Monday, January 27, 2020

Performance of Unified Power Quality Conditioner

Performance of Unified Power Quality Conditioner ABSTRACT Power electronics is playing an important role in transmission and utilization of electrical power due to its capability of processing electric power in most efficient and cost-effective way. However, the nonlinear characteristics of power electronic devices give rise to two important limitations; they generate harmonics and draw lagging current from the utility. In recent years unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) is being used as a universal active power conditioning device to compensate both harmonics as well as reactive power. UPQC is an advanced version of unified power flow controller (UPFC). The performance of UPQC mainly depends upon how quickly and accurately compensation signals are derived. The UPQC mitigates harmonics and provides reactive power to the power systems network so as to improve the power factor close to unity. The UPQC is a combination of shunt active and series active power filters connected through a dc bus. The shunt active filter of UPQC acts as a current source for injecting compensating current through a shunt transformer, whereas, the series active filter acts as a voltage source for feeding compensating voltage through a series transformer. The aim of the dissertation work is to study the control strategies of UPQC based on PI controller and fuzzy logic controller in detail. In the case of PI controller, the dc link voltage is sensed at regular intervals and is compared with a reference value. The error signal thus derived is processed in a PI controller. A limit is put on the output of the controller to ensure that the shunt active power filter supplies active power of the load through the series active power filter. The fuzzy logic controller is basically nonlinear and adaptive in nature. This gives a robust performance in the cases where the effects of parameter variation of controller are also taken into consideration. It is a well established fact that the fuzzy logic controller yields results that are superior to those obtained as compare to those obtained through conventional controllers such as PI and PID because of the fact that it is based on linguistic variable set theory and does not require a mathematical model. Generally, the input variables are error and rate of change of error. If the error if coarse, the fuzzy controller provide coarse tuning to the output variable and if the error is fine it provides fine tuning of the output variable. The present thesis investigates PI controller and fuzzy logic controller as concerned to UPQC application for power quality improvement. The UPQC is studied and its advantages over conventional APFs and UPFC are discussed in detail. The relevant mathematical models and equations to explain the working of UPFC are derived for both the cases (PI controller and fuzzy logic controller).The relevant simulations are carried out using MATLAB/Simulink. The result obtained reveals that the fuzzy logic controller gives better dynamic performance than the PI controller for power quality improvement. Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Theory The electrical power system consisting of generation, transmission and distribution system are based on alternative voltage and currents. When linear load consisting of inductances, capacitances and resistances are connected to the power system the sine wave is preserved and the system components are said to be linear. Traditionally, linear loads consume major part of electrical power. However situation has changed now as more and more electrical power are being developed using power electronic devices due to their energy efficiency and control. Power electronic devices possess inherent non linear characteristics. The nonlinear characteristics of this devices results in two important limitations, drawing of large reactive volt-amperes and injection of harmonics into the utility. Large reactive volt-amperes drawn from the utility leads to increase voltage drops at various buses. The harmonics increase the losses in transformers, generators, motors, capacitors, conductors, etc. some of the control devices interfaced with the utility starts malfunctioning due to excessive harmonic currents. As the non linear load consists of the major portion of the total load for the last two three decades, reactive power compensation and harmonic filtering have received a great deal of attention. To restrict the consumers against excessive loading VARs and harmonics, stricter standards has been laid down by the utilities. Most popular among them is standard 519-1992 [1]. Static VAR compensators using thyristor switched capacitors (TSC) and thyristor control inductors (TCI) [2], [3] have been traditionally used for reactive power compensation. As the VAR generated in these schemes are directly proportional to the energy storage capability of capacitors and inductors, there is considerable increase in the size of these elements when the VARs to be compensated are large. Moreover TSC and TCI produce additional current harmonics. Therefore shunt passive filters require filtering them out. Active power filter (APF) using voltage or current source inverter can be used for reactive power compensation and harmonic filtering together. The major advantage of using voltage source or current source inverter is that the size of the energy storing element is drastically reduced as compare to TSC or TCI. The shunt APF is the most commonly used APF. The power circuit of shunt APF is shown in Fig. 1.1. In shunt APF, a reactive volt ampere calculation estimates the real component of the load current, Ipland then determines the resistive component of the load current by subtracting Ipl from IL(Iql= IL-Ipl). If nonlinearity present in the load current, it is present in Iql as well. Since compensation current Icomp is made to follow Iql, load harmonics also get eliminated. Apart from shunt APF various other APF topologies such as series active filter, hybrid series active filter and power line conditioner have been proposed in the literature. The series active filter as shown in Fig. 1.2 is connected in series with supply mains using a matching transformer. Its limitation is that the presence of active impedance in series with source produces voltage harmonics. IL = Ipl +Iql Source Icomp = Iql Source Source side Series transformer Load side Shunt transformer DC Link Capacitor Converter 1 converter 2 Using combine series APF and shunt APF unified power flow controller (UPFC) realized, which performs active power compensation, reactive power compensation and phase angle regulation. UPFC believed to be the most complete power conditioning device. But as the time changes, problem also changes. Now days electrical engineers facing problem regarding harmonic compensation, voltage sag and voltage flickering and UPFC is not able to overcome these problems. So a new concept based on UPFC derived called unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) as shown in Fig. 1.3, which performs all the basic functions of UPFC in addition it also compensate for current /voltage harmonics with constant voltage maintenance at load terminals. 1.2 Unified Power Quality Conditioner The UPQC is the most versatile and complex of the FACTS devices, combining the features of the STATCOM and the SSSC. The UPQC can provide simultaneous control of all basic power system parameters, transmission voltage harmonic compensation, impedance and phase angle. It is recognized as the most sophisticated power flow controller currently, and probably the most expensive one. The basic components of the UPQC are two voltage source inverters (VSIs) sharing a common dc storage capacitor, and connected to the power system through coupling transformers. One VSI is connected to in shunt to the transmission system via a shunt transformer, while the other one is connected in series through a series transformer. A basic UPQC functional scheme is shown in Fig.1.3. The series inverter is controlled to inject a symmetrical three phase voltage system of controllable magnitude and phase angle in series with the line to control active and reactive power flows on the transmission line. So, this i nverter will exchange active and reactive power with the line. The reactive power is electronically provided by the series inverter, and the active power is transmitted to the dc terminals. The shunt inverter is operated in such a way as to demand this dc terminal power (positive or negative) from the line keeping the voltage across the storage capacitor Vdc constant. So, the net real power absorbed from the line by the UPQC is equal only to the losses of the inverters and their transformers. The remaining capacity of the shunt inverter can be used to exchange reactive power with the line so to provide a voltage regulation at the connection point [8]-[11]. A conventional UPQC topology is comprised of the integration of two active power filters connected back to back to a common dc link bus. A simple block diagram of a typical UPQC is shown in Fig. 1.4. The first active filter connected in series through an injection transformer is commonly termed as series filters (SF). It acts as a controlled voltage generator. It has capability of voltage imbalance compensation, voltage regulation and harmonic compensation at the utility-consumer PCC. In addition to this, it provides harmonic isolation between a sub-transmission system and a distribution system. A UPQC consists of combination of shunt active filter and series active filter with a common dc link as shown in Fig. 1.4. The dc link capacitor allows the active power generated by the shunt active filter and active power drawn by the series filter to be same. Further dc link capacitor increases or decreases with respect to rated voltage which depends upon power generated and absorbed by both active filter can be choosen independently which gives flexibility to the power outlet. The performance of these active filters is based on three basic design criteria. They are: Design of power inverter (semiconductor switches, inductances, capacitors, dc voltage); PWM control method (hysteresis, triangular carrier, periodical sampling); Method used to obtain the current reference or the control strategy used to generate the reference template. Both series voltage control and shunt current control involve use of voltage source converters. Both these inverters each consisting of six IGBTs with anti parallel diode connected with each IGBT are operated in current control mode employing PWM control technique. Capacitor is used as an interface between the two back to back connected inverters and the voltage across it acts as the dc voltage source driving the inverters The two VSIs can work independently of each other by separating the dc side. So in that case, the shunt inverter is operating as a STATCOM that generates or absorbs reactive power to regulate the voltage magnitude at the connection point. Instead, the series inverter is operating as SSSC that generates or absorbs reactive power to regulate the current flow, and hence the power flows on the transmission line. The UPQC has many possible operating modes. In particular, the shunt inverter is operating in such a way to inject a controllable current into the transmission line. The shunt inverter can be controlled in two different modes: (1) VAR Control Mode:The reference input is an inductive or capacitive VAR request. The shunt inverter control translates the VAR reference into a corresponding shunt current request and adjusts gating of the inverter to establish the desired current. For this mode of control a feedback signal representing the dc bus voltage, Vdc, is also required. (2)Automatic Voltage Control Mode:The shunt inverter reactive current is automatically regulated to maintain the transmission line voltage at the point of connection to a reference value.. The series inverter controls the magnitude and angle of the voltage injected in series with the line to influence the power flow on the line. The actual value of the injected voltage can be obtained in several ways: Direct Voltage Injection Mode:The reference inputs are directly the magnitude and phase angle of the series voltage. Phase Angle Shifter Emulation mode: The reference input is phase displacement between the sending end voltage and the receiving end voltage. Line Impedance Emulation mode: The reference input is an impedance value to insert in series with the line impedance. Automatic Power Flow Control Mode:The reference inputs are values of active and reactive power to maintain the transmission line despite system changes. A UPQC control strategy should preferably have following attributes: (1) Shunt converter Reactive power control by shunt current injection Real power regulation through dc link capacitor DC capacitor voltage regulation Harmonic compensation (2) Series converter Real reactive power control by series voltage injection Voltage control Phase angle regulation Power factor correction 1.3 Characteristics of UPQC Basic characteristics of UPQC are same as UPFC but UPQC in addition, performs active filtering. The operation of UPQC from the standpoint of conventional power transmission based on reactive shunt compensation, series compensation and phase angle regulation, the UPQC fulfill these functions there by meet multiple control objectives by adding injected voltage with appropriate magnitude and phase angle to the terminal voltage. Using phasor representation, basic UPQC control functions explained: (1)Terminal Voltage Regulation The change in voltage shown in Fig.1.5 is injected in phase or anti phase. UPQC with its series voltage control detects and calculates the required terminal voltage vo to be injected in series with the line to compensate both the dip and swell in the supply voltage. vo + vo vo (2) Series Capacitive Compensation Here, vpq = vc where vcis injected capacitive voltage in quadrature to the line current functionally it is similar to series capacitive and inductive line compensation attained by SSSC as shown in Fig. 1.6. Series inverter in combination with the insertion transformer produces the series injected voltage as calculated to mitigate the effects of the fluctuations of supply voltage by drawing the required power from the dc link. vc vo vo + vc Fig. 1.6 Series capacitive compensation (3) Transmission Angle Regulation Here, vpq = v (ÃŽ ´) is injected with an angular relationship with respect to the voltage that achieves desire phase shift without any change in the magnitude as shown in Fig. 1.7. At any given transmission angle ÃŽ ´, the transmitted real power demand P and reactive power demand at transmission line sending end Qs and receiving end Qr can be freely controlled by UPQC Vc vd ÃŽ ´ vo vo + vÃŽ ´ (4) Multifunction Power Flow Control This property is executed by simultaneous terminal voltage regulation, series capacitive line compensation and phase shifting as shown in Fig.1.8. This function makes UPQC unique device that performs all power quality improvement functions. vc ΔvvÃŽ ´ vpq vo + ÃŽ ´v + vc + vÃŽ ´ (e) Active Filtering The compensating shunt currents generated contain harmonic content of the load current but with opposite polarity such that when they are injected at the point of common coupling the harmonic content of supply current is effectively reduced. As discussed earlier in this chapter. 1.4 Aim of Work This work deals with UPQC, which aims at the integration of series-active and shunt-active power filters. Fig. 1.3 shows the basic system configuration of such a UPQC. In this system, the power supply is assumed to be a three-phase, three-wire system. The two active power filters are composed of two 3-leg voltage source (VSI). The main purpose of the series-APF is harmonic isolation between a sub transmission system and a distribution system. In addition, the series-APF has the capability of voltage imbalance compensation as well as voltage regulation and harmonic compensation at the utility-consumer point of common coupling (PCC). Atthe same time, the main purpose of the shunt- APF is to absorb current harmonics, compensate for active power and reactive power injected by the load. Also, the voltage of the DC link capacitor is controlled to a desired value by the shunt-APF. The aim of the dissertation is to design different control strategies for (UPQC), which is one of the major custom power solutions capable of mitigating the effect of supply voltage sag, swell, flicker and spikes at the load end or at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC). It also prevents load current harmonics from entering the utility and corrects the input power factor of the load. Further, the main aim of the dissertation is to implement a control strategy for UPQC, modeling of UPQC using simulink and to analyze the control strategy to use the series voltage injection and shunt current injection for UPQC control The control strategies used here are based on PI controller, fuzzy controller. The relative performance of the two controls is also studied. The present work discusses the compensation principle and different control strategies (PI, Fuzzy) of the UPQC in detail [12]-[15]. The control strategies are modeled using MATLAB/Simulink. The performance of UPQC is examined by considering, a diode rectifier feeding an RL load (non linear load) that acts as a source of harmonics, to the system of concern. The performance is also observed by switching the extra RL load. The simulation results are listed in comparison of different control strategies and for the verification of result [16]-[18]. 1.5 Organization of the Report The report of the work done is organized as follows: Chapter 2 gives brief overview of control strategy of UPQC. In this chapter introduction to dq theory, compensation strategy, basic control function and modeling of UPQC using PI controller discussed with results. Chapter 3 discusses about fuzzy logic controller and implementation in UPQC. Membership functions, rule base table and surface viewer also discussed in this chapter. Chapter 4 gives comparison studied between fuzzy logic controller and PI controller. Simulation results of both are discussed in detail with the help of table and graphs. The last chapter 5 presents important conclusions and future work. Adequate references provided at the end of the chapter. Chapter 2 CONTROL STRATAGEY FOR UNIFIED POWER QUALITY CONDITIONER 2.1 Introduction Control strategy plays vital role in overall performance of power conditioner. Control strategy includes features like rapid detection of harmonic signals by maintaining higher accuracy, fast processing, and faster dynamic response of the controller. The control strategy can be realized using discrete analog and digital devices or advanced programmable devices, such as single chip micro computers, DSPs etc[10]. The control strategy determined by the appropriate switching pattern or signal obtained by compensating gate signal compared obtained by comparing with its reference value. Since derivation of reference signal plays an important role in control strategy, many theories and techniques were proposed in recent years. There are number of control strategies were proposed among them dq method is used in the present work and discussed below: 2.2 dq Transformation It is established that the active filter flows from leading voltage to lagging voltage and reactive power flows from higher voltage to lower voltage. Therefore both active and reactive power can be controlled by controlling the phase and the magnitude of the fundamental component of the converter voltage with respect to line voltage. dq theory provides an independent control of active reactive power by controlling phase and the magnitude of the fundamental component with respect to converter voltage According to the dq control theory three-phase line voltages and line currents are converted in to its equivalent two-phase system called stationary reference frame. These quantities further transformed into reference frame called synchronous reference frame. In synchronous reference frame, the components of current corresponding to active and reactive power are controlled in an independent manner. This three-phase dq transformation and dq to three-phase transformation are discussed in detail in this chapter. The outer loop controls the dc bus voltage and the inner loop controls the line currents. The instantaneous real power at any point on line can be defined by: p =vRIR + vBIb + vCIc (2.1) And we can define instantaneous reactive voltage conceptually as a part of three phase voltage set that could be eliminated at any instant without altering p. Reference frame theory based d-q model of shunt active filter is presented in this section. While dealing with instantaneous voltages and currents in three phase circuits mathematically, it is adequate to express their quantities as the instantaneous space vectors [10]. Vector representation of instantaneous three phase quantities R, Y and B which are displaced by an angle 2Ï€/3 from each other is shown in Fig.2.1 [17]. ÃŽ ² B 90o R ÃŽ ± 120o Y The instantaneous current and voltage space vectors are expressed in terms of instantaneous voltages and currents as: v= [vRvYvB] I = [IR IY IB] (2.2) Instantaneous voltages and currents on the RYB co ordinates can be transformed into the quadrature ÃŽ ±, ÃŽ ² coordinates by Clarke Transformation as follows: vÃŽ ±vÃŽ ²v0.=TvRvYvB. (2.3) IÃŽ ±IÃŽ ²I0.=TIRIYIB. (2.4) Where Transformation matrix T=2/31-1/2-1/203/2-3/21/21/21/2 (2.5) Since in a balanced three-phase three-wire system neutral current is zero, the zero sequence current does not exist and zero sequence current can also be eliminated using star delta transformer. These voltages in ÃŽ ±-ÃŽ ² reference frame can further be transformed into rotating d- q reference frame as Fig. 2.2. ÃŽ ² d Y R ÃŽ ± ω B q T1=cosωr-sinωrsinωrcosωr (2.7) Where ωr is the angular velocity of the d- q reference frame as shown in Fig. 2.2. The current components in the d- q reference frame can be similarly obtained using the ÃŽ ±-ÃŽ ² to d-q transformation matrix T1. The unit vector required for this transformation is generated using the grid voltage 2.3 Compensation Strategy vc iL ic VL vs As shown in Fig. 2.3,vs is the supply voltage. vc, Ic are the series compensation voltage, shunt compensation current and vL, iL are the load voltage and current respectively. The source voltage may contain negative, zero as well as harmonic components. The per phase voltage of the system can be expressed as: va=v1pm+sinωtsinÃŽ ¸+valn+k=2∞Vaksin kωt + ÃŽ ¸ka (2.8) Where v1pa is the fundamental frequency positive sequence components, v1naand v10a are negative and zero sequence components respectively. The last term of equation represents the harmonic content in the voltage. In order for the load voltage to be perfectly sinusoidal and balanced, the series filter should produce a voltage of: vah=v1an+v10a+ k=2∞vka sin kωt + ÃŽ ¸ka 2.9 In the latter section, it will be shown how the series-APF can be designed to operate as a controlled voltage source whose output voltage would be automatically controlled according to the above equation. The functions of the shunt active filter is to provide compensation of the load harmonic current, load reactive power demand and also to maintain dc link current constant. To provide load reactive power demand and compensation of the load harmonic and negative sequence currents, the shunt-APF acts as a controlled current source and its output components should include harmonic, reactive and negative-sequence components in order to compensate these quantities in the load current [6]. The per phase load current of shunt active filter is expressed as: Ial=I1pmcos ωt ÃŽ ¸1 + Taln+k=2∞Ialk (2.10) =I1pmcosωt cosÃŽ ¸1 + I1pmsin ωt sin ÃŽ ¸1 k=2∞Ialk (2.11) In order to compensate harmonic current and reactive power demand the shunt active filter should produce a current of: Iah=I1pm+sin ωt sin ÃŽ ¸1 +Ialn+k=2∞Iak (2.12) Then the harmonic, reactive and negative-sequence current will not flow into power source. Hence, the current from the source terminal will be: Ias=Ial-Iah=Ipmcos ωt ÃŽ ¸1 + Taln+k=2∞Ialk (2.13) This is a perfect harmonic free sinusoidal current in phase with voltage. 2.4 Basic Control Function It is evident from above discussion that UPQC should separate out the fundamental frequency positive sequence components first from the other components. Then it is required to control both series and shunt active filter to give output as shown in equations (2.9) and (2.18) respectively. The control strategy uses a PLL based unit vector template for extraction of reference signal from the distorted input supply. The block diagram of extraction of unit vector template is as given in Fig. 2.4. vm va,vb,vc vLa,vLb,vLc The input source voltage at point of common coupling contains fundamental and distorted component. To get unit vector templates of voltage, the input voltage is sensed and multiplied by gain equal to 1/vm, where vm is peak amplitude of fundamental input voltage. These unit vector templates are then passed through a PLL for synchronization of signals. The unit vector templates for different phases are obtained as follows: va=sin ωt vb=sin (ωt-1200) (2.14) vc=sin (ωt+1200) 2.5 Shunt Converter Control The unit vector template of voltage is used to generate the reference signal for shunt APF. The control block diagram of shunt active filter is given in Fig. 2.5. As indicated earlier, the shunt APF compensates current harmonics in addition to maintaining the dc link current at a constant level. To achieve this, dc link current of the UPQC is compared with a constant reference current of magnitude equal to peak of harmonic current [10.]. The error between measured dc link current and reference current is processed in a PI controller. Gatting Signals Ia Ib I vavbvc Iar Ibr Icr dc link Pdc Ploss Idc ref The output of PI controller is added to real power loss component to derive reference source current given as: vÃŽ ±vÃŽ ² = 1/2 -1/2-1/203/2 -3/2 vavbvc (2.15) IÃŽ ±IÃŽ ² =1/2 -1/2-1/203/2 -3/2IaIbIc (2.16) pt=vÃŽ ±tIÃŽ ±t+vÃŽ ²tIÃŽ ²t qt=-vÃŽ ²tIÃŽ ±t+vÃŽ ±tIÃŽ ²t (2.17) In matrix form it is given as: pq = vÃŽ ±vÃŽ ²-vÃŽ ²vÃŽ ± IÃŽ ±IÃŽ ² (2.18) From equation 2.18 the values of p and q can be expressed in terms of dc components plus the ac components as follows: p=p+p q=q+q (2.19) Where p is the dc component of the instantaneous power p, and is related to the fundamental active current. p is the ac component of the imaginary power p, and is related to the harmonic current caused by the ac component of the instantaneous real power q is the dc component of the imaginary instantaneous power q, and is related to the reactive power generated by the fundamental components of voltage and current qis the ac component of the instantaneous imaginary power q, and is related to the harmonic current caused by the ac component of instantaneous reactive power. To compute harmonic free unity power factor, three-phase currents, compensating powers pc and qc are selected as: pc = pldc + ploss (2.20) qc = 0 Where, plossis the instantaneous active power corresponding to the switching loss and resistive loss of UPQC. The total instantaneous active power is calculated by adding real power loss due to switching as shown in Fig.2.5. The orthogonal components of the fundamental current are obtained as follows: IÃŽ ±IÃŽ ² = vÃŽ ±vÃŽ ²-vÃŽ ²vÃŽ ± pcqc (2.21) The a-b-c components of fundamental reference current are obtained as follows: i*sai*sbi*sc =2/30-1/31/3-1/31/3IÃŽ ±IÃŽ ² (2.22) The reference currents are then; compared with actual source current in a hystresis controller band to derive the switching signals to shunt inverter. 2.6 Series Converter Control In order for the load voltage to be perfectly sinusoidal and balanced, the series filter should produce a voltage equal to equation (2.9). The reference load voltages are obtained by multiplying the unit vector templates with a constant equal to peak amplitude of fundamental input voltage. The compensation signals for series filter are thus obtained by comparing these reference load voltages with actual source voltage using equation (2.23). v*fa=vsa-vmva v*fa=vsb-vmvb v*fa=vsc-vmvc (2.23) The control of the series-active power filter is given in Fig. 2.6. The series-APF should behave as a controlled voltage source and its output should follow the pattern of voltage given in equation (2.9). This compensating voltage signal can be obtained by comparing the actual load terminal voltage with the desired value. These compensation signals are compared with actual signals at the terminals of series filter and the error is taken to hystresis controller to generate the required gating signal for series filter as shown in Fig. 2.6. vla v v*fa Gatting va signal v*fb vb v*fa vlb vfa vfb vfc Fig. 2.6 Control block diagram of series-APF 2.7 Modeling of UPQC The three-phase system shown in Fig. 2.7 is considered for verifying the performance of UPQC. Three-phase source feeding this system at one end. For the best performance, UPQC is placed at the midpoint of the system as shown in Fig. 2.7. UPQC is placed between two sections B1and B2 of the transmission line. The complete system parameters are given in Table 2.1. The STATCOM model in UPQC is connected in shunt with transmission line using step down transformer. the voltage can be regulated to improve the voltage stability of the power system. Thus the main function of the STATCOM is to regulate key bus voltage magnitude by dynamically absorbing or generating power to the ac transmission line. The SSSC which is connected by series transformer with transmission line generates three-phase voltage of controllable magnitude and phase angle. This voltage injection in series with the transmission line is almost in quadrature with the line current and hence emulates an equivalent inductive or capacitive reactance in series with the transmission line. A small part of this injected voltage is in phase with the transmission line current supplying the required losses in the Inverter Bridge and transformer. Three-phase AC source Rated voltage 11 kV Frequency 50 Hz SC level 200 MVA Base voltage 11 KV X/R 8 Transmission line parameters Resistance of the line 0.01273 ÃŽ ©/km

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Sucessful in the World

INDIVIDUAL ESSAY PAPER:   40% DUE DATE:   Midnight Saturday 1st December 2012 (Week 7) WORD LENGTH:   2500 words The paper should be written in an essay style and not like a business report, and is based on a case study of McDonald's restaurants in six countries around the world. Each Student is randomly assigned one of the 6 chapters in Royle and Towers (2002) ‘Labour Relations in the Global Fast – Food Industry’. – This book can be accessed and read electronically via the RMIT Library website) OR   Ã‚  you may access the copies of each of these chapters that are placed here on Blackboard. The particular countries are: the United States, Germany, Netherland, Russia, Singapore and Australia Topic of Individual Essay †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You are required to read and analyse your assigned topic in your study time, and also to research further the topic from other sources. †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The questions you are to answer in essay form for your allocated country are : â€Å"1. What are the main elements (parties, laws, processes) of the industrial relations system of your allocated country? 2. Arising from these elements, what challenges exist for the global fast food companies in seeking to have a standard approach to HRM adopted internationally?To answer this consider: a. What elements are compatible with the standard approach to HRM b. What elements work against the adoption of standardised methods of HRM in the fast food industry? Justify your answer. â€Å" CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD CASE STUDY A good case analysis has the following qualities: †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  focusing on the major themes of the case; †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  linking the case to the theoretical framework discussed in the text or reading; †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  addressing main issues or illustrating best practices; †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Referencing the work of o thers is critically important Turnitin Used   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trial the software before your final submission †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Avoid the last minute submission †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Re-submit next day if the first time it did not get through †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do not contact your lecturer for any Turnitin problems Essay Guidelines 1. Use of consistent referencing style (Harvard system as described in RMIT Reference Guide); 2. a well structured essay contains introduction, body, conclusion and references with minimum headings; 3. and, remember that a 2,500 word limit applies. A 5% deduction in marks is made for each 10% over or under the word limit. A Good Essay 1.Demonstrates that you carefully argue your case and the statements you make are justified with appropriate references; 2. shows that your discussion is grounded in the relevant field of research; 3. refers to cited materials, which are analysed in a critical and re flective manner; 4. and, cite scholarly journal papers, NOT Wikipedia or website materials without adequate academic citation Submission and Feedback †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Essay should be submitted into Turnitin by midnight of the due date. †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Late submissions will be automatically penalised at a rate of 10% of possible mark, per day late.And assignments will not be accepted more than five days late. Extensions are not normally granted. However, in cases of exceptional and genuine hardship (not including inconvenience, poor planning, completing assignments for other courses, or pressure of work) limited extensions MAY be given. Applications should be made in writing to the Course Coordinator, 7 days before the due date for submission, and, where appropriate, a medical certificate should be provided. Such applications will be granted, or refused, in writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feedback from lecturers is included in the marking s heets. †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All assignments must have a coversheet (blank copy attached) †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A signed Statement of Authorship (blank copy attached) is also to be given to your lecturer in class †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ask your lecturer if they require a hard-copy submission of the essay or if soft-copy submission to Turnitin is sufficient. †¢   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Requests for special consideration in the assessment of the final examination must be made before the examination takes place (See Student Information Booklet).Marking criteria for individual essay Essays are marked according to two principles: o   Ã‚  First are matters of style: use of bibliographic conventions, style, grammar and spelling, and the organisation of the essay. o   Ã‚  Second are matters of content: amount of work in the essay, quality of arguments, application of theory and background knowledge to compare the pattern of HRM and th e strategies and to evaluate them. Both are important, and the best essays are best on both measures. ____________________________________________________________ ESSAY EVALUATION: A. STYLE: 1. Reference List 2. Grammar and style 3. Structure of essay – Introduction – Organisation – Conclusion: B. CONTENT 4. Extent of research 5. Coherence of argument 6. Comprehension of theoretical principles 7. Application of principles to the proposals 8. Critical analysis is especially important Please keep a secure copy of your work until the final result for the course is given. PAPERS WHICH HAVE NO INTERNAL REFERENCING / NO REFERENCE LIST WILL NOT BE ASSESSED

Saturday, January 11, 2020

A comparison of American and Japanese Animation

The origin of the modern day term ‘Animation’ derives from the Latin word   ‘Animatus’, meaning simply ‘ to give life’ yet perhaps the earliest known form of animation, the phenakistoscope, derives it name not from Latin but from a Greek term meaning â€Å"deceiving viewer†.The phenakistoscope, invented in 1833 by the Belgian Joseph Plateau was the forerunner of the more famous (and more commercially available) Zoetrope (Greek: Zoe – life / trope – wheel) invented in 1834 by George Horner,The earliest fully animated cartoon (as they were then more widely known) was produced by a French strip cartoonist Emile Courtet, who, working under the name Emile Cohl used individually drawn images to create the 1908 two – minute long cartoon named Fantasmagorie which subsequently received release in Britain under the title Black and White.The world’s first ‘Cartoon Star’ Felix the Cat â€Å"walked† in to the picture and onto the screen in 1919, the creation of already successful comic strip artist Pat Sullivan, Felix was to both revolutionise cartoon making and introduce manyclichà ©s that are still in effect today. Sullivan utilized all the aspects of the comicstrip such as speech bubbles, ‘idea’ light bulbs and the quite literal use of items such as the humble question mark, in order to bring Felix to life. As Denis Gifford explains:†¦[I]f a question mark could be drawn popping out of Felix’s head, then it could just as easily be plucked physically from the sky and used as a handy hook, especially if a milk bottle stood just out of reach. (The Great Cartoon Stars, a Who’s Who!)While the first cartoon hero may have been a cat, arguably the most famous of all animated stars however, is Mickey Mouse. Featured in â€Å"Steamboat Willie† (1928) the first commercial cartoon film to ever include sound, Mickey Mouse, looks quite different from th e incarnation familiar to the children of todayIndeed, the ever-changing appearance of animated characters, due mainly to increased improvements in technology has undoubtedly led a much more demanding audience.picture from IMDb  Where we were once charmed by the grainy black and white image of a happily whistling mouse, more sophisticated techniques and the introduction of Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) has opened the door to such astonishing animated films as the Disney-Pixar release â€Å"Shrek†, the visually stunning â€Å"FinalFantasy- The Spirits Within† (the first animated feature to ever attempt toproduce photo-realistic CGI humans) and the deservedly Oscarâ„ ¢ winning Miyazaki Hayao creation â€Å"The Spiriting Away of Sen and Chihiro†.Today, animation is everywhere, from televised adverts, children’s shows, video games and cinema, animation is no longer simply an art form, but a cultural icon embraced by almost all and guaranteed to instil a childish air of wonder even in the most jaded and cynical of adult hearts.The application of animation in feature films is by no means a new occurrence – yet the scope of creativity and imagination shown by today’s innovators is undeniably impressive and has also been shown to influence more ‘mainstream’ movie directors such as Quentin Tarantino choosing to add an entire â€Å"Animà ©Ã¢â‚¬  sequence to his movie â€Å"Kill Bill†, to Richard Linklater’s decision to make his version of Philip K Dick’s â€Å"A Scanner Darkly† a wholly animated affair.The kings however of the art could only be considered American Disney Studio and Studio Ghibli of Japan.   The purpose in essence of this essay is to conduct a comparison between these two very different innovators of animatic design.   

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Essay about Biography of George Washington - 1369 Words

George Washington an American Hero The Revolutionary War proved to be the most important experience in the transition of Washingtons history. The war made George Washington, a man to be revered in history, and helped transform him into a symbol of a new republic and its principles. George Washington is the Founding Father of our nation. The American Revolution was a result of a series of social, political changes, within American society. Washington played an important political and military position in the American Revolution. The Revolution took place between 1765 and 1783. The existing Thirteen American Colonies broke free from the ruling British Empire and made an independent country. This country would be now forever known as the†¦show more content†¦When he had rallied enough support he appeared before the Second Continental Congress in military uniform, the Army had prepared for action. Local Militias were responsible for the protection of individual colonies. The army did not fight on behalf of one colony, but for all of them. At the time, he assumed command there was no unified American country. Washingtons first military goal If he was going to fight the professional British army was to train this newly created group into a well-trained efficient fighting force. Washington had to find a way to utilize the skills of his newly formed army to win the war. He needed a big victory that would make the British retreat and restore Americas freedom. The British had the upper hand in battle; they were much better prepared for direct combat than the newly created American Army. The Americans could not match the skilled well-trained veterans and the British naval support. The British would defeat Washingtons army in direct battle. He needed to devise methods to avoid a confrontation. Washington began some hand to hand conflicts at the beginning of the war, but only luck and timing saved his army from total annihilation. He marched his army up and down the eastern coast; taking on small battles he knew he could win to help the morale of the new army. Use of this battle strategy helped prepare them for upcoming battles. The darkest time for WashingtonShow MoreRelatedEssay on George Washington Biography1838 Words   |  8 PagesGeorge Washington was born February 22, 1732. He was elected as the first president by the Electoral College unanimously in 1789. Washington is commonly called the Father of his country since he played a major role in fighting for independence and helped form the government we now have. Many of his leadership practices became the template for the way politics have proceeded following his terms. For example his use of a group of counselors known as a cabinet is still in practice today. He onlyRead More Biography of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson Essay4286 Words   |  18 PagesBiography of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson George Washington was commander in chief of the Continental army during the American Revolution and later became the first president of the United States serving from1789 until 1797. He symbolized qualities of discipline, aristocratic duty, military orthodoxy and persistence in adversity that his contemporaries valued as marked of mature political leadership George spent his early years on the family estate on Popes Creek along the PotomacRead MoreBook Analysis of A Biography of George Washington: The Patriot President574 Words   |  2 Pages William Thayers book A Biography of George Washington: The Patriot President provides readers with a complex account regarding the first president of the United States. Thayer relates to his outstanding military experience and to how he managed to stay alive in spite of the fact that he was constantly present on the frontlines. The manuscript provides readers with the chance to gain a better understanding of what makes a leader valuable both when considering frontlines and when considering leadershipRead MoreEssay on Biography of George Washington the First American President711 Words   |  3 PagesGeorge Washington was the first president of the United States. I think as my opinion, George Washington being president was a major turning point in US history. Mr. Washington had an interesting early life, before he was the president. Same goes for his presidency and after his presidency. Here is a overall look at George Washington’s life. George Washington was born on February 11, 1732 in Westmoreland, Virginia, British America, in his parents Pope’s Creek Estate. George Washington was the firstRead MoreAnalysis of William M Thayers A Biography of George Washington: The Patriot President691 Words   |  3 Pages In his biography of Americas founding father and first president, George Washington: The Patriot President, author William M. Thayer describes the heroic acts of leadership that Washington displayed while fighting in the American Revolution and during his two terms as President. Using a personal style that appeals to young readers, Thayer provides many glimpses into the private life of George Washington that give a better impression of the man behind one of historys most legendary figures. ByRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer1686 Words   |  7 Pagesfreedom and exemption. Washington and McCandless are similar because they did something most people would not. They both stepped out of the ordinary society and decided to do what they think is best. For example, Washington led the Continental Army against the great British Empire, and Chris left his normal and traditional life, to seek a life of adventure and determined to go on a journey across the United S tates. Washington became the first president of the United States. Washington was also the onlyRead MoreBipgraphy of George Washington Essays1015 Words   |  5 PagesYes, George Washington was our first president so he had to be a good leader, but everybody struggles. Of course, this did apply to George Washington and he was still the best man to begin our country’s government. To discover the details, however, investigation and explanation is required. Born in 1732 at Wakefield Plantation in Virginia, George Washington became his father’s eldest of six children in his second marriage. His father did his best to provide him with tutors and private schoolsRead MoreHow Do Americans View George Washington and Christopher Columbus Today?772 Words   |  4 PagesWashington had an impact on America during the late 1700’s, and Columbus had an impact on what he hoped was the West Indies in the late 1400’s and early 1500’s. George Washington and Christopher Columbus are viewed in two complete different ways. Columbus found America and brought the early English settlements over. Washington helped found our country. However even though both men affected our country both are viewed differently than today. George Washington set a legacy that we are still followingRead MorePresident George Bush Essay894 Words   |  4 PagesGeorge W. Bush was born in New Haven, Connecticut on July 6, 1946. Just like other presidents, he had his good times and his bad times. He was the forty-third president of The United States. Because of those who had preceded him in The Oval Office, he understood the importance of being the Commander in Chief. In all of the events that happened during his presidency he never gave up on his country (Biography; Gale: Vol 21). The Bush family moved to Texas when George was only two years old. GeorgeRead MoreGeorge Washington : The American Of American National History Essay1288 Words   |  6 PagesGeorge Washington stands at the origins of American national history. Many Americans call him â€Å"the father of our country†. Washington commanded the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War. He led the American colonists to freedom from British rule. He headed the convention that created the U.S. Constitution, as president of the republic Washington has created a basis for a federal government in which the Americans were able to find their national agreement. Despite his accomplishments as a general

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Marriage and Money - 1091 Words

Can Money Buy Love? Imagine growing up and never finding that perfect someone. Now imagine two people meeting and one of the two people thought that the other person was so great that they thought the other was their perfect someone. What if the decision of the two ever becoming a couple was not up to you, but up to your particular social status? Is it reasonable to base who you will marry clearly on the bases of ones personal wealth or social status? The answers to these questions can only be answered by your own morals and how important social status is to you. Everyone has a choice, why does it matter as long as there is love? In Voltaire s Candide, it suggests that social status is important when it comes to marriage.†¦show more content†¦Candide s reason of marrying Cunegonde is to irritate the Baron for kicking him out of the castle. The thought of people deciding who they will marry or even date for that matter based on social status seems so wrong. At the same time we are all l ooking for that ideal mate that we want to spend our future with. If the person does not fit in our criteria such as: blondes, brunettes, Italians, Puerto Ricans, African Americans, Mexicans, tall people, short people, travelers, athletes, rockers, and actors just to name a few. Social status seems to be an element of a person s idea of a perfect mate. No one can say if it is right or wrong of you to want a specific person. Everyone has their own taste and style for things. That is what makes the human race so powerful, the power to choose what you want and what you do not want. It seems so wrong to segregate your options but it is what you want not what others want. When you are buying a new car, you don t ask some guy walking down the street what kind of car he wants you to get. You go out and try it on for size and see how you like it. That is why you go on dates is to try another person on for size. If you don t like him or her you throw her back and go for another. The thought of not being able to choose is unimaginable. It is hard to imagine what it would be like not to be able to have such a freedom asShow MoreRelatedEssay about For Love or Money: Marriage in Jane Austen’s Time2153 Words   |  9 PagesLife, that â€Å"at an early age, Jane had determined that, whatever else might be her fate, she would not indulge the role of charming female imbecile† (103). In her book, Austen shows us many different characters and how they go about the whole game of marriage. There are five relationships depicted in the book: Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins, Lydia and Wickham, Jane and Bingley, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Mrs. Bennett is described in the book as being â€Å"aRead MoreMarriage Is The World A Wrong Point Of View About The Love901 Words   |  4 Pagesto a successful marriage, but marriage is a big responsibility for anyone and love is one of many elements that marriage needs to be considered as a successful one. In fact; marriage is living with a specific person forever and to share every moment with this person. Love can be read in the stories, felt in the songs, and touched in the movies, but the reality is not in what we read, watch, or hear. However, true love can be faked by many people and love can be wrong felt. Marriage should be basesRead MoreWhy Do People Get Married? What Do Marriages Stand For? Marriage?953 Words   |  4 Pagesdo marriages stand for? Marriage is a union between two people who wish to unite their life together. The reason that people today get married is for love. However, marriage means more than love. A reason why many people get married is that they ha ve found companionship, love, and comfort in another person. The idea of a marriage has different meanings to people. Some marry for money, love or resources. In modern times, many philosophies have changed throughout the year. In her book marriage, JulietRead MoreIncome Discrepancy as a Driving Factor for Divorce Essay1175 Words   |  5 PagesThe majority of the people on this earth choose to believe once they find their soul mate, they will be able to share a long and happy marriage, â€Å"until death do [they] part.† This belief amounts to only a simple myth, as more and more couples file for divorce each year. It is ironic how a man can find the love of his life, his source of the ultimate currency, but is forced to a dead end due to external struggles. In Happier, author Ben-Shahar discusses â€Å"the mistaken notion that finding love guaranteesRead More Pride and Prejudice Essay817 Words   |  4 Pages Throughout Jane Austen’s novels she suggests marriages t hat are for wealth are more common as those for love. This idea is revealed in the course of her novels by the examples of marriages she provides. One example is Willoughby and Miss Sophia Grey in Sense and Sensibility, married not because of love, but because it was the choice that promised financial security. Edward’s sister, Fanny Dashwood, opposed Lucy Steele and Edward Ferrars’ marriage because Edward came from a wealthy past, which LucyRead MoreDivorse is on the Raise Essay736 Words   |  3 PagesShould I Keep Trying To Work It Out? â€Å"First comes to love, then comes marriage, then comes -- the big divorce party?† (Gagnon 124) Marriage can be a beautiful thing, but some couples are unable to maintain their relationship, because they choose divorce as a solution to cope with the problems between husband and wife. Divorce is definitely on the rise. The usual explanations are communication, balance, and commitment, and its hard to disagree with them. Although age is assumed to be the main elementRead MoreFinancial Stability Is the Most Important Factor in Ensuring a Happy Marriage1112 Words   |  5 Pageshas always been regarded as the most important factor in ensuring a happy marriage. It is the pillar that holds a family together just like how pillars (the foundation) are imperative in preventing buildings from collapsing (good analogy). Without financial stability, marriages often end in divorce. A recent poll by the Jiayuan match-making website has shown that sixty percent of 1000 women are not in f or ‘naked marriages’ this means that more women will only decide to tie the knot if their spouseRead MoreWhy Do People Get Married? What Does Marriage Stand For? Marriage?918 Words   |  4 Pagesdoes marriage stand for? Marriage is a union between two people who wish to unite their life together. The reason that people today get married is for love. However, marriage means more than love. A reason why many people get married is that they have found companionship, love, and comfort in another person. The idea of a marriage has different meanings to people. Some marry for money, love or resources. In modern times, many philosophies procure change throughout the year. In her book marriage JulietRead MoreSimilarities Between Moll Flanders And Persuasion1129 Words   |  5 Pagesrealities of marriage in similar and contrasting ways. Throughout Moll Flanders, Moll changes her views on marriage. In the beginning, she believes that marriage is for love, but after she gains e xperience she views marriage as an economic profit. Similarly in Persuasion, Sir Walter Elliot, Mr. William Walter Elliot, and Mrs. Smith marry for economic profit. Even though the two worlds presented contrast each other, the realities of marriage are similar. Moll and Mary recognize marriage is a way forRead MoreA Comparative Analysis of American and Kenyan Cultures790 Words   |  3 PagesSex and Marriage, Money and Success: A Comparative Analysis of American and Kenyan Cultures In the history of human societies, geographic differences are considered to be a factor that led to different lifestyles, values and beliefs that prevailed and have been the distinct characteristic of specific societies in the world today. From a broader viewpoint, it can be said that Asian cultures differ from North American, European, South American, and African cultures. However, it can also be said that

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Protection Of Our Patriotism Protecting And Censoring...

Protection of our Patriotism Protecting and censoring secretive and important documents is a crucial part of the United States’ national security. Without the censorship and protection of these highly secretive and classified documents, our weapons systems, troop locations, citizens, and server information could all be compromised. This would have a catastrophic affect on our country in future wars and in defense of our nation. Although the First Amendment states that the government does not have the right to censor certain material, the Patriot Act signed by President Bush permits the government to limited censorship and intelligence operations on the general public when national security is jeopardized. The U.S Freedom of Information†¦show more content†¦The government must safeguard the information these programs contain in order to keep the data from being accessed on websites such as WikiLeaks. National Security depends on the NSA and when their intelligence gat hering operations are jeopardized, the security of millions of Americans is immediately compromised. Information released by BusinessInsider reveals that â€Å"[f]ive years into Obama’s presidency, government documents regarding the NSA were censored a record 98 percent of the time, as the administration cites the reason being national security† (Gillum par.17). This leads us to believe that the government is trying to repair the damage done by Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks. â€Å"Edward Snowden said he had no intention of taking military secrets, but statistics from the NSA reveal that he may have taken up to 31,000 military documents, and a whopping 1.7 million documents outlying our security programs in total.†(Kelly par.5) These facts indicate that his true intentions were criminal and that he was trying to harm the nation and explain why he has been charged under the United States Espionage Act, and faces 30 years in prison. Releasing these documents to cou ntries such as Russia and China, as Snowden has done, gives â€Å" [other countries] a road map of what we know†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Kelley par.28). Although freedom of information advocates such as Senator Rand Paul praise the releasing of these classified documents, facts and evidence

Monday, December 9, 2019

Binge eating disorder free essay sample

Hello everyone. My name is Ruth and I want to talk to you guys about eating disorders. An eating disorder is essentially an illness that disrupts a person’s every day diet which can cause a person to pretty much stop eating or over eat, depending on the illness. These illnesses are more apparent in the teenage years and in to young adulthood (Pinel, 2011), which makes sense because this is when we start becoming more aware of our bodies as well as other people’s bodies. We might want to look like the model we just saw on TV and will do anything to get that body, right? But an eating disorder is not the way to go; we will get in to the effects of eating disorders here in a few minutes, but let us start with the types of disorders. Most people think that the only kinds of eating of eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia, but that is not the case – you do not have to be stick thin to have an eating disorder. We will write a custom essay sample on Binge eating disorder or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There is anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and the one that people do not think about it called binge-eating disorder. Each of these are extremely detrimental to one’s physical and psychological health. So, let us talk about some symptoms of these disorders and see if any of them sound familiar. Anorexia nervosa is probably the most common and is characterized by an emaciated figure and an extremely restricted eating. There is an obsession with being thin and having thin role models and a total unwillingness to get to and keep a healthy weight. Along with that, there is an extreme fear of gaining weight as well (Pinel, 2011). With this fear comes self-esteem issues, a distorted body image – I bet there are a lot of you in here that think that you have weight to lose but the truth is, you do not. You are not seeing that you are dangerously thin even though you clearly are but we are going to help you get back to being physically and mentally healthy. When you are not getting adequate nutrition because of eating little to no food, women and young girls will no longer have their menstrual cycles because the body is too weak. Being obsessed with weight, people with anorexia nervosa tend to weigh themselves repeatedly, portion food and eat very small quantities are certain foods – no fats, no carbs, no sugars (Pinel, 2011). Just like with drugs, some people get better after one bout of anorexia nervosa, while some relapse and some, unfortunately, lose the battle as their health declines. Now, here is some of the scarier stuff that happens to our bodies with anorexia nervosa. Your bones thin, which is called osteoporosis); your hair and nails become brittle; your skin becomes dry and yellow because your liver stops functioning correctly. A condition called lanugo starts which is when thin, fine hair starts to grow all over the body; you become anemic and your muscles become weak and start wasting away; you becoming severely constipated as well as develop multi-organ failure. You get low blood pressure as well as slow breathing and pulse; brain damage and damage to the structure and function of the heart occurs, including heart disease and heart attacks; your internal body temperature drops which causes you to be cold all of the time and you start to feel very lethargic and tired all of the time. Lastly, if your condition continues, you can become infertile but you need to be at a healthy weight to be able to carry a baby anyway. Do these symptoms sound fun to anyone? You group a couple of these together, and you could lose your life. Is it worth it? Up next, bulimia nervosa is characterized by frequently recurring episodes of binge eating with a loss of control of being able to stop. Following the binge eating is forced vomiting, excess use of laxatives, excessive exercise or a combination to get rid of the food because of the guilt that is felt from eating so much; this is often called binge-purge syndrome or binging and purging (Pinel, 2011). Believe it or not, people with bulimia nervosa often maintain what would be a healthy weight or even might be slightly overweight in some cases. People with bulimia nervosa binge and purge for the same reason that people with anorexia nervosa do not eat: for a fear of gaining weight and being unhappy with their size and shape. This binge and purge cycle can happen anywhere from once or twice per week to a few times per day (Pinel, 2011). With bulimia nervosa, you have pretty much all of the side effects of anorexia nervosa plus a few more. You will have a chronic sore and inflamed throat because of the stomach acid coming up, as well as swollen salivary glands in the throat. The enamel on your teeth will also wear down because of the stomach bile as well which will cause tooth decay and teeth that will easily break. You will develop acid reflux disorder as well as other gastrointestinal problems and intestinal pain and irritation from the use of laxatives. Severe dehydration will occur from purging all fluids as well as an electrolyte imbalance which can lead to a heart attack (Pinel, 2011). Stomach acid it incredibly damaging to esophagus and mouth so throwing that up is really bad. I had gallbladder disease about a year ago and involuntarily throwing up twice or three times per day made my throat and teeth constantly hurting because of the stomach acid and I still suffer from acid reflux disorder. Binge-eating disorder is when a person loses control over his or her eating (Pinel, 2011). Binge-eating, however, does not involve the purging or any other way of getting rid of the food like bulimia nervosa. People with binge-eating disorder are often over-weight or obese because they are not getting rid of or working off the food that they just consumed. Just like anyone else that is obese, people with binge-eating disorder are at a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure, as well as diabetes, high cholesterol as well as self-esteem issues and psychological issues such as depression (Pinel, 2011). Lindsay, obesity can be caused by genetics but it is also due to a combination of genetics and environment (Pinel, 2011). Genes can control appetite and metabolism but it also depends on what kind of food and how much food you are putting in to your body. Robert, to answer your question, you and your girlfriend are two different people. Your metabolisms work at different rates and maybe she gets more exercise than you. I have a friend that is constantly eating and she is tiny and if I ate half as much food as her, I would gain weight instantly – we are all different. Nancy, maybe you have gotten yourself in to a mental state that, because you want to look like those girls in the magazines, you do not crave food. This is why you have to get in to a routine of eating small meals. If you are still not craving food, go for a run and work up an appetite and then eat. Tyra, maybe when you try to eat, you are eating foods that are too rich. Because you are not eating very much very often, you have to start yourself off with relatively bland foods. If you start off with something too spicy, too fatty or just plain old too heavy, you will feel nauseous. Thank you for your time. I hope to work with each and every single one of you to get you guys back on track.