Tuesday, August 6, 2019
The Double Entry System Essay Example for Free
The Double Entry System Essay According to the double entry accounting system, a business transaction affects at least two accounts and the debit and credit amounts recorded for the affected accounts must be balanced. These transactions will be recorded in the appropriate books of accounts. Business entities develop a chart of accounts, a list of account titles with their corresponding account codes that the business will use in recording and posting in the books of accounts and in reporting in the financial statements. Double Entry System was invented for the first time by Lucas Pacioliââ¬â¢ of Italy in the year 1494 in Venice but it was developed in England. This system is based on the truth that every business transaction involves two .partiesââ¬â (1) Receiver and (2) Giver. There can not be any business transaction by only one party. If one part is giver of any thing, there must be one more party-receiver. If one part is seller; there must be the other party purchases. Receiver of the transaction is debtor and the giver is the creditor. Thus the transactions take place between two parties, according to Double Entry System every transaction is recorded twice. One party is the debtor and the other party is giver. Receiver is the debtor and giver is the creditor. Accuracy of accounts. The greatest advantage of Double Entry System is that arithmetical accuracy of accounts can be checked easily. Since every transaction is recorded twice, a Trial Balance can be prepared and it can be known whether each transaction has been correctly recorded twice or not. By applying. Double Entry Principle every transaction is recorded twice. Trial Balance can easily be prepared and with the help of Trial Balance Trading and Profit and Loss can be easily prepared to ascertain the gross profit or gross loss or net profit or net loss of the business. Knowledge of Financial Position. Financial position of the business can be known easily. By preparing Balance Sheet one can know what assets are possessed by the business and what liabilities are due by the business. Chances of fraud meager. By applying Double Entry Principles chances of committing fraud is very much minimized. If fraud is committed, it can be easilychecked by verification and auditing of accounts. â⬠¢Comparison of Expensesââ¬â Comparison of expenses of the current year with the previous can easily be made. The system of double-entry bookkeeping does have the capaà ¬bility of making a positive contribution towards economic growth. Although the ability of double-entry to reveal the success or failure of a business enterprise for a specific period of lime was not valued by the early merchants, double-entrys capacity to accumulate data on individual performing activities, combined with its ability to bring order to the affairs and accounts of these merchants, rationalized the economic activities of the early English merchants
Monday, August 5, 2019
Law and morality
Law and morality Title: The ultimate basis for adhering to the positive thesis of the conceptual differentiation of law and morals is itself a moral reason. The point is to make sure that it is always open to the theorist and the ordinary person to retain a critical moral stance in face of the law which is. (MacCormick) Discuss. EXAM MODEL ANSWER Introduction This discussion focuses on the relationship between law and morality and the conceptual differentiation of the two paradigms. It is appropriate to begin with a definition of terms. Law can be defined as a body of rules and principles of procedure and conduct established and enforced by a political authority. Morality can be defined as a code of conduct advanced by a society or religion or adopted by an individual to guide his or her own behaviour[1]. In essence, as Kant asserts in Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals[2], morality is a personal concern, whereas law is a societal concern. There is a complex nexus between law and morality, the extent and depth of which has fluctuated over time and the appropriateness of which is the subject of considerable debate. The following commentary contains an analysis of the featured quote underpinned by observations from eminent authorities in the field. Law and Morality Law can be distinguished from morality on the grounds that a legal system is comprised of specific, written principles and rules interpreted by officials who are charged with the duty of applying appropriate penalties and awarding appropriate remedies. In very broad terms, the law and morality have a common goal, being the lessening of social harm or evil. There is undoubtedly a substantial overlap between the conduct governed by law and that governed by morality and laws are inevitably often judged against a moral matrix. As, for example, the current debate concerning the age of criminal responsibility for children illustrates, moral criticism is commonly the catalyst for reform of the law and as Dworkin argues in Lawââ¬â¢s Empire, the interpretation of the law should delve beyond the black letter of the legal framework into the realm of morality[3]. This position is comparable to that of Raz in Legal Principles and the Limits of Law[4]. It is often difficult to chart a neutral path between the substantive theories of legal positivism and legal moralism, as Koller illustrated in The Concept of Law and Its Conceptions[5]. Debate on the issues of ââ¬Ënatural lawââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëmoralityââ¬â¢ has been plagued by vague definition and incongruous terminology. Even those positivists who might be characterised as ââ¬Ësoftââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ëinclusiveââ¬â¢ have conceded that there is no obligatory connection between morality and law, although they often contend that moral criteria are referenced in determining the validity of legal principles, such as constitutional rights as put forward by Waluchow in The Weak Social Thesis[6]. The famous Hart/Devlin debate of the 1950s and 60s sparked by publication of the Report of the Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution (the Wolfenden Report)[7] in 1957 concerned the proper relationship between morality and law. This debate eventually saw the arguments for the dislocation of law from private moral choices advanced by Hart win out over the conservative ideology of Lord Devlin, who was concerned to preserve the link for the ââ¬Ëgoodââ¬â¢ of society. Hart put forward a theory of positive law, which has been considered in recent times by commentators such as Orts, who in Positive Law and Systemic Legitimacy: A Comment on Hart and Habermas[8], has argued for exception from the thesis of the separation of morality and law along the lines of ââ¬Ësystemic legitimacyââ¬â¢ drawn from the work of Habermas. It is certainly true that critical legality can be employed to contrast Hartââ¬â¢s own conception of ââ¬Å"critical moralityâ⬠and it is submit ted that Orts is well founded in his central contention that modern positive legal systems must maintain systemic legitimacy. MacCormickââ¬â¢s view is manifestly correct, although it is really stating little more than the obvious. A critical moral stance must always be retained in the face of the law and while the legal system is operated by human beings this will inevitably be the case. The law will always be guided, to some extent by a moral compass and morality will continue to influence decision-making and the day-to-day administration of justice in every corner of the legal system. Cases such as Pretty v United Kingdom (2002)[9] concerning the right to die and euthanasia, R v R (1991)[10] concerning rape in marriage, Re A (Children)(2000)[11] regarding the separation of conjoined twins and R v Brown (1993)[12] dealing with consensual acts of homosexual sadomasochism, illustrate that in practice (which overrides the abstract) the relationship between law and morality is indivisible. Concluding Comments Law governs conduct within our society. Morality influences personal decisions relating to individual conduct. The conceptual differentiation of law and morals is thus, at fundamental level, difficult to identify with precision. It is true to conclude that law can be divided into two components. Law consists of a body of basic concepts (its conceptual system) and of a body of general legal principles (its substantive system). The distinction between these two components is not easy to describe, but in essence the underlying conceptual system endeavours to distil the basic framework and superstructure of the paradigm of law, whereas the overarching substantive system lays down its morally-shaded, normative constituent parts. It is submitted that in what is a highly subjective and often abstract field of theory, there are no right answers, but some that are clearly ââ¬Ëbetterââ¬â¢ than others. Rational natural law theory clearly anchors the contents of law firmly in morality and equates legal principle with moral principle. Therefore, while conceptual legal dogma separates law from morality (although this need not discharge itself into positive law), natural law forges a coalescence. This commentator supports the line taken by Puchta in Cursus der Institutionen[13], in drawing a distinction between law and morals which, in turn is in accord with the Kantian distinction between legality and morality. In this sense the law delineates the outer limits to be imposed on individual freedom of choice, while morality is confined to an internal, personal choice which is influenced by a subjective sense of obligation, conduct and social duty. This suggests that the primary connection between law and morality is that the law provides individuals with the possibility to make moral choices with certain parameters. THE END EXACT WORD COUNT INCLUDING TEXT OF ANSWER ONLY : 1002 Question text, footnotes and bibliography not included. BIBLIOGRAPHY Case law as footnoted to standard citation Dworkin R, Lawââ¬â¢s Empire (Legal Theory), (1986) Belknap Press Kant, I., Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, (1967) Barnes Noble Koller, P., The Concept of Law and Its Conceptions, (2006) Ratio Juris Vol.19 Issue 2, pp 180 -196 Orts, E., Positive Law and Systemic Legitimacy: A Comment on Hart and Habermas, (2007) Ratio Juris, Vol. 6 Issue 3, pp 245 278 Puchta, G., Cursus der Institutionen, (2002) (reprint of 1850 edition), Adamant Media Corporation Raz, Legal Principles and the Limits of Law, (1972) 81 Yale Law Journal 823 Report of the Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution 1957 (London: HMSO) Cmnd 247 Wallace, G. and Walker, A. D. M., editors, The Definition of Morality, (1970) Methuen Waluchow W., ââ¬ËThe Weak Social Thesisââ¬â¢ (1989) 9 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 23 Footnotes [1] See for insightful comment: Wallace, G. and Walker, A. D. M., editors, The Definition of Morality, (1970) Methuen. [2] Kant, I., Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, (1967) Barnes Noble. [3] Dworkin R, Lawââ¬â¢s Empire (Legal Theory), (1986) Belknap Press [4] Raz, ââ¬ËLegal Principles and the Limits of Lawââ¬â¢ (1972) 81 Yale Law Journal 823. [5] Koller, P., The Concept of Law and Its Conceptions, (2006) Ratio Juris Vol.19 Issue 2, pp 180 -196. [6] Waluchow W., ââ¬ËThe Weak Social Thesisââ¬â¢ (1989) 9 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 23. [7] (1957) (London: HMSO) Cmnd 247. [8] Orts, E., Positive Law and Systemic Legitimacy: A Comment on Hart and Habermas, (2007) Ratio Juris, Vol. 6 Issue 3, pp 245 278. [9] (2002) 35 EHRR 1. [10] (1991) 1 All ER 759. [11] (2000) EWCA Civ 254. [12] (1993) 2 WLR 556. [13] Puchta, G., Cursus der Institutionen, (2002) (reprint of 1850 edition), Adamant Media Corporation.
Types of Views in Engineering Drawing
Types of Views in Engineering Drawing INTRODUCTION: Engineering drawings are often referred to as Blueprints . However, the terms are becoming an anachronism since most copies of engineering drawings that were made using a chemical-printing process that yielded graphics on blue-coloured paper or of blue-lines on have been superseded by more modern reproduction processes that yield black or multicolour lines on the white paper. The more generic term Print is in common usage in the U.S. to mean any paper copy of the engineering drawing. It can now be produced using computer technology. Drawings are extracted from 3-dimensional computer models and can be printed as 2-dimensional drawings on various media formats . Engineered computer models can also be printed in 3-dimensional form using special 3D printers. The process of producing engineering drawing , and the skill of producing , is often refered to as technical drawing , although technical drawings are also required for disciplines that would not ordinarily be thought as parts of engineering. ENGINEERING DRAWING The engineering drawing is a type of technical drawing , created within the technical drawing discipline , and is used to define the requirements for engineered items. It is usually created in accordance with standard conventions for layout, nomenclature , interpretation , appearance , etc. One such standard convention is called GD T . The purpose of engineering drawing is to capture all the geometric features of a product or a component accurately and unambiguously. Its end goal is to convey the information that will allow a manufacturer to produce that component. Engineering Drawings : Common Features Geometry- shape of the object ; represented as views and how the object will look when viewed from various standard directions , such as front , top , side, etc. Dimensions size of the object captured in accepted units . Tolerances allowable variations for every dimension . Material represents what the item is made of . Finish specifies the surface quality of item, functional or cosmetic. Different types of projections: Orthogonal projection Auxiliary projection Isometric projection Oblique projection Perspective projection ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION Orthographic projection is a way of representing a 3-dimensional object in two dimensions. It is a form of parallel projection , here the view direction is orthogonal to the projection plane, resulting in each plane of the scene appearing in affine transformation on viewing surface. It is further divided into Multiview Orthographic projections and Axonometric projection. This projection shows that the object as it looks from the front, right , left, top, bottom, or back, and are positioned relative to each other according to the rules of either first-angle or third-angle projection. Ãâà § First-angle projection is the ISO standard and is primarily used in Europe. The 3-D object is projected into 2-D paper space as if you were looking at an X-ray of object : top view is under the front view, the right view is at the left of the front view. Ãâà § Third-angle projection is primarily used in the United States and Canada, where it is a default projection system according to BS 8888:2006, the left view is placed on left and the top view on the top. All views are not necessarily used, and determination of surface constitutes the front, back, top and bottom varies depending on projection used. Multiview Orthographic Projections With this projection , upto six pictures of an object are produced , with each projection plane parallel to one of the co-ordinate axes of object. The views are positioned relative to each other according to either of two schemes first angle or third angle projection. The appearances of views may be of as being projected onto planes that form a six-sided box around the object. Although six different sides can be drawn three sides of a drawing give enough information to make a three-dimensional object. All these views are known as front view, top view and right side view. AUXILIARY PROJECTIONS The auxiliary view is an orthographic view that is projected into any plane other than one of the 6 principal views. The views are used when an object contains some sort of the inclined plane. Using the auxiliary view allows for inclined plane to be projected in true size and shape. The true size and shape of any feature in a technical drawings can only be known when the Line of Sight is perpendicular to the plane which is considered as reference. Drawing Auxiliary Views Despite of the fact that auxiliary views are projected onto planes which are inclined to the principal projection planes , they are still classified as orthographic-views. The LOS are still parallel to each other and perpendicular to the plane of projection . Thus when reading lines on the object in this view adjacent to a principal view , the same rules apply to reading lines in adjacent principal-views. To utilize this view to show a surface true size , a view must exist or be drawn where that surface appears as a line . It is not possible to show an oblique surface in a primary auxiliary view. Once a given view showing the surface as a line is identified. Complete auxiliary views are not commonly drawn in industry. It is much more common to see partial auxiliary-views that show only TS features. Since most of the other surfaces will be fore-shortened , a complete auxiliary-view becomes more difficult to read . Isometric Projection The isometric projection shows the object from the angles in which the scales along each axis of the object are equal. This projection corresponds to the rotation of the object by Ãâà ± 45Ãâà ° about the vertical axis followed by the rotation of approximately Ãâà ± 35.264Ãâà ° about the horizontal-axis starting from an orthographic projection view. Isometric comes from Greek for Same Measure. One of the things that makes this view of drawing so attractive is the ease with which 60 degree angles can be constructed with a compass and straightedge only. EXAMPLE: The following example shows the elevation of a slab of wood having the raised panel. This plane is either turned down into the horizontal plane or is wheeled into the vertical plane. This projection is a type of axonometric projection. The other two types of axonometric projection are : Di-metric Projection Tri-metric Projection Oblique projection The oblique projection is a simple type of graphical projection used for producing the pictorial and 2-D images of 3-D objects Example :- The following example shows the oblique projection of a camera This projection projects an image by the intersecting parallel-rays From the 3-D source object with drawing surface. Here in both the oblique-projection and the orthographic-projection , parallel lines of source object produce parallel lines in the projected image. Perspective Projection The Perspective projection is the approximate representation on a flat surface , of the image perceived by the eyes. The most characteristic features of this projection are that objects are drawn : Smaller as their distance from the observer increases Foreshortened : the size of an objects dimensions along the line of sight are relatively shorter than dimensions across the line of sight . In perspective view of drawing , every set of parallel lines has its own vanishing point . To draw one-point perspective , subjects are arranged so that one set of lines has a vanishing point right in front of us, and the set at right-angles goes out to infinity on each side parallel , either straight up or straight across.
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Could U.S. policy have prevented the attack of Sept.11 :: essays research papers
What would make a group people hate the U.S. so much that they would commit the terrible acts of Sept. 11. Killing thousands of innocent people and taking away the hopes and dreams of many. Some of this Anti-American sentiment begins with our long alliance with Israel. Israel and the Arab nations have been at war for many, many years. The war and resentment between these two sides begins with a strip of land called the Gaza Strip. This piece of land has been fought over for decades. So because of our alliance with Israel most of the Middle East see it as siding with their most hated enemy! I also believe that some of our have come back to haunt the U.S. One example of this would be our support of the Shah of Iran from 1966-1979. The U.S. supported the Shah even though, the people of Iran hated him and felt that he was corrupt. So that led way to the overthrow of the Shah and his government and the rule of the Ayatollah Khomeni. The new leader had a deep hatred of the U.S.and led a new anti-American sentiment in Iran. Our next ally would be Saddem Hueseein, who at the time was enemies with Iran. So the U.S. made an ally of Saddem and supplied him with billions of dollars of economic aid. Which he used to primarily build up his military forces and with that military Saddem attacked a helpless Kuwait. Saddem destroyed much of Kuwait and the ensuing war between Iraq and the Coalition forces was on. When the U.S. allied themselves with the Mujahedin army during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, who knew that Osama Bin Laden and others who fought in that war would wind up becoming the evil Taliban. It seems that U.S. policy is one of, if you are enemies of our enemies then you are our ally. I think that America should take a step back and take a long hard look at that region of
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Lab Report :: essays research papers
Hypothesis: I can successfully add vectors. Introduction: A vector is a quantity that has magnitude (speed, force, and/or length) and direction. For example, if a person is traveling East at 60 mph, then s/he is traveling in the direction East and at a magnitude of 60 mph. A scalar is a quantity with only a magnitude. Common scalars include currency, mass, time, and acceleration. It wouldnââ¬â¢t make sense to say the sweater costs $38.00 southwest, so we leave off the direction. The magnitude symbol ( ), an arrow, can express direction by its angle on a coordinate plane and its length, which is usually offered. In this lab, I also use the directional measurement unit of Azimuth (Az), which is conducted by starting at North and rotating clockwise to the desired angle, most probably the angle of the vector. Adding vectors, either two positive, two negative, or one of each is done most easily by resolving, or finding each vectorsââ¬â¢ (A, B,C,â⬠¦) x and y components. Here is an example of how to resolve then add vectors : Procedure: See lab book. Data:à à à à à Trial 1à à à à à Magnitude (g)à à à à à Direction (Az)à à à à à X (N)à à à à à Y (N) Aà à à à à 100.00à à à à à 0à à à à à 0à à à à à 1.00 Bà à à à à 100.00à à à à à 93.00à à à à à .998à à à à à -.052 Cà à à à à 100.00à à à à à 177.00à à à à à .052à à à à à -.998 Dà à à à à 100.00à à à à à 270.00à à à à à -1.00à à à à à 0 Trialà à à à à Percent Error (%) 1à à à à à 5.0 2à à à à à 1.0 3à à à à à 38.2 4à à à à à 11.8 Trial 2à à à à à Magnitude (g)à à à à à Direction (Az)à à à à à X (N)à à à à à Y (N) Aà à à à à 120.00à à à à à 332.00à à à à à -.563à à à à à 1.06 Bà à à à à 100.00à à à à à 75.00à à à à à .966à à à à à .259 Cà à à à à 100.00à à à à à 150.00à à à à à .500à à à à à -.866 Dà à à à à 100.00à à à à à 234.00à à à à à -.809à à à à à -.588 Trial 3à à à à à Magnitude (g)à à à à à Direction (Az)à à à à à X (N)à à à à à Y (N) Aà à à à à 170.00à à à à à 277.00à à à à à -1.687à à à à à .207 Bà à à à à 200.00à à à à à 60.00à à à à à 1.732à à à à à 1.00 Cà à à à à 100.00à à à à à 148.00à à à à à .530à à à à à -.848 Dà à à à à 110.00à à à à à 215.00à à à à à -.631à à à à à -.901 à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à Trial 4à à à à à Magnitude (g)à à à à à Direction (Az)à à à à à X (N)à à à à à Y (N) Aà à à à à 120.00à à à à à 315.00à à à à à -.849à à à à à .849 Bà à à à à 200.00à à à à à 339.00à à à à à -.717à à à à à 1.867 Cà à à à à 300.00à à à à à 138.00à à à à à 2.007à à à à à -2.229 Dà à à à à 110.00à à à à à 265.00à à à à à -1.096à à à à à -.096 Sample Calculations: à à à à à à à à à à (Trial 2) à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à Conclusion: I successfully added three out of four vectors with a percent error of 12% or less, in which the acceptable percent error was 20% or less. Analysis: Friction between the string and the pulley can have an effect on the lab because it makes the forces unnaturally low. To solve this problem, nullify friction by vibrating the force table. Another source of error may come when someone is putting the weights on the hooks of the pulleys and neglects to add the 50 grams of the hooks to their total force pulling on that particular string.
Friday, August 2, 2019
How the Aviation Industry Is Affected by the Economy
Airports are vital international resources. They play a key role in transportation of people and goods. And in regional, national and international commerce. They are where the nationââ¬â¢s aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal responsibility for managing and regulating air traffic operation meet with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. This paper reviews how oil prices affect the airline economy and views the extent to which the economies and developing countries remain vulnerable to a long period of higher oil prices. I have chosen this topic because the airline industry in the economy of any country plays a very important role. Todayââ¬â¢s airlines face many long standing problems. The historical trends show the true story of what is happening in the airline industry. There are many factors that contribute to these problems and Increase in fuel rates/cost is one of them. The value of a barrel of oil has a direct impact on airliners within the Worldââ¬â¢s aviation industry, at the present moment the price of a barrel of Oil has held at about ââ¬Å"$89 a barrelâ⬠, this figure however, is very unstable. To emphasize further, in mid July 2006 a barrel of oil had broken the ââ¬Å"$78 markâ⬠and has since stabilized, the long term issues however, suggest the value of oil could rise even further which can of course have cost complications for airliners. With the current political disputes in Eastern Europe and the unrest in the Middle East, the cost of oil is likely to rise, as is the unstable nature of this resource and industry in general. According to the latest statistics from the General Aviation Bureau, due to the fuel price surge, the cost of fuel has accounted to 41% of the cost of major business of airline companies. The whole airline industry has an additional cost expenditure of 1. 27 billion. Why does the airline industry which is always sensitive to price change take no action this time? The South-west Airline Company said ââ¬Å"if we raised the ticket price at this time the passengers would scare awayâ⬠. Several transportation companies also mention that the domestic transportation is steady but not rising, and it would be further overwhelmed if the airline raised prices now. Therefore under the present condition of fuel price surge, the airline should lessen costs through management strengthening, cost lowering and efficiency improving, but not simply raise the price. Passenger carriers have reported over $10 billion in 2005 net losses. Industry debt now exceeds $100 billion, while the industryââ¬â¢s $15 billion total market profit continues to decline. Our ability to borrow to support continuing losses is lessening. The few airlines that have been able to achieve a profit are doing so under tremendous difficulty. The reasons for the dangerous condition of the industry are clear. Profit has declined dramatically following the 9/11 attack on America. Although carriers are aggressively reducing costs where possible, stubbornly high fuel prices and escalating security and insurance costs, among other things, have combined with a particular vengeance in an under-performing economy. The industry has already achieved annual savings of over $10 billion in capital and operating expenses. Issues such as fuel prices, however, are obviously beyond our ability to battle alone The industry was suffering from the softening economy in early 2001. The events of 9/11, however, drove losses that year to $7. 7 billion, despite the $5 billion in government compensation for the costs of the terrorist shutdown of our aviation system. A few years back the picture darkened when despite industry cutbacks in spending, losses topped $10 billion. And analysts predict that the industry will lose another $2 to 4 billion this year, meaning that airlines are on target to lose about $25 billion in the 2008 to 2013 period. Increases in fuel prices affect the airlines in two ways; the cost of fuel has an obvious and direct impact on the cost of operation, and fuel cost increases have repeatedly triggered economic recessions, which in turn result in a decline in demand for air travel and air cargo. Fuel price increases have a negative impact on airlines because even in good time fuel costs account for roughly 10-12% of our operating expense. Every penny increase in the price of jet fuel costs the airline industry $180 million a year. In the absence of pricing power ââ¬â the ability to pass these costs along in the form of higher airfares ââ¬â these increases come right off the bottom line. An even more hurtful aspect of the fuel price increase is the relationship between the economy and air travel. The link between fuel prices and the health of the economy is clear. Three of the major recessions of the past thirty years can, in large measure, be attributed to the steep increases in fuel prices that accompanied the 1973 Middle East oil embargo, the 1980 Iran Crisis, and the1990-91 Gulf War. The airline industry is undeniably tied to the overall economy ââ¬â even minor recessions result in reduced demand and increased sensitivity to prices for leisure as well as business travelers. Past fuel spikes and attendant recessions have brought about widespread hardship in the airline industry. As analysis shows, airline profitability suffers as a direct consequence of a weakening economy. During the first Gulf War, almost half of the major airlines filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, long-standing airlines went out of business, more than 100,000 airline employees lost jobs, and the industry went into a financial tailspin from which it took years to recover. We all have much at stake ââ¬â it is not simply a matter of airline finances; it is the national economy. Civil aviation has a profound impact on the U. S. economy. A recently completed analysis found that in calendar 2009: à · Civil aviationââ¬â¢s total impact on the U. S. economy amounted to 9% of GDP. $343 billion and 4. 2 million jobs were produced in civil aviation or in industries related to civil aviation such as travel and tourism. à · Combined direct, indirect, and induced economic impact of civil aviation totaled $904 billion and 11. 2 million jobs. Without question, the financial situation of the airlines has had a negative effect on the U. S. economy. Of the jobs lost in the United States since 9/11, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ââ¬â nearly half have been in the travel and tourism sector. As airline pain spreads, communities across the country are dramatically affected. Forced contraction in the industry means less service or no service to some communities, increasingly isolating them from the economic mainstream. The airlines are doing everything they can to conserve fuel. Throughout the history of commercial aviation, airlines have insisted upon the most fuel-efficient aircraft possible and have worked with airframe and engine manufacturers to reduce fuel consumption. In fact, our fuel conservation efforts have resulted in a fuel consumption rate of almost 40 passenger miles per gallon in todayââ¬â¢s aircraft ââ¬â a rate that compares favorably with the most fuel-efficient automobiles. Changes in cruise speed, use of flight simulators, sophisticated flight planning systems, increasing load factors and the introduction of newer, more aerodynamic aircraft designs combined with modern engine technology, are all recent success stories. Airlines continue to look at every possible facet of their operations to further improve fuel efficiency through measures like taxiing on one engine, delaying startup and push back, removing all discretionary eight, and using ground power instead of on-board auxiliary power units while at the gate. These and similar measures are increasingly being used where commensurate with safety considerations to save fuel and, not incidentally, to reduce emissions. However, as of today our options for further dramatic improvements on the order of what we have been able to achieve over the past few decades are limited; leaving not only the aviation industry vulnerable but also all other services dependant upon air travel for a profitable living.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Living and Learning: the Right to Salvation (the Scarlet Letter)
The Scarlet Letter is a novel about love and jealousy, sin and shame, passion and compassion. It is a tale of a woman named Hester Prynne, who engaged in adultery with the town minister, and as a result, bore permanent consequences from this sin throughout the remainder of their lives. While Minister Dimmesdale denied this sin and expressed his regret through shows of self-abuse and crippling guilt, Hester embraced her sins as past experience and learned from them in order to find her own identity. While the entire novel is rich with allegory and imagery, the conclusion to be drawn is this: Free will is Godââ¬â¢s indispensable gift to humanity, and we must allow ourselves to be open to salvation in light of the choices we make. This theme is expressed through the necessity of sin to find knowledge, Hesterââ¬â¢s embracing of the scarlet letter, the difference in the quality of life between Hester and Dimmesdale based on their coping mechanisms, and the very being of Hester and Dimmesdaleââ¬â¢s daughter, Pearl. As stated, a major theme in the novel is that of free will and necessary acceptance of the consequences of oneââ¬â¢s decision. Hester and Dimmesdaleââ¬â¢s situation is comparable to that of Adam and Eve. Like Adam and Eve, the characters in the novel are made aware of their humanness through sin, that is, the realization that free will separates them from other creatures. Once expelled from society, or in Adam and Eveââ¬â¢s case, the Garden of Eden, they are forced to toil and procreate, the tasks that seem to define the human condition. The story of Hester and Dimmesdale recalls the story of Adam and Eve because, in both cases, sin results in expulsion and suffering. However, most significantly, it also results in knowledge. The knowledge of what it means to be human. The scarlet letter was intended by the Puritan elders to be a mark of sinfulness, and therefore, shame. However, for Hester, the scarlet letter is ââ¬Å"her passport into regions where other women dared not treadâ⬠, leading her to ââ¬Å"speculateâ⬠about what she had always known and explore her inner self more ââ¬Å"boldlyâ⬠than anyone else in New England. As for Dimmesdale, the ââ¬Å"burdenâ⬠of his sin gives him ââ¬Å"sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind, so that his heart vibrates in unison with theirs. â⬠His most articulate, powerful sermons were derived from the sense of empathy ained from experience. Hester and Dimmesdale contemplate their own sinfulness constantly, and try to repent it with the way they live their lives afterward. The Puritan elders, on the other hand, insist on seeing sinful experiences as a mere obstacle on the path to heaven. Hence, they view life on earth as insignificant, and sin as a threat to the community that should be severely punished and suppressed. While they punish Hester and Dimmesdale, their Puritan society is stagnant, while Hester and Dimmesdale's experience shows that imperfection and life experience are not evil. They are necessary to personal growth and true, deep understanding of others. Hester realizes and expresses that sin is forgivable, and at times necessary, to achieve a true personal identity in earthly life. After Hester is publicly shamed and forced by her society to wear the scarlet letter as a badge of humiliation, she is unwilling to pick up and leave the town. Although she is free to leave the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and doing so would allow her to remove the scarlet letter and live a life of quiet obscurity, she is unwilling to flee her ââ¬Å"burdenâ⬠. Hester even reacts with disappointment when Chillingworth tells her that the town fathers are considering allowing her to remove the letter. Hester's behavior is a result of her desire to find her own identity rather than to allow others to determine it for her. To her, running away or removing the letter would be an acknowledgment of society's power over her. She does not believe that the letter is a mark of shame and it is not something from which she desires to escape. She does not regret her action simply because she is told she should. Hester stays, refiguring the scarlet letter as a symbol of her own experiences and character. Her past sin is a part of who she is, and in her view, to pretend that it never happened would mean denying a part of her. Thus, Hester openly integrates her past sin into her life. Much unlike Hester, Dimmesdale is scared and ashamed of his past. His attempts to hide what he has done result in his life being a great deal unhappier than that of Hester, who is very candid about her past sins. This is a result of Dimmesdaleââ¬â¢s struggles against a socially determined identity. Being that he is the minister of the community, he is often seen as more of a symbol than human being. With the exception of Chillingworth, those around the minister ignore his obvious anguish, instead interpreting it as a sign of holiness. Unfortunately, Dimmesdale never fully recognizes the truth of what Hester has known all along. Individuality and strength are gained by quiet self-assertion and not a rejection of one's construed identity. Pearl is the lovechild of Hester and Dimmesdale, the mark of their sin. In the novel, Pearl is predominantly a symbol. This symbolic role can be seen in her name. A pearl is the most perfect, innocent jewel. It is polished and defined in its shell by the roughness of the sand around her, and eventually will be released from the shell to become a beautiful, unique piece of jewellery. Throughout most of the novel she is quite young, and speaks relatively little. Her most significant contribution to the plot is the reaction she provokes in the other characters in the novel. She asks them blunt, direct questions and shows how ridiculous the denial, prejudice, and misdirection of the adult world really are. In the novel, Pearl is portrayed to be much more perceptive and honest than adults in the novel, despite (or due to) her youthful tactlessness. Pearl makes the readers and characters constantly aware of her mother's scarlet letter, and therefore, of the society that produced it. To Pearl, the scarlet letter is such a part of Hester that she does not recognize her without it. Pearl's innocent comments about the letter are surprisingly insightful, and raise significant questions about its meaning. Similarly, she inquires about the relationships between those around her [most importantly, the relationship between Hester and Dimmesdale] and offers her perceptive opinions of them. Pearl seems to be the only character to openly criticize Dimmesdale's refusal to simply admit to his adultery and move on. Once her father's identity is revealed, Pearl is no longer needed in this symbolic role. When Dimmesdale dies, she becomes a full human being, leaving behind her childhood naivety. Throughout the novel, the charactersââ¬â¢ levels of contentedness are almost always inversely proportionate to their denial of their sins and themselves. God does not expect humans to be perfect. He is willing to forgive so long as we are ready to be forgiven. Hester and Pearl realize and acknowledge their imperfections, and revel in the knowledge that ââ¬Å"perfectionâ⬠leads to inertness, much like that of their Puritan society. Consequently, they live much better lives than that of Dimmesdale, who steadfastly denies his imperfections and spends incredible amounts of time punishing himself instead of getting on with his life. In light of the choices we make, we are always open to salvation. The only thing that can stop us is ourselves.
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