Code Name Jane - Abortion Counseling Service 1969-1973

Jane was the code name of a feminist abortion referral and counseling service in Chicago from 1969 to 1973. The official name of the group was the Abortion Counseling Service of Womens Liberation. Jane disbanded after the Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade decision legalized most first and second trimester abortions in the United States. Historical Context Prior to the  Roe v. Wade  decision, abortion was illegal nearly everywhere in the United States, although women had been terminating unwanted or dangerous pregnancies for centuries.  Thousands of women had died from illegal, back-alley abortions in the United States and around the world before the procedure was legalized. For women wishing or needing to end a pregnancy, options were scarce and gruesome: sketchy doctors in unsanitary conditions, risking being caught in a sting, or physical or chemical DIY abortifacients. Underground Abortion Service The leaders of Jane were part of the Chicago Womens Liberation Union (CWLU). Women who called seeking help spoke to a contact code named Jane, who referred the caller to an abortion provider. Like the Underground Railroad of the previous century, the activists of Jane broke the law in order to save womens lives.  Jane helped an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 women obtain abortions without fatalities. The group began in 1969 in Chicago, advertising with simple ads in alternative and student newspapers. At first, the Jane activists tried to find reliable doctors and arranged for callers to meet the abortionists in secret locations. A caller would leave a message on the networks answering machine, and a Jane would call her back, collect the necessary information, and pass it along to a Big Jane who handled the logistical aspects. The patients would first be taken to one place for counseling before being secretly led to a facility for the procedure itself. Eventually, some Jane women learned to perform abortions themselves. Since many of the male doctors who performed illegal abortions charged astronomical prices, the Janes learned medical skills and would charge as little as 10% or even less of a male doctors fee. As detailed in the book The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service by Laura Kaplan (New York: Pantheon Books, 1995), one of Janes goals was to give women a sense of control and knowledge in a situation that otherwise made them powerless. Jane sought to work with the women, not do something to them. Jane also tried to protect women, who were often in difficult financial circumstances, from being exploited by abortionists who could and would charge any price they could get from a woman who was desperate for an abortion. Counseling and Medical Procedures The women of Jane learned the basics of performing abortions. They also induced miscarriages for certain pregnancies and brought in midwives who could assist the induced women. If women went to a hospital emergency room after inducing a miscarriage, they risked being turned over to the police. In 1972, the worst did happen. Chicago police raided one of the apartments used as a base of operations for the Janes. Seven women were arrested and charged for their roles in facilitating the illegal abortion procedures. Even then, the Janes worked to protect the identities and safety of the women who had trusted them. While in the police van itself, the arrested women ripped up the cards with their patients identifying information and swallowed the bits of paper that contained the most crucial details.   Jane also provided counseling, health information and sex education. Following the  Roe  decision, the network disbanded, as its services were no longer needed. In the 21st century, however, as local governments have chipped away at access to abortion services, similar networks of women helping women have popped up across the country, this time with access to modern medicine. The Women Jane Helped According to Jane by Laura Kaplan, the women who sought abortion help from Jane included: Women who could not care for a childWomen who became pregnant even though they used contraceptionWomen whose male partners forbade them to use contraceptionWomen who thought they were no longer fertileGirls who did not (yet) understand how reproductive biology works Women who came to Jane were of various classes, ages, races and ethnicities. The feminist activists of Jane said they had helped females from age 11 through age 50. Other Groups Nationwide There were other small abortion referral groups in cities across the United States. Womens groups and clergy were among those who created compassionate networks to help women find safe, legal access to abortion. The story of Jane is also told in a 1996 documentary film called Jane: An Abortion Service. Sources: Haberman, Clyde. Code Name Jane: The Women Behind A Covert Abortion Network.  The New York Times  14 Oct. 2018,  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/14/us/illegal-abortion-janes.html. Kaplan, Laura.  The  Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service.  New York: Pantheon Books, 1995.

Banksy’s Controversial Art - 2121 Words

Banksy’s Controversial Art Art is an amazing way for individuals to express themselves, and people always link it to controversy. Art can be for a person’s individual desire, motivation, or hobby, but it can also be a political message or inspiration for an entire world. A lot of famous artist use there own techniques, styles, and structures in order to implement there ideas into a form of art. An underground artist from England by the name of Banksy is famous through his controversial and unique forms of art, usually graffiti art, and has inspired many people around the world. His work called the Monkey Parliament is incredible because it is addressing many political issues and creates a different perspective of the world. Although many†¦show more content†¦The more he used unique ideas to express himself the more attention he began to receive even though nobody really knew who he is. Banksy’s art began to appear in different exhibitions and galleries as his popularity began to grow eve n more. His incredible work has been viewed by many celebrities and his abilities continue to make Banksy a popular street artist. His success with no mainstream access is very rare and brings more credibility to his true talent. He has had shows from all over the world and his popularity has grown around the world. As we focus on Banksy’s art piece, Monkey Parliament we are able to see the incredible work that he possesses. Concentrating on the idea of formal elements we are able to see the political agenda that Banksy utilizes. He illustrates the idea of monkeys taking over the world and having their own parliament. In this case he compares humans to monkeys because the parliament is in the same format as British Parliaments in the modern time. This element shows politics, and what it has become since everyone has an awkward perspective of politics. The political message demonstrated explains that this piece of art is one that probably only Banksy would choose because it matches his style. As we focus on the element of color we can see that Banksy chose specific colors to resemble the exactShow MoreRelatedEssay Banksy Was Here: The Invisible Man of Graffiti Art1195 Words   |  5 PagesIn the article â€Å"Banksy Was Here: The Invisible Man of Graffiti Art† from The New Yorker p ublished in 2007, author Lauren Collins informs individuals of the secretive controversies of Banksy’s artwork. Collins introduces Banksy’s street art and presents his anonymity. She also informs the audience of Banksy’s overall attitude and the typical materials used for his street artwork. Banksy is explained to be a controversial street artist who hides in the shadows in order to avoid the consequences ofRead MoreBanksy: Artist or Lawbreaker? Essay1752 Words   |  8 PagesBanksy: Artist or Lawbreaker? Art is a persons’ opinion. 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Medieval Philosophy St. Anselm, an Archbishop of Canterbury Free Essays

Born in Aosta, in a town off Lombardy, St. Anselm grew up with his mother and father. His mother spoke of the greatness and power of God often. We will write a custom essay sample on Medieval Philosophy St. Anselm, an Archbishop of Canterbury or any similar topic only for you Order Now She would describe him with very high regards and Anselm assumed he lived somewhere nearby considering they lived in the mountains already. St. Anselm believed that he witness the greatness of God. He dreamt of his servants and a feast of bread with the King. The servants consisted of women and worked just as servants do. As they were all off gathering the harvest he and the Lord ate a meal of bread together. When St. Anselm woke from his dream he told everyone that he sat with the lord and how immense it was. This sparked his interest in God even more. As a young child he was a quick learner (Eadmer, 1972). When he reached his teenage years St. Anselm was loved by many; even those that opposed authority, He was also still hungry for wisdom. He attempted to join the missionary and become a priest but was denied. The monk would not let him in because they did not think his father would approve. St. Anselm’s mother died some time afterwards. His father was a very strict man and was hard on him. He was so tough on St Anselm that the boy decided to set out on a journey of his own. He looked to learn and he found it in a teacher near Avranches. St. Anselm was a devoted scholar who later became Archbishop and doctor of his church. To the claim: To me God does not yet exist; but there is a creative force constantly struggling to evolve godlike knowledge and power, every man and woman born is a fresh attempt to achieve omnipotence and omniscience. This bluntly means that no current God exist. That everyman and woman is a mold attempt to attain total power and knowledge in an image imitating what he or she believes to be of God. The creative force that is being described is used as a synonym to what God’s power would be in this sentence. Considering that the statement is one without belief then the power and knowledge of a superior is describing a goal man is trying to reach when reproducing him or herself. He has not yet achieved it; therefore he continues to reproduce. Man attempt to create the ultimate human being by mating with those that offer the most beneficial offspring. That is the natural instinct of man; to create flawless images of him; to duplicate his positive qualities into another being. With this being said St Anselm would disagree with the statement that God didn’t exist. God existed in the days of Medieval without question. Philosophers just knew he existed and St. Anselm used the Ontological argument as his own translation. The main problem in the eleventh century was not only if God existence was real, it was proving the theory. Many felt that it was just something in the Bible and others felt there was more answers, St. Anselm being one of them. St Anselm felt that a fool says there is no God. When he or she thinks of this image they contradict themselves. They perceive something that is not real to them. He believes it is possible to be because man is created in the image of him and no other. There is no other animal or being that replicates the image of God. St. Anselm considers that we can imagine things but only those that are true will be defined. The definition of God is one being superb to all; he is thought to be just that, even by the imagination of nonbelievers. St Anselm was a philosopher that wanted to analyze the words of the Bible and put proof behind them. His definition of the relationship between man and God requires that you have a somewhat religious background and or belief. (2002). He feels that there is one great thing or many that is created through that one. One thing that is greater than all things. There is a being that is good and that creates and receives goodness through itself. He feels that all things that are good receive their good either through themselves or through another. At the highest level all things are either identical or one thing is significantly different than the rest, giving it distinct God-like qualities and making it superior to all else. St. Anselm believes that God does exist in reality. All things that are real exist in reality and all things that are not exist in dreams. Dreams are not reality and all things through God go beyond man’s dreams. St. Anselm would change his opinion to make no one happy but won the hearts of many. He stood behind what he believed. His Ontological argument says that the existence of God can be proven through intuition and reason alone and no physical evidence is necessary. Although many philosophers have disagreed with this argument, St. Anselm insists that if a person can conceive of God, then God does exist. He argues that if someone states â€Å"God does not exist† then he or she is contradictory of his or her self. Since they are made in what he thinks to be the image of God himself. Many theorist and philosophers felt that God was a being that common man was incapable of communicating with. They felt that he had given them the knowledge to learn of him but not to go beyond that. Meaning that we will only know what he wants us to know and we will only learn of him what he allows us to. Some felt that they were not going to ever talk with God or get the answers that lead to his existence. St. Anselm believed â€Å" sin has so darkened our minds that we cannot hope to reach the truth unless God graciously leads us to it. He does so by offering us the truth through revelation and by inspiring us to accept that revelation in faith. Once we accept the truth on that basis, however, we can hope to reason out proofs for what we have already accepted through faith. God is rational, and what he does is rational, and we ourselves are blessed with reason. Thus we should be able to discover the rationality of God’s actions, at least to some extent. We are like students who, unable to solve a mathematical problem, are given the answer to it and then discover they can reason out why that answer is correct (1996).† With this belief strongly embedded into St. Anselm’s way of thinking he would change the way that we look at religion today. This theory is still in existence today. Theologians that studied later on after St. Anselm found it hard to accept this wisdom from such a young philosopher. St. Anselm felt that God spoke to him very clearly. He was taught of this God as a child and as he got older he studied this God. As a man he became to know this God and have an intimate relationship with him. He learned that while in the struggles of life’s journey that God was the not only a philosophy but he was also a reality. God was of concrete power and understanding while all others were temporary. His relationship with his father and many peers were not solid and caused him great grief. The encounters with God were reality to him and they were permanent. He realized that God controlled all that was. St Anselm intriguingly realized that his life was apart of God’s plan, a part of his story. History in this case defines God’s story. It included St. Anselm’s life plan. He wanted to learn as much as possible about God. St. Anselm was a very wise young man for seeking the wisdom of God and that is why he was given the gift of knowledge. His gift was the ability to spread the word of God and his faith in him. He believed in a mighty God that from his testimonies gave him all that he needed. He was hungry for the knowledge that others may have feared. He was not afraid to die on his deathbed because he was sure that he would go to be with God. He was rumored to have asked the Lord if he could stay long enough to find out where our souls started and their purpose. He felt that after him there would be no one else so competent to do his work. St. Anselm was not only a miracle of his time but ours as well. He proved that nothing could stand in the way of knowledge by not allowing his challenges to lower his power to believe. Believe in what he knew to be. He made history not just for his argument but also mostly for his courageous journey through discovery with his own beliefs. Reference: Eadmer and translated by R.W. Southern. May 1, 1972. The Life of St. Anselm: Archbishop of Canterbury. New York. Oxford University Press. Paul Halsall (Jan 1996). Anselm on God’s Existence. Medieval Source Book. April 26, 2006. http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/halsall/source/anselm.asp How to cite Medieval Philosophy St. Anselm, an Archbishop of Canterbury, Essay examples

All Quiet On The Western Front Essay Conclusion Example For Students

All Quiet On The Western Front Essay Conclusion All Quiet On The Western FrontErica Maria Remarques All Quiet On The Western Front is one of the greatest War Novels of all time. Remarque was himself in combat during world war I, and was wouned five times, the last time very severely. Remarque came to the United States in 1939 and remained for the duration of world war II. He has written many books. For example: The Road Back, Three Comrades, A Time to Love and a Time to Die, Night in Lisbon. One of my intrest about History is War, so I thought it would be a good book to read. I enjoyed reading this book. All the some parts were graphic in my mind, it was still a good book.This story was told by a nineteen year old student, Paul Baumer, conviced to enlist with the Garman army by his schoolmaster, Kantorek. Along with many of his friends from school, he is trained under corporal himmelstoss, a strictly commander who dislikes Paul because of his defiance. When sent to the front, Paul, made new friendships that would last throughot time. Paul had hard time to fight, he saw lot of new things that he didnt want to see. Returning to the front was hard for Paul. The days were getting cold and one by one he watched his friends die. The hardest loss was that of Kat. After Kat had been shot, Paul had to carry Kat to the nearest dressing station a few miles away. He stoped every few minutes to rest, and checked to make sure that Kat, was ok. But the sad moment was when he reached the dressing station the nurse told him that Kat was dead. Kat was the last of Pauls friends to die in the war. Then in October of 1918, Paul finally fell. The book describes his death as, his face had an expression of calm, as though almost glad the end had come. The war ended the next month. As a result of this novel, I can now clearly see how the mental anguish soldiers on the front developed.

Mother Tongue free essay sample

Amy writes how her mother who couldnt speak well Standard English was treated unfairly in the foreign land. In this essay, she mentions some stories related to her childhood experiences which were happened to them. I had plenty of empirical evidence to support me: the fact that people in department stores, at banks, and in restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her. Amy makes wrathful mood when thinking about what her mother was getting unequally respect by the local people. Furthermore, when her mother had gone to the hospital for a CAT scan, the hospital staff didnt apologize when they had lost her CAT scan. However, different behavior was treated in the same situation. The hospital staff gave apologize to Amy and promised her, who spoke in perfect English. We will write a custom essay sample on Mother Tongue or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although all these difficulty time happened to Amoys mother, she still could survive stubbornly. Amy is so respect and enjoyed her mothers abilities and knowledge.Her mother realized the limitations of her English, so she asks Amy to call people on the hone and pretend to be her. She spent a lot time to improve her broken English speaking. Furthermore, she also has a successful business during her disability of speaking English. . .. L wanted to capture what language ability tests could never reveal: her intent, her passion, her Imagery, and the rhythms of her speech and the nature of her thoughts. Amy expresses fully respects to her mothers success and that leads to her writing career. Amy makes some arguments by using Ironic writing In this essay. .. . Other Aslant- American students whose English spoken In the home might also be described as broken or limited. So easy to read. These two statements that she argues Is that the Judgment to ones ability Is not depends on the speaking of foreign languages, but the ability of survive In different situation. Amoys writing career was also built under her mothers tongue the Broken Language. It might be so Incredible to believe and satire to those who balance ones wisdom In speaking of language but Its true that Amoys mother was her writing careers enlighten teacher.

Free Essays on Being A Minority In A Country

Being a Minority in a Country Of One Cultural Majority The current situation races are going through right now has only changed somewhat than what it was years ago. Different races are still learning to work and coexist in our current social model. All races have to still cope with discrimination and intolerance. However, there are other cultures that deal with a lot more than others. Our social model has three different standards, which are: the current status of racism and prejudice, the current levels of economic equality and the current social (education and health) situation. Native Americans have always experienced a lot of racism and prejudice. They were the first to be found on this land and have tried desperately to maintain their freedom to choose their own futures, culture, language, and religion, even though mainstream America is following closely behind them (Giago 287). Since these lands have become American soil, Native Americans have been exposed to assimilation. However, they were not allowed to assimilate into the dominant culture because they were thought of as being inferior. Also, if they did assimilate then the dominant culture would not be able to take their land (Race: the Power of an Illusion). Due to their strong family and cultural ties, they were seen as inferior and because of that inferiority the dominant culture was able to restrict them to designated lands, while they seized the rest of the land. As of now, the current situation related to prejudice for Native Americans has not changed a great deal. They are still seen as infer ior to the dominant culture. Currently, the Native Americans economic status is that they are the lowest of all the major ethnic groups in the United States. In a 1990 census, the average Native American family income was lower than African Americans, which was only $24,000, while their poverty rate was the highest among the different ethnic groups. Also according to the same... Free Essays on Being A Minority In A Country Free Essays on Being A Minority In A Country Being a Minority in a Country Of One Cultural Majority The current situation races are going through right now has only changed somewhat than what it was years ago. Different races are still learning to work and coexist in our current social model. All races have to still cope with discrimination and intolerance. However, there are other cultures that deal with a lot more than others. Our social model has three different standards, which are: the current status of racism and prejudice, the current levels of economic equality and the current social (education and health) situation. Native Americans have always experienced a lot of racism and prejudice. They were the first to be found on this land and have tried desperately to maintain their freedom to choose their own futures, culture, language, and religion, even though mainstream America is following closely behind them (Giago 287). Since these lands have become American soil, Native Americans have been exposed to assimilation. However, they were not allowed to assimilate into the dominant culture because they were thought of as being inferior. Also, if they did assimilate then the dominant culture would not be able to take their land (Race: the Power of an Illusion). Due to their strong family and cultural ties, they were seen as inferior and because of that inferiority the dominant culture was able to restrict them to designated lands, while they seized the rest of the land. As of now, the current situation related to prejudice for Native Americans has not changed a great deal. They are still seen as infer ior to the dominant culture. Currently, the Native Americans economic status is that they are the lowest of all the major ethnic groups in the United States. In a 1990 census, the average Native American family income was lower than African Americans, which was only $24,000, while their poverty rate was the highest among the different ethnic groups. Also according to the same...

Education - A Way To Wisdom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education - A Way To Wisdom - Research Paper Example Most of his quotes attract the attention of the reader towards the fact that more the man follows his heart, the more he opens to learning new things and in learning new things, he becomes an ideal human being. Some of Confucius’s quotes that give an idea about his opinion about education and the way he thought the human being should learn are discussed below.Quote 1â€Å"What does the heaven ever say? Yet the four seasons go round and find their impetus there, and the myriad creatures are born from it. What does heaven ever say† (Mou 114)? Reflection on this quote reveals that Confucius believed in education that teaches the students to make learning a natural process. In the above saying, he draws the reader’s attention towards the way the universe functions. Confucius’s students were worried about his silence and thought that if the master does not say anything, how will the students learn (Mou 114)? In response to this worry, Confucius said the above s tatement. What he meant was that when things are taught through silence, there comes a harmony in the society (Mou 114). What he meant was that the observation of the behavior and the rituals followed by the master imparts more knowledge to a human being than the words of the master and the words in the texts. Knowledge is made by man. Men who ‘experience’ certain things try to spread it through words. However, the knowledge can become wisdom only when students go beyond words and try to experience what is being taught.

What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Essay

What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict - Essay Example On the other hand, Iseroff, 2008, mentions that Sykes Picot Agreement of 1916 planned to divide Ottomans holdings between France and Britain after the war. The revolt by Arabs led by T.E. Lawrence led to partial Arab self-determination. However, many feel that Arabs had been short-changed by British promise to give Syria to French and Palestine as Jewish homeland. British denied any such promise that included Palestine in the area promised to Arabs. The conflict thus began. In November 1917, The Balfour Declaration highlighted British support for creation of Jewish homeland in Palestine without disturbing civil and religious rights of non-Jewish communities in the region. The Arabs opposed the idea for fear of dispossession by Zionists or the fear of living under Jewish rules. The British wanted to establish regions of self governing Palestine as well as Israel. However, while Israel feared Arab majority in such councils, Arabs displayed their displeasure by non-participation and instigating pogroms and rioting during 1920s. The violence led to formation of Hagannah Jewish self defence organisation in 1920. Future immigration of Jews into these territories led to protests from the Arabs against Jewish settlers despite direct benefit due to investment and infrastructural development in the region. Religious aspects like false rumours of synagogue on Wailing Wall or Jewish encroachment of Muslim rule over temple mount compound further fuelled rioting leading to evacuation of Jewish people from Hebron. An attempt to resolve situation through 1929 Passfield white paper to stop further immigration by British was however opposed vehemently and immigration of Jewish people continued unabated and in fact swelled during 1930s due to Jewish persecution well...The o wnership, demography and area have greatly fluctuated during this long history. Present Israel extends from Jordan river to the Mediterranean, with Egypt in the south, Lebanon in the north and Jordan in the east. The identified borders are about 78% while the rest is land occupied during operations like 6-day war of 1967 and some autonomous Palestinian regions. Gaza strip is another stretch of 141 square miles south of Israel controlled by Palestinian Authority. (Iseroff, 2008) Historically speaking, Israel came into existence starting from Abraham, 1272 BC and Jews claim their dominion over the land for about 1000 years randomly while continuous presence during past 3300 years. Romans conquered Jerusalem over 2000 years back and expelled the Jewish to Diaspora. The land has thereafter been ruled by the Romans, Islamic and Christian campaigners, by the Ottomans and British Empires. The present crisis involving small land of Israel as described above involves Israel and 24 Arab nations as shown in the map below. The genesis of this modern history can be traced back to massive immigration of Jews from Arab countries and Europe during first 3-4 decades of the 20th century All major countries and particularly UN have to play a supportive role to evolve a consensus. The solution can only be evolved by sitting across a table and talking to each other peacefully.

International Business Competing in the global marketplace Essay - 1

International Business Competing in the global marketplace - Essay Example Free trade must be encouraged. What this says about targeted trade barriers is that they are restrictive and detrimental to the cause of free trade. Q3) The United States is a net debtor nation and hence the FDI flows into Japan are lesser than the FDI flows into the US from Japan. Moreover, the attractiveness of the US market for its consumption patterns and its sheer size make for businesses from all over the world to invest in the US. The implications of this trend would be that more and more businesses in the US would be owned by Japanese and may not be good for the US economy in the long term. Q4) I would recommend setting up a wholly owned subsidiary in Europe as this would lead to a case where my firm can make use of the local subsidies and also leverage on the fact that the technical competence available with my firm makes it possible to manufacture the computers at half the cost. As for the other options, exporting directly from the US may involve paying tariffs and duties. And licensing to a European firm means that my firm has to share the know how with them. Q1) This is a classic question about whether free trade is beneficial or domestic market driven economies are good. My opinion is that we should go by the theory of comparative advantage and thus let firms invest abroad and complete the cycle of investments from those countries flowing back home and creating jobs. Thus, the cyclic view of trade and inflows and outflows must be taken into account while making a decision regarding investing abroad or domestically. Q2) Any multilateral trading agreement would benefit the world economy in the longer term. What one country is good at and what another is good at and hence barter or exchange has been the underpinning of the world economy and thus free trade and multilateral trade agreements benefit everyone in the longer run. As for

Analysis Of The Prospects Of Solar Energy Environmental Sciences Essay

Analysis Of The Prospects Of Solar Energy Environmental Sciences Essay We all know that the discovery of new oil rich deposits have gone down drastically over the past decade. These fossil fuels are the main reason behind the global warming gripping the world today. So increasing number of Governments and researchers are turning to renewable sources of energy to make it more affordable. Solar energy is one of the fastest growing sources of energy in terms of electricity generation. Solar energy was never looked at for mass production of energy until recently. This change in perception is due to the reduction on prices of the material required for setting up of a solar power plant and also a lot of incentives from various agencies around the world. In India wind power has been taken up in major way but due to high prices of raw materials in India production of solar power based energy is very slow to evolve. The distributions of various sources of renewable sources of power around the world are given below in the pie chart. Here in the pie chart we have solar energy sources being split into two aspects. One being solar collectors (solar thermals) and the other being through the photo voltaic(PV) cells. Lets have a look at the various aspects from how much sun ray we receive and how electricity is generated from it Solar Energy Solar energy is produced from the sun rays received from the sun. The upper atmosphere of Earth receives 174 petawatts(PW) of solar radiation. Approximately 30% of the incoming solar rays are reflected back to space while the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land masses. The spectrum of solar light at the Earths surface is mostly spread across the visible and near-infrared ranges with a small part in the near-ultraviolet. The total solar energy absorbed by Earths atmosphere, oceans and land masses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year. In 2002, this was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year. There are two ways in which suns ray are used to generate power: Solar thermal Solar thermal energy is a technology for harnessing solar energy for thermal energy (heat). Solar thermal collectors are defined by the USA Energy Information Administration as low-, medium-, or high-temperature collectors. Low temperature collectors are flat plates generally used to heat swimming pools. Medium-temperature collectors are also usually flat plates but are used for creating hot water for residential and commercial use. High temperature collectors concentrate sunlight using mirrors or lenses and are generally used for electric power production. STE is different from photo voltaics, which convert solar energy directly into electricity. While only 600 megawatts of solar thermal power is up and running worldwide in October 2009. There are broadly two technologies under solar thermal: Parabolic Trough About ten large scale parabolic trough plants have been operational since1984 and producing power for commercial use. The California Mojave Desert plant being the oldest among them. There are fields in which parabolic trough are placed in series one beside the other. The get the heat from the sun and transfer it to the turbine (Rankin turbine) these plants produce daily in the range of 14 to 80 MW and overall 354 MW. The trough is usually lined up on a north to south axis, and rotated throughout the day with the movement of the sun across the sky. Solar Power Tower Solar power towers are huge towers erected in the middle of large reflective mirrors (called heliostats) which concentrate the solar radiation to this tower. The heat is then transferred to generate steam and produce electricity. These types of plants generally produce in the range of 30 to 400 MW range. Worlds largest concentrating solar thermal power stations Name Country Capacity(MW) Technology Used* Solar Energy Generating Systems USA 354 Parabolic Trough Navada Solar One USA 64 Parabolic Trough Andasol1 Spain 50 Parabolic Trough PS20 Solar Power Tower Spain 20 Solar Power Tower PS10 Solar Power Tower Spain 10 Solar Power Tower Photo voltaic (PV) array In this system an array of photovoltaic cells are put in series and parallel configuration to achieve the necessary voltage and each are connected to invertors to directly generate AC type of electricity from the DC type. These photovoltaic arrays are made up of multiple interconnected solar cells. The design is such that they can take any load required. The power of a single photovoltaic cell is usually enough for a home or a standalone business. Solar arrays are usually measured by the peak electrical power throughput in watts, kilowatts, or even megawatts. Worlds largest photovoltaic (PV) power plants Name Country Capacity(MW) Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park Spain 60 Strasskirchen Solar Park Germany 54 Lieberose Photovoltaic Park Germany 53 Puertollano Photovoltaic Park Spain 50 Moura photovoltaic power station Portugal 46 Global Scenario Going by the current growth rates of the solar power source, it is being predicted that energy generated from these sources would be the biggest power source for the world in a few decades. A few years back in 2008 it was just about 0.02 percent of the total energy supply in the world. This is the amount to shift we would be witnessing in the energy sector. The total number of PV installed worldwide has been going up rapidly. The PV installations went up by a huge 7.3 GW last year which was just 6,080 MW installed during the earlier year 2008. Currently the solar power has a very small share in the world energy market. Totally its productions accounts for not more than 0.01% of total demand for power or energy around the world right now. Solar Energy demand has grown at about 30% per annum over the past 15 years (hydrocarbon energy demand typically grows between 0-2% per annum).Research confirms that the Asia Pacific, European and United States all are expected to put in very good nu mbers in terms of installed capacity and also the contribution to their respective grids over 5 to 10 years. Lets look at the cost involved of these PV cells. With the process of solar Energy (PV cells) coming down gradually over the past decade or so this is one technology which is looking better every day. We have seen over the past decade that process have been going down by four percent every year. Progressive and manufacturing economies of scale are the major driving for the same along with a healthy growth in conversion efficiencies. By early 2006, the average cost per installed watt for a residential sized system was about USD 7.50 to USD 9.50, including panels, inverters, mounts, and electrical items. Close to 2 billion people around the world have never seen electricity or are in far corners where its where difficult to supply. For most of them, solar PV would be the cheapest electricity source, if they can afford it. List of top five counties as per generation of solar energy Grid-Connected Solar PV Capacity till 2009(MW) Country Capacity Germany 9830 Spain 3250 Japan 2600 United States 1200 Italy 1032 Global trends European nations are ahead from the rest of the world in terms of the installed capacity and also in terms of projects under construction. If we look at the above given table we would see that three out of 5 countries belong to the EU. Germany and Spain have taken it up very aggressively. Renewable energy contributed 10.3% of energy consumption in the EU. Half of Swedens electricity demands are met by solar power followed by Finland at 30%. India has started its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar plan which has a target to generate 1000MW of solar energy by 2013. Japan is the third largest producer of solar energy producer in the world. In December 2008, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan set a goal of 70% of newly built homes should have solar power instruments installed, and Japan would be spending $145 million across 2009 to encourage solar power in homes. All renewable resources of power put together including solar, wind, etc provide about 12 percent of the nation s power supply in United States of America as of now. The Department of Energy in US has set the goal of producing 10-15% of US total power need from sources of solar energy by the year 2030. Solar power has been expanding rapidly in the past 8 years, growing at a very impressive average rate of 40% per year in USA alone. The cost per kilowatt-hour of solar photovoltaic systems has also been dropping, whereas the power generated out of renewable energy is becoming costly. As a result, the report projects that solar power will reach cost parity with conventional power sources in many U.S. markets by 2015.With the growing demand for the PV modules around the world, the PV module suppliers are making hay while the sun is shining. In India Tata BP Solar is the market leader. Around the world following is the list of major suppliers. List of Major Global companies supplying PV Module: First Solar Suntech Sharp Yingli Trina Solar Sunpower Corporation Kyocera Corporation Canadian Solar Inc. SolarWorld AG Sanyo Electric The market for clean energy is growing at a very healthy rate and as the solar power has the most abundant source of energy (the sun) so the prospects for these suppliers looks very good. There are various tax incentives from various Governments which are encouraging the use of solar energy. Potential of Solar power in India Indian being located in the sunny regions of the world receives about 3000 hours of sunshine every year which is equivalent to 5 trillion kWh of energy. This solar energy can be tapped to meet the growing energy needs of country. Also with increasing pressure from the developed country to lower the pollution levels, it has become imperative for India to look for non-polluting sources of energy. Solar energy could emerge as one of the best options for clean energy. Most of the villages in India are not connected to the power grid. It is less expensive to install Photo Voltaic (PV) modules in these home and villages rather than making the grids longer or setting up a power plant nearby. So for electricity production in rural areas, solar energy could be a cheaper alternative. Present Status Solar power generation has lagged behind other renewal sources of energy like wind, hydropower, and biomass. As per Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), solar energy currently account  for only 0.1 percent of the total capacity of renewal energy installed in the country which stands at 13,242.41 MW. Though India is in the top 10 worldwide for both solar photovoltaic (PV) cell production and solar thermal power production, the solar power produced in India is only about 0.4 % as compared to other energy resources. The current usage of solar energy in India is as follows: Solar street lighting systems: 55,795 Home lighting systems: 342,607 Solar lanterns used in India: 560,295 Solar PV power plants: 1566  kW Solar thermal production: 140  km2  of collector area Solar cookers: 575,000 Solar PV pumps: 6,818 The main hindrance in the use of solar energy is the high cost which is about Rs 15-30 involved in deployment whereas its Rs 5-8 for thermal power.  Solar energy usage has been mainly limited to villages which do not have proper power distribution networks to fulfill their basic needs of lighting, heating and cooking. Major players Tata BP Solar Tata BP Solar is the largest solar company in Asia. It is a joint venture between Tata Group and BP Solar. To generate electricity from sunlight, the company manufactures silicon cells and solar modules. Tata BP executed a project in which they electrified 350 villages in the state of Chhattisgarh which had never seen electricity before. The company plans to revamp its supplies to the market by bettering its manufacturing capacity of PV cells from 84 MW to more than 180 MW this financial year. Moser Baer Solar Limited (MBSL) The company has leveraged its core competency in optical media to produce high quality solar cells. It is one of largest manufacturers of Photo Voltaic (PV) modules in India. It has current production capacity are as follows: Type Produces capacity(MW) Crystalline Cells 50 Crystalline Modules 50 Thin Films 90 Moser Baer provides wide range of solutions which include site analysis, system design, erection and commissioning, operation and maintenance of solar equipments. SELCO Solar Pvt. Ltd SELCO is a social enterprise which uses solar PV cells to generate enough electricity to light the houses, pump water from wells and power various communication devices. It manufactures products for Solar lighting (CFL and LED), Solar Thermal (Water heaters). SELCOs cook stove initiative is a major boost to rural sector which has targets to improve quality of life and control pollution by providing advanced technology at affordable prices. Reliance Solar Group The company offers a wide range of products, systems and  solutions ranging from solar lanterns, home lighting systems, street lighting systems, water purification systems, refrigeration systems to air conditioners. Reliance Industries (RIL) has the experience of implementing a number of solar projects in the various parts of India. For the Commonwealth games, Reliance Industries Solar Energy Group set a huge rooftop energy system which can generate 1 MW  solar at the Thyagaraj Commonwealth Stadium in New Delhi in April this year, making it the largest solar rooftop of its kind in India. They are currently working on another huge project of a solar farm having a capacity of 5 MW in Western part of India which is slated to be the largest of its kind in India. The company  currently  sources solar panels from other companies for setting up power plants but in future the company could even venture into the solar cell/module manufacturing business. RIL has also implemented 2.6 KWp solar PV power plants for each of the three tennis courts at the R K Khanna Tennis Complex. For the Commonwealth Games Village, it has installed 34 back up solar PV systems of 3 KWp each, 180 solar LED street lights and 500 garden lights. The entire solar initiative is to compensate for CO2 emissions to be released through the game. NTPC NTPC has completed or planning to setup the following solar power projects in the country: Capacity (MW) Technology Location 15 Solar thermal Rajasthan 25 Solar thermal Uttar Pradesh 6 Solar PV Andaman Nicobar 5 Solar PV Uttar Pradesh 5 Solar PV Haryana 10 Solar PV Uttar Pradesh 10 Solar PV Chhattisgarh 25 Solar PV Andhra Pradesh Government incentives and subsidies The Government is doing its bit to spread the growth of solar energy. It has declared as part of official policy a 100% tax holiday to any PV plant pr solar thermal plant which are installed and up and running by the year 2020. They have also declared to let go excise duty and decrease the custom duty if products are imported from OEM and not to mention the cheap loans. Additionally, under the Generation-Based Incentive (GBI) programme, the plant developers will be offered financial assistance to reduce the production cost by offering of Rs 12/unit to producer in case of solar PV and Rs 10/unit if the use the solar thermal for the next 10 years. For this the plant must produce more than 1MW and contribute it to the central grid. The government has also announced a number of sops under a special incentive package to improve spread of solar energy .Under the governments scheme to create solar cities in India, all the local governments of the 60 cities would be provided an assistance of Rs 50 lakh, of which Rs 10 lakh would be for drafting of a master plan, Rs 10 lakh for installation of solar modules in the the various city council buildings, Rs 10lakh as an incentive to complete the project over 5 yrs and the rest for promoting this(Rs 20lakh). State governments are also providing rebates in property tax to house owners and commercial establishments for using solar water heating systems. Future growth Prospects in India Under the Jawaharlal Nehru  National  Solar Mission (JNNSM), India plans to generate 20,000 MW grid connected solar power by 2022. In the first phase of JNNSM, 1000 MW capacity will be added by March 2013, half based on solar PV equipment and rest on solar thermal technology. Following are the suggestions of a Ajay Shankar committee which if accepted by the central government will b a shot in the arm for JNNSM and a huge booster for solar energy sector in India: Up to 2013: Mandatory use of PV cells and modules made in India for all grid connected solar power plants. 2012-2013: Mandatory use of Power Conditioning Units (PCUs) which are manufactured in India. 2013-2014: Review for probable extension to various products used in solar power generation like wafers and silicon which are manufactured in India. On the state front, the Gujarat government has already signed a MoU with Clinton Foundation which would help then install the worlds biggest solar energy plant in Gujarat. The 3 GW plant would be one of four mega solar plants planned by the foundation to promote the use of renewable energy. The other proposed sites are in California, South Africa, and Australia. The government has proposed to develop 60 solar cities during the 11th Plan period. The solar cities would be based on the lines of New York in USA, Tokyo in Japan and London in UK. This initiative will again act as a boost to the solar industry. After the announcement of the JNNSM, which aims at a huge jump in solar power generation capacity in the country by 2022, it has met with a huge response. It was proposed by the some 25 companies that they would be interested in putting in a total sum of a thousand cr over the next 3 -5 yrs. From the figures, one can say that the future of solar energy in India looks to very bright. CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS HIGH CAPITAL COST One of the biggest challenges that solar energy faces is that competing energy sources have always been cheaper in terms of dollars per kilowatt-hour (a standard measure). Compared to electricity from coal-fired power plants, solar is more expensive. Lets take India as a country into consideration. The hunt for better, cheaper Solar cells is due in India. Despite the fact that the price of Solar Photovoltaic technology has been coming down over the years it still remains economically unviable for power generation purposes. The average cost of Solar PV modules was around Rs. 2 lakhs per kW. However, the estimated unit cost of generation of electricity from Solar Photovoltaic and Solar thermal route is in the range of Rs. 12 -20 per kWh and Rs. 10 15 per kWh respectively in India. With present level of technology, solar electricity produced through the Photovoltaic conversion route is 4-5 times costlier than the electricity obtained from conventional fossil fuels. MANUFACTURING PROCESS Solar PV cell manufacturing is a technology-intensive process requiring high expertise and know-how. Besides, the technology landscape in the solar industry PV space is changing quite rapidly with innovations and RD. It is challenging for new entrants to replicate the success of companies having a long standing in the Solar PV market. SITE SUITABILITY Many sites dont receive enough solar energy to make the production cost effective. Cloudy areas with frequent rain are often not well suited for solar panels because typically solar panels need direct sun to produce power. STORAGE Another major challenge is storing solar energy. Cloudy weather and night time darkness interrupt solar energys availability. At times and locations where sunlight is plentiful, its energy must be captured and stored for use at other times and places. The most important disadvantage about solar energy is that the access on a short-term basis can be uncertain. The total incoming radiation normally doesnt vary much from year to year (typically  ±5 per cent), but it is not easy to predict on a day-to-day basis. Incoming radiation has seasonal variations that are in an anti-phase with the energy demand for important areas of applications, for example space heating. If one is to trust solar energy as the only energy source, either one has to adjust to the variations given by nature, store. The first alternative is impractical, the latter are expensive. Energy storage makes up a substantial part of the cost for both solar heating installations and systems for the production of electricit y for remote buildings and plants. Improved energy storage will therefore mean a lot for the solar energys possibility to compete with conventional solutions. ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS Another concern area is installing Solar cells on the land area. The large amount of land required for utility-scale Solar power plants approximately one square kilometer for every 20-60 MW generated poses an additional problem. RAW MATERIAL AND WASTE PRODUCTS Some of the materials (like Cadmium) used for producing Solar PV cells are hazardous and other raw materials like plastics used for the packaging of the cells are non-biodegradable, thereby impacting the environment. Although some of the waste generated during the manufacturing process is recyclable (silicon), not all other materials are recyclable and disposal of the same is a challenging process. AESTHETICS AND DESIGN Another barrier to wider adoption of solar cell and solar module products and systems among commercial and residential consumers is aesthetics and design. Historically, consumers have resisted solar products for aesthetic reasons. Established solar products are heavy, rigid, fragile and non-modular. Solar cell and solar module manufacturers can improve aesthetics by developing products that can be more attractively integrated into building structures, and that are lighter, flexible and modular and hence more feasible. Growth in future and driving factors Concentrated Solar Vs Photovoltaic Solar Solar energy utilization technologies can be broadly classified into two categories as Concentrated Solar Technology Photovoltaic Solar Technology In Concentrated Solar Technology the solar energy converts heat liquids into steam, which is then used to drive turbines to produce electricity, heating and cooling purposes, providing hot water etc. In PV Solar, solar panels are used to produce electricity. The Concentrated Solar technology provides a good alternative to PV solar, one that is less expensive and more versatile. Benefits of concentrated solar technology are: It uses existing resources like generators, piping and mirrors. Due to which the production costs are much lower than PV solar In producing solar energy no hazardous materials are used. Thus it is free from production hassles that could arise due to future government laws or policies. It can also store the heat that is generated during the day, and use it at a later time when the electricity is needed. Storing heat is much more efficient than most forms of storing electricity, and does not require expensive equipment or large tracks of land. Due to the aforementioned benefits Concentrated Solar Technology is currently a more sought after method. But the potential for PV Solar Technology is higher and is being worked over across all countries. Government incentives Major percentage of the solar energy production has been backed by the government world over. Few of the government incentives in the following ways are: FIT (mainly in Europe) Direct Subsidy on panels Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS, in US) ITC (Investment tax credits, in US) Some of the goals with respect to solar energy of different countries driven by government initiatives are: The  European Union  has linked goals to get 20% of its energy from clean sources by 2012. Chinas Renewable Energy Law aims to raise the total percentage of renewable energy used in the country to 15% by 2020. The U.S. Stimulus Bill of February of 2009 included $60 billion in loan guarantees for companies building solar and wind plants with the goal of doubling renewable energy production from 2009 to 2012. In June of 2008, Germany approved a law cutting its solar subsidies by 10%. Further, under the law subsidies will fall another 8%-10% each year for the next three years. The Spanish Government cut its solar subsidies by 30%. Renewable energy demand Shifts in renewable energy demand are a major driver for the solar market. Two major drivers of this shift are climate change  and  peak oil. Climate Change With more people than ever being aware of global warming and its potential effects, and fear of the repercussions of a carbon-based energy scheme is driving consumer demand for alternatives like solar. With increasing number of people being aware of global warming and its harmful effects, rising fear caused due to carbon based energy production, the demand for alternative energy resources are in demand. The number of awareness campaigns to promote the use of alternative resources has increased tremendously over the past few years and will continue to rise in the future. Wind and Solar energy are the first potential step taken into consideration. Peak Oil and Energy Independence The ever rising oil prices and the scarcity of finding the mines and oil reserves are a growing concern. It is predicted that the oil resources will dwindle to such an extent that the growth of any country will be a standstill if measures are not taken today to curtail the dependence. Furthermore, a large part of the world oil supply can be found in politically turbulent countries; with OPEC having dominant control over world oil supply (and, therefore, prices), many countries desire energy alternatives in order to break dependence on geopolitically unstable nations. Technology and Silicon Supply Silicon was previously used extensively by the semiconductor industry. But, with the advent of solar power and its rapid growth the demand for them has increased exponentially, resulting in an under-supply of silicon unable to meet the current demand. Thus the higher prices in silicon mean higher production costs for solar companies and lower margins. For a sustainable growth and control in costs of production in the future the demand-supply equilibrium must be in check. In recent years the technical advancements in the field of solar power has been rapid and tremendous. Everyone across the value chain, manufacturers and suppliers are working towards producing more solar energy out of the existing solar equipment. Advancements have included increasing cell energy efficiency, using thinner wafers, and increasing generating power in low-light (generation of energy even on a cloudy day). The advancement in two new manufacturing processes namely string-ribbon technology and thin-film technology, designed to drastically reduce the  silicon  required to make PV cells, could dramatically decrease the cost of new PV cells. The use of a new nanotechnology based approach using Tetrapod Quantum Dots (TQ-Dots) is being considered. It is an economical alternative to replace the silicon wafer based solar cells with flexible TQ-Dot solar cells and has the advantage of generating electricity from UV and infrared wavelengths allowing generation 24/7. Government Regulation As the solar industry continues to grow at 25% per annum, the government is faced with the challenge to regulate the industry to allow for equitable distribution of the industry benefits. The Union Ministry has set up a separate Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources later renamed as Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The government is trying hard to bring India to the number 1 level by introducing grid based incentives and providing concession at various levels of manufacturing and distribution in its recent budget 2010-11. Effect on the Environment: There is an ongoing debate on how Concentrated Solar Plants especially are affecting the environment. There is a concern how the use of vast amounts of public land for Solar Energy development will affect local inhabitants. Local Government and Environmental bodies have raised concern for reliable regulatory measures to be setup to understand the affect on the operations of such large plants on the environment. It is expected that the government will frame certain special energy zones, where concentrated solar plants will be setup. Permitting: The permit fees to set up Solar Plants varies in different areas in the countries, which causes variations in the setup price causing a dilemma in the minds of prospective investors.The cost of Solar Installation in a city varies from Rs.15,000 to Rs. 50,000.Many countries that used to face such issues are now migrating to a uniform permit fees system to encourage investment in this field. Regulating Solar Energy Providers: As part of JNNSM, government has dedicated NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, for the purchase of Solar Energy by independent solar plants, the prices of which are fixed by the Central Regulatory Electricity Commission for a given period of time. The power distribution companies will purchase the power generated from these plants at the prices set by the regulator. They would also follow the below mentioned norms: CERC has announced tariff of Rs. 18.44 per unit for solar PV power and Rs. 13.45 per unit for solar thermal power for 25 years; Zero or concessional duty to be applied on import of some specific items; Zero Excise duty on manufacture of many solar energy devices within the country; NTPC VVN will purchase solar power for a period of 25 years at fixed tariff announced by CERC; CERC will review the costs every year and fix tariff accordingly for new projects. Union Budget 2010-11: Government has announced an allocation of $10bn for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. The budget also provides incentives to private solar companies by reducing customs duty on solar panel by 5% and exempting excise duty on photovoltaic panels. Conclusion

Software Patents and the European Union :: Software Technology Europe Essays

Software Patents and the European Union Introduction The European Council recently approved changes to the European Union’s Software Patents Directive that will lead the way to widespread patenting of software in Europe.[1] If the changes are ratified without modification, then the European Patent Office (EPO) will have the ability to grant software patents in much the same manner as the United States Patent Office (USPO). This will lead to many of the problems that have arisen in the United States. For instance, the USPO is infamous for issuing patents for obvious software process, such as Amazon’s 1-click shopping. The granting of these obvious patents has led to a flurry of litigation, where the patent holder tries to extort licensing fees for alleged â€Å"patent infringement†. This has led to corporations to try and patent â€Å"everything under the sun†, in order to protect them from getting sued and to create a platform to launch their own litigation/licensing extortion from their competitors. I t has also created a flood of patent applications for software, giving the overworked USPO little time to examine and research for any â€Å"prior art† that would invalidate the patent application. After giving a background on software patent history in the European Union, this paper will attempt to analyze the ethical issues of software patents. Do they bring more harm to society than good? Do they promote innovation and research or do they stifle invention? These questions, along with other issues dealing with software patents, will be examined from a variety of ethical perspectives. Background Initially, software was not patentable under European law. This was decreed in the Article 52 of the European Patent Convention of 1973, which states that â€Å"mathematical methods, intellectual methods, business methods, computer programs, presentation of information etc are not inventions in the sense of patent law.† [2] However, small changes in European Patent law over the years has led to the patentability of â€Å"process claims†, â€Å"program claims†, and even â€Å"computer-implemented inventions†, which has led to 30,000 software related process patents.[3] In 2002, the European Commission's Directorate for the Internal Market proposed the creation of a Directive to clarify the patentability of computer-implemented inventions and reduce excess at the EPO. However, the Directive only put on paper what the EPO had already been practicing, which was granting unlimited patentability. In September of 2003, a set of amendments to the Directive were voted in by the European Parliament.