Fair Value Accounting Vs Historical Cost Accounting

Fair Value Accounting Vs Historical Cost Accounting i) Fair Value and Historical Cost Accounting Historical cost accounting is an accounting method by which assets are valued based on the actual amount of money with which they are bought and as such no inflation adjustments applied. (Eipstein and Jermacowicz, 2007). Fair value accounting on its part deals with the fair market value of the asset. A number of definitions for fair value are provided by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). According to the FASB cited in Barlev and Haddad (2003) â€Å"Fair value is the price for which a property could be sold in an arm’s length transaction between unrelated parties†. FAS 13 Accounting for Leases. According to Rayman (2007: 213) citing FASB (2006, par. 5) â€Å"fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date†. A similar definition is provided by the IASB in IAS 39 Financial Instruments, Recognition and Measurement: â€Å"fair value is the amount for which an asset could be exchanged, or a liability settled, between knowledgeable, willing parties in an arm’s length transaction†. (IAS 39. par. 9) (Bertoni and De Rosa, 2005; Epstein and Jermacowicz, 2007). According to the IASB fair value can be defined as: â€Å"the amount at which an asset could be exchange or a liability settled between knowledgeable willing parties at an arms length transaction† The fair value concept is used in many accounting standards such as the IFRS covering certain areas like acquisitions and valuation of securities. A fair value is used in situations where the actual cost of an asset is not obtainable. Assets will need to be revalued from time to time for instance when the market value for securities change or when their purchase price is inseparable from larger transactions (as in the case with acquisitions). (Eipstein and Jermacowicz, 2007). The fair value can be determined by the following methods, in IFRS order of preference as such: If there are identical transactions in the market, assets and liabilities should be valued with reference to such transactions i.e. If identical transactions do not exist, but similar transactions exist, fair value should be estimated making the necessary adjustments and using market based assumptions If either of the above methods cannot be used, other valuation methods may be used. (Eipstein and Jermacowicz, 2007). Fair value often has a subjective element as so many valuations are likely to use the latter two methods. ii) The Ideal Approach The most suitable approach to valuing assets and liabilities is the fair value approach. According to Barlev and Haddad ( 2003) the IASB and FASB consider HCA-based financial statements as obscuring the real financial position and the results of operations of a firm thereby providing ample room for manipulation. Historical cost accounting book values of assets and liabilities provide managers some loopholes to conduct earnings management thus concealing their real activities. (Barlev and Haddad, 2003). On the contrary, fair value accounting on the other hand measures and records current values of assets and liabilities in the balance sheet therefore making the book value to be approximately equal to the market value. The fair value approach therefore increases the value relevance of the balance sheet. (Barlev and Haddad, 2003).The basic premise underlying the FASB’ s decision is that fair value of financial assets and liabilities better enables investors, creditors and other u sers of financial statements to assess the consequences of an entity’s investment and financing strategies. (Khurana and Kim, 2003). Carroll et al. (2002) investigate the value relevance of fair value accounting relative to the historical cost accounting for financial instruments held by closed-end mutual funds. The findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between stock prices and the value of investment securities as well as between stock returns and fair value securities’ gains and losses. (Carroll et al., 2002). Despite the IASB and FASBs’ interests in the fair value approach, there are some inherent problems with the approach. The main problem with the fair value approach is determining the fair market value of assets that do not trade in active markets. According to Carpenter et al. (2008), this issue has been a subject of debate in the accounting profession. Accounting standard setters (the IASB and the FASB) recommend two solutions to this problem: (i) consult outside experts, for example, in the valuation of real estate, the services of a real estate expert should be sought; (ii) practitioners’ associations should develop valuation models. (Carpenter et al., 2008). However, despite these adjustments, Carpenter et al. (2008) suggest that there are still doubts as to whether skilled experts provide accurate and homogenous valuations. Analysing the consistency and quality of valuations provided by a sample of 43 business valuation experts who were asked to value a small high tech firm preparing for an IPO, Carpenter et al. (2008) provide evidence that skilled experts employ different methods and multiples even when they rely on the same guidelines. Moreover, there are significant variations in the fair market values for the same investment. (Carpenter et al., 2008). The evidence also suggest an upward bias in the fair market value of the high tech firm as compared to the actual value following the IPO. (Carpenter et al., 2008). iii. Implications for Future Accounting Standards The implications for future accounting standards is that the IASB and the FASB should develop more appropriate methods of determining fair value, especially for assets and liabilities for which there is not active market. By so doing the value relevance of the balance sheet will increase. BIBLIOGRAPHY Barlev B., Haddad, J. R. (2003). Fair value accounting and the Management of the firm. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, vol.14, 383–415. Benston, G. J. (2006). Fair Value Accounting: A Cautionary Tale from Enron. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, vol. 25, pp. 465-484. Carroll, T. J., Linsmeier, T. J., Petroni, K. R. (2002). The Reliability of Fair Value vs. Historical Cost Information: Evidence from Closed-End Mutual Funds. Journal of Accounting, Auditing, Finance. Carpentier, Cecile, Labelle, Rà ©al, Laurent, Bruno and Suret, Jean-Marc (2008). Does Fair Value Measurement Provide Satisfactory Evidence for Audit? The Case of High Tech ValuationAvailable at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1269743 Epstein, B. J., Jermakowicz E. K. (2007). Interpretation and Application of International Financial Reporting Standards. Wiley and Sons Inc. Khurana, I K., Kim M. (2003). Relative value relevance of historical cost vs. fair value: Evidence from bank holding companies. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, vol. 22, pp. 19–42. Rayman, R. A. (2007). Fair value accounting and the present value fallacy: The need for an alternative conceptual framework. The British Accounting Review, vol. 39 211–225

Leonardo Da Vinci :: essays research papers fc

Leonardo Da Vinci was born on April 14, 1452 in the town of Vinci near Florence Italy. He kept the name of his town for his last name. He lived during the fifteenth century, a period when the people of Europe were becoming interested in art. This period of time was known as the Renaissance period. Leonardo Da Vinci was very talented. He was a great artist, but he became famous because he was able to do so many other things. He was an architect, a musician, inventor, sculptor, scientist, and mathematician. His artistic talent revealed its self early in his life. When he was about 15 years old Leonardo's father took him to Florence Italy, to train as a painter and sculptor in the studio of Andrea del Verroccho. He studied with this master until the age of twenty five. At this point, he set up his own business and was famous for being a painter and a man of science. As a scientist, he observed everything he could in nature. Leonardo used what he learned from nature and science to make h is paintings look real. He drew and took many notes of what he observed. His notes were written backwards, probably because he didn't want people to read about his discoveries and observations. In order to read Leonardo's notes, one has to hold them up to a mirror. In 1472 he entered a painters' guild. His earliest extensive works date back to this time. In 1482 Da Vinci worked for Duke Lodovico Sforza in Milan for 18 years. He fulfilled the position as court artist, but also worked as an engineer and architect. While in Milan Leonardo developed more theories about painting. Leonardo believed that knowledge should be based on observation. He believed that observation led to understanding, and artists had an obligation to record this understanding by painting accurate images. He made sketches of everything around him. This caused him to make a master plan, his plan was to record the structure of every building in the world. He believed that this would uncover laws of harmony and prop ortion. In the fall of 1499 Leonardo left France and headed to Florence. There he painted paintings such as, Battle of Anghiari a mural that was painted for the Council Chamber of Town Hall, the famous portrait named the Mona Lisa, and Leda and the Swan.

Policy development Essay

In layman’s terms, policy may be defined as a deliberate plan of action that is used to guide decisions and thereby achieve rational outcomes. There is a fallacy that policies only apply to governments. Policies may also apply to private sector organizations, groups and individuals. Difference between policy and law To a great extent, laws are used for compelling or prohibiting behaviors. Conversely, policies are used to guide actions so that the desired action may be achieved. There various types of policies. These include public, fiscal and urban policies. Consequently, policies may then be understood as the political, management and administrative mechanisms arranged to reach certain explicit goals. Involvement Various individuals and groups in society try to shape up policy by way of advocacy, education and the mobilization of interest groups. The aim of doing so is to sway the policy makers to make decisions that will be in their favor. It is all about interest at the end of the day. If particular groups in society feel it is in their interest that certain policies be made in their favor, they try as much to advocate for them by way of lobbying. According to Cohen, De la Vega & Watson, in advocacy, certain groups or individuals in society take it upon themselves to educate the public and also the policy makers about the nature of the problems, the kind of legislation required to deal with the said problems including the funding required to provide the necessary services and/or conduct research (2001). In my community located in a small town in Pennsylvania, the major issue of concern is access to clean water. Water is life so the saying goes. However, in my small community, more and more people are finding it considerably hard to access reliable and safe water. Most of the local streams where the majority of the people obtain their water from are becoming openly polluted (Clean Water Action, N. d. ). This makes the water an issue of serious concern. As an individual member of our local community organization, known as, Water is Life, involvement is usually in the following policy areas. The reason I am involved in the policy is, unless the issue is addressed sooner rather than later, it may turn disastrous. There is no life without water. Lobbying The aim is to influence our representatives to institute meaningful change (Richan, 2006). The local town council which is an arm of the government needs to make sure that clean water is availed. The mayor’s election pledge was that clean water will be provided to the residents of the community as soon as he got into office. It has been six months and the taps are still dry. Consequently, I have established that the most effective lobby methods to use so as to reach the locals are letter writing, phone calls and meetings. This way the residents stay informed on the activities that the organization is involved in. However, the use of e-mails has proved to be much faster and convenient. With the growth of information and communication technology, members of the community have access to the internet (Grassroots lobbying techniques, N. d). However, it is not only the resident of the community who have been receiving the letters, emails and phone calls but also the mayor and Governor Rendell. Advocacy Cohen, De la Vega & Watson, define advocacy as the quest of influencing outcomes that in one way or another have an effect on people’s lives (2001). Advocacy is an integral part in policy and resource allocation decision. Advocacy is necessary if the adoption of the Buffer 100 policy is to become a reality and also if the protection of the streams and provision of clean water is to be realized. Through advocacy, the community organization Water is Life, has been able to give a voice to the residents of the community. More over, it has helped to mobilize them towards a common goal. Community mobilization The single most important resource that a community may use to influence policy is the people. When the people get together, they are better able to provide solutions to their most immediate problems. As part of the mobilization efforts, I am involved in handling out of pamphlets and organizing village meetings (Handbook, N. d). However, it is important to note that all these endeavors may not be successful without some kind of education. The locals have to be clearly informed on why their participation is important. Accordingly, the community organization (Water is Life), which may be regarded to an interest group pushing for the needs of the community and the policy implementers (the town council, the Office of the Mayor and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) may be referred to as the main actors. They are the main players in this policy issue. The individuals who have mostly been affected by the policy are the residents of the community. These actors are involved in different parts of the policy development process, right from the identification of the problem all through to the evaluations stage. Issue of concern There are many people in the community who are facing the possibility of not being able to access safe water. The residents should unite and support the implementation of the Buffer 100 policy which will protect the Pennsylvania streams from pollution (Clean water Action (N. d. ). Clean water has many uses. For drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning. There is as strain on the availability of safe water because the population has increased while water sources have remained constant while some have been destroyed. It is hard to imagine what the situation will be like in a few years time with population growth. There will be more demand for clean drinking water though the supply will be next to none. While the community was able to support a smaller population in the early 1980’s comfortable with the water resource given by Mother Nature, it has become considerably hard to continue with the trend. Human activity (pollution), the clearing of forests and other water catchments areas plus the effects of global warming are all to blame (Real Estate Futurist, 2009). The Clean Water Act is the chief federal law in the United States used to govern water pollution (Ryan, 2004). The clean water issue is contained within the broader realm of environmental policies. To a great extent, the formulation of water policy heavily relies on input from numerous parties/actors; from individuals, groups, communities and policy implementers. Their main duty is to avail critical information and expertise necessary for the understanding and addressing of water provision concerns. Extent to which the issue affects a larger number of people It has already been established that clean water is an absolute necessity. Without clean water, the existence of life becomes precarious. According to United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on climate change, a massive 2 billion people will not have access to clean drinking water by the year 2050. What is even more shocking is that the number may rise to 3. 2 billion people by the year 2080 (Associated Press, 2008). For evidence and proof that indeed water has become a scarce resource one only needs to open the newspapers and /or watch news for pictures of dry barren lands and animal carcasses under the scorching sun in such parts of the world as Africa. In the US, some regions are at the limit of their fresh water supplies. One major region that is experiencing water shortage is California. It is expected that between the year 2000 and 2015, the population will have doubled up. Think of the resulting stress on the provision of clean water. The lack of water has far reaching consequences. There will be less food production. Think of the West part of America which relies on irrigation to sustain agriculture (Real Estate Futurist, 2009)? Less food production will then mean that food will become more expensive. In the US, the people who may be most affected by the lack of safe water are the very young and the old. Thus, these include children of school going age and the old people most of who live in retirement homes. More over, people from marginalized communities for instance, the Latin Americans and immigrants from other countries may be affected. In terms of gender, women may be most affected as they are the ones who are mostly charged with the duties of looking for water. More over, they perform most of the activities where water is primal such as cooking and cleaning. Nevertheless, people who are in the lower end of the income bracket will also be more affected. Think of the people in manual/temporary labor who earn less than one dollar a day. In the event of water shortage, they will not have any money to spare for the purchase of water. They may then result to using contaminated water which is a health hazard. There is need for the adoption of better policies that will guarantee better access to safe water regardless of race or social class. Conclusion Policies are deliberate plan of actions used to not only guide decision but also to achieve a logical and rational outcome in particular issues and activities. Some of today’s policy issues are to be found in the environmental, health and education sectors. The availability and provision of safe water is a serious local and global issue in the environmental realm. Individuals and groups alike are involved in advocacy and lobbying as a way of influencing actors involved in policy development and implementation such as government representatives to act accordingly. The aim is to voice the concern of the people most affected by the issues; local communities. Unless, the water issue is addressed now there will be worse things to worry about in future. References. Clean water Action (N. d. ). Retrieved March 20, 2009 from http://www.cleanwateraction. org/ Clean Water. (2009). Real Estate Futurist. Retrieved March 20, 2009 from http://www. realestatefuturist. com/re-environmentwater. asp Cohen, D. , De la Vega, R. & Watson, G. (2001). Advocacy for social justice. Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press Inc. Experts warn of severe water shortages by 2080. (2008). Associated Press. Retrieved March 20, 2009 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/27781117/l Gerston, L. (1997). Public policy making: Process and principle. New York: M. E. Sharpe. Grass root lobbying techniques. (N. d. ). Retrieved March 20 2009 from http://fsalc. com/root. html Handbook: Non-formal adult education facilitators. (N. d. ). Retrieved March 20, 2009 http://www2. unescobkk. org/elib/publications/nonformal/M1. pdf Richan, W. (2006). Lobbying for social change. New York: Routledge. Ryan, M. (2004). The Clean Water Act handbook. Chicago: American Bar Association. Smith, B. (2003). Public policy and public participation: Engaging citizens and community in the development of public policy. Health Canada. Retrieved March 20, 2009 from http://www. phac-aspc. gc. ca/canada/regions/atlantic/pdf/pub_policy_partic_e. pdf

Formation and Effects of Acid Rain Essay Example

Formation and Effects of Acid Rain Essay Example Formation and Effects of Acid Rain Essay Formation and Effects of Acid Rain Essay Acid rain is rain that has had an oxide of an element dissolved in it. The most common one is Sulphur dioxide (SO2), which has the highest proportion of 70% of all acid rain. Acid rain is produced when fossil fuels are burnt and they release chemical energy emissions such as Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide etc. These emissions stay in the atmosphere until they dissolve into the condensation of water (clouds). Prevailing winds take these clouds offshore (or a few miles away) and when it precipitates the rainwater that comes down is dilute sulphuric acid or dilute nitric acid. The PH Scale of substances. Substance PH Value Oven Spray cleaner 12.5 Alkali : Ammonia Solution 11 Kitchen Surface Cleaner 10 More Alkali Sea water 8.2 Distilled Water 7 Neutral Milk 6.8 Washing up Liquid 5.5 Normal Rain Water 5 More Acidic Acid Rain 4.5 Apple 3.2 Vinegar 1.1 Lemons 2.5 Lowest recorded Acid Rain 2.4 Dilute Nitric Acid 1 Acidic In general acid rain is quite weak, as the graph shows, its weaker then the strength of apples. Although the acid is quite weak there would be enough to change the acidic value of the soil and then, in turn, have catastrophic effects on the plants and wildlife surrounding it. The strongest acid would be highly corrosive it would be the same effect as pouring nitric acid on it. Here is a flow chart to show the effects of acid rain: Fossil fuels burnt with Sulphur and other content When burnt the emissions given off rise into the atmosphere They then become gaseous and dissolve in the rainwater The rain is now acidic and harmful Rain gets into rivers, which are then polluted, fish die. Soil loses magnesium and calcium to aluminum Trees roots and leaves are corrodes and die Some evaporates back into the clouds. Acid rain affects buildings, soil, wildlife, vegetation and humans health. The acid rain affects the vegetation because when the acids have dissolved into the clouds it stays there until it precipitates. When this happens the acid will be soaked up and absorbed into the soil. The vegetations supported by the soil (trees, plants etc) fine roots will get burnt/ dissolved by the acid. This means that the plant will not be able to get water; also any acid that has been absorbed up will continue to burn/dissolve from the inside out. Acid rain that has fallen directly onto the leaves will most probably dissolve them. Acid rain is such a problem because it causes devastation to wildlife, if a lake were to get more acidic then the wildlife can tolerate it will cause a chain reaction to all living things in the lake dying. If the algae died everything else will soon follow because the bottom layer of the food chain would have been killed off. Changes in UK emissions The greatest source of sulphur dioxide emissions in 1981 was from power stations. The greatest source of sulphur dioxide emissions in 1991 was from power stations. The greatest source of nitrogen oxides in 1981 was from other industry. The greatest source of nitrogen oxides in 1991 was from road transport. I think these are the greatest sources because the power stations are continuously pumping out tons of sulphur dioxides and nitrogen oxides. I think the amount of SO2 (sulphur dioxide) and Nox (nitrogen oxide) has decreased because more people are using electricity above gas. The emissions of SO2 and Nox have increased for road transport, not because cars have not got cleaner but due to the fact that there are many more cars in 1991 then there where in 1981 because more people commute to other places and its much more easier and convenient then walking. During the 1980s and the 1990s power stations were used to generate electricity. They used fossil fuels such as coal and oil to do this. Fossil fuels where created millions of years ago when dead plants and animals where put under a lot of pressure and where then chemically changed, hence the name fossil fuels. During this change they accumulated carbon and sulphur. For the energy in these fossil fuels to be gained they must be combusted (burnt) when this takes place the carbon and sulphur is released as a waste product. Because this was the main way to generate electricity a lot of power stations were used thus meaning many thousands of tons of fossil fuels were needed. Nitrogen oxides are generated mostly from cars and since many people had cars to commute a lot was produced. The UK is an Economically Developed Country (MEDc) and therefore has access to a wide range of technologies, which too, added to the formation of acid rain. Cars are used to get around by many people. Because of this we would emit a lot of nitrogen oxides. The amounts of nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxides have generally been on a decrease with the exception of shipping and road transport. The decrease in most things is probably due to the more efficient energy sources, such as hydroelectric power, tidal power and nuclear power. This is because it has little initial cost and they release near to no waste energy (like carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide etc). An increase of the emissions from transport and shipping is because, more people can afford to own cars and they use them more and transport across seas has increased because there are massive tankers and Ferries that take people across seas, also massive cargo ships transport goods across countries for trade. Domestic emissions have decreased because more people are using electric heaters rather then burning coal or gas for heat. Commercial and public services use more technological methods such as the Internet or email. More PowerStations are using renewable energy sources. Other transport methods are being taken over by electrical based ones, such as trams and trains. Acid rain is the creation of human activity I agree with this statement. It holds some truth about the creation of acid rain. If humans where not here there wouldnt be acid rain, rain water would always be slightly acid because of volcanoes etc but it would never reach a critical level for it to be a problem. Nature had emitted 1/3 of the total nitrogen and sulphur emissions in 1985; however humans emitted twice the amount. I think that humans will never be 100% environment friendly because its not in our nature. We need energy and the biggest source we obtain it from is fossil fuels, until these sources eventually run out we will never be environment friendly. Basically acid rain is the creation of human activity but in the past our ancestors would have produced near to nothing in terms of how much sulphur and nitrogen emissions they produced. People living in the Amazon rainforest do not produce any emissions. In a way acid rain didnt have to be the creation of human activity, it just is now. Acid Rain between Countries The graph that shows estimations of emissions and depositions of sulphur tells us what countries received the highest and lowest values for depositions and emissions. The four countries with the highest emissions are: Germany, United Kingdom, Poland and Italy. The countries with the lowest emissions are: Sweden, Austria/ Switzerland and Norway. The four countries with the highest deposition are: Germany, Poland, United Kingdom and France. The four countries with the lowest deposition are: Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland. The results show that the countries have a similar proportion of sulphur released in both emissions and depositions. The highest amounts of emissions and depositions were expected to be in the more urban areas and were. The urban areas have higher amounts because there are many more cars and factories which give out mass amounts of pollution, also there are more technologies in urban area which add to pollution. Rural areas have far less then these so in turn they produce a lot less sulphur. In the graph to show the percentage of sulphur received by other countries there is some more useful information telling us what countries receive the most and least amount of sulphur. Austria, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland receive the most sulphur from other countries, whereas the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom receive the smallest amounts. There is a distinct connection between the information here. The pollution that comes from the urban areas moves (the wind takes it over seas) to the rural areas. Global Problems of Acid Rain Is acid rain a global problem? Acid rain is defiantly a global problem. This is because the wind takes away the clouds that contain the acid and send them to another country/nation. This means that the country that produces the acid rain is causing damage to another country. Countries in Europe such as the UK and Germany produce vast amounts of sulphur; however, Norway and Austria produce very little but are affected by acid rain and have more of a problem of it then UK and Germany. Germany and the United Kingdom receive their prevailing winds from the Atlantic Ocean; these same winds go on to other Countries in Europe such as Norway. When sulphur is released into the atmosphere it doesnt dissolve into the precipitation straight away. It takes some time for it to dissolve, whilst this is happening the clouds that contain the sulphur are moving out of one country and into the next by this time the sulphur has dissolved and when it rains the water is acidic. This matter is very difficult so solve because the richer nations want to continue to stay wealthy by using cheaper, more reliable energy sources. Political leaders of countries want to stay in power but to do so they must remain in public favor. They cannot create an environmental tax to pay to clean other countries because the people wouldnt want to pay. This means they will not vote for the politician that wants to bring this idea in action. This is why it is a complex situation; the countries on the receiving end do not want to pay to clear up another countries mess and the countries creating the mess cant generate the money to clear up their own mess. LEDCs would also generate a lot of sulphur because they do not have access and cant afford to use more re-usable/natural energy resources. These LEDCs need their energy as well but the result of this would affect other countries. LEDCs such as Kenya, Africa and Asia cant afford to clean up the mess they have given to other countries and the countries on the receiving end believe that its not themselves who should clean it up, but the country that produced it. This is where debates happen on how they should be sorted. Areas that have a high concentration of emissions or depositions are Britain, USA, Scandinavia, Africa and Asia. If all these countries had a system that would clean out the emissions three would be a lot less and because these countries have them they would pass it on to other countries. Both less and more economically developed countries both use high amounts of fossil fuels. The difference is that an MEDC can afford to clean it out, but they do not because the cost would be high and the people with the authority do not wish to implement it due to the cost factor. If they do implement it they would probably lose their position and power. LEDCs cannot afford the change. If a country was to clean its own atmosphere it would need large sums of money to do so continuously. To fulfill these requirements the government would also therefore, have to raise necessary taxes throughout the country If LEDCs in the future were to develop into more industrial towns they would require much more energy, thus meaning more pollution would be created and then needed to be cleaned up. The MEDCs would react quite badly if this were to happen. The MEDCs themselves would try and stop this happening or force them to change to renewable sources for their energy. The MEDCs would have many problems trying to implement these ideas upon the growing LEDCs though. Looking at countries pasts we know that all cities have grown and will grow a lot more in the future. Cities such as London and New York will continue to grow and when this happens they will need more land area. More technologies will be introduced in the cities and a lot more energy will be used, with all this comes a greater source of pollution. If countries were to implement renewable sources of energy they would have many problems. If wind farms were to be used they would take up a lot of land. Most land in England is either being used up by cities/towns and for farmland. Also the roads and motorways take up a lot of space. So soon there will not be enough land for wind farms. Hydro-electric power is also another for of renewable energy that could be introduced into an MEDC. Hydro-electric power has its advantages. It can produce a lot of energy and protect certain areas from flooding (due to the dam that has to be built). In order of hydro-electric power to be introduced I dam must be made on a river and the side the water is traveling from must be flooded and turned into a lake. This builds up the pressure and so makes the turbines in the damn turn faster. The problem of this is that a very large area of land must be flooded. Most major cities are built very close to water because when the people first built the foundations of a village it would have been near a fresh flowing water supply, a river. If the surroundings of the river got flooded it would be most likely that the city will be in the area that would be flooded. Because of the fresh water lots of trees and vegetation would be growing next to it, these would have to be burned before the land was flooded because they would poison the water. This would also destroy the wild life around the area. Acid rain has proven itself to be one of the biggest global problems. Countries that produce it cannot afford to clean it because they cant afford it. The countries that receive the effects of the acid rain shouldnt have to clean it up because they did not cause the problem. Acid rain is a global problem due to the fact that it affects many different people in different ways makes it a more complex problem. It affects things such as buildings. The acid will get onto the buildings and slowly weaken/corrode the material it is made out of, bricks etc. Older buildings such as cathedrals are being damaged by the acid because they are made out of limestone and acid dissolves the limestone. Lakes in areas that are effected by the acid rain will become more acidic then usual. This would then kill of all life in the lake because the fish and plants cannot cope with the acidity. The problem of acid rain should be acted upon quickly as more and more places of interest and tourist attractions are being ruined by the acid rain. Also lakes are being purged of all living things. Solutions to the acid rain problem There are many ways in which acid rain can be reduced or stopped altogether. The first thing that needs to be done is to make sure that all countries recognize and understand the problem of acid rain, whether it affects their country or not. The United Kingdom may not recognize that acid rain is as big a problem then people say it is because the United Kingdom doesnt receive many of the effects of acid rain. There are no straight forward ways of dealing with acid rain; each thing that can help has its draw backs. One way of solving the problem is to not use energy sources that create sulphur dioxides or nitrogen oxides. Countries that do not burn a lot of fossil fuels such as Norway wouldnt have a problem with this because they can easily revert to renewable energy. Countries such as North American would have the biggest problems. They burn up a lot of fossil fuels for their energy. If they were to stop using fossil fuels all of a sudden they would face economical disaster. They woul dnt have enough energy to power the country. Renewable energy doesnt offer as much as energy as fossil fuels. Another good idea is to place filters on the outgoing waste gasses in factories. This would clean a great deal of the waste gases out but will never make it 100% environmentally friendly. A big drawback of this is the fact that people would have to clean them or buy new filters. This would in turn cost a lot of money. Another solution for cleaning up acid rain is to spread limestone over the affected area that has been acidified. The limestone is an alkali and the sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are acids. When acids and alkalis react together they counteract each other. Basically the acidity is neutralised by the limestone. This process would take along time so the limestone would be chemically altered by adding heat and then water; this would then turn it into slaked lime and is a much stronger alkali. This would cost a lot of money to do though and it would be difficult to establish how much lime would be needed because if they put too much lime the soil/lake would become alkali. Many countries are trying to work together to find a solution that in a way is beneficial to everyone. This can be very difficult because to clear up any problems a country would need to generate money for it. If the prime minister or president suggested an economical tax he would most probably be de-elected because this would mean the taxes would go up and its not in the publics interest to pay more money to clean up other peoples countries. All countries should decide on a maximum amount of emissions they can produce in each month, if all countries followed this then it would in turn reduce global emissions slightly. If countries were to negotiate terms of what they should do all opinions will be biased towards their own country. They would be biased because they want a decision to be made that is in favor of their own country and so they have to pay the minimum amount they can get away with. My opinion on acid rain is that lots of filters should be attached to the outputs of waste gases. This would lower the amount of acidic emissions produced. Also on top of that the country that wants to clean up its environment should do it itself. They should raise money by hosting events and through some taxes, this way people would approve more because the money will be going to their own country. Also by cleaning up their own environment they can have something done about it in the not so distant future instead of waiting for politicians to make decisions which can take years. Also if more countries switched to renewable sources and dedicated a lot of money and land for this to take place it would reduce a lot of emissions. In the future humans at the global scale will have to convert to renewable energy sources, it is unavoidable. Soon (approx 300 years) the worlds fossil fuels will run out and humans will relay solely upon these renewable energy sources to feed the ever increasing demand for energy. As time passes the technology of humans advances and soon a new renewable power source will be the main source of our energy. The renewable energy sources we have at the moment normally have a high initial cost of energy which takes a long time to break even with the amount of money that it needed to set up and the amount of money/electricity it has produced. In time the amount of sulphur dioxides and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere will fall, hopefully they will fall before too much of the earth has been damaged, such as the polar ice caps melting as a result of global warming.

Internal Conflicts in Hamlet Essay Example

Internal Conflicts in Hamlet Essay Example Internal Conflicts in Hamlet Essay Internal Conflicts in Hamlet Essay Throughout different contexts, perspectives change. With these changing perspectives, composers collaborate with one another in order to attain a heightened understanding of the context. The enduring quality of Hamlet arises from its textual integrity, and its exploration of universal themes relating to the human condition. As such, the cohesive nature of Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1601) is enhanced through Gregory Doran’s’ film interpretation Hamlet BBC (2009). An analysis of this contemporary production elucidates the concepts from the original play, exploring the deceptive facades of the protagonist and antagonist. Further we can observe the inter-play of duty on identity and judge the notions of mortality in order to realise the fragility of life. Both texts remain relevant in relating with the modern audience and more specifically, the symbolisation of the ‘mouse trap. ’ The notion of verisimilitude, which is chronic to humanity is exemplified in Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy Hamlet through the characters of Hamlet and Claudius. Noblemen such as King Hamlet were seen as individuals chosen by God; therefore Claudius’ fratricide against King Hamlet was seen as a supremely sinful deed in that context. The serious nature of his crime necessitated his facade. The use of first-person collective and plosives in ‘Our dear brothers’ death†¦ and our whole kingdom be contracted in one brow of woe’ (1. 2. 1-4) emphasizes Claudius’ overwrought attention in maintaining his ‘honest’ and ‘honourable’ image. The notion of illusion against reality is further emphasised in the paradox of ‘that we wisest think on him†¦ With one auspicious and one dropping eye’ which conveys Claudius’s insincerity and reflects man’s deceptive capabilities. Hamlet’s feigning of an ‘antic disposition’ symbolises his deceit in hiding his renaissance ideologies. Hamlet’s aphoristic statement â€Å"that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain†, after hearing of Claudius’s murderous act, evokes the central concern of the play in which the line between masquerade and authenticity is blurred. Doran’s interpretation of Hamlet also deepens the contemporary audiences’ understanding of the difficulty in distinguishing between truth and illusions. In our post-modernist humanist society the film portrays Claudius as a multifaceted individual. Over the progressive passing of time, there has been a lowering of standard and apprehension towards the royal families of today; hence Doran’s Hamlet (2009) interprets Claudius as the victim in the after –math of King Hamlets’ murder, rather than Hamlet. This is evident in the use of chiaroscuro and ominous, non-diegetic music in the background as Claudius presents his soliloquy ‘Oh my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;’, which portrays him as exposed and helpless. This is juxtaposed with Hamlet in the darkness, portraying him as sinister and secretive. The additional quirky facial expression on Hamlet captured by a POV shot during the ‘mouse trap’ scene is presented to heighten this discreet, dark atmosphere on Hamlet. Hamlet’s sustainment of his overzealous, insane actions during his soliloquy emphasizes the directors’ interpretations on Hamlet being mad in reality. Therefore, the tenuous nature of truth allows us to question mankind’s nature and how appearances can easily interfere with our perception of reality. Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, through the characterisation of its protagonist, examines the justifiability of the universal notion of revenge. Hamlet faces an internal conflict to seek revenge against Claudius due to the conflicting notions of chivalric vengeance and the Renaissance ideal of divine retribution. The torment of the protagonist is conveyed in the soliloquy â€Å"O that this too too solid flesh would melt†, which depicts his deep anguish in fulfilling his fate as the avenger. (Do you have any ideas for contextual info? Shakespeare’s Hamlet indicates that rather Hamlet desiring to seek revenge for his father, he was merely forced into the action. The use of metaphor accompanied with war imagery ‘suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune†¦ To die, to sleep†¦ Ay, there’s the rub’ are used to highlight Hamlet’s conflicting dilemmas on suicide and spirituality. Hamlet’s contemplation of suicide emphasizes that the pressure of his duties laid down by the ghost has ultimately acted as a catalyst in initiating his down-fall. This can be concluded that Hamlets’ fate has been pre-determined, caused by a series of chain of events linked to the time period when King Hamlet was alive. This emphasizes the delicate, yet complicated structure of mortality how one course of action can dramatically change one individuals’ life. Hamlets’ contemplation in regards to his spiritual morality reflects and relates to the general dilemma of modern society, further proving that Hamlet remains relevant in society regardless of time. The use of personification ‘The undiscovered country†¦ puzzles the will†¦ thus conscience does make cowards of us all’ (3. . 79-83) foreshadows Hamlets’ existential conscience preventing him from taking revenge on Claudius quick enough. Contrastingly, Doran’s adaptation portrays Hamlet as an incompetent and demotivated individual in regards to his duties and identity. This emulates the ill-attentive, careless nature of the contemporary so ciety of today. The use of comical non-diegetic sound and a slanted crown on Hamlets’ head portrays him as care-free and ignorant of the situation he is in. Contrastingly, a more serious side of Hamlet is shown during the scene of Claudius’ soliloquy. Hamlets’ grim facial features in the darkness compared to Claudius under the light emphasizes Hamlet as being very sincere in regards to the revenge of Claudius. This is very puzzling as the directors’ overall interpretation of Hamlet differs from the serious nature of him in this scene. Through the director’s adaptation, this can be concluded as Hamlets’ inconsistency also shown throughout the course of the play. The concepts of revenge and retribution are seen strongly through Hamlets’ ponder on existentialism and the futile depth of his revenge. The use of allusion and repetition of Alexander the Great ‘Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust’ emphasizes that it is pointless in achieving for great things if in the end; we all are reduced to dust. This further reflects the care-free attitudes of the individuals in the modern society. Doran’s adaptation of Hamlet is a model exemplar of this concept by viewing revenge as a thrill-seeker in the eyes of Hamlet. Doran portrays Hamlet as very lively and excited during the scene of the ‘mouse trap’ displaying him as taking the whole situation as a game he must win through his facial features. Any other ideas? Ran out) This is assumed that it has been deliberately done by the director in order to contrast from the mundane lives of the contemporary society. In conclusion, the fluid nature of the universally coherent themes within Hamlet remains relevant in society regardless of time. Individuals obtain a heightened understandi ng of this play through the collaboration of unique ideas. Doran additionally further highlights Hamlet’s sinister image through the absence of light on Hamlets’ face during the scene of Claudius’ soliloquy.

Course reflective learning evaluation Assignment

Course reflective learning evaluation - Assignment Example This is because police work involves critical social, legal, and political practices, all of which must promote the welfare of the public (Cordner 21). Managing police, therefore, becomes an undertaking that not only focuses on police power and authority, but also on the interests of the people served by the police. This unique feature of police departments isolates them from the usual organizational administration, where client segmentation is evident. This course highlights key lessons that begin with police work but end up accounting for every member in the society. As earlier mentioned, social, legal, and political factors influence police related practice. At the community level, the police have to establish functional relations with the public. The idea is to foster loyalty, trust, and reliability. On the same, the course presents a scenario where members of the society are defiant or lawbreakers. This puts police at the center of law-abiding citizens and lawbreakers. Ultimately, the police and police administrations must strategize on how to approach such situations. Legal factors further influence police operations in many different ways. The course highlights that legal provisions vary from one situation to another. This requires police and their administrators to be at par with all legal provisions and/or processes that affect their duties and responsibilities. It is important to remember that the course emphasizes on the benefits of law and police administration in the context of crime reduction and enhanced community welfare (Moore 122-123). Insights from the course also reveal that police and their administrators ought to be leaders and strategic managers. Effective and efficient policing is not an easy task. Successful police-community communication, community policing, intelligence operations, and problem solving is extremely difficult to realize in the absence of servant leadership, strategic management, and tactic

IRAC Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IRAC Brief - Essay Example As the employer of the victims, was Mariano Prime LLC dba MD Wholesale cognizant of the harassment that took place and was it required to put an end to this type of behavior? Rule: Harassment can include undesirable sexual advances, solicitation for sexual favors as well as verbal or physical harassment that are sexually attuned. A client, employee or a customer of either male or female gender can experience sexual harassment. Analysis: The EEOC, upon conducting its investigation, filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for Guam District in September 2011 (EEOC v. Mariano Prime LLC dba MD Wholesale, Case No. 11-00029). This came after futile attempt to settle the case through conciliation process. During the EEOC’s investigation, it established reasonable evidence suggesting that MD Wholesale facility breached Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Marianas Variety",  2013). The case has also made apparent that there was no training whatsoever on sexual harassment, sexual assault, or reporting procedures. We can further assume that from management throughout subordinate levels, were totally oblivious of the consequences due to violations of a persons civil rights. Conclusion: MD Wholesale made a settlement with EEOC in the amount of $77,500 for the victims and accepted to change its policy and procedures for dealing with grievance on workplace sexual harassment. In addition, MD Wholesale is also required to retain an EEOC as a way of ensuring that their staffs are educated about their rights in light of workplace discrimination, harassment as well as retribution. Further, the company is expected to implement training program for its management to ensure compliance with future complaints. MD Wholesale agreed to offer extra training for its management and human resources personnel in order to ensure that they are capable of dealing effectively with future EEO grievances. Apart from monetary compensation to