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Libation Libation Libation By Maeve Maddox A cutesy use of the word libation is becoming popular with restaurateurs. I heard a radio spot for a local eatery of no particular elegance advertising â€Å"food and libations.† Pinterest has a category called â€Å"Elegant Food and Libations,† and numerous restaurants advertising on the web offer libations. One of them has made sure that potential customers know the meaning of the L word by posting the anticipated question and its answer on its home page: What are Libations? â€Å"They are drinks!† Until the 17th century, when some classically educated young gentleman thought it would be funny to call wine intended to be drunk by his guests â€Å"libations,† the word’s standard use was to refer to an ancient religious practice. libation: noun. The pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a god; the liquid so poured out; a drink-offering. Libation is from the Latin verb libare, â€Å"to libate, to pour out in honor of a god.† The usual liquid to pour out in the context of honoring a god or one’s ancestors is wine or some other alcoholic drink, although a libation can be any liquid. Water is poured out by Buddhists. In ancient Rome, milk was poured out to the goddess of childbirth. In addition to being offered to deities, libations were poured out in honor of one’s ancestors. Relatives visiting a Roman necropolis might pour a libation directly onto a grave, or into pipes installed for the purpose. The practice of pouring an offering of liquid onto the ground, an altar, an amulet, or a sacrificial animal has been a part of religious practice in all parts of the world. It continues into modern times in various religious and cultural contexts. A Cuban custom is to spill a drop or two of rum, while saying â€Å"para los santos (for the saints).† A similar custom exists in the Philippines, where someone opening a bottle of rum will spill a capful, saying â€Å"para sa yawa (for the Devil).† The following rap lyrics refer to a libation practice called â€Å"tipping,† in which malt liquor is spilled on the ground in memory of the dead: â€Å"Pour out a little liquor† Pour out a little liquor for your homies 2Pak Going down the drain I’d like to keep stepping But I can’t get past the pain, I tip my 40 to your memory Take a drink and I start to think DRS Gangsta Lean 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterHow to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and TricksEducational vs. Educative

The American Economy at the End of the 20th Century

The American Economy at the End of the 20th Century After a tumultuous century embroiled in world wars and financial crises, the United States economy at the end of the 20th century was experiencing a period of economic calm wherein prices were stable, unemployment fell to its lowest level in 30 years, the stock market boomed and the government posted a budget surplus. Technological innovations and a rapidly globalizing market contributed to the economic boom near the end of the 90s, then again between 2009 and 2017, but many other factors - including presidential policy, foreign affairs, and domestic innovations and foreign supply and demand needs - affected the rise of the American economy as it entered the 21st century. Long-term challenges like poverty, especially for single mothers and their children, and environmental quality of life still faced the nation as it prepared to enter a new century of technological development and rapid globalization. A Calm Before the Turn of the Century With the presidency of Bill Clinton at the tail end of George Bush Sr.s one-term presidency, the economy of the United States stabilized in the mid-1990s, creating a status in the economy as it prepared to enter a new millennium, finally recovered from two world wars, a 40-year Cold War, a Great Depression and several large recessions, and enormous budget deficits in government in the last half of the century. By 1998, the  gross domestic product  (GDP) of the U.S. had exceeded $8.5 trillion, achieving the longest uninterrupted period of expansion in American history. With just five percent of the worlds population, the United States was accounting for 25% of the worlds economic output, outproducing its closest rival Japan by nearly double the amount. Innovations in computing, telecommunications, and life sciences opened up new opportunities for Americans to work as well as new goods to consume while the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the strengthening of Western and Asian economies offered new business ventures for American capitalists. Uncertainty at the Edge of the Millennium While some may have rejoiced in the new expansion in technology and the economy of the United States, others were skeptical of the rapid changes and feared some of the long-term challenges American hadnt resolved yet would be forgotten in the blur of innovation.   Although many Americans had achieved economic security by this point, with some even accumulating large sums of earnings, poverty was still a large issue facing the federal government and a substantial number of Americans lacked access to basic health coverage. Industrial jobs in the manufacturing field also took a hit at the end of the millennium, suffering setbacks as automation began to take over jobs and certain markets saw a decrease in demand for their goods. This resulted in a seemingly irreversible deficit in foreign trade. Ever the Market Economy As the United States passed into the early 2000s, one principle remained strong and true in terms of its economy: it was and would always be a market economy wherein the economy works best when decisions about produce and what prices to charge for goods are made through the give-and-take of millions of independent buyers and sellers, not by government or by powerful private interests, according to the State Department website. In this  free market economy, Americans feel that the true value of a good or service is reflected in its price, guiding the production end of the economy to only produce what is needed according to the supply-and-demand model, which leads to peak  economic efficiency. As is the tradition in all things concerning American politics, it is essential to limit the governments involvement in determining the economic market of its country in order to prevent an undue concentration of power and promote the pluralist foundation of the United States.

International Financial Reporting Standards Research Paper - 1

International Financial Reporting Standards - Research Paper Example The research proposal encompasses background to the proposed research, its objectives and research aim that the researcher will achieve at the completion of the research report. It also includes brief literature review relevant to the subject topic. Moreover, the proposed research methodology that is based on qualitative research along with its limitations is provided. Finally, the research proposal also provides ethical considerations that the researcher has fully understood and acknowledged as a part of conducting such research. Accounting profession has its history that could date back to many centuries. Over the years the accounting profession has evolved through a learning process as economic conditions and ways of doing businesses have drastically changed where new transactions are introduced and the existing rules and regulations are considered insufficient to meet the requirements of a transparent and complete disclosure of companies’ financial positions. All countries have their own accounting regulatory bodies that have either formulated their own standards and practices for businesses to follow or they have simply adopted accounting standards and guidelines developed by one of the well established and regulated frameworks. These standards and guidelines are required to be fully complied with at all times and auditors, and audit committees within organizations are required to ensure that no discrepancies take place. However, from time to time those involved in the global corporate sector are criticized for their deliberate manipulations of firms’ accounts and misuse of accounting standards to present a healthier image of the business. This argument is often raised at times of when recession hits economies as businesses become more susceptible of managing their earnings falsely to attract or retain investment and shareholders turn towards accountants and auditors to seek their assurance regarding

Develop a Summary on the State of the US Economy Essay

Develop a Summary on the State of the US Economy - Essay Example Additionally, access of low-interest loans and other credits has been easy. This is a chance to property owners to refinances their mortgages. Car sales have also increased significantly due to sufficient liquidity; consumers can take advantage of cheap financial incentives and price discounts by to buy vehicles. However, car manufacturers do not make profit due to the inexistence of price power. The strength of the United States economy is also increasing due to development of GDP brought by defense spending. According to Kubarych, (2002), defense spending especially on military hardware is contributing close to half of the U.S. GDP. The rate of unemployment is still high despite the decrease in the number of job layoffs. Statistics shows that unemployment rate of in the U.S. currently stands at 6% with no hopes of falling. A study by Kubarych, (2002) explains that unemployment rate is likely to increase even further in the future. In addition, most businesses and industries in the U.S. are still making losses despite the economic recovery. Finally, borrowers especially those going for less credit are under tight restriction from lending institutions. The development of the United States economy is likely to slow down in the next 12 months due to factors such as harsh weather conditions, reduction of spending on both the U.S. and countries Europe. Compared to recovery of previous U.S. economy, the recovery of the current economy is slower. However, increase in government spending will likely to foster the U.S. economic growth. A change of fiscal policy is needed to increase economic recovery of the United States. Application of expansionary fiscal policy will improve economic recovery. The fact is that expansionary fiscal policy will lead to increase in aggregate demand. The government does this by increasing spending and reducing taxes. The result is that consumer spending will rise significantly due to availability of extra disposable income (Boyes &

Financial Analysis of Sainsbury PLC Essay Example for Free

Financial Analysis of Sainsbury PLC Essay This report will focus upon the financial performance over a two year period of a FTSE 100 company. It will seek to ascertain how well the company has performed by scrutinizing profitability, liquidity, efficiency, gearing ratios and working capital. In addition to the aforementioned points, it will dwell upon economic factors to discuss the impact they have had upon the performance of the business. The FTSE 100 started in the year of 1984 and was based upon the 100 largest companies on the London Stock Exchange, and it is seen as an emblematic indicator for the strength of the British economy (iforex, trading section). FTSE 100 companies represent about 81% of the market capitalization of the London Stock Exchange (Nationwide Building Society, glossary section). Within it lies a substantial contribution to the UK economy and the economic power of these firms mean they would have a fairly large ripple effect upon the nation’s economy should there financial performance reach a state of discontentment. Subject company and history The subject company for this report will be J Sainsbury Plc which was founded in 1869 by John Sainsbury and his wife, Mary Ann Sainsbury in London (Sainsbury Plc, history section). The organization has grown to be one of the UK’s most eminent supermarkets. Some of its remarkable aspects include launching TU clothing in 2004, launching Try Something New Today in 2005 to promote healthy eating, and becoming the world’s largest fairtrade retailer in the year 2010 (it is understood that almost one in every four pounds spent on fairtrade products is at Sainsbury), in 2012 the organization became the proud sponsor to the Paralympic games (this will be diligently examined later in the report to see what effect, if any it has had upon the company’s revenue) (Sainsbury Plc, history section). In an industry predominantly owned by Tesco (a market share of 29.9% as of January 2012 according to BBC Business News), Sainsbury has had to work hard to stay in competition. Its persistency has been a key component to its contrivance in the industry and other ventures to which Sainsbury has embarked upon, namely, its banking venture (a 50/50 venture with Lloyds TSB) which commenced trading on the 19th day of February 1997 (Sainsbury Bank plc). The firm lost its position as market leader in the year of 1995 to its rival Tesco and subsequently dropped to third in market share after ASDA experienced a 5% rise in profits (BBC, Business News section). As at March 31 2012, Sainsbury’s has a total number of 440 convenience stores and 572 supermarkets which is currently due to increase (Sainsbury, Store Portfolio section). The question is, how much has its expansionary policy supported its profits whilst maintaining equilibrium with costs? Profitability Within this report, diligent focus will be shown to the financial year of 2010 and the final year of 2011 as the profitability, liquidity, efficiency, gearing ratios and working capital is examined. The profit from disposal of properties in 2010 was  £27m and  £108m in 2011 which shows a dramatic appreciation in profit when compared. Moreover, the company also showed an increase in combined profit from  £585m in 2010 to  £640m in 2011 (Sainsbury, Income Statement 2011 section). This shows that the company’s overall performance has improved over the course of 12 months by 9.4%. Further to the aforesaid points, the greater percentage of revenue was derived from the sale of products and services, standing in at  £22,943m in 2011 (Sainsbury, Income Statement 2011 section). This shows an increase in product purchases and an increase in market share (an increase of 16.1%, Telegraph, September 2011) leading to more sales, demonstrating that the firm’s strategy has worked for the financial year when compared to the sales of 2010 of  £21,421m (Sainsbury, Income Statement 2010 section). Return on Capital Employed can be defined as follows: â€Å"Return on capital employed is a fundamental measure of business performance as it compares the operating profit with the total capital used to generate that profit.† (Black, 2009, p.212). For Sainsbury, this figure was 11% in the financial year of 2010 and 11.1% in the year of 2011 (Sainsbury, Annual Report 2011 section). Such a minor change doesn’t manifest a huge degree of progress. In the annual report for 2011 p4, the company does give an account for this and state that growth was lower than the previous year due to the cumulative effect of its accelerated investment in space growth which started June 2009. The company also holds seventh place for volume market share in the clothing industry and now has clothing sales growing faster than food, 17% to be exact with year on-year growth (Sainsbury, Annual Report 2011 section). Celebrity fashion icon, Gok Wan has been a huge support in inciting growth of the TU brand by launching a clothing range at Sainsbury in 2011 which has been the main source of sales boost. (gok wan, Sainsbury TU section). In addition to the appreciation of sales, the cost of sales rose from  £19,964m in 2010 to  £21,102m in 2011. Prominent contributing factors towards the rise in costs are the variation in Fiscal policy (Sainsbury’s, Directors report 2011 section) which increased the rate of VAT from 17.5% to 20% on the 4th day of January 2011 (HM Revenue and Customs, 2011) along with the increase of the company’s workforce due to its addition of 1.5 million square feet of space from 2011-2012 (The Independent, news section). As the profitability of the organization is scrutinized, it is important to look deeper into what has resulted in an increase in profit from the year 2010 to 2011. From an economic perspective, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (hereinafter referred to as MPC) changed the discount rate to 0.5% on the 5th day of March 2009, positively influencing public spending and reducing the cost of borrowing (Bank of England, 2009). The concept upon the reduction in the cost of borrowing is that more customers have resorted to using credit to fund their purchases (According to a study conducted by Visa Vanquis, consumer spending on credit increased by 3% in September 2011 when compared with statistics for 2010). It is understood that the variation eluded to above has been of support to the company in its financial borrowing, enabling it to fund its expansion referred to in the above paragraph. The downside is that it has had a fundamental impact upon its banking venture namely, profits attained are not what they could be if the discount rate was higher, notwithstanding the fact that, the bank reported a 9% increase in profits in 2011 (This is money, news section) possibly due to the abovestated research on consumer spending. A higher base rate would mean higher priced loans leading to greater profits accrued (other factors being equal). Taking into consideration the above-mentioned point, the company had the opportunity to utilize the reduced interest rate in support of its expansion and other purchases to aid the loss of profit (due to low interest rates) from the sales of loans and credit cards. In criticism of the 0.5% base rate set by the MPC, Sainsbury’s Chief Executive stated it was the wrong decision to reduce it, the small businesses that supply Sainsbury were struggling to borrow and this of course had a substantial ripple effect upon the company’s financial performance (Daily Telegraph, news section). This gives a clear indication that the profit accumulated for 2011 could of been higher without the economic discontentment. It gives some direction to why the cost of sales were high due to the purchasing price of products from smaller businesses to which supply Sainsbury. Having analyzed the profitability of Sainsbury, its within good reason to compare this data with that of its main competition, namely, Tesco for which happens to be a pivotal comparison due to them standing within similar grounds in terms of business models and future company goals. Tesco UK gained  £56,910m in sales for the financial year 2010 and saw an increase for year 2011 with sales in at  £60,931m (Tesco, Annual Report 2011 section). There is a substantial difference in sales, however Tesco have 3,054 UK stores in comparison to Sainsbury’s combined 1,012 stores, in addition it has the greater market share (Tesco, storefinder section). Tesco’s Return on Capital Employed for 2010 stood at 12.1% and 12.9% for the financial year 2011 (Tesco, Annual Report 2011 section) and according to the directors report the company has set itself a target to increment this to 14.6% by 2014/15. This, together with its sales exhibits better performance than that of Sainsbury and epitomizes the comprehension to why the company holds the greatest share of the market. It shows clarity that Tesco did better with capital than that of Sainsbury, however Sainsbury used a large amount on expansion which the results of will be shown at a later date. Liquidity With liquidity being the second focal point, it is necessary to look at the credit facilities available to the organization in question. ‘Sainsbury has overall debt and credit facilities of  £3 billion at its disposal’, the principle element of Sainsbury’s core funding comprises of two long-term loans of  £1,069m due 2018 and  £840m due 2031, secured over property assets (Sainsbury Annual Report 2011). Further to the previous stated loans, the company has unsecured debt of  £180m and  £50m due between 2012 and 2015 along with  £190m of convertible bonds due July 2014 (Sainsbury Annual Report 2011). The Current Ratio for Sainsbury in the financial year of 2010 was 0.64 and 0.58 in the financial year 2011. A Current Ratio may be defined as a measure of an organization’s ability to pay its shortterm debts, ideally it should stand in at 2:1 (Atrill McAllen, 2008). The ratio for 2010 indicates that the company would be in a better position at paying off its obligations if they were due at that point in time. However due to the ratio for both years being under 1, it shows the company is not in a good position. Ironically however, having ascertained the available credit to the organization, this states otherwise. In comparison to its competition, Tesco had a current ratio of 0.73 in the financial year 2010 and 0.65 in the financial year 2011. This is somewhat similar with Sainsbury as there is only a gap of .2 in difference. Both companies figures look worrying, however the ability to turn stock into cash is another focal point to which will be later scrutinized. Having revisited the company’s balance sheet, its Net debt stood at  £1,549m in 2010 and  £1,814m in 2011 (an increase of  £265m). This difference quintessentially indicates that the company has been expanding over the course of a year. In the firm’s annual report for 2011 it shows the increment was due to rapid estate development (the addition of new Sainsbury Convenience stores) which was to an incontrovertible extent funded by the sale of leasebacks and advanced working capital (Sainsbury Annual Report 2011, p5). The appreciation in debt manifests the fact that Sainsbury hans’t cleared its existing debt, yet only continued to borrow more. Astonishingly however, the amount borrowed has been put to positive use in funding the expansion of the organization’s convenience stores. According to the Independent in March earlier this year, the company grew its market share of the convenience store market in 2011 with sales up 20% following the opening of 15 new stores. Further to the above-mentioned points, the company pursued further borrowing to enhance its profitability by expanding (proven to be a remunerative venture), enabling the firm to pay back its source of funding when required to do so. The idea of this long-term investment is that Sainsbury will gain a larger market share (forcing other less competitive companies to abdicate there share of the market) and increased profits both short and long-term. In criticism of the technique, the company should take into consideration the unforeseen changes in the market, namely demand for its products and services and of course future economic changes. How does it justify itself financially should there be a decrease in demand? The epitome lies with XL Airways, according to BBC News in 2008, the company hit financial discontentment after failing to secure further funding (up until that point it was in the process of expanding) due to unanticipated changes in the economy. Efficiency With regard to the organization’s efficiency, it is difficult to ascertain the overall effectiveness of performance without conducting in-depth research as it can be fairly arduous to gather enough data from ratio analysis. However, the business’s average inventory turnover (calculated by sales divided by inventories, Agyei-Boapeah, 2012) for the financial year 2010 was 30.5 (Sainsbury’s Income Statement 2010, p16), compared with 28.2 for the financial year 2011 (Sainsbury’s Income Statement 2011, p18) shows a minimal difference. The figures imply a poorer performance from the company in 2011, yet sales had subsequently increased in that year, furthermore, it was part of the organization’s goals to increment the sale of non food products which gives an account for the less frequent replacement of inventories (Sainsbury’s Income Statement 2011, p2; Sainsbury’s Annual Report 2011, notes 16). In order to gain a greater interpretation of the company’s efficiency its necessary to look at other ratios. Asset turnover (calculated by revenue divided by total assets, Agyei-Boapeah, 2012) for the financial year 2010 was 1.83 and 1.85 for the financial year 2011 (Sainsbury Group Income Statement 2011, p1). The higher the figure, the better. Having scrutinized these figures, it is clear to see a slight inclination in sales generated from assets for 2011. Although, the company has only seen a small contribution of profit accrued from the sale of assets. This may be understood by reviewing the firm’s growth policy once again and recalling that they have spent more on expanding and accumulating assets than selling assets (Sainsbury Annual Report 2011, p5). A comprehension of the above-mentioned points give clarity that the company’s management have conducted there duties efficiently. The prominence lies within sales performance and the ever growing multitude of stores to which the firm has within its ownership. The increased space exhibits a positive rate of expansion (15.9% according to Sainsbury Income Statement 2011, p2), furthermore, only a small percentage in change on the sale of assets and a lower inventory replacement. Further to the aforesaid point referring to replacement of inventories, it could be interpreted that as the firm sees a continuity of expansion, more goods are purchased through economies of scale (greater sized orders at lower prices, meaning less reordering) as is it the case that the company is introducing further non food products, namely televisions which aren’t everyday purchases. Yet of course it is likely to be the latter having previously identified company intentions (Sainsbury Annual Report 2011, p2). Finally it is prudent to take the ratios and compare them with that of Tesco. In the financial year of 2010, 20.8 was Tesco’s inventory turnover ratio and 19.2 in the financial year of 2011 (Tesco Annual Report 2011, p94). Again these figures represent an even poorer performance, but Tesco as do Sainsbury, sell a number of non food-products, 22% of sales are non-food products and the company is the UK’s largest non-food retailer (Tescopoly.org, Our Business section). Asset turnover for Tesco in the financial year of 2010 was 1.56 and 3.18 for the financial year 2011 (Tesco Annual Report 2011, p106). This shows some disparity in business efficiency and shows the company performed better in the year of 2011 when compared with 2010 and it also performed much better than Sainsbury (however it is mandatory to consider the company’s goals in comparison to that of Sainsbury). Asset Turnover comparison of Sainsbury with Tesco. Gearing Ratios The gearing ratios (Long-term liabilities) for Sainsbury on the 20th day of March 2010 were 32.86 compared with 30.79 on the 19th day of March 2011 (Telegraph shares, p1). This implies the company’s rate of borrowing to fund its activities was higher in the year of 2010 and as a result of the increase in profit for 2011 as eluded to above, activities were self-funded more often. The ratios referred to in the above paragraph doesn’t have the greatest of difference, meaning there was still a substantial amount funded by borrowed funds in 2011. A contribution to the high rate of borrowing is carefully examined by looking at the Office of National Statistics for 2010 and 2011. According to the Office of National Statistics, Consumer Price Index (hereinafter referred to as CPI) in the 12 months up to September 2010 saw a 5.2% increase in alcohol and tobacco products, a 5.1% increase in food and non-alcoholic beverages, 4.4% increase in communication and a 2.5% increase in other goods and services, including fuel (Office of National Statistics 2010/2011 Report, p1). Such increases may have caused customers to abstain from certain purchases or make less frequent purchases, this as a ripple effect would significantly impact upon the organization’s functioning. Ironically however, in 2011 CPI was at 5.2% in September, compared with 3.1% in September 2010 (Office of National Statistics 2011 Report, p1). A significant increase would anticipant further borrowing, yet this isn’t the case due to above-mentioned facts in this report. Sainsbury’s strategy to invest in expanding has given support to its profits for 2011 and enabled the business to reinvest these into its activities. This therefore negates the argument/concern over economic impact upon trading for 2011 and shows a return on investment when compared to company sales and profits with an amalgamated comparison of 2010/2011 financial performance (Sainsbury Income Statement 2011, p1-p5). Working Capital Management Moving on to the final focal point in this report, working capital. This is the measure of both a company’s efficiency and its short-term financial health (Agyei-bopeah, 2012). The working capital of the organization has seen a substantial increase in the financial year of 2011. The firm’s working capital increased by  £78m for 2011, which it states was primarily due to increased inventories which is  £110m higher than that at March 20th 2010 (Sainsbury Annual Report 2011, p1). An examination of ratios will help to ascertain the effectiveness of the firm’s working capital management, however it appeared difficult to derive this information from Tesco due to discrepancies to way in which data was laid out. Working Capital to Sales ratio can be calculated by taking working capital and dividing it by sales X 100 (Agyei-Bopeah, 2012). In the financial year of 2010 this figure was 1.5.7 and 1.2.8 for 2011. This manifests a less appreciated rate of performance for the year 2011, however the company did introduce a substantial number of non-food products. The company successfully managed to make cost savings of  £50m in the year 2011 (Sainsbury Interim Results 2011, p1). In an argument against this successful business practice, is it ethical for the company to pay farmers the minimal amount per gallon of milk to keep its customer want’s satisfied? Herein lies a problematic issue to which the organization faces in its ever growing desire to reduce costs. As a result it has led to pragmatism in critics of the firm’s fairtrade brand image and to what extent it coincides with the image. British farmers are forced to pay the price of supermarket price wars (The guardian, Saturday 2 July 2011, p48). With such concern over how much the firm should be saving on costs to attain a better position with working capital, it fails to take into consideration its ethos on fairtrade. It transpires to be the case that in order to make huge savings to support its growth in working capital, the company must continuously force its suppliers to drive the price of their products down as other factors change (cost of production, economic variations, energy/fuel prices and the cost of raw materials). On a more positive note, the company has managed to increase its working capital from the financial year of 2010 to 2011, this indicates positive changes in its business activity and demonstrates that it has good working capital management. As a result of the increase,  £12m in debt was paid off in the year of 2011. Yet as this section happens to coincide with efficiency, it epitomizes the effectiveness of the company strategy for 2011. Conclusion Sainsbury has set itself a fair number of targets to which are laid out in the company annual report for 2011. One being to increase space growth of 15% in two years set in the year of 2009 (Sainsbury Annual Report 2011, p1). The company exceeded this target percentage by .9% (Sainsbury Annual Report 2011, p1) which indicates its able to meet its targets, yet it also indicates more capital was spent on expanding and possibly more than it intended. As eluded to in the above sections, Sainsbury’s decision to rapidly expand has proven to be a remunerative venture and shown a slight increase in company profits for short-term comparisons between the financial years 2010 and 2011 where sales have grown by 9.4% (Sainsbury’s Income Statement 2011, p1). Such developments in the business will only give adequate comparisons after a greater interval enabling the researcher to comprehend as to how much the accelerated growth has had on the firm. In addition to the company’s growth in size it saw a huge appreciation in demand for its clothing brand, TU. It is understood that since fashion icon Gok Wan introduced a range of clothing, sales saw a growth of 17% as a year on year comparison for 2011 (Sainsbury’s Media, Latest Stories, p1). It is likely that this will continue to grow and complement the company’s expansion. Further to the above points, the liquidity ratios of the company are poor at this point in time which is due to accelerated growth (therefore negates the argument of poor performance). However when the firm finishes its expansion it is highly likely that the ratio will improve which is subject to no further large projects. Further to information ascertained from the company Annual Report of 2011, the company should be capable of repaying its loans as of there due dates thanks to its increased number of stores accumulating further profit. In addition to aforementioned points in the beginning of the conclusion, Sainsbury’s have five focus areas, great food at fair prices, accelerating the growth of complementary non-food ranges and services, reaching more customers through additional channels and growing supermarket space (Sainsbury’s Annual Report 2011, p3). Having already acknowledged the prosperity of its space growth, this also happens to coincide with its focus on reaching customers through additional channels as 37 new convenience stores were opened in the latter part of 2010 to the beginning of 2011 (Sainsbury’s Media, Latest Stores section). Since analyzing the company gearing ratios and how much it has in long-term debts, it is clear to see it could be a perilous problem for Sainsbury. The firm has made an audacious decision to invest in expanding in the hope for substantial returns in the not to distant future, yet this is not guaranteed income. If demand falls for the company’s products and services or there is a problem to which later impacts upon its brand image (the company is disproved to be a fairtrade retailer for example) the firm may find itself being liquidated if it is unable to repay the loans. Points eluded to in the above paragraph are a matter of deep concern to the organization and from research administered it doesn’t transpire to be the case that the firm has a contingency plan to support them with potential depreciation in demand. A contingency plan and in addition, a contingency fund is something to which Sainsbury should take into the highest of consideration should one not have already been devised (yet it is unlikely this would be the case). It will be of support to the firm in planning for unforeseen changes. References In this report the following sources were dwelled upon for guidance in ascertaining facts, extracting data and for the purpose of comparison. Books Atrill, P., McAllen, E. (2008) Accounting and Finance For Non-Specialists. Sixth edition. Prentice Hall. Harlow. Datta, S. (2011) Economics, Making sense of the modern economy. Third edition. Profile Books. London N, Gregory Mankiw. (2001) Principles of Economics. Second Edition. Harcourt College Publishers. Images James Blake (2012) Sainsbury Supermarket. [image online] Available at: http:// www.jbiwebdesign.co.uk/website-marketing/7-marketing-tips-we-can-learn-from-sainsburys [Accessed: 12 December 2012]. Lecture Notes Agyei-Boapeah, H (2012). Financial Statement Analysis 2. Lecture notes distributed in the topic BMAIE001AZ2012/3 Managing Finance. Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool on 02 November 2012. Agyei-Boapeah, H (2012). Working Capital Management 1. Lecture notes distributed in the topic BMAIE001AZ2012/3 Managing Finance. Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool on 09 November 2012. Agyei-Boapeah, H (2012). Working Capital Management 2. Lecture notes distributed in the topic BMAIE001AZ2012/3 Managing Finance. Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool on 16 November 2012. Websites BBC News (2004) Sainsbury Loses Out To Rivals. [ONLINE] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/ hi/business/3682544.stm [Accessed: 24 October 2012]. BBC News (2012) Tesco Market Share Dips Below 30%. [ONLINE] Available at: http:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16817254 [Accessed: 18 October 2012]. BBC News (2008) Thousands Stranded By XL Collapse. [ONLINE] Available at: http:// news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7611639.stm [Accessed: 21 October 2012]. Bank Of England (2009) Statistical Interactive Database Official Bank Rate History. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/boeapps/iadb/Repo.asp [Accessed: 19 October 2012]. Guardian (2011) British Farmers Forced To Pay The Cost Of Supermarket Price Wars. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/02/british-farmers-supermarketprice-wars [Accessed: 23 October 2012]. Gokwan (2011) Sainsbury Collection Press . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.gokwan.com/ goks-video-blog/sainsbury-collection-press-launch/ [Accessed: 23 October 2012]. iforex (2012) FTSE 100. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.iforex.com/ftse-100 [Accessed: 18 October 2012]. Independent (2012) Small Store Openings Boost Sainsburys Profits. [ONLINE] Available at: http:// www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/small-store-openings-boost-sainsburysprofits-7579664.html [Accessed: 20 October 2012]. J Sainsbury (2012) About Us, Store Portfolio. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.jsainsbury.co.uk/about-us/store-portfolio/ [Accessed: 25 October 2012]. J Sainsbury (2011) Annual Report 2011. [ONLINE] Available at: http://annualreport2011.jsainsbury.co.uk/downloads/pdf/sainsburys_ar11_note_26_notes_to_the_cash_flow_statements.pdf [Accessed: 18 October 2012]. J Sainsbury (2011) Financial Statements, Annual Report, Balance Sheet. [ONLINE] Available at: http://annualreport2011.j-sainsbury.co.uk/financialstatements/balancesheets.shtml [Accessed: 18 October 2012]. J Sainsbury (2011) Financial Statements, Annual Report, Cashflow. [ONLINE] Available at: http:// annualreport2011.j-sainsbury.co.uk/financialstatements/cashflow.shtml [Accessed: 18 October 2012]. J Sainsbury (2011) Financial Statements, Financial Review. [ONLINE] Available

Composting and the Benefits and Limitations of its Use as Soil Amendmen

Composting and the Benefits and Limitations of its Use as Soil Amendment Composting is widely-known as an environmentally sustainable method of recycling food scraps and garden/yard clippings. According to the United States Environment Protection Agency's (EPA) 1994 report entitled, "Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Composting", food discards constitute approximately 8 percent of municipal solid waste generated nationwide. A case study observed in San Francisco, California, reported that an estimated 31 percent of residential wastes and 19 percent of commercial waste generated is food waste. Composting is a viable answer to the food-waste problem. Composting not only reduces the amount of waste, buy also contains chemical properties and other rich elements that benefit the soil's quality, allowing farmers to use it as soil amendment. The following research will examine the process of composting and its different variables in order to investigate its positive and negative affects on the soil. Composting refers to the controlled decomposing of organic matter by microorganisms, mainly bacteria and fungi, that break organic matter down into readily available nutrients. In truth, it relies on little to no human intervention which makes it fairly easy. There are literally dozens of different technologies that are currently used to create compost (Stickelberger, 1975, p.188). Professor David Bice of Carleton College utilizes a method known as vermicomposting. Dictated by the amount of space (he is limited to in his apartment), Professor Bice places his food scraps in a bucket where red-colored worms digest and convert the bio-waste into a fertilizer product. Therefore, selection of a system depends largely on pragmatic factors.... ...lized form of organic matter that improves the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. Works Cited Stickelberger, D, 1975, Survery of city refuse composting. In Organic Materials and Fertilizers: Rome, Italy, FAO Soils, Bulletin 27. Kapage, F.S.C.P, 1974, Tropical Soils: Classification, Fertility, and Management: New York, St. Martin Press, 201p. Broadbent, F.E., 1987, Organic Matter . Minnesota Compost and Co-Compost Research Project, In USDA Yearbook of Agriculture: U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Government Document, February 1994, Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Composting Options: Lessons From 30 Communities: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington D.C. 47p. Government Document, May 1994, Composting Yard Trimmings and Municipal Solid Waste: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington D.C. 56-57p.

Communication Delay in Children

Communication & Language Delay in Children Children communicate in many ways. Language and communication help us to socialise and express our needs. Babies use sounds, facial expressions and hand or arm gestures to express the way they are feeling. As they grow older their language skills gradually begin to develop and they will use more complex gestures such as pointing at objects. Language allows the child to express themselves and communicate. Alongside speech, reading, writing, drawing and signing are all important parts of a Childs language development. It is important to identify any delay in language or communication in a Child as soon as possible. Children need to be able to communicate with others in order to express their needs and develop their social skills. Delayed language or communication can have a big impact on all other areas of development and cause behavioural problems for the child born from frustration. A child who is unable to express themselves clearly may display disruptive or aggressive behaviour as they become frustrated that they are not being understood. They might be disciplined for their behaviour if their carer does not realise why they are acting up and brands them as a difficult child. This will cause the child to loose confidence and develop low self esteem. They may also become clingy to their parent or carer, be prone to tearful outbursts and have difficulty socialising with peers. A child with hearing difficulties may appear to be in their own little world and not respond when their name is called. They may also struggle to follow simple instructions or have trouble pronouncing words. Children who can not understand or hear what is being said to them will miss out on vital learning opportunities. The Childs overall wellbeing will suffer as they will feel isolated and upset. The child may withdraw from groups and not want to participate therefore missing out on learning important social skills. Delayed language and communication can also be a sign that there is something more seriously wrong with the child that may require treatment or specialist help such as a hearing impairment or learning difficulties. If the correct help or treatment is not supplied for the child in a timely fashion it will have a knock on effect that will delay their emotional, social and even physical development. It is therefore vitally important that child care practitioners are aware of the signs of communication and language delay in children and are equipped with the right tools and information to be able to help the children and their families. The practitioner needs to be calm, flexible and patient. A child with language difficulties will need extra support that should be tailored to their individual needs and plenty of positive encouragement and reinforcement to help build their confidence. The child may be able to take you to objects that they want or express their need by looking or pointing at objects. Some children may need help when playing alongside others. The Practitioner may need to stay close so that they can help them when they have trouble expressing themselves as well as teaching the children around them to be patient and help them to understand the child. A Childs language could be delayed for many reasons some of these reasons are detailed below: * Hearing impairments – This is a common reason for a delay in language development. There are many different types of impairments ranging from non-permanent conditions such as glue ear to permanent partial of full hearing loss. A child with hearing loss will often withdraw in to themselves and not want to interact with the outside world as they struggle to understand it. The cause of the loss needs to be established quickly so the child can receive the right treatment so their development does not suffer. Non-permanent conditions may be easily treated by a GP, whereas permanent conditions may require specialist help and hearing aids. The sooner treatment is supplied for a child the sooner they can progress their language and communication skills. The practitioner can support them within the setting by working alongside the parents to understand the condition. The practitioner c should provide one to one support and they may use sign language and encourage the other children to use it too. Physical conditions such as an enlarged tongue or a cleft pallet – A child suffering from this kind of physical impairment will usually have a very good understanding of what is being said to them and going on around them. The problem comes when they try to express themselves through speech. They may be unable to speak clearly and may mispronounce words. This will cause them to become frustrated and may result in aggressive behaviour. It might also cause them to feel different and be embarrass ed in front of their peers. Therefore they may withdraw from groups and not wish to participate in discussions. Some of these conditions can be treated by Doctors but others will require speech therapy and on-going support. The practitioner will need to work alongside the therapist and the parents in order to provide the best possible support for the child within the setting. * Stutters or stammers – A child suffering with a stutter or a stammer will usually have a good understanding of what is being said to them and going on around them. They struggle to express themselves clearly and find it difficult to get the words they want to say out correctly. They may hesitiate or say um a lot or repeat the same word over as they try to get out a sentence. This is often because their mind is working so quickly their mouth struggles to keep up! This is considered a normal stage in development for a child between the age of Most children grow out of this in time but for some it may develop in to a habit and a half to five years.. If a child is suffering with a stutter or stammer displays disruptive behaviour due to frustration and feels embarrassed in front of peers so they shy away from group activities or the non-fluency continues for more than 6 months they may require referral to a speech therapist. Practitioners can help the child within the setting by helping to relax the child in order to calm their speech by showing they are listening, making eye contact, nodding their head and smiling at the child. The practitioner should never finish the Childs sentences be patient and allow them plenty of time to speak. Lack of stimulation and language input –Some children to not recieve the level of interaction required with other people to allow there language and communication skills to develop. The child may be left on their own, for long periods and not taken out of the house. Their carer may not talk or interact with them unless it is necessary. In these circumstances the child misses out on all the im portant experiences and interactions that are required in order to enable their lanhuage and communication skills to develop. There are often underlying problems or concerns with children who are delayed due to this issue. There could be a problem with neglect at home or their carer may be depressed and need help. It is important that these issues are also addressed alongside the support required to assist there language development. Often these children simply require time, care and attention in order to help them progress. The practitioner can help by spending time with the child talking and interacting. They must provide plenty of positive reinforcement and encourage them to interact with others and try new experiences to develop their language skills. Picture cards and books can also be used to help them express what their needs and increase their vocabulary. * Shyness – Some children are simply very shy and do not like talking to people they are not familiar with or clam up in situations or places they are not used to. They have a very good understanding of what is being said to them and going on around them but find it difficult to speak due to shyness and anxiety. The parents may tell you that the child is a chatter box at home where they feel comfortable but the child may not say anything when they are at pre-school. The child will need plenty of encouragement and positive reinforcement from the practitioner in order to help them settle and feel at ease within the setting. The practitioner can support the child by playing alongside them, encouraging them to interact with other children and encouraging other children to interact with them. * The child is learning more than one language – Children who are learning more than one language may be slightly slower in learning to talk and communicate. This is because the child has to learn more than one language system. There are many circumstances in todays’ society where this is now the case. Children come from many different backgrounds. The child parents may speak one language at home such as Chinese which will be the childs home language but then they will be exposed to English when they are at preschool or the childs parents may use 2 languages at home. The childs mother might be French and speak French to the child whereas the Father may be English and only communicate with the mother and child in Engllish. Children learn through association and absorption therefore it is important that when within the preschool setting the practitioners only use one language to communicate with the child. This enables the child to associate that language with the setting and put what they are learning in to context. It is very important that the setting works with the childs parents to support their learning and ensure that the child has a positive view of both of the languages they are learning. The parents might like to be involved in some of the activities in the setting so that they can see what the child is learning and help to support their development. Learning difficulties such as Autism – There are many different learning difficulties that can occur in children and all will need specialist treatment that is specific to each individual child. Therefore it is important that they are identified early so that the child can receive the help and support they require in order to progress. Earl y signs of a learning disorder in children are problems pronouncing words, struggling to find the right word, difficulty rhyming, trouble learning the alphabet, numbers, colours, shapes and days of the week and find it difficult to follow directions or learn routines. Children with autism may have trouble making eye contact, appear disinterested in other people and what is going on around them, find it difficult connecting with people and have problems playing with other children. They may use an abnormal tone of voice, with an odd rhythm or pitch, they may repeat the same words over and over, respond to a question by repeating it instead of answering it and refer to themselves in the third person. Once a delay in a child communication and language skills has been identified it is important they receive the help and support required as soon as possible. Each setting should have access to a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator) and a EYAT (early years advisory teacher). They should be the first people to be that is contacted once a delay has been identified. They can them come in and carry out observations and assessments of the child in order to help establish the cause of the delay. They can then liase with the Childs parents and the practitioner to discuss what the next steps are and how best to support the child with their development. A referral should be considered if the child is delayed in any of the following areas: * Understanding language that is spoken to them Developing the range of speech sounds appropriate for their age * Developing the use of words and sentences appropriate for their age A referral should also be considered for those children that who are not following the normal patterns of development such as: * Children who use language inappropriately , for example phrases used in the wrong context or tha t don’t make sense. * Repeating learned chunks of language that have no meaning * Children who find it difficult to follow rules or join in with a conversation by looking, taking turns and sharing interest in a subject. Some children may need to be referred to a speech and language therapist. A speech therapist can help support children with a wide range of communication and language difficulties. Any referrals must be done with the full support and co-operation of parents. The SENCO will also be able to get help from the Early Years support team within Leicestershire. They are there to assist settings with the early identification of children with additional needs and provide support for the child and their families. Once again any referrals must be done with the full support and co-operation of the the parents. Practitioners should ensure that they include communication and language development within their planning for the setting. The setting should promote good communication and language skills and display their approach to parents so they can help support it within the home environment. There are many ways to promote good communication and language within the setting. All areas within the setting should be clearly labelled with words and pictures to help the children to understand what they are used for. Boxes within the setting should be labelled with pictures to help the child understand what is in them. Eg. A photo of lego on the box that contains the lego. Pictures and photo cards can also be used to help the children express their needs or to show you what they would like to do. Practitioners should be good role models for the children and ensure that they display good language and communication skills. They should ensure that they listen to the children patiently allowing them time to talk, make good eye contact and sensitively correct children when they use the wrong form of word. Eg â€Å"I readed my book† response from practitioner â€Å"Oh, you are reading your book†. Practitioners should ensure they use simple instructions with short sentences that the children can understand. Open questions encourage the children to think and with encouragement help them to extend their vocabulary and improve their sentence structure. There are many play opportunites that the practitioner can use to encourage good language and communication. One of the most effective ways of doing this is to talk allowed as you are playing with the children and provide a commentary on what you are doing. For example if you are playing with the lego you could say â€Å"We are building our tower up, it is getting higher and higher. Oh look the green block is on top. Ben has a square brick , it is red† As you are talking the child will learn from absorption pick up on the words and make the associations with the objects. Books can play a key part in developing in speech and communication skills. Picture books can be used to help the child learn colours, animals, and objects. Storybooks can be used to encourage language development and sentence structure. The practitioner can ask the child open questions such as â€Å"What is happening in the picture? † or â€Å"What do you think happened next? †. You could even get the child to tell you the story themselves. After reading the story with the child you could then ask them to read the story to you. Although they might not be able to read the words you can see how much they recall from the pictures and how well they listened to you. Roleplay is a brilliant way to encourage imaginative play and increase vocabulary. For instance you could role play a trip to the shops. There could be lots of new language words that you can introduce such as till, basket, shopping trolley, carrots, apples, broccoli, oranges, money, purse, bags etc. Role play is also a good way to get children to interact and communicate with each other in a fun and interesting way. Songs and rhyming are great way for getting children to listen they are also often help children to remember things. Songs and rhymes use intonation, stress and rhythm which all help with aspects of speech development as they are all skills we use when talking. Some songs also involve actions so they are a great way to help children link words with actions or even body parts Eg The song ‘ Head shoulders knees and toes’. It is important to remember that all children are individuals and therefor what works for one child may not work for another. That is why practitioners must ensure that there is a wide vareity of play opportuinites available within the setting to ensure they can cater for each childs needs. They should ensure that regular language and communication observations and assessments are carried out on all the children within to enable them to keep track of their development, plan their next steps and identify and signs of a delay as early as possible.

Conceptualizing a Business

Strategic Plan, Part 1: Conceptualizing a Business Atonio Latu BUS / 475 February 10th, 2013 Sarita Wesley, Ph. D. Strategic Plan, Part 1: Conceptualizing a Business Starting a company such as TL Concrete Service requires strategic plans and the factors that will support the business development start-up stages. TL Concrete is a small company with five employees planning and implementing services. The company provides services on concrete drive ways, patio, and side-walks. The company offers free estimate, low cost, and 5 years guarantee on every job.It is vital for the company to seek and develop the right mission, vision, and values. These important factors will act as a road map to guide and maintain the company’s goals; customers’ satisfaction and profitability. TL Concrete mission statement will define the company’s goals. A good vision statement provides direction and purpose for the company to follow through. Core value identifies the importance of the emp loyees and their behavior toward the company’s goals. Concrete service is a good business because people always need hard driveway surface, smooth walk way outside the house, and a patio for the outdoor activities.The company will estimate, form the foundation or the platform, pour the concrete, and remove dirt and trash afterward. It will cost more to install new surface than to replace the existing one. One of the advantages of this type of service is that concrete is pre-mix or ready mix by another service provider. The same service provider that ‘ready mix’ the cements also deliver and pour the concrete at the requested site. The cost of the cement is including in the estimate. TL Concrete future endeavor is to provide services for commercial buildings and commercial complexes.Another future plan for this company is to obtain public contract on major projects. The company’s strength relies on the experience of the employees to provide services, but als o the experience of the company to conduct business. Strong relations between the company and its customers will guarantee to maintain loyal customers. The company will adjust and adapt to any future internal and external factors that will affect the company. For example, most customers are using regular cement on their driveways and walkways. Now, people are starting to use the stamping driveway which cost twice as much as the standard type.TL Concrete will provide data to those who needs surfaces because everyone else is switching to the new format. It is the company obligation to explain and provide data and explain the benefit and the disadvantage of the new products. We consider our mission statement a promise to our customers, and deliver on that promise (Bill Gates, 2013). A powerful mission statement will keep the company focus on its goal regardless of any changes occur within the business. TL Concrete Service mission statement should read,† We provide customers with the best quality concrete service at low prices since 1990†.The company ensures that these words are not created to decorate the wall plaque; these words are to get across the purpose and the objective of the company. The mission statement identify the most important idea behind the company; best quality service. The year 1990 indicated that customers trusted this company and keep it operational for these years despite the economy downturn. There were many successful concrete company operated prior to 2008, the downfall of our economy. Customers were looking for the companies that provide the best concrete service, money was no object.Customers were paying more that the regular rate to attract better services. The post 2008 changed how companies approached their customers, and how loyal customers approached these companies. Companies filed for bankruptcy and the cements manufactures raised the price of the pure cement which in turn increases the price of the concrete. A missio n statement will keep TL Concrete Service to focus on generating profits and customers’ satisfaction. The vision statement is also vital to the strategy plan of the company. It reveled to the loyal customers and the potential customers the purpose and the tools used to accomplish the company tasks.I enjoy reading the Allstate Insurance because it is short and brings out the purpose of this company. Allstate vision statement reads: â€Å"to reinvent protection and retirement for the consumer† (Bright Hub, 2010). TL concrete should provide a vision statement that indicates the same purpose as the Allstate Insurance, to guarantee how the employees understand the individual tasks as well as the team work. TL Concrete vision statement should read: â€Å"To serve our loyal customers and potential customers’ thorough honesty and respect for anyone we provide service to†.The vision statement indicates the importance of the customers and strive the company to stay focus and the purpose; customers’ satisfaction. The company’s vision also generates the company values because customers deserve respect and honesty for the company. The company should have the value of doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do. This attitude generates moral value, ethical standard, and integrity. These are the basic foundation of the code of values created by TL Concrete. Moral values consist of trustworthy, loyal, and courteous.Ethical standard is doing the right thing to provide the best service available to the company and the customers. Honesty is the best policy, and integrity keeps the employees focus on the values indicated by the company. These values will earn the company’s reputation and in turn, attract more customers. The company should value the customers’ feedback and their suggestions of not only what needs to be done, but how to proceed with the work. Mission statement, vision statement and values are thr ee important models that most successful companies accepted.These models create concepts of prospect, directions, values, and opportunities for the company and its customers. These models of strategic plan co-exists, one item cannot exist without the others. I believe there are companies that do not have vision statement. Kevin Clancy, a marketing researcher wrote, â€Å"A few people around the table began to describe the brand’s global positioning strategy, but it had nothing to do with what we would call a vision. It was not even much of a positioning. Eventually a manager from England asked, â€Å"What do you mean by ‘vision’? †(Clancy, 2012).A vision statement brings hope, dreams, and the reason to stay operational. Mission, Vision, and value each presented different meaning to the company’s goals. Mission is the goal, vision is the purpose, and value is what takes to accomplish the goals. References Bright Hub. (12/2010). The hub for the brigh t minds. Retrieved from http://www. brighthub. com Kevin J. Clancy. (2012). Shocking Truth of the Month. Retrieved from http://www. thekevinclancy. com Microsoft Accessibility. (2013). Mission. Retrieved from http://www. microsoft. com/enable/microsoft/mission. aspx Conceptualizing a Business Strategic Plan, Part 1: Conceptualizing a Business Atonio Latu BUS / 475 February 10th, 2013 Sarita Wesley, Ph. D. Strategic Plan, Part 1: Conceptualizing a Business Starting a company such as TL Concrete Service requires strategic plans and the factors that will support the business development start-up stages. TL Concrete is a small company with five employees planning and implementing services. The company provides services on concrete drive ways, patio, and side-walks. The company offers free estimate, low cost, and 5 years guarantee on every job.It is vital for the company to seek and develop the right mission, vision, and values. These important factors will act as a road map to guide and maintain the company’s goals; customers’ satisfaction and profitability. TL Concrete mission statement will define the company’s goals. A good vision statement provides direction and purpose for the company to follow through. Core value identifies the importance of the emp loyees and their behavior toward the company’s goals. Concrete service is a good business because people always need hard driveway surface, smooth walk way outside the house, and a patio for the outdoor activities.The company will estimate, form the foundation or the platform, pour the concrete, and remove dirt and trash afterward. It will cost more to install new surface than to replace the existing one. One of the advantages of this type of service is that concrete is pre-mix or ready mix by another service provider. The same service provider that ‘ready mix’ the cements also deliver and pour the concrete at the requested site. The cost of the cement is including in the estimate. TL Concrete future endeavor is to provide services for commercial buildings and commercial complexes.Another future plan for this company is to obtain public contract on major projects. The company’s strength relies on the experience of the employees to provide services, but als o the experience of the company to conduct business. Strong relations between the company and its customers will guarantee to maintain loyal customers. The company will adjust and adapt to any future internal and external factors that will affect the company. For example, most customers are using regular cement on their driveways and walkways. Now, people are starting to use the stamping driveway which cost twice as much as the standard type.TL Concrete will provide data to those who needs surfaces because everyone else is switching to the new format. It is the company obligation to explain and provide data and explain the benefit and the disadvantage of the new products. We consider our mission statement a promise to our customers, and deliver on that promise (Bill Gates, 2013). A powerful mission statement will keep the company focus on its goal regardless of any changes occur within the business. TL Concrete Service mission statement should read,† We provide customers with the best quality concrete service at low prices since 1990†.The company ensures that these words are not created to decorate the wall plaque; these words are to get across the purpose and the objective of the company. The mission statement identify the most important idea behind the company; best quality service. The year 1990 indicated that customers trusted this company and keep it operational for these years despite the economy downturn. There were many successful concrete company operated prior to 2008, the downfall of our economy. Customers were looking for the companies that provide the best concrete service, money was no object.Customers were paying more that the regular rate to attract better services. The post 2008 changed how companies approached their customers, and how loyal customers approached these companies. Companies filed for bankruptcy and the cements manufactures raised the price of the pure cement which in turn increases the price of the concrete. A missio n statement will keep TL Concrete Service to focus on generating profits and customers’ satisfaction. The vision statement is also vital to the strategy plan of the company. It reveled to the loyal customers and the potential customers the purpose and the tools used to accomplish the company tasks.I enjoy reading the Allstate Insurance because it is short and brings out the purpose of this company. Allstate vision statement reads: â€Å"to reinvent protection and retirement for the consumer† (Bright Hub, 2010). TL concrete should provide a vision statement that indicates the same purpose as the Allstate Insurance, to guarantee how the employees understand the individual tasks as well as the team work. TL Concrete vision statement should read: â€Å"To serve our loyal customers and potential customers’ thorough honesty and respect for anyone we provide service to†.The vision statement indicates the importance of the customers and strive the company to stay focus and the purpose; customers’ satisfaction. The company’s vision also generates the company values because customers deserve respect and honesty for the company. The company should have the value of doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do. This attitude generates moral value, ethical standard, and integrity. These are the basic foundation of the code of values created by TL Concrete. Moral values consist of trustworthy, loyal, and courteous.Ethical standard is doing the right thing to provide the best service available to the company and the customers. Honesty is the best policy, and integrity keeps the employees focus on the values indicated by the company. These values will earn the company’s reputation and in turn, attract more customers. The company should value the customers’ feedback and their suggestions of not only what needs to be done, but how to proceed with the work. Mission statement, vision statement and values are thr ee important models that most successful companies accepted.These models create concepts of prospect, directions, values, and opportunities for the company and its customers. These models of strategic plan co-exists, one item cannot exist without the others. I believe there are companies that do not have vision statement. Kevin Clancy, a marketing researcher wrote, â€Å"A few people around the table began to describe the brand’s global positioning strategy, but it had nothing to do with what we would call a vision. It was not even much of a positioning. Eventually a manager from England asked, â€Å"What do you mean by ‘vision’? †(Clancy, 2012).A vision statement brings hope, dreams, and the reason to stay operational. Mission, Vision, and value each presented different meaning to the company’s goals. Mission is the goal, vision is the purpose, and value is what takes to accomplish the goals. References Bright Hub. (12/2010). The hub for the brigh t minds. Retrieved from http://www. brighthub. com Kevin J. Clancy. (2012). Shocking Truth of the Month. Retrieved from http://www. thekevinclancy. com Microsoft Accessibility. (2013). Mission. Retrieved from http://www. microsoft. com/enable/microsoft/mission. aspx

Urban Legend of the Drugged Perfume

Urban Legend of the Drugged Perfume A scary story making the Internet rounds since 1999 claims that criminals in the U.S. and elsewhere are using perfume samples spiked with ether  or some kind of knockout drug to render victims unconscious before assaulting them and/or stealing their valuables. Versions of this urban legend continue to circulate via email and social media. A Twitter message from 2015 is as follows: Pls if anyone stops U and ask if youre interested in some perfume and gives u a paper to smell, pls dont! Its a new scam, the paper is laced with drugs. Youll pass out so they can kidnap, rob or do worse things to you. Pls forward to all friends and family..Save a life please. This was received from a Senior police officer this morning. Take note and alert everyone you want to protect. This is not a joke please. Pass on to family and friends. This is from the UK. The Knockout Perfume Scam The closest any of these reports has come to being confirmed was the case of Bertha Johnson of Mobile, Alabama, who told police in November 1999 that she was robbed of $800 after sniffing a cologne sample offered by a stranger and subsequently passing out in her car. Toxicological tests revealed no foreign substances in Johnsons blood, however. Although the details have morphed over time, more recent versions of the story echo early news reports about the alleged Alabama incident. Instead of cologne, the tainted sample is now said to be perfume. Instead of an unknown soporific substance, the knockout drug is now said to be ether. Interestingly, the main moral message of the story, which was originally Beware of parking lot scammers, has evolved into If I hadnt read this warning, I could have been a victim too. And so could you! Its typical for rumors, hoaxes, and urban legends to change as theyre passed from person to person (or inbox to inbox). As anyone who has ever played the childrens game of Telephone can attest, perception and memory are fallible, and people tend to misremember and/or misreport what theyve heard. Moreover, its in the nature of storytelling (and storytellers) to creatively enhance a yarn to make it more impactful. These processes can be seen at work in the tale of The Knock-Out Perfume. Two Sniffs and Youre Out! On November 8, 1999, the Mobile, Alabama police department issued this press release: On Monday, November 8, 1999, at approximately 2:30 p.m. Officers from the Third Precinct responded to the World of Wicker, at 3055 Dauphin Street. When the Officers arrived the victim, 54-year-old Bertha Johnson of the 2400 block of St. Stephens Road, advised she was rendered unconscious after smelling an unknown substance. Johnson was approached by an unknown black female, who was described as follows: slim build, 120-130 pounds, 5 feet 7 inches tall and was last seen wearing a Leopard print wrap on her head and large gold loop earrings. The victim told Investigators the incident occurred at the Amsouth Bank at 2326 Saint Stephens Road. After the victim regained consciousness she discovered her property missing from her purse and her vehicle. The MOBILE POLICE DEPARTMENT is advising the public to be on alert for this type of activity. Local media jumped on the story. A November 10 article in the Mobile Register quoted Johnson as saying that her assailant offered her a $45 bottle of cologne for the bargain price of $8 and talked her into to sniffing a sample. She did, once, and detected nothing odd about the aroma. But when she sniffed it a second time, she said, she lost consciousness. The next thing Johnson knew, she was sitting in another parking lot miles away from where shed started, dazed, confused, and missing $800 in cash. I feel like I got flimflammed out of something that I should have known better than to even look out the window at her, Johnson told the Register. Within days of the incident, the story of Bertha Johnsons parking lot misadventure was all over the internet. Anonymous Email Warning of Parking Lot Perfume Scam Bertha Johnsons firsthand report of her alleged run-in with a cologne scammer inspired an anonymously-written email cautioning all women to beware of parking lot vendors offering samples of cut-rate cologne. While it nailed some of the reported facts correctly, it omitted others completely- the name of the victim, for example, as well as the name of the city in which the incident supposedly happened. These omissions may have dampened the emails credibility somewhat. In general, narratives are more believable the more specific they are. But minus some of the particulars the story took on an air of universality  as if to say: This could happen to anyone, anywhere, even  you, in your hometown. Subject: Fwd: Cologne sniffingDate: Mon, 15 Nov 1999 08:54:37 -0600Watch out - this is for real!!!!!!!I just heard on the radio about a lady that was asked to sniff a bottle of perfume that another woman was selling for $8.00. (In a mall parking lot) She told the story that it was her last bottle of perfume that regularly sells for $49.00 but she was getting rid of it for only $8.00, sound legitimate?Thats what the victim thought, but when she awoke she found out that her car had been moved to another parking area and she was missing all her money that was in her wallet (total of $800.00). Pretty steep for a sniff of perfume!Anyway, the perfume wasnt perfume at all, it was some kind of ether or strong substance to cause anyone who breathes the fumes to black out.SO beware..... Christmas time is coming and we will be going to malls shopping and we will have cash on us.Ladies, please dont be so trusting of others and beware of your surroundings- ALWAYS! Obey your instincts!*Please pass this on to your friends, sisters, mothers and all the women in your life you care about....... we can never be too careful!!!!* I Did Two Stupid Things More variants appeared almost instantly, usually localizing the story in places where no such crimes had been reported. One version sent later that same month bore the false preamble, This happened in St. Louis. In early December a lengthier version emerged. A woman was approached in a Walmart parking lot by two young men hawking designer perfume, it said, for only $8 a bottle (as in the original version). In this variant the potential victim is said to have declined to sniff the product, and escaped unharmed. Of course, the email strongly urged that it be passed on to friends, loved ones, and co-workers. Subject: Parking lot weirdosThis was forwarded to me - you may be interested:This is quite strange to hear this story because last month I was approached in the Wal-Mart (on Beckly) parking lot by two young men who were selling designer perfume. They stated that it was the excess of a cosmetic show and it was $8.00. I noticed one young mans distinct accent. I asked him if he was from Kentucky. He replied yes. He asked me if I was sure I didnt want to smell the perfume and I once again said no then got into my car. I did two stupid things. First I spoke/conversed with a stranger at 9:00 at night in a parking lot. Second I allowed a stranger into my space without realizing he was moving closer to me. I was on my guard. The Rumor Spreads to Walmart and Target The Walmart version was still going strong when yet another variant appeared describing yet another new incident, this one having allegedly occurred in the parking lot of a Target store in Plano, Texas. In this rendering, disaster is once again averted when the would-be victim rebuffs the salesmans advances before he even tells her what hes selling. The warning is all the more frightening, however, because it gives the impression that similar crimes are being perpetrated all over the United States. In January 2000 someone completely rewrote the text emphasizing the close call scenario and crediting earlier versions of the email with preventing more such crimes from taking place: Come April 2000, another report of an incident in a Walmart parking lot is appended to the foregoing version. Note that the two males described in this variant are neither hawking perfume nor asking anyone to sniff a sample. They merely inquire as to the kind of perfume the narrator is wearing: I just wanted to pass along that I was approached yesterday afternoon at around 3:30 p.m. in the Walmart parking lot at Forest Drive by 2 males asking what kind of perfume I was wearing. I didnt stop to answer them and kept walking toward the store. At the same time I remembered this email. The men continued to stand between parked cars I guess to wait on someone else to hit on. I stopped a lady going toward them, pointed at them, and told her what they might ask and NOT to let them get near her. When that happened, the men and a lady (I dont know where she came from!) started walking the other way toward their car parked in far corner of the parking lot. I thank Jane Shirey for passing this along it might have saved me from a robbery. Im passing this along to youall so you can warn the women in your life to watch out for this... Cathy Dont Stop for a Stranger... This  wordy  variation, which also appeared in late April 2000, describes yet another close call, though this time the story is completely secondhand. Its set in Kansas City: Two weekends ago, Mom, Melody and I were shopping at The Home Place at about 95th Metcalf and while I was driving around the parking lot looking for the closest parking spot, we saw a man individually approach two single women and speak to them. They both just kept walking and wouldnt have anything to do with him.When we got into the store we saw one of the women that he spoke with and so curiosity getting the best of us we went up to her and explained that wed seen the man approach her in the parking lot and we were wondering what he wanted. She then told us she was so scared that she had to sit down so we found the section with lawn furniture and we all sat down.She explained that just a few days prior she had received and e-mail about a man approaching you in a store parking lot asking if youd like to smell a perfume, explaining that hes got all of the latest fragrances at drastically reduced prices and that hes sure youll like this one (as he hands you the bottle) you take it an d smell it and pass out because its ether, not perfume. She said that was this mans exact line and that when she saw him pull a bottle out from his jacket, she said dont open that bottle or Ill scream and call the police on my cell phone. Well, we walked her to her car when we were all done shopping so she didnt have to go back out there by herself and we talked about it for a few minutes. Three Versions in One The knockout perfume legend took the form of an omnibus version in 2000, including a new scenario that supposedly took place at a gas station in Des Moines, Iowa, followed by two of the previous versions. I received this email from a friend!I was pumping gas at the Texaco station at Merle Hay and Douglas approximately a week and a half ago and a young girl walked up to me and asked if Id like to sample some perfume scents. She said that they had all the latest fragrances. I looked over at her car which was a turquoise sub-compact and her boyfriend (?) was rooting through the trunk. I declined, saying that I had to get back to work. She said again that they had all the latest scents and it wouldnt take long. I again declined and went inside to pay for my gas. She said, Thanks anyway, and went back to her car. When I pulled out, the two were just sitting there in the car. She smiled and waved. I thought it was an odd thing at the time, but the note below really brings it home that it could have been part of this indeed frightening scenario. I dont know WHAT they had in mind, but I can verify that this happened to me here in Des Moines. Please be careful,ladies. The Storys the Thing In true folkloric fashion, not one of the anecdotes youve just read is supported by anything more than hearsay, and anonymous hearsay at that. It doesnt necessarily follow that every report is false, but skepticism is in order. The moral message people are conveying by amplifying and spreading this legend is a familiar one, amount really to little more plain old common sense: Be careful out there. Thats a good message and a wise policy, but we have to question whether repeating frightful stories with little or no  basis, in fact,  is the best way to inspire prudent behavior. Urban legends often take the form of cautionary tales, but it would be a mistake to assume that they always actually function as such. Urban legends thrive, mainly, because theyre emotionally gripping stories. To the extent that they serve any social purpose at all, its probably more catharsis than anything - providing a belly laugh when were blue or a bone-chilling scare to release pent-up tension. Plus, dont forget, theres an all-too-human pleasure to be had by provoking these reactions in others. In days gone by, people sat around for hours in the glow of a campfire scaring the pants off one another with horror stories for no other reason than that they enjoyed it. Human nature hasnt changed. We still enjoy scaring each other, only now we do it by the glow of a computer screen instead of a crackling fire. Sources and further reading: Perfume Email Smells a Little FishyRotorua Daily Post, 21 April 2007 Perfume Scam Reeks of MythNew Zealand Herald, 12 December 2000

7 Sets of Doublet and Triplet Verbs

7 Sets of Doublet and Triplet Verbs 7 Sets of Doublet and Triplet Verbs 7 Sets of Doublet and Triplet Verbs By Mark Nichol English borrows generously from other languages, and sometimes it does so more than once, at different periods. The result is doublets or triplets: two or three more or less similarly spelled words with common etymologies that diverge to some extent in meaning, though the linked origins are usually apparent to the observant eye. Here is a list of the more common doublet and triplet verbs, along with their distinctions of definition. 1. Abbreviate/abridge (Latin, abbreviare, â€Å"to shorten†): Both words mean â€Å"to reduce to a shorter form,† but abbreviate most commonly refers to words rendered as initials (US for â€Å"United States†) or otherwise truncated (admin. for administrator) or deprived of elements (mgr. for manager), while abridge, a synonym for condense, is used in reference to entire compositions (an abridged version of a report). It can also mean â€Å"to diminish or shorten† in terms of intangible qualities. 2. Capture/catch/chase (Latin, capere, â€Å"to hold, seize†): The first two words refer to accomplishing the objective inherent in the third word. Catch has a more neutral, wide-ranging sense of retrieval, whereas capture implies an adversarial relationship between the pursuer and the pursued. 3. Convey/convoy (Latin, conviare): These words were borrowed from French during two distinct periods. To convey means â€Å"to deliver or transfer,† or â€Å"to communicate.† To convoy is to accompany, sometimes for protection. Convoy is also used as a noun to refer to a group of vehicles or vessels that travel together. 4. Feast/fete (Latin, festum): To feast is to present or take part in a feast, or to delight or to experience something delightful; to fete is to commemorate or honor. In noun form, a feast is an elaborate celebratory meal, whereas a fest is an entertainment or party for the same purpose; it is also synonymous with fest and festival. 5. Gallop/wallop (French, waloper): To gallop is to run fast (usually said of a four-legged animal), or to cause an animal to gallop. The noun form of gallop means a run of this type or a place to engage in galloping, or, figuratively, a rapid pace. To wallop is to beat, strike, or verbally assault, although rarer senses include â€Å"to rush headlong† or â€Å"to roll around.† A wallop is a literal or figurative impact, or a thrill. 6. Guard/ward (Germanic): These descendants of a word meaning â€Å"to defend† both retain the sense of protecting from external threats, though a guard may, alternatively, be charged with keeping someone inside rather than outside. 7. Regard/reward (Anglo French, regarder, â€Å"look back at, recompense†): These words diverged in sense so that one has the neutral sense of appraisal, and the other a biased connotation of praise. 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 Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply withAt Your Disposal10 Types of Hyphenation Errors

History of Modern Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

History of Modern Architecture - Essay Example Farnsworth is painted white in color while Philip Johnson’s house was painted black. Farnsworth house has a glass wall with minimal framing enclosed in two-thirds of the space between the planes leaving an open porch at one end. A third plane smaller but of the same proportions as the other two is placed alongside at low level to serve as an entrance terrace. Two shorts but wide flight of steps ink ground to terrace and lawn to porch inside the house. Farnsworth house is a freestanding building within a building within a building accommodates the servant space kitchen two bathrooms and a utility room. There are no other fixed walls. Other things are refinement for example the apparent asymmetric of the composition that is the relationship between the floor slab and the enclosing glass wall or between the house and the terrace. The house also has millions of thinnest possible steel bar, dividing the glass the big glass panes into perfect squares. Every floor both inside and outside is paved in the same white travertine. The hardwood flank walls of the service core to stop short of the ceiling to preserve the unity of the living space. Source:http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.vitruvius.com.br/media/images/magazines/grid_9/e5b03b34418f_image002_furnari_02_cortesecob.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.vitruvius.com.br/revistas/read/arquitextos/11.130 Johnson House is made of the herringbone brick that is the ground sheet is under floor heated, and glass walls protected against the wind and snow. It is very important to note that in Farnsworth House, the structures are paramount, and that is the H-steel supports the standing in for the classical columns. In John’s house, the steel columns are just part of the frame holding the glass. This gives a neat detail however not expensive. The four single doors, one in the middle of each wall only act as air vents to keep the non-air-conditioned house cool during

How to succeed at team-building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

How to succeed at team-building - Essay Example Organisational behaviour encompasses many areas including employee engagement, employee motivation, communication, personality development and so on. This paper will review the article â€Å"How to succeed at team-building† written by Martin Goodwill (n.d.) using some theories and concepts in the area of organisational behaviour. Literature review As the title indicates, the given article specifically focuses on the aspect team building. Team building is a management approach whereby employees are considered as interdependent team members instead of individual workers. As scholars point out, team building encompasses a wide range of activities ranging from simple bonding exercises to multi-day retreat programmes designed for improving the overall performance of the team, and ultimately the organisation. In a business context, the process of team building falls under the framework of organisational development. Majority of the organisations shape their day to day operations in a way team building is enhanced. A strong and efficient leadership is necessary to improve the team dynamics. The article writer strongly says that employee engagement is an integral part of successful team building. ... Tuckman’s model The â€Å"forming, storming, norming, and performing† model of group development was developed by Bruce W. Tuckman in 1965 based on his 50 studies of group behaviour. Tuckman argues that all these stages of group development are essential for any team to address problems, deliver desired results, and to grow further. The Tuckman’s model is particularly concerned with the way individuals would behave when they work together in a group for the first time or when they are assigned with a challenging task like diversity training. This model is greatly helpful for team members to get a clear view of the group dynamics while working in professional contexts. It is also useful for group leaders to monitor their groups’ development when their group members are resistant to change. Forming is the first stage of team building and is initiated for the completion of a particular task; and during this initial stage, team members pay specific attention o n team organisation, work schedules, and meetings (Clements & Jones 2008). They try to collect information about each other and to avoid serious feelings for ensuring smooth flow of the team building process. At this level, individuals’ behaviour may be influenced by their aspiration to be accepted by others (ibid). This is what Goodwill call ‘employee engagement’ in his article. Since team members are extremely focused on themselves at the forming stage, proper employee engagement would bring desired outcomes. In the second stage (storming), the group discusses matter like how individual members can work independently and together to solve various issues and what leadership model they are about to follow. Referring to Goodwill’s views, a leader has an important role to play in