Socially Desirable Merit Goods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Socially Desirable Merit Goods - Essay Example This report declares that the private sector primarily operates under the dynamics of the free market system. Many individuals in the society would miss enjoying the benefits of merit goods if left to the private sector because they would appropriate a high price for the good or service, limiting the individuals who can have access to the good. Therefore, many people would be unwilling to access the merit goods at a high cost. The inaccessibility would lead to underproduction of the good, and ultimately leading to underutilization of the good or service. In most cases, government institutions are tasked with handling the provision of merit goods. This paper makes a conclusion that education is usually considered a merit good, and especially the basic education from early childhood to the university or college. An educated society results in reduced cases of hard crime, increased productivity, higher rates of employment and a growing economy because of direct input of high-quality labour. An educated society also translates into strong governmental and non-governmental institutions and interests from foreign companies who would thrive with good quality employment. The government would also benefit directly from increased tax collection from employed individuals. The present secondary education system in the UK is an improvement of an older system that allotted students at the age of 11 years to either of the three school types through performance and selection examinations.

FINANCIAL PLANNING AND WEALTH MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

FINANCIAL PLANNING AND WEALTH MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Investing the entire sum of money in a single stock exposes the investor to the risk of that asset. So, in case when the price of that security falls in the market due to any reason, the investor will suffer huge losses. This, risk of concentration of money in a single stock is mitigated through diversification. As per the preliminary interview conducted with a married couple named Kevin and Katia we came to know the following details: Katia aged 43, is a primary school teacher earning ?35,000 per annum and contributes 7.6% of her gross annual salary to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. Kevin aged 45, is a construction site project manager earning ?80,000 per annum and contributes 6% of his gross annual salary to a defined contribution scheme. The couple has two children – Tilly and Jemima aged 7 and 9 years. The couple seeks advice for their retirement planning that is after 17 years when Katia is 60. The couple would like to achieve a combined retirement income of approxi mately ?45,000 in today’s terms. ... Kevin has identified a range of investments that the couple might consider to help achieve their retirement planning objectives (including index-linked gilts, corporate bond funds, authorised investment funds and offshore equity funds) but is not sure about the option to choose. With an investment of ?10,000 annually a target of 7% is required to achieve their target objectives. Therefore, in this paper we would analyze and evaluate the various parameters to achieve the desired objectives and return. Part 1: Identification of Appropriate Investment Options Portfolio management is the fundamental work of investment management. It can be done by minimizing the risk through diversification. In order to manage an investment portfolio, three steps are considered by portfolio manager i.e. planning to execution to feedback. In the planning step, the objectives and policies of investment are formulated, strategic asset allocations are ascertained and capital market expectations are formed. I n the execution step, a portfolio is constructed by portfolio manager. And, in the feedback step, the portfolio manager examines and assesses the portfolio compared with the plan (Villanova, No Date, p.5). The steps discussed here were in the short form. Taking in account the large form, the portfolio manager have to consider the following steps in order to manage his investment portfolio. The steps are as follows: Specification of investment objectives: In order to manage an investment portfolio, the usual objectives sought by investors are capital appreciation, current income and safety of principals. Choice of asset mix: Asset mix decision is the most

Environmental Issues in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environmental Issues in Canada - Essay Example Sooner or later the ozone layer is going to split wide open and the human beings and the animals will affected largely because of this. Skin cancer will become very common in human beings and this will also have other serious repercussions on human beings. This paper will largely focus on the environmental problems that exist in Canada. A comprehensive analysis of some of the most predominant problems in Canada will also be provided in this paper. The levels of acid rain are unprecedentedly high in Canada and this is because of the pollution. "On Feb. 2, 2007, the United Nations scientific panel studying climate change declared that the evidence of a warming trend is "unequivocal," and that human activity has "very likely" been the driving force in that change over the last 50 years. The last report by the group, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in 2001, had found that humanity had "likely" played a role." (Science, 25 March 2008). Global Warming, Acid Rain and the depletion of the ozone layer will heavily affect the life of human beings; the depletion of the ozone layer will make human beings more vulnerable to skin cancer. The flora and fauna will inevitably get affected because of all the above concerns. Acid rain is acidic in nature and any rain which consists of unusual amounts of acid can be called as acidic rain. The main cause of acidic rain is the emission of nitrogen and sulfur; this is because of the human activities. There have been many laws introduced by the government to keep a check on human activities which trigger off acidic rain. Acidic rain is believed to have devastating impact on aquatic life, animals, and most importantly on the health of human beings. "Acid rain is a problem in eastern Canada because many of the water and soil systems in this region lack natural alkalinity - such as a lime base - and therefore cannot neutralize acid naturally." (Where is Acid Rain A problem 25 March 200 9). Areas like Nova Scotia are severely affected because of acid rain and the damage done in these areas are beyond repair. Canada has to join hands with the US in order to stop the devastation caused by acid rain; Canada alone cannot fight against acid rain. Only if Canada joins hands with the US this potential problem can be solved. The US is largely responsible for more than 50% of the acid rain caused in Canada and this is exactly why the country must join hands with the US in order to deal with this big problem. "In 1995, the estimated transboundary flow of sulphur dioxide from the United States to Canada was between 3.5 and 4.2 millions of tons per year." (Where do sulphur dioxide emissions come from 25 March 2009). The following diagram will bring to light the environmental condition of Canada These figures were recorded for the year 2000 and now the level of SO2 is exceeding high. These factors contribute largely toward issues like global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. The Green House Effect There are many green house gases present on Earth, for instance Carbon dioxide which is exhaled by human beings is abundantly present in the Earth's atmosphere. Other gases include Methane, Ozone, And Nitrous oxide etc. There are some very important gases without the presence of which the green house effect can never take place, those gases include

The meaning of life Essay Example for Free

The meaning of life Essay Introduction: According to Saint Exupery in The Halo (2006), â€Å"Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something moulded. † The meaning of life has a no specific definition; it depends on how each individual give meaning to their lives. It is a natural thing for an individual to curiously know about their life since their birth till death. Moreover, human beings are also curious to find out why they were put in this earth that is why babies keep touching everything in order to experience all their surroundings from the very beginning (Taylor, 2000). In this essay, the concept of meaning will be significantly analysed. Firstly, by defining the meaning which will secondly be followed by discussing the different types of needs an individual must meet to experience the meaning of life. Thirdly, the types of things that enhance and curb the experience of the meaning of life will be highlighted. Lastly, various practical steps will be described to enhance the experience of the meaning of life. This essay will be intertwined with personal reflections and aspirations that have enhanced the meaning of life for the writer. What is the meaning of ‘meaning’? Subjectivism: According to Eagleton (2007), everyone adds their own meaning to life. The meaning of life is never universal or complex. The meaning of life is very simple and people experience it when they understand the universe, themselves, their identity and their goal in life (Bennet, 2005). Subjectivists state that the meaning differs with individuals’ psychological and mental states and their desires and goals. For example one individual can find meaning of life in music or art while other may find it in attaining goals or in religion (REF). In addition to this, (REF) states that life only becomes meaningful when all the needs and wants are fulfilled and when the individual is content and satisfied with themselves. Super naturalistic views: On the other hand, spiritual beings consider their lives to be consequential and significant when they can reach the pious pathway God has set (REF). The God-centred view points out that the definitive meaning of life is holistically attained. Moreover, an individual will only figure out the meaning of life when they are not attached to the worldly desires (REF). Personal reflection: Personally, the meaning of life for me is constantly being in search for my identity and accomplishing the goals I have set in life. I explore my identity through my art work as it helps me express my feelings and emotions about everything. My art work makes me realize who I am as a person and what people interpret me as a person through my paintings. What types of needs must be met for a person to experience meaning in life? Searching the meaning of life is a motivational force in an individual however; the degree of motivation to which they search the meaning of life differs in all individuals (REF). Despite individuals having different degrees of motivation, there are some needs and conditions that must be met for the individuals to experience the meaning of life. Individuals do not necessarily have to meet the same needs and conditions to experience the meaning of life. Some individuals are inspired by other individuals like great artists, inventors and thinkers, some individuals need sense of belonging, some need to experience certain events to make sense of life while others need to attain autonomy and self efficacy to experience the meaning of life. In short, individuals can discover the meaning of life through social work, experiencing something or someone or reactions towards unavoidable circumstances (REF). For example, an individual who is very emotional needs to experience the need of belonging in order to experience the meaning of life. They need to have many friends and a good relationship with their family in order to satisfy their need of belonging; this helps the individual to live a happy and full life. However, if they do not feel the sense of belonging, they have no hope hence do not have anything to look forward to and see no point of living. Conversely, not all individuals need to meet the need of belonging to experience the meaning of life. Some may have to experience the need of autonomy and self efficacy. These types of individuals usually have certain goals and tasks in life which they believe they can attain thus that would help them experience the meaning of life. For example, an individual whose goal is to become a doctor tries to attain that goal by being a hard worker and devoting all his time to attain their goal. They would experience the meaning of life when they achieve the title of the doctor as it would help them conquer a place in the community and gain some prestige. In addition to this, if an individual fails to attain this need might gain a very low self esteem which would then impact on the choices they makes in life. They would become very dependent on others and would not be able to cope with that leading them to suffer from various health issues. What types of things enhance the experience of meaning in life? The meaning of life can be enhanced by sustaining life, accepting a teaching, giving life or creating wisdom (REF). For example things that would enhance the meaning of life for mothers, doctors and nurses is when they deliver as links in a biological chain by giving life from one generation to the other. Young artists are inspired and enhance their meaning of life when they authorize and respect and accept their teacher’s work (REF). Personally, as an artist, the meaning of life for me is enhanced when I can appreciate the work of different artists and what they are trying to express in their paintings. Art work makes me understand the different feelings individuals go though and how they express it through drawings. It also makes me see different viewpoints of life and experiences people are going through. Despite all individuals having different needs to discover the meaning of life, there are certain things that all individuals require to enhance the meaning of life like: Hope Inspiration Goals High self esteem. What types of things curb the experience of meaning in life? Many individuals curb their experiences of the meaning in life due to: No inspiration or goals and failure: If an individual constantly fails and has no potential and inspiration of achieving his goals may feel ineffective and hopeless. They may start feeling that they have no purpose in life and life is completely meaningless for them. Loss of loved ones: loss of a loved one through death or divorce may affect an individual mentally and emotionally. They may feel the are not loved and do not belong anywhere as their loved one does not exist anymore. The loss brings suffering and misery which makes an individual believe that like if meaningless. Lastly, experiences like these pushes an individual to have a low self esteem and become reserved (REF). Personal Reflection: If individuals are not open, emotionless or afraid to be seen as themselves due to low self esteem cannot enhance their meaning of life and hence would curb this experience. As an artist, my goal is to become an art teacher and help other children to express their feelings through painting if they cannot through words. However, I have a clear goal and always have been inspired by my father to attain this goal. If I had a low self esteem and did not believe in myself, I would have no hope hence that would curb the search of meaning of life as I would feel I am worthless Practical steps to enhance the experience of a meaningful life As mentioned above, many individuals curb their experiences of the meaning in life due to low self esteem, no inspiration, no goals and being reserved. However, they can enhance their experience firstly by accepting and believing in themselves. This would help them make a contribution to life and share their best. According to (REF) self-destructive behaviour can be conquered by increasing self-efficacy and self-esteem. This can be done through counselling so that they can start believing in themselves. Individuals who need the sense of belonging to experience the meaning of life should try and fit in and socialize with people they are close to and have good relationships with them all. Furthermore, individuals who are trying to attain a specific goal should always reward themselves every time they are a step closer towards the goal. This would keep them motivated and not lose hope. Personally, I enhance my experience by acknowledging the great artists and how they are an inspiration to other young artists. Conclusion Finally as mentioned there is no specific meaning of life. All individuals need to meet different types of needs such as the need of belonging, experiencing life threatening incidents, need of autonomy and self efficacy to experience the meaning of life. An individual’s perception, values, needs and feelings centre him and help in organizing the world around him. Feelings help in expressing oneself. If an individual has a great skill in expressing himself, he can change the larger world. Great artists found expressions in their art work which helped them change the world that came after them. The creations around us are the different individuals trying to express themselves and their experiences of the meaning of life. All the inhibitors that we posses such as low self esteem and inner struggles should be resolved to make life more creative and enhance the meaning of life.

Building Services Engineering Science Construction Essay

Building Services Engineering Science Construction Essay This essay will discuss the available green and advanced renewable technology systems to be used in new built extension, the impact on Carbon footprint and effects on the thermal comfort for end users and discuses the building regulations apply. Building services system Building services engineers provide the internal environmental conditions that enable business processes to function at an optimum level while providing comfort conditions for occupants to achieve their maximum performance potential. (CIBSE, Choosing Building services). Designing a building services system is typically a great challenge for designer and the first element to consider is the client needs; this is the key to provide satisfaction and value. However clients relay on advisers to avoid spending great deal of time and effort, and its vary from client to another and use of building therefore each and every client needs should be studied carefully, clients should provide all necessary information in depth to the advisor to help him gain full understanding of what is the client business about and how the proposed project will enhance the business. Many researchers identified environmental factors provided to work force are fundamental to achieve good productivities specially in commercial or service environment, they have reported relationships between air quality and factors such as; speed and accuracy of work, sick leave, accidents and injuries and cost of product or service. Carbon footprint has become a popular name in political meetings, media and almost in all commercials advertising for heating products and services, but what is carbon footprint. A good understanding of the carbon footprint and its effect on the environment should enable designers to understand the importance of selecting the most suitable system to fit the purpose of proposed building, a definition for carbon footprint according to British Petroleum (BP/2007) the carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide emitted due to your daily activities. How the selection of building system will have effect on carbon footprint? The UK has passed legislation  that introduces the worlds first long-term legally binding framework to tackle the dangers of climate change. The Climate Change Bill was introduced into Parliament on 14 November 2007 and became law on 26 November 2008. The  Carbon Plan  published in December 2011, sets out the Governments plans for achieving the emissions reductions committed to in the first four  carbon budgets,  on a pathway consistent with meeting the 2050 target. This publication brings together the Governments strategy to curb greenhouse gas emissions and deliver our climate change targets, as well as the updated version of our actions and milestones for the next five years; replacing the draft Carbon Plan published in March 2011. Buildings are responsible of using nearly 40 percent of global energy and therefore they are major emitters of Co2 and other gases, the main common types of end use in buildings are: Heating (Ventilation and air conditioning systems). Water heaters. Lighting Computers (data centres and electronic appliances). Refrigerators and all white goods. Research by Centre for Research in the Built Environment has revealed a significant amount of over- estimating in the amount of internal heat gain in UK office design. The over design in building services system can lead to over sizing plant, maintenance cost and surely increase in operating cost which leads to emitting extra carbon in to the environment, as well as the under sizing could have same if not larger effect on carbon footprint as the demand for the source (heat, lightingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc) will continue the satisfaction for the comfort not met will result in continues use of energy. Ground source heat pumps The ground source heat pump system extracts heat from the ground, where temperature will be warmer than the air in winter and cooler than the air in summer. For this reason they are more efficient than air source heat pumps, especially in the coldest weather when they are most needed. They last for many years some manufacturing companies generate for minimum of 25 years, the noise from operating very little, and minimal servicing. The most practical way of extracting this energy is through water circulating through pipes in the ground. The pipes for the ground loop are usually laid in horizontal trenches at two metres deep, but vertical boreholes are an alternative, if more expensive, way of achieving similar results where there is not enough land to lay pipes horizontally. At depths below six metres, the ground temperature does not vary much from the Mean Annual Air Temperature (around 9 °C -11 °C in the UK depending on location). At a depth below two metres, there is a large store of warmth that can be tapped for heating in the winter. However, this temperature will drop quickly where a heat pump is extracting a lot of heat from a small ground loop it is therefore very important that the size of the ground loop matches the heating load of the building. Advantages of Ground Source Heat Pumps Heat pumps save money. Heat pumps are much cheaper to run than direct electric heating. They are cheaper to run than oil boilers and can be cheaper than running gas boilers. Because heat pumps can be fully automated they demand much less work than biomass boilers. Heat pumps save carbon emissions. Unlike burning oil, gas, LPG or biomass, a heat pump produces no carbon emissions on site (and no carbon emissions at all, if a renewable source of electricity is used to power them). Heat pumps save space. There are no fuel storage requirements. Heat pumps are safe. There is no combustion involved and no emission of potentially dangerous gases. No flues are required. Heat pumps require less maintenance than combustion based heating systems. Heat pumps can provide cooling in summer, as well as heating in winter. Disadvantages of Ground Source Heat Pumps GSHPs are more expensive to install than air source heat pumps because of the need to install a ground heat exchanger. However, this connection to the ground is what enables a GSHP to perform much more efficiently than an ASHP particularly when the external air temperature is low in winter and you most need heating. Problems arise with ground source heat pumps if the installation is poorly designed or not matched to the heating needs of the building. 1-s2.0-S0378778811004385-gr1.jpg Interseasonal Heat Transfer (IHT) The Interseasonal Heat Transfer offers sustainable energy source by using new technology observed from the site where installed, by storing the direct heat from the sun to the ground in summer and back the building in winter without using any other source of heat or burning fuel. By integrating solar thermal collected in summer to heat storage in Thermal Banks to increase the efficiency and coefficient of performance of ground source heat pumps in cold days. It works also in reverse by transferring captured cold in winter stored in Thermal Banks in the ground to the building to cool down in summer. (IHT) advantages and disadvantages Advantages Could save up to 50% of carbon emission in compare to other heat source such as gas boilers for heating. Could save up to 80% of carbon emission in compare to the use of standard air condition for cooling. Could save up to 100% of the cost in running heating system when claiming for producing renewable energy. Low maintenance. Disadvantages Cost of installation Poor installation will reduce the efficiency of the system. Solar Panels The sun provides a rich, free source of clean energy in the form of natural light and heat. It is likely to capture some of this free energy directly to exchange sunlight into electricity using solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Solar PV systems convert light into electrical power using a thin layer of semi-conducting material, typically silicon, enclosed between a sheet of glass and a polymer resin. The variety in size from a not many square centimetres, for instance on calculators and watches to systems of hundreds of square metres made from interconnected modules that form any range. When exposed to daylight electrons in the semi-conducting material turn into energised, these electrons are then able to flow through the material producing a direct current (DC), the DC is carried through wiring to an inverter which converts the current to 240V alternating current (AC) so it can be associated to the building electricity supply. http://www.which-solar.co.uk/wp-content/themes/victoria/images/howimage.jpg Summery The new technology, the fast developing to the technology and the responsibilities on the building owners and designers encourages the use of green technology and reduce carbon footprint emitted from buildings. In the proposed office extension that faces southwest it would be recommended to use combined of two systems for electricity and heat of solar panels and Interseasonal heat transfer (IHT) to achieve a maximum reduction of carbon footprint and maintain the comfort for staff and end user. Task 2 Class room 309 according to readings on dry and wet bulb readings were as follow 17 wet 21 dry Using the Psychrometric chart the wet and dry readings met to 66% Humidity According to CIBSE (Health Issue in Building Services, TM40, 2006) publication there are no regulations on moisture however its recommendations for normal building are set to be 40% to 70% and the target for design to be 60%.

Pettiness of the Wealthy Exposed in The Stolen Party Essay -- Stolen P

Pettiness of the Wealthy Exposed in The Stolen Party  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In Liliana Heker’s short story, "The Stolen Party," Senora Ines invited Rosaura to the party for only one reason, to serve. Rosaura was a very smart girl in school, but she lacked people smarts. Senora Ines told Rosaura that she would be a guest there but tricked Rosaura into being a helper instead of a guest. Senora Ines needed Rosaura to help at the party so she mislead Rosaura by making her tasks seem as if they were privileges. Senora Ines’ deviousness ultimately devastated poor, innocent Rosaura. Rosaura was a smart yet naive girl. Heker tells us that, "she was barely nine, and one of the best in her class" (1133). But as her mother, Herminia, says, "Get away with you believing any nonsense you’re told" (Heker 1133). Rosaura felt like she was equal to Lucinda, but to Senora Ines she is nothing but the maid’s daughter, another pair of hands. Rosaura wanted a better life than her mother’s, and she thought that this might be the first step in that direction. Senora Ines was very secretive in her true intentio...

Ancient Greek Beliefs Of Religion And Death Differs From Other Culture :: essays research papers

Ancient Greek Beliefs of Religion and Death Differs From Other Cultures   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How does the Ancient Greek beliefs of religion and death differ with the view of other cultural groups? Death, the way it is represented in Homer's book, The Odyssey, is always caused by human error. Whether their death was caused by greed, selfishness, or just being curious, many people died in The Odyssey. Still, the question of what happens after we die remains. Many religions have different beliefs of religious ideas from the Ancient Greeks. Afterlife, is a belief where the comparisons among religions become extremely close. The Greek beliefs of gods and death are different from the modern day beliefs of other religions such as Judaism and Ancient Egyptian beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For example, The Odyssey begins with a scene containing a conversation among the gods. The goddess Athena, goddess of war and wisdom, is discussing the matter of Odysseus with Zeus, the head god and god of sky (Homer 10). Of course these are not the only Greek gods and goddesses. Other examples of Greek gods and goddesses are Apollo, god of music, poetry, medicine, archery, and young unmarried men and Hestes, goddess of the home. As you can see, the Greeks believed in many gods unlike the people of the Jewish fate who believed in one god. The Jewish god does not have an emblem that which it is represented by. The belief is that the god is represented by everything. For example, members of the Jewish religion believe god is everywhere, in everything, and represented by everything they do. Another example of the religious differences is how Ancient Egyptians believed in idol gods which are gods represented in statues. Ancient Greek beliefs are different from those of other societies because of differences between how gods are represented in Judaism and Ancient Egyptian beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Equally important are the Ancient Greek views of death. Death caused by human error is widespread throughout the book. Human error is encountered in each one of Odysseus's adventures on his return home. The Kyklopes represented the greediness, selfishness, and uncilvilization of Odysseus's men. Odysseus fell asleep and his men unleashed a bag of bad winds, throwing them off path (Homer 315). Skylla and Kharybdis was a representation of death from nature when Odysseus's men stopped rowing and six of the men were killed. The Seirenes, with their beautiful singing voices represent suicide death. Hades, probably the most down to Earth adventure, represents time and fate. Many religions use time and fate as representations of why people die. Ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died, they were hand picked by god and therefore sacrificed.