Abstract This paper quotes two of Umberto Ecos' non-fiction works on semiotics and his well-known fiction work, "In the Name of the Rose," as a reference to his use of semiotics as metaphorical and pluralistic tools. The paper includes quotes from both the fiction and non-fiction works. The paper uses one book by Christina La Rocca as an extra historic reference with regards to monastic life and miscellaneous facts about medieval Italy.
From the Paper "A common theme in literature and a universal, human obsession is the thin line that exists between honesty and deception, illusion and truth. There is a certain author who is noted for his fiction and non-fiction work on the subject, Umberto Eco. He often uses artistic examples, such as art and literature, to explain and discuss how we use words, mannerisms and other signals as a culture to communicate. According to Eco, the concepts of honesty and fallacy are much more multifaceted then simply being truthful or telling a lie. They are also social constructs that influence our language, behavior and other means of communication."
Abstract This paper devotes time to explaining what fossil fuels are, their history and their uses. Specifically, the paper brings to light two major problems with the continued use of fossil fuels; the peak oil theory that contends that oil depletion has begun and the fact that the burning of fossil fuels cause greenhouse gasses associated with global warming. The paper also looks at fossil fuel alternatives and conservation programs worldwide and in the United States and emphasizes the importance of fossil fuel reduction for our future.
Outline:
Introduction
The Science Behind Fossil Fuels: What Are They
The Science Behind Fossil Fuels: Their History
Fossil Fuels' Uses
Controversy and Concern: Peak Oil and Greenhouse Gasses
Fossil Fuel Alternatives and Conservation Programs: Worldwide
Fossil Fuel Alternative and Conservation Programs: The United States
Conclusion
From the Paper "As fuel prices continue to rise across the world and effects of global warming are already being observed in some degree, the public's need to know about fossil fuels is greater than ever. Most understand that the fuels are non-renewable resources produced during the years of the dinosaurs, but most do not understand the exact debt of their usage and the profound importance of their discontinuation. Fossil fuels were created in a manner so unique that it would be nearly impossible to recreate today. Because they have been around for millions of years, however, people have been using fossil fuels for quite some time, in spite of the fact they are a non-renewable resource. While the use of fossil fuels have a long history, two major problems with the continued use of the fuels exist."
Abstract The paper talks about the Kyoto Protocol that provided an international directive in environmental emissions, demanding that countries shoulder the responsibility for emissions regulations and standards. The paper then discusses hydrogen fuel cell research and the effectiveness of integrating these technologies in domestic and public modes of transportation. The paper argues that hydrogen fuel cell development should become the primary focus for any company that wants to adhere to environmental standards and reduce long-term costs of using fossil fuels.
Outline:
The Kyoto Protocol
The Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Green Companies: Ford and Mercedes
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Limitations
From the Paper "The 21st century global marketplace has been witness to the advent of numerous technological advances in an effort to create efficiency and reduce the cost of utilizing expensive energy resources. Environmental policy has also played an important role in the legitimacy of large corporations primarily due to the alarming increase in global warming. As the world becomes closer to its neighbors through free-market trade, the relevance of environmental accountability becomes even more paramount. With oil prices rapidly increasing and technological advances in the synthesis of energy resources, the transportation industry is becoming more responsible for the environmental impact due to business operations. Countries and companies worldwide are becoming more active in regulating fuel economy. The rise of hydrogen fuel cell integration in domestic vehicles, locomotives and public transportation services has increased due to environmental regulations and finding cost efficient resources for power."
Abstract The paper shows that fuel cells offer tremendous promise and potential as an energy source. Among topics covered in this paper include: How fuel cells operate, why they are cleaner than a combustion powered engine and the research that is currently being conducted to advance this technology. The paper also lays out the roles the federal government, automakers, and oil companies are playing in investing in fuel technology. It also discusses the problems that need to be overcome in order for the use of fuel cells to meet their full potential as an energy source.
From the Paper "In summary once the fuel cell market begins to take off, the impact can snowball. Using hydrogen to combine such renewable energy sources with highly efficient fuel cell cars would impact many industries such as the automobile, oil, electricity and natural gas. Furthermore, an added benefit of fuel cell will be the elimination of carbon dioxide that are produced by gas powered engines, instead the only by product produced here would be water. In fact this water will be safe enough to drink because it will be pure. Research will continue to advance the potential of fuel cell as a dependable long term energy source."
Abstract This paper explores the possibility of using ethanol as a fuel made from renewable crops. In particular, the paper looks at cellulosic ethanol, which can be produced from agricultural, municipal and forestry waste, corn stalks, sawdust, and waste paper. The author provides a short write up on the chemical qualities and characteristics of ethanol and mentions other countries such as Brazil that have been using ethanol as fuel. The paper advocates the environmental advantages of using ethanol as a renewable alternative fuel and suggests that there should be more support for research on ethanol to be used as fuel on a wide scale.
From the Paper "Rumplestiltskin, a well-known fairy tale, tells about a poor miller's daughter who must spin straw into gold or die. Magic only can help her. Today, with rapidly rising gasoline prices, many Americans hope alternative fuels will soon be developed--and are hoping for some similar kind of magic. Bio-fuels could offer the solution to the problem, particularly ethanol. The challenge is to find cost-effective ways to make ethanol out of such renewable resources as corn, soybeans, sugarcane, the stems and leaves of plants, forest cuttings, wood chips, and all the non-food parts of crops that currently are burned or buried."
Abstract The paper explains that since airlines are heavily dependent upon fuel for its continuing operations, they have been heavily burdened by rising fuel prices. The paper then looks at airlines' cost-cutting measures such as laying of thousands of workers and delaying or eliminating long-distance flights and relates that the general aviation industry has also suffered. Next, the paper overviews the solutions that revolve around alternative lead-free fuel. The paper concludes that while the market is extremely unstable at the moment, it is nonetheless possible that the crisis can be averted when officials work together to find viable solutions.
From the Paper "The rising costs of fuel has become the main conversation point of motorists throughout the world. For perhaps the first time in world history, the food and fuel crises have become worldwide phenomena, with only an investment in alternative fuel sources appearing to be a valid long-term response. The aviation industry is no exception, and indeed appears to be one of the hardest hit industries in terms of fuel. Both commercial and private airlines need a large amount of fuel in order to complete their long- and short-distance flights. The rising fuel costs have resulted in a number of strategies to mitigate the extra investment required. Some commercial airlines have even reduced their long-distance flights in order to save fuel, while others have increased their ticket costs. The reality is that fuel prices are likely to continue their upward trend as the world's oil resources are increasingly pressured."
Abstract This paper concerns the alternative fuel hydrogen. The writer notes how this fuel is produced and looks at some of the problems of making it practical for use in automobiles and other vehicles. The writer explains that storage is a major issue, because hydrogen takes up four items the space of a comparable fast energy source. Some of the research being conducted to correct this situation is noted, including new materials for storage.
From the Paper "There are many reasons to embrace the demand for alternative fuels. The current state of the world's ongoing energy crisis, of the demand for fossil fuel and of the constant fighting over oil in the middle east, are all current events that are related to oil and fuel. However, we should also look to the future for the true reasons for using alternative fuels. The emissions from power plants, refineries and automobiles are causing global warming and irreversible damage to the ozone. This is why it is so important for scientists, engineers and researchers to break down the fossil fuel barrier and replace it with alternative fuels, one of which is hydrogen."
Abstract This paper examines the American metropolitan transportation system and maintains that it is in dire need of improvement, especially in terms of reducing air pollution. The paper discusses how the massive use of fossil fuels derived from oil is becoming prohibitively expensive, but that the gravest consequence is the constant emission of poisons into the atmosphere from vehicle exhausts. The paper points out that this problem has become especially acute over the last thirty years and needs to be resolved through the use of alternative fuels.
From the Paper "The American metropolitan transportation system is in dire need of improvement, especially in terms of reducing air pollution. The massive use of fossil fuels derived from oil is becoming prohibitively expensive, but the gravest consequence is the constant emission of poisons into the atmosphere from vehicle exhausts. This problem has become especially acute over the last thirty years and needs to be resolved through the use of alternative fuels. The initial development of fuel-efficient cars was primarily in response to the OPEC oil crisis of the nineteen-seventies and the resulting dramatic rise in gasoline prices for American motorists. Up until the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Americans drove high-powered, gas-guzzling cars and since gasoline was so cheap no consumers were interested in buying fuel-efficient cars."
Abstract The paper considers the greenhouse effect and global warming and discusses the development of hydrogen and electricity as alternative fuels. The paper author of the paper strongly believes that we must begin to use alternative fuels, otherwise we will continue on the downward path toward the complete destruction of the earth and its natural habitats.
From the Paper "Over the past ten years or so, the American government and the public have increased their awareness of the problems associated with global warming, caused by what some call the "greenhouse effect" in which carbon dioxide, the byproduct of burning fossil fuels like coal and oil, prevents the earth from cooling down as it naturally would if not for the presence of CO2 in the atmosphere. Within recent times, many scientists have concluded that this "greenhouse effect" is warming up the planet to the point where ice caps and glaciers in Antarctica and the North Pole are melting at unprecedented rates, thus making it feasible that coastlines along all major continents will be inundated by melting water sometime in the future, causing huge numbers of people to seek higher ground."
Abstract The paper discusses the strong reliance on other countries for fossil fuels and the problem of global warming that has encouraged many to promote the use of ethanol as a natural renewable energy source. The paper looks carefully at this alternative and how it compares to other energy sources. The paper discusses how it takes considerable energy to produce ethanol and could divert corn and soybeans from the nation's food supply thus causing a food crisis. The paper stresses the need to look carefully at this alternative and explore all its potential ramifications before any far-reaching decisions are made.
From the Paper "This year more than ever, Americans are beginning to be concerned about alternative fuels, do to the possibility of global warming, the significant increase of gasoline for automobiles and other vehicles and the growing tendency toward green concerns. Deciding on what alternatives of fuel to use, for automobiles for example, is not easy. There are a number of factors to consider that are known in addition to a number of unknowns as well. One of the alternatives that has been receiving considerable coverage this past year is ethanol. Similar to other options, however, it too has its plusses and minuses."
Explores the process of eco- sabotage according to the qualities that compose eco- sabotage, which are its inherent violence, property destruction and breaking the law.
2,650 words (approx. 10.6 pages), 6 sources, 2002, $ 97.95
Abstract This paper demonstrates that eco- sabotage is morally and ethically sound despite its qualities of property destruction and breaking the law, in that the overwhelming implications of ecological damage far outweigh the considerations of those harmed through eco- sabotage.
Abstract This paper centers around the work of Italian Semiotics professor, journalist and author Umberto Eco's "Travels in Hyperreality". It focuses on the different meanings of the word "communication" and text from Umberto Eco and is set to show that the American over valuation of its self and desire to represent its values in society will be its possible downfall.
From the Paper "The text 'Travels in Hyperreality' by Umberto Eco describes communication through symbols in the United States that are used in representation of various areas of society. These include a hologram of "Two very beautiful naked girls" that is displayed at the School of Holography in New York. Another symbol is Superman, the US 'superhero' and his retreat the Fortress of Solitude. This fortress is a private museum, Wunderkammer, of his life and where he came from, Kandor, Krypton. This place represents the 'ultimate' of the US to preserve past symbols."
Abstract This paper discusses the themes that are found within Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose." The paper focuses on the themes of the differentiation of natural and demonic magic, the danger of seeking knowledge and the control of knowledge. It also discusses Eco's ability to weave an engaging murder mystery together with a commentary on the society of 13th century Western Europe.
From the Paper "Though there are many themes found throughout The Name of the Rose, the three that are most thoroughly explored in the novel are the differentiation of natural and demonic magic, the danger of seeking knowledge, and the control of knowledge. These concepts are integral to life during the late 12th and early 13th centuries, as the introduction of texts in the 11th century had a massive impact on knowledge. With the works of scores of authors suddenly flooding a culture that contained thousands of people yearning for knowledge, the Church was forced to separate texts compatible with Christianity from those that were not. Umberto Eco uses the Franciscan abbey to represent an era in which certain knowledge is forbidden, and the murder mystery in his novel is simply an allegory for the conflicts that surrounded society during this time."
Abstract This paper discusses how eco-tourism in Brazil has been underdeveloped and how it could serve as an even greater source of income on both a local level and national level for the Brazilian economy. It explores and identifies many factors such as various economic, political and social factors that influence the ability of Brazil to expand their ecotourism market.
Outline
Findings
Primary Research
Secondary Research
Conclusion
Works Cited
Appendix I
Appendix II
From the Paper "One of the major concerns in promoting ecotourism is the effect that the influx of human beings will have on the region (Riverdeep, 2000). Phillip Fearnside (1986) stresses the fact that we have many example to draw from in the past and that we must consider our choices carefully. In 2001, a conference was held to address ecotourism issues in Brazil. This conference addressed planning and product development, monitoring and regulation in regards to sustainability, marketing and promotion, and the costs and benefits of ecotourism (SDMEA, 2001). In May of 2002 many countries joined to discuss these same issues on a global basis (World Ecotourism Summit, 2002)."
Abstract This paper closely analyzes the erotic and eco-feminist aspects of two works by Ursula LeGuin and Michelle Cliff. This paper is highly analytical, employs points of post-colonial theory and revels in the idea of women as supreme. The works addressed are Cliff's "Abeng" and LeGuin's, "She Unnames Them and Other Selected Works".
From the Paper "Eco-feminist theory is an extension of the politically charged feminist movement, which combines gender and race oppression with the subjugation of the natural world. According to this theory, the female gender is interconnected with the surrounding world. Thus, gender appropriate terminology emerges, such as 'mother nature' and 'mother earth,' in order to solidify the female's attachment to her natural surroundings. In Michelle Cliff's novel Abeng, female protagonist Clare Savage is burdened with the inability to experience a sense of 'oneness,' or what Audre Lorde calls "the erotic" with her Jamaican homeland and family members. Lorde describes the erotic as "a resource within each of us that lies in a deeply female and spiritual plane, firmly rooted in the power of our unexpressed or unrecognized feeling" (Lorde 103). It is necessary to understand this novel from an eco-feminist view so that the theory can be used as a scope or lens when approaching works that are classically labeled, 'feminist' or in this case, 'eco-feminist works.'"
