The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 22

Micha She looks startled as heck, her eyes round, and her body is trembling as she says, â€Å"I love you.† My grin gets through. â€Å"I realize you do. I have since the time the day on the bridge.† She looks befuddled so I clarify further. â€Å"When you attempted to leave, I found you and took you up to our spot by the lake to quiet you down. At the point when you did, you revealed to me that you cherished me.† Her lips part. â€Å"I did†¦ for what reason didn't you tell me?† â€Å"Because I needed you to let me know again,† I state. â€Å"When you were somewhat less out of it. Took you sufficiently long, by the way.† Her lips grow to a grin and I can't resist the urge to kiss her. My body rolls onto her voluntarily, despite the fact that it harms like damnation to utilize my arm to keep my weight off her. She trails her fingers up my back as her legs tumble to the side, allowing me to press up nearer to her. It's what we've been doing each night throughout the previous barely any days, nearly arriving at the end, yet not exactly. Out of nowhere, she twitches back and I squint my eyes open. â€Å"What's wrong?† Gnawing on her lip, she sits up and I recline, giving her room as she slips her shirt and bra off and tosses them on the floor. Locks of her reddish hair fall over her chest. Smiling, I move my lips for hers once more, however she shakes her head and stands up on the bed, slipping her shorts and underwear off and disposing of them on the floor. I've seen her exposed two or multiple times throughout the week †and once when we were sixteen and she left her shade open †yet each time gets my adrenaline siphoning. She stoops down before me and kisses me energetically, her areolas brushing against my chest. Her body is shaking such that implies she's anxious. â€Å"Make love to me,† she murmurs against my lips. I've been dreaming about those words leaving her lips since I was sixteen. â€Å"Are you sure?† She gestures with a radiance in her eyes. â€Å"Yeah, I'm sure.† I hold up a couple of moments longer to give her opportunity to pull out on the off chance that she needs to. She stays quiet and goes after my shirt, helping me pull it over my head so I don't need to lift up my arm. Her fingers stumble into my tattoo, verses I expounded on her, in spite of the fact that I don't think she knows it. At that point her hands discover the catch on my pants and she loosens it. Choosing to get her out, I strip my pants and fighters off. Snatching a condom from my wallet, I lie her down and arrange between her legs. â€Å"Are you sure you're sure?† I check once more. Her reddish hair is spread over the pad and the light over our heads reflects in her green eyes as she gestures. â€Å"Micha, I'm more sure about this than I am tied in with whatever else in my life.† Abruptly, I get somewhat anxious. This is the first occasion when I've at any point been with somebody I've thought about and it will be extraordinary. Intellectually setting myself up, I slide into her gradually so I don't hurt her. Her legs instantly tighten around my hips and she presses her eyes shut. I allow her a moment, letting her inhale through the torment. At the point when she opens her eyes once more, I drive into her further. Her head tips back as she powers air in through her nose. I begin shaking all through her. The tormented articulation gradually goes to rapture and her eyes overlook. It's the most excellent thing I've at any point seen. Ella From the start it harms †more than I foreseen. I'm thinking about what the serious deal about sex is, the point at which he begins shaking all through me, pushing in further and filling me with him. The agony backs away and all that is left is hunger. I secure my legs around his hips and open up to him as his lips spread mine. He kisses me intensely and I begin coming fixed, discharging all control of my body and brain. I let my head fall back as he sucks and nips on my neck and down to my bosoms, before restoring his lips to mine. Our skin covers in sweat as his developments become more earnestly, pushing further inside me. I shout out his name as a fire excites inside me and everything falls apart. Minutes after the fact, his developments become jerkier and afterward he stills. His head is tipped down and his warm breath strokes my neck. He puts a kiss on my neckline bone, at that point all the rage, at last taking a gander at me and smoothing my hair again from my clammy brow. â€Å"I love you,† he murmurs with a substance articulation. I grin at him as he cautiously sneaks out of me. At that point he holds me in his arms and we float off to rest, loose and fulfilled. *** I wake up to Micha sitting on the bed in his fighters, playing his guitar, the tune â€Å"Behind Blue Eyes† by The Who. He has his head tipped down as his fingers pluck away. Sitting up, I wipe the sluggishness out of my eyes while holding the sheet up to cover my chest. â€Å"Why are you playing your dismal song?† I inquire. He continues singing, closing his eyes, truly getting into it. â€Å"It's not my pitiful melody anymore.† His fingers continue playing. I fold my legs under me and bow up before him. â€Å"Since when?† â€Å"Since the night you opened up to me,† he says. â€Å"And it was playing again and again. Starting now and into the foreseeable future, each time I hear this tune, I'm going to consider you.† I shut my eyes and hear him out play somewhat more, letting his wonderful voice stream over my skin. At the point when he quits playing, I open them back up directly as he yanks the sheet away from me. I shout and afterward giggle as he lays me down and encloses his body over mine. I kiss him energetically, concentrating on the ring in his lip. â€Å"I need to let you know something,† he says when I free his lip ring from my teeth. The sound in his voice makes me uncomfortable. â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He moans and rakes his fingers through his hair. â€Å"I believe I will go out and about with Naomi and her band.† I sit up, stunned, and almost knock temples with him. â€Å"Did she ask you to join?† â€Å"Yeah, half a month prior, however I disclosed to her I needed to consider it.† He moves to the side, carrying me with him and hitching my leg over his hip so I'm opened up and defenseless against him. â€Å"I think this is something I need to do, else I'll think twice about it for the remainder of my life.† My brain is dashing, yet I power my voice to sound even. â€Å"When are you leaving?† He follows my cheekbone with his finger. â€Å"In two or three days.† Closing my eyes, I talk myself through it. I realize I need to release him since laments never really consume within. It's still hard, however. I power a little grin as I open my eyes. â€Å"Will you visit me in Vegas?† â€Å"Every single second I get,† he says and seals his lips to mine. â€Å"I promise.†

Project report about the proposed design of an environmentally Term Paper

Undertaking report about the proposed structure of an ecologically benevolent HYBRID vehicle that works by Fuel and Battery nd nicknamed ( - Term Paper Example Properties of choice 1 and 2†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.17 Figures: Figure 1: BMW Turbo Charged Engine†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Figure 2: Naturally Aspirated Engine†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Figure 3: Hybrid Car Engine†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 Figure 4: Hi-Eco Car Engine Storage System†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.12 Figure 5: Power Control Unit†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 Figure 6: Inductor Motor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...14 ... These incorporate long range, high force yield and limited battery charging hours. It additionally utilizes sun based board to charge the lithium-particle batteries. Its capacity productivity is about 90%, which means the vast majority of its vitality will perform valuable work of pivoting the engine. The plan follows six stages approach which starts from issue definition to choice of the best arrangement. The motor contains three fundamental part; power control unit, vitality stockpiling framework and inductor engine. This motor has a superior score; 493 focuses against 385 focuses for half breed motor which is likewise considered eco-accommodating. These score gave the premise to determination of Hi-Eco motor as the best arrangement. 5 INTODUCTION Automobiles expends gigantic measure of worldwide vitality assets. The greater part of this vitality is non sustainable significance they can't be supplanted through common or any counterfeit procedure. Subsequently, the over dependence o n hydrocarbon as the primary wellspring of fuel for vehicles is impractical. This circumstance is exacerbated by the forecast that hydrocarbon stores will lessen in around 100 years to come. Be that as it may, maintainability is simply yet one of enormous issues the world is pondering about is fuel as the primary wellspring of vitality in transportation area. The expense of oil based goods is still past the rich of numerous individuals on the planet. Nations burn through billions of dollars sending out bringing in fuel to the detriment of other social program. This circumstance isn't changing any soon on the grounds that the worldwide utilization of fuel items is on a precarious ascent. Aside from cost and maintainability issues, contamination stays perhaps the best issue related with fuel vitality. Contamination is legitimately connected to green house impact which is liable for environmental change. Fuel controlled

Outbox November 17, 2017

Inbox/Outbox November 17, 2017 As you will see from the list below, Ive been acquiring many more books than Ive actually been reading. But Im hoping that will change as the holidays approach and the pace of life slows down a bit. I need to stop acquiring books at my usual fast pace so that friends and family have some books left to buy me for Christmas (hint, hint). Inbox (Books Acquired) Bitch Doctrine: Essays for Dissenting Adults by Laurie Penny: I ran for a spot on a small board in my town this past election season and lost, and this was my husbands consolation gift. Pretty good response on his part, right? The book promises to challenge, inform, engage, and inspire, and I cant wait. Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis:  I picked up this collection of essays, interviews, and speeches because I want to read more about politics, race, and systemic oppression, and this book by a renowned activist seemed essential. Liliths Brood by Octavia Butler:  This was available as a Book Riot Deal of the Day a little while ago, and of course I couldnt resist: its three books sold as a setâ€"Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imagoâ€"for $2.00. I dont read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, but I want to, and I know Butler is a great place to start. Outbox (Books Finished) Mean by Myriam Gurba: I loved, loved, loved this memoir of growing up queer and mixed-race in California. Its beautifully written, shocking, moving, and so smart. Just  as the title says, Gurba is kind of mean, and I love it. In the Queue (What Im reading next) Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance, and Revolution in Trumps America by Samhita Mukhopadhyay and Kate Harding: Another book on activism, protest, and politics! This is a collection of essays by writers including Rebecca Solnit, Cheryl Strayed, Samantha Irby, Nicole Chung, and more, and I am here for it. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney: I read a lot of nonfiction, but I like to keep a novel going at all times too. In fact, reading one novel and one work of nonfiction at a time is the perfect mix of reading material, I think. Im looking forward to this character-driven novel of friendship. How was your week in books?

Should Euthanasia Be Legalized - 1210 Words

â€Å"It has been estimated that of the 2 million Americans who die each year, 80% die in hospitals or nursing homes, and 70% of those die after a decision to forgo life-sustaining treatment has been made† (Pozgar, 2014). As terminally ill patients come to terms with an end-of-life diagnosis, one of their main concerns is dying with dignity and not left to suffer a long and drawn out death. Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, is a sensitive and very controversial subject. Several people believe, doctors should not participate in any action that ends a person’s life due to the Hippocratic Oath stating that doctors are obligated to save lives. Although, euthanasia is considered to be immoral and even murder, it should be legalized when a person’s quality of life, due to an incurable illness, is gradually going to deteriorate. The United States of America is one of the leading countries in medical advancements. Unfortunately, despite having state-of-the-art technical equipment, some of the top hospitals, and medical laboratories in the world, millions of people are diagnosed with terminal illnesses every day. Hearing that an illness cannot be cured can be devastating and leave a person’s future uncertain. In most cases, these diagnoses come with unimaginable pain, suffering, and despair. To become dependent on others to do simple daily tasks such as eating, bathing, or going to the restroom can lead to hopelessness, helplessness and depression. As a result, toShow MoreRelatedShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1360 Words   |  6 PagesAbout 55% of terminally ill patients die in atrocious pain. Euthanasia is a practice that hasn’t been legalized in many places, and is usually performed by lethal injection. In the United States euthanasia is only legalized in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and cert ain areas of Texas. Some citizens feel that euthanasia should be legalized because they should have the sole right to their life. Others feel that God is the one that has the authority over a person’s life. There have been many cases whereRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?864 Words   |  4 Pagescontroversy over euthanasia. Because there is a sharp conflict on the issue, some countries accept mercy killing lawful while others do not. The main arguments about the issue are whether the deliberate intervention on one’s life to the end is morally right or wrong. Some say euthanasia should be legalized because it is the only way to relieve harsh pain and meet ‘real happiness’ for the patients who are not expected to maintain their lives more. They also argue that people should respect the patients’Read MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?971 Words   |  4 Pages Legalization of euthanasia in China Youyou Zhuang English Language Center, University of Victoria Youyou Zhuang, a student in English language center of University of Victoria. zhuangyoyo@gmail.com Legalization of euthanasia in China The hospital is a place where to cure the sickness and to save the patients. Have you ever thought a kind of â€Å"killing† could happen in the hospital? It is the â€Å"mercy killing†, also called euthanasia. Till now, euthanasia is legal in Netherlands, BelgiumRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1413 Words   |  6 Pagesstatement: euthanasia should be legalized. There exist numerous topics that are controversial within the criminal justice system. Euthanasia, the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relive pain and suffering, is one that has been around for a long time. Many people believe that it should continue being illegal due to certain moral values. However, some people argue that euthanasia should be decriminalized because people should have the right to die when they want to. Euthanasia hasRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?907 Words   |  4 Pagesactive euthanasia, which is a highly contentious issue in the United States. Voluntary active euthanasia is currently illegal in the United States. However, I believe that patients with terminal illnesses experiencing a lot of pain and misery should have the right to die the way they choose, with dignity, instead of being subjected to agony. People should be able to choose voluntary active euthanasia, if ever need be, which is why I believe that despite current policy, voluntary active euthanasia shouldRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1050 Words   |  5 Pagesend quickly, but knew it was not going to happen. If euthanasia and/or assisted suicide was legalized, perhaps his wish could have been true. Unfortunately, euthanasia is only legal in the states of Oregon and Washington at the current time. Euthanasia is considered immoral and wrong for contradicting a doctor’s job. However, it save s families the horrible sight of their loved ones dying, safeguards being up to protect any abuse towards euthanasia, and ultimate choice of being euthanized is upon theRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1272 Words   |  6 Pagesthe natural body is able to heal itself and grow. Not only is it human nature to survive and prosper, it is also instinct to be frightened of death and suffering. Euthanasia has been a topic of debate ever since the Roman and Greek physicians have started to poison terminally ill patients with their consent. Today’s definition of euthanasia is â€Å"the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless wayRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1220 Words   |  5 Pagesincurable patients, it is rarely known that Euthanasia, a termination of one’s life with his/her self-willingness, is a release of permanent pain. On the other hand, it is committed by the doctors. Among Voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary Euthanasia, only is Voluntary Euthanasia being universally concerned by human beings. Various fascinating facts, Australia has already approved this act and many people from other countries have also committed Euthanasia. Regarding this topic, people have beenRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1490 Words   |  6 Pagesjust like you are in pain. What would you do? Euthanasia is and act where a person assist the death of other person and relieves him/her from pain. It is also called as mercy killing. It is controversial because, some may thing it is immoral and some may think it is against their religious values. But, the fact is, the person who suffers with pain knows the pain better than anybody. It is the person’s decision to make. Euthanasia should be legalized with the involvements of legal documents basedRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1970 Words   |  8 Pagespaper I’m goi ng to prove to you why I think Euthanasia should be legalized. Euthanasia refers to taking a deliberate action with the express intention of ending a life to relieve suffering. Some interpret Euthanasia as the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. There are two forms of Euthanasia. Passive Euthanasia is when a patient gets an injection to put them to sleep and they never wake up. It’s a very fast and painless death. Active Euthanasia is when a patient does not get the medicine

Analysis Of The Book Future Of Reputation - 1176 Words

Three Authors and a Society An â€Å"I told you so† echoes from the grave of Neil Postman as a Reality TV star lead the polls for the GOP primary nomination in the 2016 presidential race. Meanwhile, a symbol of the most turbulent times in American history was recently removed from a state capitol and designated for museum status. Today’s latest social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, has assisted the Internet ‘steady growth and influence of society for over twenty years now. Three authors, Neil Postman, Daniel Solove, and Walter Lippmann have explored how various media and symbols have shaped society through history to today. Postman, in Amusing Ourselves to Death, Public Discourse in Age of Show Business saw the dangers in the medium of television turning the serious subjects of religion, the news, and particularly politics into forms of entertainment. In his book, future of reputation, David Solove argues, the law must meet the challenge to address these ever-changing technologies’ effect on one’s reputation and strive to protect the privacy while ensuring the freedom of speech. In the book, Public Opinion, author Walter Lippmann, explores how symbols are planted by authority figures to corral the public into their camp. While each author takes a different approach, each provides insights into a changing world and a route for an informed society to achieve better citizenship. Postman begins with addressing the importance of print media. Feasibly nowhereShow MoreRelatedMcgraw Hill Companies, Inc.1325 Words   |  6 Pagesstatistics by making studying as affordable and easy as possible. It’s the wish of the firm to create more educated people that is a noble intention (McGraw-Hill Education). McGraw-Hill takes part in community responsibility by trying to â€Å"create a brighter future for learners around the world†. It takes pride in its various educational research departments such as science, technology, internet, and all other subjects related to teaching and learning. The company is also does impressive works and activitiesRead MoreWhy Google s Digital Library Project Is A Violation Of International Copyright Law1129 Words   |  5 PagesA co-operation about digitizing the books in libraries was announced by Google and several major libraries on December 14, 2004. In this project, all the books in these libraries will be sent to Google for scanning and making digital copies, then they will entered into the Google search engine. At last, all the library books will be returned to libraries unharmed. Allowing all Google’ s users search the full text the these books by using Google search engine, which is the purpose of this projectRead MoreThe Impact Of C ommunication On Public Relations935 Words   |  4 Pagesauthors of this article posit to articulate the contribution that communication audit plays in public relations to the extent that it is conceived fittingly as an effective tool that can be applied in management. The effectiveness of communication analysis helps in tackling the needs of the target message, the audience as well as the media and augments the effectiveness of the efforts that are made in the process of communication. According to Hollister Patricia (2005), the retention of an outsideRead MoreCase 26 - Star River Electronics Ltd.1419 Words   |  6 Pagesexperienced rapid growth during this time. Due to this effect, small manufacturers overreacted, creating oversupply that pushed prices down by as much as 40%. Consolidation followed as less efficient producers went out of business. Because of its superior reputation, Star River was able to survive the shakeout. While other CD-ROM manufacturers floundered, Star River’s volume of sales grew at a robust rate in the past two years. Unit prices, however, had declined because of increasing competition in the marketRead MoreCoca Cola Ethics Case Essay example1478 Words   |  6 PagesCoca-Cola Company Struggles with Ethical Crises- A Case Analysis The Coca-Cola Company Struggles with Ethical Crises- A Case Analysis Part I What role does corporate reputation play within organizational performance and social responsibility? Develop a list of factors or characteristics that different stakeholders may use in assessing corporate reputation. Are these factors consistent across stakeholders? Why or why not? Corporate reputation can be taken as complete inference that its stakeholdersRead MoreThe Journey of India Through History in The Argumentative Indian by Dr. Amartya Sen886 Words   |  4 Pagesthe opposing views, while offering them no other alternative system. In that sense, the book, â€Å"The Argumentative Indian† written by Dr. Amartya Sen, the Nobel laureate has been very appropriately titled and that through this he has unwittingly revealed his own views. The way the book moves ahead, are thoughts of an argumentative individual – propagating his own views but not searching for the truth. This book discusses the journey of India from its history to the present identity in terms of theRead MoreChina s Struggle For Status1274 Words   |  6 PagesChina’s rise in power and it’s future trajectory according to his research. The novel was released during what many consider the peak of China’s growth, or at least when the world was witnessing the prosperity of their country, the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The novel strays away from the status quo of analyzing China’s rise, and rather focuses more on the reasons behind why China would want to become the world’s top super power and its motives for control, if any. The book explores China’s fixation withRead MoreSteve Jobs s Uses Great Business Strategy Lead The Apple Company1247 Words   |  5 Pageshigher than other companies, but they use their great reputation, special design, innovation, strict control of quality, and the best service. People are willing to pay the price to enjoy their products. However, with the Steve Jobs passed out, Apple’s strategies start to face some challenges and problems. Here I use the SWOT method to analysis of Apple Inc.. SWOT analysis of Apple Inc. Strengths Weaknesses Strong brand name Great reputation Leading market position in the world Creativity, innovativeRead MoreCoca Col India And The Difficulties Faced By It Essay1246 Words   |  5 Pagescompany found with pesticides in its water used for manufacturing its products. Testing was taken place to check the issues regarding pesticides by an environmental group, the centre for science and environment (CSE) and after hard-core search and analysis two companies were found guilty having more than 50 bottles of coke and Pepsi products that contained unsafe level of pesticides from 12 different states of India. In 2002, this pesticides issue mainly comes into highlight at plachimada city of IndiaRead MoreSWOT Analysis for CH2M Hill Strengths1073 Words   |  5 Pagesestablished brand name with lots of successful Government projects and private projects including the Program Management of the Olympic venues for the 2012 London Olympics. The company has a well defined code of ethics, outlined in â€Å"Jim’s Little Yellow Book†, that each employee should follow and an anonymous hotline, The Guideline, to notify the company of observed ethics violations. CH2M Hill is employee owned through an internal common stock market, giving the employees buy-in into policies and procedures

Longer School Days Free Essays

American today tends to believe that our educational system is working. I truly believe for this generation of students to remain competitive with their international peers as adults, they need to start spending more time in school. I am an advocate for longer school days. We will write a custom essay sample on Longer School Days or any similar topic only for you Order Now In fact at 180 days of school, American children spend the least amount time in the classroom when compared to other countries. Sure there are some undeniable hurdles, but overall the core idea is simple that children need enough time to learn, to build the skills, develop the knowledge and well-roundedness required to work and thrive in the twenty-first century. Nothing considered by itself is enough to turn schools around not the most gifted teachers, most inspiring principals, newest buildings, or most up-to-date equipment. Time, on the other hand, is an imperative groundwork for new levels of student achievement and educational success. Like any precious resource, it can be wasted. Simply tacking extra time poorly spent onto the current school schedule, does not get the job done. An article from CNN. om reports that the public charter schools that belong to the well-known Knowledge Is Power Program or KIPP serving fourteen thousand overwhelmingly low-income (80 percent) African American and Latino (90 percent) students in seventeen states with concentrations in Houston, Texas decided to eliminate the lack of time as an excuse for failure. KIPP day at 7:30 a. m. and ending it at 5 p. m. , with Saturday school twice a month and at least three weeks of mandatory summer school. By every measure national, statewide, and local KIPP students not only improve themselves, they also outperform the great majority of their peers. 90 percent of KIPP Houston High School tenth graders passed the Texas statewide math exam, as compared to 49 percent of other Houston tenth graders. Nearly four-fifths of students who complete KIPP’s eighth grade (the network consists mostly of middle schools) have entered college; nationally, the proportion for low-income students is less than one in five. Although I grant that longer school days do have some undeniable hurdles. For instance, loss of personal time could mean that spending more time at school would cut into the amount of time students are able to spend at home. Teacher burnout could contribute from adding hours to the school day only compound a teacher’s already busy schedule. Longer school days would require more time from students and teachers, but it would not guarantee results. The budget comes in to play when keeping facilities open and requiring staff and faculty to put in longer days will cost more money. I still maintain that longer school day positive outcomes will outweigh the hurdles. My conclusion is that schools will be able to restore academic subjects that had been scaled back or even dropped due to the emphasis on core instruction and high-stakes testing in reading, writing, and math. Students are able to study crucial academic subjects such as science, history, social studies, and foreign languages. Teachers including myself will have the time to work with each other in planning how they teach their students, time that almost never exists in the current school schedule. How to cite Longer School Days, Papers

Stages of Genocide free essay sample

There are 8 stages of genocide the first stage is classification. The Jewish people, homosexuals, handicapped, and gypsies were the main target for the Nazi’s. The reason why was because Adolf Hitler thought that Germany was becoming weaker because of the people who he thought were to be Genetically week. His idea of a non weak person is a person who is pale, blonde hair, and blue eyes. The second stage of Genocide is Symbolization, the Nazi soldier’s symbolized targeted people with different color triangles. The homosexuals had a pink triangle, brown triangles for gypsies, green for criminals, and red for political enemies. All of the people who were marked with triangles were targeted very easy, were harassed, but the main purpose of the coloured triangles was so they would be easy identified. The third stage of Genocide is Dehumanization, German doctors would experiment on the people they kept prisoners like animals because they were trying to find out how to make the perfect human being. We will write a custom essay sample on Stages of Genocide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The fourth stage of genocide is Organization, the way that Nazi’s prepared for the Genocide was by putting people into Ghettos for easy access. Then the weak would be moved off to be exterminated. The fifth stage of Genocide is Polarization The Jews were often told by Nazi soldiers that they were not worthy to live in normal towns so they put the Jews into Ghettos which were often dirty, disease ridden and low on food. The Nazi soldiers acted like they were greater then everyone. The sixth stage of Genocide is Preparation They prepared for genocide by splitting people up and putting them into Ghettos for easy access and making coloured triangles for easy identification and punishment. The seventh stage of Genocide is Extermination. Many people died in the holocaust inlcuding Jews, Roman, homosexuals. Around 6 million people overall died because of this Holocaust and up to 1. 5 million were kids. The last stage of Genocide is Denial Holocaust denial is the claim that the genocide never happened. It was claimed that only 2,700 people died because of World War I and that camps could not have held that many people.

Evaluation and Comparison of School-based Nutrition Programmes in the UK, Saudi Arabia and South-east Asia (Singapore and Malaysia) The WritePass Journal

Evaluation and Comparison of School-based Nutrition Programmes in the UK, Saudi Arabia and South-east Asia (Singapore and Malaysia) Introduction Evaluation and Comparison of School-based Nutrition Programmes in the UK, Saudi Arabia and South-east Asia (Singapore and Malaysia) ). As Toh et al. (2002) suggest, there are also high levels of obesity in Singapore, amongst certain socioeconomic groups, with this obesity negatively affecting children’s health. As Bundy et al. (2006) note, school-based nutrition programmes are useful in terms of improving the health of schoolchildren affected by poor nutritional intake, with these programmes being ubiquitous in many different countries, both low and high income countries. The main aims of such programmes are to improve the nutritional intake of schoolchildren in order to improve their overall health and cognitive functioning to be able to improve their overall academic performance (Bundy et al., 2006). Such programs have been successful in encouraging a greater intake of fruit and vegetables in fast food-addicted children and, as a result, in decreasing the incidence of overweight and obesity (Howerton et al., 2007). As Oldroyd et al. (2008) suggest, the effectiveness of nutritional interventions differs according to socioeconomic status with children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds being more likely to drop out of such programmes and being less likely, therefore, to see the benefits o f such programmes. Suggested methodology It is suggested that a quantitative survey is developed that would be administered to various public health officials in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Singapore. This survey would be administered with a view to collecting data, which would allow the main aims and objectives of the suggested research to be explored. Expected outcomes The main expected outcomes would be the development of the thesis, via the exploration of the research question and the aims and objectives of the research. It is expected that several research articles would also be developed and that conference talks would be given. Suggested timetable The research would take place over a period of three years; the first six months would be used to prepare the literature review, with the next year being used to collect the survey data. The following six months would be used for data analysis and the remaining six month period would be used to write up the findings and to complete the written thesis. References Abou-Zeid, A-H. et al. (2006). Anaemia and nutritional status of schoolchildren living at Saudi Arabian high altitude areas. Saudi Medical Journal 27(6), pp. 862-869. Al-Almale, S.M. (2005). Prevalence of obesity and overweight among Saudi adolescents in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Saudi Medical Journal 26(4), pp. 607-611. Al-Mekhlafi, M.S. et al. (2008). Current prevalence and predictors of protein-energy malnutrition amongst schoolchildren in rural Peninsular Malaysia. Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 39(5), pp. 922-931. Bundy, D. et al. (2006). School-based health and nutrition programmes, in Jamison et al. (eds.), Disease control priorities in developing countries. World Bank. Howerton, M.W. et al. (2007). School-based nutrition programs produced a moderate increase in fruit and vegetable consumption: meta and pooling analyses from seven studies. Journal of Nutritional Education and Behaviour 39(4), pp. 186-196. Karlsen, S. et al. (2013). Ethnic variations in overweight and obesity among children over time: findings from analyses of Health Surveys for England 1998-2009. Pediatric Obesity doi: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2013.00159.x Oldroyd, J. et al. (2008). The effectiveness of nutrition interventions on dietary outcomes by relative social disadvantage: a systematic review. Journal of Epidemiological and Community Health 62, pp. 573-579. Toh, C-M. et al. (2002). School based intervention has reduced obesity in Singapore. BMJ 324, pp. 447-462.

Entropy vs. Atrophy

Entropy vs. Atrophy Entropy vs. Atrophy Entropy vs. Atrophy By Mark Nichol Entropy is the uncertainty or disorder in a system. In a technical sense, it is the gradual breakdown of energy and matter in the universe; in casual usage, it refers to degradation or disorder in any situation, or to chaos, disorganization, or randomness in general. The stem -tropy, from the Greek word trope, means â€Å"change† or â€Å"turn.† It’s easily confused with a similar-sounding but unrelated word: atrophy, which refers to physical or psychological decline: Atrophy, which serves as a verb as well, stems from the Greek word trephein, which means â€Å"to nourish†; the prefix a- indicates antonymic form, as in apolitical or atheism. Atrophy can also mean poor development or loss of a part of an animal or plant, and in that sense it’s related to dystrophy, which in general refers to a condition resulting from poor nutrition, though it’s more familiar as part of the phrase â€Å"muscular dystrophy†; that, by contrast, identifies a hereditary disease that results in wasting away of muscle tissue. Trophy, however, meaning â€Å"a prize† or â€Å"a memorial,† is despite the ph spelling from trope, not trephein. (It evolved from a second sense of trope as â€Å"a rout, a victory.†) It’s related, therefore, to the English word trope, which refers to a figure of speech or a clichà © (a â€Å"turn† of phrase); the primary sense of that word is â€Å"a device or theme,† as in a common and perhaps trite plot element in a war movie or a tearjerker. Trop- features at the head of other words, too: tropic, referring to the two parallel lines of latitude that cross over the tropics, and tropism, which means â€Å"a tendency, inclination, or propensity.† The syllable also appears in numerous medical and scientific terms, such as autotropism and somatotropin. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Based in" and "based out of"How to Punctuate Descriptions of Colors20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

Business Process Management in Systems Integration Literature review

Business Process Management in Systems Integration - Literature review Example Actually, business process management is a division of infrastructure management, which is a managerial field aimed at maintaining and enhancing a company’s equipment and fundamental tasks (TechTarget, 2005), (Orbis Software Ltd., 2011) and (KnowledgeHills, 2011). This will discuss some of the important aspects of business process management and its role in system integration. Business Systems Integration Various researches conducted by industry analysts revealed that companies are investing 20% to 30% of their IT budget in integrating systems and applications, while they would need to suppose that the systems they spend in are interoperable. However, the circumstances are hard to defend and customers are trying to clarifying this point to their business and systems integration partners. On the other hand, with the passage of time, the process of systems integration is becoming more and more difficult. Additionally, the client’s integration developments at the present t urn into the value chain, which result in n-factorial positions of integration between applications owned by various corporations. Moreover, majority of businesses at the present do not depend completely on a single application image, for instance ERP. In this scenario, the integration projects expand over legacy systems, already available ERP and new purchases (Smith, 2002). Types of BPM At the present, there exist 3 different kinds of BPM frameworks marketplace. In this scenario, first one is horizontal frameworks, which focuses on design and development of business procedures and normally pay more attention on technology and reuse. Second type is vertical BPM arrangements, which focus on a precise group of synchronized jobs as well as include pre-built templates that could be configured and organized according to business needs and requirements. Lastly, the full-service BPM arrangements encompass five fundamental components that are outlined below: (TechTarget, 2005), (Businessba lls, 2009) and (Owen & Raj, 2011) Process discovery and project scoping Process modeling and design Business rules engine Workflow engine Simulation and testing Furthermore, more and more businesses are now adopting on-premise business process management (BPM) as a standard, since progresses in cloud computing have directed to augmented interest in on-demand, software as a service (SaaS) based capabilities and services (TechTarget, 2005). Business process management in Systems integration Enterprise System Integration (ESI) is the standard long-lasting development, merger and incorporation of a lot of advanced computing science, enterprise-wide management and networking fields comprising enterprise application integration, electronic business process management, self-defining meta-data repository, (information sharing and disambiguation), enterprise architecture, etc. In addition, enterprise system integration identifies and helps get rid of following main factors that are outlined below: (Hartweg, 2007) Unnecessary redundancy Duplication of effort Reinventing the wheel Moreover, it also helps reduce the mismatched and unrelated enterprise elements all through the isolated compartmentalized departments that are short of coordination of procedures or systems, through independent development and maintenance budgets (Hartweg, 2007). Use of Process Automation Sometimes processes are considered as a new development model that can eventually move the object

Proposed reform on Judicial Review Research Paper

Proposed reform on Judicial Review - Research Paper Example Whereas the level and extent to which other reforms may be beneficial to the judicial process are not in question, this author will lay out but a few salient reasons why the judicial nomination process is one of the most important functions that government makes with regards to the functionality, diversity, fairness, and representative nature that the judiciary should display. Furthermore, due to the fundamental shift in the judicial nomination process that has been experienced over the past 50 years, this author will seek to lay out a series of issues that define the shortcomings that the current legal system experiences as well as seeking to law out what steps could be effected in order to ameliorate these. The first issue that this analysis will consider is the fact that the judicial nomination process has turned into what can only be considered a type of media and political frenzy. Whereas the constitution states that the president should seek the counsel of congress in order to appoint a judge, the actual process whereby the judge is vetted is not enumerated upon and has largely become to be defined by Congress as something of an evolving practice that draws on prior precedence and the political fervor of a given point in time (Gonzalez et al 2003). As Congress itself, nor the president for that matter, can be trusted to make a determination based upon qualifications, the process oftentimes diverges into a political mudslinging contest where both sides attempt to paint the other as either obstructionist or attempting to push through some form of radical judge to the bench. As such, this interpretation of the law and precedent is neither helpful to the understanding of the constitution nor the judicial nomination process. As a function of this, the following analysis will detail and proscribe a set of solutions with regards to this particular shortcoming. Recent court appointments have highlighted the fact that rather than determining the overall qualificat ions of the judge, the opposing political party merely regresses to performing a series of partisan character attacks as a means to stymie the process and generate a degree of public awareness and involvement (McGinnis et al 2010). This of course is counterproductive and forces the process itself to be a multipart game that both the Congress and the sitting president at the time engage upon. Oftentimes the way that such a game progresses is that the president will nominate a series of un-selectable and/or unqualified candidates as a means to exhaust the Congress or the general public with the intractability of the process. Only once this has been accomplished, the president will nominate the candidate that he truly wanted to be make it through the process in the first place. This game theory is counterproductive, inefficient, and wastes a great deal of shareholder time and energy. A better and more efficient process for nomination and selection is therefore necessitated in order to institute a process that is not only more efficient but also a better representation of how the constitution originally envisioned the process of judicial nomination. In this sense, the entire process is hijacked at the expense of political posturing, partisanship, and a degree of political gain

Marriage and Divorce - Women and the High Cost of Divorce Essay example

Women and the High Cost of Divorce Divorce is commonly recognized as a major problem in our society. Every year there are more divorces in our country and many studies have been dedicated to finding out why. Much media attention has been paid to the court proceedings or the causes leading up to the divorce, but once the matter has lost public appeal, all coverage is dropped. Because of this, there is much that the average citizen does not know about the short-term and long-term effects of divorce. This paper examines the economic effects on all the parties involved and the discrimination in the process of divorce. While divorce was once a relatively rare event, and one to which negative stereotype was attached, it has now become almost as regular as cloudy skies in Binghamton, NY. For the past two decades there have been more than one million divorces per year in the United States and this number is steadily rising (Arendell, 1986). There are several historical factors contributing to this trend. After WWII the service sector of the economy underwent a huge expansion, increasing the demand for women workers. As wages rose, more and more women joined the work force. This increase was often motivated by the fact that it was becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain a household on the strength of only one income. While in 1940 just under 15% of women worked outside the home, workforce participation by females increased to the point by 1960 that 32% of the workers were female. This number soared to 47% by 1992 (Kurz, 1995). This increasing labor force participation led to grea ter chances for self-sufficiency and made it more feasible for women to contemplate divorce. Also, these same incr... ...ionships. Either increased public assistance must be provided, or the father, or absentee parent, must be forced to take a more vested interest in the welfare of their children. Â   Works Cited Arendell, Terry. Mothers and Divorce, Legal Economic and Social Dilemmas. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986. Kurz, Demie. For Richer, For Poorer, Mothers Confront Divorce. London: Routledge, 1995. Mason, Mary Ann. The Equality Trap. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988. Morgan, Leslie A. After Marriage Ends, Economic Consequences for Midlife Women. Newbury Park: Sage Publications, 1991. Peterson, Richard R. Women, Work, and Divorce. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1989. Weitzman, Lenore J. The Divorce Revolution, The Unexpected Social and Economic Consequences for Women and Children in America. New York: The Free Press, 1985.

Hotel Repositioning

{draw:frame} University of Derby/Buxton Hospitality Management MA Hotel Renovation A Tool For Repositioning In the Hotel Industry Submission Date: 7th May 2009 Business Analysis and Decision Making Student: Nana Yaa Addo Module Leader: Norman Dindsdale Introduction The hospitality industry has grown phenomenally since 2001 and has been driven by both leisure and business demand (kloppers 2005). The needs of the consumer have now become dynamic rather than static. Consumers today have a strong desire for luxury in every sense of the word be it travel, goods or even a night stay in a hotel, thereby creating a competitive environment among business owners and organisations to come up with innovative ways to increase and also retain their business. Altstiel and Grow (2005 p. 28) similarly states that â€Å"people do not buy things but rather a satisfaction of their wants and needs. Therefore the hospitality industry being a service sector is not an exception as the industry must also meet challenges by formulating and implementing strategies that will meet today’s economic conditions and also satisfy customer needs. This report focuses on how hotel renovation can be used as a tool for repositioning in hotel operations. It will explore the theory behind repositioning and test the theory by looking at some case studies within the industry, it will also try to identify its challenges and successes and see how it could be undertaken in the fu ture. Main body The term repositioning has been used side by side with positioning, branding or new product development and has a wide range of definition, as a result it has no exclusive accepted definition. For example, the work of Hassien and Baum (2002p146) give the following definitions of the term which perceives a greater understanding. (Lovelock,1996;Lewis et al;1995) define the term as the changing of the existing position without referring to its implementation (Hart and Stapleton, 1987; Collin, 1989; Jefkins, 1987; Ries and Trout,1986) define it as an advertising trategy by which the company can change the image of its product and the perception of people about it. Booz, Allen and Hamilton (1982) define the term as one of the six categories of new products in terms of their newness to the company and to the marketplace, as being the process of targeting the existing products to new markets or market segment. In addition the business dictionary also defines it as changing a brands status i n comparison to that of the competing brands. Furthermore Hassien and Baum go on to say that â€Å"an in-depth review of its literature identifies that there is a general agreement in most of these definitions, that repositioning involves a change to the image of a product in the market through changing the perception of the customer†(p. 146) and finally define the term as â€Å"the marketing management process of changing, partially or totally, the perception of the public about a firm through any modification or addition to one or more of its controllable variables (eg. Customer, competition, technology, coporate, etc. ) in order to retain, expand or change its target markets†(p. 147) From the above definitions it is obvious that repositioning involves the modification of a product to make it more appealing in order to attract existing customers or new market segments The Concept Of Repositioning. Due to intensifying global competition, a constantly changing environment, current consumer trends and modern technology, repositioning like any other marketing tool adopts a strategy in order to be successful. For instance Macmillan (2000, p45) states that ‘conditions in the global business environment demands that established firms adopt entrepreneurial strategies’. Johnson and Scholes(2002 p10) have defined strategy as â€Å" the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term which achieves advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a changing environment and to fulfil stakeholder expectations. † Bowie and Butler (2004 p. 06) state the following reasons as to why a company may be forced to reposition; Falling sales (often a symptom of customer dissatisfaction) An opportunity to service an emerging market segment The threat of competing for market share. As a result Jobber in the book of Enew and Waite (2007 p. 165), identifies four basic repositioning strategies and they are listed as follows Image repositioning- This means keeping the product and target market the same but changing the image of the product. Product repositioning –This means that the product has been modified to meet more fully the expectations of the target group. Intangible repositioning-An organisation targets a new market segment with existing products but places the emphasis on a different ,less tangible aspect of the product. Tangible repositioning-In some market sectors there is the need to change both product and target market moving upmarket or downmarket through the introduction of a new range of products often demands a comprehensive repositioning strategy. Similarly a study by Kotler et al 1993 cited in Crompton 2000 pp70-72) offers three strategies that can also be used to achieve repositioning and they are as follows; Real repositiong: which means that an agency changes what it does so that desired community priority needs are met through its offerings Competitive repositioning which means altering stakeholders’ beliefs about what an agency’s competitors do. Psychogical repositioning which means altering stakeholders beliefs about what an agency currently does From the above, it can be deduced that; Repositioning is used to alter perceptions of the consumer It is used by organisations to ensure they exceed the expectations of the consumer in order to retain themselves in the business environment It is used to identify growth and opportunities. It must however be noted that whatever strategy that is employed ,must be realistic, achievable, results focused and must also take into account which strategy best fits the needs of the business as well as that of the consumer. However for the purpose of this report the attention is on renovation as a tool for repositioning in the hotel industry in other words the focus is on the use of renovation to develop or improve existing and new product lines. Renovation Definition According to Hassien and Baum (2001p. 148), renovation may be defined as â€Å"the process of retaining or improving the hotel image by modifying the tangible product, due to a variety of reasons, through any changes in the hotel layout (e. g. Property structure-new extension) and/or any additions or replacement of materials and furniture, fixture and equipment†. It may also be defined as â€Å"a facility for which a substantial amount of the equipment, structure or other components is replaced or modified and which may expand capacity and/improve the process of the facility† (CII 2006, P1) From the above it can be noted that renovation as a process involves a lot of activity which can either be upgrading of the design, decor etc of the property layout or the development of an entirely new product. Types of renovation Renovations may be classed as major or minor depending on the amount of work involved in each type. For instance a renovation that involves the renewal or replacement of all equipment, furnishings and finishes in order to improve or change the image of the physical layout of the hotel may be termed as a major renovation, whiles a renovation that involves the upgrading or replacement of soft goods such as carpets, drapes, beddings etc without changing the physical layout of the property. The property must be in a market not sustaining the desired level of operation There must be an alternate market not being served Change in the market they serve Furthermore Hassien and Baum (2002p. 148) cite these reasons; To keep up with the competition To maintain or increase market share by satisfying current or potential customers To improve the operational efficiency of the hotel that will lead to an increase in both productivity and long term savings in operational expenses To maintain corporate image and standards To upgrade the hotel to a higher category (eg. From 4 to 5) To comply with the new trends and technology in the market The process of renovation while its clear a renovation or brand conversion is intended as an improvement on your investment, managing a long list of decisions will make for a shortfall in revenue without the right plan in place†(sansone et al 2009 p. 20). It must be noted that renovation is constantly an ongoing process in hotels and it employs certain decision making factors to ensure its success. These decisions if undermined can cost hoteliers a great deal of money and if taken seriously can reap re wards in other words renovation can either pose a financial challenge if not planned well or reflect profitability if planned well. There is nothing worse than being in a hotel when these processes are on going, the noise, the uncertainty and the feeling that you are experiencing ‘second best’. The following decisions have been identified through research that renovation undergoes the following processes. Planning In the planning process, elements such as team, budget, timing and marketing are taken into consideration. Team: It has been argued that the very first step when the decision on renovation has been taken is the selection of a team usually comprising experts and project managers. Rowe and Megan1995,Hassien and Baum 2002). These people are usually charged with the responsibility of providing expertise in the accomplishment of budgets, contingencies and scheduling from the start till finish of the project and can be a complete waste of time and money if they are not involved in the renovation project(Sansone et al 2009 ). Budget: This usually involves taking into consideration a realistic amou nt of money that is believed to be enough to finance the project. It is also the most important and critical aspect pertaining to the project. It is usually based on criteria such as the time value of money, wealth maximisation and risk accommodation. Timing: Recognising when to undertake a renovation is also very important in the decision making process. This is because hoteliers must carry out such projects when occupancy is low so that renovation can be carried out with less disruptions and minimise risk in terms of safety Bowe and Megan 1995 ) It is also interesting to note that there aside the above decisions taken during the renovation process, key areas of long term decision making is that of investment. The decision to carry out these important changes must, of course, involve a much more complex set of criteria. The key concept of finance being the first that is reviewed and factored in terms of risk. It is assumed that the objective of any financial investment is to maximise economic benefits. Hence â€Å"projects which pass through the preliminary screening phase become candidates for rigorous financial appraisal to ascertain if they would add value to the firm (Dayananda et al 2002 p. 7). Four investment appraisal techniques namely, ARR(average rate of return, Payback, NPV(Net present value)and IRR(Internal rate of return)are usually considered in the decision making process in large companies with Payback and NPV proving to be the most popular(Lamminmaki et al cited in Guilding 2005 p. 205) To touch briefly on the above; ARR- measures the incremental operating income that will be generated per dollar of investment in other words it measures profitability by comparing the required investment to future annual earnings(Oliver& Amacom 1999p. 11, Dayananda et al 2002 p43) Payback-It attempts to forecast how long it will take for the expected net cash inflows to payback the investment outlays (Glautier and Underdown 2001 p. 448) NPV- The excess of the present value (PV) of cash inflows generated by the project over the amount of the initial investment (Shim&Siegel 2007 p. 209) IRR- It represents the true interest rate earned on an investment over the course of its economic life (Colin Drury 2004 p. 501. For the following the NPV and IRR are used as being the most important in the individual case studies. This does not mean the others would not work, simply these were the most appropriate. Informed assumptions are made within the case studies as only outline information was available from the companies Case study 1 January 18-24, 2004 Crown Plaza Owners of the hotel invested 7 million dollars to renovate the crown plaza in Philadelphia to restore the hotels reputation which owners believed have suffered as a place for corporate meetings and stays as well as well as to target the SMERF market(social, military, educational, religious, fraternal bookings). Hotel owners updated rooms ,with a redone lobby, restaurant, common areas and meeting rooms. The hotel is located on city avenue and is a walking distance from the new target store, that brought with it a host of smaller retailers including chipotle grill, sandwich works and California pizza. â€Å"I’m not sure how it affects business, but guests like to walk to a restaurant which is definitely a convenience for guests†. Calculating IRR IRR=A+(Na/Na-Nb)*(B-A) Where A =Lower DF (10%), B = Higher DF (20%), Na=NPV at 10% Nb= NPV at 20%. Therefore; IRR= 10+ (0. 662/0. 662-1. 02) * (20-10) IRR= 10+ (-O. 2) *(10) IRR=9. 98 Case study 2 The Grand Hyatt (New York) July 15, 2004 To reaffirm the brand as a leader in the multi purpose hotels, the Grand Hyatt under took a 55million dollar renovation project. The project touched every area of the hotel with more emphasis on guest room and meeting spaces. The guest rooms were designed to give them a more international look with desig n elements including a colour palette of golds and taupe with blue accents. Roman shades dug in into the window wells to replace traditional draperies, an all new cabling and wired smoke detection and emergency communication system. Work and play amenities include a 27- inch flat screen T. V, a standard workstation with ergonomic chair, CD- clock radio. Bathrooms were upgraded with porcelain tiles, black granite pedestal sinks, stone flooring and curved shower rods. An entire floor was upgraded into a high tech conference centre targeting financial companies that needed the latest technology as well as privacy to do their business. Therefore calculating the NPV for case study 1 is illustrated below In evaluating both studies it is obvious that the main reasons for undertaking these renovation projects was to: Compete against other hotels Satisfy their customers Increase profitability by attracting customers. The basic rule underlying NPV is that if the present value of the returns exceed the present value of costs then the project should go ahead since it will increase profits. (Atkinson and Miller p. 315). In other words the project should be carried out if the NPV is positive. In case study 1 an initial investment of 7million dollars in year 0 is assumed to give rise to inflows of 2million dollars for each of years 1 to 5 So in this case an NPV of 0. 662 and 1. 02 respectively are both positive figures and hence the project will be profitable. However this same projects could be risky because of it’s IRR. For instance Finnerty(2005 p. 157) is of the view that ifthe IRR exceeds the project’s cost of capital then the projects should be undertaken but in this case an IRR of 9. 98 is less than both the lower and higher discount factors of 10% and 20% respectively and therefore will be in the interest of decision makers to forgo the project. In case study 2 an initial investment of 55million dollars in year 0 is assumed to give rise to inflows of 12million dollars for each of years 1 to 5. In this case an NPV of 9. 52 also indicates a positive figure hence a profitable project. This suggest that higher is better for both NPV and IRR in other words investments with higher rates of return are more profitable than investments with lower rates of return but it can be argued that â€Å"since the economic environment is dynamic the cost of capital can be influenced by such changes,(Watson &Head 2007) rather it will be better if business owners sought to maximise shareholders wealth through considering their investment value in monetary terms rather than focusing so much on it’s immediate return. Moreover both the NPV and IRR have its merits as well as its demerits. Atkinson and Miller(1998 p. 18)give the following merits for the NPV; Gives a clear quantitative result Emphasises the time value of money and makes it superior to methods which do not involve discounting. Involves maximisation of present values of future cash flows thereby maximising shareholder wealth. Despite its merits ,Siddiqui (2005 p. 325,Rashid, Raj & Walters 2008p. 194) of the view tha t ; It is not helpful in comparing two projects with different cash flows It may be misleading in comparing projects of unequal lives It is complicated to estimate the values of cash inflows and outflows over the life of a project. Alternatively, (Capon& Disbury 2004 p. 224) state that the IRR has the following merits; It results in a clear percentage return required on investment since emphasis is placed on liquidity in calculation. It’s the measure of the intensity of capital use and also gives a return for risks Takes into consideration the time value of money and deals with discount cash flows. Several authors strongly oppose and cite reasons as to why the IRR may not be the best financial appraisal. For example ( Dyson 2004, Mclaney& Atrill 2007) give the following reasons It does not maximise shareholders’ wealth There is difficulty in handling projects with unconventional cash flows It gives only an approximate rate of return It can be misleading especially where there are negative net cash flows in subsequent years and when one project has to be opted for in favour of another i. e. mutually exclusive project. Conclusion Hotel renovation is an inevitable process especially if hoteliers wish to secure their positions in the marketplace and also keep up with the constantly changing needs of the consumer. The two investment appraisal methods i. e the NPV and IRR usually used by decision makers Moreover the customer be it a business traveller or holiday maker is the most important element to the hospitality industry, to such a customer, the most important criteria are an appealing image, safety and security, standard of service and most of all value for money. Leaders in the industry must in no uncertain terms ensure that they meet expectations. So regardless of the financial appraisal techniques considered in the decision making process, hotel renovations are a must unless hoteliers are looking to reposition further down the market for instance choosing to go two star(2) or three(3) then they could be justified if they chose not to renovate otherwise they should be aware that they stand the chance of loosing market share if they do not renovate when required. Reccommendations Although investment decisions are carried out in the hope of generating future returns, the most important question hoteliers should be concerned with is whether they will be in business if they compromised their standards and quality of service by not repositioning as a result of lack of funds. The following suggestions have been given to serve as a guide to hoteliers wishing to renovate in the near future. Due to the costly nature of renovation, hoteliers could consider alternative sources of capital such as loans that offer low interest rates and low down payments that are unlikely to change during the period of the loan. Also hoteliers must endeavour to give priority to areas that need immediate attention, they can achieve this by segmenting the market in order to identify the needs of the market that way they are able to know what to accomplish in the shortest possible time without breaking the bank. Again in the present downturn, hoteliers must find ways to cut down on renovation expenses. For example if there is a choice of choosing between minor renovations such as the changing of bedding, drapes, curtains etc to major renovations that deal with heavy equipments, hoteliers will be better off going for minor renovations. Moreover they could also seek advice (in terms of selecting contractors and experts that are willing to offer reasonable rates) from hoteliers that may have undertaken a similar project. In addition, Harris & Joanne (2003) advice that the best time to undertaken renovations should be less busy periods. Executive Summary The concept of repositioning was looked at in terms of two hotels. It looked at the repositioning and renovation concept. It was realised that the main reasons for carrying out these renovations was to satisfy the customer in order to ensure repeat business, differentiate form other competitors to maintain a leading position, open new markets, and also increase profitability. In order to achieve this certain decisions had to be carried out, emphasis was placed on two investment appraisal methods i. e the NPV (Net present value) and IRR (Internal rate of return) since hotel renovation involved a great deal of budgeting. It was realised that regardless of the investment appraisal methods, hotel renovations was inevitable. The conclusion was hoteliers had to renovate if they wanted secure the business in the constantly changing environment and also if they wanted to meet the changing needs of the consumer. It may be that they repositioned by default? Journals Ahmed Hassien, Tom Baum(2002) Hotel repositioning through property renovation. Tourism and hospitality research Vol. 4 p. 144 Beirne, Mike(2004) Crown plaza’s bed time story Brand week Vol. 45 ,pp. 12-12 Brennan, Kate(2001) Lodging hospitality Vol. 57, p. 36 Construction industry institute(2006), ‘definition for renovation’. Available from: http://www. Construction institute . org/ script content/cfm. Assessed [April 1 2009] Crompton, John L. (2009) Strategies for implementing repositioning of leisure services Vol. 14, pp. 87-111 Foong, Keat(2009) Multi- housing news Vol. 44 pp. 14-15 Harris ,Joanne (2003) Motel management Vol. 218 p. 36 Hermann, Daniel (2008) Repositioning for the future. Long term living for the continuing care. Vol 57 p. 3 John W. O’Neill, Anna S. Mattila (2006) Strategic hotel development and positioning: The effects of revenue drivers on profitability. Cornell hotel and restaurant administration quarterly pp. 7; 146 Jonathan C. Nehmer, Donald A. Noveau(2005) Renovate or Reposition know the difference. Us international journal pp1-3 Patel, Ashwen ‘Ash’(2008)Credit crunch may disrupt renovation plans. Hotel and motel management, Vol. 223 p10-10 Rowe, Megan. (1995)Renovation has it’s risk. Lodging hospitality. Vol 51 p. 40 Watkins, Ed(2004) New York dresses up. Lodging hospitality Vol. 60 p. 36 Books Bowie D. & Butler F. (2004) Hospitality marketing. Butterworth-Heinemann Capon C. & Disbury A. (2004) Understanding organisational context. 2 nd edition. Pearson education. p. 224 Enew C. Waite N. (2007) Financial services marketing: an international guide to principles and practice. Butterworth-Heinemann Drury C. (Management cost accounting). 6 th edition. Engage learning Glautier M. W. E & Underdown B. (2001) Accounting theory and practice. 7 th edition. Pearson education. Gruen R. & Howarth A. (2005) Financial management in health services. Mcgraw- Hill international Guilding C. (2002) Financial management for hospitality. Butterworth-Heinemann Jain P. K. &Khan M. Y. (2005) Basic financial management. 2 nd edition. Tata Mcgraw pp. 61-63 Mclaney E. J. & Atrill P. 2007) Accounting: An introduction. 4 th edition. Pearson education. Schim J. & Siegel J. G. (2007) Schaum’s outline of financial management. 3 rd edition. Mcgraw-Hill Stevens R. E et al Marketing opp ortunity analysis. Harworth press p. 105 Watson D. & Head A. (2007) Corporate finance: Principles and practice. {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change} {text:change}

Hoard vs. Horde How to Choose the Right Word

The words hoard and horde  are  homophones: They sound alike but have different meanings and histories, although both have been associated with barbarians and their activities. How to Use Hoard The term hoard is derived from the Old English word hord, dated to the 10th century, which is found in the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf. In the poem, Beowulf is an old man when he hears that a dragon who has a room heaped high with treasure has been angered by a slave who stole a jeweled cup from his hoard. The modern English noun hoard refers to an accumulation or collection of something valuable that is hidden away or preserved for later use, similar to cache. As a verb, hoard means to collect and store away or to keep something to oneself. The word also refers to Viking booty stolen from hapless Anglo-Saxons. Forgotten Viking hoards, such as the Cuerdale and Silverdale hoards, are still occasionally found in caches in the United Kingdom. The word hoard is used in this sense to refer to deposits found from many different ancient civilizations, saved for both ritual and/or financial purposes. Hoarding behavior, that is to say the practice of storing excess goods away for future use, is something that many animals do. One could argue that keeping a savings account is hoarding. But in humans, excessive hoarding is often viewed as a sign of mental disturbance, as shown in the reality television program Buried Alive. Recent sociological studies have found that people hoard things for many different reasons: Because they are concerned about wasteAs a social critique of modern culture and its overinvolvement with material thingsBecause the objects have meaning with regard to interpersonal relationships with other humansBecause they have no better storage facility in which to keep things   Beowulf and a Treasured Hord The earliest use of the word hord is in Beowulf, the oldest surviving tale in English. Beowulf was written in Old English in about 700 CE (based on the form of the language), and the oldest copy in existence is dated 1000 CE. The poem is all about swords and sorcery—a heroic prince named Beowulf battles a monstrous dragon named Grendel. In Beowulf, hord is primarily used to mean Grendels cache of jewels. However, Beowulfs main sword is referred to by 17 different metaphors, including hord. Swords were a sign of wealth and the symbol of rank in early German society, and this particular weapon was truly exceptional—an iron sword bound with gold named Hrunting. According to American philologist J. R. Hall, the poet of Beowulf used hord as a metaphor for a treasured sword, a precious object that would easily fit into a hoard. Hord was used in other Old English manuscripts as a metaphor for the human soul, Christ, or the crucifix.  Those uses are not present in modern English language. How to Use Horde The noun horde means a crowd, throng, or swarm of wild or fierce people; a gang or crew. The word originates from the Tartar word urda, which means royal camp, first used in English in the 16th century to refer to the companies of the descendants of 12th-century warrior Genghis Khans Golden Horde or Altun Ordu. Examples Hoard always refers to a collection of objects or animals when used as a noun and to the collecting of those objects or animals when used as a verb. An unemployed man with a metal detector stumbled upon one of the greatest hoards of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered in Britain.Mary hoarded her paperweight collection in her safe deposit box, certain that her children would want to sell it after she was gone.Mr. Smith kept a hoard of cats on his farm: dozens of cats hidden away in cages or running free. Horde always refers to a large group of living humans or animals. Nintendos new video game system has attracted hordes of casual gamers.When the morning bell rang, a horde of teachers came piling out of the staff room.The Golden Horde was a khanate of the Mongol Empire, a military force that conquered the Viking descendants Rus in northwestern Russia in the 13th century. How to Remember the Difference Horde and hoard are easily confused because the spelling differences are relatively minor. Remember that horde (with an e and no a) is like an erupting nest of angry hornets (think horde of hornets); whereas hoard (with an a and no e) refers to a precious treasure that is kept by a dragon (also spelled with an a and no e). Sources Byers, Ann. The Golden Horde and the Rise of Moscow. New York: Rosen Publishing, 2017.DeWeese, Devin. Islamization and Native Religion in the Golden Horde: Baba Tà ¿kles and Conversion to Islam in Historical and Epic Tradition. University Park: Pennsylvania State University, 2010.Fogarty, Mignon. Hoard Versus Horde. Grammar Girls 101 Misused Words Youll Never Confuse Again. New York: St. Martins Griffin, 2011. p. 66.Hall, J. R. The Sword Hrunting in Beowulf: Unlocking the Word Hord. Studies in Philology, 109.1, 2012, pp. 1-18.Hoard.  OED Online. Oxford University Press, December 2018.Horde.  OED Online. Oxford University Press, December 2018.Orr, David M. R., Michael Preston-Shoot, and Suzy Braye. Meaning in Hoarding: Perspectives of People Who Hoard on Clutter, Culture and Agency. Anthropology Medicine,  12 Dec. 2017, pp. 1-17.