Afghan Women and Violation of Their Rights

Strength To Forget Essays - Hosiery, Lingerie, Stocking, Virtue

Strength To Forget Essays - Hosiery, Lingerie, Stocking, Virtue Strength To Forget Courage means a lot of things. Sometimes courage is the will to fight and overcome; sometimes it is the foresight to run away. And maybe, when the past obscures the present like the shadow of a ghost, courage is the strength to forget. In his compilation of short fiction, The Things They Carried, Tim OBrien uses the Vietnam War, a shadow of his own past, to illustrate courage in many ways. Stockings is the story of Henry Dobbins, whose courage to fight comes from a good luck charm: his girlfriends pantyhose. Henry liked putting his nose into the nylon and breathing in the scent of his girlfriends body . . . More than anything, though, the stockings were a talisman for him. They kept him safe. (OBrien, 129). The stockings would be powerless around anyone elses neck. But they represent something for Henry Dobbins that brings him peace within himself when the world around him is at war. On a practical level, it is impossible for the stockings to provide any real protection for him. Nonetheless, Henry was invulnerable (Ibid), and this single word captures OBriens attitude towards courage as a motivation to fight. Vulnerability is not a fault in a flak jacket. Its a breach of self-confidence. And in a theater that puts men at war with themselves as much as it pits them against their enemy, courage comes from within. Is a man without courage a coward? Thats what OBrien calls himself in On the Rainy River, a story about a man with one foot out the door and the other stuck in quicksand. Before he went to war, he thought that courage came in finite quantities, like an inheritance(Ibid, 40), that it could be stashed away in times of cowardice, to be tapped like a reservoir if ever the evil were evil enough, [or] the good were good enough.(Ibid) When he got his draft notice in 1968, his reservoir went dry and he fled for the border. Sitting in an aluminum fishing boat on the Rainy River, halfway between Vietnam and Canada, he realized that he did not have the courage to run away. Every muscle in his body tried to pull him across the water to freedom, but behind him he heard the whole world cheering for him to stay. Like some weird sporting event . . . a million ferocious citizens waving flags of all shapes and colors(Ibid,60) managed to hold him back. In The Man I Killed, OBriens lack of courage also bars him from forgetting his most painful memory of the entire wara slim, dead, almost dainty young man of about twenty . . . with one leg bent beneath him, his jaw in his throat, his face neither expressive nor inexpressive . . . one eye shut . . . the other [a] star-shaped hole. The image he presents is gruesome, and it is easy to understand why he cannot brush it from his memory. In fact, OBrien creates an fictional life for the deceased man as a memorial and a sort of reparation for the fact that he killed the man himself. He is a coward for lacking the strength to forget, and at the same time strong for bearing the weight of his own actions. This is the greatest paradox in OBriens depiction of courage: although courage often means fighting and defying and ignoring, it takes a different kind of courage to stand up and accept reality for what it is. Memories were the heaviest things they carried, and courage is not strength to forget. Bibliography The Things they Carried by Tim O'Brien.

The Native Warrior at the Battle of the Little Bighorn Research Paper

The Native Warrior at the Battle of the Little Bighorn - Research Paper Example You had to deal with the enemy and anyone from the east coast was considered an enemy. Our life in the northern plains was simple. What mattered to us most was our nomadic lifestyle which we cherished like any other person would cherish their culture. It meant a lot to us because everything we did was aimed at protecting our culture as well as our livelihood. The plains we lived in mattered the most to us and we saw this as home and any disturbance was seen as a threat to the survival of our culture as well as our people. It all began when our leaders, forced by the U.S administration of the time, agreed to the terms of a treaty which was meant to create a large reservation system. This meant that we were going to give up our nomadic life and culture as we were forced into reservation and boundaries that ensued meant that we could only operate from certain regions. This was because of the many conflicts that arose due to our culture and the interaction we were having with settlers and many of the rail road surveyors. As a warrior, I was used to the nomadic lifestyle and moving from this to a more stationary life was not something that was interesting to me. I, therefore, joined many of the other warriors and leader who rejected this treaty. There was no way we could be forced into the reservation system and wait on the government subsidies.... Tension began to grow in early 1875 when Custer came over into the already established reservation system. His aim was to map the area ad to locate a suitable place which was to be used in the construction of a military post. He also came to conduct an exploration of the natural resources in the area. Luckily for him, he stumbled upon gold deposits. Word went round about this and we all came to know about the gold deposits in our land. Immediately, a proposition was made by the US government of buying the land and this was rejected by the Lakota leaders. I remember tension growing in the Black hills as there were lots of people who had come as a result of the news about the gold.iv Things became even tougher when the commissioner of Indian affairs demanded that people return to the reservation system. This was rejected by many of the people. This is where our lives took a different turn. I came to realize later that the matter was forwarded to the army. As the US Calvary planned on a ttacking us, we were also planning on retaliatory attacks with our crude weapons. A group of over 1500 warriors was already stationed to counter the threat that was eminent from the US army. Many of our leaders had information concerning the plans that were underway of attacking us.v The aim of attacking us was to force us to return to the great Sioux Reservation. We were considered hostile and thus the army was seen as the only strategy that could be used to get us to cooperate. I learnt from others that about 879 men were being prepared most of who were the 7th cavalry. I was not worried and this is because of our great number which gave me hope and confidence that we would win any battle that could ensue. Our people moved to the plains in

Economic read an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic read an article - Essay Example In as much as many governments are institutions set on social contracts, there is a serious failure in the effectiveness to deliver according to set standards granted by the provisions of the social contracts. According to Leeson, a legitimate social contract should attest to three chief concerns. First, the contact must serve the purpose of granting political power. I should be in accordance with the joint consent of all subjects or stakeholders whose interest are represented in the contract. The main intent of the contract should be to facilitate social collaboration. The key consideration in the formation of a social contract is its aim of creating a government (Leeson 444). Leeson identifies the second most important feature of a social contract while referring to the original state before the formulation of the social contract. A social contract should serve the purpose of bringing the various stakeholders in the contract from a situation of no prior contract. The people whose i nterests are expressed in the contract should be in need a forum that can attend to their claims including their appeals. This, according to Leeson, is fundamental since it eliminates the possibility of conflicts and enhances sovereignty. If there is an existing sovereign body and an agreement is drafted which is legitimate, it does not qualify as a social contract. Instead, it is a contract. It does not replace the social contract that existed prior to its formation and, therefore, only remains as a contract. The third characteristic of social contracts identified by Leeson is the recognition that the agreement resulted from voluntary acceptance and approval by all parties subject to its provisions. Should any member of the society expresses disapproval of the social contract, then it no longer becomes a social contract. Every member whose welfare and other aspects of life are subject to the provisions of the social contacts should consent to it (Leeson 445). Disapproval by even on e member of the society renders it unbinding to the entire population affected by it. Should there be part of the population that is in disagreement, at the time of signing, then it should constitute part of the population not bound by the provisions of the contract. Following the absence of the three prerequisites that make up a social contract in most governments, Leeson argues that not all social contracts are genuine. In Leeson’s account, early social contracts that formulated most present day governments did not meet the three requirements that should be the threshold of a legitimate social contract. Following the argument that social contracts should bear the main objectives of forming a government, Leeson renders these early contracts as out of the desired intention. Their formation was legitimately promoted by the desire to gain political rule over the people. Further concerns emanate from the approval of conceptual unanimity that never follows its provisions, as well . The emergence of pirate societies, as outlined by Leeson, did restore the legitimacy of the social contract concept. This was a possibility given the fulfillment of actual unanimity that is vital in meeting the threshold of a social contract based on the three pillars of its formation. As Leeson states, the system of constitutional democracy embraced among the

Arabic spring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Arabic spring - Essay Example The effort to lead authoritarian to enhance their regional influence is not effective because of different reasons. Various regimes have a different view on the opportunities and constrains created by Arabic Spring, the influence may require medication latter, their effort may end up shaping the newly Arabs elected governments. About ten years before the rise of Arab Spring, there was the rise in global authoritarianism with an attempt of Arab autocracies to adopt their own ruling to new domestic and regional challenges. The wide implications of authoritarian collective action lead to Arabic Spring. In analyzing their effect, we stress on two related dynamics, which include the way in which powerful authoritarian regimes work as a team to advance collective interests in sustaining or consolidating institutional and strategic alternative to the western democracy. Secondly is their attempt use the Arab Spring as a mobilization tool to gain regional support, democratic powers such as th at witnessed in Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, among other nations. With their sympathetic critiques of western economy and their geographical strategic dominance, these states are seen as the global authoritarians as potential allies might enlist that in efforts to redefine regional security and political structure, thus threatening the United States aim of advancing their interest. Globalization is a process where in different fields, the world is working together as a single society, marked by common institution, organizations, and shared culture of consciousness.

Building and Operating IT Systems Challenges

Building and Operating IT Systems Challenges Information management can be described as the collection and management of information from single or multiple sources and the dissemination of that information to one or more listeners. Often this involves people those who have a stake in, or a right to that specific information. Management involves the organization of and control over the structure, processing and delivery of information. The focus of this paper will be on distinguishing between a behavioral and a technical approach to information systems, identifying key management challenges involved in building, operating, and maintaining information systems today, and describing the capabilities of a digital firm. Additionally, I will be describing three types of information systems and explaining the four key enterprise applications for organization-wide process integration. Behavioral and Technical Approach Several viewpoints on information systems illustrate that the study of information systems is a field with multiple disciplines and therefore, no single theory or perspective governs. Generally speaking, the field can be separated into behavioral and technical approaches. The behavioral approach can be broken down even further into sub-categories to include economics, psychology, and sociology. The technical approach can also be broken down into sub-categories to include management science, computer science, and operations research. Behavioral Approach A very important element of the information systems field is involved with behavioral issues that surface in the development and preservation of information systems. Problems like strategic business design, implementation and utilization, and management cannot be fully explored with the models using a technical approach. Behavioral disciplines such as economics, psychology, and sociology can also contribute vital concepts and processes. For example, economists study information systems mainly interested in what impact systems have on cost structures within the business and within its particular market. On the other hand, Psychologists are interested in how human decision makers comprehend and use information. Finally, sociologists study information systems looking for how groups and organizations form the development of systems and also how these different systems affect individuals, groups, and organizations (Information Management, 2010). The behavioral approach does not completely ignore technology. In fact, information systems technology is frequently the reason for a specific behavioral problem or issue. But usually the heart of this approach is not normally geared toward technical solutions. Instead it centers on modification in attitudes, management and organizational policy, and behavior. Technical Approach The technical approach to information systems puts emphasis on mathematically based models to study information systems, in addition to the physical knowledge and abilities of these systems. The disciplines that play a role in the technical approach are computer science, management science, and operations research. Computer science has to do with creating theories of computability, means of computation, and approaches to effective access and storage of data. Management science highlights the growth of models for decision-making and management procedures. Lastly, operations research deals with mathematical methods for optimizing business issues such as inventory control, transportation, and transaction costs (Information Management, 2010). Key Management Challenges Building, operating, and maintaining information systems in todays fast-paced business world can be very challenging. These key management challenges are based on a multitude of problems such as information system investments, strategic business decisions, globalization, information technology infrastructure, and ethics and security. Information System Investment Challenge If managed intelligently, investments in information systems can improve employees lives and a businesss overall performance. For instance, over the past twenty years the Internet has developed form a technical innovation to a personal and business necessity. Some businesss have recognized considerable improvements in processing information by changing from mainframe computing to personal computers connected by local area networks (LAN). The ability of software applications to identify and correlate pertinent data in a data warehouse allows businesses to uncover unidentified financial or physical resource relationships and therefore make available suitable assistance where there had been none. However, along with the ability to enhance lives and organizations, some information system investments can become risky, costly, wasteful mistakes. To overcome these challenges, senior management personnel need to be able to successfully evaluate these investments to ensure the correct return on investment (ROI) (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Strategic Business Challenge You can pick up any management book and you can read about the significance of developing a strategic plan, and ideas about how to both develop and implement your plan. On the other hand, you will also find articles that you imply that strategic planning does not work because it is impossible to develop a long term plan in this ever changing business environment. In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in between. Strategic planning can definitely help you get prepared on what you need to accomplish over the next years, what things you will need to accomplish those goals, and exactly how to go about accomplishing your goals. The trouble is that the benefits of strategic planning can be easily lost. These plans fail primarily because of what happens after the process of strategic planning. In general, a great effort goes into creating and developing a strategic plan, which is then quickly put away and forgotten, even by the people that created it. The goal of strategic planning lies not only in the development of the plan, but also in its implementation. Implementing the strategic plan will only work if you are clear about what this plan can bring to you and the organization. The strategic plan needs to have value, not only to the organization, but also to the employees. The bottom line is that the plan needs to be used by everybody. A strategic plan needs to be used as a decision-making tool from the top of the organization all the way to the bottom. Chief Executive Officers ought to be able to use it to make decisions on the direction of their business, mergers, or staffing. Managers should also be able to use it to make decisions for the priorities of their departments goals and objectives, and to align the work of their department with the overall goals of organization. Lastly, every employee must be able to use the plan to recognize his or her own goals, and where they fit in big scheme of things. When implemented correctly, a strategic plan helps to add meaning and focus to not only every individual, but the organization as a whole (Information Systems, 2010). Globalization Challenge The globalization of information technology warrants special attention by business executives, government officials and scholastic researchers for a multitude of reasons. First, is that information technology and systems are high-technology industries of considerable size and with significant potential for stimulating economic growth and jobs. The immediate growth in global trade and the surfacing of an international economy require information systems that can sustain both the production and selling of goods and services in many different countries. Second, access to the most up-to-date computer and telecommunications technology is central to competitive success in nearly all industries. Government policies which deliberately or inadvertently retard technological progress in the production and use of computers, information systems and telecommunications have important economic effects. Third, given language barriers, cultural, and political differences among dissimilar countries, th is focus often resulted in confusion and the breakdown of central management controls (Laudon Laudon, 2006). To overcome these challenges, it is imperative for organization to develop global hardware, software, and information systems standards. Additionally, organizations must be able to create global accounting and reporting methods and design worldwide business processes. Information Technology Infrastructure Challenge This particular challenge for businesses deals with how organizations can develop information technology infrastructures that can sustain their goals when business situations are changing at a rapid pace. Aging infrastructure is obviously a huge issue in many industries that only gets bigger as time goes on. Some equipment may have had external upgrades or facelifts, but in most cases, it is over 70 years old. Many organizations are left with expensive and unmanageable IT platforms that cannot readily adapt to innovation and change. Additionally, a competitive business environment and the pressures of the global financial situation weigh increasingly on companies minds (Information Systems, 2010). To battle this challenge, some organizations may be required to redesign its organization and develop a new information technology infrastructure to survive in this competitive business world. Ethics and Security Challenge Organizations must always be cognizant that their information systems are used in both an ethically and socially responsible manner. Although information systems have provided many benefits, they have also created new ethical and security issues that must be addressed. Every improvement in information technology can be tied in with at least one ethical dilemma. From Facebook to ordering merchandise online, computer users are ignorant of the delicate balance between ethical behavior and profits. Businesses, software and hardware developers, and individuals must think about what is ethically correct when using information technology on a daily basis. The primary issues essential to the world of information technology are the individuals expectation of privacy and the providers ethical duty to use its applications responsibly (Information Systems, 2010). The challenges organizations will face will be how to apply high-quality assurance standards to their information systems, as well as to their products and services. Additionally, they will have to develop information systems that are not only secure but that are still easy to use by most individuals. Digital Firms A digital firm can be described as, One in which nearly all of the organizations significant business relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees are digitally enabled and mediate (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 11-12). The firms primary business processes are performed through digital networks encompassing the whole organization or connecting several different organizations. A core or primary business process can be defined as the minimum single tasks to be completed to provide a certain level of reliability in output, without any thought to hardware, software, or performance. When a core process is put into practice, anything can be added to make the process more efficient, but nothing can be removed. On the other hand, a business process can be defined as, The set of logically related tasks and behaviors that organizations develop over time to produce specific business results and the unique manner in which these activities are organized and coordinated (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 12). Digital firms are extremely powerful because they can sense and react to their ever changing surroundings much faster those traditions organizations. Because of their quick reaction and the fact that they are more adaptable than the traditional firm, digital firms are much more able to endure in unstable times. Because these new firms are completely digital, there exist much more opportunities for them in the global business word. The Internet is quickly becoming the information system infrastructure of preference for electronic commerce. It offers organizations an easy way to connect with other business and individual at an unbelievably low cost. Additionally, it offers a complete and uncomplicated set of technologies and technology standards that can be implemented by any organization. Organizations can use Internet technology to drastically cut their transaction costs, time searching for buyers and sellers, and gathering information on products or services. This information is at the fingertips of anyone with a computer and access to the Internet. One example of a powerful digital firm has to be EBay. Following 2001, there were a high number of dotcom businesses that failed, but there were a few that held their ground, like eBay. The success of eBay is based on its capacity to transform many splintered, predominantly local markets into global ones at a comparatively low cost to its users (Simonsohn, 2010). People have always had a basic need and an appeal in buying and selling used objects and collectibles items. Prior to eBay, people would have tried to sell their unwanted items through family garage sales, classified ads, and flea markets. Nevertheless, the amount of people accessible to sell these items to was limited due to the fact that face-to-face transactions were almost always required. Another great example of a powerful digital firm would be Google. Google isnt just legendary for producing and providing useful services, but it has also acquired a few innovative businesses and integrated them. These include YouTube, Blogger, Picasa and Jaiku. Google used its digital background to take advantage of opportunities in the global business world, making them one of the most powerful businesses to date (Google, 2010). Types of Information Systems For most organizations, there are many different requirements for data or information. Senior managers continually need up-to-date information to help aide in their business decisions. Mid-level managers may need a bit more detailed information to assist them in monitoring and managing a multitude of different business dealings. Lastly, supervisors and employees with operational roles need information in order for them to perform their everyday jobs. Consequently, organizations tend to have a number of information systems operating at the same time. The three I will be discussing are the management information system (MIS), decision-support systems (DSS), and the transaction processing system (TPS). Management Information System A management information system (MIS) management information system (MIS)System used to extract data from a database and compile reports that help managers make routine decisions. obtains data from a database to compose reports, such as detail reports, summary reports, exception reports, and financial statements to assist managers in making better decisions. The different types of reports depend on the specific information a particular manager may require. A MIS is largely involved with internal sources of information. MIS generally receive data from the transaction processing systems (TPS) and reduce it into a sequence of management reports. MIS reports generally are used by mid-level managers and operational supervisors (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Decision-Support Systems A decision support system (DSS)decision support system (DSS)Interactive system that extracts, integrates, and displays data from multiple sources to help managers make nonroutine decisions. is an interactive system that gathers, displays, and combines information from various sources to help managers make non-routine decisions. DSS are explicitly designed to help management make decisions in circumstances where there is doubt about the potential results of those decisions. DSS are made up of tools and procedures to help gather pertinent information and analyze decisions and alternatives. DSS often requires the use of complex spreadsheets and databases to produce what-if models (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Transaction Processing Systems The majority of organizations day-to-day activities are documented and processed by its transaction processing system (TPS)transaction processing system (TPS)Information system used to record and process an organizations daily activities or transactions., which collect input data and changes them into output information meant for a variety of users. Input data are called transactions which are transactionsFinancial and nonfinancial events that affect a businessevents that affect a business. Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) are intended to process everyday transactions accurately and efficiently. A business may have several transaction processing systems to include; billing systems, payroll and tax payments systems, production and purchasing systems, or stock control systems to handle all movements into and out of the organization (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Challenges Posed by Information Systems Although the many different types of information systems are available to an organization and can be extremely beneficial to its growth, there are some management challenges. Some of these challenges include the tension related to designing and building the information systems, the need for training for both management and employees, and the need to establish which information systems is the most critical, therefore which system receives the majority of the funding. For an organization to overcome these challenges they need establish exactly what is needed in terms of information systems. Next, they need to schedule and provide proper training to all company personnel, so they are familiar with the systems. Finally, they need to develop a method of accounting for the cost of the systems and their priority. Key Enterprise Applications Most organizations compete in an rapidly changing, aggressive, global environment. Operating in a global environment forces an organization to concentrate on the most cost-effective implementation of its processes, customer service, and speed at which their products or services are brought to market. To achieve these lofty goals, it is essential that the organization freely exchange useful information across different functions, levels, and business departments. By incorporating all its processes, the organization can more effectively exchange information between departments, customers, and suppliers. The four key enterprise applications are enterprise systems, supply chain management systems, customer relationship management systems, and knowledge management systems. Enterprise Systems Enterprise systems incorporate the vital business processes of an organization into a separate software system. Data from a variety of functional areas are centrally housed and maintained where they can be retrieved and utilized by other functional processes. This alters an organizations work flow. Now information can effortlessly run throughout the organization, increasing synchronization, efficiency, and decision making. Enterprise systems are extremely tricky to employ successfully and once employed, are especially hard to change. Enterprise systems, also known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems solve problems by providing a single information system for organization-wide coordination and integration of key business processes (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 56). Supply Chain Management Systems Supply chain management (SCM) can be described as an overseeing of resources, information, and finances as they move form supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer and finally to the consumer. Supply chain management requires managing and integrating the information, goods, and services flow together within and amongst organizations. Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS) are used to help an organization manage its relationship with suppliers to optimize the planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery of goods and services. SCMS supply information to aide suppliers, purchasing organizations, wholesale distributors, and logistic companies coordinate, schedule, and control business processes for their products and services (Su Yang, 2010). Customer Relationship Management Systems Many businesses make more profit from ongoing relationships with their customers than from the original sale. Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term applied to processes implemented by an organization to handle its contact with its customers. Customer relationship management systems (CRMS) concentrates on the coordination all of the business processes encompassing the organizations with its customers in sales, marketing, customer satisfaction, revenue optimizing services, and customer retention (Laudon Laudon, 2006). In todays highly-competitive business surroundings, the success of an organization relies greatly upon maintaining and exceeding customer expectations for both service and value. Knowledge Management Systems Knowledge management is the specific management of essential knowledge and information acquired by individuals so that it can be is effectively shared and made use of by other personnel in the organization. Through the successful sharing of corporate intellectual assets, Organizational Knowledge must be efficiently changed into business intellect. Personal knowledge concerning a business process must be converted into corporate knowledge ensuring it applied throughout consistently, ensuring maximum benefit to the organization. The main function of a Knowledge Management System (KMS) must be to make information obtainable to all authorized users (Laudon Laudon, 2006). However, implementing a straightforward information management system, file indexing and retrieval system is only the start. Securing corporate knowledge requires more than software and technology, it requires solid document management software and cultural alteration of how information is produced, handled, stored, and distributed.

Biomass as an Alternative Energy Essay -- Power Global Warming Climate

Biomass Abstract: The current use of energy in the United States, especially California, is foreshadowing catastrophe in our environment. Due to high demand of fossil fuels, the air is filled with more pollution every day. In addition to, it can increase the chances of having global warming. Since fossil fuels are generated from raw materials which are easy and cheap users are becoming extremely dependent on them. The main problem with fossil energy is that the supply of fossil fuels is not continuous. However, alternative energy is continual and harmless to the environment. Biomass does not pollute the atmosphere as much as natural gas. One of the most convenient alternative energies that are currently used for minor purposes is biomass. From the significant results of recent and past use of biomass, it can be considered trustworthy as the main source of energy in the future. Introduction: The energy that we use presently has raised numerous questions, whether or not it would bring us danger. Thus, scientists tried to find new types of energy that we can use in the future that would not increase the chances of having global warming for other environmental crises. Renewable energy has been examined and tested for many years; and, it [has been proven that it is much better than fossil fuels. Types of renewable or alternative energy include wind power, solar power, and geothermal energy (About, Alternative Energy Resources 2007). Particularly, biomass, â€Å"in the energy production industry, refers to living and recently dead biological material which can be used as fuel or for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for use as biofuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter used for pr... ...w.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/biomass.html Biomass (2007). EduGreen. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from vvvvvvhttp://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/renew/biomass.htm Biomass (2007). Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 21, 2007, from vvvvvvhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass Biomass Energy Basics (2007). NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Retrieved July 22, 2007, from http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_biomass.html Biomass Energy Vol.3 (2007). Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. John Wiley & Sons Biomass 9 Ramamurthi, R., Kastury, Satish, & Smith, Wayne H. (2000). BIOENERGY vision for the new millennium. Enfield, NH: Science Publishers. Renewable Energy Technologies and their Pros and Cons, Biomass (2007). Loma Prieta. Retrieved July 23, 2007, from http://www.lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/greenpower/renewabletech.htm#Biomass