Environment Pollution and Human Impact Essay Example

Environment: Pollution and Human Impact Paper Every living thing has an impact on its environment. Therefore a human impact on the environment is inevitable. By simply existing, all species including ourselves will imprint their mark on the world around them. What differentiates us from other species is our ability to greatly overburden our environment with very few limits. The information regarding our human impact is vast and impossible to cover in one article but I will attempt to cover a basic overview. For 200 years weve been conquering Nature. Now were beating it to death. Tom McMillan Water Pollution Perhaps the most obvious examples of a negative human impact on the environment is water pollution. Its obvious we need water to survive but few people realize how much we need and just how much is available. Consider these facts from the United Nations Environment Programmer: Of all the water on Earth, only 2. 5% of it is freshwater. * Of that 2. 5%, less than 1% is available to us. * Humans each require up to 13 gallons (50 liters) a day of fresh water for drinking. Joking and cleaning. This does NOT take into account the countless gallons of water needed to grow food or care for animals. * 70% of all rosewater usage goes to irrigation. According to Organic Farming Research Foundation, only 2% of farms are organic. This means almost 69% of our freshwater supply is being contaminated by chemical pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers, while also compounded with fossil fuels and emissions from heavy farming machine ry. These chemical compounds contribute to acid rain. We will write a custom essay sample on Environment: Pollution and Human Impact specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Environment: Pollution and Human Impact specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Environment: Pollution and Human Impact specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Since very little can live in an acidic environment, acid rain has harmful effects on plants, animals, and aquatic life, as well as humans and even buildings, statues or other objects. Acid rain also contaminates our limited freshwater supply, and hush the cycle of water pollution continues. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, 45% of assessed stream miles, 47% of assessed lake acres, and 32% of assessed bay and estuarine square miles were not clean enough to support uses such as swimming or fishing. The following reasons and possible sources for this include: Photo Source: Alan Lifting * Sediments, pathogens and habitat alterations from agricultural activity and hydrological modifications (such as dams) * Excessive nutrients, metals and organic enrichment from agricultural activity and atmospheric deposition the movement of pollutants from one environment to another, such as from water to air) * Heehaw metals (primarily mercury), excess nutrients and organic enrichment from industrial and municipal discharges (treated or untreated waste water released from sewer plants and industrial factories into natural water sources) These points listed above lead to a poisoned and uninhabitable environment for plants and aquatic life, as well as affect land animals and humans reliant on these systems for survival and other land- bound plant life in need of clean water for growth. Land Pollution Land pollution, the degradation of the Earths surfaces and soil, is caused by human activity and a misuse of natural resources. Causes of land pollution and degradation include: * Urban sprawl: Natural habitats are removed to make room for communities, usually with inefficient or irresponsible planning. Urban sprawl generally results in a waste of land area for unused development (such as excessive roads, decorative and unused areas, etc). Poor agricultural practices: Animal manure runoff from CAFÉ (Confined Animal Feeding Operations), the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and actinides, the practice of growing monocultures (only one crop season after season) and the deforestation required to expand farm land all contribute to degradation and pollution. * Personal consumption: Our modern cultures desire to have more, bigger and better things, as well as our relationship to and habit of waste, has lead to striping of the land, excessive mining and pollution from industrial activities. * Industrial activities: The production of chemical-laden plastics, poor quality of products, unethical practices (such as illegal dumping), and extreme emissions affect both surrounding and far- caching areas. None of this takes into account illegal dumping, diminishing landfill space, litter, overproduction of synthetic materials, radioactive waste and more. I photo Source: malingering All land pollution is caused by a human impact on the environment and thus can be averted by our actions alone. Two of the necessary actions must be proper planning and proper usage of natural resources. F-or instances, animals could be taken out of CAFÉ and allowed to graze on mountainous or wooded areas unsuitable for buildings or crops. Using organic and sustainable farming techniques can eliminate our need for chemical applications. Clean energy, such as wind or solar power, can slowly begin to replace coal or nuclear plants. And as consumers we can lessen our human impact on the environment by demanding better quality products, environmentally ethical practices from industries and a shift toward sustainable energy. Air Pollution One bit of good news about our human impact on the environment is that air pollution is lowering and air quality is increasing. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, is once 1990 to 2008: * Ozone decreased 14% * Lead decreased 78% * Nitrogen dioxide decreased 35% Carbon monoxide decreased 68% * Sulfur dioxide decreased 59% However, 127 million people still live in areas that exceed quality standards. And some of the quality standards are far from ideal, such as ozone. The question is: what amount of air pollution is really okay? Shouldnt we be striving for technologies or practices that virtually eliminate major polluters, such as: Photo Source: Michael Cave?CNN * Better public transit, electric cars, rail, and city planning etc to replace heavy commutes, fossil fuels, air travel and unlikable communities * Retrofitting or otherwise upgrading existing factories with greener cosmologies such as solar panels or air filtration systems * Removing animals from factory farms and raising them on natural diets and rotating pasture to reduce methane emissions and pollution The greatest human impact on the environment we can have is to vote with our pocket book and our actions. By supporting companies that use greener technologies, we can start a trend toward better solutions. By getting involved in community planning and zoning We can have a global impact on a local level. And by buying less stuff, eating less animal products and sourcing our food from sustainable farms, we can spread the word that better solutions do exist and they dont have to cater to mega-corporations and lobbyist pressure. The Consequences Of A Human Impact On The Environment Man make a death which Nature never made. Edward Young What most of us fail to realize is that we will never truly destroy Earth. The planet will always remain and its nature will change and adapt to the conditions. But we have evolved to rely on the very particular conditions currently in place. We have specific water and food requirements, can only tolerate certain temperature ranges and we must have an abundance of lean, breathable air. Just look at how the environment is affecting human health already. Thus the question is not whether the Earth can withstand a human impact on the environment. The real question is will we so change the environment as to drive ourselves (and other species) to extinction? Ready To Get Stepping? All of this information about the human impact on the environment is great to help you understand and formulate your own opinions to the issues, but the most important part is not your opinions; its how those opinions change your lifestyle. Dont find fault. Find a remedy. Henry Ford If youre ready to get started, Id recommend the following Steps first: * Top Ways To Go Green: These should be your starting points. They are the no-duh things and most Of them are very easy to implement. * Going Green At Home: For most of us, our homes are probably our biggest carbon footprint. Pop over there to learn easy ways to save water, energy and other resources. * Or you can skip back toothy Go Green? To learn more. You might like: The Definition of Green Living (And Greenmailing) Top Ways To Go Green 33+ Eucalyptus Oil Uses and Benefits For Women Only: Self-Care and a Glowing You 5 All-Natural, Antiviral Essential Oils Enhance the Holidays with Essential Oils FREE Tell-class! Have fun! Stay up-to-date with Human Impact on the Environment by subscribing to our feed! Top of Form Email: Bottom of Form Or read more about this offer here. #1-169 For references on this or other pages, please visit environmental articles. Please read our disclaimer regarding all health opinions shared on this site. 91 19 20 9785 New! Comments Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. Start Here * What Is Green Living? Human Effects on the Environment More Sharing Serviceberry I Share on faceable Share on bebop Share on twitter Share on email Email Share on print Print As humans occupy every continent, we have changed the environment around us in countless ways. Many changes have been beneficial and many have been adverse, here we discuss deforestation as we can see directly many of the effects widespread deforestation has had on ecosystems. Deforestation Deforestation is the rapid destruction of woodland. Although it can occur due to natural catastrophe it is most commonly caused by human intervention. Deforestation has been occurring since humans have been able to cut down Reese, but it has increased greatly over the last century. The major reasons for deforestation are: * Obtaining hardwood (e. G teak) for furniture. * Obtaining softwood for paper and other wood products. * Clearing areas for cattle farming. * Clearing areas for agriculture. * Clearing areas for arbitration, including road building. Some effects of * Changes in nutrient cycles. Less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis, leading to a rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. * Less oxygen is released into the atmosphere as less photosynth esis occurs. Fewer trees means less transpiration, which may lead to a less humid atmosphere since less water evaporates from soil than from leaves. Climatic changes With a drier atmosphere there are knock on effects to the water cycle resulting in less rainfall. With fewer trees to protect the soil there is a more rapid heating of the soil. This can lead to thermal gradients occurring resulting in an increase in wind intensity and frequency. Reduced soil fertility Removal of trees, particularly deciduous ones, removes the major source of nutrients for the soil. There may be as much as a 90% loss of nutrients through deforestation. There is likely to be an increase in soil erosion as the bare soil is exposed directly to wind and rain and there are no trees roots to stabilize the soil structure. Flooding and landslide Under normal conditions most of the rain falling on woodland is absorbed either through the leaves or the roots. If the trees are removed the water accumulates in the soil, increasing instability and resulting in possible landslips. As the rain water is not being absorbed, it can run off the area into adjacent rivers and lead to flooding. Destruction of species Many species are endemic to forested areas. If large areas of forest are lost hey will be unable to move from one area to another, this will result in isolated populations, which may lead to a decrease in genetic diversity. There are many medically useful plants in forest habitats, these will be lost due to deforestation. There are many undiscovered species, particularly plants and insects that may have uses for humans. Due to deforestation, these possible uses may never be discovered. Effects of Human Activities on Environment Climate Change Just about a year back, I came across an article in which environmentalists expressed their concerns that if the Gangster glacier (that feeds river Ganges) pet melting at its current rate, the river Ganges would soon dry up. River Ganges is the holy river of India, which has served as a lifeline for centuries for millions of people on its banks. Rivers have played an important role in the survival of mankind, and many of them are fed by glaciers. Global warming refers to the increase in the temperatures of the earth due to release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane from industries and vehicles. This phenomenon is causing the glaciers to melt at an alarming rate. Not just the Gangster, but even the polar ice caps are melting at a faster ate than they can form. The result is increase in the sea level, and it poses a danger of drowning the low-lying areas. Some of the areas that may go under the sea if the sea levels kept increasing include Bangladesh, parts of Africa and even major cities like London and New York! Depletion of Ozone Layer The stratosphere has a layer Of ozone that protects us from the harmful ultraviolet (XIV) rays of the sun. Exposure to these rays cause skin cancer and cataracts. However, the ozone layer filters out the dangerous IV rays from sunlight as it enters the earths atmosphere. The chlorofluorocarbons (CIFS) hat are man-made chemicals are released in the atmosphere through CUFF containing aerosols, refrigeration equipment, foam and as by products of certain industrial processes. As these chemicals are released, they rise into the atmosphere and break down the ozone molecules that form the ozone layer. There is an ozone hole in the Antarctic stratosphere that is causing great concern to environmentalists all over the world. Because of the ozone holes in the upper atmosphere, the Earth receives excessive ultraviolet radiation from the sun. This is harmful for trees and plants (and for animals and human beings who depend on plants). The IV rays can destroy a certain type of bacteria known as Contractible that are important for a number Of economically important crops. Researchers are even predicting that excess level of IV rays could lead to the death of the phytoplankton, that are an important component of the food web of the oceans. Pollution Industrialization has been the hallmark of human progress. However, with industries have come a host of toxic gases that are being released into the atmosphere even as I write this article and you read it. Industries release gallons of liquid waste into the seas and rivers. Some of the effluents percolate down and reach the ground water and pollute it to the extent that it cant be used by human beings for drinking or cooking. Intensive agriculture and excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides are destroying the natural land and driving animals away. Besides adding to air pollution, the innumerable vehicles running on the roads add to noise pollution that has led to an increase in stress, anxiety and problems related to hearing. Water pollution has led to a decrease in the number of various aquatic animals. Several aquatic life forms are on the verge of extinction. Migratory birds are known to change their course due to pollution or change in weather. Respiratory diseases in human beings is another price that we are paying for polluting the environment. Acid rains can kill trees, destroy crops and fish life in lakes and streams. Ingestion or inhalation of toxic substances increases the chances of having life-threatening diseases like cancer. Increasing population, industrialization and need of land for development of expanding cities has led man to cut down forests selfishly. Not only are the forests home to a large number of animals, trees are also an important impotent of the water cycle. The roots of plants hold the soil together and prevent soil erosion. The global forest cover has shrunk to half its area in the last 1 1 ,OHO years. During the period between 1 990 and 2000 itself, the yearly loss of natural forests was 16 million hectares. Deforestation at such alarming rate has been a cause of constant worry for environmentalists the world over. Biodiversity plays an extremely important role when it comes to maintaining the life on Earth. Extinction of Species The variety and interdependence of all living things has led to the evolution of world. Man has been killing animals right since the time he acquired the skill of hunting. Although in those times, hunting was the means for survival, human beings continued to kill animals even after they had learned to cultivate crops. The relentless hunting by human beings, sometimes for the hide of a cheetah or the tusks of the elephants, or simply to cook the tasty shark fin soup, has wiped out the existence Of a large number of animals in just a century. Besides hunting, human activities like environmental pollution and deforestation has led to the extinction of a large number of animals and lands due to loss of habitat. Recent studies have shown that in North America, 37 animal species have become extinct in the last 50 years due to human activities. Loss of habitat led to the extinction of the Bali subspecies of tiger in 1937. According to the 2008 annual ILIAC (International Union for Conservation of Nature) report, there were 1 6,928 animal and plant species that are threatened of extinction and the list keeps increasing every year. Despite the indiscriminate exploitation of nature by some people, there are a handful of those that are relentlessly working to reverse the detrimental effects of human activities on the environment. The World Wildlife Fund, European Environment Agency and the National Geographic are some organizations that run programs for the preservation of nature and educate and inspire people to conserve all life forms be it flora or fauna. Here is a small list of activities that can help reestablish the ecosystems. How can Humans Improve Damaged Ecosystems Passing and implementing strict laws for industries and colonies. Those who are responsible for polluting air and water should be severely punished. Creating protected wildlife reserves. Certain species that are on the verge of extinction should be declared as protected species by respective governments. Breeding certain species, and releasing them afterwards so that they can live in their own habitat. Preserving and creating proper habitats. Planting as many trees as possible. Reforestation or re-greening the damaged areas can help avoid desertification of land. Creating awareness by celebrating Earth Day, Green Day, Tree Day, etc. Eliminating foreign species can help native species of plants to grow. Cleaning the rivers, ponds and lakes. Avoiding use of plastic bags. Separating dry and wet garbage, composting, using wet garbage as manure. Avoiding use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Using innovative and different energy forms like solar energy, wind energy, etc. Limiting the use of vehicles by following the rule of carpool, taking stairs, walking or taking a bike ride whenever possible. Eating local products can help avoid wastage of gas and air pollution; as food products are transported by trucks, trains, ships or airplanes. They are processed with machines which require electricity to run. We have overworked the planet. Still, we can stop environmental degradation by following certain rules. Creating awareness about the duties and susceptibilities Of the citizens Of EARTH is equally important. Now that we know how humans affect the environment, let us not sit back leaving all the responsibility of conserving our planet on a handful of people. Each one of us can make a valuable contribution towards preserving our environment. Let us do our own bit, for, in the well-being of the environment lies the key to our survival. Read more at Puzzle: http://www. Puzzle. Com/articles/how-do- humans-affect-the-environment. HTML Look around. Does the summer seem hotter than it was last year? Does it seem like the monsoon has given up on a schedule and does just as it leases? Does it seem weird that there are freak storms and floods? Do you see the green cover rapidly shrinking on Planet Earth and the pollution levels rising? You arent the only one whos witnessing all this. Its happening the world over. Alarming climatic changes, deforestation, destruction of habitat, and extinction of species as well as rising pollution levels are only some of the current environmental issues that we are faced with. Ironically, humans have to combat several such man-made effects that have harmed Mother Nature in many ways, over the years. What you sow is what you reap. Ring a bell? Resisting the temptation to get all condescending, lets get an insight into some Of the major environmental issues that We need to deal with currently. Current Environmental Issues Global Warming Global warming is one of the major issues that we are being faced with today. The term signifies an increase in the atmospheric temperature near the earths surface, which is caused due to various reasons. Scientists are of the opinion that a rise in the carbon dioxide levels will further aggravate the situation. The greenhouse effect causes the earths heat to be trapped in the atmosphere, which results in the increase in temperatures. Global warming has thus caused a change in the climate of the earth, causing temperatures to rise. This, in turn, has an effect on various species dependent on the basic laws of nature. A change in the same makes survival a difficult issue. A warmer earth also causes changes in the rainfall patterns and thus affects humans, plants and animals as well. Ozone Depletion Chlorofluorocarbons (CIFS) are considered to be the main cause Of ozone depletion. The term ozone depletion implies a decline in the quantity of ozone in the earths stratosphere. The loss of ozone in the lower stratosphere was first recorded in Antarctica in the sass. As we all know, the earths atmosphere is composed of many layers; ozone forms one such layer in the stratosphere. CIFS are used in aerosol sprays as well as air conditioners. These, when released into the atmosphere add to the ozone depletion. The ozone hole in the Antarctic is caused primarily due to these CIFS. Due to ozone depletion, humans are faced with various other problems such as dealing with the harmful effects of IV rays. These affect not only humans, but also affect plants and various species of animals as well. Pollution is something that we face on an everyday basis. It is probably a problem that we may have become immune to, given our fast-paced lives and the fact that it is being treated as a hackneyed issue, where a lot is spoken about but nothing concrete is ever done. Air pollution occurs with the addition of harmful chemicals into the earths atmosphere. The main pollutants of air are carbon monoxide, CIFS (Chlorofluorocarbons), nitrogen oxides and Suffer dioxide. Water pollution is caused when wastes are released into the water and contaminates it. Soil pollution takes place when the soil is contaminated due to various industrial activities. Noise pollution occurs when the noise levels (honking, loud speakers, etc. ) crosses the normal decibel level. This can have a harmful effect on ones hearing and lead to more severe after-effects, both physical and psychological (fatigue, irritation, stress, etc. ). Loss of Natural Resources With the alarming rate of increase in population, the loss of natural resources has become one of the major concerns. Issues like deforestation, animal extinction, shortage of water, lack of space and food are only some of the concerns brought on by the lack of resources.

Free Essays on America’s Interest In The Second World War

For most of America’s brief past, her foreign policy has been dominated by an isolationist attitude. Her leaders and citizens have always been reluctant to involve the country in the affairs of other nations, outside of trading. There are several exceptions to this generalization, but until World War II, America has tried desperately to keep to herself. These exceptions to America’s isolationist policy were made mostly on the basis of morality. The Second World War was a turning point for America. Instead of this war being another exception to her habits, it opened the eyes of many the United States’ leaders. America needed to lead the world away from the â€Å"might makes right† balance-of-power politics and into the morals based ideology of American democracy. There were two main reasons that it was in the United States’ national interest to participate in the Second World War. First, American values and beliefs, in the case of Hitler and fascism, were contrary to those of traditional isolationism. America has always justified past international intervention with moral principle (McCormick 26). There are several examples to back up this statement. The United States entered the War of 1812 after she perceived Britain of continuously violating the international law of freedom of the seas for neutral states. The tyrannical colonial rule of the Spanish over Cuba and the Philippines and the sinking of the U.S. battleship Maine predicated American declaration of the Spanish-American War. President Woodrow Wilson reluctantly lead America into World War I after German U boats attacked Atlantic merchant shipping and their audacious aggression symbolized by the Zimmerman Telegram sent to Mexico. Applying all these examples found in McC ormick’s text to the Second World War, how could the United States allow Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy to abuse, oppress, and slaughter all of these â€Å"political undesirables.† Second... Free Essays on America’s Interest In The Second World War Free Essays on America’s Interest In The Second World War For most of America’s brief past, her foreign policy has been dominated by an isolationist attitude. Her leaders and citizens have always been reluctant to involve the country in the affairs of other nations, outside of trading. There are several exceptions to this generalization, but until World War II, America has tried desperately to keep to herself. These exceptions to America’s isolationist policy were made mostly on the basis of morality. The Second World War was a turning point for America. Instead of this war being another exception to her habits, it opened the eyes of many the United States’ leaders. America needed to lead the world away from the â€Å"might makes right† balance-of-power politics and into the morals based ideology of American democracy. There were two main reasons that it was in the United States’ national interest to participate in the Second World War. First, American values and beliefs, in the case of Hitler and fascism, were contrary to those of traditional isolationism. America has always justified past international intervention with moral principle (McCormick 26). There are several examples to back up this statement. The United States entered the War of 1812 after she perceived Britain of continuously violating the international law of freedom of the seas for neutral states. The tyrannical colonial rule of the Spanish over Cuba and the Philippines and the sinking of the U.S. battleship Maine predicated American declaration of the Spanish-American War. President Woodrow Wilson reluctantly lead America into World War I after German U boats attacked Atlantic merchant shipping and their audacious aggression symbolized by the Zimmerman Telegram sent to Mexico. Applying all these examples found in Mc Cormick’s text to the Second World War, how could the United States allow Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy to abuse, oppress, and slaughter all of these â€Å"political undesirables.† Second...

Do tax cuts increase tax revenues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Do tax cuts increase tax revenues - Essay Example 1). This measure has led to increased investment and job creation in the American market over the past few years. Cutting taxes may lead to increased or decreased revenue depending on the duration in which the tax cuts are applied. During an economic boom, an increase in taxes leads to increased revenue for a country. A tax increase may, however, harm the economy in the long run as people may feel the burden imposed on them and shy away from doing business in the country as noted by Sowell (2012, p. 7), an economist and senior fellow at the   Hoover Institution Stanford University Stanford, . This implies that increased taxes will increase revenue in the short run but decrease revenue will do so in the long run. For instance, when President Clinton’s administration got rid of trade tariffs on Chinese goods, the American market were flooded with Chinese goods. This led to an increase in business and consequently tax revenues increased. However, taxes paid by Americans increased to a level that many of them got discouraged from risking their money in business. This led to a recession whi ch the American economy suffers to-date. When taxes are low, many people do not feel the tax burden and are, therefore, encouraged to risk their money in business and are encouraged to comply with tax laws (Hungerford 2012). If many people invest in business and earn dividends, they will contribute a lot in revenue to the economy as opposed to if fewer people were involved (Sowell 2012, p.5). With a lower tax burden, people grow richer faster and consequently move to a higher tax brackets which mean increased revenue for the government. Furthermore, when more people invest, many of them grow richer and consequently pay more taxes which translates to more revenue. A specialist in public finance, Hungerford notes that the revenue generated by an economy that has lower tax rates is often much higher than that that generated by higher tax rates (Hungerford 2012, p. 15).

Liability for defective construction and design Essay

Liability for defective construction and design - Essay Example However, there are certain stipulations that must be met under different legal systems in order to ensure that the dispensation of justice is fair to all involved parties. The legal code in practice in the United Arab Emirates derives a number of different elements from English law but still has subtle differences when it comes to practice. This paper will look into the various kinds of protections offered under English law and UAE law for tortuous liability on grounds of defective construction and design. The discussion in this paper will be focused on the relationship between the developer (or contractor as applicable) and the end consumer who buys the constructed product or services in order to form a comparison of which legal system provides greater protection to the end buyer. Tortious Liability for Defective Construction and Design A number of legal systems provide for tortious liability for acts of omission and commission practiced by the contractor. It is possible to classify building defects using two clear classifications: patent defects and latent defects. While the former deals with defects that are visible to the contractor, consultant and other involved parties, the latter refers to defects that appear years after the building is complete. As far as patent defects are concerned, the involved parties can detect and deal with the defects as they appear unless the project owner is not satisfied. However, it is possible that latent defects remain and only appear after the building is taken into service. For example, it is typical to find leaking plumbing, easily broken floor tiles and the like once a property is taken into custody. The law does provide for remedies in these situations but such remedies are subject to certain stipulations such as time bars. English Law English law dictates that any defects observed after a takeover of constructed property must be evaluated through the Limitation Act of 1980. It is common practice for the parties involv ed i.e. the contractor and the project owner to agree to a period where any discovered defects would be rectified. It is typical to see contractual agreements between parties that stipulate periods of between one year and two years, after the completion of construction, to deal with any discovered defects1. This would apply solely to latent defects as common practice shows that patent defects are removed prior to building handover by the project owner or end consumer. Another set of circumstances would emerge if there are no such clauses available in the construction contract to deal with defects in the post construction completion scenario. In such circumstances, the aggrieved party has the option to go to a court of law in order to deal with any damages incurred due to the contractor’s actions. It must be taken to note that tort actions for such cases under English law are only possible if the tort claim is brought before the case no later than six years after the damage ha s been caused2. Technically the date that the damage is notice or secured is better known as â€Å"the date of action accrued†3. Here it must be taken to note that the involved parties may reduce or increase the period settled by the Limitation Act (1980) for tort claims to occur. It is common court practice not to interfere with the actions of

Management Accounting - balance sheet and cost reduction Assignment

Management Accounting - balance sheet and cost reduction - Assignment Example From the indexes given the cost of labour has increased over the years while the price of their products also tends to increase over the years, therefore the increase in the cost of labour has led to an increase in prices. The cost of direct materials has increased over the years meaning that this could have caused the increase in the cost of production for a unit. On the other hand retail prices have increased over the years as indicated by the retail price index. b) An indication of the possible areas of weaknesses in the material, labour and overhead costing and control practices and procedures used in the factory of the company. In addition, you should comment on any other areas you consider to be significant. Job order costing is used where each job is unique and requires special attention, therefore this is the best method to be used by Sidcup limited because each order is different in production, the problem faced by this company is that the determination of cost of labour used and materials used, the method used is inappropriate. Sidcup estimates material costs using the cost from the previous year which is very wrong because their costs may increase or decrease during the year, therefore the company should adopt one of the material cost estimation methods. (Pizzey A (1989)) Direct labour cost estimation is also not approp... Last in last out- this means that costs of materials used will be determined by the cost of those that came in last. Average method- this means that the cost of materials used will be determined by an averaged cost of the materials. Specific identification this means that materials cost will be determined by the specific cost of those used in production. Sidcup estimates material costs using the cost from the previous year which is very wrong because their costs may increase or decrease during the year, therefore the company should adopt one of the material cost estimation methods. (Pizzey A (1989)) Direct labour cost estimation is also not appropriate, the cost of labour used is that determined at the beginning of the year using the previous year expenses. The company should adopt direct labour cost estimation methods which will use labour hours and cost per hour to determine labour costs. The company has no budget for any year, the company therefore should budget prepare sales budgets, production budgets, direct material usage budgets and direct material budgets in order to aid in planning and coordination of activities in the organisation. According to the components of the costs of production given below, the cost of labour is higher than any other cost; therefore they use a labour intensive method of production. The cost of production can be brought down through the adoption of a capital intensive means of production where the machines do a lot of the work. Machines will also increase their production capacity and this will lead to economies of scale where the total overheads will be distributed to a large number of units produced.

Role of Humor in Reducing Job Stress and Depression

Role of Humor in Reducing Job Stress and Depression The Role of Humor in Reducing Job Stress and Depression among Nurses Abstract Studies show that it is very important to reduce job stress and depression of nurses. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of humor in reducing job stress and depression among nurses. The study took place at hospitals in Iran. After distributing questionnaires, 210 accurate questionnaires have been used for data analysis. This research was conducted using three separate Questionnaires: Humor (Khoshouei et al. 2009), stress (Cohen, Kamarck, and Mermelstein, 1983), and depression (Radloff, 1977). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted to examine the relationship between humor, job stress and depression. The finding showed that humor has a negative impact on job stress and depression with a significant path coefficient at -0.65 and -0.76. In addition, Job stress has a positive impact on depression with a significant path coefficient at 0.71. The results of research showed that humor could be considered as a predictor of reducing job stress and depression an d job stress could be considered as a predictor of depression. Keywords: Humor, Job stress, Depression, Nurse 1. Introduction The role of nursing is associated with multiple and conflicting demands imposed by nurse supervisors and managers, and by medical and administrative staff. Such a situation appears to lead to work overload and possible to role conflict. One of the most significant risks nurses are exposed to in their work is stress. Numerous recent studies have explored work stress among health care personnel in many countries. Stress can have a significant impact on individual nurses and their ability to accomplish tasks and more specifically, poor decision-making, lack of concentration, apathy, decreased motivation and anxiety may impair job performance creating uncharacteristic errors (Jones, Tanigawa, and Weisse, 2003) Stress, up to a certain point, will improve people’s performance and quality of life because it is healthy and essential that they should experience challenges within their lives, but if pressure becomes excessive, it loses its beneficial effect and becomes harmful (Moustaka, and Constantinidis, 2010). Evidence shows that stress has a negative impact on human body, regarding to its biological, psychological and spiritual dimensions (Chinery, 2007; Lambert and Lambert, 2008) Concerning to the work related stress, health professions were forgotten for a time but recent research has contributed to include these practitioners in the group of the most exposed to stress due to the particular characteristics of their job (Amaro and Jesus, 2008). It is important to recognize that stress is a state, not an illness, which may be experienced as a result of an exposure to a wide range of work demands and in turn can contribute to an equally wide range of outcomes, which may concern the employee’s health and be an illness or an injury, or changes in his/her behavior and lifestyle (Moustaka, and Constantinidis, 2010). Many research projects have been done to study the antecedences of stress and depression so far. Stress management and reducing the stress in individual is a key concept in organizational behavior. One of factor that has an impact in reducing the stress and depression is humor. Humor has been recognized in the literature as a complex and personal phenomenon regarding its multidimensional nature and the different meanings that people attribute to the concept. Thereby, although this complex concept has been largely studied by the health and social sciences, no commonly accepted definition was suggested (Santos and Jose, 2012). Romero and Cruthirds (2006) define humor as â€Å"amusing communications that produce positive emotions and cognitions in the individual, group, or organization†. In the management literature, humor is defined as a message whose ingenuity, verbal skill, and/or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter (Bergeron, and Vachon, 2008). Although there are exam ples of studies of humor, the literature is most often conceptual, and does not empirically examine the value of humor for service organizations. The aim of this research is to study the role of humor in reducing job stress and depression among nurses. 2. Hypothesis development Literature review shows that there are four contributing factors that make defining humor difficult (Mesmer-Magnus and Viswesvaran , 2012): (1) â€Å"Humor† and â€Å"sense of humor† are often used interchangeably; (2) Humor is multi-dimensional; (3) Humor is quantified in various ways; and (4) There are positive and negative humor styles. In Figure 1 the five humor styles has been displayed. Figure 1. Five humor styles (Moshref Javadi et al. 2013) Research supports humor as an excellent stress management tool. Many people find that maintaining a sense of humor is useful for a good quality of life. Sense of humor gives the ability to find delight, experience joy, and release tension. Studies show the existence of an intrinsic connection between humor and the stress level (Santos and Jose, 2012). The results of the study previously carried out by Astedt-Kurki and Liukkonen (1994), indicated that humor takes an important role on the management of work related stress. Humor and laughter are a powerful emotional medicine that can lower stress, dissolve anger, and unite people in troubled times. Humor in the workplace has been identified as beneficial (Hoption et al. 2013). Having a great sense of humor provides many clear advantages. It increases energy and gives a feeling of well-being by stimulating the release of chemicals, such as endorphins and adrenaline (Miller, 1996). It decrease depression, anxiety and stress, as well as enhance one’s mood, immunity to illness, and life/family satisfaction. As you can see in Figure 2, employee humor has impact in employee health like burnout, stress, health and coping effectiveness. Figure 2. Employee humor outcomes (Mesmer-Magnus and Viswesvaran , 2012) Depression among nurses may be linked to the high level of their stress. Nurses can be a high-risk occupational population for experiencing depressive symptoms because of high job demands and complex environmental conditions (Gelsema et al., 2005). Literature review shows that stress has a significant association with depression (Chiang and Chang, 2012). Hence, hypotheses are formulated as follow: H1: Humor has a negative impact on job stress H2: Humor has a negative impact on depression H3: Job stress has a positive impact on depression. On the basis of theoretical background the following conceptual model is developed. Figure 3. Conceptual framework 3. Methodology A survey/questionnaire research was conducted to test the research hypothesis. 3.1. Sample The study took place at hospitals in Iran. Data were gathered from self-reported questionnaires by 210 nurses. Regarding the demographic information, most participants were female (60 percent), age from 20 to 50 years old, 70 percent were married, working tenure between 1 to more than 10 years, and all of them were academic educated. The characteristics of the participants are described in Table 1. Table 1.Demographic characteristics Demographic variables N=210 Gender Female Male 126 84 Age 20-30 31-40 41-50 113 81 16 Marital status Single Married 63 147 Working tenure Less than 2 years 2-10 years More than 10 years 11 147 52 3.2. Instruments This research was conducted using three separate instruments. 3.2.1. Humor questionnaire Humor was assessed using the Sense of Humor Questionnaire (SHQ) developed by Khoshouei et al. (2009). The SHQ is a 25-item, 5-points Likert-type scale (1 refers to strongly disagree and 5 refers to strongly agree). 3.2.2. Stress questionnaire Stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale, 10-item version (PSS-10) (Cohen, Kamarck, and Mermelstein, 1983). In this scale the response options range is from 0 (never) to 4 (very often), with higher scores indicating greater stress. 3.2.3. Depression questionnaire Depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) (Radloff, 1977). The CES-D is a 20-item, 4-point Likert-type scale (1 refers to rarely or none of the time and 4 refers to most or all of the time). Cronbachs alpha was used to estimate the reliability of internal consistency. Table 2 shows the reliability of questionnaires. Table 2. Reliability analysis Questionnaire Source ÃŽ ± Humor (Khoshouei et al. 2009) 0.76 Stress (Cohen, Kamarck, and Mermelstein, 1983) 0.79 Depression (Radloff, 1977) 0.84 As you can see in Table 2 none of the reliability estimates fell below 0.70, so the scale reliabilities were considered acceptable. 3.3. Data analysis After testing the reliability of the questionnaires, the measurement models and research hypotheses was tested. For this purpose, structural equation modeling was conducted to test the hypotheses and to examine the relationships among the variables. We relied on several statistics to evaluate the goodness-of-fit of the models that includes: RMSEA, GFI, NFI, CFI and CMIN/df. Two statistical programs, SPSS 18 and Amos 21, were utilized to conduct the data analyses. 4. Results First three measurement models were separately analyzed. Table 3 shows fit indices of the measurement models. Table 3. Fit indices of measurement models CMIN/df CFI NFI GFI RMSEA Model 1.69 0.953 0.912 0.918 0.021 Humor 1.24 0.916 0.909 0.941 0.056 Stress 2.73 0.925 0.928 0.937 0.072 Depression >90% >90% >90% Acceptable amount Comparing the amount of fit indices and their acceptable amount shows that overall fit of the measurement models is acceptable. For testing the research hypotheses, structural equation modeling has been used. Table 4 shows the fit indices of the structural model. The results in Table 4 shows the values of fit indices all reach the acceptable amount. Table 4. Fit indices of the structural model CMIN/df CFI NFI GFI RMSEA Model 2.35 0.911 0.927 0.939 0.0651 structural >90% >90% >90% Acceptable amount Two indices named critical ratio (CR) and P have been used for testing the significance of hypotheses. If CR>1.96 then in the significance level of 0.05 are confirmed the hypotheses. Table 5 shows the hypotheses and regression coefficients. Table 5. Results of hypotheses test Result P CR ÃŽ ² Hypotheses Supported 0.00 4.268 -0.65 Humor has a negative impact on job stress Supported 0.00 3.634 -0.76 Humor has a negative impact on depression Supported 0.00 5.165 0.71 Job stress has a positive impact on depression. As Table 5 shows, humor has a negative impact on job stress and depression with a significant path coefficient at -0.65 and -0.76. In addition, Job stress has a positive impact on depression with a significant path coefficient at 0.71. 5. Conclusion Higher level of workloads with limited amount of nursing staffs can cause a variety of negative outcomes such as work stress and depression (Chiang and Chang, 2012) so it is very important to reduce job stress and depression of nurses. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of humor in reducing job stress and depression among nurses. Another objective of this research was to determine the effects of job stress on depression. The finding showed that humor has a negative impact on job stress and depression with a significant path coefficient at -0.65 and -0.76. In addition, Job stress has a positive impact on depression with a significant path coefficient at 0.71. The results of research showed that humor could be considered as a predictor of reducing job stress and depression and job stress could be considered as a predictor of depression. This research creates an important implication for managers of organization. The results of this study state that having a sense of humor is a powerful way to reduce job stress and depression. As previous researches showed employee humor is associated with enhanced work performance, satisfaction, workgroup cohesion, health, and coping effectiveness, as well as decreased burnout, stress, and work withdrawal (Mesmer-Magnus and Viswesvaran, 2012). Creating a humorous workplace is an important factor that must be considered by managers of organizations. Employees with a sense of humor and a humorous workplace can reduce job stress and depression among nurses. The main limitation of this research was the nurses lack of time in responding to the questionnaires. This research aimed to analyze the role of humor in reducing job stress and depression among nurses; the study can be performed in the other organizations and other countries for more confirmation of results. References Amaro, H., and de Jesus, S. N. (2008), Vulnerabilidade ao Stresse em Profissionais de Emergà ªncia Mà ©dica Prà ©-Hospitalar, Mudanà §as Psicologia da Saà ºde, 16, 62-70. Astedt-Kurki, P., and Liukkonen, A. (1994), Humor in nursing care, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 20, 183-188. Bergeron, J., and Vachon, M. A. (2008), The effects of humor usage by financial advisors in sales encounters, International Journal of Bank Marketing, 26(6), 376 – 398. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02652320810902424. Chiang, Y. M., and Chang, Y. C. (2012). Stress, depression, and intention to leave among nurses in different medical units: Implications for healthcare management/nursing practice, Health Policy, 108, 149– 157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2012.08.027. Chinery, W. (2007), Alleviating stress with humor: a literature review, Journal of Perioperative Practice, 17, 172-182. Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., and Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 385–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2136404. Gelsema, T. I, van der Doef, M., Maes, S., Akerboom, S., and Verhoeven, C. (2005), Job stress in the nursing profession: the inà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence of organizational and environmental conditions and job characteristics. International Journal of Stress Management, 12(3), 222–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1072-5245.12.3.222 Hoption, C., Barling, L. and Turner, N. (2013), Its not you, its me†: transformational leadership and self-deprecating humor, Leadership Organization Development Journal, 34(1), 4 – 19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01437731311289947 Jones, D., Tanigawa, T., and Weisse, S. (2003). Stress management and workplace disability in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Journal of Occupational Health, 45, 1-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1539/joh.45.1. Lambert, V. A., and Lambert, C. E. (2008), Nurses’ workplace stressors and coping strategies, Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 14, 38-44. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0973-1075.41934. Mesmer-Magnus, J., Glew, D. J, and Viswesvaran, C. (2012), A meta-analysis of positive humor in the workplace, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 27(2), 155 – 190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02683941211199554. Miller, J. (1996), Humor: an empowerment tool for the 1990s, Empowerment in Organizations, l.4(2), 16-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09684899610118046 Moshref Javadi, M. H., Salehzadeh, R., and Hoseini poor, S. (2013).Studying the Relationship between Humor and Organizational Citizenship Behavior, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, 3(3), 146-151. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARAFMS/v3-i3/100. Moustaka, E., Constantinidis, T. C. (2010), Sources and effects of Work-related stress in nursing, Health Science Journal, 4(4), 210-216. Radloff, L. S. (1977), The CES-D Scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385–401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/014662167700100306. Romero, E. J., and Cruthirds, K. W. (2006), The use of humor in the workplace, Academy of Management Perspectives, 20(2), 58-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amp.2006.20591005. Santos, M. I., and Jose, H. (2012). Humor and Health Practitionaires’ Stress, Humor contributions in stress management, Advanced Research in Scientific Areas, 1022-1026.

Ominous Evil in Othello :: Othello essays

Ominous Evil in Othello      Ã‚  Ã‚   In William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello the presence of ominous evil is present in the play from opening scene to closing scene. Let us discuss this concept of evil as manifested in the drama.    H. S. Wilson in his book of literary criticism, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, addresses the character of the general’s ancient:    With such a man everything is food for his malice. There is no appeasing him. His ego feeds upon the misfortunes he contrives for others, and what he feeds on only makes him hungrier. He is proof   against pity and remorse alike, as his last interview with Desdemona and his sullen defiance of his captors at the end only too painfully show us. In short, he is the demi-devil that Othello finally calls him, half a devil and half a man; yet the littleness in each of his components is formidable, spider-like, and appallingly human besides. (54)    In the essay â€Å"Wit and Witchcraft: an Approach to Othello† Robert B. Heilman unveils the evil awaiting the reader in Othello:    Reason as an ally of evil is a subject to which Shakespeare keeps returning, as if fascinated, but in different thematic forms as he explores different counter-forces. ]. . .] Although Iago, as we saw, does not take seriously the ennobling power of love, he does not fail to let us know what he does take seriously. When, in his fake oath of loyalty to "wrong'd Othello," he vows "The execution of his wit, hands, heart" (III.3.466), Iago's words give a clue to his truth: his heart is his malice, his hands literally wound Cassio and kill Roderigo, and his wit is the genius that creates all the strategy. (338) By an extraordinary composition of character Shakespeare has made Iago, literally or symbolically, share in all these modes of evil. And in Iago he has dramatized Dante’s summary analysis: â€Å"For where the instrument of the mind is joined to evil will and potency, men can make no defense against it.† But he has also dramatized the hidden springs of evil action, the urgency and passion and immediacy of it. He contemplates too the evildoer’s â€Å"potency† and man’s defenselessness: but these he interprets tragically by making them, not absolute, but partly dependent on the flaws or desire of the victims themselves. (343)    First of all, Iago’s very words paint him for what he is.

Triple Bottom Line Approach

Green companies save money and help the planet with a triple bottom line approach Conventional wisdom says that organizations must choose between economic prosperity or environmental protection. Many business, however, are discovering that this is an outdated myth and there is no need to choose between one or the other. Energy efficiency projects that reduce utility costs, recycling initiatives that minimize waste disposal fees, and elimination of wasteful practices that consume auteur resources are all win-win scenarios that save money and reduce the impact on the planet at the same time.When these initiatives are carried out in a fair and just manner towards employees or contractors, then a win-win-win scenario is achieved. This approach of increasing profitability and improving the environment, while serving the community well through fair employment practices, is known as the â€Å"triple bottom line† and is the core component for sustainability programs, sometimes referre d to as corporate social responsibility (CARS). The benefits of a triple bottom line approach to business are numerous.Many companies find that looking at their operations â€Å"through a sustainability lens† helps them identify opportunities that they were previously unaware of. Cost savings opportunities are identified that help drive waste out of organizations, reducing their environmental Impact. The benefits go beyond the obvious financial and environmental gains, however. Sustainability programs give companies an opportunity to distinguish themselves from their competitors.Studies show that employees want to work for socially responsible companies, so an effective sustainability program will aid In the recruiting of new hires. Proactively reducing harmful environmental practices can also potentially reduce liability and can keep organizations one step ahead of future regulatory changes that may restrict, or even outright ban, practices that are currently allowed. Future columns will provide many real-world examples of triple bottom line Initiatives that any company can Implement.

A Guide to the Purchasing Power Parity Theory

A Guide to the Purchasing Power Parity Theory Purchasing-power parity (PPP) is an economic concept that states that the  real exchange rate  between domestic and foreign goods is equal to one, though it does not mean that the  nominal exchange rates  are constant or equal to one.   Put another way, PPP supports the idea that identical items in different countries should have the same real prices in another, that a person who purchases an item domestically should be able to sell it in another country and have no money left over. This means that the amount of purchasing power that a consumer has does not depend on what currency with which he or she is making purchases. The Dictionary of Economics defines the PPP theory as one that states that the exchange rate between one currency and another is in equilibrium when their domestic purchasing powers at that  rate of exchange  are equivalent. Understanding Purchasing-Power Parity in Practice To better understand how this concept would apply to real-world economies, look at the United States dollar versus the Japanese yen. Say, for example, that one U.S. dollar (USD) can buy about 80 Japanese yen (JPY). While that would make it appear that United States citizens have less purchasing power, the PPP theory implies that there is an interaction between nominal prices and nominal exchange rates so that, for example, items in the United States that sell for one dollar would sell for 80 yen in Japan, which is a concept known as the real exchange rate. Take a look at another example. First, suppose that one USD is currently selling for 10 Mexican pesos (MXN) on the exchange rate market. In the United States, wooden baseball bats sell for $40 while in Mexico they sell for 150 pesos. Since the exchange rate is one to 10, then the $40 USD bat would only cost $15 USD if bought in Mexico. Theres an advantage to purchasing the bat in Mexico, so consumers are much better off going to Mexico to buy their bats. If consumers decide to do this, we should expect to see three things happen: American consumers desire Mexican Pesos to purchase baseball bats in Mexico. So they go to an  exchange rate  office and sell their American Dollars and buy Mexican Pesos, and this will cause the Mexican Peso to become more valuable relative to the U.S. Dollar.The demand for baseball bats sold in the United States decreases, so the price American retailers charge goes down.The demand for baseball bats sold in Mexico increases, so the price Mexican retailers charge goes up. Eventually, these three factors should cause the exchange rates and the prices in the two countries to change such that we have purchasing power parity. If the U.S. Dollar declines in value to a one to eight ratio to Mexican pesos, the price of baseball bats in the United States goes down to $30 each, and the price of baseball bats in Mexico goes up to 240 pesos each, we will have purchasing power parity. This is because a consumer can spend $30 in the United States for a baseball bat, or he can take his $30, exchange it for 240 pesos and buy a baseball bat in Mexico and be no better off. Purchasing Power Parity and the Long Run Purchasing-power parity theory tells us that price differentials between countries are not sustainable in the long run as market forces will equalize prices between countries and change exchange rates in doing so. You might think that my example of consumers crossing the border to buy baseball bats is unrealistic as the expense of the longer trip would wipe out any savings you get from buying the bat for a lower price. However, it is not unrealistic to imagine an individual or company buying hundreds or thousands of the bats in Mexico then shipping them to the United States for sale. It is also not unrealistic to imagine a store like Walmart purchasing bats from the lower cost manufacturer in Mexico instead of the higher cost manufacturer in Mexico. In the long run, having different prices in the United States and Mexico is not sustainable because an individual or company will be able to gain an arbitrage profit by buying the good cheaply in one market and selling it for a higher price in the other market. Since the price for any one good should be equal across markets, the price for any combination or basket of goods should be equalized. Thats the theory, but it doesnt always work in practice.   How Purchasing-Power Parity is Flawed in Real Economies Despite its intuitive appeal, purchasing-power parity does not generally hold in practice because PPP relies on the presence of arbitrage opportunities - opportunities to  buy items at a low price in one place and sell them at a higher price in another - to bring prices together in different countries. Ideally, as a result, prices would converge because the buying activity would push prices in one country up and the selling activity would push prices in the other country down. In reality, there are various transaction costs and barriers to trade that limit the ability to make prices converge via market forces. For example, its unclear how one would exploit arbitrage opportunities for services across different geographies, since its often difficult, if not impossible, to transport services without additional costs from one place to another. Nevertheless, purchasing-power parity is an important concept to consider as a baseline theoretical scenario, and, even though purchasing-power parity might not hold perfectly in practice, the intuition behind it does place practical limits on how much real prices can diverge across countries. Limiting Factors to Arbitrage Opportunities Anything which limits the free trade of goods will limit the opportunities people have in taking advantage of these arbitrage opportunities. A few of the larger limits are: Import and Export Restrictions: Restrictions such as quotas,  tariffs, and laws will make it difficult to buy goods in one market and sell them in another. If there is a 300% tax on imported baseball bats, then in our second example it is no longer profitable to buy the bat in Mexico instead of the United States. The U.S. could also pass a law  making  it illegal to import baseball bats. The effect of quotas and tariffs were covered in more detail in Why Are Tariffs Preferable to Quotas?.Travel Costs: If it is costly to transport goods from one market to another, we would expect to see a difference in prices in the two markets. This even happens in places that use the same currency; for  instance, the price of goods is lower in Canadian cities such as Toronto and Edmonton than it is in more remote parts of Canada such as Nunavut.Perishable Goods: It may be simply physically impossible to transfer goods from one market to another. There may be a place which sells cheap sandwic hes in New York City, but that doesnt help me if I am living in San Francisco. Of course, this effect is mitigated by the fact that many of the ingredients used in making the sandwiches are transportable, so we would expect that sandwich makers in New York and San Francisco should have similar material costs. This is the basis  of  the Economists famous Big Mac Index, which is detailed in their must-read article McCurrencies. Location: You cannot buy a piece of property in Des Moines and move it to Boston. Because of that real-estate prices in markets can vary wildly. Since the price of land is not the same everywhere, we would expect this to have an impact on prices, as retailers in Boston have higher expenses than retailers in Des Moines. So while purchasing power parity theory helps us understand exchange rate differentials, exchange rates do not always converge in the long run the way PPP theory predicts.

The impact of the Renaissance on music essays

The impact of the Renaissance on music essays In todays times, religion is something that much of the worlds population believes in. Gods, whether people believe in one or many, are seen as superior beings in which we can worship. However, I have recently learned a new way in seeing Gods from the viewpoint of Aristotle. Whatever is in motion is moved by some cause. If the moving cause is itself in motion, then it must be moved by some other cause...the nature of every natural object is an unmoved mover...each eternal unmoved mover is a god (Robinson, 52). As stated in the text, this is how Timothy Robinson sums up Aristotles view of a god. In other words, he is saying that everything is in motion, and that motion is eternal. That eternal motion has a cause, and that cause has a cause, which is moved by an unmoved mover. This unmoved mover, or cause, is seen as a god. For Aristotle, Gods are not religious the way that we see them. For him, they are the most valuable things, next to metaphysics and The Soul. Aristotle feels that he needs the Gods to exist because the whole notion of them are a scientific problem, prior to the 1600s. The question always was, What keeps the universve running? He needs an answer to this so the Gods play that role, they function as an explanation. Before the 1600s, the earth was seen to be the center of the universe. All around the earth was spherical and stationary, in other words, nothing rotated. The planets and the moon are within the spherical shape, as well as the sphere of the fixed stars. All of the items in the sky remain fixed with the exception of the five planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Each night the planets move slightly, which is the motion of the spheres that you want to know about. How the Gods move the spheres is the question. What exactly are the Gods? Aristotle explains them as being eternal but not a physical or materia ...

Cosmology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cosmology - Research Paper Example Even though the attention is on fact foundations, spatially fixed spectroscopy of prolonged sources is also concisely discussed. Argument of variance extinction, the effect of crowding, multi-object techniques, optimal abstractions, flat-fielding deliberations, and decisive centrifugal velocities and velocity dispersions provide the spectroscopies with the fundamentals needed to obtain the superlative data. Finally the essay conglomerates the preceding material by providing some examples of real life observing experiences with several typical instruments. Spectroscopy is the study of light emissions and absorptions.It’s is a technique of spectroscopy used in space science. It can as well be defined as the object of learning is the band of electromagnetic radiation, this includes visible light, which emits from stars and other astronomic objects. Spectroscopy sometimes is used to develop many properties of faraway stars and galaxies, e.g. their chemical structure and motion, via the Doppler shift.it’s one of the fundamental tools at an astronomer’s disposal, allowing one to determine the chemical structures, physical chattels, and radial velocities of astronomical sources. Spectroscopy is the means used to measure the dark matter content of galaxies, the masses of two stars in orbit about each other, the mass of a cluster of galaxies, the rate of expansion of the Universe, or ascertain an exoplanet nearby other stars, all using the Doppler shift. It makes it possible for the astronomer to determine the physical co nditions in distant stars and nebulae, including the chemical elements and temperatures, by quantitative analysis of the strengths of spectral features, thus constraining models of chemical enrichment in galaxies and the evolution of the space, the same way a famous astronomer defines it, â€Å"You may not perform astrophysics just by captivating images through little colored fragments

Compare and contrast the Erechtheum and the Pantheon Essay

Compare and contrast the Erechtheum and the Pantheon - Essay Example Of course it had always been referred to that the Romans were imitative of Greek culture. The same can be said in their architecture. Barstow makes for an interesting commentary when he said that â€Å"Roman architecture has been called merely Greek architecture imitated with greater richness but less refinement. No doubt the Greeks were greater originators, but the Romans were more practical, and, being great builders they extended the art in every direction. Yet, where they changed or modified the Greek, they did not always improve it (p. 49). The columns are the very main foundation of both the Erechtheum and the Pantheon. It served not only a decorative, and magnificently so at that, but also as the main source of strength of the two buildings. When we see the Erechtheum and the Pantheon we are immediately transported to the culture of a former world and its lush sense of style that has continued to captivate the essence of design up to this day. There are many similarities between these architectures and this may be palpable in the two structures but there are also differences that may be perceived, especially in the Pantheon which came much later than the Erechtheum and thus contains some improvements and innovations. The Erechtheum is a temple built for the goddess Athena Polias with Ionic design. The design is characterized by two chambers where one faces west and the other faces east. There is a debate as to which direction is actually devoted to Athena but there is belief that it is the western end the Erechtheum while in the eastern portion is that of Poseidon-Erechtheus, Hephaestus and Boutes. The Erechtheum is actually the name of one of its cellas, the same way the Pantheon derived its name. An interesting tidbit of history was divulged by Pausinias to describe the worship for Athena of the people. He tells that even though there are many of those who had already converted to Christianity, they still hold a special reverence for Athena and the Erechtheum. The image in the Acropolis was considered to be most holy. Legend says that it fell from the sky with a lamp that never goes out of oil easily though it is lighted throughout (George, n.p.). The most distinct design of Roman architecture is their use of arches. This was not new when they incorporated it into their construction but it was revolutionized by the Romans. Where the Greeks usually employed straight lines, the Romans made use of arches to give a softer feel to the look of the buildings. This is an integral aspect of the Pantheon which is essentially a dome that fully embraces the use of an arch. This transformed the total design of a building. It was also during the time of the Romans where the use of cement which is basically rock that were ground and sand mixed as a wet component proliferated. This technique was actually responsible and made it possible to build the Pantheon. But unlike the Greeks, the Romans built more than temples