Student Poverty Essays - Anthropology, Economy Of The United Kingdom

Student Poverty STUDENT POVERTY INTRODUCTION Prior assumptions about poverty and its relativity to human nature are needed to be able to begin researching poverty. A starting point is needed, and this is nearly always based on other people's research. A hypothesis is formed firstly, based on existing theory formulated by other research and conclusions, and then I will try to anticipate some outcomes and relationships that I may find. From this I can begin to formulate best course of investigation. If the outcome of my research then confirms the theories I had already hypothesised, then I know that the original framework on which I had based my research has been fairly accurate. However I must always take into account the variables, and probability that I could be mistaken in my line of research. Or that my own values, being a student myself, may have influenced my analysis. We can begin by looking at what kind of assumptions can be made about poverty. ?The CO-existence of rich nations plagued with widespread diseases of overconsumption and poor communities existing at the barest imaginable level of livelihood, cannot be morally defended. But to assume that this implies that there is some easily discovered, absolute and apparently universal, line below which there is poverty and above which there is not, is fundamentally to misunderstand the problem......... most of the research into poverty in Britain during the past eighty years has been based upon just such a misconception.? (Coates and Silburn, 1970.) From the above statement we can see the kind of assumptions already made in 1970, that could affect the way a sociologist may choose to organise his research today. From reading Coates and Silburn, it can be assumed that there is no fine line between being in a state of poverty and a state of non-poverty. It would depend on the standard of living within the country you are studying. The researcher therefore may not choose to base his research on just the people assumed to be living in a state of poverty in one country, when given the state of poverty in another country, the former would be considered well off. The bases of my research will be in an outer London University, so the comparisons between another country and ours are not really relevant, however will look at comparisons with other universities. As I intend to base this project upon the bases of weather or not class is variable in student poverty, it is within my interests to compare the university I am studying (The University Of Greenwich) with other universities that are considered to be richer or poorer than my own. But the statement above is of use, as it suggests that there is no line drawn between poverty and non-poverty. This would lead me believe that attempts to distinguish those who are in poverty and those who are not will not be an easy task, and I must take this into account when analysing my research. My data research consists of a survey, which was first sampled, then finalised. The survey was carried out via 250 individual interviews as it contained certain aspects, which may not have been fully understood by the subject. Not only were financial specific questions asked, but opinion orientated questions also. This is a quantitative based research DISCUSSION The Social class, and the correct determination of it has never been well defined. There is no single excepted way of determining just which social class an individual belongs to. So to best determine how to determine how a student should be socially classified, I will be using methods introduced by John Goldthorpe. This takes the father as the most influential family member, and those within his family as having his allocated class. But should this be the case among all our subjects? Defining class groupings in economic terms is an extremely difficult task. But the different groups within the same class do not receive the same income. If we try and break down the allocation of class into family's we can see there are many flaws in the process of today's modern society. Within a family today it is not uncommon for both the man and women to work (or even for women to be the

Tips for Writing Dialogue

Tips for Writing Dialogue Skillfully written dialogue will grab readers and pull them right into a story. The trick is to make it sound realistic. There are many tips for writing dialogue but everyone will find that they have their own special spin to put on this. After all, everyone has his or her own style of voice when speaking, likewise when in writing. However, there are some basic tips for writing dialogue to keep in mind next time you’re writing a story. One of the best tips for writing dialogue is to use it as a way of defining your characters. This builds a much more realistic image of your characters in the reader’s minds when they can actually â€Å"hear† how they speak. Some people are short and succinct in their speaking while others love to use eloquent and flowery words. Still others may speak with a heavy foreign accent or a very southern drawl. If you can convey this in your dialogue, naturally, then you’ll have the readers hooked. Some of the tips for writing dialogue are to make sure the dialogue is believable. The reader has to actually feel as if these characters could really be speaking. This has to be one of the most important tips for writing dialogue that you’ll need to remember. It needs to imitate what one would normally hear in the speech patterns that are all around us every day. Think about how much quicker a book will pull you along when you are reading a dialogue between the characters. It creates action and speeds up the storyline. Some of the best tips for writing dialogue include thinking of how best to hook the reader. Use action words in their speech towards each other. Make it exciting so that the reader wants to keep reading. Readers don’t really want to hear the characters saying â€Å"Ok, I’m going to the grocery store now.† Dialogue needs to be exciting, action packed or perhaps even funny. Show the reader what’s happening through dialogue rather than using boring narration. Have the characters talk about where they are going, what they are feeling, seeing or thinking through dialogue. This is one of the best tips for writing dialogue that you can keep in mind. By doing this you’re letting the reader form the pictures in their minds while being entertained. The readers enjoy figuring things out. By reading good dialogue, they can. This is much more entertaining for the reader than having everything described to them in narrative style. Use dialogue to describe previous events instead of relying on flashbacks or other cliche writing tools. This shows the readers what happened in the past that led the character to this point in the story without getting into boring narrative detail. By doing so, this accomplishes two things; first is that the readers can hear about the past event the way the character sees it and second, one gets a feel of how the character feels about what’s happened in the past. More good tips for writing dialogue would be being able to use dialogue in such a way to build tension in the plot. By using certain words and inflections, the tempo of the story line can be increased in a dramatic way. Use these tips for writing dialogue to create a great story that flows and ebbs with emotion and action. The reader needs to be able to completely lose themselves in the dialogue between characters. If one can accomplish this then you’ve grasped the important tips for writing dialogue in such a way that you have what it takes to be a successful writer.

Terrorism Preparedness & Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Terrorism Preparedness & Response - Essay Example Cargo departments will To disrupt organisations further, suspects will be put under surveillance and an intelligence force, whose focus is on detection of terrorist crime and law enforcement will infiltrate all areas of US society- from the workplace to community organizations- to seek information and reveal terrorist activities. As stated in The White House Paper, 'Prevent and Disrupt Terrorist Attacks' ,"Law enforcement officials, therefore, must continue to identify and address sources of violent extremism in the Homeland" (1) The authorities will also gain control over terrorist funding and financing- freezing accounts and retrieving terrorist-linked funds. 2) Deny WMD to Rogue States and Terrorist Allies Who Seek to Use Them. States, and terrorist allies, that are viewed as a threat to global peace will be denied WMD with the implementation of the 'Proliferation Security Initiative'. As terrorism is a worldwide problem, nations must act in unity. Under the initiative, over seventy nations are joining forces to prevent the cargo of any shipments which may be connected with weapons of mass destruction. This covers all means of transporting weapon related goods. Again, screening and detection of dangerous cargo is paramount. This international unified network will disrupt transportation of WMD. Key areas to be vigilant over importation and exportation of goods are Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Afghanistan, amongst others. 3) Deny Terrorists the S... As stated in The White House Paper, 'Prevent and Disrupt Terrorist Attacks' ,"Law enforcement officials, therefore, must continue to identify and address sources of violent extremism in the Homeland" (1) The authorities will also gain control over terrorist funding and financing- freezing accounts and retrieving terrorist-linked funds. 2) Deny WMD to Rogue States and Terrorist Allies Who Seek to Use Them. States, and terrorist allies, that are viewed as a threat to global peace will be denied WMD with the implementation of the 'Proliferation Security Initiative'. As terrorism is a worldwide problem, nations must act in unity. Under the initiative, over seventy nations are joining forces to prevent the cargo of any shipments which may be connected with weapons of mass destruction. This covers all means of transporting weapon related goods. Again, screening and detection of dangerous cargo is paramount. This international unified network will disrupt transportation of WMD. Key areas to be vigilant over importation and exportation of goods are Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Afghanistan, amongst others. 3) Deny Terrorists the Support and Sanctuary of Rogue States. Firstly, we must communicate with each state. Some will be reluctant to comply yet may be persuaded to renounce the sponsorship of terrorism. Others states will be willing to work with the US. 3. Fragile states may be strengthened and enabled by an agreement with the US to stop their support of terrorists. The aim will also be to change terrorist states into allies. Where terrorists may seek sanctuary, we will also seek and destroy. Our intelligence forces will be searching and eliminating any terrorist sanctuary. These same forces will infiltrate terrorist groups and destroy the

Christianity and Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Christianity and Human Rights - Essay Example The Christian faith has been very instrumental in ensuring that the universal human rights are respected and that everybody is born with a certain inalienable rights that cannot be taken away from them. This means that everybody is equal irregardless of their races, color, sex and religion. Although Christianity has been cited by some people as being oppressive in various instances in the history, the role it has played in promoting human rights can be overly underestimated and this is because the religion from its inception have considered everybody as being created by one Supreme Being, God and that everybody is equal before the eyes of the lord (Tierney, 1997). However, the religion has also been culprit of gross human rights violation in various instances in history and especially the Pre-Christian period whereby some people were considered to have more rights than others. However, even at this time the religion still advocated for human rights in various aspects. The most import part to note is that the foundation that was laid by the religion have been very instrumental in today’s humanism and this can be evidenced by the fact that today’s secular humanism have adopted some of its aspects from Christianity (Jack, 2008). History Christianity has been very instrumental in furthering the ideology of universality and this means that since the Pre-Christian era to the modern time Christianity, the Christians have been very vocal in issues surrounding the human rights. In this respect, the Christians have also been involved in various issues that are concerned with human rights and this can be evidenced by various sentiments that have been aired by the Christians in various periods in the history. During the Pre-Christianity period the Jew advocated for the equality of all men (Richard Tuck, 1973). However, their views towards women were deeply discriminating and this can be attributed to the fact that their laws grossly violated the rights of the women. This can be evidenced by the various laws that were put in place whereby the women were not recognized as independent entities and they could not be allowed to attend some ceremonies and also perform some religious activities. All the leaders at that time were men and only few women assumed leadership roles. However, during that period, all people were considered to be created by God and with that came various inalienable rights which could not be violated by other people. In this period all people were considered equal before the eyes of God (Thomas, 2005). In the Christian period, all men were considered equal before the eyes of God and they were all considered to be the children of the almighty. During this period the rights of the women were also highly lobbied for and this was mainly through the teachings of Jesus Christ who asserted that all people were equal before the eyes of God irregardless of their sex, color or race. At this time, through the teachings of Jesus Christ even the slaves were deemed to have some rights and this meant that there was the promotion of the universality ideology. These sentiments however, were not felt by various races especially the Romans who deemed other races as inferior. This can be evidenced by the fact that the Romans being the ruling class enacted laws that were discriminative of other races especially the taxes. Still in this period there was gross abuse of human rights because there were people who were deemed as slaves and they were treated as inferiors (Elizabeth, 2005). In the Secular period, the human rights of all individuals have greatly been lobbied for by various organizations and this has played a very important role in ensuring that there is a gross protection of human rights. The secular world have deemed that every human being was born with a certain inalienable rights and these can be observed by the fact that such things as slavery were abolished and women have been afforded equality in various fronts as politics and

Organic electronic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organic electronic - Essay Example Traditional electronics, involving the use of inorganic conductors, including copper and silicon, presents a use of materials that are heavier and more expensive than conductive polymers and organic semiconductors include dielectrics, conductors and light emitters that have many and varied applications in the field of electronics (Sun, 2008, Chapter 5) and (Wikipedia, 2010, â€Å"Organic Electronics†). Already, organic electronics based displays using organic light emitting diodes have found their way into car radios, etc., with rapid improvements expected in organic field effect transistors. According to published reports, the market for organic materials will be worth US$ 4.9 billion on 2012, and this will surge to US$15.8 billion in the year 2015 (Allen, 2008, Pp. 6). The previously mentioned author states that new kinds of semiconductor materials, including rubrene, hybrid materials and formulations made of carbon nanotubes will continue to spur the market to grow to US$4.9 billion by the year 2015, with the organic electronic substrate business growing to US$ 6.9 billion. According to NanoMarkets (2007, "Organic Harvest: Opportunities in Organic Electronic Materials"), eighty percent of organic electronic materials will be sold into the RFID, display backplanes and Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) lighting and displays applications. However, according to the previously mentioned report, if organic electronics is to continue on the road to success, it will have to emulate the traditional semiconductor industry and invent an organic version of CMOS with its own sta ble material sets. Thus, firms specialising in materials for electronics and organic electronic materials must offer commercial quantities of n-type semiconductors and organic dielectrics. In addition, the previously mentioned report suggests that for

Accounting Ratio to Manipulate Accounting

Accounting Ratio to Manipulate Accounting Companies use accounting ratios to manipulate their accounts Table of Contents (Jump to) Abstract Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.1 Aims and objectives Hypothesis 1 1.2. Overview Chapter 2 Critical Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 2.2. International Financial Reporting Standards 2.2.1 Coverage and aims of the standards 2.2.2 Areas of concern 2.3. The art and purpose of Creative Accounting or financial statement Manipulation 2.5 The impact of Creative accounting on Financial Ratios 2.5.1 Definition and purpose of financial ratios 2.5.2 Manipulation of financial ratios Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Issues considered 3.2 Options of research methods 3.2.1 Quantitative and qualitative 3.2.2 Deductive and inductive methods 3.3 Choice of research method 3.4 Performance of the research Chapter 4. Findings and evaluations 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Findings Abstract Financial ratios have become part of the process by which investors, financial observers and other stakeholders within the market make their decisions and about the activities, profitability and liquidity of a particular corporation. As such, it is therefore important that these reflect the same level of accuracy and compliance to the financial reporting standards as the financial statements. However, it has become increasingly apparent over recent years that the practice of manipulation has been extended in its use to influence these ratios. This dissertation set out with the aim of confirming whether this is the case. It was also intended to identify the particular areas of concern that this practice is generating. It is found that there is evidence of manipulation of financial ratios and that this is particularly relevant in relation to the manipulation of fair valuation and the treatment of off balance sheet items. Although the study has been limited in terms of sample size, the findings are that the practice is particularly apparent in the financial markets sector and this has contributed to the current financial and economic crises. There is a need for a clearer framework for the calculation of fair valuation and a more robust method of regulating the activities of corporate management in an effort to reduce the longer term detrimental impact of this practice. Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Introduction Following collapses of major global corporations such as Enron, as well as increasing pressure from shareholders and other stakeholders for a more open and understandable system of financial reporting, governments worldwide as well as those involved in international corporate controls came together to bring about one of the biggest changes in controls and governance. Using the offices of the IASB[1] (2008), there followed the introduction of international standards to be used for both accounting procedures and the preparation and presentation of financial statements. The intention of these standards is to create a situation where financial statements have a level of â€Å"understandability, relevance, reliability and comparability† (Lindsall 2005, p.2) that meets the needs of those stakeholders who rely upon these statements. The ISAB confirmed this purpose in an early statement of mission which read that their aim was: â€Å"To develop, in the public interest, a single set of high-quality, understandable, and enforceable global accounting standards that require high-quality, transparent and comparable information in financial statements and other financial reporting to help participants in the various capital markets of the world and other users to make economic decisions† (Gregoriou and Gaber 2006, p.16). In other words, part of the aims of these standards was to endeavour to eliminate the practice of manipulating financial statements. Nevertheless, despite these good intentions subsequent events have shown that the aims and objectives of these standards are still a long way from being achieved, with concern regarding the understandability, relevance, reliability and comparability of financial statements increasing rather the opposite direction hoped for by the authorities. In fact, many believe that the standards themselves, due to ambiguities, have created a platform for the increase in what has increasingly become known as â€Å"Creative Accounting† (Griffiths 1988). This in reality is another term for the process by which management and/.or their financial advisers and auditors are able to manipulate the figures reported within the financial statements in a manner that can lead to these being misrepresented and, what’s more, it is legal. Opponents of the practice bel ieve it to be damaging to investor and other corporate stakeholders, including shareholders and creditors. Indeed some have even gone as far as suggesting that manipulation of financial statements is the root cause of the current â€Å"credit crunch† (Letters 2008). Since the time of Ian Griffiths (1988) book on the issue of creative accounting and manipulation of financial statements there has been a plethora of academic studies into this phenomenon, as will be shown within the literature review in chapter two of this dissertation, and a growing debate between those who applaud and oppose this situation. Understandably, most of this literature is concentrated upon the physical changes that take place within the financial statements themselves However, one area of manipulation in financial reporting that does not appear to have received nearly as much attention. This area is financial ratios! This assumption and discovery is supported by Stolowy and Breton (2000) (see appendix 2). Whilst it is accepted that, in a technical sense financial ratios are not considered a part of the financial statements that come within the context or control of the international standards, as they are using equated by those financial external to the company, they are nonetheless considered an important measurement of corporate performance (Bragg 2007). For example, expert financial observers often quote ratios when advising upon the investment value of a particular corporation and many busy investors will take notice and make financial decision based upon what these ratios reveal. Therefore, manipulation by corporations and their advisors might be considered equally as misleading as the practice being used in any other aspect of financial reporting. It is this perceived gap in literature relating to this issue, together with the desire to access how prolific manipulation of financial ratios might be that has generated the author’s interest in researching the subject. 1.1 Aims and objectives With the concentration of the majority of literature relating to creative accounting and manipulation focusing upon the actual results contained within the financial statement, it is the author’s intention to address its deeper impact. Financial ratios are used by many stakeholders as a quick guide to the appropriateness of a corporation as an investment vehicle. Manipulation of these ratios can therefore have an immediate impact upon decision making by stakeholders. To address this issue, the following hypothesis has been set for this dissertation: â€Å"That company management and their advisors are aware that manipulation of financial ratios can have as much, if not more of an impact upon investment decisions as manipulations in the financial statements.† Further, to test the accuracy of the comment made regarding manipulation and the credit crunch, a second hypothesis will be included: Hypothesis 2 â€Å"That manipulation of financial ratios within the banking sector contributed to the current global financial market crisis.† In order to ensure that the aims of this research, and resolution of the research hypothesis, is achieved in a robust manner and provide a valuable conclusion, a framework of objectives has been devised, based on the following: Financial reporting framework and standards The intention is to analyse and assess the component elements of the current regulatory standards, evaluate their stated intentions and the robustness with which these can be transitioned into the practical reporting environment and identify their current limitations. Creative accounting Based upon current literature the dissertation will provide an understanding of the term creative accounting, identify the areas of its potential use within financial reporting and identify the main purposes and beneficiaries of such actions. Financial ratios The objective with regard to financial ratios is to provide an understanding of their purpose and intentions, which includes identifying their strengths and weaknesses. In addition, using primary data, the dissertation will explain how these ratios can be manipulated as well as identifying the reasons for this conduct. Future improvements Resulting from the previous objectives, it is the author’s intention to provide recommendations that will be designed to reduce the current impact of the manipulation of financial ratios and/or methods by which these manipulations can be identified and revised to reflect actual movements. 1.2 Overview To provide the reader with a clear understanding of this research, it aims and the manner in which it has been performed, this dissertation has been presented in the following order. This introductory chapter has set the scene and provided the background to the issues that for the core focus of the research. Immediately following, in chapter two, there is a critical review of current and appropriate literature relative to these issues. This includes an evaluation of the published frameworks of financial reporting standards, the concept of creative accounting, importance and significance of financial ratios and the effects of manipulation. Chapter three outlines the research methodology choices that were available to the author, identifying the method chosen together with the reasons for this choice. The findings of the secondary and primary research are then presented, compared and discussed in further depth in chapter four before recommendations are outlined in chapter five. Finally , the dissertation is concluded in chapter six. Added to the main body of the dissertation had been attached a complete list of all the references used within the body of the text. Furthermore, to add clarity and further understanding for the reader, additional information in the form of appendices has also been attached. Chapter Two: Critical Literature Review 2.1 Introduction The critical review conducted within this chapter has been designed to concentrate upon the literature relating to the issues being studied within this dissertation that has been published in the main within the past two decades as these represent the standards and practices that are currently in use within financial statements. For ease of reference the chapter has been segmented and analysed into appropriate sections 2.2. International Financial Reporting Standards As Swanson and Miller’s (1989) research shows, the issue of interpreting financial statements had been a subject of debate for many decades prior to the interest in international standards developed. Understanding the different systems of measurement used by management and accountants in financial statements had long proved difficult for investors and other interest parties. It was these areas of concern fuelled the move towards the creation and adoption of an internationally agreed and legally binding framework of accounting and financial reporting standards (Choi et al 2005 and Jones 2006). Amongst these concerns was included the lack of comparability and understanding available to potential investors and other stakeholders when analysing financial statements that were prepared under differing national codes and regulations and the difficulty experienced even when trying to compare accounts of corporations within the same industry (Tarca 2002 and Nobes and Parker 2006). However, as many academic authors had suggested (Nobes 1998, Blake and Lunt 2000, Lee 2006 and Mizra et al 2006 included) another core issue was the growing unease about the practice of â€Å"Creative accounting† and the negative impact this was creating in terms of stakeholder trust and confidence in financial reporting (Lee 2006). Whilst in essence such practices were not illegal, they were becoming a contentious issue in many financial circles, a fact evidenced by the comments of Lord Dearing (1988, p.12) in his committees report on the need for international accounting standards, when he said: â€Å"There is little evidence that companies are engaging in flagrant breaches of accounting standards †¦ However †¦ there is strong pressure on auditors from time to time to accept interpretations of accounting standards which conform to the interests of the preparers rather than with the spirit of the standard.† During the course of the decade following this report government representatives, accounting bodies and other interest financial parties spent a considerable amount of time discussing and agreeing standards that would help to address these anomalies, inconsistencies and concerns, which culminated in the creation of an international accounting and financial framework of standards (IASB[2] 2001 and PWC 2008). These standards were to be designed and operated by the IASB (Feature 2003). However, it still took a number of years to encourage individual national governments to adopt these measures. However the UK government decided that, â€Å"from 2005 UK listed companies must use IFRS for their consolidated statements† (Nobes and Parker, 2006, p.103). Furthermore, the financial reports have to include a statement by directors and auditors, which confirms †applicable accounting standards† were used or giving reasons for this not being the case (Nobes and Parker, 2006, p. 287). 2.2.1 Coverage and aims of the standards As can be seen from the list contained within appendix 1, the scope of the standards was quite extensive. Eight of these standards covered the area of financial statement reporting and presentation (IFRS), which included such issues as business combinations (Group of companies), segmentation and disclosures (Deloitte 2005). A further forty plus standards have been created, which define the accounting methods to be used within the preparation of financial statements (IAS). These laid down the audit principles to be followed Gray and Manson 2004) and covered such issues as the treatment of tangible and intangible assets (Gelb 2002 and FRC 2008). The aim of these standards was, in effect, to create a level playing field for those parties who relied upon corporate financial statements for decision making purposes, be that for investment, lending, extension of credit facilities or simply observance purposes (Chofafas 2004 and Antill and Lee 2005). In other words, the intention is that these statements should comply with four basic principles (IASB 2008), these being: Understandability The objective of this principle was to ensure that the financial statements would be presented in such a manner that they could be relatively easily understood by external stakeholders irrespective of the level of their financial and accounting knowledge, for example the private small investor (Healy et al 1997). Relevance In terms of relevance it was considered important that the information contained within the statements were relevant to the current situation (Saudagaran 2003). In other words it was important that the financial statements reflected current values, prices and other data. Reliability Despite the auditor’s opinion that the financial statements are prepared solely for reporting to the members of the corporation (ICAEW 2008), it has long been accepted that many other stakeholders, including prospective shareholders and creditor rely upon such information. Recognising the importance of this aspect, the IASB extended the principle of reliability to include these other stakeholders (Gregoriou and Gaber 2006). Comparability The need to be able to compare the accounts of individual corporations, even where these are within the same industry sector, whether that is within the national or international marketplace, is a part of the investment decision-making process. Prior to the introduction of the standards this was considered a problem, one which this principle was intended to address (Lindsall 2005, p.2). It should also be noted at this stage that, whilst these standards and principles applied to all corporations, irrespective of their industry sector, certain industry sector have to comply with additional standards. The most noticeable of these is the banking industry, which is further governed by the requirements of the Basel Accords (FSA 2007) and regulated in the UK by the FSA[3]. The focus of these particular industry specific regulations is to ensure that financial institutions retain an appropriate capital adequacy ratio within their balance sheets. However, despite the intentions of all of these standards and regulations, as the plethora of subsequent studies and literature contained within the following section confirm, they have, if anything, added to the areas of concerns that they were meant to address. 2.2.2 Areas of concern As the studies of Tweedie and Wittington (1990), Barth (2006) and Benston (2008) have revealed, a number of serious concerns have been voiced about the international standards, which they and others believe are detracting from the objective of reform and, in some cases, leading to increase volatility being seen in financial statements. In essence, these can be identified within three main areas of financial statement preparation and reporting. Fair Value and choice of valuation measurement Recognition and inclusion of revenue and profits Off balance sheet items Although initially there was no identification of the meaning of the term â€Å"fair value† in the international standards, following representations from accounting bodies, corporate associations and other stakeholders, the IASB introduced a definition, which described it as being: â€Å"the price at which the property could be exchanged between knowledgeable, willing parties in an arm’s length transaction† (IAS 16). However, this description soon came under attack by a number of academics, including Langendijk et al (2003), Bank of England researchers (Staff team 2004), Lindsell 2005)Antill and Lee (2006), Mard and Hitchner (2007) and many others. The criticism of this measurement, rightly identified by these authors, was that it raise questions about the subjectivity and reliability of such valuations. For example, what is considered to be a fair value to one person would not be to another and, furthermore, there might be differing reasons for one party being prepared to pay a greater value for an asset than others consider fair. Evidence of this can be seen in the manner in which companies are valued in times of acquisitions (Antill and Lee 200, King 2006 and Siegal and Borgia 2007). Furthermore, as in most cases the fixed and intangible assets are not intended to be sold at the time of their inclusion within the financial statements, valuation must of necessity be based upon reasonable and expert estimates (Lindsell 2005). The problem to be encountered here is that such expert valuers differ in their opinions of measurement, with some being more optimistic than others (Barth 2006), which can lead to discrepancies. The choice of expert can thus be seen to potentially obscure concrete evidence† of the assets real value (Swanson and Miller 1989, p.1). Furthermore, the standards also allow corporations to make a choice of asset measurement between the historical cost convention and current fair value, which is decided based upon their own judgement (ICAEW 2006 and Mizra et al 2006). Despite many attempts and suggestions aimed at addressing this problem (Benston 2008) to date it has still not been resolved. Recognition of revenue and treatment of profits is another area where differing opinions and purposes of measurement and treatment have been questioned (Bullen and Crook 2005). For example, when engaged upon a project that spans a number of financial years how does the business measure the true value of the revenue and profits to be recorded in each year statements (Mizra et al 2006 and Lee 2006). Some might argue that profit, and thus that element of the revenue, cannot be taken until project completion, whilst others will advocate allocating profit to the completion of project milestones. It is apparent that, given a project of x value spread across say five years, the differences of interpretation outlined above would impact upon the revenues contained within financial statements. The ability for corporations to exclude items from their balance sheets is another issue for many investors and observers (Amat et al 1999). For example, by leasing rather purchasing a piece of equipment this can alter the debt structure of the business, as parts of the leasing contract do not have to be included within the corporate balance sheet. Similarly action can be taken with other assets such as pension schemes (Pitzer 2002). Although there are other issues with the international accounting standards, it is these three areas that appear to raise the most concerns, in particular because they provide the opportunity for firms and their auditors to engage in the practice of manipulation or creative accounting. 2.3. The art and purpose of Creative Accounting or financial statement Manipulation As indicated within the introduction to this dissertation, creative accounting or the ability to manipulate financial statements was an adopted practice before the international reporting standards became a legal requirement for all corporations. However, the increase in concerns since this event makes a study of this issue even more relevant today. Creative accounting is considered by many to be a euphemism for the practice of manipulating the information that is contained within financial statements. In terms of definition for this practice there have been many over the years. In the title of his book about creative accounting, first published in 1988, Ian Griffiths (2005) defined it as â€Å"how to make your profits what you want them to be,† a view supported by Dean and Clarke (2007). Although other academics would refrain from using such a term, as will be seen within this and following sections and chapters of this dissertation, there is more than a grain of truth in this simple description. However, the more considered definition for the type of manipulation that is that it is† a practice that results in a distortion of the figures contained within financial statements.† However, at the same time this manipulation remains strictly within the boundaries of the legal accounting principles, rules and stand ards (Shah 1998 and Balaciu and Cosmina 2008). A simple example of the meaning of these definitions can be seen in the following diagram (figure 1). In this example manipulation is defined as the greying areas between the intentions of the standards and the areas within which the interpretation of these standards can be manipulated, always stopping short of the ultimate boundaries of the legal framework, beyond which such manipulation would be considered as fraud. As can be seen from this diagram manipulation can have two intentions, this being either to produce a negative or positive impact upon the profits and value of the business (Mulford and Comiskev 2002 and Balaciu and Cosmina 2008). It is generally accepted that manipulation is driven by the needs and demands of management (Pierce-Brown and Steele 1999 and Griffiths 2005). For example, if management believes that the business is likely to have a bad year, which will adversely affect their bonus and benefits they might either exacerbate the losses to increase their benefits in a following year or reduce them to protect these benefits. The same methods would be used if the management wishes to influence the corporation’s level of growth (Pierce-Brown and Steele 2006). This practice is known as the â€Å"Big Bath† method (Investopedia 2008). To achieve the required objective the management might use a combination of the flexibility contained within the concepts of fair value, revenue and profit recognition and off-balance sheet items as discussed in section 2.2.2 of this chapter. For example, an employed expert valuer who takes a pessimistic approach would have the effect of reducing the value of asse ts, thus having an adverse effect upon profits. Delaying recognition of revenue or profits would have the same effect (Mulford and Comiskev 2002). Some academic authors have posed the question as to whether such manipulation is ethical (Amat and Dowds 1999 and Blake and Growthorpe 1998). However, whilst the question of ethics might be of concern to those who rely upon the financial statements presented by corporations (Saudagaran 2003), under the present standards, regulations and their measurements it remains legal (Griffiths 2005). 2.4 The impact of Creative accounting on Financial Ratios As Bragg (2007) indicates within the introduction to his study of business ratios and formulas, these can be applied to virtually every aspect of the business and its operations. However for the purpose of this dissertation, the focus regarding ratios will be restricted to those that relate specifically to the information contained within a corporation’s financial statements. 2.4.1 Definition and purpose of financial ratios The term ratio can broadly be defined as a measurement by which the performance of a corporation, in terms of its operations and activities, can be judged and assessed (Bragg 2007, p.1). In terms of the financial statements produced by corporations this judgement is aimed at measuring a number of performance factors (Stolowy and Breton 2000). As can be seen from the descriptions contained within the following example (figure 2) in this respect the intention of these ratios is to provide an assessment of the profitability of the business and its return on investment (Income statement) and its liquidity position (Balance Sheet) (Bragg 2007). Figure 2 Popular financial ratios Financial Ratios 1) Gross Margin Operating earnings (before exceptional and tax) as a percentage of net sales 2) Operating Margin Operating Income (net profit before tax) as a percentage of net sales 3) Profit Margin Net Income (profit after tax) as a percentage of net sales 4) Return on Equity Net Profit after Taxes as a percentage of equity 5) Return on Investment Net Profit after Taxes as a percentage of total assets 6) Return on Capital Employed Net Profit after Taxes as a percentage of average shareholder equity 7) Current ratio Ratio of current assets to current liabilities 8) Quick ratio Ratio of current assets (less inventory) to current liabilities ( less overdraft and other borrowings) 9) Gearing (debt to equity) ratio Ratio of liabilities to equity 10) Earnings per share (EPS) Net profit divided by number of shares issued 11) P/E ratio

Roma Culture :: essays research papers

Roma Culture Romas, or Gypsy, have traveled all over the world starting from India, which is considered their origin however not proven, and ending up as far as Spain where their customs have influenced and changed modern day societies. These diasporas were not deliberate but rather forced on them due to their beliefs. Stereotypes have been created to make Romas look like thieves, which is where the phrase, â€Å"I’ve been gypped,† comes from. Gypsies were and still are easy to point out due to their dark skin and jet black hair making it easier to discriminate. They traveled to Egypt, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, France, and Spain looking for a place to call home, but no one would accept them. Some even persecuted and murdered them like in the Holocaust. However, what is most interesting is how their miseries and suffering have made them into one of the strongest cultures to survive so long. One of their biggest strengths is music. Without it, they might not still be here to day. Music by definition is â€Å"vocal or instrumental sounds possessing a degree of melody, harmony, or rhythm.† However, to the Roma people music is a form of identity, of beauty, of culture. The music heard from these people will tell a story, whether of their troubled past or just pure entertainment. Every person in the Roma society is familiar with or can chant the heartfelt lyrics and melodies that have been orally passed on or created as generations have come and gone. Each country and generation had a different style of music. Yet, they all put a lot of pride and work for each gathering and chant. All sorts of instruments, mostly percussion, are played by extremely talented artists. Certain attires are prepared for the dances that go with each song. The women would normally do most of the dancing. They would decorate themselves with beautiful linens and jewelry and attach thimbles and tambourines to their body. The men usually would play the instruments. Both sexes would s ing, even the little children. A key part in keeping their identity so strong is that the parents are strict on teaching their children the music and dance. Their lyrics tell stories about horrible times or hope for freedom in the end. These styles of music create a kind of passion and thrive to continue. Their music kept them alive. One of the most interesting things about the Roma society is how their music, being so sacred to them, changed other societies. Roma Culture :: essays research papers Roma Culture Romas, or Gypsy, have traveled all over the world starting from India, which is considered their origin however not proven, and ending up as far as Spain where their customs have influenced and changed modern day societies. These diasporas were not deliberate but rather forced on them due to their beliefs. Stereotypes have been created to make Romas look like thieves, which is where the phrase, â€Å"I’ve been gypped,† comes from. Gypsies were and still are easy to point out due to their dark skin and jet black hair making it easier to discriminate. They traveled to Egypt, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, France, and Spain looking for a place to call home, but no one would accept them. Some even persecuted and murdered them like in the Holocaust. However, what is most interesting is how their miseries and suffering have made them into one of the strongest cultures to survive so long. One of their biggest strengths is music. Without it, they might not still be here to day. Music by definition is â€Å"vocal or instrumental sounds possessing a degree of melody, harmony, or rhythm.† However, to the Roma people music is a form of identity, of beauty, of culture. The music heard from these people will tell a story, whether of their troubled past or just pure entertainment. Every person in the Roma society is familiar with or can chant the heartfelt lyrics and melodies that have been orally passed on or created as generations have come and gone. Each country and generation had a different style of music. Yet, they all put a lot of pride and work for each gathering and chant. All sorts of instruments, mostly percussion, are played by extremely talented artists. Certain attires are prepared for the dances that go with each song. The women would normally do most of the dancing. They would decorate themselves with beautiful linens and jewelry and attach thimbles and tambourines to their body. The men usually would play the instruments. Both sexes would s ing, even the little children. A key part in keeping their identity so strong is that the parents are strict on teaching their children the music and dance. Their lyrics tell stories about horrible times or hope for freedom in the end. These styles of music create a kind of passion and thrive to continue. Their music kept them alive. One of the most interesting things about the Roma society is how their music, being so sacred to them, changed other societies.

National Security Strategy Comparison

Mid-Term Essay – Compare/Contrast European Security Strategy (ESS) with US National Security Strategy (NSS) By James E. McDonald Regional/Cultural Studies Lesson 03 24 Mar 2013 Instructor: Col (ret) Frank Belote Air Command and Staff College Distance Learning Maxwell AFB, AL The Security Strategy of the United States has marked similarities and differences to the Security Strategy of Europe. This can be effectively traced to the similarities and differences between the two cultures themselves, particularly in the cultural factors of religion, modernization, ethnicity/nationalism, and geography.The US and Europe have different responses to the modernization of warfare from traditional (ships, armies, tanks, aircraft) to â€Å"asymmetrical† (terrorism, cyber-warfare), largely from differences in geography: With the notable exceptions of Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Center, our enemy threat has been thousands of miles away, while Europe has seen two bloody â€Å"world wars† and acts of terror committed right on home soil.However, for the purposes of this paper, I will focus on religion and ethnicity/nationalism, and how these two factors affect strategic culture. Culture is important. It defines what’s important to a group, or nation. It emerges in stated doctrine, laws, strategy. It defines who we ARE. There are common views, interests, priorities, and verbiage in both Security Strategic documents. Major powers are at peace. The world economy has grown; globalism is increasingly important. We must reduce dependency on foreign energy.We have a commitment to alliance with each other (US and Europe) via NATO (Obama, 2010, 1-9) (European Security Strategy, 2003, 2-14). NATO has made a strong tie between the US and Europe since it was created to contain the Soviets, integrating Europe and the United States politically and militarily (Friedman, 2011, 1). In fact, â€Å"For any kind of military planning and operations with regard to Russ ia, the Europeans will prefer to act through NATO rather than the EU. † (Valesek, 2008, 1)In contrast to the above commonalities, the United States document, while acknowledging that â€Å"no one nation—no matter how powerful—can meet global challenges alone†, repeatedly shows glimpses of â€Å"Nationalist† overtones with statements such as, â€Å"Our country possesses the attributes that have supported our leadership for decades—sturdy alliances, an unmatched military, the world’s largest economy, a strong and evolving democracy, and a dynamic citizenry. † (Obama, 2010, 1-9). The European document, on the other hand, openly and repeatedly calls for â€Å"Unification† and â€Å"Cooperation† (European Security Strategy, 2003, 1-8).The United States can draw from European religious history and ethnic origin, which gives it some cultural similarities. At the same time, the birth of our nation was so much more recent, and so dramatically different from the beginning of European history, that it’s no wonder there are fundamental differences in culture. Even before the Declaration of Independence (â€Å"God† and â€Å"truth† referenced) or the US Constitution were drafted (â€Å"freedom of religion†), early America was rooted in Christianity. The first Pilgrims fled religious persecution in Europe.Christian doctrine has been quoted in speeches given by American leaders from the beginning (Governor John Walthrop, Massachusetts Governor, 1630), to recent/present-day Presidents (Reagan, GW Bush, Obama), The United States has been referred to as something â€Å"different†, a shining example all the world to see and emulate, a â€Å"city on a hill†. (Walthrop, 1630, 1). America, from its beginnings to today, while welcoming diversity, continues to be a predominately Christian culture, allowing for religious overtones in national documents (mostly visible through reference to â€Å"values†, and â€Å"truth†).Europe on the other hand, in its challenge to unify the 27 countries that form the European Union (Rosenberg, 2011, 1), must tread lightly so as not to alienate or anger any portion of the contemporary combination of Christian, Muslim, and â€Å"Secular† cultures (Rubenstein, 2011, 1). Both the US and Europe are ethnically and racially diverse. Many marvel at the ability to retain direction and focus in the face of such diversity. Early America molded immigrants into a â€Å"melting pot†, mixing historical roots into a soup that became distinctly â€Å"American†.Nowadays, the preference is to hold on to ethnic differences and describe the result as a â€Å"mosaic† or â€Å"salad bowl† – separate pieces that, when viewed as a whole, create a larger picture (Branigin, 1998). In spite of this recent shift to retain ethnic individuality, America seems to successfully categorize this in to its frontiersman â€Å"rugged individualist† mentality, yet in shunning division along racial lines, manages to successfully embrace all groups into a sense of singular â€Å"nationalism†.Europe on the other hand, struggles to balance 27 nations, each with their own sense of nationalism, without giving significant preference to any one culture. The ultimate impact of these religious and ethnic/nationalistic differences is that, yes, the US National Security Strategy reads differently than the European Security Strategy. The variance in background results in different wording and stance, different reasons for why we do what we do, and the desired result. This can cause misunderstanding, and even distrust between these two great entities.However, it’s important to conclude that overall, we BOTH have the same ultimate intent: a continued commitment to trans-atlantic relationship, globalized economy, reduced dependency on foreign energy, and, most importantly, pe ace and security to our world (Obama, 2010, 1-9) (European Security Strategy, 2003, 2-14). In conclusion, many world researchers (including Samuel P Huntington in his map of â€Å"The World of Civilizations†), when identifying cultural categories in the world, group the US, Canada, Greenland, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand as â€Å"the West† (Huntington, 1997, 26).Due to the emphasis on strong religious roots, belief in right, manifest destiny, and ethnic diversity in the United States, our stated objectives and self-identified role in the world is unique. However, overall, European – US strategy and culture are not so remarkably different. BIBLIOGRAPHY Branigin, William, â€Å"The Myth of the Melting Pot: America’s Racial and Ethnic Divides. Immigrants Shunning Idea of Assimilation† (Washington, DC: Washington Post, 25 May 1998), http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/national/longterm/meltingpot/melt0525a. htmEuropean Security Strategy , A Secure Europe in a Better World, (Brussels, 12 December 2003), 2-14 Friedman, George, â€Å"The Crisis of Europe and European Nationalism† (Austin, TX: StratFor Global Intelligence, 13 September 2011), 1, http://www. stratfor. com/weekly/20110912-crisis-europe-and-european-nationalism Huntington, Samuel P. , â€Å"The World of Civilizations† The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (New York, NY: Touchstone, 1997), 26-27 Obama, Barack, National Security Strategy (Washington, DC: Whitehouse Archives, 2010), 1-9Rosenberg, Matt, â€Å"European Union Countries† (About. com, 09 December 2011), 1, http://geography. about. com/od/lists/a/eumembers. htm Rubenstein, Richard L. , â€Å"Islam and Christianity: The Roots of Europe’s Religious Identity† (New English Review, December 2011), 1, http://www. newenglishreview. org/custpage. cfm/frm/102790/sec_id/102790 Valesek, Tomas, â€Å"Europe’s Defence and its New Security Strategy † (Center for European Reform Bulletin: London, England, Dec 2007-Jan 2008), 1, http://gees. org/documentos/Documen-02705. pdf Walthrop, John, â€Å"Modell of Christian Charity† (Massachusetts, 1630), 1,

“Fossil Fuels Improve the Planet” by Alex Epstein Essay

Part 1: Graphical Representation Part 2: Summary of argument In the article â€Å"Fossil Fuels Improve the Planet† (Epstein, 2013), Alex Epstein’s main claim was that fossil fuels should be used without restriction as they provide reliable and affordable energy that improves the lives of mankind. Aiming to convince the reader fossil fuels should be freely used, he first argued that the energy provided by fossil fuels is vital to the health and well-being of mankind. He supported this by stating that processes such as purifying water, mass production of medicine and fresh food, heating and construction are vital in allowing mankind to lead healthy lives and being able to cope in harsh climates. Epstein stressed that none of these things would exist in the modern world without the energy from fossil fuels. Next, he argued that alternatives like renewable energy are not effective. He asserts that renewable energy is unreliable, not cost effective and also unable to be mass-produced. He supported this by saying that even after years of investments from many countries only accounts for less than 0.5% of the planets energy. Finally, Epstein concluded by stating that fossil fuels are not â€Å"dirty energy†. He supported this by saying current technology can reduce waste produced in using fossil fuels to a minimum. He argued that since all processes create some waste, any process can be considered â€Å"dirty† and rejected. Epstein hence contended that mankind should focus on building better lives by reaping the benefits of using fossil fuels rather than worrying about whether processes were â€Å"dirty† or not. Part 3: Evaluation of argument Epstein’s first argument is that the energy provided by fossil fuels is vital to the health and well-being of mankind. The assumption he makes in his argument is that burning fossil fuels is the largest or sole provider of energy to mankind. This is validated by empirical data collected on a  global scale from The World Energy Outlook 2013 (International Energy Agency, 2013) which recorded that 82% of the world’s total energy supply came from fossil fuels in 2011 and will likely only fall to 75% in 2035, remaining the major source of energy for years to come. The argument uses deductive reasoning to prove that the energy provided by fossil fuels is vital to the health and well-being of mankind based on the premise that the energy powers important machines and processes that mankind needs to thrive. Epstein supports this by listing processes such as purifying water, the mass production of medicine and fresh food, heating and construction. He states that these processes provides necessities that are key in keep sickness at bay and allowing mankind to cope with the often harsh climate, leading to what he claims to be the healthiest and cleanest living environment in human history. The evidence Epstein provides shows that the affordable reliable energy from fossil fuels provides important necessities such as clean water and medicine that is vital to the health and well-being of mankind. This is congruent to Dennis Anderson’s points in â€Å"World Energy Assessment: Energy and the Challenge of Sustainability† (United Nations Development Programme, 2000, Chapter 11 p.394) where he reports that the presence of modern sources of energy can improve the standards of living for billions of people across the globe, especially those in developing countries who lack access to basic services and necessities similar to those described by Epstein due to consumption levels of energy being far lower than those in industrialized countries. This shows the state of people who lack access to modern energy and how their lives can be greatly improved if more energy was available to them. Therefore since Epstein’s argument uses deductive reasoning to prove that the energy provided by fossil fuels is vital to the health and well-being of mankind, since the premise is true, the conclusion of the argument is valid. References Anderson, D. United Nations Development Programme, United Nations. & World Energy Council. (2000). World Energy Assessment: Energy and the challenge of sustainability. New York, NY: United Nations Development Programme In: Chapter 11 Energy and Economic Prosperity. (P.394-411) Retrieved from http://www.undp.org/ International Energy Agency & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2013). World energy outlook 2013. Paris: OECD/IEA. Retrieved from http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/ Epstein’s second argument is that alternative sources of energy to fossil fuels are not as effective. The argument uses inductive reasoning as Epstein focuses on 2 alternative sources of energy and attempts to convince the reader of his argument based on their observed limitations. The premises offered are that renewable energy such as solar and wind is unreliable, not cost effective and also unable to be mass-produced. He is able to support this with his claim that even after years of investments from many countries renewable energy only accounts for less than 0.5% of the planets energy. He also supports this by quoting examples of some richer countries that have been unsuccessful in making renewable energies usable on a larger scale even after spending large sums of money, resulting in rising youth unemployment rates as high as 50% in Spain and electrical prices doubling in the case of Germany. These cases and facts accurately shows the limitations of renewable energies ment ioned in his premises. This is supported by Professor Barry Brook in his in-depth critique on renewable energy â€Å"Renewable Limits† (Brook, 2009, TCASE 4 & 7) where he states that input for energy for solar and wind is unreliable and also shows how costly and economically unfeasible it is to make solar and wind plants reliable on a global scale. The report demonstrates this by calculating the large amounts of materials and investment needed to make each renewable energy source reliable on a global scale e.g. 1,250,000 tonnes of concrete and 335,000 tonnes of steel per day from 2010 to 2050 for wind power to be reliable. Therefore, the facts in the premises Epstein offers are true. However, he chooses to purely focus on solar and wind as alternatives to fossil fuels and not on other more promising alternative sources of energy such as hydroelectric power or nuclear. Although he mentions them in his argument, acknowledging them as able to provide more significant and reliabl e power compared to solar and wind, Epstein fails to go any further in depth than that. The World Energy Outlook 2012 (International Energy Agency, 2012) showed that renewable energy is likely to grow to become the second-largest energy source by 2015, with its share of global power generation rising from 20% in 2010 to 31% by 2035 mostly stemming from hydroelectric power and nuclear power. Although the report states that this depends on continued subsidies, subsidies for renewable energy are also projected to reach $240 billion per year in 2035 from $44 billion in 2010, for 31% of global power. The report suggests that given enough time renewables like hydroelectric power and nuclear could be produced on a wide enough scale to compete with fossil fuels. This shows that the other alternatives not evaluated fully by Epstein are definitely gaining traction and support around the world and are able to produce affordable and reliable energy as well, potentially on a global scale given time. Although he claims to have focused only on solar and wind as environmentalists , opponents of fossil fuels, often only champion solar and wind power over nuclear and hydroelectric power, it is a very weak reason to not go into detail about these alternatives that are clearly gaining much traction and support around the world as shown in the source. Hence, Epstein fails to consider the full scope of alternatives in his argument and seems to focus only on alternatives that have clear limitations to strengthen his argument. Since his argument uses inductive reasoning to prove that alternative sources of energy to fossil fuels are not effective, based on the premises provided not painting a complete picture of the issue at hand, and the fact that the alternatives ignored show more promise than the ones mentioned in the premises, his argument is weak and not convincing. References Brook, B (2009). Renewable Limits | Brave New Climate. Retrieved from http://bravenewclimate.com/renewable-limits/ International Energy Agency & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2012). World energy outlook 2012. Paris: OECD/IEA. Retrieved from http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/

Turgeneu essays

Turgeneu essays Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov is the most flexible character in Ivan Turgenevs Fathers and Sons. Turgenev used the novel to point out that the values inherent in the Romantic era and the new harsher revolutionary beliefs were not mutually exclusive concerning Russian society. Although Nikolai is a member of the gentry, his liberal viewpoint leads him to roll with the changes that society was demanding. But in spite of his ability to adapt to those changes, his beliefs are steeped in the Romanticism that forms the cornerstone of his education and value system. However, that Romantic upbringing does not blind Nikolai when it comes to connecting with his son Arkady. Unlike Nikolai and Arkady, the gulf between the beliefs and values of the nihilist revolutionary Yevgeny Vassiliavich Bazarov and Nikolais Brother Pavel are irreconcilable. Nikolai and Arkady are able to communicate and understand each other because they are not total opposites. That communication and understanding was based o n the combination of the respect for nature, inherent in Romanticism, and the cold practicalities of the Positivism, so ardently posed by Bazarov. Initially, it does not appear that Arkady and Nikolai have the stronger link in spite of Nikolais relatively liberal leanings. When Nikolai tries to convince him to retain the values of his Romantic upbringing as they are walking along the ridge, he loses any hope of convincing Arkady. This occurs when his son discovers that Nikolai rented out the forested area along it where he played as child, with the knowledge it would be chopped down. Thus, hypocrisy dooms the effort for now. (Turgenev) Additionally, Arkady applies much of the nihilist leanings to getting his fathers estate better run. In doing so he brings a businesslike attitude that was always lacking with Nikolais loose control of the financial aspects of the estate. This shows one of the unbreakable bonds between him...

Graphing Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Graphing - Speech or Presentation Example Original equation is equal to y=3/2 x+ c and the gradient is 3/2. The product of gradient of perpendicular and original line is -1. Therefore, 3/2 (m2) =-1. M2 becomes -2/3. The equation of perpendicular is therefore y=-2/3 x+ c. One line is parallel to another if the lines can never meet when extended in both directions. Parallel lines have the same gradient or slope hence they never meet each other. Parallel lines are easily determined by comparing gradients or slopes of each given lines in their equations. The equations are normally in the form of y=mx+c, whereby y represents the values of y-axis in the line and x represents the values of x-axis. M represents the gradient or the slope of the line while c represents the y-intercept. Y-intercept is a point where the line cuts the y-axis. X-intercept is a point where the line cuts the x-axis. Lines are said to be perpendicular to each other if the product of their gradients is equal to -1. This means that perpendicular lines meet at a right angle, that is, the angle between perpendicular lines is 90Â °. The ordered pair or the coordinate of their meeting point is equal. Given the equation of a line, one can determine the gradient of the perpendicular line by finding the negative reciprocal of the gradient of the original line. Coordinate (0, 0) is referred to as the origin. It is the meeting point of y-axis and x-axis. Coordinates or ordered pair must be enclosed in a

Genetic testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Genetic testing - Essay Example In this essay, I will describe advantages and disadvantages of DNA testing and demonstrate why the test should not be put into practice. Firstly, genetic testing has a benefit of enhancing medical technology. Over the last few decades, scientists discovered more about genetics, which enabled humans to get a better understanding of genes. Running a genetic testing, compared to gene discoveries, would be an articulate evidence of proving how efficient genes are in terms of healing. Also gene tests determine how far we can utilize genes under difficult conditions such as cancer or other incurable diseases. On the contrary, there is a great risk of failure in the test. Despite recent genetic findings, most people are still unaware of the term â€Å"gene† and there are complications in technology with respect to treatment. Even specialists lack enough experience on dealing with ways and problems that are possible during real gene testing. Secondly, genetic testing is a relatively new field in medicine. This is advantageous because it is seeking for a new method since there has never been this type of testing. It also has a high possibility of success in the future. Clearly, genes are the most accurate form of extracting information about an individual’s trait. So, altering the harmful genes into good ones is the most effective ways of remedy. Nevertheless, it is difficult to afford the supplies required for genetic testing. For the genetic testing to flourish in the future, the process during the test should be without any oversights. But, the payment of laboratory, chemical supplies requiring special disposure, and hiring educated scientists, are requirements worth millions of dollars for an average conductor to officially run and examine genetic testing. Thirdly, genetic testing allows humans to have knowledge of the possible diseases and risks they will have