Wealth Of Nations By Adam Smith Essays - Classical Liberalism

Wealth Of Nations By Adam Smith Wealth of Nations? Adam Smith shows, systematically and consistently, how a market-based economic system promotes general welfare through the sole maximisation of individual outcomes. Smith goes through a completely exhausting and methodical explanation about the nature of money, and in actuality what defines wealth. Smith quotes ?money is a common language, as I have already observed, frequently signifies wealth, and this ambiguity of expression has rendered this popular notion so framiliar to us, that even those who are convinved of its absurdity are very apt to forget their own principles, and in the course of their resonings to take it for granted as a certain and undeniable truth.? Smith puts forth a truth that in a space connot be sceen yet controlls(ed) the majority. This wrong doing lurks with in everyone yet the fundamentals are forgotten and money becomes the definition for eternal happiness and well being. This writting by Smith is a foundation in not just ecomonics, but the ropes of capitalism. In which that time began sckewing the picture of a financial economy that has brought only an uphill battle of financial credit and dept into our present day society. History Essays

Explore the ways in which Sebastian Faulks presents human endurance in the face of the horrors of war in the novel Birdsong Essays

Explore the ways in which Sebastian Faulks presents human endurance in the face of the horrors of war in the novel Birdsong Essays Explore the ways in which Sebastian Faulks presents human endurance in the face of the horrors of war in the novel Birdsong Essay Explore the ways in which Sebastian Faulks presents human endurance in the face of the horrors of war in the novel Birdsong Essay Essay Topic: Catching Fire In Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks highlights the incredible lengths of endurance that the soldiers of World War I were pushed to, having been subjected to the grim horrors of war. He makes it apparent that such horrors required a great deal of mental endurance as well as physical endurance, a notion that is aptly illustrated by Stephen Wraysford in a conversation with Michael Weir, This is not a war, this is an exploration of how far men can be degraded.The first time that the reader is introduced to Jack Firebrace, hes lying on a wooden cross whilst forty-five feet underneath France a tunneller. Immediately, physical adjectives are used in order to portray how hellish and unforgiving a miners tunnel can be. In the second paragraph of Part Two, Faulks includes small chunks of description in a series of short sentences to progressively give the reader a tunnelers perspective of the underground setting and its appalling conditions. The sweat running into and stingi ng Jacks eyes; the claustrophobia of a four-foot-wide tunnel; the fact that all time had been lost track of whilst underground, which portrays the idea that this tunnel is a terrifying otherworld for the men inside it, who spend so much of their time underground that time itself means nothing: He had lost track of how long he had been underground. He found it easier not to think when he might be relieved, but to keep digging.The manner in which Faulks delivers these short descriptions in quick succession lends the reader a feeling of moving into darkness from light, and having to allow the eyes to become accustomed to it, as if the reader himself were being led into the mines in which tunnellers endured countless hours of darkness: It had been six hours or more since he had seen daylight. Also, the fact that Jacks spade is an adapted spade, even though hes specifically a tunneller, shows the haphazardness of the army when it came to providing a good standard of equipment for its tro ops; soldiers just took what they could get, because it was better than nothing. However, Jack just gets on with his work, digging at the earth, hacking it out as though he hated it; its noted that the harder he works, the easier it is, which implies that the terrible conditions of the tunnel are simply endured and the digging continues because it has to, which Weir often stresses to the miners: If they think theres a mine under them they wont stay put for twenty four hours. Therell be a mutiny.Faulks writes of many ways to die in the novel, some of which the soldiers prefer over others, and when Jack reflects on the deaths of Turner and two others in the tunnel, he thinks about his attitude to death: The men might have died anyway, perhaps in a worse way, with gas in their lungs or lying beyond help in no mans land. This shows his preference of being incinerated by an explosion over having to experience a slow, painful, languishing death due to gas or wounds the fact that he has a preferred method of dying shows that hes experienced enough death to come to the conclusion that its inevitable; he accepts that hes going to die, and isnt particularly scared of it, but would prefer to die a quick death.This is somewhat ironic, because Jack dies a long and painful death spanning a number of days after being buried alive with Stephen in Part Six. Even when Jack begins to eventually long for death, it still refuses to arrive swiftly, as shown when Stephen wakes Jack from unconsciousness, but he could see Jack fighting to be free of him, desperate to shake off his last contact with the living world. Faulks made this happen to show that war is unfair, and also that the events of war can change a man to the extent that hed rather die than have to return to ordinary life, which seems distant and unrealistic; While a primitive fear kept stirring in him, the pain of his body and the lost illusions of his life made him wish for the conclusion to come.Faulks writes Stephen Wraysfords account of the first day of the Battle of the Somme with a tone of stark frankness and bluntness, using the minimal amount of description needed in order for the reader to form his own image. The capacity to endure and the mood of the forty eight hours of unwanted reprieve before the battle is summarised with a single line: The first rifle fire came with a falsetto crack. Barnes had shot himself through the palate. These two short sentences are separated from the rest of the text as part of a small, five-line paragraph; this structure has been used to emulate and highlight the effect on the troops of the sudden single rifle crack although the sound itself only lasted for a very short time, it carried a meaning and a sense of foreboding that offered the troops a morbid alternative to what lay ahead.Faulkss accounts of specific deaths during the battle are numerous; these are designed to highlight the utter horror of war. One particularly vivid description tells of a man w ho is still marching towards enemy lines despite losing a large proportion of his face, There was a man beside him missing part of his face, but walking in the same dreamlike state; the way that Faulks describes the man as walking in a dreamlike state could perhaps be symbolic of the popular belief that the decision to make soldiers walk rather than run whilst charging meant that they were, fundamentally, walking corpses. Faulks also shows the futility of the tactics of higher ranks, who are still not yet adapted to the modern warfare of World War I, Ten yards ahead and to the right was Colonel Barclay. He was carrying a sword.Sebastian Faulks portrays the horrors of war in numerous ways; he describes the claustrophobia and intense heat and darkness of a tunnel; the realisation that death is inevitable and the unwise tacticians of the Battle of the Somme. Whatever situation soldiers are thrown into, though, it seems like theyre able to adapt and endure it like when Stephen is force d to carry a canary through the mines despite his crippling fear of birds. At first, Stephen is revolted by the idea of catching the canary, He felt himself close to tears as he searched the murk of the clay, Faulkss use of the phrase close to tears makes Stephen seem childlike, but his determination to help his injured comrade spurs him on, and, unwilling to upset Weir by killing the bird, he literally grits his teeth and carries the bird to safety, With teeth clamped very tight together he held out both hands to Weir, who released the bird into the handkerchief, possibly saving Weirs life in the process. However, a lot of soldiers endured their situations because the only alternative was a court martial, but the threat of the firing squad was enough to make most soldiers do practically anything for their country.

The Natural History Museum in London from 19th Century to Modernity Essay - 1

The Natural History Museum in London from 19th Century to Modernity - Essay Example Alfred Waterhouse changed the design from Renaissance to German Romanesque, which came to be known as the Waterhouse building up to today. This is an analytical survey at the museum’s space in relation to its interior, creator and the 19Th century society. The space inside the museum is extensive with beautifully decorated ceiling panels displaying pictures of plants from all over the world. The museum has extensive halls that house different departments within the museum. The entrance to the museum is located between two towers representing the Victorian style of architecture. There are rounded arches, made of bricks, and layered with terracotta. This design was inspired by the basalt columns at Fingals cave in western Scotland. Inside the entrance, there is a large hall with a grand staircase that leads up to the second floor that houses the galleries. Albert Waterhouse’s artistic mind made him leave the bare iron and glass exposed to express the beauty of the building materials. The outer design comprising of terracotta was both for aesthetic purpose and practical reasons (Anderson, 2004 p5). The blue colour, of the terracotta designed in relief, portrays different plants and animals as well as offering protection from the c haracteristic Victorian acidic smog. The halls in the museum are high ceilinged creating a comfortable ambience for visitors. High above the halls, there is an exhibition of sorts in the form of panels that depict various species of plants from around the world. The painted panels, on the ceiling, are in dark shades, which make the ceiling appear lower than it is. This makes a person feel intimate with the room; the vast spaces do not overwhelm people. The lighting in the museum is cleverly done so as not cause reflective glares when viewing the exhibits. The light emanates from hidden lighting sources on the walls and panels for effect and for protecting the exhibits from

3.2 Smithsons Holiday Tour Proposal Speech or Presentation

3.2 Smithsons Holiday Tour Proposal - Speech or Presentation Example The first date we will set to join the tour to Salvador before flying to Manaus. The location is classic, with a moderate pace and standard comfort. It is appropriate for small groups. At Salvador there are many activities that will be undertaken: On arrival at Manaus on day three, we will have the opportunity to experience the beautiful scenery of the metropolis jungle. The area keeps the picture of the golden times of its peak era during the rubber economic boom. It consists of restored monuments and restored buildings. The city is nestled in the forest and also offers exotic resorts and hotels a convention centre and state-of-art technology. The allure of the paradise is exclusive. The fourth day will be the launch into the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon rain forest is a top area of attraction and has several activities that will engage us. It is located in the state of Amazonas which is the largest in the Brazil region. It is an enormous tropical rain forest that is interrupted by a gigantic network of rivers. It is an elegant tourist destination that gives the exuberance of the jungle when exploring it in an economically friendly manner. On return to Cuiaba, we will commence our journey to explore the wildlife reserve at Pantanal. Pantanal in Brazil is the principal wetland in the whole world. Additionally, it is the best place to consider for wildlife tours in the southern parts of America. The wildlife includes among others monkeys, anteaters, giant river otters, the elusive jaguar, ocelots, anacondas plus approximately 400 species of fishes. The destination is heaven for the birders with a passion for the colourful parrots, large flocks of Jabiru storks. Precisely, more than 650 species of birds live in this location. Indeed, this is a superb destination for an individual who wants to view birdlife and wildlife. A visit to Foz do Iguacu will be

A research strategy for a topic of security risk analysis Essay

A research strategy for a topic of security risk analysis - Essay Example The researcher states that it is necessary to understand the importance of conducting quantitative research within the information security field to become familiar with the challenges one faces when addressing an issue in question. Besides, to have a clear picture of the challenges in quantitative research methods, a research strategy must be evaluated to determine the pros and cons related to sampling, validity, reliability, and bias during a study. In fact, the evaluation of each criterion within a hypothetical study will include the use of online survey research to collect data from participants without the need for additional investment in hardcopy materials and travel expenses. Therefore, to become familiar with the challenges of quantitative research using an online research methodology, the sampling, validity, reliability, and bias will be analyzed by selecting a strategy to conduct a hypothetical study on security risk management. This will determine the viability of the onl ine survey strategy in the information security field. The viability of the online survey methodology will depend on internal and external factors during the process of research management. Before selecting and implementing a research method during an information security study, it is necessary to understand the research question and then define the hypothesis to determine the direction of the research. The direction of the research will be determined by the topic under investigation, thus establishing a clear strategy to obtain the necessary data needed to complete the study. As disclosed by Cook and Cook (2008), the research design will be based on the research question, so that the study will be able to answer the main hypothesis. Then the data gathering must be elaborated on using quantitative research methods based on the variables illustrated in the hypothesis. Indeed, using quantitative research methods will allow the researcher to present the results of the data collected us ing statistical displays to make a correlation between the dependent and independent variables being studied. Before the selection of a research methodology, internal and external validity must be considered before adopting an instrument. Nevertheless, before making a final decision on the preferred instrument, well-defined research questions must be formulated. The research questions must be related to the main hypothesis to acquire the best results and to illustrate the importance of quantitative research within the topic being studied. The research questions must address the purpose of the data to be collected corresponding to all independent variables to understand the behavior of the dependent variable. For this reason, if a study titled â€Å"Security controls as a tool of security risk management in business revenue† will be conducted to understand the reliability of security controls in protecting business revenue, the research question will be â€Å"Are security con trols reliable in protecting the business revenue†. The dependent variable is business revenue and the independent variable is reliability of security controls. The research hypothesis is that security controls are reliable for protecting business revenue. This will give a direction to the research. Indeed, the development of an instrument and the implementation of a research method will be based on the research questions to be asked to the targeted population to acquire a

Credit Rating Agency: Impacts of Regulatory Changes

Credit Rating Agency: Impacts of Regulatory Changes How rating agencies operate, and recent regulatory changes. Credit rating agency is a private company that is assigned to detect the creditworthiness of businesses, individuals or other organizations. It uses very many factors to assess the ability of the borrowers to repay their debts. It is majorly based on the borrowers solvency. The main instruments rated by the rating agency are the government bonds, corporate bonds, stocks exchange, municipal bonds and security collaterals. These obligations to assess the creditworthiness is issued by the companies especially banks in order to give loans to other business or companies. The agencies have been in practice for a long period since the 20th century. The agencies have certain regulations that governance its operations. This work explores the activities of credit rating agency how they operate and reasonable regulations that have changed recently (White, 2010). The main purpose of the rating agencies is to give the rating to businesses that issue debts, which involve Private Corporation and the national government and other forms of government. The agency has proved to be important in the lending, and the financial industry as information is for the investors to demand to receive adequate compensation for the risk involved in any particular investment is critical (White, 2010). Investors take into account the credit rating to help manage the range. Lower rating translates to greater lending risk by a lender. In consideration of the market trends, the investors may lend at larger rates in higher risk to protect against the risks thus, having an overall effect of raising the lending rates. Credit rating agency is also essential as the information they provide are used to determine the interest to be charged on loans given or possible returns expected. Business with a low rating and high risk would attract high-interest rate while the high rating and low risk would attract the low-interest rates. The investor seeks such opinions from the rating agencies in order to make appropriate investment decisions. In history, as from the beginning of the 20th century, three companies, Fitch, Moody, and standard and poors were formed to help the investors to access the ability of other individual be able to repay loan or assistance given to the by such institutions. For Fetch, it had a unique characteristic of publishing its finding on the stock and bonds financial statistics. The standard and poor it had the same approach as for the Fitch Moodys company but was a bit different, as it was proving its rating on the government bonds. The companies help so many organization and business to consolidate their asset and operation thus improving lending among the companies (Pinto, 2006). Creditworthiness, being the capability and willingness to make full payment of debt in required time, some companies due to financial constrain cannot be able to make such commitments. In order to determine the timely debt payment a number of factors are considered, the financial risk, industry risk, business and risks associated with management. This factors if not put into consideration a business cannot repay the debt. With the factor in place, certain criteria are used to assess the credit rating process (White, 2010). In order for any business to repay debt, the venture should be able to generate sufficient cash to fund all its operation and still have the excess to be used for the repayment of the credit. And the most important is the ability to repay the debts in full within the stipulated time happens is what most credit rating the companys main point of interest (Pinto, 2006). Certain factors are use in determining the rating for businesses, these factors considered can be grouped as either qualitative or quantitative. These factors also depend on the type of business in question. Different businesses have different fundaments and management structures. The environment of operations also marks an important factor. Business can prosper quickly or perform poorly based on the area it is situated. The industry in which the company operates is also important as some industries attract more risk than others or have a varying degree of requirements to run. The extent of market dominance as it provides the positions and influence in its operations. With all these factors in place, its possible to determine and make a comparison between the financial and business risk (Pinto, 2006). Quality analysis The environment of operation is coupled with the company itself before rating the company. It is important to have a detailed analysis of any operating risk of the issuer which involves its internal and the external business environment. Then there is analysis to evaluate the financial risk involved. Assessing the financial risks would help to keep the potential of the firm to repay the depths. Industry An industry in which the issuer is active determines the external factors in which the business can be successful, or it can fail to perform in. This gives the credit a platform in which it can assess the business qualitatively. The rating takes into consideration the mode of the company cycle and its volatility as it a tool for the long-term assessment of the capabilities to repay the loan or debts involved. In this case, the level of capital intensity and competitiveness make the critical business environment; It influences the rating since in most scenarios these factors impacts on the cash flow within the firm and the timely debt repayment (Pinto, 2006). To arrive at a rating, a real business profiling is conducted which involve in-depth analysis of the finances and the business itself; this profile is in conjunction with the riskiness in the particular industry. If a company operates in a relatively risky industry there a possibility of slightly lower rating irrespective its of the financial performance (Pinto, 2006). To case study on the industry, an oilfield service company is considered. The industry involves the companies that drill, provide oil services and gas exploration. These companies do suffer if done profile do not incur financial risk, but in case it is there its in low level, but instead, they have the business risk. Its characterized by the firms being highly specialized thus limited product are offered, the risk they are involved in are hard to avoid, the risks are spillages, contaminations, environmental risks and political risk. There is no barrier to entries posting possibility of stiff competition among other critical factors. The business risk assessment; the size of the rating would be able to tell if it will be able to withstand the petroleum price that is extremely volatile. In these feeds of operations, the economies of scale matter a lot since for the business with large sizes are not significantly affected by the changing prices. Other factors that are used include; operating efficiency which involves the cost of operation and the influence due to the ever-changing prices, capital intensity, sovereign governance, and the corporate governance. Other important factors considered are contractual position, diversification in customers, environmental factors and workforce enterprise (Pinto, 2006). In the rating, the financial and the business risk are blended to come up with the best rating. In most case, in such an industry the business risks are more than the financial risk. However, at some low level of rating the financial risk take precedence to environmental factors. The position in the market Market position in most cases may override if the business that operates in highly competitive environment which happen when assessing the industry. The critical factors to be considered include, the ability to influence or maintains prices in the market, for the sake of customers who are key and the products are diversified, in case there is competitiveness in the market and above all to what the business market share (Pinto, 2006). Taking business size into consideration only is only helpful in rating if the size has an influence on the cash flow regarding cost, operation efficiency, and the economies of scale which mainly experienced in oil industry explained above. Market position is, therefore, important in gauging the ability to cope with changes or disruption factor influencing its existence. If a business is a dominant business in a particular environment, it means that the firm can easily carry its operations but still manage to pay its debts obligations within time. This is because such business has a broad customer base so they can have good returns within a short period. Assessing based finance would give high results result. Business management The way business is managed greatly determines the creditworthiness. The analyst would consider the management skills in their ratings. Excellent managerial skills to business have many benefits to the success of the firm. However, in rating management, it is evaluated in more comprehensive perspective more than just operational success. The tolerance is a critical determinant. Tolerance in business manage is the ability to sustain the business running despite other factors that may hinder smooth business operation. Factors that would rate the company include maintaining market positions with a well-established managements track record, the long-term financial performance of the venture, having established efficient operating system form the basis of qualitative analysis if the rating. Rating base on management further takes into consideration the following. The company policy, establishment of policies should be in line with the objective of the business. These should stipulate the financial risks that are involved and incase the do exist, the appropriate ways to mitigate them. An analyst would particular concentrate on the financial risk polices created by the company. Organizational considerations The senior management plays a significant role in determining the success of the business. The management is the core decision makers, and the analyst relies most on the decisions they make to run the decision. The number of people involved in the process of decision making and the frequency of its adjustments. Problem crops in when old decision are still being used to influence a business that is in an ever changing market trends. Adding to risk tolerance, the reliability and credibility in determining the creditworthiness are based on the tolerance. Businesses which are at high-risk financial aid are starting businesses. So many challenges are normally encountered in the business before it gains stability especially in a highly competitive environment. If the management can sustain such constraints and still be able to repay a particular loan with a stipulated time, then such a business could earn a higher rating in the credit rating agency (Pinto, 2006). Management strategy, any successful business should be able to anticipate the future base on its past and present. Having a short and long term strategies that predict the future and maintaining the strategies chosen to form the best platform for analysis. The short term plans short be engineered to ensuring maximum earnings to the business (Langohr Langohr, 2010). Quality analysis of corporate governance firms Still, on the management of corporate firm have a bit complex management compared to other business as it has many people involve in senior management position forming the board of management of which must participate in decision making of affirms. The board should be effective. To ensure the effectiveness of the board its primary role of oversight and ability is important. Once the decisions have been made, then its implementation is by junior members. The analysis focuses on the capacity of the board to have a big oversight that would see smooth operation with emphasis on incentivizing management in the execution of the financial responsibilities (Langohr, Langohr, 2010). The board should also be independent. An independent director would participate in decision management with a clear focused mind. Those executives with some degree of loyalty to their seniors do not make rational decisions as their decisions are influence by their relations which may set back the corporate especially its finances which the main point of focus in the rating Financial discipline and accountability is another major consideration by the credit rating of the business. Factors that are considered are the compensations within the organization. A corporate which grants remuneration far above what is normal in the market is likely to have low ratings. Money transaction among the stakeholders such as top management, the sister companies and between shareholder cannot be trusted as accountability is likely to be a problem (Langohr Langohr, 2010). Companies or nations In rating countries or companies, the following factors are considered. The political risk; most companies do have internal politics. Business politics is good if it only it can embrace diversity and allows people to share their different ideas get synergize them together to come up with better solution or leadership to the business. In cases where bad politics is present, the probabilities of financial impropriates are high which would give a poor rating. National politics could lead to a country of peace which business operations are being carried on smoothly. In such an environment with political stability, a business can carry out its operations to get funds to pay their debt within time. This also applies to government borrowing. In case a country is in turmoil business are negatively affected thus their ability to repay their debts due to the risk involved is lowered therefore in such case the rating would relatively reduce irrespective of other factors. Regulatory risk; the laws that are enacted by countries are supposed to create a conducive environment for enabling business. The government should adopt policies or sign trade agreements that protect the local investments. In such as case, the economy grows allowing business and the government to repay loan. Some countries do enact monetary policies that act like a bullet shooting them in the foot. These policies may affect the countries internal and foreign investments. External risks: These risks relate to the treat such as wars or trade sanctions. A country that is engaged in war is at high risk of punishment by trading blocks and other external countries. In case a country receives such treat the implication is that its not able to carry any business with other nations. Which means it cannot be able to earn foreign exchange and which is used in repayment of government borrowings Fiscal risk; this depends on the balance between the government borrowing and expenditure. Is the government borrowing too much and spending away? Majorly the problem of over borrowing is common in third world countries in which the government officials are corrupt. Government borrowing is supposed to channeled to project that could create the return to help repay such loan. Countries with poor quality fiscal policies are rated lowly by the credit rating families. Economic risk; the economy of a country is determined by the gross domestic product. When there is a case of a poor economy such as the in a case of civil wars, the government cannot collect taxes, and there are cases of inflation which affect the countrys and companys ability to repay the loans(Pinto, 2006). Accounting Creditability and accountability of finances in an organization is shown by good accounting. The financial reporting is a clear indication that a business is financially disciplined. Credit institutions rely majorly on the accounting statements of a business. Accurate and transparent accounting books can motivate financial institution to grant credit facilities to business. On the rating, unclear books of accounting that could be as a result of interference by the management or workers have a negative implication on the assessment of the creditworthiness of the business. The agencies would also use the accounting theories in areas as depreciation, goodwill, consolidations and pension provisions that would demonstrate a true figure of financial performance (Pinto, 2006). Quantitative analysis Other than the qualitative analysis where there is detailed assessment of the finances is analyzed there is also a quantitative survey by the credit rating agencies. Quantitative analysis deals more with the cash generation ability of the issuers. To detect long-term sustainability an important ratio is considered, the profitability and the debt coverage ratio this requires the provision of financial projections for a period of next three or five years. The quantitative measure and development and trend are significant in the analysis. Profitability Profitability is determined a by a number of financial ratios. The ability to make profit is the main determinant of the level of credit protection and the degree of credit risk for investors. The potential to obtain capital internally and enter the external capital sources is directly proportional to the companys returns and operating margins. The margins i.e. operating income and sales provide the issuers profitability as a result of revenue growth excluding the profits. Comparisons are possible due to companies of the same level (Kisgen Strahan, 2010). Cash flow Payments of interest or principle are not made on the earnings Even though it seems to be connected to the profitability. When the operating cash flow is enough to services the debt and its operation that is the time it can be used to make payments. In credit rating methodology, cash flow is being taken as the most important as an essential part of the analysis. It is not possible to cover underperformance or loses through funds from external sources. Specific attention is on the extent the issuer depends on external funds and cashflow from operations. For companies to make future obligations, their cash flows are integral. It further focuses on the leverages, coverage, and earnings which are used accounting methods which are a particular and different valuation of assets. This implies that at no point it will mirror the correct financial position of the issuer and his ability to service the debt (Kisgen Strahan, 2010). Flexibility of finances When the company is under constrains, they react in a particular way shown by the financial flexibility. The rating checks at the debt serving during the time in which the finances are volatile in the business and in case the company could be having any other sources considered as external. The financial flexibility is directly proportional to funding options that are available for business. The flexibility in the finances is affected by the debt levels especially the short-term debts. Other effects to financial flexibility are loans with more restrictive terms, possibilities of legal issues, insurance covers missing and pensions which are not fully funded (Kisgen Strahan, 2010). Capital structure This is the dependence of business on the external source of funds. This highly affects the debt serving ability. If a company entirely depend on the external source, it is hard to predict how it would be able to repay the debt (Kisgen Strahan, 2010). Pros and cons Credit rating agencies like any other agency have pro and con in its operations. The advantages include they help institutions get better rates. For institutions with higher grades are in a position to borrow many at the rates which are favorable, it is a kind of an incentive to the businesses with good management and whose creditworthiness is not doubted. Help warn investors of risky companies; for the investors who want to invest in high risk, businesses are in a position to know the level of returns they expect from companies of low rating. It is due to this high risk that such investors are able to make surplus compared to the other normal investors. Provision for a room for improvement as a good incentive for the business rated poorly, it is an opportunity for them to realize the areas they should change in. A common challenge is that such businesses are normally in denial of their debt status. However, for those that accept do get advice as an incentive to their improvements. Since anything with advantage must have the other side, the cons of credit rating include evaluation being highly subjective; the rating between different companies varies considerably. This because there exist no known standard formula or guideline used by credit rating institutions in their work, the general rating is based on their judgments. The possibility of a conflict of reference: In making reference to cases in the department of justice USA where there was a possibility of a conflict of interest in mortgage-backed securities that collapse in 2008. The rating companies at times provide their services to companies which make the private request. However, they can make such rating and give to investors even if the requesting company still pays them. Conflict of interest to occur when the business does not a company is given good rating they do not deserve on the basis that this rating company wants to retain them as their customers (Mulligan, 2009). Lastly the ratings are in most cases not very accurate. For a long time the way the agencies rate have been subject to a lot of questioning. In as much as they do have a consistent rating, it does not translate to accurate rating. The inaccuracy can be case studied mortgage-backed securities that recessed despite the good rating it was given by then. New regulations on the credit rating agencies Reform Act has been enacted to with the aim of improving rating quality, investors protections and for the transparency, accountability, and competition in the credit rating market. I the USA the amendments geared toward the CRA include CRA reform act of 2006. The act raised the number of NRSRIs which lead to increase in competition among the CRA, in case there was no-action letter process in designation, then an agency can seek to designation by submitting applications to SEC with the new laws (Hill, 2012). The CRA companies were required with the new regulation to adopt NRSROs of particular policies and procedures which would prevent misuse of non-public information, materials and on the issue of management potential of interest; SEC was mandated to inspect these adoptions by the CRAs the new regulations further demand that NRSRIs are to provide their procedures and methodology in which they use to in rating, provide the SEC with information regarding quality of information, accuracy and reliability, including the information from the third parts used in rating the issuance, the NRSRO was to have board of director who is independent as they give internal control which implements, maintains and enforce the policies, methodologies, and procedures of credit rating. Right of action against ratings agencies can also be brought by the investors regarding the reckless failure to conduct a reasonable investigation of the fact or use of independent source to gain information. Qualifying exams and continuous education were enacted, and it was mandatory for the analyst to do and pass the exams. Other international agencies also such as the European Union also stipulated some of the rules for the rating agencies. The new rule seeks to reduce overreliance on credit rating, which specifically was dependent on the external rating but instead, financial institutions were to strengthen their risk assessment programs. The credit rating companies were to be more accountable for their activities in case there was intentionally or due to the negligence of other regulations. Conclusion The credit rating agency is important organs for the investor to base the decision in their rating as it gives the picture of the creditworthiness of the issuer. The investor can determine more accurately the returns from the investment and the risk involved in a particular investment plan. Financial institutions also can use the report from this agency to reduce the possibilities of high loan defaulters in their operation. However due to poor historical misconduct of some of the agencies and numerous disadvantages associated with such agencies companies have made losses and recesses as well. In line with this US government together other-other international bodies enacted laws and regulations to that strict governance the agencies and its operation by majorly making reference to mortgage-back securities. References       Hill, C. A. (2012). Regulating the rating agencies. Wash. ULQ, 82, 43. Kisgen, D. J., Strahan, P. E. (2010). Do regulations based on credit ratings affect a firms cost of capital?. Review of Financial Studies, hhq077. Langohr, H., Langohr, P. (2010). The rating agencies and their credit ratings: what they are, how they work, and why they are relevant (Vol. 510). John Wiley Sons. Mulligan, C. M. (2009). From AAA to F: How the credit rating agencies failed America and What can be done to protect investors. BCL Rev., 50, 1275. Pinto, A. R. (2006). Control and responsibility of credit rating agencies in the United States. The American Journal of Comparative Law, 54, 341-356. White, L. J. (2010). Markets: The credit rating agencies. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24(2), 211-226.

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From the years 1880 to the early 1900’s immigrants from Italy began to find their way to the new land in America. But why did they choose to move and why did they choose here? Opposition to the fascist rule of Benito Mussolini was one major cause of the great number of Italians leaving Italy. Other reasons were that poverty, overpopulation, and natural disaster all spurred in Italy in the late 1800’s. Also the illiteracy rate in southern Italy was nearly 70 percent, about 10 times as high as Germany, France and England in the late 1800’s. There was a lack of cultivatable land and of industrial resources such as coal and iron. Also they had a lack of modern agricultural technology, therefor the 80% of Italians who relied on farming for their income fell to poverty when there farms became insufficient. There was also a disease, Phylloxera, which spread and killed many vineyards. Natural disasters destroyed many families’ lives in Italy including volcanic eru ptions, earthquakes and massive tidal waves. In Italy, a worker could make between $2 and $8 for 6 days of work, while in other countries such as the United States they could make around $20 or more a week. Italians came to America for a new start and with the visions of achieving the American Dream. In the late 1800’s and through history, people saw America as the â€Å"land of opportunity†, â€Å"the land of milk and honey† or â€Å"The Promised Land†. They believed that America was the place that they could turn their life around and get a job to support their family better than they could in their native country. The jobs that they found were not always easy. The first Italians to America often became fruit merchants in New York and wine growers in California. Many agricultural states atte... ...rs, and women were paid even less. Following WWII the G.I. Bill was passed which provided servicemen with the opportunity to attend college, buy a home, or receive other types of training. The bill enabled a significant amount of Italians to move out of blue collar jobs and begin working in places of higher class. Some of these people even began opening their own businesses. Although following generations maintained certain pieces of their Italian culture, they incorporated American values into their lives by marrying other types from outside of their communities and moving out of the Little Italy communities that they had settled in. Today, direct descendants of the early Italian immigrants are believed to be around 16 million. Stereotypes and bad jokes aside, today, Italians are appreciated for their contributions to the American society, both past and present.

Learning Experiences with Linear and Systemic Questioning Essay

In this paper I will have a detailed interview process laid out in order of focus. First, I am focusing my interview on the background of my partner and what motivates her to go to school and further her education. Secondly, I will ask her why she chose to specialize in her field of work and what are side hobbies or enjoyments that she does besides working towards her career goal. Lastly, I will be asking about her family and their views on education. I will be asking both linear and systemic questions to get my answers. I have looked up the meaning of linear and systemic questioning and their differences before writing out the questions I am using for Michele. I feel like this assignment has helped me to understand and recognize the difference in the questions being asked and which ones will give me a more detailed answer. Learning Experience with Linear and Systemic Questioning I am doing an interview process with Michele Renner to learn more about her as a student, professional, and person. I know that this assignment is a stepping stone to learning all I need to know to be a MFT. The interview process will teach me how to reply and question in a professional matter and how to talk with a complete stranger without there being any uneasiness. I believe that this interview essay is relevant to my education needed for MFT work. I think it is a great way to quickly get to know a part of my fellow classmate’s life and see the inside without having met her yet. Michele has a very busy life, I know this much from reading her introduction in class. She has six children and that isn’t the only thing keeping her on her toes. I admire the fact that she is continuing her education despite all that is going on in her life; it shows that her motivation is strong. Michele not only has a strong motivation for continuing her education but a very inspirational story. Question Development Michele chose education to be the main focus of our interview process with me as her interviewer. I have lined up eight linear questions and seven systemic questions all around the topic of education and how it affects her family and time with extracurricular activities. My questions are listed in Appendix A. Since Michele only chose education I was able to format my questions in a way to gain more insight on her everyday life by asking how education affects her, her kids, her spouse, and her work. All the questions are relevant to my case and were not over personal or intruding. She was a great person to talk to and I could imagine myself laughing with her over coffee or in an actual counseling set up. Linear Questions I developed my linear questions based on the information she may be willing to share. I am asking some closed questions that only require a short answer and some open questions that will follow with the systemic questions I have lined up next. The open ended questions will give Michele a chance to go into further detail with the question and her answers. Linear questions are questions that are problem explanation and definition questions, they usually begin with Who, What, Where, When, and Why? They are investigative questions that lead up to gaining some insight to the person you are talking to but they don’t give a full explanation. The limitations of linear questions are that they are narrow, short-term questions and don’t get to the heart of the problem. Short-term, linear approaches have several inherent limitations. First, they are based on a problem-solving model that is more associated with American corporate thinking than with client suffering and therapeutic healing. Typically, the model includes the following sequence: (a) identify the problem, (b) consider various interventions to solve the problem, (c) choose the best interventions, (d) apply the interventions, (e) assess progress periodically, and (f) modify the interventions as needed. This clear-cut, linear approach appeals to executives, administrators, and others in positions of authority and has proven itself effective as an approach to solving problems in corporate and other settings. It is no accident that the trend toward streamlined, linear approaches in clinical work coincided with the rise of managed care and its corporate mentality (Ackley, 1997; Miller, 1996c). Linear questions don’t help the client without the involvement of also another form of questions. Using linear questions alone are ineffective to getting the desired results from the client, which can leave the client and the counselor both feeling misunderstood and upset. Systemic Questions I developed my systemic questions based on what my linear questions were about. I wanted to make sure some of the questions were the same type of question as my linear question but worded in a circular way that would get me more detailed answers and more depth behind her answers. Systemic questions are both circular and reflexive. They are behavioral effect questions, difference questions, hypothetical future questions, and observer perspective questions. The reflexive questions are intended to indirectly influence the family and are predominantly facilitative. The circular questions are more exploratory as the counselor tries to discover the way everything is connected together. Because the distinction between lineal and circular may be regarded as complementary, and not just as either/or, these assumptions and their associations may overlap and enrich one another. Most therapists have internalized these concepts to varying degrees and probably operate with both sets of ideas, but in differing ways, with differing consistency, and at different times. Although these assumptions and presuppositions tend to exert their effects covertly and non-consciously, they still have a significant effect on the nature of the questions asked. Hence, this second dimension adds considerable depth to an understanding of differences among the questions asked. If the therapist assumes that influence only occurs indirectly, through a perturbation of preexisting circular processes in or among family members, the influencing questions are considered â€Å"reflexive questions. † (Tomm, 1988, p. 3). If the therapist has established a Batesonian cybernetic orientation toward mental process, and has developed skills in maintaining a conceptual posture of circular ypothesizing, these questions will come easily and freely. Two general types of circular questions, â€Å"difference questions† and â€Å"contextual questions,† have been associated with Bateson’s fundamental patterns of symmetry and complementarities. The Interview When I called Michele I was immediately at ease with her as a person. She was very upbeat and forthcoming with her information. After asking her how she was I jumped right into the questions. I explained to her which questions I was doing first and how many there were for each linear and systemic questionings. She had no problems going into elaborate detail about her life and why she is doing what she is doing today, she talked as fast as I could type her answers! Since I did not have a recorder I did have to ask her to repeat herself if I did not finish typing the answers that she was giving me but she was very nice about it and as soon as we concluded our interview I made sure to immediately formulate the answers into more coherent sentences while it was all fresh in my mind. Interview Themes  The themes and content that came out of this interview with Michele are few. One theme or content that was revealed to me was that her inspiration for education came from her mother who did not complete high school. The content that came out from the systemic questions would be how supportive her family is even though it is a financial strain on them. The linear questions brought out her main reasons for wanting her education and the systemic questions went into more depth of what the education means for her and her family as a whole. Theme one. The first theme would be her mention of her mother and losing her father when she was young. She brought up her mother quite a bit in our interview and I could tell that her mother was a great factor in her decision to keep going to school no matter how long it took her to succeed. She is very proud of her mother for the way she was, raising children alone with no degree and no financial backups. Michele doesn’t want her kids to ever have to worry about wanting or needing things and she wants to get her degree to be able to enjoy what she loves doing most. Theme two. The second theme is that of finances. She did bring up the fact that she has been in school for a very long time because she is only taking one class per quarter so that she can pay for it and still have time to do her work, school, and family life in a balance that is easier on her. She teaches her children that it doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there, it is important to have dreams and goals and make them come true. The future of her children won’t be as hard on them as it was on Michele growing up. Interviewer Role Stance. As an observer for the linear questions I realized that the questions were straight to the point without asking for more detailed information from Michele and it was pretty basic. I felt that I was getting to know Michele through my linear questions but I was able to understand more through the systemic questioning. My systemic questions were open-ended questions that helped our conversation go into further detail because Michele felt that the questions opened up for her to go into more of her life story. Relationship with the interviewee. I started each set of questions by letting Michele know what type of questions I was asking. She was very forthcoming and she said that some of the questions I asked her were really good because she hadn’t thought about it in the way that I asked it. She is a very nice person, easy to talk to and get along with. We talked about how we both found Capella, the weather changes, and the state we live in. The systemic approach definitely went into further detail but I feel like I gained a lot of insight from the linear questions as well. Multicultural/diversity issues. Michele and I did not talk about cultural backgrounds as she only wanted to talk about her educational background. I feel now, that I could have incorporated some cultural questions into the topic of education. We did talk about her family and how they are very supportive of her career and educational goals and we never stepped on a touchy subject that made her hesitate to answer me. Curiosity. I am naturally a very curious person about other people and how they think and what they do and why they do it. So it was no problem for me to ask more questions on top of the ones I have listed. I knew by intuition which topics not to go into further detail with her about since I don’t know her that well and it was irrelevant to her education. One thing I wanted to know was more about her dad. I did however; ask her about her grandparents influence and more about her mother. My curiosity helped me to see in greater detail the aspects of her relationship with each member of her family. Assessment of Interviewer. I really liked the questions that I asked, and I was polite and made jokes so that we were on easy footing. I do think back on the interview and wish I had asked different questions because some of them seemed to be repetitive even though she answered them each in a different way. For example, What made you change your path to this specific one? Was a question I asked after asking why she chose being an MFT. She had answered in the previous question the answer to both questions which turned out to be one and the same. I had chosen that question because in my experience most people at one time had wanted to be something else first and then changed their mind later in life.

One Easy Way To Deepen Any Emotional Moment - Freewrite Store

One Easy Way To Deepen Any Emotional Moment - Freewrite Store As storytellers, we become very aware of certain buzzwords as they tend to be threaded into most writing articles, workshops, and how-to books. Show don’t tell, tension, conflict, backstory†¦these are all important concepts that come up again and again because they don’t belong in one box labelled â€Å"Plot† or â€Å"Character.† Of these buzzwords, one stands above the rest: emotion. Emotion is the powerful current that flows through every part of our story, from the plot and characters to the setting, pacing, theme†¦and beyond. It touches everything, giving all layers of our story a deeper meaning, and most importantly of all, it connects readers to our characters via empathy. If we can’t create that empathy link where readers feel emotionally invested in what’s happening, the book will close and the reader will move on. So learning how to write emotion well is probably our top job as writers. The key to empathy is really very simple: draw from the real world in a way that creates an instant (and powerful) sense of emotional recognition. In other words, write about things that are true to life and important to readers. Things they themselves have experienced and felt. In this way, we can encourage â€Å"shared experiences† where the reader isn’t just following along, but actively engaging to the point where they feel something deep and meaningful themselves. There are many ways to sharpen the emotional impact of a scene. Here’s one that is often overlooked. Emotions In Conflict If there’s one thing we know about the real world, it is that life is never simple, and this trickles right down to our basic emotions. Life would be so much easier if we could always define exactly what we feel in every moment, and be able to act on these emotions. The thing is, often we can’t because we are feeling several things at once, and of these, some are in conflict. Let’s look at a familiar scenario for writers: You’ve worked like crazy to hone your craft. You’ve read novels by the bookcase, put hundreds of hours in front of the keyboard, taken workshops, joined critique groups, studied and queried, and finally†¦you’ve sold your first book! All the hard work and the heartache along the way was worth it: a contract, an advance, a release date. Huzzah! You should feel ecstatic at attaining your goal, right? Yeah†¦no.    Instead, you feel a mixture of joy, pride, vindication, worry, doubt, and fear. Why? Because while your passion and dedication paid off, now you’re faced with what’s next: a contract means expectations, responsibilities, and deadlines. What if you blow the edits? What if the book fails to sell well? What if you screw up the follow-up book your publisher also contracted?Suddenly this crowning achievement also becomes a trip into the deepest reaches of your insecurity as you question whether you’re ready for the stress and pressure of the task ahead.   Conflicting emotions are part of our every day, making them part of the reader’s every day, too. During any emotional moment, we feel a range of things. And yet often in fiction, the emotional experience we deliver is one-note, a single emotion. We describe the character as being happy though body language, internal sensations, dialogue, and POV thoughts. Or, if we provide an emotional range, it is a complementary one, where we show a character happy and grateful and peaceful all rolled into one. Emotional experiences are usually complex, and contain both positive and negative elements. A character buying their first car is probably almost jittery-excited to drive it off the lot so they can cruise by their friend’s house and show it off. But if we dig deeper, maybe instead of going full-out, pedal to the floor, they’re driving a bit more cautiously. Why? Because getting into an accident isn’t an option. They extended themselves all the way to buy this car and can’t afford to replace it. In fact, maybe the euphoric rush of this new radical ride dims a little as they start to worry about how to afford the payments. The character doesn’t always get along with his boss, and while he gripes about work (what twenty-something doesn’t?) now maybe he has a bit of newfound gratitude toward his employer. The character realizes he’s lucky to have the job, and maybe he should put in more effort to make sure he keeps it.   Like this situation, emotions affect thought and action.When conflicting emotions are involved, it creates a mesmerizing push-and pull effect that readers latch onto because they know exactly what it’s like to feel opposing things and the dilemmas that sometimes result. Your Turn! The next time you sit down to write the emotional progression of a scene, challenge yourself to include some of the other emotions bubbling beneath the surface. Showing a few hints of conflicting behavior (such as wanting to let ‘er rip to see what a new car is capable of but driving sensibly instead) can be a natural gateway allowing you to introduce opposing emotions to readers. Angela Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of five bestselling books including, The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression. Her popular guides are available in six languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site Writers Helping Writers, as well as One Stop for Writers, an innovative online library filled with tools and resources to help writers elevate their storytelling. She would love you to visit sometime, and registration is always free.

Equilibrium Constant and Reaction Quotient Example

Equilibrium Constant and Reaction Quotient Example In chemistry, the reaction quotient Q relates the amounts of products and reactants in a chemical reaction at a given point in time. If the reaction quotient is compared with the equilibrium constant, the direction of the reaction may be known. This example problem demonstrates how to use the reaction quotient to predict the direction of a chemical reaction towards equilibrium.Problem:Hydrogen and Iodine gas react together to form hydrogen iodide gas. The equation for this reaction isH2(g) I2(g) ↔ 2HI(g)The equilibrium constant for this reaction is 7.1 x 102 at 25 Â °C. If the current concentration of gases are[H2]0 0.81 M[I2]0 0.44 M[HI]0 0.58 Mwhat direction will the reaction shift to reach equilibrium?SolutionTo predict the direction of equilibrium of a reaction, the reaction quotient is used. The reaction quotient, Q, is calculated in the same way as the equilibrium constant, K. Q uses the current or initial concentrations instead of the equilibrium concentrations use d to calculate K. Once found, the reaction quotient is compared to the equilibrium constant. If Q K, there there are more reactants present that at equilibrium and reaction will shift to the right.If Q K, then there are more products present than equilibrium and the reaction will need to produce more reactants shifting the reaction to the left.If Q K, then the reaction is already at equilibrium and there will be no shift. Step 1 - Find QQ [HI]02/[H2]0Â ·[I2]0Q (0.58 M)2/(0.81 M)(0.44 M)Q 0.34/.35Q 0.94Step 2 - Compare Q to KK 7.1 x 102 or 710 Q 0.94 Q is less than K Answer:The reaction will shift to the right to produce more hydrogen iodide gas to reach equilibrium.

How do religion and culture intersect in the realm of ethics Essay

How do religion and culture intersect in the realm of ethics - Essay Example Religion is more stern and inflexible than culture in the realm of ethics. Religious teachings are established and not prone to change over the passage of time. Most religions are based on the philosophy that their teachings are everlasting and cater for the needs of all societies till the end of the world. The difference between religious beliefs and ethics based on religion is that the former describes the beliefs of an individual whereas the latter proposes a framework of ethics based on the religious rationale (Huntington). Culture, on the other hand, is a more flexible and modifiable factor with the passage of time under the influence of different internal and external factors affecting a nation. Since ethical policies are based on the interplay of religion and culture in a nation, practices that might be condemned by religion find their way into a society from time to time because of the flexibility carried by the culture. While a modernistic society considers many religious te achings and principles outdated and inapplicable, culture is modified to cater for the needs of the advanced society. The role of both religion and culture in the development is prominent in history (Hill). Religion and culture intersect in the realm of ethics in a complicated manner. â€Å"[T]here are three spaces that provide the arenas of performance†¦we identify first a space where power and politics are performed, a second space where ethics are performed, and a third space where aesthetics are performed creatively and in response to the first two† (Hecht and Biondo xvi). A common element between all three of these spaces is that each is a social space that provides room for performance. The pattern of intersection of religion and culture cannot be generalized for all nations as there are a host of factors that make this intersection different from one nation to another. â€Å"Virtually everybody who writes about the topic portrays religion as

Write a theme paper on roman 12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Write a theme paper on roman 12 - Essay Example nce it shows that people are not supposed to accept blindly a certain set of rules, but behave in a proper way because they know that this is accordance to the will of God. The apostle also stresses the fact that people who live after the resurrection of Christ should be regarded as the inhabitants of the new world which is dramatically different from the past ages. The main difference lies in the fact that Jesus showed people the right way to save their souls. This chapter is also peculiar because it touches the issue of self-denial and self-discovery. According to the apostle, the latter can be achieved through the former. However, one should keep in mind that while discovering one’s true identity, one will discover one’s new identity that was refreshed by sacrifice of Jesus. In general, the theme of sacrifice is essential to this chapter. Thus, the apostle suggests that people who sacrifice their bodies and souls as this is a reasonable sacrifice. In other words, that is something what a creature that is able to reason would do. As a result, the way a Christian behaves on a daily basis should be regarded as a way to serve God. As it has been already stated, contemporary people live in a new world. That is why they are required to develop a new kind of thinking that would not be connected to the old ways of the humanity. That is why the genuine renewal should begin with one’s hearts. That is why the saint encourages people to practice their faith constantly so that they would become true representatives of the new world. Since now the action of sacrifice is available to everyone who is willing to develop one’s mind, the apostle points out another shift in the world. Thus, in the previous times, only the Jews were considered to be the chosen nation that was able to make sacrifice which pleases God. However, after Jesus this can be achieved by anyone. In other words, there are no more chosen nations, but the entire humanity is in direct relationship