Gin Act DBQ

In eighteenth-century England, the English saw a huge rise in the popularity and sale of Gin. Gin slowly (from 1701 to 1751) gained much favor over beer and peeked in 1741 out consuming beer times six (Doc. 1). As Gin sales started to take over the sale of beer, the government saw this as an opportunity to make taxes and restraints on the sale of Gin to benefit the government. As this persisted, The Gin Act of 1751 was instated. This act is one way that the government made sure that Gin sale did not get out of hand. Although in the preamble of the Gin Act of 1751 it states that Parliament assembled, ever attentive to the preservation and health of your Majesty’s subjects, I believe that Parliament had a more financial goal rather than health goal. As these restraints and taxes were brought upon people who produced Gin, there were mixed feelings on how these restraints would affect the community and the common welfare of the people. Citizens used many aspects of society to gain ground behind their opinions on the restrictions on the sale of Gin. Many citizens were in fact for the restraints because of the occupation they worked, the religion they belonged to, or the position they held in government. Other citizens felt the exact opposite. Many felt that the restrictions of Gin sale were not just and would not allow for citizens â€Å"relief or support of nature† (Doc. 8). Others were pushing towards a more neutral view on if Gin was bad or good. This type of people was indirectly affected by the sale of Gin but wanted to have their opinions stated. Amongst the many motives that citizens had to favor the restrictions on Gin, one was to better the common welfare of the people. William Hogarth showed so perfectly, in his work Gin Lane that he believes that Gin degrades the people which degrade the city. In his painting of Gin Lane, he shows how much people don’t care about their city and their fellow neighbors. He shows this through the many buildings falling apart and many drunken people. He is showing how much Gin is ruining the city and the people (Doc. 11). William Hogarth then shows through the painting of Beer Street how much better of an idea to slow the consumption of Gin and up the consumption of beer would be. It depicts a calm very clean and orderly city. Although drinking and enjoying themselves, all the citizens of the city are all cohesive and working their job as they should (Doc. 12). People were worried since the production of Gin has gone up significantly and that the price has gone down that drunkenness would become the characteristic of the people. Meaning all the poor would get drunk and corrupt the city life and generations to come because of the low Gin price (Doc. 13). Since a majority of people in England worked long and hard weeks, gin was considered harmful because people would work so many hours that when the weekend would come, they would come drink glass after glass until they were cursing at each other and quarreling and making a scene (Doc 3). gin lowered people's morals and made their behavior more atrocious as well as destroying some of the Kings men which was not attractive to the common person (Doc 7). It was once stated in a speech at Parliament that â€Å"Gin not only infatuates the mind but poisons the body; it not only fills our streets with madness and our prisons with criminals†. This just shows how much people believe that Gin is to blame for vagabonds on the streets and criminals. These people are worried about their well being and want to support restrictions on the sale of Gin. Some citizens approved and supported the sale of Gin in England. England at that time had already gone through the Agriculture Revolution. The new technologies brought by the Revolution had tripled England's wheat supply and had forced the sale and demand of wheat to plummet. People supported gin because it could help them as well as their government by providing relief from the over production of wheat. This remedy would in turn produce more demand and improve sales (Doc 1). Even England's climate aided in the sale of gin. Englishmen and women at that time worked very long hours either in their home or working for another family. When it came time for the weekend, gin was considered a relief or an out to people’s problems. Since England's weather was often foggy, cold, and damp, gin would relieve people from their hardships (Doc 8). William Pulteney is a great example of someone who needed Gin sales to go up because it depended on his finances. Pulteney was a landowner who probably had wheat on the land; therefore he obviously was against the restrictions and for the sale of Gin because if Gin sellers didn’t want his wheat anymore because beer took Gin over, he would be kicked off his land (Doc. 4). Many people saw how easy government put these taxes on Gin, so why couldn’t they do the same to property. People felt very violated after this (Doc. 5). Grain was distilled to make Gin and Daniel Defoe felt that this was a great way to support Gin and to gain from it too (Doc. 2). There was also a neutral side of people who really didn’t care if Gin was good or bad but they were indirectly affected by it and demanded a say. On one account, John Wesley, a Methodist who believes that drunkenness is a means of removal from religious society, therefore is strongly against the mass sale of Gin. This is just one example of how Gin indirectly affected a religious man. Another person who could get stuck in the crossfire is someone in a government position. A member of parliament who is always worried about the King and if he is pleased, is obviously against the restrictions but in a different way. This member of parliament is mainly only worried about the King and really has not correlation to Gin except in the pocket book. In eighteenth century England, government was attempting to restrict the sale of Gin throughout England. Many people did not want Gin and were for restriction on Gin either because of how it reflected on the city or how it affected someone’s job. Others strongly though that Gin was helping the economy and was keeping wheat owners in business. There was also a part of people who took a more neutral stand on weather Gin was good or bad. Although many opinions on this topic, all were centered on the way the person lived and their position in society.

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Essay

On April 20, 2010 a catastrophic explosion on the Deepwater Horizon off shore drilling platform caused the largest single release to the environment due to oil drilling. This explosion killed 11 workers and injured 17. This oil spill is very controversial because it can be questioned if this spill could have been prevented and what exactly went wrong. There is much debate on who is to blame, what could have been done to prevent it and who is going to pay for all the damage. Many are not happy with the settlement BP is signing that will keep them from further criminal prosecution if they agree to pay the settlement amount. Paying retribution is fine, but what about the future damaging effects that we have no way of even knowing about now. Who will take care of that? These are some of the basic questions people are asking about this case and my responses. What can this accident teach us? This accident should teach us all that there is a great responsibility taken on when you go into the earth and try to harvest chemical products that have potential for negative effects on human welfare and health. The government needs to be in charge of regulating these activities to preserve the future of our environment. Had you been in charge of granting permit for this, what measures would you have prescribed to prevent or mitigate the impacts of such an accident? Policies need to be in place that ensures that properly trained personnel are on site at all times to ensure the safety of the drilling process. Only experienced personnel could properly react to an emergency and possibly be able to mitigate further damage. Knowledge and experience are required to recognize potential hazards in time and prevent even bigger negative effects. BP engineers were supposedly aware of variations in the pressure prior to the explosion. These engineers probably did not have the authority to request work be stopped so further inspections could be made. Politics involved with the money at stake sometimes lead to dangerous decisions. If someone with the knowledge and authority to make an executive decision was there, this tragedy could possibly have been avoided. If you were in a policy making forum, what national or international policy measures would you recommend for reducing long term risk from off-shore drilling. I think the policies on long term risk from off-shore drilling accidents could be addressed by building some kind of boundary wall to contain the drill site, even if there was not a spill. Just the act of drilling is releasing some form of contamination and if that contamination could be contained before it gets incorporated into the entire different city/ country’s water supply it would be a great benefit to prevent long term effects of oil contamination. International policies need to be in effect that maintain the same standards across the board. If one country has low standards and takes in the contaminated water†¦ they will then be releasing it into the environment and the contamination will still affect neighboring countries/cities that may have stricter standards. If I was involved in any type of policymaking forum, I would try to get policy passed that had strict policies regarding quality control practices regarding the technology being used to drill for the oil and the equipment maintenance. Increased testing of drilling equipment during and between drilling process, not just at the start stage. Sometimes equipment fails during use and quality measures need to be in place to make frequent inspections. What changes would you require in terms of ethical conduct by regulators? Regulators need to not be financially involved with projects the are legislating. This is a huge ethical problem because kickbacks and donations often lead to favorable legislations in favor of the party standing to gain and not for the best interest of the public. To what degree may politics have clouded judgment and influenced decisions that where made? Relaxed government regulation was probably made because the government in efforts to promote business, made acquisitions that were dangerous and costly to the environment in the long run.

Exploring the elizabeth age - write about Robert Herrick or Philip Essay

Exploring the elizabeth age - write about Robert Herrick or Philip Henslowe - Essay Example Herrick’s compositions were contemporary with other poets including George Herbert and John Donne. Herrick’s history remains unknown apart from a few letters and 1,403 poems found in his book The Works both Humane and Divine of Robert Herrick, Esq.  (1648). His educational history remains unknown as the period between his birth and death does not provide detailed information. Herrick was born in Cheapside to Nicholas Herrick and Julian Stone. Social and Cultural Influence At the time Robert Herrick was beginning his career, there were many social and cultural aspects that influenced his career both positively and negatively. However, it is essential to note that Robert Herrick through his career has managed to influence black American music as well as society. According to Kampf, eight outstanding individuals have made lasting contributions to the American nation (2). Robert Herrick falls among the individuals who have influenced the black American poetry culture. Des pite the difficulties and problems that blacks encountered at the time, Herrick was able to elude most of them in order to launch a perfect career. The black church influenced Herrick’s career. He noted in an interview that without the church experience, he would not have known if he would have been able to sing in public places (Nakesha and Shameera 23). Poetry in church choirs is a common African American activity and is something that influenced many African American poets at the time. For instance, Marian Anderson and Leonyne Price were also introduced to music through church choirs (Nakesha and Shameera 24). Quoting from Grace Bumbrey, CBS provides that African American churches have been hugely influential with the black society, and hence their performance (21). CBS calls the church of the 1990 â€Å"the rock that blacks depend on† (12). According to Norment, the American society was influenced by black poetry (2). Most of the blacks during slavery demonstrated their propensity for imprisonment through poems (Norment 2). Despite the fact that Herrick was not part of this era, he is born of this blood. Black poems are the forefathers of poetry categories such as jazz and rhythm & blues (Norment 3). According to Norment, the American society, which was then dominated by white people, was profoundly influenced by black poetry of the day (23). Black poetry during the 1990s was copied and expanded by whites, and thus whites managed to become rich and famous for what was known to be imitations (Norment 24). Problems Encountered Despite the fact that Herrick is not categorized among the best poets, he encountered many problems. 1n the 1660s, the poetry was seen as very sophisticated and social, and therefore, blacks were not allowed to participate (Nettles 8). However, this problem seemed to have been dissolved with the emergence of Marian Anderson (Nettles 9). The poetry door came down with the existence of Leotyne Price. Since she was a woman, her performance in the opera was not seen as a threat to the male dominated society (Nettles 6). According to many researchers, this aspect never made any sense since it showed that one gender was allowed to sing and the other denied (Nettles 5). Other issues included financials in a sense that white poets were much more preferred to black ones. However, if there was a talented black poet, he would be hired for much less amount (Nettles 6). This aspect of the opera gave birth to the term â€Å"color-blind casting,†

American Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

American Foreign Policy - Essay Example A global hegemony cannot be decided based on public opinion. What matters is international legitimacy which comes from global coalition of willing nations. This is something which US continues to gain ground in thus proving that it is not in a decline. The US has taken the international community as a whole. However, it is worth pointing out that some of this has taken place in a rather begrudging manner. Its position as the world’s super power will only start to decline when the allegiances to the nation break down. America still wields influence, leadership and persuasion in the international stage just as it did decades ago. One clear illustration of this strong influence is its ability to set international laws and at the same time be able to ignore them as it is accountable to no other state in the world. Military power has always been an integral part of hegemony (Jerel and Scott 2014, 60). This was quite evident during the World War period where nations which had the strongest military wielded so much global power in terms of political economy and relations. USSR and the USA were leading in this. Military power depends entirely on economic resources which are at the disposal of the state. It is something which the US has making it the nation with perhaps the most sophisticated military. The US is still moving in a path of progressive and democratic governance. It recognizes the freedom of the press, religion, association and expression. This has earned it legitimate allies that look at the nation as a role model. Despite the fact that it is no saint when it comes to these governance issues, it has a legitimate team of allies that allow dictating stability and global shifts in terms of relations. Arguments have been put across that the growth of economies in certain world countries like China is causing a decline in US influence in global policies. However, this is not true as the economic growth in other nations will

Midterm Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Midterm - Term Paper Example Achieving dominance in technology can be measured in terms of added value to management activities and other business factors. Cell phones have provided several complex and unique processes that many competitors such as landlines do not have. Looking at the recent revolutionary breakthrough and the result of incremental changes, cell phone is leading the pack. Cell phones have encouraged instant communication and interaction thus making it a good tool in facilitating business communication. Cell phone communication is very effective and quicker compared to other alternatives. Looking at the management concept, cell phones used to improve the performance of the business through customer feedback and other interactive processes (Suarez 275-286). There are numerous advantages of cellphones that increase their compatibility within the business context hence promoting complex coordination. There is an expansive boundary and high level of interaction provided by cell phones. Firms utilizin g cell phones properly may gain competitive edge and assume superior position in the industry. According to Suarez technology can also be used in achieving strategic maneuvering which may be essential in acquiring new markets and building strong relationship with the clients (275-280). Cell phones have technological superiority compared to other technologies. Public relations are an important aspect of every organization and cell phones can be utilized in promoting an organization’s public relations. Cell phones have been very dominant in the communication industry and can be used in carrying out R&D, promoting business communication as well as gathering crucial information. There is also a high customer demand for cell phones thus leading to a huge installed base of the firm. Additionally, there are minimal regulations associated with cell phones and the government seems to promote its dominance in the market (Suarez 275-280). 2 Employees are treated and paid unequally since the wages are low. The company has responded to these issues by improving on their social responsibility and public relations. The company has also committed itself to improve working conditions and increase benefits such as health benefits. It has developed a very extensive code of business conduct which involves maintaining a positive work environment, representing the organization with integrity. Its culture emphasizes on upholding human rights in their operations around the globe, commitment to lawful, honest, transparent ethical behaviors, and they even expect their suppliers, agents, and business partners to follow their suit (Burchell & Jennifer 155-165). It would stand to reason that the leadership styles needed in this organization would be leaders that would be motivational, and encourage their employee’s creativity in driving innovation in the organization. Burchell & Jennifer posit that cultural â€Å"feel† of the organization is that â€Å"intrinsic† motivator encouraged in meeting the goals of the organization (160-170). Pride motivates employees, which in turn fosters creativity and eventually leads to innovation. Hence human resources and leaders in the organization would benefit from hiring people who evidence the motivation and creative skills needed in continuing the vision for the future success of the organization. Of priority is hiring individuals who demonstrate innovative thinking in their areas of specialization. Hiring these types of candidates would support the vision and mission of the organizatio

Sexual studies biology assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sexual studies biology assignment 1 - Essay Example Hormonal changes The menstrual cycle is determined by the functioning of four organs namely; the hypothalamus, the anterior pituitary gland, the uterus and the ovaries. It consists of phases identified as the follicular, ovarian and luteal. The beginning of the cycle is marked by a decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels. These are primary female hormones. This decrease stimulates the hypothalamus to produce Follicle Stimulating Hormone Release Factor (FSHRF). The FSHRF triggers the anterior pituitary gland to produce Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). FSH is responsible for the release of estrogen in the ovaries which leads to the formation of the Graafian follicles in the cortex of the ovaries. These follicles are cells which cannot be fertilized. Increasing levels of estrogen cause the growth of uterine wall in preparation for possible implantation of the fetus after fertilization. This marks the follicular phase (Ferin, Jewelewicz, and Warren 5). The ovarian phase begins wi th the production of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Factor (LHRF). This is initiated by the hypothalamus in response to low progesterone levels. LHRF then activates the production of Luteinizing hormone in the anterior pituitary gland. This hormone causes the production of progesterone from the ovaries. ... The luteal phase is characterized by the change of color to yellow of Graafian follicles to form the corpus luteam. The hormone progesterone also called the hormone of pregnancy is identified as responsible for this. The hormone further leads to the thickening of the uterus lining and increased blood supply in readiness for possible fertilization. If fertilization does not occur, progesterone levels start to drop. This decrease and eventual decline causes the shedding of the uterine wall, tearing of blood vessels and ejection of the contents through the vaginal tract. This is menstruation and marks the end of the cycle. The low levels of progesterone and estrogen effectively stimulate the hypothalamus to begin the next cycle (Ferin, Jewelewicz, and Warren 10). Fertile period of the cycle The period of the menstrual cycle when fertilization is most likely is identified as mid way through the cycle. A female whose cycle takes twenty eight days for example would be fertile on the fourte enth day. This is when ovulation takes place. The fertile egg (ovum) has a lifespan of twenty four hours and the fertile period lasts as much. The male sperm however has a longer lifespan of three to five days once released into the female. This means sperms released three to five days before ovulation can fertilize the egg. The twenty four hours immediately after ovulation however remains the most fertile period (Edin, Golanty, and Brown 170). Physical and emotional changes during cycle The hormonal variations during the cycle are identified as the cause of physical and emotional changes over the period. Studies show that contraction of the uterus (cramps) is inevitable. Lower back pain, fatigue and pelvic

Crisis and Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Crisis and Expansion - Essay Example As a function of measuring this level of crisis and expansion that existed within this specific point in time, the following analysis will engage the reader with some key indications of this crisis and the means through which the expansion and challenges that face the United States allowed for these issues to be met. Is the further hope of this author that the reader will be able to gain a more informed and realistic understanding of the method through which these challenges and issues pertaining to expansion or not only able to define the era but also defined subsequent years and aid in the evolutionary progression of the society of the United States. Firstly, the element of expansion should not be ignored. Sadly, the rapid level of expansion that the United States experienced during the 19th century cannot be stated as an overall positive. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that literally tens of thousands of Native Americans were forcibly removed from the lands that they had traditionally lived upon, or had been promised by the United States government, and relocated to less desirable, oftentimes unlivable land beyond the realm of colonization. Concurrently, the states of Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Maine, Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, Florida, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas, West Virginia, Nevada, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah were all added to the United States during the 19th century. As can clearly be seen, the addition of 29 states was able to drastically increase upon the natural resources, land, and population that the United States had to draw upon. The broad and massive territorial expansion and took place during the 19th century was one of the causal determinants for the creation of what is known as the â€Å"frontier culture†. This frontier culture have long reaching ramifications and many

International Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Management - Research Paper Example Introduction Rwanda is a country I Central Africa with a total area of 24669 square kilometres. It has a temperate climate with two rain seasons and has natural resources such as gold and tin. The country is landlocked and experiences occasional droughts and volcanic eruptions in some areas. A king ruled it prior to colonization by Belgium (Central Intelligence Agency 2013). Rwanda experienced genocide because of long-term ethnic conflict. About a million people died in the genocide and more than two million fled the country. A rebel group that overthrew the then government restored order and the country is currently stable (Central Intelligence Agency 2013). Political stability is one of the post genocide developments as the rebel group established a government and order in the country. Other aspects such as security, justice, reconciliation, and economy have improved and the economy recorded a growth rate of seven percent in recent statistics (King, 2013). Rwanda’s populatio n majorly consist of two ethnic groups, Hutus and Tutsi. Hutus overthrew the king that ruled the country in the year 1959 and this led to civil war in which Tutsis were murdered and many of them forced to flee to exile. Descendants of the exiled formed a rebel group that returned to Rwanda in the year 1990 and together with political and economic interests culminated to the country’s genocide in the year 1994. About a million people died, including three quarters of the minority Tutsi, before the Rwandan Patriotic Front defeated government forces. The victory by the Tutsi rebels caused mass exile of more than two million Hutus for fear of ethnic cleansing. The country stabilized from the civil war and joined commonwealth in the year 2009 and the United Nations’ security council in 2013 (Central Intelligence Agency 2013). Rwanda has a population of slightly more than 12 million people, most of which the Hutu while the remaining 15 percent is Tutsi and one percent is Twa . Catholic is the major religion, commanding more that 50 percent of the population followed by protestant churches and seventh day Adventist church. Kinyarwanda, French, and English are national languages (Central Intelligence Agency 2013). The country has gained significant level of political stability (King, 2013). Cultural development in Rwanda has been independent of other countries. Social and religious groups have facilitated the development (Onwumechili and Ndolo, 2012). Economic environment Transitions after the genocide that led to deregulation of the economy defines a free market system (Malunda and Musana, 2012). The country’s economic environment is considerably underdeveloped. Its major industries and poverty rates supports this. The country’s major industries that include agriculture, beverages in small scale, textile, and cigarettes identify low-level economic development and high level of poverty, with more that 60 percent of the country’s popul ation living on expenditure of below $ 1 per day identify underdevelopment (Central Intelligence Agency 2013, Diao, Thurlow, Benin and Fan, 2012). Corruption level in the country is relative, compared to other nations in the globe. This is because latest Transparency international rating ranked it at number 89 out of the

The Rampart Scandal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Rampart Scandal - Essay Example The LAPD's motto is 'To protect and serve' (Los Angeles Police Department, 2008). However, through numerous occasions involving corruption, obstructions of justice, racially motivated beatings and officers drug dealing, the city's police force's image has been tarnished and re-tarnished again and again as being recognized as an law enforcement agency unlike any other the country or the world has ever seen. Lawlessness as it would seem, has always been one of the key ingredients that keeps this law-enforcing agency a household name in the city of Los Angeles. The concept of a police department came after the city's second City Marshal Jack Whaling was murdered in 1853 (Los Angeles Police Department, 2008). His killer met his death at the hands of a bounty hunter, thus prompting the city's first chief, Dr. A.W. Hope to organize the Los Angeles Rangers. The Los Angeles Rangers volunteered to help the County Sheriff and Marshal. A white ribbon identified these new rangers, which had the words imprinted, "City Police - Authorized by the Council of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Police Department, 2008). The city's police department has always had a sen... Foster was mayor. The mayor saw it fit to lead a mob of people, which removed a criminal suspect from jail and hang him (Los Angeles Police Department, 2008). Mayor Foster was promptly reelected. Such actions were looked upon as normal, even praised at the times. However, an event such as this was just the fist step on a journey through the LAPD's history of its brand of no holds bar, Wild West type of judgment, when policing the community. Racial tensions between the LAPD and its constituents have seemed to be the social norm for the city Los Angeles. A look at a law in 1850 revealed that racial tension was protected under the state's statutes and was upheld by California's Supreme Court. According to Los Angeles Police Department, (2008), No black or mulatto person, or Indian, shall be permitted to give evidence in favor of, or against, any white person. Every person who shall have one-eighth part or more of Negro blood shall be deemed a mulatto and every person who shall have one-half of Indian blood shall be deemed Indian (p.1). Asian Americans suffered the same fate of persecution under the law, as this law extended to them as well. The racially motivated violence perpetuated in the city did nothing to reform the laws that governed the community. As more and more Chinese settled in the city looking for work on the railroads and in the mines, tension between White and Asian began to escalate at an alarming rate. The Los Angeles Massacre, which occurred on October 24, 1871, was believed to have been a dispute between two Chinese named Yo Hing and Sam Yuen (Los Angeles Massacre Site, 2004). The two men arguing led to Yo Hing being shot. The dispute continued in to the next day, as Officer Bilderrain

Meaning of Life and Literary Metaphorical Descriptions Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Literary Metaphorical Descriptions Essay Stuck and chained without any tendency of where your life is headed, requires necessary effort to go through. This is the situation for the main character in Wiliam Lychacks short story, Stolpestad. Without any whereabouts of his life directions, Stolpestad come across his own life through unpleasant confrontations of his own identity loss. â€Å"This is your life, Stolpestad† Stolpestad finds that his life gone tedious, waiting towards the end of each shift, lying and giving an excuse to postpone his arrival back home to his wife and his children. Driving through the city, Stolpestad yearns after his life in the town as child. â€Å"You idle slow and lawful past the house as if to glimpse someone or something – yourself as a boy, perhaps. † Though Stolpestad is aware of the requisite in his absence back home, he decides to go to a bar. At the bar he is telling stories, spreading laughter, about his earlier predicament with shooting the suffering dog. Stolpestad seems full of confidence re-telling the story, but in the certain situation he was nervous and sensitive: â€Å"with this hope that she’s already dead- that shrill of insects in the heat and grass as you nudge her again. You push until she comes to life, her eye opening slow and black to you – you with this hope that the boy will be running any moment to you now, hollering for you to stop. † He wish the dog to already be dead, or that the boy will come hollering him to stop. This nervousness of his comes truly to life when the boy and his father are confronting him, and the surrounding noices frightens him: â€Å"It’s only a door opening – but look how jumpy you are†. Stolpestad finds this confrontation to be a very uncomfortable situations, and feel that it is a repeating element in his life, which is depicted in this paragraph: â€Å"the deja vu of a pickup truck in the driveway as you pull around the house, as if you’ve seen or imagined or been through all of this be- fore, or will be through it all again, over and over†. We can interpret this, from the fact that Stolpestad keeps running into these unpleasant situations. Putting down a suffering dog turns into an unintentional disservice to the dying dog, the boy and his father and himself. The unsuccessful execution and the survival of the suffering dog, Goliath, can be seen as a metaphor for Stolpestads life. The life of the dog Goliath and Stolpestads life are heading in the same direction, Goliaths suffering is a reflection of the suffering in Stolpestads own life. Gully is gravely injured and it is just a matter of time until its’ life will peg out, but even after what was supposed to be an easy put down, the dog remains alive. Stolpestad is neither injured or near death. Stolpestad is caught between the choices whether he shall pursue his meaning of life or leave this world behind. He is stuck as a spectator of his own life, as the dying dog Goliath is a spectator of its’ own death. The injury of the dog can also be interpreted as a simile for the environment and the town Stolpestad lives in. The Christian narrative of â€Å"David and Goliath† deals for Goliaths sake with the themes negativity and failure. The nickname â€Å"Gully† is a synonym for a sewer. That means, that the dogs name in both significances refers to something including degradation and poor environs. Goliath lies on all the trash on the families within the families’ premises and symbolizes the poor social environment that the family hails from. The family is tamped by this inadequacy in the society, which the dog and its name symbolize. The sentence: â€Å"The old tires, empty bottles, paint cans, rusty car axle, refrigerator door† exemplifies what poor environment the family is a part of. The environment of the father may also explain the cause of his ironical compliments of Stolpestads house: â€Å"He lets out a long sigh and says it’s a fine place you seem to have here†. Still this higher league of society does not fit Stolpestad, and it does not seem like he has been in this contrast to the lower league of society his whole life, which also may cause the sympathy he has for the boy. The boy can be interpreted as an illusion of Stolpestad as a child. In the early beginning of the short story, Stolpestad is driving around soulless, looking for something – possibly himself as a child, and after the meeting with the boy, he quickly conceives comprehension of his life situation. This may be caused of Stolpestads own youth, that may have been difficult, but he still may miss: â€Å"Back to all the turns you were born, your whole life spent along the same sad streets† The kind of narrator being used in the story is a â€Å"second person narrator† who writes to a certain â€Å"you†. Our â€Å"you†, who our narrator directs itself to is the main character of the story, Stolpestad. Though it is Stolpestad the narrator direct itself to, the reader feels like being spoken to, when this narrative perspective is being used: †Was toward the end of your shift†. This way a text involves and affects its reader in a whole other level. It is hard to judge whether the narrator is an actual figure or totally absent throughout the story. The narrator does not specifically appear throughout the story, but certain things point to the narrators’ appearance: †away we go†. Still it is doubtful and unknown, who the narrator may be, as the short story does not give an unequivocal explanation of who the narrator might be. The language is both embossed of slang and then the more literary metaphorical descriptions. This shows, how the narrator has authority of changing the style when it fits him. Therefore it is a mixture of the lower style and a formal literary style. Stolpestad is living a life that just passes by, without him taking any action, and therefore he feels like his whole life just consists of continuous repetitions. He is living in the same surroundings as he did in his youth and during his childhood so therefore his external rams haven’t changed, though he has become older. Therefore everything feels recognizable and boring for him. With the description from a second person narrator, who sees Stolpestad from an external perspective, we can connect this to the interpretation of him as a passive individual. He is not even in possession of the authority to tell his own story, but is having it told by another narrator interfering and judging him negatively. Here as well he stands without influence, but may passively let the narrator relate his story, while he himself will have to be a spectator to his own life. So do not just let life pass you by.

Why is investment appraisal process so important

Why is investment appraisal process so important Investment decisions are of critical importance to all companies, since they determine both their potential to succeed and their ultimate cost structure. Investments usually implicate high initial cash outflows and thus tie up substantial funds. Sound investment decisions are crucial, therefore. Yet, according to a highly complex and fastly changing business environment they remain a challenging management task. A capital investment appraisal is used to make sure value for money with regard to developing an estate strategy and capital project. It is not an indication of loss or profit for the company as a whole but rather a comparision of costs with regard to those areas of the estate where there is an opportunity or a demand for change. (Baum T., Mudambi R., 1999). Capital investment decisions are the important criteria to be used by an organization in order to apply its corporate strategy. Because of this, it has to include strategical decisions, marketing decisions and human recources implications that are an overall business review. These decisions include; expansion, cost reduction, market development, acquisitions and disposals, lease or buy. It is possible to evaluate the validity of the opportunities for an investment appraisal by comparing the expected benefits with the anticipated costs as its purpose. ( Kind J, 1999 p.122) (b) What is the payback period of each project? If AP Ltd imposes a 3 year maximum payback period which of these projects should be accepted? Payback for Project A Years Net cash flow Cumulative net cash flow  £000  £000 0 (110) (110) 1 20 20 2 30 50 3 40 90 4 50 140 5 70 210 Total 3+=3.4 years Payback for Project B Years Net cash flow  £000 0 (110) 1 40 2 40 3 40 4 40 5 40 Total = 2.7 years c) What are the criticisms of the payback period? Payback is a type of measurement that indicate the necessary period of time required for the recovery of the initial investment. There is a necessity of clarification that the payback can not be used as an only decision criterion because it does not include any profits or cash flows occurring after the payback period. Second, payback gives equal weight to all cashflows before the cutoff period, despite the fact that the more distant cashflows arc less valuable.( Mott, 2005, p 217.) It is a compulsory for a company to determine a proper end time for the investment in order to use payback method. Too many short-lived projects will be chosen by the company rather than long term ones in case of using the same date without taking into account the project life. Also it can be considered as an effective auxiliary investment appraisal tool since some possible risks that may arise from an investment project can be indicated by payback. As paralel to this, it might be thought as an important factor for the consideration of the economic life of a project as a consecuence of a sensitivity analysis. (Gà ¶tze U, 2008, p.46) Although it has weaknesses, payback will be used as one of the main decision making tecniques because the simplicity is the keynote of this investment appraisal method. And also it has short term perspective that leads decision making. In case of consideration of more complex projects,we should use advanced analysis like Net Present Value method and think carrefully what might be at risk. ( Dyson, 2007, p.422) (d) Determine the NPV for each of these projects? Should they be accepted explain why? NPV for Project A Years Net cash flow Discount factor Present value  £000 12%  £000 1 20 0.893 17.86 2 30 0.797 23.91 3 40 0.712 28.98 4 50 0.636 31.8 5 70 0.567 39.69 _______ Total present value 141.74 Less: Initial cost 110 Net present value 31.74 NPV for Project B Years Net cash flow Discount factor Present value  £000 12%  £000 1 40 0.893 35.72 2 40 0.797 31.88 3 40 0.712 28.48 4 40 0.636 25.44 5 40 0.567 22.68 _______ Total present value 144.2 Less: Initial cost 110 Net present value 34.2 Both projects should be accepted, since both Net Present Values are positive according to ACCEPT-REJECT decision making techniques. If we use RANKING decision making techniques; Project [emailprotected] 12% Discount Rate  £000 B 34.20 A 31.740 As it can be seen from the rankings Project B is more preferable with a higher NPV. (e) Describe the logic behind the NPV approach. NET PRESENT VALUE METHOD One of the most widely known and used technique of financial analysis is Net Present Value method. It is a comparision of the value of money now and that of the future. A pound today is precious more than a pound in the future, because the buying power of the future money is eroded by the effect of inflation. Importance of Time Value of Money in Financial Management; The time value of money is the fundamental for financial management because it is the aid of determining present value in todays paund of the future net cash flow of a project. Therefore you can obtain a comparision of that sum of money with necessary amount of money to carry out the project. Any of financial decisions must not be taken in case of the equality of inflows and outflows because of uncertain future conditions. In order to purchase assets the inflow must be above the outflow. If the purpose is to raise the funds then outflow must be kept more than the inflow. And it is required that the inflow and outflow can be matched. In order to make effective financial decision, the flows expected in the future must be adjusted on the purpose of being compared with the current ones.( Ramagopal, 2008, p.221) The procedure of Net Present Value Calculation; Net present value method can be used to examine the profitability of all investment projects. If the net present value > 0 The project is feasible If the net present value < 0 The project is not feasible If the NPV is greater than the cost, the project will be gainful for the company. In the case of having more than one project, you should calculate Net present value of all, and the superior one that has the most difference between Net present value and cost must be chosen. Project that its net present value is bigger than zero, are considered to raise the value of the company. (Mott, 2005, p216) The advantages of this method; It puts forward the value of 1 pound of today is more than that of 1 pound in the future. Because the return of todays investment will be received earlier than any of the future investments. The estimated cash flows and the opportunity cost of capital are examined by this method. In order to calculate the net present value for the whole project, the current values of the cash inflows and outflows could be added since present values are todays value. ( Kind J, 1999 p.127) The weakness of the model is that cash flows are accepted to be seen on the last day of the year depending on discounting once a year. On the other hand the assumption of the constant cost of capital during the whole life time of the project can be considered as the another weakness of the method. (Proctor, 2009, p.192) (f) What would happen to the NPV if: (1) The cost of capital increased? If the cost of capital increases, discount rates decrease, which means that present values of cashflows also decrease. As a result, NPV will also decrease, because there will be a decrease in the sum of total present values of cash flow (2) The cost of capital decreased? Decreasing the cost of capital will increase discounting rates, which means an increase in total present value of cashflows. Depending on this increase, NPV which includes the sum of total present values of cashflows will inevitanly increase. (g) Determine the IRR for each project. Should they be accepted? The net present value is most popularly alternated with internal rate of return (IRR). IRR is defined as the discount rate or cost of capital at point where the benefits are balanced with its costs, the net present value is equal to zero and so, can be considered as break even rate. It can be used as measure of capital efficiency. Advantages of IRR Liquidity is considered in this method. It emphasize timing of net cash flow. The exact % return on investment is given NPV FOR PROJECT A: Years Net cash flow Discount factors Present value  £000 17% 22% 17% 22%  £000  £000 1 20 0.855 0.82 17.1 16.4 2 30 0.731 0.672 21.93 20.16 3 40 0.624 0.55 24.96 22 4 50 0.534 0.451 26.7 22.55 5 70 0.456 0.37 31.92 25.9 _______ ______ Total present value 122.61 107.01 Less: Initial cost 110 110 Net present value 12.61 (2.99) IRR= positive rate + -range of rates= = 17%+-5% =21.04% At 21.01% discount rate the NPV is equal to zero. NPV FOR PROJECT B: Years Net cash flow Discount factors Present value  £000 22% 27% 22% 27%  £000  £000 1 40 0.82 0.787 2.863 2.581 2 40 0.672 0.620 3 40 0.55 0.488 4 40 0.451 0.384 5 40 0.37 0.302 _______ ______ Total present value Less: Initial cost 110 110 Net present value 4.52 (6.76) IRR= positive rate + -range of rates= 22%+-5% =24% Since both projects IRR are bigger then cost of capital; both of them can be accepted. (h) How does a change in the cost of capital affect the projects IRR? The IRR value of the project is not affected by a change in the cost of capital. The point that must be taken into account here is that IRR value must not be below cost of capital for the safety of the investment. (i) Why is the NPV method often regarded to be superior to the IRR method? The NPV calculation will usually always provide a more accurate indication of whether or not a project should be undertaken or not.However, since IRR is a percentage, and NPV is shown in money, it is more appealing for a manager to show someone a particular rate of return, as opposed to money amounts.