Can be any aspect of Urban Geology (Why geology is relevant in urban Term Paper

Can be any aspect of Urban Geology (Why geology is relevant in urban areas.) - Term Paper Example Geology is the science of study of solid Earth, and in particular, the rock formations to be found underneath a specific piece of land. Geology acquires new importance in urban areas as high-density populations are found in urban areas. Its relevance cannot be dismissed as many of modern-living or urban lifestyle problems can be solved or remedied by knowledge of the urban geology of a city, whether it is near the sea, a body of water like a lake, or a mountain that is also prone to environmental hazards like landslides and flash floods. Another example is the presence of underground water in urban areas where geology is important in building high-rise structures. Vital data and findings derived from geologic studies are very important in construction and engineering, such as where to best locate infrastructure projects like a pier, seaport or airport where there is underlying strength of the geologic materials to support such undertaking, prevent serious damage if there is an earthquake, and in general, make these structures safe so there will be no need to worry about the stability of these structures over the long term. Ignorance of these findings can have serious negative consequences like finding cracks on newly-built buildings. Land is a limited resource and so urban geology is used to determine the selection of the sites to build on. In highly-urbanized areas like the mega-cities of the world today, it is a must for engineers to have a firm grasp of urban geology to build the best structures they can possibly build, like very high structures comprising several floors upwards. The race to build the tallest buildings in the world are based on geology. Building upwards is the solution to limited land (reclaiming parts of the sea is also possible) as horizontal expansion is often not possible in most urban areas. An example is Hong Kong where many

Adam Smith & John Maynard Keynes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Adam Smith & John Maynard Keynes - Essay Example Smith sought to convince people that "the wealth of a nation would be promoted with vastly greater effectiveness by the ‘obvious and simple system of natural liberty’ than by national planning of the mercantilist sort" (Mitchell 48). As for the implementation of Smith’s ideas, his influence on today’s economy is probably greater than it was on his contemporaries or those who lived immediately after his works were published. â€Å"An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations† (or more commonly â€Å"The Wealth of Nations†) by Adam Smith, published in 1776 is widely considered to be the first modern work in the field of economics. Up until â€Å"The Wealth of Nations† it was generally accepted that in any economic transaction one side always "won". In other words, either the buyer or seller got to "put one over" on his "opponent" — one went home happy, the other went home and eventually got angry at himself for being a dupe. Smith rejected this notion, however, and stated that "a voluntary, informed transaction always benefits both parties": when the buyer gives something of value to the seller in exchange for something else of value, both parties "win". This is because the buyer values what the seller is selling more than what he is giving to the seller in exchange for it. And, for his part, the seller is all too happy to part with what he is selling for the buyers property, because he values that more. In short, each party gets something he wants more in exchange for something he wants less — they both benefit. This book is a clearly written account of political economy at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Mercantilism was the ruling economic principle then. â€Å"The Wealth of Nations† attacks two fundamental principles of mercantilism: the idea that protectionist tariffs serve the economic interests of a nation; the idea that large reserves of gold bullion or other heavy metals are necessary for a countrys economic success (Smith