Zimbabwe Country Debt and Economic Performance

Zimbabwe Country Debt and Economic Performance Overview The debate on the effect and direction of causality regarding debt on economic growth has attracted significant academic interest since the last quarter of the 20th century. This question has become more relevant in the context of the so-called Least Developed Countries (LDCs) whose economies typically contain oversized debt, exhibit stunted growth and have often defaulted on outstanding debt. This research sought to build on the existing body of literature and conditions in Zimbabwe over the past 20 years, with special reference on the period 1995 to 2008, and draw inferences on the role that debt played in Zimbabwes economic performance over the same period. This chapter sets the stage for the study through reviewing the background to the research study, outlining the problem statement, discussing research objectives and methods among other things. The framework introduced and described herein shall be expanded on application in the later stages of the research project and any necessary adjustments will be incorporated. The chapter, by outlining in advance the research expectations, forms the basis upon which the outcome and conclusions of the research shall be assessed. Background of Zimbabwes Debt Zimbabwe just like any other Less Developed Economies (LIC) has relied on both external and domestic finance to fund its developmental projects. External debt comprise foreign currency denominated liabilities owed to non-resident entities, in the form of both medium to long-term loans and short-term trade facilities, while domestic debt is debt owed to residents and is contracted mainly through issuing treasury bills and bonds as well as utilization of the overdraft window at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). The country has not been able to pay its external and domestic obligations for sometime against the background of progressive decline in export performance and the depletion of the foreign currency reserves. The meagre foreign currency resources available have been allocated towards critical social needs such as education and health delivery systems. Consequently, the countrys ability to settle obligations has been severely undermined culminating in accumulation of external payment arrears to US$4 487 million as at 31 December 2009. This represents a more than 60% increase over the 2000 figure of $2.75 billion. This coincides with a period when the economy had entered into a sustained phase of economic decline and hyperinflation. It is argued that debt overhang has been a stumbling block towards economic recovery initiatives of the country and has impacted negatively on the countrys international credit rating, a development which has been a major deterrent to potential foreign investment and credit inflows. The total debt has been growing from 1990 as shown in the graph hereunder: Fig. 1 Debt and GDP Trend for Zimbabwe Source: Data complied from Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and The Ministry of Finance in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has not been able to pay its debt obligations for nearly a decade from 1999 against the background of progressive decline in export performance and depletion of foreign currency reserves, due to restrictive measures imposed on the country. The total debt increased from $2.9 billion in 1990 to $6.9 billion in 2010 and the debt burden is a stumbling block towards economic recovery of the country and has impacted negatively on the countrys international credit rating, a development which has been a major deterrent to potential foreign investment and credit inflows. Against this backdrop, it is imperative that the country develop sustainable strategies to deal with the debt overhang problem. As at October 2010, the external debt stock was 118.4% of GDP, which is above international debt sustainability benchmark of 60%. Zimbabwe is in the process of drafting a cocktail of measures to expunge the debt obligations. A number of options which can be implemented to deal with the debt burden are, (a) Equity Anchored Debt Resolution which involves external new borrowing by the country to retire the totality or part of external debt, using identified public assets as collateral, (b) Brady plan where Zimbabwe can engage other nations who can guarantee its securitized debt, (c) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Backed Debt Clearance Strategy which is a strategy designed to clear Zimbabwes debt and debt arrears without direct and immediate payment by Government of Zimbabwe, (d) Debt re-scheduling, and (e) Heavily Indebted Poor country (HIPC) Initiative which is a debt reduction strategy for heavily indebted poor countries pursuing IMF, and World Bank supported adjustment and reform programs. The debate on the debt resolution issues in Zimbabwe has been taking place in the absence of a proper analytical background or framework that captures the real dynamics behind the debt issue. This research contributes to this critical discourse in Zimbabwe through providing that analytical and objective framework. Problem Statement Growing public debt is a worldwide phenomenon and it has become a common feature of the fiscal sectors of most of economies. Poor debt management and a permanent growth of the debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio may result in negative macroeconomic performance, like crowding out of investment, financial system instability, inflationary pressures, exchange rate fluctuations and more importantly adverse effects on economic growth. In fact the theoretical literature has summarized the following channels through which external and domestic debts affects growth negatively namely; debt overhang, liquidity constraint, fiscal effect, productivity suppression and reduction in human capital accumulation. There are also certain social and political implications of unsustainable debt burden. Persistent and high public debt calls for a large piece of budgetary resources for debt servicing. Consequently, the government is forced to cut allocations for other public services and it faces serious di fficulties in executing its electoral manifesto, if it has. While the negative effects of public debt are well documented, there is no consensus on the optimum impact and the direction of causality. Countries with better economic performance may also better deal with the public debt phenomenon. In fact higher economic growth in turn increases a countrys creditworthiness and this may attract more capital inflows. If the capital inflow is long term or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and the debt is applied towards enhancing the countrys productive capacity and capital accumulation, the impact of debt on economic growth will be positive. There have been several attempts to empirically assess the public debt-economic growth link, in the context of other antecedent variables mainly by using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS). Most of the earlier empirical studies include a fairly standard set of domestic debt, policy and other exogenous explanatory variables and the majority found one or more debt variables to be significantly and negatively correlated with investment or growth (Krugman, 1988; Borensztein, 1990; Greene and Villanueva, 1991; Deshpande, 1997 and more recently Pattillo, Poisson, and Ricci, 2004). Among developing countries evidences supporting the debt overhang hypothesis features research from Iyoha (1996), Fosu (1999), Mbanga and Sikod (2001), Maureen (2001) and Clements, Bhattacharya, and Nguyen (2003). The rationale of this study was driven by the scant amount of research in developing nations investigating the link between public debt and growth taking into account the causality and endogeneity issues. Although there is a substantial literature on the impact of public debt on growth, relatively few studies have been conducted on a sample of developing economies exclusively and particularly for Africa, but the latter has remained one of the continents with the highest and worrying growing level of public debt. This research aims to analyze the impact of public debt on the economic growth of Zimbabwe over the period 1990-2000. This study is based on the small developing state, Zimbabwe, and it provide a good case study because as most low income countries, it has limited access to international capital markets and thus the impact of external debt and domestic debt on these economies can be different as compared to emerging market countries. Moreover external debt may have indirect effects through private and public investment through the debt overhang and crowding out effects. Further, one should also not ignore the indirect effects of debt accumulation and service through private investment (debt overhang) and public spending (crowding out). Thus given the possibility of endogeneity and important feedback effects, the research uses the dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive framework. The motivation to use this framework is that it allows important insights on the role of public debt on, not only economic growth but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Statement of the Research Objectives To develop a pragmatic model to understand the relationship between national debt and economic performance To ascertain the relevance of debt in determining economic policy To establish critical benchmarks that developing countries can use to enhance bond markets. Key Research Questions What are the drivers for the level of debt in developing countries? What are the determinants of economic performance? What role do stocks, bonds and alternative asset classes play in resolving country debt? Are prescriptive models and or solutions on debt from developed economies workable for developing nations such as Zimbabwe? Hypothesis In undertaking this research, emphasis is to test the following hypothesis upon which the results of this study are based: Public debt has a negative influence on the economic performance of a country. Zimbabwes economic decline is attributed to heavy debt overhang. The alternative hypothesis of this study is as follows: Public debt does not have any influence in the economic performance of a country. Zimbabwes economic decline has no relationship with public debt. Definition of Terms Definitions form an integral part in the compilation of the research. The definition of terms given below, where used consistently in the entire research report. Public Debt this is defined as the total debt owed by the Central Government which include both domestic and external debt, Bloomsburg (2007). External Debt It refers to the part of a countrys debt that is owed to creditors who are not residents of the country, Bloomsburg (2007). In other words it refers to the obligations that are owed by residents to non-residents. Debt Service refers to the future debt repayments of both the principal and interest amount. Economic Performance refers to those issues dealing with the amount and value of money, wealth, debt, and investment, SDI (1996). It is the general outlook of the economy as measured by relevant economic indicators such as GDP/GDP per capita. Country Debt refers to total obligations owned by the country to non-residents. Debt Sustainability The OECD Economic Surveys (2002) define debt sustainability as the ability of government to service its borrowings, both internal and external without resorting to rescheduling or accumulation of arrears. Thus, debt is sustainable when it can be serviced without resorting to exceptional financing or a major correction in the future balance of income and expenditure. Debt sustainability relates to the assessment of the level of debt that can be serviced without resorting to exceptional financing or a major correction in the future balance of income and expenditure. Research Design The type of research design adopted is both experimental and correlational in nature. The study will triangulate correlation and qualitative aspect to increase the degree of control over factors reviewed. The specific focus on Zimbabwe draws understanding of the study as a case study. Robson (2002:178) defines a case study as, a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between variables, in this instance, developing country debt and economic performance. The degree of control on factor variables in this research will clearly be moderate as the role of environmental influence and human perception will relatively be inconsistent. Secondary Research (Correlational Research). To assess the empirical relationship between the major variables, that is debt and economic growth, the research makes extensive use of econometric modeling. The modeling stage incorporates other variables, which although not underlying the core objective of the relationship being analysed, are considered relevant explanatory variables to the dependent variable. The causal effect among the variables is often indirect, has significant components of the feedback effect and exhibits elements of endogeneity. To account for this, the research uses dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive framework. The motivation to use this framework is that it allows important insights on the role of public debt on, not only economic growth, but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Advance filtration of the modeling variables to enhance model purity and relevance is achieved through various forms of pre-modeling tests. The univariate properties of all data series are investigated to determine the degree to which they are integrated, provide valid statistical inference and avoid problems of spurious relationships. Both the augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Perron (PP) unit-roots tests will be employed for that purpose to show whether the variable are integrated of order 1 (I(1)) and thus stationary in difference. The time series characteristics of the data will be analysed by utilizing the statistical tools such as the R-squared, unit roots, the t-statistic, the probability value (p-value) and the Dubin Watson Statistic (DW statistic). Justification of the Vector Autoregressive Framework Public debt does not only affect growth a priori (that is in the expected negative effect on economic growth), but countries with better economic performance may also better deal with the external debt phenomenon. In fact higher economic growth in turn increases a countrys creditworthiness and this may attract more capital inflows. If the capital inflow is long term or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the need to borrow may decrease. Moreover external debt may have indirect effects through private and public investment through the debt overhang and crowding out effects. In addition, one should also not ignore the indirect effects of debt accumulation and service through private investment (debt overhang) and public spending (crowding out). Thus given the possibility of endogeneity and important feedback effects, we use dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive Framework, to analyse the hypothesized link. Such a framework will allow important insights on the role of public debt not only on economic growth but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Significance of the Study. The envisaged modelling framework will provide debt managers in Zimbabwe and the region with an objective and efficient tool to analyse and cope with vulnerabilities in their public debt portfolio. This awareness shall be enhanced by the post-modeling user test and analysis performed as part of this research. The research focuses on country specific factors and seeks to contribute to the development of econometric modelling in Zimbabwe and comparable countries in the region. The precision of policy making and public finance management in Zimbabwe is severely weakened by lack of quantitative insights into the workings of the economy. Over the years, little or no attempt has been made to scientifically assess the impact of the countrys runaway debt on such variables as economic growth, provision of social services and Foreign Direct Investment flows. This research represents an important step towards addressing this dearth of analytical insight. Chapter Conclusion The above chapter highlighted the core research problem, research objectives, research questions and the research hypothesis adopted to develop econometric model output for this paper. In the following chapters the researcher shall review as follows: Chapter 2: The literature review Chapter 3: The methodology Chapter 4: Findings and detailed analysis of the Zimbabwean market Chapter 5: Conclusions Chapter 6: Recommendations

What Sustainability Issues Will Arise from the Large Scale?

What sustainability issues will arise from the large scale adoption of electric cars? With the recent introduction of the electric car into Ireland, I am going to outline some of the sustainability issues that will arise from their large scale adoption. The car has already received backing by the government who have recently announced their plans for the induction and eventual change over to electrically powered vehicles. What is an Electric Car? An electric car, is a vehicle which like the typical cars seen throughout the world, has four wheels, doors, windows and a roof.The difference between the typical common car and the electric car, comes when you look at the power source, in the common car an Internal Combustion Engine is used to convert fuel (generally unsustainable fossil fuels like diesel or petrol) to mechanical energy, the Electric Car uses electric motors powered by batteries or an onboard fuel cell. The common car with its Internal Combustion Engine has advantages and d isadvantages; the cost to purchase a car with an internal combustion engine compared to an electric car is lower, as there is the ability to mass produce a product which is still in huge demand.In today’s world oil derived fuel is accessible and relatively cheap to the consumer, as the infrastructure is already set up to enable the simple and quick refuelling of the car. The negative side to the common car is the fuel which it used, all of the fuels for Internal Combustion engines are derived from oil. The worldwide production of oil has peaked and oil production is now dwindling, this is not easily seen by the consumer purchasing the fuel who might be oblivious to the fact.With an increasing demand for oil and an ever decreasing supply it is becoming more and more difficult and expensive to produce oil which is useable, oil is now so valuable that there are wars over supplies. Another negative side to the Internal Combustion engine is its inability to convert the energy from the fuel into usable mechanical energy, during the combustion process the fuel is converted to useable mechanical energy but there is also heat and noise energy given off, this is an unwanted waste of fuel.The issue of harmful gas emissions when the oil fuel is burned is another major downfall with the Internal Combustion engine, as when the fuel is combusted it releases carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide as well as hydro carbons and ozone. Some of these gases are toxic and harmful to humans but the big issue is with the carbon dioxide emissions, as it contributes to global warming or â€Å"the duvet effect† which is an ongoing problem throughout the world.Transport powered by fossil fuels is responsible for 20% of Carbon Dioxide emissions worldwide. It is the sustainability issues of the common car’s Internal Combustion engine which sparked the need for the development of a new way to travel, the electric car which has come out on the top of the list for new more sus tainable transport methods. Different types of Electric cars An electric car is a vehicle that is powered by simple electric motors, how the electricity to run the motor is created or stored can vary.The most common type of electric car is one which has a large or a number of smaller batteries which stores electricity from an external power supply, generally the mains electricity grid. The other more sustainable type of electric car is one with an onboard power station, capable of producing its own electricity. A hydrogen fuel cell uses hydrogen to produce electricity through the process of electrolysis, the combination of hydrogen and oxygen creates an electric current and gives off a by-product of water.As hydrogen is the most abundant element on earth, there is a sustainable supply of fuel, the only problem with hydrogen is the difficulty faced when harnessing and storing the fuel. Hydrogen generally comes bonded to other elements; this chemical bond is difficult to break, after harnessing the pure hydrogen it has to be pressurised and turned into a liquid for easy transportation. Although the process seems complicated it is no more complex than extracting oil from the sea bed, which is being done on a daily basis to fuel the Internal Combustion engines already on the roads today.The hydrogen fuel is similar to petrol or diesel, it is a liquid when put under pressure. The pressure is the other problem with hydrogen, but with simple modifications the infrastructure already in place for existing fuels like petrol and diesel, the hydrogen fuel could become main stream without difficulty and relatively quickly. Government Plans: New charging points, at parking spaces The Irish Government announced their campaign for the future, they plan to have 10% of all cars powered electrically by the year 2020.The 10% target was first announced in the Carbon Budget, presented by Minister for the Environment John Gormley in October 2008. In order to make this a viable plan the Government have collaborated with the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and have developed a simple way of charging (refuelling) the battery powered electric car away from home, as the battery will lose its charge after a long journey leaving the driver with no way home. The charging points are small, American style parking meter design which the car is simply parked beside and plugged in left to charge.The first four of these charging points have been set up in Dublin and unveiled by the ESB in March 2010, a further 1500 charging points are due to be put in place in Dublin, Limerick, Galway, Cork and Waterford. The Government see it as their priority to have these charge points throughout the country, unlike other countries who just seem to focus only on the big cities which are densely populated, their plan includes the immediate inclusion of all towns with a population of over 1500 people, with the expectation for nationwide coverage after the success of the initial phase.The ch arge points will come in different types, varying in power rating which affects charge times. The higher power charge points are expected to charge a battery in 20 minutes; these high power points are to be set up to replace filling stations along side motorways for â€Å"in journey charging† e. g. driving from Dublin to Cork. These high power â€Å"juice points† are expected to be put in place every 60km. The mid range points give a 2-3 hour charge, and will be placed at typical parking places e. g. charge while shopping or at work.The standard charge point with similar power to the standard socket found in the home, charge time at lower power should take 6-8 hours e. g. overnight charging at home. The Government expects to have 2000 electrically powered cars on the roads by 2011, and are implementing tax breaks for enthusiasts who purchase the more sustainable and environmentally friendly electric cars; there will be a grant of up to â‚ ¬5000 and also Vehicle Regi stration Tax (VRT) excluded, this combined with road tax exclusion would bring the electric car price down low enough to compete with the price of the common car with its Internal Combustion Engine.The grant aids will be in place for a maximum of 6000 cars, after which the scheme to get the high efficient cars on our roads would be seen as a success. With these tax breaks, a tax shortfall is foreseeable, combined with an expected cost of â‚ ¬39m to subsidise the first 2000 cars. The cars set for the Irish market come from Renault-Nissan, which limits the choice to a small number of cars. The Renault Fluence(left) and the Nissan Leaf (right) are the two models set for the Irish market, drastically reducing the choice which the consumer is used to.Renault is leasing the battery which powers the car for a price of â‚ ¬100 per month, whereas Nissan are still not sure if they are even going to include the battery in the price of the car. This will reduce the attractiveness of the c ars, and further increase the costs. Production of the electricity to power the cars In order to make the Electric Car sustainable, the electricity used to charge the battery would have to come from a sustainable and clean source. Ireland’s electricity at the moment comes from a range of power stations, with only 11% of the electricity coming from renewable sources.The majority of the country’s electricity comes from dirty unsustainable fossil fuelled power stations. This unsustainable electricity would be supplying the power to recharge the batteries of the electrically powered cars, which would eliminate the some benefits of carbon neutrality from the electric car. This table shows where all of Ireland’s electricity comes from; in order for the electric car to be a complete success the supply of electricity must also be sustainable.The electric car company Tesla say that in the worst case scenario the car would only be producing 80g/km of CO2, even with the el ectricity coming from inefficient source, which is still lower than the most efficient Internal Combustion Engines available today. With Irelands high potential for wind energy production soon to be further exploited, the conversion from oil fuel to electrical could be seen as a change to self-sufficiency, not having to rely on ever declining supplies from the east.Effect of batteries, lifespan and replacement. In a conventional Internal Combustion Engine there are over 1000 moving parts, making it susceptible to break down or fail. In order to keep these types of engine in good working order, regular servicing and maintenance has to take place. In the electric car their drive train is a simple electric induction motor which has only one moving part which greatly reduces the need for servicing and lowers maintenance costs.The batteries used in electric cars vary greatly depending on the size and weight of the car, a modern lightweight ZEBRA battery which makes use of new technologie s and ideas, is one type being used in a range of vehicles. A ZEBRA battery of 0. 12m3 and 184kg is capable of delivering double the energy of the old lead-acid battery of 0. 19m3 and 525kg; this enables the car to be lighter which reduces the amount of energy needed to make the car move.The ZEBRA battery has been thoroughly tested and demonstrated a lifespan of over 14 years, with no gassing or self discharge; this means the battery is maintenance free. Lithium Exports in 2008 Lithium Imports in 2008 Lithium production in the future The sustainability of the Lithium in the batteries is another issue which will have to be faced when considering the large scale adoption of electric cars. Lithium is already in high demand to power the many million mobile phone and laptop batteries in use around the world.Japan, China and South Korea have 98% of the worlds Lithium battery production. China is importing almost half of the raw Lithium with a plan to produce their own when the demand is t here; they feel that it is still cheaper and easier to import it presently. The huge demand for Lithium has sparked the need for research into new alternative ways of producing it. South Korea has announced its plans to commercially extract Lithium from sea water by 2015, but there is much doubt around the idea, as there is not enough demand to cover the enormous cost of desalinising huge volumes of sea water.The idea of extracting the Lithium from the sea water could become mainstream in a number of years when the consumers demand increases. Seoul has also set aside $12bn for attainment of the raw materials from Bolivia, which is believed to have the world’s biggest deposits at the â€Å"Salar de Uyuni† salt flats in the Altiplano plateau of the Andes Mountains. The salt flats have a thick crust of salt which covers a pool of brine, which is rich in lithium. It is expected to contain 50 to 70% of the world's lithium reserves.Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America but has over half of the world’s reserve of Lithium; the extraction of the raw material could be the boost which the countries needs. The production of the Lithium would create employment for local communities, and revenue for the country giving improving the country’s economy. Often times with the extraction of raw materials, as seen worldwide, it is only the companies who see the profits, leaving the local communities out.The local flora and fauna is often exploited and driven out of their habitat, which can lead to extinction. Although the salt flats are almost lifeless there are some animals and plant life which frequent the area, Flamingos are one of the birds which use the flats as a breeding ground in early winter, these extravagant birds which get their beautiful colour from the food they eat which are native to the salt flats. Many of the dominant countries have already allocated vast amounts of money to secure a steady supply of Lithium by buyin g into Bolivia reserves.Piles of Salt after extraction Salty brine from which the Lithium is extracted The Bolivian flag flying above Salt flats Alternatives to Lithium New studies being conducted, have found that Zinc-Air battery technology is proving to be a viable alternative to Lithium Ion batteries. The Zinc-Air idea is in early stages of development and production, and is expected to enter the market on small scale in products like hearing-aids; if it proves successful there are plans in place to upscale the technology to mobile hones and laptops and further to electric cars. The research so far has brought about some promising findings for the Zinc-Air technologies; it has the potential to deliver three times the power of the Lithium Ion battery, with reduced size and weight. Lithium-Air is another technology with expected potential for electric cars, but is only in early stages of development and won’t be ready for large scale production in the near future. Performanc e, Maintenance of the engine, and lifespanThe electric car, unlike its predecessor with hundreds of parts, makes use of simple electric motors with only one moving part. This greatly reduces the amount of expected problems. The car itself will need maintenance, tyres and lights etc. Retraining the mechanics- The mechanics already trained to service and maintain common cars, would need their qualifications upgraded to deal with the electronics of the electronic car. Although the technology in the battery powered cars is straightforward, some further training would be needed to ensure the safe maintenance of electrical equipment.Appearance/Types- Performance- Standard internal combustion engine cars are rated with bhp and torque whereas the electric motor has a kWh rating, but they are related. The prejudice connected with the electric cars, is that they are slow and won’t be able to do all of the things typical oil fuelled engines can do. With the electric motor delivering all of its torque all of the time acceleration is no problem, 0-100km in 3. 7s faster than a petrol guzzling Porshe 911 GT-3. Peoples trust in the new technologyWith all new technologies comes doubt, people are often afraid of change and feel that things need time to prove themselves. The technology used in the electric vehicle has been around for decades seen as early as 1835 used in public transport. Over the years has become more refined and efficient, it has now switched its focus from public transport, where it is already in use, to the individual types of transport which causes so much pollution 20%-25% of CO2 emissions. The electric car is therefore not new technology as the base on which it has been developed has been in use for already.This proving time should enable the immediate adoption of the electric car as there should be no prejudice. Tesla’s flagship, high performance roadster Tesla model S, 2012 family saloon Disposal of cars when finished, how much can be recy cled The battery in Tesla’s electric car have a long lifespan of 160,000 kilometres before it begins to lose its ability to charge and discharge at the efficiency needed to keep the high up the cars high performance. The cells for the Tesla battery are made in Japan, where the environmental laws are strict and products have to meet the RoHS standards.The RoHS bans the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. This means that there are no heavy metals or toxic materials allowing the battery to be land filled in a worst case scenario. Tesla batteries can be reused in other less demanding applications, off grid storage or load levelling when the demand for electricity is low but it is still production.This is a huge problem faced by power stations as there is huge costs involved chang ing power output between peak times. The batteries will eventually lose their ability to hold charge completely, at this stage they will need to be disposed of. Specialist companies have been set up to recycle batteries from electric vehicles, Kinsbursky Brothers an environmental management company and Toxco the world’s largest recycler of lithium batteries have teamed up to form the most efficient recycler of electric cars. The batteries are shredded and separated into their original elements, some of which can be reused in new batteries and other products.

The Most Dangerous Game

Michelle Anne Rubio Mrs. McCann English 9 20 October 2011 How do Rainsford's actions affect the story's theme? In the short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell tells the tale of an exceptionally skilled hunter named Rainsford. Rainsford falls off his yacht and ends up on the shores of Ship Trap Island, home to the evil General Zaroff and finds himself in a game of man vs. man against a person who finds thrill in hunting and killing human beings. However, despite the fact that Rainsford is forced to face a surplus of life threatening obstacles he does not back down.Throughout this story Rainsford's skill, whit, determination, and persistence are put to the test over and over again in this game; the odds are not in his favor but he quickly grasps the reality that if he is to survive he must will himself to do so. Evidently, Rainsford's hardwork is rewarded in the end when he beats the General at his own game but more importantly saves his own life. Rainsford is told about S hip Trap Island where, through sailor lore, those who arrive on the island never return home. Whitney states, â€Å"Those fishy blue eyes held a look I never saw there before. This quote explains a scene in the story where Rainsford notices a look in the captain's eyes that he has never seen before which reveal a sense of suspicion and alertness, as well as a hint of fear. This quote hints the future of the story by comparing the scared look in the captain's eyes and being â€Å"Fishy† or suspicious; thus foreshadowing the dangers of Ship Trap Island. Although Rainsford has seen the fear in the captain's eyes, his opinion on hunting remains the same as he states, â€Å"Pure imagination. † In this scene, this quote shows how Rainsford is not shaken by the sailor lore that seems to have everyone else on edge.This shows that Rainsford acquires a kind of competence toward something in the story that in fact, is very serious. Rainsford is headstrong about his â€Å"Braver y† toward Ship Trap Island despite of everyone else's fear toward it. Rainsford has fallen off the yacht but fortunately has been able to pursue through and end up on the shores of Ship Trap Island. â€Å"But as he forged along, he saw to his great astonishment that all the lights were in one enormous building- a lofty structure with pointed towers plunging up into the gloom. This scene describes the point in the story where Rainsford is on the island and sees the chateau. This quote lines up Rainsford to meet General Zaroff as he brings himself to arrive at his chateau. â€Å"There is no greater bore than perfection. † In this scene General Zaroff and Rainsford are talking about their take on hunting when General Zaroff non-shalontly implies his psychotic opinion that it is okay to hunt humans by telling Rainsford how everything else has failed to satisfy his thrill.This quote shows the loss of interest General Zaroff is experiencing because he no longer finds hunting as a challenge. General Zaroff makes it clear to Rainsford what his interest on this island is and Rainsford suddenly finds himself in a life-threatening situation when General Zaroff wants him to take part in his game. Rainsford is forced to compete with the evil General Zaroff in a game of man vs. man. â€Å"Keep your nerve, Keep your nerve. In this scene, Rainsford is playing in the game against the General and is having trouble adjusting to the level of persistence and skill that he needs in order to survive. This quote shows the amount of pressure that Rainsford is in as he struggles to keep himself under control in order to stay focused. â€Å"But, perhaps, the General was the devil. † In this scene Rainsford had created a trail in which he hoped to trick General Zaroff with however, it did not work. This quote shows very bluntly, what Rainsford thinks of General Zaroff by comparing his evil with the devil.Throughout this story, Rainsford has been striked with many su rprises but he knew better than to let the blows of hardship knock him down. As the game goes on it does not get easier for Rainsford, but he sure does not go easier on this game. As he is challenged by General Zaroff, a man of savagery, he is constantly pushed further and further past his limits. However, General Zaroff is no match for the amount of determination Rainsford holds within himself. Due to the fact that Rainsford did not give up even when things were so vastly unfortunate he ends up winning the game    The Most Dangerous Game Michelle Anne Rubio Mrs. McCann English 9 20 October 2011 How do Rainsford's actions affect the story's theme? In the short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell tells the tale of an exceptionally skilled hunter named Rainsford. Rainsford falls off his yacht and ends up on the shores of Ship Trap Island, home to the evil General Zaroff and finds himself in a game of man vs. man against a person who finds thrill in hunting and killing human beings. However, despite the fact that Rainsford is forced to face a surplus of life threatening obstacles he does not back down.Throughout this story Rainsford's skill, whit, determination, and persistence are put to the test over and over again in this game; the odds are not in his favor but he quickly grasps the reality that if he is to survive he must will himself to do so. Evidently, Rainsford's hardwork is rewarded in the end when he beats the General at his own game but more importantly saves his own life. Rainsford is told about S hip Trap Island where, through sailor lore, those who arrive on the island never return home. Whitney states, â€Å"Those fishy blue eyes held a look I never saw there before. This quote explains a scene in the story where Rainsford notices a look in the captain's eyes that he has never seen before which reveal a sense of suspicion and alertness, as well as a hint of fear. This quote hints the future of the story by comparing the scared look in the captain's eyes and being â€Å"Fishy† or suspicious; thus foreshadowing the dangers of Ship Trap Island. Although Rainsford has seen the fear in the captain's eyes, his opinion on hunting remains the same as he states, â€Å"Pure imagination. † In this scene, this quote shows how Rainsford is not shaken by the sailor lore that seems to have everyone else on edge.This shows that Rainsford acquires a kind of competence toward something in the story that in fact, is very serious. Rainsford is headstrong about his â€Å"Braver y† toward Ship Trap Island despite of everyone else's fear toward it. Rainsford has fallen off the yacht but fortunately has been able to pursue through and end up on the shores of Ship Trap Island. â€Å"But as he forged along, he saw to his great astonishment that all the lights were in one enormous building- a lofty structure with pointed towers plunging up into the gloom. This scene describes the point in the story where Rainsford is on the island and sees the chateau. This quote lines up Rainsford to meet General Zaroff as he brings himself to arrive at his chateau. â€Å"There is no greater bore than perfection. † In this scene General Zaroff and Rainsford are talking about their take on hunting when General Zaroff non-shalontly implies his psychotic opinion that it is okay to hunt humans by telling Rainsford how everything else has failed to satisfy his thrill.This quote shows the loss of interest General Zaroff is experiencing because he no longer finds hunting as a challenge. General Zaroff makes it clear to Rainsford what his interest on this island is and Rainsford suddenly finds himself in a life-threatening situation when General Zaroff wants him to take part in his game. Rainsford is forced to compete with the evil General Zaroff in a game of man vs. man. â€Å"Keep your nerve, Keep your nerve. In this scene, Rainsford is playing in the game against the General and is having trouble adjusting to the level of persistence and skill that he needs in order to survive. This quote shows the amount of pressure that Rainsford is in as he struggles to keep himself under control in order to stay focused. â€Å"But, perhaps, the General was the devil. † In this scene Rainsford had created a trail in which he hoped to trick General Zaroff with however, it did not work. This quote shows very bluntly, what Rainsford thinks of General Zaroff by comparing his evil with the devil.Throughout this story, Rainsford has been striked with many su rprises but he knew better than to let the blows of hardship knock him down. As the game goes on it does not get easier for Rainsford, but he sure does not go easier on this game. As he is challenged by General Zaroff, a man of savagery, he is constantly pushed further and further past his limits. However, General Zaroff is no match for the amount of determination Rainsford holds within himself. Due to the fact that Rainsford did not give up even when things were so vastly unfortunate he ends up winning the game    The Most Dangerous Game Critical Analysis Essay â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† by Ray Bradbury Imagine using a time machine to hunt one of the biggest dinosaurs of all kind. Ray Bradbury’s plot makes the reader wonder in our minds which leads us to hints and makes us foreshadow that something bad is going to happen next. The short story A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury uses imagery, figurative language, and tone to create the mood of bone-chilling, nightmare, and seriousness.The imagery in the story supports the mood of bone-chilling by describing the jungle and everything in it. â€Å"The fog that enveloped the machine blew away and they were in an old time. † The author describes it to us making us think something horrible is going happen. The author says â€Å"the jungle was wide full of twittering, rustlings, murmurs, and sighs,† this sentence helps us know what the jungle looks like which is bone chilling. He describes the jungle as broad also and it is an entire world forever and forever.The way the author describes the dinosaurs makes it bone chilling, â€Å"it’s armored flesh glittered like a thousand green coins. † â€Å"The coins crusted with slime, steamed. † The author uses imagery to help us create the mood of bone chilling. The figurative language in the story supports the mood of nightmare by describing the dinosaur. The author describes the dinosaur like a thousand green coins, it’s armored flesh. Like a stone idol, a mountain avalanche, the dinosaur fell.The author used a simile to describe the dinosaur as an avalanche because the dinosaur is humongous. He uses figurative language to make the story nightmarish and to let us know how big and dangerous the dinosaur is. The use of tone supports the mood of seriousness by Travis telling Eckles not to get out of the path. By Travis telling Eckles not to get out of the path so many times the reader can foreshadow that he might step outside and he might change the future.T hey tell Eckles to shoot on the red paint on the dinosaur and nowhere else because the one they kill were going to die. Travis uses a serious tone after they almost got killed by Eckeles and says â€Å"this fool nearly killed us. † The use of a serious tone lets the reader predict something bad is going to happen. The author did a good job by letting readers foreshadow by their hints in the story. The short story A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury uses imagery, figurative language, and tone to create the mood of bone-chilling, nightmarish, and seriousness.Through the use of imagery the reader was able to create the mood of bone chilling when he describes the dinosaur so hauntingly. Through figurative language the reader thinks the mood of nightmarish because how he describes the jungle so broad and high. Finally, through the use of tone the reader could feel the mood of seriousness because how Travis tells Eckles not to step outside of the path and not to shoot dinosaurs with out red paint. By reading this story it tells the readers that if you do not listen and change something there will be consequences The Most Dangerous Game Critical Analysis Essay â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† by Ray Bradbury Imagine using a time machine to hunt one of the biggest dinosaurs of all kind. Ray Bradbury’s plot makes the reader wonder in our minds which leads us to hints and makes us foreshadow that something bad is going to happen next. The short story A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury uses imagery, figurative language, and tone to create the mood of bone-chilling, nightmare, and seriousness.The imagery in the story supports the mood of bone-chilling by describing the jungle and everything in it. â€Å"The fog that enveloped the machine blew away and they were in an old time. † The author describes it to us making us think something horrible is going happen. The author says â€Å"the jungle was wide full of twittering, rustlings, murmurs, and sighs,† this sentence helps us know what the jungle looks like which is bone chilling. He describes the jungle as broad also and it is an entire world forever and forever.The way the author describes the dinosaurs makes it bone chilling, â€Å"it’s armored flesh glittered like a thousand green coins. † â€Å"The coins crusted with slime, steamed. † The author uses imagery to help us create the mood of bone chilling. The figurative language in the story supports the mood of nightmare by describing the dinosaur. The author describes the dinosaur like a thousand green coins, it’s armored flesh. Like a stone idol, a mountain avalanche, the dinosaur fell.The author used a simile to describe the dinosaur as an avalanche because the dinosaur is humongous. He uses figurative language to make the story nightmarish and to let us know how big and dangerous the dinosaur is. The use of tone supports the mood of seriousness by Travis telling Eckles not to get out of the path. By Travis telling Eckles not to get out of the path so many times the reader can foreshadow that he might step outside and he might change the future.T hey tell Eckles to shoot on the red paint on the dinosaur and nowhere else because the one they kill were going to die. Travis uses a serious tone after they almost got killed by Eckeles and says â€Å"this fool nearly killed us. † The use of a serious tone lets the reader predict something bad is going to happen. The author did a good job by letting readers foreshadow by their hints in the story. The short story A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury uses imagery, figurative language, and tone to create the mood of bone-chilling, nightmarish, and seriousness.Through the use of imagery the reader was able to create the mood of bone chilling when he describes the dinosaur so hauntingly. Through figurative language the reader thinks the mood of nightmarish because how he describes the jungle so broad and high. Finally, through the use of tone the reader could feel the mood of seriousness because how Travis tells Eckles not to step outside of the path and not to shoot dinosaurs with out red paint. By reading this story it tells the readers that if you do not listen and change something there will be consequences

Violent Video Games Cause Aggression in Violent Video...

Video games have become such a huge popular form of media as they are enjoyed by every people from all age. They can be seen as indispensable sources of entertainment for kids and teenagers, serve as the relaxing and joyful time after working hard. However, why does video game become such a controversial thing and why have many scholars begun to study both the negative and positive side of video games, especially violent video games? After a long time of studying overall the controversy, many scholars say that violent video games indeed can make players have violent thinking and aggressive behavior. Therefore, the violent video games should be regulated in producing and purchasing for kids and adolescents. Of course, have fun with healthy†¦show more content†¦Such coincidence that many shooters were a fan of violent video games before proved the negative impact of violent video games to the youth generation and made many scholars began to study the truth behind the whole controversy. It might be claimed by some scholars and game players that the statement about gaming is unhealthy and can lead to violence is unproven. â€Å"The author examines the lack of scientific validity of the studies that insist upon a correlation between violence and video games† (Radford, 2005, p.3). The scholar said that those conclusions about the connection between video games and violence that several researchers had found were just tentative. The studies of researchers were accused for being biased in seeking evidence of the video games’ negative side. However, this argument is no longer correct as one of the most reliable studies proved the strong relationship between enjoying violent video games and the increasing in desensitization, aggressive thoughts and behaviors among young people (Bickham, 2006). In this study of Dr. Craig A. Anderson of Iowa State University in Ames, he and his colleagues looked at whether children and teenagers with playing violent video game habits could engage in aggressive behaviors three to six month later. The result of the study is children and teenagers with the stronger intensity of playing violent games did become more aggressive than their peer with the less playing. ToShow MoreRelatedThe Truth About Video Games1124 Words   |  5 Pagesdeveloped rapidly, video games have become more realistic in terms of violence. These games and systems have reached second in demand in the media industry following television (Rottenberg et al. 30). The human species is an inherently violent species in this generation. When we play video games for extended hours at a time, the game removes us from reality into a new dream world killing and fighting monsters, enemies, and villains. Most humans believe video games do not cause violence; however,Read MoreEssay on Video Game Violence1599 Words   |  7 Pagesimmoral for children to take part in. However, a child making a character in a video game ruthlessly rape, beat, and kill another character has been deemed acceptable as long as said child is of a certain age. Video games are prominent in everyday life. Children as young as two are starting off playing basic video games to learn their ABC’s and 123’s. The problem is as children get older they are influenced by the video games they play and most of the video games in today’s society are violent and goryRead MoreDoes Violence Affect Children?1384 Words   |  6 Pages20 April 2016 Does Violence in Media Affect Children? Violence is an increasing problem in today’s society. An act of violence can hold major consequences for society. With increased access to firearms and explosives in today’s society, it is important to know what exactly can cause a child to become violent in the present and later on in his or her life. Many variables are involved when children are growing up that may lead them to become more violent. These variables are poverty, family psychopathologyRead MoreViolent Video Games Should Not Be Banned1170 Words   |  5 Pages2014 Violent Video Games Should Not be Banned Violent acts committed by children seem to occur on a monthly basis. What is to blame for this trend? Many people try to find, what they would believe to be, a likely source for the violence once. Some people turn to violent video games as the reason why violent acts occur amongst children. Some would even argue, that violent video games in general should be banned. Violent video games should not be banned because they do not cause violent behaviorsRead MoreMultimedia Violence : A Grave Threat Of Teens Of The New Generation. Craig A. Anderson1585 Words   |  7 PagesIowa State University, commented on multimedia violence saying, â€Å"Exposing children and adolescents (or ‘youth’) to violent visual media increases the likelihood that they will engage in physical aggression against another person. By ‘physical aggression’ we mean behavior that is intended to harm another person physically, such as hitting with a fist or some object. A single brief exp osure to violent media can increase aggression in the immediate situation. The repeated exposure leads to general increasesRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Violent Video Games1534 Words   |  7 Pagescreation of violent video games. But, we can prevent the distribution of these disturbing games to children, where their effects can be negative.† (Kohl, Herb). Violent video games have been blamed for children poor school performance, mental development, and aggressive behavior; there are many studies conducted by different psychologists and experts in the area, and they came up with different results. Most people and studies believe that children are the primary victim of violent video games, and peopleRead MoreViolence in Television, Movies, and Video Games Should Not Be Censored1653 Words   |  7 PagesVIOLENCE IN TELEVISION, MOVIES, AND VIDEO GAMES SHOULD NOT BE CENSORED Television, movies, and video games have a great influence on the minds of todays youth. But, what exactly are the effects of such an influence? Certain people have exaggerated the effects that these media have on todays youth. Many people, including government officials, have singled out these three media sources as the cause of some types of violence simply because it is an easy target for laying the blame. The truth isRead MoreMedia Kids Essay1262 Words   |  6 PagesIt has been said that children are like sponges when it comes to attaining knowledge. This is true whether they are learning to speak or how to show emotion. The violence and risky behaviors as depicted on TV can have a profound effect on a young developing mind. It is well known that the first two years of life is when the brain undergoes critical development phases. During this time it is important that kids develop an accurate perception of the world they are growing up in. Over consumption ofRead MoreGames Being The Blame Of Violence2459 Words   |  10 Pages A third example of games being the blame of violence was the case of Adam Lanza. On 14 December 2012, he committed the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, after which the first reports from media misidentified the shooter as his brother, Ryan Lanza. 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