Overview Knowledge Based Economy Malaysia Commerce Essay

Overview Knowledge Based Economy Malaysia Commerce Essay Knowledge is defined as information combined with experience, context, interpretation, and reflection (Davenport et al., 1998). Knowledge defined as objects, concepts that are assumed exist around in people in same interest areas. Knowledge is commonly distinguished from data and information (Zack, 1999). Data is a kind of raw data which does not directly meaningful. Raw data refers to a collection of numbers, characters, images or other outputs from devices to convert physical quantities into symbols, which are unprocessed. Such data after further processed by human will become meaningful which is information. In addition, knowledge is result from interpreted information, understandings of combination of data and information, expertise, and skills which acquired by a person through year to year experiences. Further, knowledge can be tacit or explicit (Lave Wenger, 1991). For tacit knowledge, it is personal, context-specific knowledge that is difficult to formalize, record, or articulate, it is stored in the heads of people (Tiwana, 2000). Tacit knowledge is not available as text, it is difficult to express to others. It involves human personal beliefs, experiences, and values. For explicit knowledge is that component of knowledge that can be codified and transmitted in a systematic and formal language, documents, database, webs, e-mail, charts, etc (Tiwana, 2000). In contrast, explicit knowledge is more precisely and formally articulated, it can be transferred to others in a relatively straightforward manner. Explicit knowledge considers is the most important factor of production in knowledge economy. What is the knowledge economy? A knowledge-driven economy is one in which the generation and exploitation of knowledge play the predominant part in the creation of wealth (United Kingdom Department of Trade and Industry, 1998). Knowledge economy also defined as economy of knowledge which focused on the production and management of knowledge. From the past, neo-classical economics has only focused on production of labour and capital as their main factor. Nowadays, neo-classical economy getting transform into knowledge-based economy by start replacing capital and energy into information and knowledge as their primary wealth-creating assets. In the words of Dr. Mahathir: In our pursuit towards developing the K-economy, knowledge has to replace labour and capital as the key factors of production in our economy. The challenge for Malaysia is to develop this knowledge amongst our citizens so that our success will be due to the contributions of Malaysian talents and knowledge workers (Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, Putrajaya 8 March 2001 advertisement in the New Straits Times 13-04-2001). As we enter the 21st century, Malaysias economy is currently changing into knowledge based economy since announcement a long term project called Vision 2020, which was a plan turn Malaysia to a fully developed country and knowledge rich society through the development of ICT sector. According to Mahathir some have wondered why 2020 and not some other year. As a doctor I am attracted to the optometrist measurement of vision; 2020 indicates 100 per cent good vision in both eyes. Our 2020 vision for Malaysia implies this clear vision of where we want to go and what we want to be (Mohamad, 2007). To achieve the objectives of Vision 2020, shift Malaysia economy into knowledge-based economy to increase rapid rate of economy growth and enhance international competitiveness is very important. The knowledge based economy will be the main key point to strengthen Malaysias capability to innovate, create and design own indigenous technology, develop and launch new products in the market. In addition, the knowledge will be key factor contribute to Malaysias economy growth and able to achieve sustainable gross domestic product growth rate as well. Moreover, our previous prime minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said during the Eight Malaysia Plan period, we will be faced with even greater challenges from globalization and liberalization as well as the rapid development of information and technology. We will have to shift the growth strategy from being input-driven towards one that is knowledge-driven (Abdulai, 2004). Therefore, Malaysia has integrated the development of Knowledge-Based Economy concept into its new vision policy in order to achieve our Malaysia Vision 2020. Malaysian were encouraged to improve the quality of education and training to learn highly skilled and knowledgeable manpower in order to support the development of a knowledge-based economy. To develop a Knowledge-Based Economy as a strategic move to raise the value added of all economic sectors and optimizing the brainpower of the nation: and 2). strengthening human resource development to produce a competent, productive, and knowledgeable workforce. (Abdulai, 2004). Besides, Malaysia government has been high involved in this process shift Malaysia towards Knowledge-Based Economy by set up institutions, infrastructures, and infostructures that will help move the country towards a KBE with the launching Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) and National IT Agenda (NITA) organized by Malaysia government. The objectives to launch this project is formulate strategies and promote the utilization and development of IT, the key enabler of a knowledge-based economy by create an ideal IT and multimedia environment as well as enable Malaysia to be in the mainstream of activities necessary to attract knowledge workers, technopreneurs and high-technology industries. Furthermore, there are some academic researchers studying Knowledge Management and Knowledge-Based Economy development in Malaysia. A major effort is the book Malaysia and K-economy (2001) by a number of academics of the Multimedia University of Malaysia. Also, a number of local studies on some ICT developments which related innovative practice are also reported in the Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Economics and Business Conference 2002 (UPM). There is also a paper measures knowledge-based economy achievement through the skilled labor contributions to Malaysian manufacturing sector productivity growth (Elsadig et al, 2003). This studies trying to prove that Knowledge-Based Economy really contributed to a developed country in various sectors development such as manufacturing sector, ICT sector. As we know, the transformation towards Knowledge-Based Economy is started in Malaysia. Many organizations realize the important knowledge that will affect an organization operation future. Knowledge will play important role factor of affect organization production rather than the labour workforces, capital. Nowadays, knowledge management is not just used in ICT government sector, it also widely used in private hospitality industry. In this service industry, knowledge is very important in order to provide latest information which customer require immediately. With knowledge, they able to help customer solve difficult problem in limited time constrain due to every minute of time is equal to money of customer. In addition, we know that some industries have facing high turnover work force. Recruit new staff to take over the job position is not always the effective way. Therefore, they are only depending on past documentation which is explicit knowledge left by previous staff. Yet, it is difficult to transform tacit knowledge into documentation as references for future used. Thats why the important of learning knowledge management there are. There is an example in below: In an industry where there is highly turnover, knowledge management also helps bring our staff up to speed quicky and we achieve the learning processes documented and disseminated quickly. (Cherly, 2008). As the growing demand for knowledge-based products and services is changing the structure of the global economy, the role of knowledge in achieving competitive advantage is becoming an important management issue in all sectors. The gap between a companys market value and its tangible asset value is widening; the key variable explaining this gap is a firms stock of knowledge. Unlike land, labor, and capital the economists traditional, finite factors of production knowledge and ideas are infinite economic goods that can generate increasing returns through their systematic use (Kim Mauborgne, 1999). Though there little consensus as to what knowledge actually is, many do accept that knowledge is a primary competitive factor in business today (Dzinkowski, 2000). A survey conducted by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) shows that the top executives of both the Canadian Financial Post 300 firms and US Fortune 500 firms view knowledge resources as critical for a firms success. Discussion Knowledge is defined as information combined with experience, context, interpretation, and reflection (Davenport et al., 1998). Knowledge is commonly distinguished from data and information (Zack, 1999). Knowledge is believed and valued on the basis of the meaningfully organized accumulation of information through experience, communication, or inference. Knowledge can be viewed both as a thing to be stored and manipulated and as a process of simultaneously knowing and acting that is, applying expertise (Blackler, 1995). Instead, Knowledge is not only embodied in goods and services, particularly in high technology industries, but also it is a commodity itself, manifested in forms such as intellectual property rights or in the tacit knowledge of highly mobile key employees. Knowledge includes information how the way to interact as individuals as community. Knowledge unlike land, labor, and capital the economists traditional, finite factors of production knowledge and ideas are infinite economic goods that can generate increasing returns through their systematic use (Kim Mauborgne, 1999). It is a public good and sharing with others involves zero marginal cost. Though there little consensus as to what knowledge actually is, many do accept that knowledge is a primary competitive factor in business today (Dzinkowski, 2000). In addition, technology breakthrough based on knowledge creates technical platforms that support further innovations and drive economic growth (Bank Negara, 1999). The table below w ill show the framework categories of knowledge: Picture1 As the growing demand for knowledge-based products and services is changing the structure of the global economy, the role of knowledge in achieving competitive advantage is becoming an important management issue in all sectors. Therefore, the rapid creation and dissemination of knowledge and information is very important to the organization. If knowledge is not properly maintained, information could become misconstrued or vanish all together. When information is stored within individual minds, the maintenance of this knowledge becomes more complex. The retrieval and distribution of information are the most important aspects of organizational memory. Individuals must be motivated in order to retrieve and communicate information. A major problem within many organizations is the fact that employees view knowledge as a method of securing their jobs and are reluctant to share their knowledge with others. Nowadays, many organization and enterprise are realizing how important to make maximu m use of knowledge among their staff. These knowledge can be database knowledge, work past experiences, human knowledge based. It is hard to keep track of and make use of all of the parts knowledge. The organization interest to know what are the knowledge assets and how to use and manage this knowledge asset to get high return in the future. Most of the organization in Malaysia only focused on labor, capital and tangible asset as their primary knowledge assets. They are loses sight of knowledge Management as their primary important knowledge assets. Only, few organizations fully realize the benefits from highly valued knowledge. However, organizations getting change, evolution, view knowledge management as part of their business strategy. Due to organization found that, to success in increase competitive marketplace is fully depends on the quality of the knowledge by how to apply it in the business process. Knowledge management has also been described for its possible role in creating sustained competitive advantages for organizations (Grant, 1996; Johannessen Olsen, 2003; Lado Wilson, 1994). Such as apply knowledge on low cost leadership strategy by the way of cut cost, lower the product price, reduce or eliminate steps in the manufacturing process that are unnecessary or duplicated process cycle in order to have a unique characteristic to differentiate form the competitor. This is the way how to apply knowledge in cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategy into business field to gain competitive advantages in the competition marketplace. Knowledge management not only the benefits of reduced co sts and cycle time, but also develop valuable knowledge that anticipates of future buyer/seller behavior. Besides, knowledge management apply on innovation-based differentiation strategy to create new innovation product to able differentiate from competitors to gain competitive advantages. However, there is a challenge of deploying the knowledge assets of an organization to create competitive advantage such as the marketplace is increasing competitive and the rate of innovation, knowledge should be evolve and process at even faster rate by an organization in order to catch up with the trend of the market. Moreover, knowledge takes times to experience and acquire. An organization does not have enough time to provide this kind of knowledge management training and increase formal knowledge management to the staff. Leading loss of knowledge due to staff retirement earlier is one of the reasons. The experience from the retire staff may not be transfer the tacit knowledge to the fresh staff. It is difficult to request experience staffs turn their tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge which is documentation form for references use in future. Sometimes, changing in strategy direction may result in the loss of knowledge in a specific area. For instance, a subsequent reversal in policy may then lead to a renewed requirement for this knowledge, but the employees with that knowledge may no longer be there. A variety of factors have been shown to have an important effect on the ability of organizations to acquire sustained competitive advantage, including the relative capability development of a firm (Johannessen Olsen, 2003), and a firms ability to differentiate its products (Johannessen Olsen, 2003; Teece et al., 1997). Research on KM and competitive advantage has emphasized description, rather than empirical study KM can lead to such an advantage (Holsapple Singh, 2001; Ndlela Toit, 2001). The current competitive environment is driven largely by the emergence of the knowledge society, where as Drucker has described (Drucker, 1992), organizations move from productivity based on make and move to one based on knowledge and service. The emergence of this knowledge era is radically changing what creates value in organizations, whereby the long-term viability and prosperity of an organization increasingly depends on its managements ability to leverage the hidden value of its intangible assets. Resource-based has emerged as a key competitive priority in many organization activities including corporate strategy (Clemons, 1991), information technology capability (Mata, Fuerst,Barney, 1995), and KM. Resource-based is defined as the resources and capabilities possessed by competing firms that may differ, and these differences may be long lasting (Barney, 1991; Rumelt, 1984; Wernerfelt, 1984). From the resource-based perspective, knowledge management researchers have identified various KM related resources that serve as potential source of competitive advantage. For example, Gold et al. (2001) notes that technological resource, structural resource, and cultural resource are rate and firm specific and therefore likely to serve as sources of organizational capability. Along with competent KM skills, Lee and Choi (2003) point out that the relationships between knowledge enablers (culture, structure, people, and technology) and organizational performance. Likewise, in fostering research agenda of knowledge management, Grover and Davenport (2001) and Okunoye and Karsten (2002) describe the strategy, structure, culture, and technology as the primary sources of its business growth and improved competitiveness. Furthermore, an organizations with strong social KM resources are able to (1) integrate the KM and business planning processes more effectively, (2) develop reliable and innovation applications that support the business needs of the firm faster than competition, (3) predict future business needs of the firm and innovate valuable new product features before competitors. The social KM resources ability to encourage the multifaceted activities associated with the successful implementation of knowledge management has been found to be a key distinguis hing factor of successful firms (Lee Choi, 2003). In fact the wide difference in competitive organizational and economic benefits that companies acquire from KM has been attributed largely to their social KM resources (Lee Choi, 2003; Miller Shamsie, 1996). KM resources are complex to gain and difficult to imitate when there is individual. To achieve competitive advantage through Knowledge Management, organizations have also learned how to combine effectively their KM resources to create an overall KM capability. Conclusion We were more understanding about what Knowledge is, how knowledge important to contribution economy growth, how knowledge management benefits to the organizations and how knowledge management may be appropriately viewed as an organizational capability. Before we started, we have done many researches about what actually Knowledge-Based Economy is. We also found out how Malaysia started to change towards Knowledge-Based Economy, what is the main factor to have this Knowledge-Based Economy evolution. Since introduction of the Seventh Malaysian Plan (1996-2000), it is the effort towards shifting Malaysia to a knowledge-based economy. Thats why it is important to understand the readiness of Malaysian higher educational institutions to support knowledge-based economy. In addition, the contributions to the development of the Malaysian Knowledge-based economy have come largely from the government policy makers, management consultants and businesspersons. It proved that knowledge play an important role to change our country, society from traditional to knowledge-based. In conclusion, the challenge of globalization and a knowledge-based era has made it vital for Malaysia to move towards a Knowledge Based Economy. Knowledge Based Economy will present the ways to achieve sustainable rapid growth and remain globally competitive in the medium and long term and it will brings up our country towards Vision 2020 and turn Malaysia to a fully developed country and knowledge rich society.

Coyote Blue Chapter 23~24

Part 3 Quest CHAPTER 23 Pavlov's Dogs and the Rhinestone Turd Las Vegas The only distractions from the noise of his own mind were desert-dried roadkills, thrown retreads, and road signs reflecting desolation. Sam drove, smoked, and fought drowsiness by worrying about how he would find the girl. The trickster slept in the passenger seat. Sam had been to Las Vegas three times before – with Aaron – to see championship boxing at Caesar's Palace. Two hundred dollars bought them seats at nosebleed altitude, closer to the moon than the ring, but Aaron insisted that there was nothing like being there. Without binoculars, following the progress of the fight was like tracking down a rumor. Sam usually watched the women and did his best to keep Aaron calmed down. As soon as they walked into a casino Aaron started. â€Å"This is my town! The lights, the excitement, the women – I was born for this place.† Then Aaron would drop a couple thousand at the tables and suck free gin and tonics until he staggered. In the morning Sam would drag Aaron out of a tangle of satin sheets and hookers, throw him in the shower, and listen to his long lament of remorse and hangover as he lay in the backseat of the car with a jacket over his head, whining the whole way home about how he would never return. Aaron never failed to fuel the greed machine and was always dumbfounded when it juiced him of his hope. It was the machine that fascinated Sam. While Aaron ground himself through the velvet gears, Sam watched the workings of the most elaborate Skinner box on the face of the Earth. Drop the coin, hear the bell, see the lights, eat the food, see the women, hear the bell, see the lights, drop the coin again. The ostentation of the casinos did not create desire for money; it made money meaningless. There were no mortgages in a casino, no children needing food, no car needing repairs, no work, no time, no day, no night; those things – the context of money – were someplace else. A place where people returned before they realized that a turd rolled in rhinestones is a turd nonetheless. Sam saw the glow from Las Vegas rising over the desert from thirty miles out. He poked Coyote in the leg and the trickster woke up. â€Å"Hold the wheel,† Sam said. â€Å"Let me drive. You can sleep.† â€Å"You're not driving my car. Just hold the wheel.† Coyote held the wheel while Sam punched buttons on the console. The screen of the navigation system flickered on. Sam punched a few more buttons and a street map of Las Vegas lit up green on the screen. A blip representing the Merecedes blinked along Highway 15 toward the city. â€Å"Okay,† Sam said, taking the wheel again. Coyote studied the screen. â€Å"How do you win?† â€Å"It's not a game, it's a map. The blip is us.† â€Å"The car knows where it is going, like a horse?† â€Å"It doesn't know, it just tells us where we are.† â€Å"Like looking out the window?† â€Å"Look, I'm going to have to sleep when we get to Vegas. I don't even know where to start looking for Calliope.† â€Å"Why don't you ask the car?† Sam ignored the question. â€Å"I'm going to get us a room.† He dialed information on the cellular phone, got the number of a casino hotel, then called and reserved a room. The exits off the highway were marked by names of casinos they led to, not by the names of streets or roads. Sam took the exit marked Camelot. He followed the signs down the surface streets lined with pawnshops, convenience stores, and low-slung cinder-block buildings under neon signs that proclaimed, CASH FOR YOUR CAR, CHECKS CASHED HERE, MARRIAGES AND DIVORCES – TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR DRIVE-THRU WINDOW. Coyote said, â€Å"What are these places?† Sam tried to think of a quick explanation, but was too weary from lack of sleep to tackle the concept of Las Vegas in twenty-five words or less. Finally he said, â€Å"These are places where you go if you want to fuck up your life and you don't have a lot of time to do it in.† â€Å"Are we going to stop?† â€Å"No, I seem to be fucking up at a fine rate of speed, thank you.† Sam spotted the pseudomedieval towers of Camelot rising above the strip, multi-colored pennons flying from standards tipped with aircraft warning lights. He wondered what the real King Arthur (if there was a King Arthur, and who was he to question the truth behind myth?) would have thought about the casino named after his legendary city. Would he recognize anything? Would he cower in fear at the sight of his first electric light? Flush toilet? Automobile? Would he be reduced to a pathetic Quixote attacking this place where chivalry was a quaint marketing idea? Or would the Once and Future King lay eyes on a leggy keno girl and raise another lance to lead the knights of the Round Table in a charge? The women, Sam decided, would be Arthur's touchstone, and his downfall. He shot a glance at Coyote. â€Å"When we get there you're going to see a lot of women without a lot of clothes on. Stay away from them.† Coyote looked surprised. â€Å"I never touch a woman who does not want it-â€Å" â€Å"Don't touch!† Sam interrupted. Coyote slouched in his seat. â€Å"Or need it,† he whispered. Sam drove the Mercedes over a giant drawbridge and stopped at the valet parking station where a dozen young men dressed like squires were scrambling around unloading cars, filling out slips, and driving cars away. â€Å"This is it,† Sam said. He popped the trunk and got out, leaving the engine running. A warm desert wind washed over him at the same time a young man ran around the car and held out a numbered slip of paper. â€Å"Your ticket, milord.† Sam dug in his pocket for a bill to tip the kid, but found nothing. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said. â€Å"I don't have any cash on me. I'll get your name and leave a tip at the desk.† The kid tried to force a smile and failed. â€Å"Very good, milord.† He jumped in the car and slammed the door. Sam cringed and tapped on the window. The window whirred down; the kid waited. Sam leaned in and read the kid's plastic badge. â€Å"Look, uh, Squire Tom, I really will leave a tip at the desk for you. We left in a hurry and I forgot to get cash.† The kid waited, gunning the engine. â€Å"There's an alarm remote on the keys. Could you turn it on after you park it? One chirp is armed.† Squire Tom nodded and pulled away. Sam heard him say, â€Å"The pox on you, Moorish pig,† over the squeal of the tires. How authentic, Sam thought. He watched the Mercedes disappear around the corner and wondered why valet parking always made him feel as if he had seen his car for the last time. Coyote stood across the lane waving to the car. He looked over. â€Å"Moorish pig?† â€Å"The dark skin, I guess,† said Sam. He led Coyote past a half-dozen squires and an overweight guy in a purple-and-yellow jester's outfit with a radio on his belt and a badge that read, Lord Larry, over another drawbridge, and into the casino. Trumpets played a fanfare as they crossed the threshold under a brace of huge broadswords. A jolly electronic voice welcomed them to Camelot. Sam spotted a woman in a peasant dress by a sign reading, Ye Olde Information. The badge she wore, next to a magnificent display of cleavage, read, Lusty Wench Wendy. Sam pulled Coyote back and approached the girl. â€Å"Excuse me, er, Wendy. I have a room reserved and I need to find a cash machine.† The girl spoke in a whining fake-English-over-true-Brooklyn accent.  «Well » – she threw out a hip, struck a pose – â€Å"if milords proceed through the casino to the left to the second arch, ye will find the registration desk. There's cash machines by every arch, milord.† â€Å"Thanks,† Sam said. He started to walk away, then turned back to the girl. â€Å"Excuse me, but I've been here before and I thought everyone was a lord or a lady. Lusty wench is a new one.† The English accent had overheated and failed. â€Å"Yeah. About three months ago they said it was getting sorta confusing. You know, six Lord Steves, ten Lady Debbies. They use a bunch of other medieval titles now. The bellboys are serfs. Lusty wenches, alchemists, stuff like that.† â€Å"Oh, thanks,† Sam said as if he understood. He led Coyote into the chaos of the casino, looking for a cash machine while trying to move quickly. Coyote's appearance was attracting attention, and when people looked up from a slot machine or blackjack table, Sam knew they were truly distracted. As they passed a carousel of slot machines, a middle-aged woman who was pumping quarters into a machine by the handful leaned so far back to get a look at the trickster that she nearly toppled off her stool. Sam caught her and steadied her. â€Å"He works at the Frontier, up the strip,† Sam said. Coyote peeked over Sam's shoulder, winked at the woman, then licked his eyebrows. The woman's jaw dropped. â€Å"Exotic dancer,† Sam explained. The woman nodded, a little stunned, and returned her attention to the slot machine. â€Å"I wish you wouldn't do that,† Sam said to Coyote. â€Å"And don't you have any other clothes? Something a little more conservative?† â€Å"Wool?† Coyote made an incredibly realistic sheep noise. A pit boss at the blackjack tables raised an eyebrow and two security jesters fell in behind Sam and Coyote. â€Å"Be cool,† Sam said. He turned under a hanging tapestry of a unicorn and stopped by a cash machine, checking over his shoulder for the security jesters. They waited and watched, standing a few feet away, while Sam took a deck of credit cards from his wallet and shuffled through them. When he inserted one of the cards in the machine and punched his identification number the jesters moved off. â€Å"They're gone,† Coyote said. â€Å"Yeah, as long as it looks like you're going to spend money I guess it doesn't matter what you look like.† Coyote watched as the cash machine spit a stack of twenties into the tray. â€Å"You win,† he said. â€Å"You picked the right numbers the first time.† â€Å"Yeah, I'm lucky that way.† â€Å"Try again, see if you win.† Sam grinned. â€Å"I'm very good at this game.† He put a different card into the machine and punched the same PIN number while Coyote watched. The machine whirred and another stack of twenties shot into the tray. â€Å"You won! Play again.† â€Å"No. We need to check in.† Sam picked up the money and walked to a registration desk that was long enough to land planes on. At this hour of the morning there were only two people on the desk, a lusty wench named Chantel and a very tall, thin, very black man in a business suit and wraparound sunglasses who stood back from the desk and watched, unmoving. â€Å"Hunter, Samuel,† Sam said. â€Å"I have a reservation.† He placed a credit card on the desk. The girl typed for a second. The computer beeped and the girl looked over her shoulder at the black man, who moved like liquid to her side. He consulted the screen for a moment. What now? Sam thought. The black man looked down at Sam and a crescent moon of a smile appeared on the night sky of his face. He picked up Sam's credit card and handed it back. â€Å"Mr. Hunter, thank you for joining us again. The room's on Camelot, sir. And if there's anything I can get you, please don't hesitate to call down and ask.† Sam was dumbfounded. Then he remembered. The last time he had stayed here Aaron had lost almost twenty thousand dollars and billed it to their suite of rooms. The suite had been registered in Sam's name. Vegas loves a loser. â€Å"Thank you† – Sam read the man's nameplate, which was pinned at Sam's eye level – â€Å"M.F.† No Lord, no Squire, no title at all – just M.F. â€Å"The second elevator on your left, Mr. Hunter,† the lusty wench said. â€Å"Twenty-seventh floor.† â€Å"Thanks,† Sam said. Coyote grinned at the girl and Sam dragged him away to the elevator, where the trickster immediately punched in four floor numbers and stood back. â€Å"This time, I will win.† â€Å"It's a fucking elevator,† Sam said. â€Å"Just push twenty-seven.† â€Å"But that is not the lucky number.† Sam sighed and pushed the floor number, then waited while they stopped at all the floors Coyote had pushed on their way to twenty-seven. Once in the room, Sam stripped to his shorts and fell onto one of the king-size beds. â€Å"Get some sleep if you can. I'll try and figure out how to find Calliope in the morning. I'm too tired to think now.† â€Å"You sleep,† Coyote said. â€Å"I will think of a plan.† Sam didn't answer. He was already asleep. Coyote Loses His Ass Coyote and his friend Beaver had been hunting all day, but neither had found any game. After a while they sat down on some rocks and began talking. â€Å"This is your fault,† Coyote said. â€Å"I can always find game.† â€Å"I don't think so,† Beaver said. â€Å"If you are such a good hunter, why is your wife so skinny?† Coyote thought about his skinny wife and Beaver's fat little wife and he was jealous. â€Å"Well, how about a bet?† he said. â€Å"Tomorrow we will each go out hunting. If you get more rabbits, you can come to my lodge and sleep with my wife so you can see that my skinny wife is better. But if I get more rabbits, I get to sleep with your wife.† â€Å"Sounds fair,† Beaver said. The next day, after the hunt, Coyote came to Beaver's lodge carrying his one scrawny rabbit. â€Å"Oh, Mrs. Beaver,† he called. â€Å"I've come to collect on my bet.† Mrs. Beaver called from inside the lodge. â€Å"Oh, Coyote, you are a great hunter. Mr. Beaver just stopped by with twenty rabbits on his way to your lodge. You better go stop him and tell him that you got more.† â€Å"Right,† Coyote said. â€Å"I'll be right back.† He slunk off to his lodge dragging his rabbit. His wife was waiting outside. â€Å"Nice rabbit,† she said. â€Å"Beaver is inside. I'll see you in the morning.† Coyote's wife went into the lodge and pulled down the door flap. All night Coyote sat outside his lodge shivering and listening. At one point he heard his wife cry out. â€Å"Beaver!† Coyote shouted. â€Å"Don't you hurt my wife.† â€Å"He's not hurting me,† Mrs. Coyote said. â€Å"I like it!† â€Å"Swell,† Coyote said. The next morning Beaver came out of Coyote's lodge singing and grinning. â€Å"No hard feelings, right?† â€Å"A bet is a bet,† Coyote said. Mrs. Coyote peeked out and said, â€Å"Maybe this will teach you not to gamble.† â€Å"Right,† Coyote said. Then he called to Beaver, â€Å"Hey, how about playing the hand game with me – double or nothing?† â€Å"Sounds good,† Beaver said. â€Å"Let's go down to the river.† At the river Coyote said, â€Å"This is for a night with your wife.† Then he picked the wrong hand. â€Å"You really shouldn't gamble,† Beaver said. â€Å"I'll bet you my best horse for a night with your wife,† Coyote said. After a while, Coyote had lost all his horses, his lodge, his wife, and his clothes. â€Å"One more time,† he said. â€Å"But you don't have anything left,† Beaver said. â€Å"I'll bet you my ass against everything else.† â€Å"I don't want your ass,† Beaver said. â€Å"I thought you were my friend.† â€Å"Okay,† Beaver said. He hid the stone behind his back. Coyote picked the wrong hand. â€Å"Can I borrow your knife?† Coyote said. â€Å"I don't want your ass,† Beaver said. â€Å"A bet is a bet,† Coyote said. He took Beaver's knife and cut off his ass. â€Å"Boy, that stings.† â€Å"I've got to go,† Beaver said. â€Å"I'll tell your wife she can come and sleep in my lodge if she wants to.† He picked up all of Coyote's things and went home. When Coyote got home his wife was waiting. â€Å"Beaver took the lodge,† she said. â€Å"Yep,† Coyote said. â€Å"Where's your ass?† she asked. â€Å"Beaver got that too.† â€Å"You know,† she said, â€Å"there's a twelve-step program for gambling. You should look into it.† â€Å"Twelve steps.† Coyote laughed. â€Å"I'll bet I can do it in six.† CHAPTER 24 Coyote in Trickster Town Las Vegas Coyote had been a long time in the Spirit World, where everyone knew him, so no one would gamble with him. Now that he was in Trickster Town, he wanted to make up for lost time. He waited for Sam to fall asleep, then he took the salesman's wallet and went down the elevator to the casino. Coyote saw hundreds of shiny machines blinking, and ringing, and clanking big coins into hollow metal bowls. He saw green tables where people traded money for colorful chips and a woman in a cage who paid money for the chips. He saw a wheel with a ball that went around and around. When the ball stopped a man took everyone's chips. The key to that one, Coyote thought, is to grab your chips when you see the ball slowing down. At one green table, a shaman with a stick chanted while players threw bones. There was much shouting and moaning after each throw and the shaman took many chips from the players. That is a game of magic, Coyote thought. I will be very good at that one. But first I must use Sam's cheating medicine on this machine. The trickster stood by a machine that he had seen Sam win from two times. He took one of the gold cards from Sam's wallet and slipped it into the machine, then he pressed the number that he had seen Sam use. The machine beeped and spit the card out. â€Å"Panther piss!† Coyote swore. â€Å"I've lost.† He pounded on the machine, then stepped back and drew another card from Sam's wallet. He put it in the machine and pressed the number. The machine beeped and spit out the card. â€Å"Balls!† Coyote said. â€Å"This cheating medicine is no good.† A round woman in pink stretch pants who was standing behind Coyote cleared her throat and made an impatient humphing noise. Coyote turned to her. â€Å"Get your own machine. This one is mine.† The woman glared at the trickster and tapped her foot. â€Å"Go, go, go,† Coyote said, waving her away. â€Å"There are many machines to play on. I was here first. Go away.† He put another card into the machine and hunched over the keyboard so the woman would not steal his cheating medicine. He looked back over his shoulder. She was trying to see what he was doing. â€Å"Go away, woman. My cheating medicine will not help you. Even if you win you will still be ugly.† The woman wrapped the strap of her pocketbook around her wrist and wound up to swing it at Coyote. Coyote was going to turn into a flea and disappear into the carpet, but he would have had to drop Sam's wallet to do it, so he hesitated and the woman let fly. Coyote ducked and covered his head, but the blow didn't come. Instead he heard a solid thud above his head and looked up to see a huge black hand holding the pocketbook in the air, the woman dangling from the strap at the other end. Coyote looked up further, craning his neck, until he saw a dazzling crescent moon of a smile in the face like night sky. â€Å"Is there a problem?† said the crescent moon in a soft, calm, deep voice. The giant lowered the woman, who stood stunned, staring up at what looked like a living late-afternoon shadow in sunglasses. The giant was used to shocking people – white people anyway; a seven-foot black man anywhere off a basketball court nonplussed most. He squeezed the woman's shoulder gently to bring her back to her senses. â€Å"Are you all right, ma'am?† Again the smile. â€Å"Fine. I'm fine,† the woman said, and she tottered off into the casino to tell her husband that, by God, they would spend their next vacation in Hawaii where natives and giants – if they were there at all – were part of the entertainment. The giant turned his attention to Coyote. â€Å"And you, sir, can I help you with anything?† â€Å"You look like Raven,† Coyote said. â€Å"Do you always wear sunglasses?† â€Å"Always, sir,† the giant said with a slight bow. He pointed to the brass nameplate on his black suit jacket. â€Å"I'm M.F., customer service, at your service, sir.† â€Å"What's the M.F. stand for?† Coyote asked. â€Å"Just M.F., sir. I am the youngest of nine children. I suppose my mother was too tired to come up with a full name.† This was not entirely true, nor entirely false. The giant's mother had, indeed, been weary by the time he was born, but she had also developed an unnatural obsession with dental hygiene as a child, after she was chosen to be one of the first students ever to participate in a Crest toothpaste test. It had been her single moment of glory, her fifteen minutes of fame (and her best checkup ever). When she grew up she married a navy man named Nathan Fresh, and as she bore her children she christened them in remembrance of her day in the dental sun. The first of the Fresh children, a boy, was named Fluoristat. Then came three more boys: Tartar, Plaque, and Molar. Then two girls: Gingivitis and Flossie (the latter after the famous dental hygiene cow). After normal deliveries of two more sons, Bicuspid and Incisor, she had a long, difficult labor with her largest and last son, Minty. Later, Mother Fresh swore that had the child taken one more minute to come into the world, she would have nam ed him Mr. Tooth Decay out of spite – a fact that gave little solace to the man named Minty Fresh. Coyote said, â€Å"People think that it stands for motherfucker, don't they?† â€Å"No,† Minty said. â€Å"No one has ever mentioned it.† â€Å"Oh,† Coyote said. â€Å"Can you fix this machine? When I give it the cheating number it just beeps.† Minty Fresh looked at the cash machine, which was still blinking the message INSTRUCTIONS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, OR JAPANESE. CHOOSE ONE. â€Å"You'll need to choose a language, sir.† He reached down and pushed the English button. â€Å"It should be fine now.† Coyote inserted a card and punched two numbers on the keyboard, then looked at Minty. â€Å"This is my secret number.† â€Å"Yes,† Minty said. â€Å"If you need anything at all, please ask for me personally.† He turned and walked away. Coyote finished punching the PIN number. When the machine prompted him for an amount he punched in $9999.99, the maximum allowed by the six-figure field. The machine whirred and spit five hundred dollars into the tray, then flashed a message saying that this was the card's transaction limit. Coyote tried the card again and got another five hundred. The third time the machine refused the transaction so Coyote tried another card. After running all of Sam's cards to their limit he walked away from the machine with twenty thousand dollars in cash. Coyote went to the roulette table and held the four-inch brick of twenties out to the croupier, a slight Oriental woman in a red-and-purple silk doublet with a name badge that read, Lady Lihn. The croupier said, â€Å"On the table.† She gestured for Coyote to put the money down. She nodded to a pit boss. â€Å"Watch count, please,† she said mechanically. The pit boss, a sharp-faced, slick-haired Italian man wearing a polyester suit and a ten-thousand-dollar Rolex, moved to her side and watched as she counted the bills out on the table. â€Å"Changing twenty thousand,† Lady Lihn said. â€Å"How would you like this, sir?† â€Å"Red ones,† Coyote said. The pit boss raised an eyebrow and smirked. Lady Lihn looked irritated. â€Å"Red is five dollar. No room on table.† The pit boss addressed Coyote. â€Å"Perhaps you'd like two hundred in fives and the rest in hundreds, sir.† â€Å"What color are the hundreds?† Coyote said. â€Å"Black,† Lady Lihn said. â€Å"Yellows,† Coyote said. â€Å"Yellows are two dollars.† â€Å"You pick,† Coyote said. Lady Lihn counted out racks of chips and pushed them in front of Coyote. The pit boss nodded to a cocktail waitress, then to the stack of chips in front of Coyote, which the cocktail waitress interpreted as â€Å"Take the order.† The cocktail waitress would bring strong drinks until Coyote started to get drunk, then she would bring watered drinks until he looked tired, when she would offer coffee and disappear until the caffeine kicked in. â€Å"Can I bring you something to drink?† Coyote turned to the cocktail waitress and stared into her cleavage. â€Å"Yes,† he said. The waitress held a pen ready over a cocktail napkin. â€Å"What can I bring you?† Coyote shot a glance to a woman at the table who was drinking a mai tai, resplendent with paper parasols and sword-skewered tropical fruit. He grabbed the woman's drink and downed half of it, nearly taking his eye out with the plastic broadsword. â€Å"One of these,† Coyote said. He replaced the drink in front of the woman, who didn't seem to notice that it had been missing. She'd been riding the alcohol-and-caffeine roller coaster for hours and was absorbed in winning back her children's college fund. â€Å"Bets down,† Lady Lihn said. Coyote put a single red chip on black and the ball was dropped. Coyote watched the ball race around the outside of the wheel. When it slowed and dropped to the numbers he reached for his bet. â€Å"No touch bet,† Lady Lihn snapped. In an instant the pit boss, the cocktail waitress, and two security jesters in steel-toed elf shoes were at Coyote's side. The trickster pulled his hand back. It will be hard to trick these people, Coyote thought. They talk like wolves, all twitches and gestures and smells. The ball dropped into a red slot and Lady Lihn placed another red chip next to Coyote's. â€Å"I win, I win, I win,† Coyote chanted. He did a skipping dance around the table and sang a victory song. Above the casino, in a mirrored dome, a video camera picked up Coyote's dancing image and sent it to a deck of monitors where three men watched and, in turn, watched each other watch. One pressed a button and picked up a telephone. â€Å"M.F.,† he said. â€Å"This is God. Customer service on table fifty-nine. The Indian you were talking to a few minutes ago. Watch him.† â€Å"I'm on it,† Minty Fresh said. He turned to the girl who was working behind the computer. â€Å"God wants me on the floor.† The girl nodded. As Minty walked by her she sang softly, â€Å"He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you're awake†¦.† Minty Fresh smiled. He really didn't mind being watched. Because of his size, people had always watched him. He had never blended into any background, never entered a room unnoticed, never been able to sneak up on someone. Attracting attention was as natural to him as being. And for every original-thinking dolt who asked him how the weather was up there, there was a woman who wanted to research the wives' tale of proportional hand-foot-penis size. (A tale, Minty thought, dreamed up by the unsatisfied wives of small-footed men.) Minty spotted the Indian at the roulette table. The two security jesters had moved off a few feet but were still watching, as was the pit boss. When Minty came to the table they nodded in acknowledgment and moved off. The croupier looked at Minty and immediately looked back to the bets on the table. Minty Fresh put her on edge. It wasn't his size that rattled her, but the fact that no one was exactly sure what his job was, only that when there was a problem, he was there. He handled things. Lady Lihn dropped the ball into the wheel. It raced, then rattled into a slot, and she raked all the bets off the table. Coyote cursed and let out a howl. The woman playing next to him staggered back and wandered away, carrying visions of her children wearing paper hats and saying, â€Å"I was going to go to college, but my mother went to Vegas instead. Would you like fries with that?† Coyote looked at Minty Fresh. â€Å"She was bad luck. I lost half of my chips because of her.† â€Å"Perhaps you should move to a different table,† Minty said. â€Å"We can open a private table just for you.† Coyote grinned at Minty. â€Å"You think you have a table where you can trick me?† â€Å"No, sir,† Minty said, a little embarrassed. â€Å"We don't wish to trick you.† â€Å"There's nothing wrong with tricking people. They pay you to be tricked.† â€Å"We like to think of it as entertainment.† Coyote laughed. â€Å"Like movie stars and magicians? Tricksters. People want to be tricked. But you know that, don't you?† He picked up his chips and walked to a crap table. Minty thought for a moment before following the Indian. He prided himself on being able to handle any situation with complete calm, but he found dealing with this Indian made him nervous, and a little afraid. But of what? Something in the eyes. He moved in behind Coyote, who was throwing chips on the crap table. â€Å"You can't bet the numbers until the point has been made, sir,† said the stickman, a thin, balding man in his forties. He pushed Coyote's chips back across the table. The stickman looked over Coyote's head and nodded to Minty Fresh before pushing the dice to the shooter. â€Å"Place your bets,† he said, and the dealers working at either end of the table checked the bets on the felt. â€Å"New shooter coming out,† the stickman said. A blond woman in a business suit and perfect newswoman makeup picked up the dice and blew on them. â€Å"Come on, seven,† she said. â€Å"Baby needs new shoes.† Coyote twisted his neck to look at Minty Fresh. â€Å"Does talking to them work?† Minty nodded to the table as the woman let fly with the dice, rolling a two. â€Å"Snake eyes!† the croupier said. â€Å"Lizard dick!† Coyote shouted back. The blond woman cursed and walked away from the table. The stickman shot a glance to Minty, then continued. â€Å"Two. Craps. No pass. No come. Place your bets. New shooter coming out.† He pushed the dice to Coyote, who threw a handful of black chips on the table and picked up the dice. â€Å"You are small, but I am your friend,† Coyote said to the dice. â€Å"You have beautiful spots.† He pulled the rawhide pouch from his belt and poured a fine powder on the dice. â€Å"You can't do that, sir,† the stickman said. Minty Fresh gently took the dice from Coyote and handed them to the boxman, who sat across from the stickman watching an enormous rack of chips that was the table's bank. He inspected the dice, then gave them to the stickman, who dropped them in his tray and pushed a fresh pair to the trickster. â€Å"What is this, shade?† Coyote said. â€Å"The shaman gets to use his power stick but I can't use my cheating powder?† â€Å"I'm afraid not,† Minty said. Coyote picked up the new dice and chucked them to the end of the table. â€Å"Eight! Easy,† the stickman said. â€Å"Did I win?† Coyote asked Minty. â€Å"No, now you have to roll another eight before you roll a seven or eleven.† Coyote rolled again. The dice showed a pair of fours. â€Å"Eight. Winner. Hard way,† the stickman chanted. The dealer placed a stack of black chips next to Coyote's bet. â€Å"Ha,† Coyote said, taunting Minty Fresh. â€Å"See, I am good at this game.† â€Å"Very good,† Minty said with a smile. â€Å"You roll again.† Coyote placed the remainder of his chips on the table. The dealer immediately shot a glance to the boxman, who looked to Minty Fresh. Minty nodded. The boxman nodded. The dealer counted Coyote's chips and stacked them on the pass line. â€Å"Playing twenty-one thousand.† Coyote threw the dice. â€Å"Two!† the stickman said. The dealer raked in Coyote's chips and handed them to the boxman, who stacked the racks in the table bank. â€Å"I lost?† Coyote said incredulously. â€Å"Sorry,† Minty said. â€Å"But you didn't crap out. You can shoot again.† â€Å"I'll be back,† Coyote said. He walked away and Minty followed him through the casino, into the lobby, and out the door. Coyote handed the valet ticket to a kid named Squire Jeff, then turned to Minty, who stood by the valet counter. â€Å"I'll be back with more money.† â€Å"We'll hold a place for you, sir,† Minty said, relieved that the Indian was leaving. â€Å"I was just learning your game, shade. You didn't trick me.† â€Å"Of course not, sir.† Squire Jeff pulled up in the Mercedes, got out, and waited with his hand out. Coyote started to get into the car, then stopped and looked at the valet. He took the pouch from his belt and poured a bit of powder into the kid's hand, then got in the car and drove away. Minty felt a wave of relief wash over him as he watched the Mercedes cross the drawbridge. Squire Jeff, still holding his palm out, turned to Minty Fresh. â€Å"What am I supposed to do with this?† â€Å"You could snort it.† Squire Jeff sniffed at the powder, then wrinkled his nose and brushed the powder from his hand. â€Å"Fucking Indian. You work inside, right?† Minty nodded. Squire Jeff looked Minty up and down. â€Å"You play any ball?† â€Å"One year, UNLV.† â€Å"Injury?† â€Å"Attitude,† Minty said. He walked back into the casino.

General Aspects Of Calcium Looping Environmental Sciences Essay

The extenuation of CO2 emanations by power workss is without a uncertainty a precedence, nevertheless some of the engineerings available impose important energy punishments [ 1 ] . Calcium iteration is engineering for the phase of CO2 gaining control, which is usually the most dearly-won phase in the CSS procedure [ 2 ] . This engineering has the potency to extinguish up to 90 per centum of the emanations generated by coal-burning power Stationss, which could farther be improved by combination with biomass-fired power Stationss [ 2 ] . It has gained great attending due to the comparatively little extra energy that requires to run ( estimated at 6 to 8 per centum ) compared to other CO2 gaining control engineerings and the usage of crushed limestone as a sorbent which is unusually inexpensive [ 1 ] .General facets of calcium-loopingThe engineering is based on the reversible gas-solid reaction of Ca oxide ( CaO ) and C dioxide ( CO2 ) to bring forth Ca carbonate ( CaCO3 ) [ 3 ] . This is used to bring forth a pure watercourse of CO2 available for geological segregation [ 1 ] . Calcium iteration has a figure of advantages compared to closer to-market gaining control strategies, including: the usage of go arounding fluidized bed reactors ( a mature engineering at big graduated table ) ; sorbent derived from abundant and environmentally benign limestone and dolomite precursors [ 2 ] . Another cardinal advantage is the synergism with the cement industry which allows potentially to decarbonise both cement production and electricity coevals [ 2 ] . A low punishment is achieved partly because portion of the energy is recovered in the signifier of hot sorbent stuff and the hot CO2 can besides be used to power an extra steam rhythm [ 3 ] . The reversible reaction once described can be expressed as it follows: CaO ( s ) + CO2 ( g ) a† Ã¢â‚¬  CaCO3 ( s ) I†Hr,298K = – 178 kJ/mol One of the cardinal restrictions is the ability of the limestone to respond lessenings with the figure of rhythms and hence much of the research for this engineering is aimed at methods to optimise the long-run responsiveness or to reactivate it [ 1 ] . There are important similarities between the post-combustion and pre-combustion procedures ; since both use CaO ( calcium oxide ) as a sorbent and this non entirely, but normally derived from limestone [ 1 ] . This sorbent is repeatedly cycled between two vass: in one of them the carbonation of CaO occurs by depriving the fluke gas from the CO2 it contains, the first vas is called the carbonator [ 1 ] . At this point Ca carbonate ( CaCO3 ) is formed and it is transferred to the 2nd vas ( calciner ) in which calcination takes topographic point [ 1 ] . The CaO is transferred back to the carbonator vas go forthing pure CO2 available for segregation [ 1 ] .Pre-combustionThe overall reaction that takes topographic point in the gasifier can be described by the undermentioned equation: CO ( g ) + H2O ( g ) + CaO ( s ) = CaCO3 + H2 ( g ) I†Hr,298K = -219 kJ/mol In the gasifier, it is desired to utilize calcium oxide as a sorbent for CO2 since it removes CO2, generates H2 as a merchandise and the carbonation of calcium hydroxide generates utile heat that can be used to drive farther reactions. A extremely promising procedure has been developed by the ZECA ( Zero Emission Coal Alliance ) that involves the usage of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells ( SOFC ) . Pre-combustion applications of calcium-looping are particularly assuring for H2 production. There are nevertheless, important barriers that are yet to be resolved [ 1 ] . Most of the restrictions are derived from the fuel cell itself, since it must be able to work at temperatures over 1370 K and digest sulfur compounds. The procedure is described by figure 2 and the reactions that take topographic point in each measure of the procedure can be found in table 1. Figure 1. Flow diagram of the ZEC procedure [ 6 ] Figure 1. Flow diagram of the ZEC procedure [ 6 ] . Gasification vas C ( s ) A +A 2H2 ( g ) A a† Ã¢â‚¬â„¢A CH4 ( g ) C ( s ) A +A 2H2O ( g ) A a† Ã¢â‚¬â„¢A CO ( g ) A +A H2 ( g ) A +A H2O ( g ) A a† Ã¢â‚¬â„¢A CO2 ( g ) A +A 2H2 ( g ) Carbonation and reforming vas ( s ) ( integrated heat transportation ) CH4 ( g ) A +A 2H2O ( g ) A a† Ã¢â‚¬â„¢A CO2 ( g ) A +A 4H2 ( g ) CaO ( s ) A +A CO2 ( g ) A a† Ã¢â‚¬â„¢A CaCO3 ( s ) Calcination vas CaCO3 ( s ) A a† Ã¢â‚¬â„¢A CaO ( s ) A +A CO2 ( g ) Fuel cell 2H2 ( g ) A +A O2 ( g ) A a† Ã¢â‚¬â„¢A 2H2O ( g ) Table 1.A Reactions involved in the ZEC procedure.Post-combustionPost burning calcium-looping is a extremely promising engineering since it offers an obvious chemical compatibility with cement production that will be discussed farther. There is a figure of procedures that are presently traveling from pilot to demonstration scale [ 1 ] , nevertheless for a general overview a general procedure will be described ; in this instance the one used by Shimizu et al [ 4 ] . For this procedure, a sorbent derived from limestone is used to capture the CO2 contained in the fluke gas produced by an bing power works [ 1 ] . The fluke gas is passed through a fluidised bed carbonator runing at temperatures between 873 and 923 K [ 1 ] . The limestone-derived dissolver is so inserted into the calciner ; a 2nd fluidised bed that operates at temperatures between 1173 and 1223K [ 1 ] . Coal is one time more burnt in the calciner to supply extra heat for calcination, but coal at this phase is burnt in a O2 and CO2 atmosphere in order to keep concentrations of CO2 every bit high as possible [ 1 ] . Most of the heat produced at this phase can be used to run a hi-efficiency steam rhythm. Abanades et Al. [ 5 ] estimations an overall energy punishment that ranges from 6 to 8 per centum for the overall procedure. Figure 2: Potential burning procedure utilizing Ca iteration ( post burning ) [ 1 ] . Although Post-combustion gaining control has become a precedence merely late, it has been used for a considerable sum of clip for H production, in this manner it can still be used as an extra beginning of energy that can add considerable advantages to the overall procedure.Synergy with cement industryThe high environmental impact of cement fabrication has for a long clip been capable of concern, furthermore, calcination of CaCO3 histories for about 50 per centum of the CO2 emanations of cement industry [ 1 ] . If the engineering were to be applied at a really big graduated table, the purging rate could and should be optimised to guarantee that disposal of the waste merchandises are non debatable [ 1 ] . Since the sorbent used in Ca iteration can merely be used for a limited figure of rhythms, it has been proposed that it could be used for cement industry alternatively of CaCO3 that is usually used [ 7 ] . The cement industry can avoid CaCO3 calcification and hence the antecedently me ntioned emanations can be avoided. In this manner the â€Å" waste † sorbent that would be otherwise wasted by the gaining control of CO2 utilizing calcium-looping, can be used by the cement industry. While this is in rule true, there is a demand to carry on farther experiments in order to specify how other constituents introduced into the CaO behave during the cement fabrication procedure, prior to continue to large-scale operations [ 7 ] .Figure 3: Main flows of the proposed system incorporating a CO2-intensive industrial procedure ( e.g. power coevals ) , calcium-looping CO2 gaining control and cement industry. The flecked line represents the watercourse of involvement in this work [ 1 ] .Sorbent ResponsivenessAs discussed before the decrease of the responsiveness in the sorbent is one of the chief restrictions that is presently under extended research. It is likely that for different types of limestone there will be different optimum solutions, since each type of stone ha ve different grain sizes, drosss, construction and other features [ 1 ] . Thermal pre-activation is a solution based on the premiss that a stone will non needfully go more reactive compared to an untreated one, but over a figure of rhythms it remains reactive for a longer period of clip [ 8 ] . The experiments were conducted by Manovic and Anthony [ 1 ] by heating the sorbent at a temperature of 1273 K repeatedly [ 1 ] . Hydration of the sorbent is presently another assuring method of keeping responsiveness, which is frequently used in SO4 gaining control, nevertheless the force per unit area in the vas is required to increase in order for the hydration to take topographic point [ 1 ] . Experiments by Manovic and Anthony [ 9 ] and Fennel et Al were conducted under different temperatures and force per unit areas, but both concluded that responsiveness for sorbents can be doubled by agencies of hydration. Biamey et Al. provinces that if hydration is to be used as a reactivation scheme for CO2 gaining control, lessons should be learned from its application to SO2 gaining control [ 1 ] .

Emile Durkheim and His Impact on Sociology

Émile Durkheim, one of the founding thinkers of sociology, was born in France on April 15, 1858. The year 2017 marks the 159th anniversary of his birth. To honor the birth and life of this important sociologist, well take a look at why he remains so important to sociologists today. What Makes Society Work? Durkheims body of work as a researcher and theorist focused on how it is that a society can form and function, which is another way of saying, how it can maintain order and stability (See his books titled The Division of Labor in Society  and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life). For this reason, he is considered the creator of the functionalist perspective within sociology. Durkheim was most interested in the glue that holds society together, which means he focused on the shared experiences, perspectives, values, beliefs, and behaviors that allow people to feel that they are a part of a group  and that working together to maintain the group is in their common interest. In essence, Durkheims work was all about culture, and as such, it remains deeply relevant and important to how sociologists study culture today. We draw on his contributions to help make sense of what holds us together, and also, and quite importantly, to help us understand the things that divide us, and how we deal (or dont deal) with those divisions. On Solidarity and the Collective Conscience Durkheim referred to how we bind together around a shared culture as solidarity. Through his research, he found that this was achieved through a combination of rules, norms, and roles; the existence of a collective conscience, which refers to how we think in common given our shared culture; and through the collective engagement in rituals that remind us of the values we share in common, of our group affiliation, and our shared interests. So, how is this theory of solidarity, crafted in the late 19th century, relevant today? One subfield in which it remains salient is the Sociology of Consumption. In studying why, for example, people often make purchases and use credit in ways that conflict with their own economic interests, many sociologists draw on Durkheims concepts to point out the important role that​  consumerist rituals play in our lives and relationships, like giving gifts for Christmas and Valentines Day, or waiting in line to be among the first owners of a new product. Other sociologists rely on Durkheims formulation of the collective conscious to study how certain beliefs and behaviors persist over time, and how they connect to things like politics and public policy. The collective conscious—a cultural phenomenon premised on shared values and beliefs—helps explain why many politicians are elected based on the values they claim to espouse, rather than on the basis of their actual track record as legislators. The Dangers of Anomie Today, Durkheims work is also useful to sociologists who rely on his concept of anomie to study the way violence often crops up—whether to the self or others—in the midst of societal change. This concept refers to how societal change, or the perception of it, can cause one to feel disconnected from society given changes in norms, values, and expectations, and how this can cause both psychic and material chaos. In a related vein, Durkheims legacy also helps explain  why disrupting everyday norms and routines with protest is an important way of raising awareness of issues  and of building movements around them. There are more ways that Durkheims body of work remains important, relevant, and useful to sociologists today. You can learn more about that by studying him, and by asking sociologists how they rely on his contributions.