum Company captured 30% of sales in 1987. Catastrophe struck on January 2, 1988 when a 4 million gallon storage tank owned by Ashland Oil, Inc. split apart, collapsed and spilled diesel fuel in the surrounding area. The tank had formerly been at an Ohio location where it was dismantled and moved to the facility in Floreffe, Pennsylvania for reassembly. The spilled diesel fuel breached containment dikes ran through the adjacent property and ran into a storm drain that emptied into the nearby Monongahela River. The river within minutes washed the fuel over dam locks into the Ohio River contaminating drinking water affecting residents in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. Vast areas of river ecosystems were contaminated destroying wildlife, causing damage to private property and adversely affecting businesses in the area. Over the next three days following the spill, nearly 200 people contributed to the clean-up efforts, including (AOI) employees; the Coast Guard, Gulf Coast emergency strike force, O.H. Materials Co. of Ohio, a professional hazardous material clean-up company hired by AOI, the Red Cross, and the Audubon Society. The following day at approximately 9:00 AM the CEO and Chairman of the board at AOI, John Hall, was informed of the spill. Hall knew immediately he had an environmental problem to contend with however, he felt the major logistical problems could be handled by AOI associates who were al... Free Essays on Ashland Oil Inc. Free Essays on Ashland Oil Inc. Introduction In 1987 Ashland Oil, Inc. was the sixtieth largest company in the country with revenues exceeding $7 Billion; it was also the nation’s largest independent oil refiner. A significant portion of oil supplies came from the Middle East and Nigeria under contract. In order to reduce dependence on the volatile refining industry Ashland Oil, Inc diversified into other activities such as transportation of products, chemical marketing, coal etc. Refining continued to be a corporate leader however Ashland Petroleum Company captured 30% of sales in 1987. Catastrophe struck on January 2, 1988 when a 4 million gallon storage tank owned by Ashland Oil, Inc. split apart, collapsed and spilled diesel fuel in the surrounding area. The tank had formerly been at an Ohio location where it was dismantled and moved to the facility in Floreffe, Pennsylvania for reassembly. The spilled diesel fuel breached containment dikes ran through the adjacent property and ran into a storm drain that emptied into the nearby Monongahela River. The river within minutes washed the fuel over dam locks into the Ohio River contaminating drinking water affecting residents in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. Vast areas of river ecosystems were contaminated destroying wildlife, causing damage to private property and adversely affecting businesses in the area. Over the next three days following the spill, nearly 200 people contributed to the clean-up efforts, including (AOI) employees; the Coast Guard, Gulf Coast emergency strike force, O.H. Materials Co. of Ohio, a professional hazardous material clean-up company hired by AOI, the Red Cross, and the Audubon Society. The following day at approximately 9:00 AM the CEO and Chairman of the board at AOI, John Hall, was informed of the spill. Hall knew immediately he had an environmental problem to contend with however, he felt the major logistical problems could be handled by AOI associates who were al...

Synthesis and Electrochemical Characterization of Niobium Pentoxide/Carbon Nanotubes Composites

Synthesis and Electrochemical Characterization of Niobium Pentoxide/Carbon Nanotubes Composites Introduction In the last few years, a range of energy-storage device applications has expanded from portable electronics to large-scale energy storage systems, including renewable energy storage and electric transportation [1,2]. To fulfill the energy and power density requirements for energy applications, many researchers have given attention to the synthesis of nanomaterials based on oxides due to their chemical, physical, optical, and electronic properties [1–4]. In this way, niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) is a promising candidate because of its semiconductor properties with a band gap of ~3.4 eV, n-type, low toxicity, surface acidity, and good chemical and thermal stabilities [3,5–8]. It has been demonstrated that Nb2O5 can deliver high power through a mainly pseudocapacitive reaction of Li-ion (Li+), which could occur not only at the surface but also in the bulk of the Nb2O5 nanocrystals in non-aqueous Li+ electrolyte [2,9]. Moreover, the intercalation pseudo-capacitive behavior was highly dependent upon the presence of a crystalline structure, where amorphous and pseudo-hexagonal (TT-Nb2O5) exhibited lower specific capacitance values than the orthorhombic (T-Nb2O5) phase, however, nanoparticles aggregation is inevitable due to the high calcination temperature (>600  °C) for the orthorhombic phase formation of Nb2O5 [10–17]. Nonetheless, the application of Nb2O5 has been hampered by low bulk electrical conductivity (~3.4Ãâ€"10-6 S.cm-1 at 300 K) and by the difficult control of the ideal crystal structure [3,10,11]. Therefore, when T-Nb2O5 nanocrystals were fabricated into a relatively thick electrode, the power performance would be limited due to the impaired mobility of electrons. A possible effective method to improve these adversities in Nb2O5 is through of surface modifications (e.g., carbon coating), which could expose more redox active nanoparticles to the electrolyte as well as greatly i mprove the electronic conductivity [1,3,11–13]. It must be noted that the introduction of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) networks can enhance electron transport of the Nb2O5 and further improve the rate capability. Physical mixing of MWCNTs and Nb2O5 nanoparticles can fabricate composite with improved conductivity, but this type of mixing fails to fulfill a good interfacial interaction between the MWCNTs and Nb2O5 [3]. Wherefore, soft-chemistry methods like oxidant-peroxo method matched with hydrothermal treatment and heating by microwaves could be a promising alternative for niobium synthesis, mainly because it is performed at low temperatures which avoids the elimination of the hydroxyl groups in as-formed surfaces resulting in a material with high surface area and greater number of acid sites [6,18,19]. In addition, carbon materials have a good microwave radiation absorption, which facilitates the interaction with other particles [20]. The use of niobium oxides for energy storage devices is already well known and exploited [21] but its performance is only obtained by a hybrid supercapacitor based on lithium intercalation processes [21] where high values of energy and power density are obtained. These intercalation processes require the application of potentials between 1 to 3 V vs. Li/Li+, a careful and humidity-free assembly scheme and non-aqueous electrolytes [16]. In this work, niobium pentoxide with different structures and morphologies were grown onto the surface of carbon nanotubes were synthesized by MHS. Moreover, we evaluated some electrochemical properties of electrodes with high mass loading on Ni foam current collectors (Fig. 1) using aqueous electrolyte, which brings the material closer to real and practical applications. Methods The acid functionalization on the MWCNTs was performed to create functional groups through a controlled functionalization of the nanotube walls, which allowed the anchoring an d growth of the Nb2O5 nanoparticles. This functionalization is accomplished by exposing the MWCNTs in a concentrated HNO3/H2SO4 (1:3) as described by Goyanes, et al. 2007 [22]. Nb2O5 nanoparticles were synthesized by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method followed by a heat treatment. The sample preparation started with the dispersion of the 50 mg of functionalized MWCNTs and 100 mg of SDS (1:2) in 100 mL of distilled H2O in an ultrasonic bath. After dispersing, 2 g of (NH4[NbO(C2O4)2(H2O)2] ·nH2O) and 1.6 mL of H2O2 were added under ultrasound frequency. The solution was ultrasonicated continuously for 30 min and then poured into a Teflon vessel reaching about 50% of its volume, the autoclave was sealed and heated in the microwave equipment (Electrolux, MEF41, Brazil). The synthesis was performed with amendments according to Marins, et al., 2017 [23], where the temperature was set at 160  °C during 30 min, under a constant pressure of approximately 6 kgf cm-2 using 2.45 GHz microwave radiation with a maximum output power of 1500 W. Temperature and pressure during synthesis were monitored and controlled with the aid of a shielded thermocouple inserted directly into the vessel and with a pressure transducer sensor connected to the vessel [5]. After cooling at r oom temperature, the obtained powders were washed and centrifuged at 5000 rpm six times with distilled H2O to remove unreacted reagents and surfactant. The washed powder was over dried with no air circulation at 50  °C for 48 h. This sample was identified as CNT+TT-Nb2O5. To obtain the samples under heat treatment, part of the powder was heated in a furnace (FT-1200 1Z, Fortelab, Brazil) at 400  °C for 120 min and 650  °C for 180 min with a heating rate of 10  °C/min under nitrogen atmosphere aiming to get the orthorhombic phase [12,22]. After cooling at room temperature, the powders were stored in an oven with no air circulation at 50  °C and identified as CNT+T-Nb2O5. PVB solution in ethanol was added to the mixture in the electrode preparation. The PVB content in the slurry was 3% of the total mass of Nb2O5 and MWCNTs to each sample. The obtained slurry was used for the impregnation of Ni foam current collectors with area of 1 cm2. The active mass loading was 32 mg cm-2.

Society and Culture in Contemporary China Essay

Society and Culture in Contemporary China - Essay Example At that time, Tibet was an independent country with its own military and spiritual leaders. However, 20th Century, China overthrew Tibet and this was where the violence began. In the year 1959, the Chinese government discharged Tibet's spiritual leader known as the Dalai Lama from the country as he is now exiled in India. (Japan Times, 2008) In the month of March, there were violent protests in the Tibet's Lhasa region. This meant that the entire world focused on China and Tibet in that Month. It is very interesting to note that the Chinese government decided to deal with other news occurring throughout the world and only left a small portion of the china daily for their report on the Tibet protests. (China Daily, 2008) The Chinese government asserted that there was a third force behind the recent incidences in Lhasa. They believe that the third force is the exiled Dalai Lama. They claimed that this spiritual leader organized group that had prepared way before time for the incidences that occurred in March., they also asserted that the manner of execution denoted the fact that there was indeed a mastermind behind the violent protests. Additionally, the report went on to describe the negative effects of the protests; they referred to the nature of destructions such as burning property and buildings, wanton destruction of properties, lootings and beatings.It is also interesting to note that the China Daily tried to bring out the fact that the Tibetans condemned the protests. This report mentions the ethnic groups in Tibet and asserts that they all rally behind the Chinese government's view. Analysis of the report made by the People's Daily called Xinhua indicates the fact that the Chinese government has granted all ethnic groups regional autonomy. In the report, the Director of a Committee called Ethnic Affirms Committee affirms that regional autonomy is one of the backbones of the Chinese political systems. The report brings out the following issues; There are 5 autonomous regions in China 155 autonomous areas 120 autonomous counties 44 autonomous areas deal; with minority tribes There are 55 minority tribes The daily reports that China has granted autonomy for over fifty years. The result of these actions was the rapid increase in social and economic progress in those areas. The report claims that autonomy covers sixty-four percent of the country's vast geography. (Xinhua, 2008) Additionally, the report puts forward the fact that there will be an exhibition for the Tibet people. This exhibition will be held by the Chinese governmement and seeks to bring out some of the latter's opinion about the Tibetan past. It will give material on the history of the Tibetan people from earlier times to present day. Purpose media intended to serve The Chinese government laid out the report in a way that favors them. The violent protests were an indication that the Tibetans were unhappy with Chinese rule. This was an issue that none of them highlighted. Additionally, the government was also quick to point an accusing finger at another party even without adequate evidence. For instance, they claimed that the Dalai Lama was behind the protests yet they had no tangible evidence to

Cities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cities - Essay Example Therefore to fulfill these requirements people come together and build a city where they facilitate every possible requirement of human nature. What makes a place a city are the people who live there, their interactions and activities. It’s not only perceived as a gathering of millions of people but also by the constructions and infrastructure designed for man’s feasibility and convenience. Kevin Lynch describes an environmental image in three components: identity, structure and the meaning. The identity for which the city is known and distinguished, the structure- how it is build and designed and then the meaning is the relation people have with it (Lynch, 1960). In 18000 only 3% of the world population lived in the urban areas; However, by 1900, 14% were urbanites. With time the percentage increased and today we have urbanized the maximum possible earth and with the rate of population increasing the entire world would be urbanized soon. Cities are known as a place of opportunities where money, services employment are centralized. In rural areas it is difficult for people to achieve the requirements the way they can in cities. Living in cities facilitates people with numerous opportunities, luxuries and diversities like transportation, education and jobs. It is an established place where one can actually promote his way towards success. Business generates the demand of labor which eventually results in employment to bag money. People in rural areas have low income and huge families to make both ends meet they need money for which they belief city is a better place. For instance a farmer or a fisherman might not pull that money in a rural area as compared to that he can in city (Scott, 1981). City provides them with the opportunity of variety of jobs to all calipers of people. A reason to this is also the population density in urban areas, more people have numerous demands

Integrating Technology in the Language Arts Classroom Essay -- Teaching

Integrating Technology in the Language Arts Classroom School leaders today are under extreme pressure to improve student achievement levels. Yet, in the face of tight budgets, threats to cut extra-curricular activities, and an extensive shortage of textbooks in the schools, exactly what are teachers supposed to do to ensure that â€Å"no child is really left behind.† Despite what looks like a dead end, there is hope. By integrating the usage of technology in the Language Arts classroom, students are presented with a wide range of opportunities for improving in writing, literacy, and cultural awareness. According to the article, â€Å"Are we there yet?† a survey issued by the National School Boards Foundation says that many schools nationwide have made great progress in connecting classrooms to the Internet. Yet, this is not exactly enough. Today, the focus must be on integrating this technology as an integral tool for instruction and administration, not as just an extra â€Å"if-time† activity. By doing this, the core educational priorities that are set by the federal, state, and local governments will match the goals, interests, and objectives of students in diverse learning communities. In addition to this, the usage of technology is viewed by parents to have a positive impact in children’s lives. Although parents understand that there are dangers associated with the Internet, they mostly believe that the positive implications for it are much stronger. For school leaders, however, the correct installments of filters, firewalls, and honor codes are the only p rotections that they have against providing students with more positive than negative images. Having said all of this, what are technologies implications for improving the La... ...thers, they will develop a more complete sense of themselves and the world around them at the same time. In conclusion, technology in the Language Arts classrooms will provide students and teachers with a wide array of opportunities and options for broadening instruction and assessments. Increased usage of technology will act as a supplement for traditional instruction, and thus strengthen the effect that it will have in the lives of students everywhere. Therefore, where there are tight budgets, and shortage in textbooks, the usage of technology gives communities hope and a stronger belief that no child will be left behind. Works Cited â€Å"Are we there yet?† http://www.nsbf.org/thereyet/fulltext.htm â€Å"A Friend for the Language Arts.†www.electronic-school.com/0198f4.html â€Å"Using Virtual Learning Space to Promote Multiculturalism† http://www.techlearning.com

Marxism in “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti Essay

How is Marxism presented as a metaphor in Christina Rossetti’s poem ‘Goblin Market’? In Goblin Market, Rossetti presents Marxism as a metaphor through a number of different characters and through the language used. It could be argued that in the poem there is this idea that consumerism is bad, and that we are never satisfied with what we have which is essentially the theory behind Marxist views. An example of this in the poem is that once Laura has had a taste of the fruit she immediately wants more. This is shown in Laura â€Å"in an absent dream†¦longing for the night†. Laura is just wasting away waiting for the night to come so she can hear the goblins cry yet again. The use of the word ‘longing’ could be used as a metaphor for the desire and addiction involved in consumer consumption in the economy as a whole. Another way by which Rossetti presents Marxism through metaphor is through the goblins. The goblins could represent business men and therefore be a metaphor for the greed and gluttony in capitalistic society, who tricks people into buying their products. For example when it says â€Å"brother to sly brother† it is as if the goblins have spotted a vulnerable customer who they know they can persuade to buy their produce. Rossetti’s use of the word ‘sly’ infers that the goblins are devious and deceitful in their transaction of the goods, which suggests the greed associated with capitalism through a Marxist opinion. It could therefore be argued that, even though money is the central medium for business, in ‘Goblin Market’ the real value is in the greed and the experience. The golden lock of hair given to the goblins could represent this method of trade however. The â€Å"Goblin men† Are a metaphor for capitalism, and the exploitation of women by these capitalists. The Goblin men want her to buy their fruit, which could be seen as a metaphor for consumerism. On the other hand, it could also be suggested that this metaphor is for the capitalist system as a whole. To get this fruit Laura has to sell her body, and purity, represented by the hair that she sells to the goblin men. Look at this passage in particular. With the help of Marxist criticism we can make the argument that Rossetti was influenced by her contemporary society. As mentioned earlier, every society must – according to Marxism – pass through three stages in order to develop. The third stage of society’s development, the bourgeois society, is a society where all means of production is controlled by one class in society and can therefore be interpreted as the Victorian society and its relationship with the British colonies during this time. The goblins in this poem could therefore be said to represent the controlling force in the economy. The study of the fruits that the goblin men sell through a Marxist perspective is a very important part of the analysis of ‘Goblin Market’. When considering the items offered to the two girls, certain properties of the fruits are particularly interesting. The fruits are described by the author as tempting, sweet-tasting and luscious-looking. They are also exotic and not the kind of fruits which are grown in the typical British climate and nature which presents them as very idealistic. These idyllic fruits could therefore be argued to be a metaphor for the appeal of the capitalist regime and the presentation of propaganda through consumer products – which draws a parallel to the way in which the fruits are presented as â€Å"sweeter than honey† and â€Å"clearer than water† which both have connotations of natural purity and fairness. By using these exotic fruits as the bait with which to trap the innocent girls, the reader gets the feeling that the goblin men have travelled around the world in order to collect and sell the fruit. The selling and consuming of this fruit can therefore be interpreted as the conquering and exploitation of the British colonies all over the world. The structure of ‘Goblin Market’ could be seen to represent Marxism through the use of enjambment and the visual appearance of the poem, due to it being an evenly laid out piece of writing. This is because Marxism was the basis for communism which tends towards fairness and even structure in society which is reflected in the structure of the poem. For example, the lengths of the stanzas are all similar. On the other hand, another interpretation of the structure could be that it lends itself to a reading of â€Å"Goblin Market† as a Christian allegory of temptation, fall, and redemption, and some  critics have contended that this is the main purpose of the tale. In conclusion, the Marxist viewpoint in Christina Rossetti’s poem ‘Goblin Market’ is presented through metaphor. These metaphors take various shapes in the characters and the structure of the poem, as well as the use of language to insinuate the corruption involved in a capitalist societal structure.

Rebutting Arguments to Legalize Euthanasia or Assisted...

Rebutting Arguments to Legalize Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide This essay focuses on several of the most common arguments in favor of the legalization of euthanasia or assisted suicide - and rebuts them. The language is simple, or, as they say, in laymans terms so as to be easily understandable. The sources are from professional journals, internet websites, and news outlets. The first common argument favoring euthanasia or assisted suicide is this: Since euthanasia and assisted suicide take place anyway, isnt it better to legalize them so theyll be practiced under careful guidelines and so that doctors will have to report these activities? That sounds good but it doesnt work. Physicians who do not follow the†¦show more content†¦According to the third annual report issued by OHD, physicians were present at only 52% of reported deaths.(Oregon Feb.21) In the Netherlands, prior to enactment of the 2001 law, physicians were assured that they would not be prosecuted for euthanasia or assisted suicide as long as they followed guidelines and filed a report after the patients death. However, official surveys of Dutch doctors, in which physicians were granted both immunity and anonymity, revealed that only 41% of euthanasia and assisted suicide deaths were reported.(Van) Cases which failed to meet practice guidelines were most likely to go unreported.(Id. 1710) Another popular argument in favor of legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide is this: Isnt euthanasia or assisted suicide sometimes the only way to relieve excruciating pain? Quite the contrary. Euthanasia activists exploit the natural fear people have of suffering and dying. They often claim that, without euthanasia or assisted suicide, people will be forced to endure unbearable pain: During a radio debate, T. Patrick Hill (who was then an official of Choice in Dying and currently serves on the board of directors of the New York Citizens Committee on Health CareShow MoreRelatedThe Concept and Origin of the Assisted Suicide Movement3079 Words   |  12 PagesOne of the most contentious issues in the entire field of healthcare and end-of-life care is the notion of assisted suicide, wherein the individual who wishes to end his or her own life is assisted by someone else, usually a physician. As Werner (2005, p. 135) notes, straightforward answers to the difficult questions concerning the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide are not yet available, but one can at least have a more robust conception of the issues history, which in turn allows one