Ban Zhao and Lessons for Women Essay

_Nu-jie,_ translated as _Lessons for Women,_ by Ban Zhao is a famous Chinese literacy work about women, her virtues and her roles. Ban Zhao was the first known female Chinese historian and poet. She was a renowned scholar under the Han dynasty and also a major contributor to the creation of one of the best-known history book ever written called _Han Shu,_ which is translated to _Book of Han. The Han dynasty is considered the most important time in the grand history of China. Many scholars have regarded the Han dynasty’s reign as the â€Å"Golden Age of Chinese history† but not only that, the Chinese empire under the Han dynasty rose to the forefront of the world along side with the Romans, Parthians and Khushans as the four great societies in ancient time. It was a time of transitioning in China as there were constant developments in many  social and cultural departments such as literature, science, art and industry. The Han dynasty also followed the ideals of Confucianism, which were reflected through politics as the government not only appointed talented men but also already capable men who were determined to improve. Confucianism quickly became the official ideology of the great nation. The Han dynasty’s reign also marked the transformation of China’s literacy and intellectual history. Confucianism had already had a big impact on the Chinese culture and on the lives of the Chinese as well. Its’ principles also benefited the intellectuals under the Han’s reign. The ancient Chinese had invented paper and also learned to how devise the lunar calendar. Literature and philosophies also reached new heights as education was being developed which was made possible by the evolution of a common language. It was also during this time that Ban Zhao’s father, Ban Biao, started his work on the book _Han Shu_ as he was determined to record the history of this time period. Ban Zhao was born in 45 C.E. and she was a daughter in an elite family, who had connections to the imperial court, under the Han dynasty. She was educated and often tutored by her own mother. By the mere age of 14, Ban Zhao had married Cao Shou who was also from her town of birth. However, Cao Shou’s death in later years left Ban Zhao with the responsibilities of raising children on her own. She then devoted her life to literacy which led to the formation of the tradition of historical writings in China. Ban Zhao left her hometown for the capital with her mother and her brother, Ban Gu, as he became the designated historian and editor of _Han Shu_. Many scholars believe that Ban Zhao had already assisted her brother and contributed her efforts to the work of _Han Shu_ at that time. Due to the devotion in her own work and the Chinese tradition, Ban Zhao never remarried. However, that led to the significant rise in her career as a historian and a writer when her most famous work , _Lessons for Women_, symbolized her effort of applying the principles of Confucianism to the lives of women. _Lessons for Women_ was originally Ban Zhao’s teachings for her daughters on  how to be a proper women. She intended the book to serve not only as lessons but also as a guideline for her daughters. She wanted them to manage themselves accordingly and behave the way a proper woman would. Be that as it may, the book identified itself with a much larger audience as it later became the referenced instruction manual for women who were striving for the ideals of Confucianism and who were to be a wife. _Lessons for Women_ emphasized the importance of the women way of life. â€Å"Let a woman modestly yield to others; let her respect others; let her put others first, her last†¦ Let a woman retire late to bed, but rise early to duties; let her not dread tasks by day or by night†¦ Let a woman be correct in manner and upright in character in order to serve her husband; let her love not gossip and silly laughter; let her cleanse and purify and arrange in order the wine and the food for the offerings to the ancestors.† (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.). _Lessons for Women_ also talked about the qualities of a proper woman, the qualifications of becoming one and advised women on their conducts in the home of the husband or the husband’s family. According to Ban Zhao, â€Å"a woman ought to have four qualifications: 1. Womanly virtue; 2. Womanly words; 3. Womanly bearing, and 4. Womanly work.† (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.). Ban Zhao also emphasized the importance of the roles husband and wife in the family. She said that the way of husband and wife is â€Å"intimately connected with Yin and Yang† (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.) . She then explained that if either of the roles were to prove unworthy of one another, â€Å"then the proper relationship between men and women and the natural order of things are neglected and destroyed.† (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.) Because of Ban Zhao’s strong beliefs in Confucianism and its principles, she often talked about how women must try to improve themselves, especially intellectually. Ban Zhao encouraged the principle of wanting to educate oneself as she urged that women should improve themselves through education. She indicated that literacy was important for both the wife and the husband in order to accomplish their roles in the family effectively. The book also put emphasis on the importance of women behaving as submissive which symbolized  the social roles of women in a Confucian society. Confucius himself said little about women which reflected the limited importance of women in ancient Chinese culture and society. But it was Confucianism’s principles that proved to be one of the driving forces that led to the belief that women could get educated, and eventually better themselves. As stated prevously, Ban Zhao originally intended _Lessons of Women_ as lessons for her daughters. Because of that, the book focused on how young women should behave before, during and after marriage. Ban Zhao talked about how young girls should keep her virtues, follow the customs and respect the values in order to become a proper woman. She further expanded her definition of the way women should live their lives. When Ban Zhao mentioned, â€Å"Let a woman modestly yield to others†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.), she also added that if a woman was to follow all those morals, she may humble herself before others. Right after that, â€Å"Let a woman retire late to bed, but rise early to duties†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.) talked about how a woman would become industrious if she follows all these practices. And finally, â€Å"Let a woman be correct in manner and upright in character†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.) explained the principles of ancestral worshiping. Ban Zhao then demanded equality in education; she said that if a relationship in marriage is to exist in harmony, the relationship between wife and husband should be proper and they should know their places so they can function effectively. In order to achieve this, Ban Zhao was asking questions about why women were not getting the same education that the men were able to, â€Å"Yet only to teach men and not teach women – is that not ignoring the essential relation between them?†¦ Only why should it not be that girls’ education as well as boys’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E. ). Ban Zhao then added further explanations about her defined women qualifications. For womanly virtue, a woman has to â€Å"guard her chastity carefully†¦ and to model each act on the best usage† (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.). According to Ban Zhao, a woman does not have to have brilliant and exceptional compared to others to achieve womanly virtue, it is about the ways a woman takes care herself and how she conducts her actions that symbolize her virtues. For womanly words, a woman has to â€Å"choose her words  with care; to avoid vulgar language†¦ and nor to wear others with much conversation† (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.). Ban Zhao thought that a woman does not have to engage in conversations all the time, should not use vulgar language and must choose an appropriate response to represent herself. For womanly bearing, a woman has to â€Å"†¦keep clothes and ornaments fresh and clean; and to keep the person free from disgraceful filth.† (Ban Zhao, c a. 80-106 C.E.). Ban Zhao was saying that a woman does not have to be pretty nor does not need a perfect face to present herself, it is about the ways how she keeps her clothes appropriate in terms of appearance and how she takes care herself to achieve womanly bearing. Finally, womanly work means â€Å"whole-hearted devotion†¦, to love not gossip or silly laughter; in cleanliness and order to prepare for the serving guests†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.). Ban Zhao said that to achieve womanly work, a woman does not need to be skillfully better than everyone else but to learn her responsibilities and do them effectively. These four qualifications are what would make a proper woman, according to Ban Zhao. However being a woman, proper or not, did not hold a high regards in the culture of ancient China. The primary aspect of a woman’s life in ancient China was to be a wife and continue the bloodline of the husband. They were viewed as â€Å"objects† which its purpose is to produce offspring, and in such a patriarchal culture male offspring was always preferred. A woman was expected to stick by her husband and conduct her actions in manners that would be deemed as appropriate by her husband or his family. Anything else would cause disharmony and thus brought embarrassment to not only herself but also to both families as well. Ban Zhao urged women to get an education so they can serve their families, especially their husband, more efficiently and in a better manner overall. According to Ban Zhao, â€Å"Let a woman not act contrary to the wishes and the opinions of parents-in-law about right and wrong; let her not dispute with them what is straight and what is crooked. Such docility†¦called obedience.† (Ban Zhao, ca. 80-106 C.E.). _Lesson for Women_ served as a guideline for women to learn the proper ways of being a woman in order to better themselves and their status in the  social rankings. It, however, also emphasized the importance of women knowing their roles and duties in the family well and because of that, family must always be their priority which they must always give implicit obedience to. If they were to follow Ban Zhao’s idealized practices, they would not bring embarrassment nor disgrace to the families. This book presented practices that were idealized by an educated ancient Chinese woman. Despite the correct descriptions of the situation many women faced during ancient China, _Lessons for Women_ did not mention the fact that not many women had the opportunities to earn an education like Ban Zhao had and their chances in life were very limited compared to Ban Zhao. Most of the women were not born in a privileged or prestigious family like Ban Zhao’s and the Confucian culture, practiced by the Han dynasty, forced women into the little and limited roles. According to the book, Ban Zhao wanted women to educate and better themselves for both their social ranking and their family matters. However, Ban Zhao also acknowledged their culture at the time and often urged women to be submissive to both the husband and his family. She also noted that the opinions of the women and what they thought was right or wrong may differ from their husband’s but they must sacrifice their personal opinions and not cause disharmony. After analyzing the book, I have learned that there were certain ways that women could have improved themselves intellectually speaking but because of their culture, it did not improve their social rankings nor had any great influence on the society at the time. It also made me realize that women have had to come a long way to become respectable in the society. The book also emphasized the patriarchal society that ancient China and one can see the lasting impact it has had on the culture of China even to today’s day and age. China have always favored its sons more than its daughters and it has been this way since the ancient time of the Han dynasty. It was not until 2013 when the son-preferred tradition began to gradually decline as the great gender imbalance in China started to balance out. One of the reason that the younger generations have attributed to the decline in the â€Å"gender-cide† is the opportunities at higher level education. As Ban Zhao had stated in _Lessons for Women,_ education is an important, if not the most important, factor for women to improve themselves. _Lessons for Women_  served as a great guideline for women who wanted to be a proper woman and eventually improve themselves as human beings. Ban Zhao talked about what a young girl needed to do and how she should behave to be considered as a woman. However, it should also be mentioned that Ban Zhao was born in a prestigious family during the Han dynasty and whose ties were connected with high ranking officials. Her family was wealthy enough to afford her an education which was a luxury that not many Chinese could have afforded at the time, let alone the Chinese women. Be that as it may, _Lessons for Women_ served its intended purpose and more as many women initiated the first steps of i mproving their statuses in both their household and their society. References Lee, Yuen T. (n.d.). Ban Zhao: Scholar of Han Dynasty China. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://worldhistoryconnected.press.illinois.edu/9.1/lee.html Hasall, P. (Ed.). (n.d.). Ban Zhao: Lessons for a Woman. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/banzhao.html Nancy Lee Swann, trans., Pan Chao: Foremost Women Scholar of China (New York: Century, 1932), 82-90. Strayer, R. (2013). Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources (2nd ed.). Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s. Larson, C. (2014, July 31). In China, More Girls Are on the Way. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-07-31/chinas-girl-births-ratio-improves-as-coun try-gets-more-educated

Kierkegaard Theory Essay

1. Do you approve of Kierkegaard’s father teaching technique? Explain. Are there similarities between his techniques and virtual reality? Are there differences? Yes, I do approve of Kierkegaard’s teaching technique. Basically Kierkegaard and his father were always having intellectual and emotional conversation wherever they were heading to. I feel that it is a form of simulation for Kierkegaard to get himself involved with God. It makes one feel that no matter where we are, we should always put a leap of faith in God because he is always there for us. So how is it useful? Such teaching will enable kids to grow up to be more innovative and creative. It is the process of turning something non-visual or non-sensory into concrete concepts in our minds. That conversion is crucial for a child’s development. It allows a child to take an abstract concept, like â€Å"democracy† and turn it into real-world things. Schools often teach concepts, and they assume children will naturally create accurate, real-world images in their heads. But they were never taught how to imagine something. Therefore the importance of such teaching produce visionary that may lead to a better future, a better world. For example: politicians and scientists. Yes, there are similarity and difference with his techniques and virtual reality. By definition, virtual reality is an artificial environment which is experienced through sensory stimuli (as sights and sounds) provided by a computer and in which one’s actions partially determine what happens in the environment. The similarity is they both allow people to imagine and picture themselves in the virtual environment and feel it. Gamers enjoy the sensation and â€Å"real-life† battles between monster and them. Similarly, we, who believe in God, enjoy the sensation of knowing that he is by our side. But the difference is virtual reality relies on computers or technology to aid us in producing the images while Kierkegaard’s father chose to describe every fine details and made use of the functionality of brain to imagine the description. Not to forget, everyone think differently, so the projection in the mind would be different from one another. 2. Whom do you think Kierkegaard identifies most with: the friend who doesn’t want to choose or Williams? Or perhaps both? I think that Kierkegaard identifies himself as the friend the most. The friend said: â€Å"Get married, and you’ll regret it. Don’t get married and you’ll regret it.† He is part of what he believes it. Kierkegaard believes that subjectivity is the truth. Either if Kierkegaard should get married or not, he would not know until he finds out himself. There is no objective truth in life, only personal truth which varies for each individual. William said about being refrained from choosing because others have chosen for him. This contradicts to what he said about becoming authentic. A person does not accomplish anything unless he or she accomplishes it by themselves, by making the experience their own. If a person chose not to choose what they want, they will never achieve selfhood and become a true human. 3. Compare the second excerpt with Sartre’s theory of the existential choice. Sartre’s theory of the existential choice believes that everyone always have a choice. Even if we do not choose, we actually made a choice of not choosing. There is always a part of us that we know we are not animals or inert things which allows us to make a choice simply because we know about our own existence and morality. In the second excerpt, it is obvious that Williams’s theory clashed with Sartre’s. By accepting the fact that he has been refrained from choosing, that is his choice of choosing to believe in what others say. Despite, Sartre’s theory does not believe in God, both Kierkegaard and Sartre believe that we should all make our own choices instead of letting them decide our fate. We are who we are only if we make our own choices.

Maximization of Shareholder Wealth Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Maximization of Shareholder Wealth - Assignment Example The ethical principles on the other hand are presented by most texts on business ethics to function independently and usually contrary to the financial objectives like maximizing the value of common stock. This is evident in most corporations where there exists a tension between the ethical and the financial ideals. For instance, Halbert and Ingulli (1990) highlight the disparity between ethics and maximization of shareholder wealth by the description of a study, which involved around two thousand MBA students. Beginning as relative idealists, they reported the desire of creating quality goods and services, to be able to serve the customers and at the same time give back to the local communities they belonged. By the graduation time, they were rather much oriented to maximizing the shareholders’ values. This disparity is also observed as the conflict of philosophies, which is there between any serious treatment of ethics and wealth maximizing. Maximization of shareholder wealth is strategies, which will ensure highest possible returns. This may even involve the strategies of laying off some of the organization’s employees to achieve this. Some activities, which are good for the society, may compromise the strategy and may be ignored in this process. The customer and the environment may also not be considered in this process that much since; the customer may not be completely comfortable with the

Oligopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oligopoly - Essay Example In relation to costs it shows that in an oligopolistic market firms will not raise their prices because even a small price increase will cause them to lose many customers and at the same time a large price decrease by the owners will gain only a few customers because such an action will begin a price war with other firms. The curve is therefore more price-elastic for price increases and less so for price decreases. In a kinky demand curve as in an oligopoly marginal costs could change without necessarily changing the price or quantity. Being an Oligopoly the EU car market will be experiencing an average cost curve that will represent benefits from substantial economies of size. These firms have actually become large and powerful and with the increased output they have low processing and operating costs. The EU car industry clearly has just a few ruling firms in the industry which will be watching each others pricing and output strategies very closely. Moreover it should be noted that the EU car industry might actually be benefiting through its oligopolist structure(although the practice of price discrimination cannot be applauded).The car industry has to maintain its factories and pay its workers regardless of the amount of output /cars it produces every year. They can probably not afford a perfect competition situation where there would be price competitions and losses which would have an adverse effect on the safety and quality of the cars. This diagram shows that the car industry being a technically differentiated oligopoly(different types of cars) produces at a profit maximizing level of output where marginal cost equals marginal revenue. The firm finds the price it will charge customers at the profit maximizing level of output (Qm) from the demand curve, and sets price to Pm. As we can see, the firm is earning economic profits since price exceeds the average costs at the profit maximising level of output. Now coming back to the issue the question addresses , it is a fact that for many years there is large scale price discrimination in the European Car Market. For example figures show that in 2001the pre-tax price of a Mazda 323 was 10,525 in the UK ,7,404 in Greece and 6,266 in Denmark ( European Commission, July 2001. )This has largely been blamed upon the fact that the European Car Industry is exempt from European competition law. .This situation has allegedly led to a rather oligopolistic arrangement by the persons involved in the car industry as they operate a rigid network of national or regional dealers which are chosen by car manufacturers, to flourish. Allegedly this is also where British car buyers have been particularly discriminated against. The European Car market is not a freely competitive market. As an oligopoly then the EU car industry experiences downward sloping long run average cost curve. The tactic that this industry uses is to increase profits by expanding output and/or merging to take advantage of economies of scale. As a result the

Application of auction theory in the context of the Indian Premier Essay

Application of auction theory in the context of the Indian Premier League - Essay Example This theory is highly essential from a theoretical, empirical and economic perspective. This paper aims to discuss the main principles of the auction theory along with the considerable issues and their solutions associated to the phenomenon of auction market. For this paper, we shall consider an example of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to relate it with the relevant theoretical principles of the auction theory. Auction Theory: Auction theory is a branch of economics which takes a number of concepts into analysis that includes the risks, behaviors, challenges and activities of bidders within the auction processes. The process of auction has been used from earliest traces of economic activities. Economists have contributed in the auction theory including Vickrey (1961), Griesmer, Levitan and Shubik (1967) etc. Extension of Auction theory is referred to as theorem of revenue equivalence (see appendix 1.1). As per the contributions of different economists, there are four standard types of auctions. These bids are commonly known as the English Bid, the descending bid which also known as the Dutch bid, first sealed bid and a second seal bid. Each one is unique and possesses interesting factors, which grasp attention of the interested buyers (Besanko and Braeutigam 2000). Now we shall analyze each type of bid separately supported with relevant examples. English Bid: According to Gul and Stacchetti (1999), English bid is a type of bid that slowly goes higher. Sometimes this type of bidding appears as most simplistic, however at the same time it can create complexities for both buyers and sellers. English auction begins with a bid which is placed by an auctioneer who places the starting bid which is a given price of the product being sold. The bids are then placed one by one in an increasing order. English bid is different from other bids such as sealed bids because it is open to all bidders with no policy of hiding (Gul and Stacchetti 1999). The one who makes the highest bit wins the product. In this type of bid prices increase comparatively with small margins and the buyers intend to win the item at low price than its original value at which the product bidding started i.e. starting bid. For example, there is a likelihood of quick sale of a car during an auction as the standing bid will be lowest, which will be affordable for a sing le buyer, who will finally take the commodity home (Auctus Development, Inc, 2004). It should also be noted that the English auction can be win by the standing bidder which can only be displaced by a competitively higher bid than the standing bid (Jaiswal 2010). Furthermore, Klemperer (1997) noted that English bids or ascending bids are usually used for selling household items such as cars, appliances, furnisher and sometimes properties as well. This type of bid facilitates sellers to make great sum of money and an amazing opportunity for the buyers to win the bid (Klemperer 1997). A reserve or minimum price is charged for house hold commodities in English auction (Auctus Development, Inc 2004). Dutch Bid: According to Besanko and Braeutigam (2000), the Dutch system is entirely

H.W Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

H.W - Essay Example At least, security glasses, scientists jacket, long jeans, shut toe shoes, and gloves are obliged when working with particularly risky substances. Business mixtures, trademarked items and so forth should be joined by a part of the Office of Environmental and Occupational Safety if the compound constituents are not promptly identifiable from the name of the item or from the data on the items bundling label. Contaminated Personal Protective Equipment and garments must be discarded or disinfected before expulsion from the assigned work territory. While little spots of sullying may be cleaned in the lab, horribly sullied protective outer layers might need to be discarded as dry risky waste. Quick measures must be accessible to keep the conceivable spread of sullying in the occasion of a little spill of an Particularly perilous substance. Permeable materials and clean up materials ought to be accessible in all research facilities sufficient to hold and clean people and supplies and zones. Any known spills must be held and disinfected at the earliest opportunity. In the occasion of a substantial spill that is past a lab bunches prompt reaction abilities, the accompanying strategies ought to be taken after: Specifically risky substances must be put away in an assigned range and utilized as a part of a way that will minimize the danger of unintentional discharge (e.g., topped firmly, utilization of concoction safe optional regulation, at whatever point conceivable). Lab staff ought to expel chemicals from capacity just as required and return them to capacity when handy. Extra prerequisites for the safe stockpiling of a particular synthetic may be found in the makers directions. At the point when transporting chemicals past the quick the earth, compartments ought to be secured from breakage by utilizing a jug transporter or other compelling regulation. Research centers and rooms

Mobile Device Security Policies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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An organisational case study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

An organisational case study - Assignment Example Strategic formulation which is a key component of organizational entrepreneurship entails â€Å"the development of business mission, decisions both long term and short term objectives, and prioritizing strategies† (Karami, 2003). Dana (2004) notes that it is associated with deciding which resource is for what and in what amount, the process of entering international market or issues related to mergers with suppliers or sales agencies to diversify operations. Strategic formulation in business thus involves the perception of any strategy formulation process which has marked phases that are time-bound. Focus on Southwest Airlines This paper examines Southwest Airlines using SWOT Analysis in understanding its market penetration and product development strategic frameworks. It also draws the way forward for the airline to remain competitive. Bohm (2008) agrees that SWOT analysis has been used to evaluate and identify a number of areas in project formulation and Southwest is not an exception. The framework is used in mapping out the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Indeed, it is used to formulate strategic plans and crafting solutions to control situations. All these predominantly follow an in-depth analysis of external environmental factors that affect the market and operations of Southwest Airlines (Bohm, 2008). ... outhwest Airlines One such is the organizational structure which focuses on the flow of information and responsiveness to client-related issues (Bohm, 2008). Southwest has often demonstrated quick response to client issues e.g. flight delays. Besides, the organizational organ gram is such that the pecking order is clear therefore the flow of information to those responsible in handling it is promptly facilitated for corrective action (Price, 2007; Mentges & Renga, 2010). Beyond this the strength in communication is further compounded by the fact that Southwest Airlines has an optimally utilized website. It was indeed one of the first airlines to have a fully fledged website to create widespread customer awareness on its services. However, one of the website’s weaknesses is that fares are not clearly outlined to enable customers make informed decisions just by the click of the mouse (Price, 2007). Regardless, it is reported that the airline has the largest pool of website visit s. It is also highly ranked with the best profitability record in the American market. The website also has a magazine that has caught the attention of many thereby bringing with it more customers (West, 2005; Joyner, 2006). In regards to the internet use Hoffman et al. (2001) believes that the company is on the right footing given that this is the information transformation age. The second way of examining internal analysis of strength and weaknesses is by looking into the organization’s planning. Daft (2008), states that the point is to examine the ‘feasible long and short term’ arrangement or map of action concerning for example the human resources. In this regards Southwest Airline is on top of its game. It also plans its flight operations well in advance and appropriately communicates

Rising Fuel Costs and US Transport Industry Essay

Rising Fuel Costs and US Transport Industry - Essay Example Consequently, comfort is often sacrificed in an attempt to cut back on the fuel budget. Often, Americans have had to make do with fewer cars, or shift to fuel efficient ones. In addition, car pooling has become a common practice among friends and families while air travel is not only restricted, but also limited to either official travels, or longer journeys that would otherwise be uneconomical with the use of a car (Coyle et al, 2006). By and large, the use of public modes of transport has increased. In fact, ridership by public transport in the United States rose by 15 percent in 2007. For those in the taxi business, these have especially been hardest hit , and this has forced some of the operators to increase fares, only to have their customers walk away from them (ACTE, 2008). The airlines too, have not bee spared either, with a coupe of them such as Delta and American airlines recording massive annual losses in the range of $ 1 billion (KLEIN, 2008). With such a gloomy picture having been slapped on the American transport industry, is there any respite for the Americans in the near future For the last six years, the price of gasoline, crude oil and natural gas has significantly risen. In 2000, a barrel of crude oil ranged from $ 25 and $ 30 per barrel. This was later to rise to a high of $ 75 per barrel six years later. Due to this, such petroleum products as jet fuel, gasoline and diesel fuel, and which are primarily dependent upon by the transportation industry in the United States, have risen sharply. In addition, the price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline almost doubled to $ 2.36 in 2006, up from $ 1.46 in 2000. The rate at which both India and China are developing, has led to a sharp demand for oil, and this has had a massive impact on the petroleum-based products such as gasoline (Hiare & Machemehl, 2007). The reliance of the transport industry on fuel is in no doubt, and its usage keeps on increasing by the day. In 1973, the consumption of petroleum was pegged at 9.05mb/day, and this was later to rise to 13.9mb/day by the year 2005. In addition, there was a strong growth in petroleum consumption to 28.2 percent in 2005, up from 24.6 percent in 1973. Furthermore, the annual average vehicle per capita mileage has also immensely improved from 5,440 miles in 1970, to 10, 087 miles in 2005 (ACTE 2008). Automobiles For the automobile makers, they too have not been spared by the rise in fuel cost, as customers are no longer shopping for cars. Both Ford and General Motors have witnessed a slump in sales in recent years, leading to a recording of major losses. As a result, the auto makers have had to institute changes (VOA news, 2008). According to Rich Wagoner, the chairman of General Motors, the company has no choice but to close down some of its factories, following in the footsteps of Ford motors, who proceeded by closing shop on the manufacturing factories for non-fuel efficient vehicles. The General Motors boss views this as a proactive move, in a bid to ensure the survival and success of the company. This will mean that thousands of jobs will have to be cut down. There is also a shifting trend in the auto industry towards the manufacturing of

Explore Shakespeares Essay Example for Free

Explore Shakespeares Essay Richard II is a play that centres on Kingship; Shakespeare presents vanity and flattery using rich language throughout the play to articulate the hazards a King must avoid to ensure their position as King is maintained. During the play we see the character of Richard presented as vain and tyrannical; as a man who is attempting to escape the responsibilities that Kingship brings such as succession and leadership. Written almost wholly in verse, Shakespeare contrasts Richard with his successor Bolingbroke to emphasize how care of the kingdom of England and good judgement is inextricably linked with being a successful King. From the onset, Shakespeare presents Richard as vain. In Act I of the first scene Richards interruption of the duel suggests his egotism. The duel gives Richard the opportunity to make a dramatic and grand public gesture, asserting himself as King. As the brawl develops Richard calls Mowbray and Bolingbroke to forgive, forget, conclude and be agreed. Shakespeares use of verbs in the imperative makes this statement a command. It implies Richard has paid little attention to the reason behind the quarrel, and is instead more interested in people concentrating on his lavish words and public display. The repetition of the o sounds and alliteration of the fs also brings a certain finality to the speech, perhaps hinting at Richards self-important and haughty nature which we see resulting in his demise as King. This narcissistic portrayal of Richard is continued as the duel unfolds. Shakespeare then further emphasizes Richards enjoyment of power and pleasure in set piece displays of authority with his statement Lions make leopards tame. Richard is referring to himself as the lion and again, Shakespeare uses language to reflect Richards flattery-driven personality whilst perhaps indicating that without firm governing, leopards such as Mowbray and Bolingbroke will be able to attack Richards position of King. Shakespeare emphasises how ineffective kingship is dominated by flattery and vanity by surrounding the doomed Richard with sycophants who ultimately result in his downfall. Men such as Bushy, Bagot and Greene are all characters that give the king bad advice leading him to lose the crown. Indeed, it is the inadequate guidance that Richards flatterers give such as to leave England, which enables Bolingbroke to return and subsequently force Richard to abdicate. Shakespeare conveys Richards foolishness in listening to these men through the comments from the other characters he creates. Bolingbroke, Gaunt and York all refer throughout the play to Richards self-deception and craving for flattery. In Act II for example, York remarks that flattery sounds, / As praises emphasising that although Richard considers the flattery he receives to be accurate in terms of truth, it is not; and that he is so blinded by sycophancy and self adulation that he cannot realise his weaknesses and inadequacy as King. Bolingbroke also makes the audience aware of Richards reliance on obsequiousness with his references to the caterpillars of the Commonwealth. We interpret the caterpillars to be men such as Bushey and Greene and the term caterpillar conjures up imagery of greedy, lazy almost parasitic vermin who are both a detriment to Richard and the rest of England. Bolingbroke then swears he shall weed and pluck away these men. This continues the portrayal of Bolingbroke as a hero and develops England as an organic entity, which is a recurrent theme throughout. Finally, when Gaunt states the King is basely led by flatterers he indicates his antipathy of Richards reliance upon flattery. This speech can be seen to be an implied condemnation of Richards kingship and is arguably a climax in the tensions between Richard and Gaunt. Undeniably Gaunt expresses his despair at Richards predisposition to flattery at other points in the play too. A thousand flatterers sit within thy crown, conveys the extent to which the King surrounds himself with sycophants. The number thousand can be seen to imply a powerful, almost army-like force which, as well as hating, Gaunt also fears. To say that they sit within thy crown also reflects their proximity to the King as one associates the word sit with a sense of comfortableness and security. With this line Shakespeare suggests the flatterers feel no threat from others surrounding the King such as Gaunt. A certain hopelessness is inherent in Gaunts situation, as he will never be able to make Richard understand the cost of being surrounded by flatterers before its too late and they lead to his failure. Indeed, it is through characters such as Gaunt that Shakespeare is able to encapsulate the weak character of the King as he shows Richard as being governed by his flatterers as opposed to governing them, which is presented as the true role of a King. Richards choice to distance himself from his family and make an enemy of his cousin Bolingbroke is a critical error. His aloofness and hostility towards other members of his family jeopardizes the succession. The succession is presented as an essential element of Kingship as without an heir, Richard could plunge the country into bloody Civil War after his death if those around him disagreed about his successor. This, in conjunction with the divine right of kings is presented as a key element to kingship. According to Richard himself Not all the rough rude sea/ can wash the balm off from an anointed King. Whilst this sums up Richards self-image of being invincible due to his position of King, it also emphasizes the contemporary view of Shakespeares time that a King is appointed by God and for this reason Kingship is sacred. The term anointed also reflects the sanctity of the Divine Right Of Kings and the word balm conjures up imagery of a King being coated in a shield created by divinity, thus emphasizing Richards prestigious role. According to Gaunt, a King is Gods substitute, his deputy anointed in his sight. As before, Shakespeare chooses the term anointed perhaps to symbolise how sacrosanct the role of King is. The length of sentence combined with the rich words such as Gods substitute sums up the attitude of Shakespeares time about the tasks of a king and emphasizes the contemporary belief of providence, which dominates the play. Indeed, Shakespeare illuminates the importance of maintaining the succession using many themes and motifs in the play as well as in the storyline. Ideas about blood and Englands condition at the time of Richards rule dominate the story. In Act II for example, Northumberland refers to the dead Gaunt as a royal prince of noble blood. As before in Richards speech at the beginning of the play, Shakespeare controls the assonant o sounds to draw the audiences attention to the relationship between being royal and having noble blood. Richards comment lets purge without blood also suggests his keenness to prevent some sort of conflict between him and Bolingbroke. This could be interpreted as showing his pacifistic side as demonstrated in the scene of the duel or that he is worried about his own blood, as his death will endanger the succession. It is through this type of language that Shakespeare emphasises the responsibility of a King to ensure the succession and the countrys well being. In addition to succession, Richard II reflects the importance of looking after your realm whilst King. Shakespeare presents England as being in a poor state whilst Richard reigns, with the Bishop of Carlisle foreseeing disorder, horror, fear and mutiny- all words which describe disaster. However it seems due to Richards preoccupation with vanity, he has ignored the importance of good and effective governance. Richard himself realises this towards the end of the play and water is another pattern of language Shakespeare draws on to illustrate this. In Act III scene 3 we see Richard consciously relinquish the crown. The flamboyancy of his language continues as before in the play as he abdicates, Mine eyes are full of tears, but his comment that the salt water blinds them not so much/But they can see a sort of traitors here suggests a realisation that his downfall can be attributed to those around him as much as himself and can be interpreted as showing a change in Richards character as he is faced with a kingdom in turmoil. By describing his tears as containing salt, Shakespeare leaves the actual interpretation of the word ambivalent. One might associate the salt with bitterness either reflecting his enemies resentment towards him, which led to his downfall with men such as Bolingbroke or his own bitterness. Yet the salt also can be seen to suggest corrosion and the deterioration Richards incompetence caused to England, something he has just begun to realise. Shakespeare then develops the water motif into what can be seen as, a metaphor of Richard. He talks of being a mockery king of snow who has before the sun of Bolingbroke melted away in water-drops. This self-description as a King of Snow perhaps hints at Richards previous self-alienation from family and friends whilst evoking images of Richard as being a cold, unfeeling character. On the other hand, the fact Richard refers to himself as only a King of Snow possibly can be seen to emphasise, consciously or not, that Richard never had genuine control of England at all and that his power never truly existed in any other form stronger than the fragile substance of snow and this is what made his renunciation inescapable. The subsequent reference to Bolingbroke melting this Snow King into water-drops can then be interpreted as a direct reference to Bolingbrooks seizure of Richards crown which literally, like heat from the sun does to snow, dissolved his power. This self-conscious speech from Richard gives us a sense of his despair at losing the kingship but also his relief. Shakespeares linking of Bolingbroke to the sun can also be seen as Richard considering his cousin to in some ways, be a saviour who has removed him of the responsibility of Kingship, which we have seen him to grapple with unsuccessfully. As we see a change in Richards personality, other motifs in the play also alter. The significance of blood from bloodlines to the spilling of blood and damage done to England changes for example changes; Thy fierce hand hath with the Kings blood stained the Kings own land powerfully relates to us how Richard has exploited his role as King and damaged England rather than nurturing it which is the true task of a King. To describe the hand as staining the land with blood creates a very powerful image of Richard damaging his Kingdom. By referring to his hands as the tools that created such destruction, Shakespeare strengthens the amount of responsibility the audience feels Richard has for the strife the country finds itself in. Also to a modern audience at least, the idiom to have blood on ones hands adds to the impact of Richards words. Bolingbrokes allegory of Richards flatterers as caterpillars is expanded later on in the play as Shakespeare presents the country metaphorically as a garden. The gardeners speak with pitiful regret of the countrys condition and emphasize Richards folly in not looking after his Kingdom. He had not trimmed and dressed his land as we this garden-here the Gardener presents England as out of control and poorly tended to, emphasising how determination and fortitude which are both strengths associated with a gardener are an important layer to Kingship. The gardeners references to noisome weeds also convey the parasitic nature of Richards flatterers and that as Bolingbroke vows to do, they should be plucked and rooted away. The gardener then goes on to describe these weeds as without profit suck/ the soils fertility from wholesome flowers. The imagery of Richards sycophants preventing flowers of England from flourishing has several connotations; firstly that it is Richard who has inhibited Englands emotional well-being. Secondly it can be seen as a symbolic reference to the sparring Houses of Lancaster and York who fought for the Crown after Richards abdication. However, the Garden scene also gives a sense of sympathy for Richard. He states that although he suffered this disordered spring/Hath now himself met with the fall of leaf. This perhaps suggests that as a man Richard does deserve some pity when we consider he had no choice in becoming King and that it is only his role as King that has made him inept and destructive. By the end of Richard II the audience has come to realise the intricacies of Kingship. The tone at the end of the play, when Bolingbrook sentences Richard to death is one of grief. Bolingbroke has assumed the cares of Kingship of which had led to Richards self-destruction. However, during the play we only get a glimpse of Bolingbroke as King and as an audience realise that he has not had time to make mistakes such as those made by Richard. We can instead only see more of Bolingbrokes character in the rest of the series of historical plays, such as Henry IV. It is in Richard II however, that Shakespeares rich language articulates the many different concepts of Kingship and how Richard failed them. We see how the King is divinely appointed to rule, but that his kingship is an obligation to his country, not an opportunity for egotism; and the Crown can be forfeited if the King fails to rule well. On the other hand, Richard was born to be King; it is a role for which in the play we see him to be ill suited, but is something in which he has no choice. Through his character we realise the many restrictions of Kingship, its burdens and possible consequences. Ultimately Richard cannot escape the trappings of Kingship unless he forfeits his own life. We then see that the only way to escape the afflictions of kingship is death and Richard conforms to this completely, giving up his life in order to give up his Kingship.

A Study Of The City Of Jaipur Environmental Sciences Essay

A Study Of The City Of Jaipur Environmental Sciences Essay The city of Jaipur, nestled in the rugged hills of Aravallis, popularly known as the Pink City, was founded in 1727 AD by one of the greatest rulers of the Kachhawaha clan, the astronomer king Sawai Jai Singh. The pink colour was used at the time of making to create an impression of red sandstone buildings of Mughal cities and repainted in 1876, during the visit of the Prince of Wales. The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets which are laid out into sectors separated by broad streets. Jaipur which means the city of victory was built exactly 273 years back and is 262 km by road from Delhi (Capital of India). A strong wall encircles the old city and even today has a suggestion of formidable strength; its function of protecting all within is obvious.   The plains of Rajasthan of which Jaipur is the capital once thundered and echoed with clash of swords and the drums of wars, Built in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh-II, Jaipur was the first planned city of its time (the earlier planned city in northern India having been built near Taxila sometime in the 2nd century BC). Source: www.mapsofindia.com Jaipur was planned by Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya, a Bengali architect, who gave shape to the ideas of Sawai Jai Singh in a grid system with wide straight avenues, roads, streets and lanes and uniform rows of shops on either side of the main bazaars, all arranged in nine rectangular city sectors (chokris), planned on the basis of principles of `Shilp Shastra`. The city itself is an attractive creation worthy of universal admiration. The population size of the city is 2.5 million, as per Census 2001. The Municipal body was recognised in 1926 and a Municipal Act was in place in1929. Recently, it achieved the status of a Municipal Corporation and its jurisdiction spread over 64.75 sq.kms. The old city occupies 9.8 sq.kms. The average density of population works out at 38610 persons per sq km. amongst all the mega cities of the country, Jaipur ranks 11th with a total population of 2.3 million. It is one of the fastest growing mega cities of the country with an annual average growth rate of 4.5% whereas the national urban growth rate is only 2% as per Census of India, 2001. With its current growth trend, it is likely to supercede many other cities. Jaipur is thus a vibrant city. Earlier it was Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) who deals with the planning and maintenance part of the city but now it is Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) who deals with the planning and maintenance of the city. Historical Background: This section describes the spatial growth of Jaipur city since the time it was founded. The spatial growth pattern of Jaipur city is divided into four distinct phases which will enable us to understand the growth of city phase wise about the growth trends better. Phase I: 1727-1850 AD : The city was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727 A.D, is one of the few planned cities of its times based on the principles of ancient town planning doctrine of Shilpa Shastra. The city conformed to the traditional walled city concept with the encircling wall and 9 entry gates. Jaipur walled city evolved as a grid-iron plan with the main road running almost east west along the ridge in the centre and the palace complex at the core. The buildings were built following a strict Architectural guideline. By 1734, the main markets of the town including various bazaars had been built. Hawa Mahal, the principle street of Jaipur, c. 1875Phase II: 1850-1930: During this phase, the city grew out of the confines of the walled city. The establishment of railway line in 1868 A.D fueled the growth of the city. During the Rajasthan Famine of 1868-69, Ramniwas Garden was constructed as part of the famine relief work. Modern water Works and Gas Works for lighting the city streets was also established during this phase. Phase III: 1930-1970 : In 1930s, five development schemes, Fateh Tiba, area south of Ramniwas Bagh, Ashok Nagar, New Colony in Jalu pura and Bani Park commonly known as A, B, C, D, E respectively were conceived to provide residential plots, land for public institutions and other amenities for the increasing population. Civil Lines area was developed primarily to house the Senior Government servants. Mirza Ismail (MI) Road was constructed as a ceremonial highway from Ajmer Road to Moti Doongri Road in the early 1940s. The Rajasthan University was inaugurated in 1947 thereby opening opportunities for the southward growth of the city. A sudden increase of population after partition was seen that was mainly due to the influx of refugees during this time. Jaipur then became the capital of Rajasthan leading to further attraction of administrative and economic activities. These factors led to increased development of residential areas to cater to the growing population. For instance, Bapu Nagar and Gandhi Nagar residential areas were developed towards south of the city. Development towards the Northwest of the city took place in the early sixties with the establishment of the Jhotwara Industrial Estate. Phase IV: Post 1970s: During the last 3 decades, the major growth direction has remained largely the same i.e., towards the southwest and northwest of the city. Spatial Integration of Jaipur city: The spatial integration of Jaipur city will be determined by the city land use assessment method changes in it can be analysed and the spatial planning tools techniques, which are responsible for the development also can be analysed. The land use assessment method will analyse the development and growth patterns in past as well as future direction of it. The land use of Jaipur city in 1971 has been compared with the existing land use in 1991 to find out the spatial analysis. Figure: 4.2.1 Landuse, 1971 Landuse, 1991 Source: Census of India, 1971 and 1991 Due to the lack of latest landuse data of city, the assessment is confined uptil the year 1991. There is a very sharp change in the some land uses like residential, public and semi public, and industrial sectors etc. The area under residential increased upto 62% in year 1991 while it was 51% in year 1971, under public semi public is decreased 17 % (1971) to 8 % (1991), also under circulation decreased from 17% (1971) to 12% (1991) but the area under governmental uses remains constant. In case of recreational area, also further decreased by 1% from 1971 to 1991, the area under industrial (7% to 10%) and commercial has an increase of 1%. JDA Land use constituentsThere are also 3 different constitutes in the Jaipur city named as: Walled city, the rest of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), and rest of Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) area. The largest proportion of all the developed land uses is concentrated in the JMC area and large proportion of undeveloped land is in the rest of JDA area  [1]  . In order to achieve spatial planned development, JDA prepared two master plans for the JDA area till now as a spatial planning tool. 1st Master Plan (1971-1991): The first master plan for 1971-1991 came into effect in May, 1976. It was prepared by the Town Planning Department under the Rajasthan Urban Improvement Act (1959). The master plan defines the objectives of the comprehensive development of the city along new 125 revenue villages Jaipur was proposed to be developed as major tourist destination for the horizon of 1991 and later it was extended for next years i.e.: till 1996. The proposals were made as follows: The Walled city Area: The population density was recommended as 700 persons per ha and other proposals were like tourist facilities, five star hotel in the Jal Mahal Lake shift of some industries from walled city area. Jaipur Nagar Nigam Area (JNN): The proposals were prepared for the additional areas in the periphery along the existing urbanized area and the proposals were prepared for residential, commercial, industrial and parks open spaces. There were also detailed proposals to develop whole sale markets industrial development by size, nature of the industries. Land use Analysis Existing vs ProposedThe proposals given in 1st master plan were not attained in various sectors. The variations in the proposed land use and actual land use which came up later can be seen. The area under residential sector was proposed as 52% but it increased up to 62% and there were decrease in the area under other sectors. There were other proposals which were proposed but the actual situation was totally different from them, are as followed: Due to the development of walled city as a CBD, the attraction of people to the central area increased traffic and congestion and pressure on CBD as well. The colonies and housing societies on outer skirts of the Jaipur city developed by private developers were lacking in proper infrastructure, amenities and the quality of services as RHB and UIT could not meet the housing stock. The concept of `working-living area relationship` and `Residential Area` couldn`t maintained in the city due to this fragmented development by private housing co-operative societies. Some of the commercial schemes could not implement due to the lack of suitable land acquisition and non-acceptance of organised commercial activities in the city. The industrial development could not attain according to the proposals due to land acquisition and presence of other activities like forest, redevelopment schemes etc. The principle of hierarchical development of residential, commercial and other facilities couldn`t achieved as per the plan due to haphazard development, violation of rules and regulations etc. The other proposals for facilities like medical, educational, recreational and tourism were also under same situation due to lack of land availability and acquisition, shift in the proposed locations etc. The next actions such as preparation of various plans like zonal development plans, functional plans, zoning and building regulations etc could not finalize due to the lack of successful implementation of 1st Master Plan. The analysis shows that there are serious gaps in the proposed and actual situation during year 1991. The reason for the wide gaps between them is a total violation of the proposals. There are several main factors which were also responsible for the non-implementation of the plan, are indicated below: Non availability of land with the Local Authorities (JDA and UIT) Lack of coordination among various departments in the city especially in case of UIT. As a result, it opened the doors for private co-operative societies and developers to handle the situation. Time delays in planning process like land acquisition by JDA due to the provisions of agricultural land conversion rules, ULCAR Act, 1976 etc. After the analysis, calculation of deviations between actual and proposed plan, JDA prepared the 2nd Master plan, to cover all those wide gaps and to achieve sustainable development of the Jaipur city for the horizon of 2011. 2nd Master Plan (1991-2011): The second Master Plan was conceived for 2011 for the Jaipur region and now its under proposals for the revision for the year 2021. This Master Plan was prepared in 1995 and came into force from 1998 under JDA Act, 1982. It covers the entire Jaipur region including new 6 satellite towns along with the Jaipur city. The total area of the Jaipur region is 1464 sq.km. the proposal of inner towns between Jaipur city and satellite tows to develop to accommodate the total projected population 42.2 lakhs by 2011. The proposed Master Plan proposed Jaipur region into 3 categories as: Rural Area, Ecological Zone and Urbanizable Area. Proposed Master Plan- 2011 Spatial Strategies for walled city: The second master plan has come up with strategies for each of the constituents of the JDA region. The spatial strategies for Walled City are described as:- No permission to be given for commercial complexes, shopping areas etc inside the walled city area. New building bylaws proposed for the walled city to reduce the density. Shifting of wholesale activities, traffic generating and intensive activities to areas outside. Parking would not be allowed inside the walled city on the main roads. The other tools and techniques like Rajasthan (State) Building Bye Laws, Rajasthan Urban Housing and Habitat Policy- 2006 and Rajasthan Conservation and Heritage Byelaws, 1961 etc were used in the spatial development of the Pink city. After the migration of people to suburbs/outer skirts which can be explained as a spatial contiguity, the concept of satellite towns becomes a spatial planning tools for the local authorities to integrate the spatial development of the `Pink City`. According to Master Development Plan-2011, there were 32 urban nodes which were catering the urban functions so 12 of them which were under Jaipur Urbanizable area, identified and selected as Satellite Towns and Inner Ring Towns to accommodate future population (7 Lakhs as per MDP-2011). These towns will function as urban nodes of Jaipur region and primarily characterised by principle activity like commercial, industrial and recreational etc. The new spatial planning tools and techniques like Zoning codes by introduction of Zonal Development Plans to achieve the most appropriate development of land in the context of development policies and land use proposals given in the Master Development Plan, Land use plan -2011 for Jaipur region (Urbanizable area). After the land use assessment of Jaipur city, the following section describes the aspects like housing, traffic transportation and heritage management to explore problems/issues arise in these aspects and other spatial planning tools techniques which were used in the spatial development of the city. Housing: This section assesses the housing situation of the city specifically in the walled city (Old Area) to understand the spatial integration in terms of housing. If we look at the housing scenario of the city, the number of houseless population has increased in the past ten years thereby indicating a housing gap. The data given in table below shows the clear picture as: Table: 4.2.2 Housing Scenario Source: Census of India, 2001. JMC Housing Stock: On the total housing stock the most predominant use is residential (75%) of the total houses and others are like shops and offices (15%), rest have very minor proportion in account of total proportion. The occupancy rate in the city was 7.2 % in the past decade while it has been seen that it was more in walled city and in the other areas of municipal boundary while it was less in JDA area. But now in days, occupancy rate is high at the periphery of the city because of migration of people from the inner area to the new area, townships, new developments etc. There are various factors behind the migration are like easier availability of land at periphery with different options like big plots, location etc, too much congestion in the walled city area and municipal area, land prices are very high in the central core etc. Housing Type Condition: The city overall has a relatively flatted development but within the walled city, only G+2 structures are predominant. Now in days multi-storeyed buildings can be seen in JMC and other areas of JDA. The housing conditions vary within the city. A qualitative analysis of housing conditions has been done for the walled city is described as: Table: 4.2.3 Housing Condition Source: CDP, Jaipur Source: CDP, JaipurHousing Supply: -The housing development in the whole city can be categorised into 4 types i.e. traditional housing, Formal housing and informal housing. The housing in the walled city is a type of traditional housing. The houses are around 100 to 150 years old and are built in typical Rajasthani architecture style. Mostly, the houses are two storied with decorated doors, windows and chhajjas (projections) etc. Housing Stakeholders: The total housing supply in the Jaipur is through six sources : JDA  [2]  , Rajasthan Housing Board (RHB), Private Developers, the Co-Operative societies, the traditional houses in the walled city the slums (kacchi bastis). In case of walled city, most of the houses come under traditional housing. The proportion of housing supply provided by all of these sources is given below as: New Developments in Housing: In the light of Rajasthan Urban Housing and Habitat Policy- 2006  [3]  , there are new developments which can be categorized as: group housing schemes, redevelopment schemes, flats of RHB and new townships at the outskirts of the city. In case of walled city, redevelopment schemes are taking place, and under these schemes individuals are allotted plots of an area 40 sq.mts  [4]  while JMC and JDA are responsible for the implementation process of redevelopment schemes. Problems/Issues in Walled City: There are various problems/issues related with housing in the walled city which are major concern for the authorities. These are listed as: Most of the houses are very old like built around 100-150 years back and they are in dilapidated condition especially in the market area which are occupied by lower income groups (LIG`s). Most of the area of walled city is facing poor infrastructure facilities. Due to high population density, the houses are overcrowded with families leads to unhealthy living environment. Most of the housed occupied by Middle Income groups (MIG`s) and Lower Income groups (LIG`s) have no open spaces, houses are semi-pucca or kaccha, some of them are without toilets and electricity connections. Water supply is only through public taps or old wells only and the ventilation in the houses in not adequate. Missing of unique character (Pink Colour) in new housing developments of the `Pink City`. The housing problems/issues are also becoming prime concern in spatial integration of the Jaipur city especially in the walled city. The increase in housing demand and lack in housing supply by local authorities, use of spatial planning tools such as redevelopment/regeneration schemes in old (Walled city) areas, neighbourhood planning on the outer skirts through private developers, incoming development of slums (Kacchi Bastis) etc are creating a big threat for the spatial character of the `Pink City`. Traffic and Transportation: Traffic and transpiration is also an integral part of the spatial integration of the Jaipur city. As Jaipur is one of the metropolitan cities in the country with a population of over 2.5 million and is observed to be growing at very fast rate. Besides being the capital city of Rajasthan, the city of Jaipur is a major tourist centre in the country as well. Major portions of economic activities of the city are located in walled city area, spreading over 9.8 sq.kms. This area is, besides having heavily concentrated activities, a very important tourist centre and attracts tourists from all over the globe. The economic activities in the form of wholesale trade, commerce, household industries, administration and tourist spots generate heavy traffic to and from these areas. The limited road space of the area is congested with vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The shopkeepers and vendors also occupy the sidewalks and carriageways. Consequently the traffic in these areas is facing acute conge stion, bottlenecks and hazards. The environmental pollution as well as physical and visual intrusions are also some of the other problems increasingly faced by the residents and the visitors to the area. In case of transportation facilities, only bus service is operated throughout the city by public sector and the other modes are like private taxis, auto-rickshaws, animal driven vehicles, rickshaws, private mini buses etc are used as transport facility. The situation of parking in the walled city is also in haphazard condition. Parking demand in the walled city area is met mainly by roadside parking along all major roads and there is no major off-street parking facility. With the ever increasing parking demand the vehicles are parked in two rows on carriageways. Footpaths are also filled with parked vehicles. While there is heavy demand for parking, the limited enforcement of regulatory measures fails to control and manage the parking problems. The following pictures will describe the nature and extent of traffic, parking problems in the walled city. On street parking on the major roads of walled city Animals are very common for transportation of goods on Jaipur roads causes congestion slow traffic Street Hawkers/vendors along the roads in the walled city Mixed Traffic Problems/Issues in the Walled City: The pressure on the roads of walled city can be easily observed due to encroachments by on street parking, hawkers/vendors and excessive commercialization and mixed vehicular movement. There is a lack of proper traffic management system in the old area as well as in the whole city like no regulations on mixed traffic, no maintenance of signals junctions, animals are moving freely in the daily traffic etc. The public transport facility is also inadequate due to insufficient number of vehicles like buses etc. for transportation. Parking is also a major issue in the walled city due to lack of parking spaces and due to this, leads to other issues like on street parking, encroachments on the roads etc. The through traffic of National Highway (NH) -8 is creating problems in the city in terms of congestion, air noise pollution, The traffic and transportation system in the Jaipur city is still facing number of problems although various departments like JDA, PWD, Transport Department, RSRTC, JNN etc are in coordination with each other to solve the issues/problems related with it. The proposals in the layout of grid-iron pattern development as ring roads, bye-pass, Mass Rapid Transportation System (MRTS), terminals for buses and trucks etc are still in pipeline but Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) under JNNURM scheme as a spatial planning tool is a main achievement to the date to address the traffic problems in the city. Heritage Management: Heritage is a word which expresses the character of Jaipur city. The city is known as the `Pink City` which is very rich famous for its heritage culture. Due to rapid urbanisation, the new developments are coming but still the city has fascinating heritage from its earlier times. In Jaipur, all the historical buildings are described into three classes as: royal palaces forts, temples and museums. Each heritage building has different history and different characteristics. Most of the buildings are situated in the walled city area and others are in municipal area. The historical Buildings which are situated in the city are as: Walled City Area JMC Area City Palace Complex Amber Fort Hawa Mahal Amber Palace Jantar Mantar Jaigarh Nawab Sahib Ki Haveli Nahargarh Swargasuli or Isar Lat Motidoongari Maharani Ki Chhatri Jal Mahal Place Ram Niwas Garden Rambagh Place Albert Hall Gaitor Jagat Shiromani Temple Ghat Ki Guni So, there are 8 buildings which are situated in the walled city and 10 buildings are in JMC area. There are other historical components which has unique values. These includes like bazaars (Commercial area), water tanks, small temples and chabutras. These are 100-250 years old built. Besides this, JDA has identified total 300 historic buildings into the various parts in the walled city and categorized into different levels as per their area. The existing situation of the walled city is assessed on the basis of current status and condition of these historical monuments. The JMC bye laws are violated and traditional planning system has no use in the present time in the walled city. An existing situation analysis  [5]  shows it very clearly as follows: The Rajasthan Conservation and Heritage Byelaws, 1961 also guides about the conservation of historical properties and many agencies (Governmental, Private and NGO`s) are working towards conservation of those historical monuments but somehow these rules and regulations are also violated which threats to the unique historical character of the `Pink City`. Problems/Issues in the Walled City: Due to excessive commercialization, it leads to the major traffic congestion in the streets and the irregular construction of shops in streets; Chhajas (projections) in front of shops have disturbed the fabric of historical streets. The encroachments on streets also spoiled the character image of streets and led to congestion in traffic movement too. Due to lack of sufficient parking spaces, the on street parking becomes a major problem for the loss of cultural fabric of street traffic congestion. The maintenance and Lack of infrastructure facilities like water supply, sewerage, garbage collection and solid waste management in the inner streets also creates unhealthy environment which may disturb the character of inner areas. Due to the lack of rules and regulations for heritage walkways, they have lost their historical image. The maintenance of heritage buildings under private ownership is not adequate, and some of them have converted into modern buildings. The conservation rules regulations are violated in the walled city due to lack of co-ordination among different departments. Heritage buildings are treated as only commercial spots without the proper conservation and protection. As `Pink City` is famous for its rich heritage and historical background but due to lack of attention and awareness by local authorities and people, it is facing number of problems related to its heritage. Somehow planning officials included the conservation of historical monuments and developments of significant tourist spots as a planning policy and principle in the Landuse Plan-2011 but still there are other number of concerns regarding the heritage and cultural character of the city which should be addressed as well.

Benjamin Franklin Essay -- Benjamin Franklin American History Essays

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He would be the tenth out of seventeen children that his father, Josiah Franklin, would have. His father had plans for Benjamin to join the clergy when he came of age and was sent to grammar school to prepare. He would excel in reading at a very young age but would find that he could not master math so easy. He would be at the grammar school for less than a year before his father would come to terms with not being able to support a college education for Benjamin and supporting the rest of the large family. Benjamin would then be sent to another school which would teach him basic math and English skills. There, he would surpass the rest of class in English while eventually failing arithmetic yet again causing his father to pull him from school all together. At the age of 10 Benjamin would be taken home to learn the family business. While learning to make soap and candles from his father, Benjamin became restless; he yearned to go to sea much like his brother Josiah. He would go out the lake and play like the other children but Benjamin did not swim as well as the others, so he devised a tool that was made from sticks and cloth to cover his hands and feet to help him tread. Swimming fins would be one of his first inventions. From a young age Benjamin proved to be very different from his father and the rest of his family. His father sensing his child’s unhappiness would help him look for a new trade. Unbeknownst to Benjamin, watching the common man work would influence him down the path of inventor he would inevitably take, â€Å"He therefore sometimes took me to me to walk with him, and see joiners, bricklayers, braziers, etc. at their work, that he might observe my inclination, and endeavor to fix it on some trade or other on land, and to construct little machines for my experiments, while the intention of making the experiments was fresh and warm in my mind.†(p 12, Benjamin Franklin) His father would see his son was found of reading so an apprenticeship would be set up for twelve year old Benjamin with his twenty-one year old brother. During his five year apprenticeship Franklin would live under strict guidelines which included taverns being off limits as well as gambling and marriage. Franklin would continue to long for the sea but found that while on land he would indeed pr... ...ranklin. Published by the University Press of Kentucky. Copyright 2000 Doren, Carl Van, Benjamin Franklin. Published by Penguin Group. Copyright 1938 Internet Sources Consulted Benjamin Franklin.† PBS. 2002. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/l2_wit.html "Benjamin Franklin." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2015. http://www.biography.com/people/benjamin-franklin-9301234 The Hollowverse. 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. http://hollowverse.com/benjamin-franklin/ Fea, John. â€Å"Religion And Early Politics: Benjamin Franklin and His Religious Beliefs.† Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. 2011. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/history/20018/benjamin_franklin_and_his_religious_beliefs/1014592 â€Å"Benjamin Franklin His Autobiography 1706-1757.† American History: From Revolution to Reconstruction and Beyond. 2012. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/biographies/benjamin-franklin/a-short-biography.php Franklin, Benjamin. â€Å"Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin, Written by Himself.† Project Gutenberg. 6 Jun. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36338/36338-h/36338-h.htm

Saving the Ballona Wetlands Essay -- California Nature Environmental E

Before development exploded in California, the state contained about 5 million acres of wetland habitat. Unfortunately, over the years California has been willing to part with 91 percent of its wetlands, Southern California having lost 95 percent. Los Angeles County has only one wetland remaining. This being the Ballona Wetlands located between Marina del Rey and the Westchester bluffs, it was once a major part of California’s natural wetland systems. Before development, Ballona wetlands natural habitat covered 2002 acres. This area, 800 to 1000 acres, referred to as Playa Vista by its owners is made up of salt marsh freshwater marsh and part upland and dune areas. It is considered Los Angeles’ largest ‘wetland ecosystem’. Although degraded over the years it still functions as a normal natural wetland - providing vital services. A major function it provides is that it filters out toxic wastes and pollutants from stormwater runoff before they reach the Santa Monica Bay. It is "a coastal plain, and acts as a flood plain for the surrounding area" (FOBW Information folder 1998: Fact Sheet). Ballona is an integral part of the Pacific flyaway, providing vital feeding and nesting habitat for over 185 species of birds, including some on the federal endangered species list. The southwestern willow flycatcher, an endangered species, was just recently seen by developers in an area cleared for construction. Ballona is no doubt a welcomed refuge to all species, both flora and fauna, from the industrial landscape of Los Angeles. The Friends of Ballona Wetlands have said it is "a spawning ground for commercial and sport fish, and a vital source of nutrients for the entire coastal marine environment" (FOBW Information folder 1998: 20 years of C... ...na Wetlands." http://eco.bio.lmu.edu/www.ballona/fbw.htm. 22 Jan. 98. Friends of Ballona Wetlands Information Folder. "Friends of Ballona Wetlands: 20 years of Commitment," "Fact Sheet," "Mission Statement: Friends of Ballona Wetlands" 1998. Helgeson, Rubell. Commentary. "A Phony War to Save the Ballona Wetlands." Los Angeles Times 6 Dec. 1996: B10. Lynch, Glen. Interview. The Ballona Free Press. [Westchester] May. 1997: 2. Tagawa, Rick. "History of the Ballona Valley." The Ballona Free Press. [Westchester] Nov. 1997: 2. Additional References not cited Ballona Land Trust Mission Statement http://www.life.net/wetlands/bmission.html Effort To Protect Ballona Wetland Moves Forward http://www.house.gov/harman/flapgate.htm Protestors Target Spielberg, ‘Lost World’ http://www.channel2000.com/news/stories/news-970520-202436.html

Old Chinese Old Allegory

â€Å"A wooden cask is made up of many planks, once one of the planks is crashed, the cask can not store water any more†, goes an old Chinese Old Allegory but has a collective responsibility with other planks towards the well being of the wooden cask. The plank does not belong to itself. The damaged plank harms the cask’s capability. Like the plank, I do not just belong to myself. Now, I am the captain of my school basketball team. I had taken a lot of basketball games before I became the captain. There is a game that I bet I can hardly forget in my whole life.â€Å"Overhead pass, Zhu! † Wang, my teammate said, waving her hands aside, I was running with the ball towards the short girls who decided to block me, because I thought they do not have the ability to block me due to their short statures. ‘Zhu, come on! ’ spectators shouted. Yes! I evaded a girl successfully. ‘Brilliant! ’ spectators shouted again. Yes! I evaded another girl†™s ‘talon’ secondly. ‘Come on; Come on†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ I felt my pulse rated quickly. The yelling and the attentions, which were given by almost all the spectators, made me craze. ‘Overhead pass, Zhu’ Wang shouted again.But I thought I could take the goal myself. I wanted to show my skills during the out-two count. Suddenly, I felt that there was just me, basketball and spectators in this world and my feeling was; I belonged to myself. I felt I would succeed soon†¦ ‘AH~’ all at once, a girl was running towards me. Before I could understand what was happening, I lost the ball. I found that, time, all the yelling and my pulse almost stopped at once. I could only see my teammates’ blue grimaces, which hurt me so much. Distraught, I suddenly notified my teammates who were present.So there they were, with me. I was not fighting alone. I had my comrades, I had my friends. Their grimaces made me feel hurt and guilty. I should not ha ve been selfish. I should have known that, I belonged to the team. I should have passed the ball to Wang. She was in a wonderful position to score. It was our last chance to win. If we got the score, we could have beaten our opponents, it was my fault. Now, we did not have enough time to win. Losing this chance, we were destined to lose this game. Finally, we lost our game, one point! We were so desperate that we could hardly believe it.This game left me with so many things to think. I felt like I am a little plank. The so called success, which collided with the team’s interests, could not last long. At most, it was just a beautiful personal short show. I do not just belong to myself, sometimes, I should not just consider myself. I have the responsibility to my team, to my school, to my home and even to my society. I cannot let my memories stick to the lost basketball game. If I was given the opportunity again, I would appreciate that, as a plank, I should do everything in my ability to keep my cask full of water.

Financial Statements: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Creating Financial Reports Essay

Investment Appraisal Introduction Question 1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An investment appraisal is a planning process that is utilized in determining the preparedness of a business to undertake a long term investments such as expansion, developing a new project, acquiring new machinery among others (Les Dlabay, 2007). This is a complex process that requires the analysis of sources of finance, their implications, budgeting and financial statements. Sources of finance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Coca-cola which is the world leading non-alcoholic beverage company marketing their products in over 200 countries worldwide have the god foundation of assets, shares, short term liabilities, long-term loans and goodwill as its source of finance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The assets of the company form the major source of its finances accounting for $ 57,751 million in 2013 and $ 55,849 million in 2012 (The Coca-Cola Company, 2013). These include tangible and non-tangible assets such as property, plants, equipment, equity method investments and goodwill. This can be summarized as shown in the table below. ASSETS (In millions) 2013 $ 2012 $ Equity method investments 10,393 9,216 Investment in bottling companies 1,119 1,232 Other Assets 4,661 3,585 Property, Plant and Equipment 14,967 14,476 Trademarks with indefinite lives 6,744 6,527 Bottles franchise rights with indefinite life 6,415 7,408 Goodwill 12,312 12,255 Other intangible assets 1,140 1,150 TOTAL ASSETS 57,751 55,849   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Long term and short term liabilities are another source of finance for the company. The company’s total long term liabilities in the year 2013 were $ 90,055 million and $ 86,174 million in 2012 (The Coca-Cola Company, 2013). Their long term external sources of finance include debts, deferred income taxes and the company’s share owners as contained in the table below. LONG TERM LIABILITIES (In millions) 2013 $ 2012 $ Long term debts 19,154 14,736 Other liabilities 3,498 5,468 Deferred income taxes 6,152 4,981 TOTAL ASSETS LONG TERM LIABILITIES 90,055 86,174   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Important company activities that generate profits that are ploughed back to the business as a source of finance include investments and new ventures. These are proceeds from the investments, acquisition of other businesses, equity method investments, non-marketable securities, purchase and sale of property, plants and equipment and their associated proceeds. In 2013, the company realized a total of $ 10, 414 from the investment and operating activities as per their 2013 annual report.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Internal short term sources of finance for the company are the current assets of cash and cash-equivalents such as marketable securities, inventories, current assets held for sale and the proceeds from the short term investment. Their balance sheet as at December 31, 2013 shows a total of $ 17, 121 million current assets. Implications of the sources   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However much the company had good financial sources in its assets, liabilities and shares, each of the sources may impact negatively or positively to the business. The straight forward implication of liabilities especially loans is the interest rates and the obligation to repay them in good time. Failure to settle the debts and loans may lead to imposition of fines and penalization. The creditors may go to the extent of stopping to supply the company with goods and services on credit and demand for cash on delivery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Use of shareholding as a source of finance for the company may also have its own positive and negative implications. Shareholders are like investors in the business and therefore they must be paid their returns as dividends (Fardon, 2003). This might be very difficult in cases where the company makes losses. Sometimes, especially in a scenario where there are no strict policies on the maximum percentage share that a shareholder can buy, the ownership of the company may be transferred to a shareholder that buys majority of the Company shares. Question 2 Importance of financial planning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finance is the driving force for a company like Coca-cola. After its financial sources have been identified, accurate financial planning is necessary for its success. Financial planning is the foundation from which all successful businesses are built. Running on a clear financial plan ensures that a company is well prepared to meet its anticipated expenses in terms of payroll, transport, communication any other day to day business operation expenses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The plan is important when the company is at the extremes of either profit making or suffering losses. It provides a stepping stone in which the company can forge a way forward and plan for the future while at the same time handle the present. A good financial plan finds it usefulness when a company is preparing to deal with rising costs and increasing current and long term liabilities. It allows for these conditions to be anticipated early enough so as deal with them when they arise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Additionally, a financial plan is a critical tool in the organization of the various departments within the company. A well prepared and revised financial plan that considers every quarter of the company is of valuable contribution to the smooth running of the company as a whole. Lastly, an estimate of earnings can be done through a financial plan. Lack of these estimates sets a trap that the company might fall in due embezzlement of funds and misappropriations. A financial plan is very effective in making investments and profits into diversified portfolios within the company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The process of making decisions requires the company directors to be provided with the necessary information. These include financial reports that contain details of business transactions, profits, losses, expenses, revenues, assets and liabilities. This allows for comparison of business performance in the previous financial year. The departmental estimates of expenditures and their estimated sources of revenue are also part of this information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The factors that may affect the choices of decisions makers during financial planning are the number and wages of employees, available cash at hand and cash required to pay suppliers on time and to buy current assets such as equipment and stationeries. The possibility of expanding the business is also considered when such decisions are made (M. P. Narayanan, 2004). Appropriateness of the sources of finance for a business project   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to manage the financial sources and make appropriate decisions, it is important that the directors analyze the costs of the sources, for example, the cost to be incurred to obtain the finance such as fees payable to the financial institutions, commissions and interests, stock brokers among others. In the Coca-Cola Company where the major sources are the fixed assets, liabilities, ploughed back profits, profits from investments and current assets, the appropriateness of the sources depend on the ability of the finances to run a business investment. Bank loans are the major long term source of finance for many companies. This source is very appropriate for Coca-Cola Company. The repayment is spread over a long period of time. The company is financially stable and can easily afford the required securities to acquire a loan. Although the interest rates may be higher making the process expensive, the merits outweigh the demerits and th e risk is worth taking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Coca-cola is a limited company and therefore the use of stock shares as a source of finance is appropriate. The finances are not repaid although the profit is shared among the shareholders as dividends. The capacity of this company to make profit is unquestionable. The risk of change in company ownership due to sale of major shares can be regulated by business policies that restrict such sales. Moreover, sale of assets such as the current assets to raise capital is appropriate for this company. The surplus assets can be sold off and the proceeds retained to run the business. There is little, if any, risk associated with sale of surplus assets. Impact of finance and financial statements   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finance and financial statements have positive and negative effects to the business depending on the financial position of the company. Financial statements form the basis from which shareholders and potential investors evaluate the performance of the business. The statements also regulate accountability in the running of the business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The financial position of the business is portrayed in the financial statements. It used by the company to acquire loans from banks. Financial statements that directly indicate instability of a business have a negative impact to the business by blocking potential investors, creditors and banks. Finance and financial statements have a direct effect on business transactions. It gives detailed information about the lag phases and peaks of a business. Such details include fluctuations in prices in comparison to competitors in the market (Ittelson, 2009). If, for example, Coca-Cola Company increased the prices of their beverages by 1%, their immediate competitor Pepsi may have an upper hand in the market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A balance sheet gives information on the resources that the business has against its liabilities and the capacity of the business to settle its debts. Cash flow statements are important in informing the public about the money entering and leaving the business. All of these can negatively or positively influence the customers, suppliers, creditors and potential investors. Financial statements have a direct impact on the stock price. The information in the statements can be used by business managers to either increase or decrease the price of products. Main financial statements   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In designing investment options and identifying their appropriateness, it is important to prepare financial statements. These statements have different formats depending on the size and type of the business. The statements are; balance sheets, cash flow statements and income statements. A balance sheet is a financial statement that reports a company’s assets, liabilities and stock holders’ equity in a given financial period. Current assets, fixed assets and investments are balanced against liabilities and stock holders’ equity. A balance sheet for Coca-Cola Company as at 31st December, 2013 is as follows (The Coca-Cola Company, 2013). THE COCA-COLA COMPANY CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2013. ASSETTS(In Millions) Currentassets $ Cash and cash equivalents10,414 Short term investments 6,707 Total cash, cash equivalents and short term investment17,121 Marketable securities3,147 Trade accounts receivable less allowances of $ 614,873 Inventories3,277 Prepaid expenses and other assets2,886 Total current assets31,304 Fixed assets Equity method investments10,393 Other investments principally bottling companies1,119 Other assets4,661 Property, plant and equipment –net14,927 Trademarks with indefinite lives6,744 Goodwill12,312 Other intangible assets1,140 TOTAL ASSETS90,055 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY(In Millions) Current liabilities $ Accounts payable and accrued expenses9,577 Loans and notes payable16,901 Current maturities of long term debt1,024 Accrued income taxes 309 Total current liabilities27,811 Long term debts19,154 Other long term liabilities 3,498 Shareholders’ equity –total33,440 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY90.055   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The balance sheet is similar regardless of the size and type of the business. Its format does not change. Cash flow statements are prepared to assess the company’s earnings and expenses. The quality of the earnings is determined by comparing the cash flow from operating activities with the company’s net income (R, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Income statements are financial documents that show the sources of income in a business organization. Coca-cola Company had the following statement of comprehensive income as at December 31, 2013. THE COCA-COLA COMPANY CONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2013. $ (In Millions) CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME8,626 OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Net foreign currency translation adjustment(1,187) Net gain (loss) available for sale of securities (80) Net gain (loss) on derivatives 151 Net change in pension and other benefit liabilities1,066 TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME8,576 Less comprehensive income loss attributed to interests 39 TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTED TO SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY8,537 Note: Figures in brackets indicate losses or reductions Interpretation of the financial statements   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Financial statements are usually prepared and interpreted towards the end of a financial year to give information about the business financial stability. The above financial statements can be interpreted by using appropriate financial ratios to help compare them with the performance during the previous financial year or with another company. These ratios derived from a balance sheet are working capital, current ratio, Quick ratio (Pamela Peterson Drake, 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Financial statements provide rich information to investors and suppliers. This information are used to evaluate the performance of the company. The statements are also used as a communication tool by managers to interested parties about their achievement in the management of the company. There are different financial statements as discussed above that give unique business information on the company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Financial conditions of a company are the major detail and a point of concern for several potential investors. Investors are the major capital providers. They rely on the information contained in the balance sheet, income statements and cash flow statements for their safety and certainty regarding a potential investment into a company. It enables the investors to understand their position in the company’s capital regimen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The balance sheet is considered the snap shot of a company’s assets in comparison to liabilities and shareholders’ equity. This is considered the operating result of the company. These results are also an area of concern to investors. Income statement gives a report of operating results. This includes the sales, expenses and profit or losses in a given financial year. This information is critical in the evaluation of the company’s past performances and to predict the future of the business. Profits or losses are usually provided by the income statement but this may contain non cash-equivalent or non-cash parameters. The information is not direct as to the company’s cash transaction during the financial year. This leaves room for cash flow statements to give the details. It contains information about the cash that get into the business and those that leave the business thereby showing an exchange of cash. Shareho lders’ equity shows the variations in the various equity components. This is usually calculated by deducting total liabilities from the total assets of the company. A company with a good performance like Coca-Cola has a steady increase in its shareholders’ equity. This is associated with either a decreasing or constant shareholders base.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Working capital is calculated by deducting current liabilities from the current assets. The working capital for Coca-Cola Company for the year ended December 31, 2013 can be calculated as follows. Working Capital (in millions) =Current assets – Current liabilities. = $ 31,304- $ 27,811 = $3,493   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The working capital for Coca-Cola Company is a positive figure of $ 3,493 million indicating that the company is at a better position to meet its current obligations such as paying workers, paying brokers, servicing short term loans among others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Current ratio is calculated by dividing the current assets by the current liabilities. It is related to the working capital. Another ratio is Quick ratio. It is also known as acid test ratio and is calculated as follows; Quick ratio = Cash + Temporary investment + Accounts receivable Current liabilities   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Quick ratio is similar to the current ratio only that inventories, supplies and prepaid expenses are excluded. It is used to determine the amount of assets that can be turned quickly into cash.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Free or Discounted cash flow is a financial ratio that is derived from the cash flow statement. Free cash flow is calculated by deducting capital expenditures from total cash flow provided by operating activities (Fardon, 2003). Free cash flow for Coca-cola as at December 31, 2013 is calculated as shown. Free cash flow = Cash flow provided by the operating business – Capital expenditures. =10,542 – (14,782+2,550+303) = -7,093   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This statistically indicates that the company is at a deficit of $ 7, 093 million after paying its capital expenditures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The income statement can be analyzed to give gross margin, profit margin, Return on Stoke holders’ equity and earnings per share. Return on Stoke holders’ equity is important in revealing the percentage profit after taxation and therefore the dividends payable to shareholders. Return on stock holders’ equity for Coca-Cola Company as at December 31, 2013 is calculated as shown. Return on Stockholders’ equity = Net income after taxes Average shareholders’ equity = 8,622 8537 =1.01%   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This reveals that the company earned 1.01% of profit after taxation on an average shareholders balance during the year. Suitable budget and appropriate decisions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most significant form of planning a capital investment budget is to make appropriate decisions and market well. Budgeting is the foundation of financial economics. Making decisions that have importance long term effects is the basis of budgeting. In budgeting, policies are maximized so as to achieve the most positive net profit and returns. Making decisions should be principally governed by benefit analysis. The budgeting process is also governed by the future consequences and impact to the business   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every financial source has an implication to the business. Financial statements help provide such implications and can be used in selecting a suitable budget. A company may decide to sell its shares after analyzing its effectiveness in raising capital for a new business venture (Pamela P. Peterson, 2004). The process of deciding on a proper capital investment for the expansion of Coca-Cola Company involves calculating the cost of investment, protection of cash flow from the investment, consideration of the inflation rates and the time value of the expansion. For example, if the investment will cost $ 10 million and generates $ 4 million annually, the investment is feasible because it provides a pay back within 2.5 years. A budget can therefore be prepared from this basis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An example of a suitable budget proposed for The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) for the Fiscal year 2012 is as follows (SEPTA, 2011) . FISCAL YEAR 2012 CAPITAL BUDGET Project FY 2012 Funding Requirement Bus Purchase Program $59,209,593 Capital Asset Lease Program 28,720,862 Congestion Relief 2,233,000 Debt Service 52,654,545 Infrastructure Safety Renewal Program 34,400,000 Paratransit Vehicle Acquisition 5,000,000 Regional Rail Signal System Modernization 35,800,000 Safety and Security Improvements 5,000,000 State of Good Repair Initiatives 15,200,000 Station Accessibility 4,800,000 Station and Parking Improvements Program 10,400,000 System Improvements Program 5,000,000 Vehicle Overhaul Program 53,100,000 TOTAL FY 2012 Capital Budge$311,518,000   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing decisions are dependent on capital budgeting. The decisions to be made on long term investments are dependent on the income that will be generated from the project. It is important to know the duration that the project will take to mature. That is, the time it will take to generate income equivalent to the amount invested in the business. Modern finance theories equate the value of the assets to the discounted future income generation. The net profit value rule is therefore used by companies that contemplate venturing unto capital project if they adopt this theory. Assessing project viability   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The financial viability of a project is assessed using the investment appraisal techniques. This involves the use of tools such as Return on Investment (ROI), Debts Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR), Break Even Point (BEP) and Debt Equity Ratio (DER).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Return on Investment, the collections of the company are used to create assets and in the running of the business. The business must generate surplus on the collected capital for it to be considered viable. Borrowed and own capital is considered the cost of the project while the profits are the surplus generated. ROI should be greater than the cost of the investment for the business to be considered viable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) measures the ability of the project to meet its repayment obligations on loans acquired financial institutions (Pamela P. Peterson, 2004). It is calculated as follows. DSCR= Net profit + Interest on long term loans + Depreciation Interest on long term loan + Principal loan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The cumulative DSCR during the repayment period should be at least 2:1 for the project to be considered viable. Break Even Point (BEP) measures the level of total contribution to the total fixed assets. Contribution is usually the excess of sales over the variable cost. That is; Contribution = Sales – Variable Costs. PEP is the point where both fixed and variable costs are recovered from the resources. It is calculated using the formula; Total fixed costÃâ€" selling price per unit Contribution per unit cost   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It indicates the risks involved in the business. If the PEP is achieved at a lower level of capacity utilization, it is considered safer. In this case, the investment is viable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Debt Equity Ratio measures the level at which the investment project is leveraged to acquire loans from financial institutions. It is calculated by the formula; Total long term debts Total funds in the investment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The factors to be considered when assessing the viability of a project are the nature of the goods and services to be offered. Their level of complexity should be determined and the risks involved as well. The value of the procurement is another factor of concern. It involves the determination of the amount of capital that the procurement can cost. The financial viability assessment matrix group risks speculated into several levels. The low risk level contains low levels of complexity, low value and short term supplies. The moderate risk level contains moderate value, sensitivity and medium term supply. The high risk level contains high strategic importance to agency, high complexity levels and sensitivity. When assessing the risks, the likelihood of a financial feasibility should not be ruled out while making budgeting decisions. References Fardon, C. D. (2003). Management of Finance. New york: Osborne Books. Ittelson, T. R. (2009). Financial Statements: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Creating Financial Reports. New York: Career Press, Incorporated. Les Dlabay, J. B. (2007). Business Finance. Stamford: Cengage Learning. M. P. Narayanan, V. K. (2004). Finance for Strategic Decision-Making: What Non-Financial Managers Need to Know. New Jersy: John Wiley & Sons. Pamela P. Peterson, F. J. (2004). Capital Budgeting: Theory and Practice. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Pamela Peterson Drake, F. J. (2012). Analysis of Financial Statements. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. R, D. J. (2003). Accounting for Non-Accounting Learners. New York: Pitman. SEPTA. (2011, Aril). The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. Retrieved April 2014, from Finance: http://www.septa.org/reports/pdf/budget-proposal-cb12.pdf The Coca-Cola Company. (2013, December). The Coca-Cola Journey. Retrieved April 2014, from Annual Financial Report: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/company-reports Source document