PARADE FIELD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PARADE FIELD - Essay Example rs of the Lyman Ward Military Academy [LWMA] to name a building for General Futch; they responded by offering Brunner the chance to select the appropriate venue himself. The problem with having a larger-than-life hero is that any building never seems quite grand enough to fit the bill. Frustrated and disappointed, Brunner headed to the parade field to think. He had inadvertently steered himself to the very field on which thousands of military service members had drilled, and no more appropriate tribute was conceivable once the notion had entered his head (Brunner 2). A mere two years after discovering his quest, Brunner and some of his fellow LWMA alumni had personally footed the bill for the construction of a monument to be placed on the field in the General’s honor. The response was overwhelming. The amount needed was soon met, and contributions were soon turned away. Fulch died that year at the age of ninety-six years- only one day short of ninety-seven; he was a survivor as a service member and as a civilian. He was laid to rest with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, and one of his daughters filled in for him as the guest of honor at the ceremony that officially dubbed the field the Brigadier General T.L. Futch Parade Field. It was made of brick- the very bricks that had graced the walls of his office in Russell Hall before it burned down in 1985. West Point also saw fit to include the dedication of the parade field in its July 1993 newsletter. A copy of this article, which was submitted by one of Futch’s daughters, stands today in West Point’s Tallapoosa Hall (Brunner 3-4). His division (the thirty-fifth) was legendary for its contributions to World War II and the fight against the Nazis. It was a desperate time following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and men were afraid. It took strong men to lead them. Although not a general at the time, Futch fought valiantly and founded the legacy of military excellence for which he was known

Emergent Multimedia Technology (Cloud Streaming Technology) Essay

Emergent Multimedia Technology (Cloud Streaming Technology) - Essay Example The paper tells that the world of technology is a dynamic one with scientists and technicians coming up with high-tech gadgets by the day. This has not always been the case. Technology has come a long way off. From the time of the dark ages where the only form of data storage was the primitive human mind not to mention the ancient writings preserved in stone. The short comings of these methods of storage called for better ways of data preservation hence the discovery of paper and later secret safes that were used to store classified information. Decades later, the world enjoys an unlimited number of technological options to choose from. Modern technology too has continued to grow in leaps and bounds with incremental and disruptive developments being made daily. Incremental development is whereby a development in one sector is so as to improve on a previous development that had already been made. These inventions come in with highly sophisticated and efficient apparatus. Machines that more than double human output, this means that production is taken to a higher level thus the supply to consumers is made easier and available thanks to these inventions. A good example can be drawn from the development of play stations which was a follow up of the traditional brick games. Other examples of incremental development are the use of tractors in agriculture as an improvement on the traditional hoe used to plough, use of modern processing and storage facilities instead of the previous versions of the same and the use of electric trains is also an improvement on the locomotive.... Modern technology has converged together for a common goal. This can be explained by equating technology to an abstract entity. The entity slowly moves towards other entities in the same field with similar goals. At the end, they form one big entity that is more efficient. This simple yet complex technological advancement is the reason why today, we are able to easily access audio, video and even application data more efficiently than before. This convergence of technology has been made possible by massive funds that have been channeled into research by both private and commercial developers. The end result is that the new development from this mergence is more progressive and has competitive advantage over the redundant ones. There has been a number of emerging technologies in various fields ranging from information technology to medicine, agriculture, robotics and even biotechnology. Emerging technologies in the field of medicine include new surgical equipment and procedures and th e development of new drugs to combat emerging diseases. Development in the field of medicine has seen the mastery of new procedures such as artificial insemination and the use of test tube babies, a fete that was once thought impossible. Furthermore, vaccines against diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and even HIV/AIDS have been developed. Doctors are now able to treat and sometimes cure diseases like cancer which were previously unmanageable. This has consequently improved the life expectancy in the country. Child mortality rates have also decreased significantly (Hung, D & Khine, M. S., 2006, p 567). In the fields of agriculture, emerging technology such as genetic engineering has made

PESTEL Analysis Of Tune Hotels UK

PESTEL Analysis Of Tune Hotels UK The hotel industry within the United Kingdom is a highly competitive market with many different hotel organisations, such as Tune Hotels, each trying to offer something unique, desirable and profitable. It is therefore important for organisations within this industry to remain constantly aware of the external factors that could potentially affect their performance and productivity. In this report I am going to identify and explain the key political, economical and socio-demographical factors that are currently having an effect upon the industry; these are three headings within a PESTLE analysis. PESTLE analysis is a tool that can aid organisations when making strategies by helping them understand the external environment in which they operate in the present and future (Renewal Associates, 2003). Once I have done this I will then draw upon my analysis and conclude with my thoughts and recommendations about the proposed UK expansion of Tune Hotels. The UK Hotel Industry As for most business organisations, it has been a tough time financially due to the recent global recession; however, according to an article on www.hotel-industry.co.uk, things are looking up for the hotel industry. Despite the recession, the UK hotel industry is continuing to expand, with over 10,400 rooms opening in 2010 and a further 43,000 for the period 2011-2015.'(Hotel Construction, 2010). The article goes on to mention how consumers are simply opting for low-cost, budget branded hotels, such as Tunes, during this time of financial uncertainty. Political Environment The political environment is an area that business organisations need to monitor constantly as politics can be very unpredictable and influential at times. (Palmer, A. Hartley, B. 2006, P7-8) This is because governments have the power to introduce legislation and regulations that may have a profound effect on organisations. Whilst the UK is a relatively free market, the government will still keep a close on what is going on in the private sector to ensure that businesses are functioning within the best interests of the country. These are just some of the political factors that may have an effect on the UKs hotel industry: * Digital Economy Act 2010 The Digital Economy Act 2010 is an act of parliament which was put in place mainly to decrease the amount of illegal file sharing and copyright infringements that currently takes place in todays digital society. However this has been met by fierce criticism from establishments, such as hotels, that offer free Wi-Fi internet connections hot spots. If hotels guests break this law whilst using the hotels connection, then it is the hotel that is, ultimately, held responsible and consequently face the possibility of having their internet connection disabled by the service provider (Benson, P. 2010). This may put hotels in a sticky situation as they will have to decide whether or not to start charging for the convenience of internet connectivity; which could put potential customers off. * New Immigration Policies New immigration policies from the coalition government have caused some concern for the UK hospitality industry. Caps on immigration outside of the European Economic Area could neglect the issue of skills shortages in the UKs hospitality sector, claim the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, who go on to say: Apart from operational roles such as chefs and bar staff, a shortage has been highlighted in management skills. Shortages in the UK market continue to exist with only 10 per cent of hotel managers and six per cent of restaurant and catering managers having qualifications at managerial level (Essentiallycatering.co.uk, 2010). Economic Environment * Crowded Market There is currently much competition for Tune in the UKs budget hotel market at the moment, especially in London. Brands such as easyHotel, Travelodge and Premier Inn all offer a similar service to that of Tune Hotels, but at lower prices; and some of them offer extras such as towels within the room price. Travelodge currently offers rooms at a promotional price of 19 and, like the Premier Inn chain, their rooms are family-friendly and they provide most extras free of charge, states Susannah Streeter (2010). * Increase in UK tourism spending The increase in UK visitors comes after the recession and the fall in sterlings value against the euro and dollar deterred Britons from making overseas trips. As a result, spending by tourists in the city hit a record 10.5billion (Sri Carmichael, 2009). This is great news for the hotel industry. * VAT Increase As the coalition government start to act upon the UKs budget deficit, the recent VAT increase from 17.5% to 20% will no doubt put more strain on the consumers disposable income and put more strain on peoples budgets. Lisa Francesca Nand (2011) states that the increase will discourage spending and deter UK-based guests and overseas visitors alike. However there are positives that can be drawn from this VAT increase for some businesses. Such increases will continue to divert customers away from highly priced hotels with underutilised facilities as Mark Lankester suggested in the Tune Hotels Press Release (2010). People will be looking for cheaper No frills accommodation such as Tune Hotels. The low cost, limited service business model has been a proven success over the past couple of years with in other industries organisations such as AirAsia, an affiliate company of Tune Hotels, boasting success. Socio-Demographic Environment * London 2012 Olympics The London 2012 Olympic Games have understandably been described as an opportunity of a lifetime for the UK hospitality industry by hotel-industry.co.uk. The games will bring in an influx of people from all over the world to London which will undoubtedly mean increased demand for hotels. However I think that this will only bring limited custom for Tune Hotels; as the games are stretched out over a two week period, I think that the people who are staying in London for a couple of days will be more than happy with the service that Tune Hotels provide as a comfortable bed and a hot shower is all that most people require during a short hotel stay. On the other hand, I think long-stay visitors will be put off by the inability to budget under the pay-as-you-use system operated by Tune Hotels. * Location Location is very important within the hotel industry, even more so with the London 2012 Olympics around the corner. Hotels in London need to be close to transport links, attractions and other amenities in order to draw in a healthy numbers of customers as nobody wants a hotel too far away from their desired location. This is a potential problem for Tune Hotels and their proposed UK expansion as there could be some difficulty in finding appropriate sites for their ambitious figure of fifteen hotels in an already saturated market. Recommendations and conclusion All in all I think Tune Hotels have a fairly good chance of making the UK expansion a success with their low costing business model, particularly with the Olympics on the horizon and the increased demand for hotel accommodation in London that the games will generate. However, I think it would be wise for Tune to offer some kind of incentive or special Olympic package to potential guests during the games to lure them away from rival hotels; an all-inclusive option for the guests staying for longer periods, maybe? However, I think fifteen hotels is a little ambitious in the competitive jungle of London and Mark Lankester should think about lowering his aspirations ever so slightly to and start talking about more realistic numbers like five or six. This would mean Tune could concentrate on having a smaller number of hotels in more desirable places as opposed to a large number of hotels in less sought after locations. The expansion would also create a number of jobs for the people of the UK

Domestic Violence and Abuse in Australia :: Violence Against Women Essays

Domestic violence is a significant social issue that has a major impact upon the health of women in society. Discuss this statement and identify the factors that may contribute to domestic violence. Domestic violence is known by many names including spouse abuse, domestic abuse, domestic assault, battering, partner abuse, marital strife, marital dispute, wife beating, marital discord, woman abuse, dysfunctional relationship, intimate fighting, male beating and so on. McCue (1995) maintains that it is commonly accepted by legal professionals as "the emotional, physical, psychological, or sexual abuse perpetrated against a person by that person's spouse, former spouse, partner, former partner or by the other parent of a minor child" (although several other forms of domestic violence have become increasingly apparent in today's society). Whatever name is used to refer to it, however, domestic violence is a very grave and difficult problem faced by Australian society. Although domestic violence can include the abuse of parents, children, siblings and other relatives, it predominantly involves violence against sexual partners with women being the most common victims and men being the 'aggressors' (Family Violence Professional Education Taskforce 1991). It is inadequate to view domestic violence as an aspect of the normal interpersonal conflict which takes place in most families. According to McCue (1995), many families experience conflict, but not all male members of families inevitably resort to violence. It is not the fact of family disputes or marital conflict that generate or characterize violence in the home. Violence occurs when one person assumes the right to dominate over the other and decides to use violence or abuse as a means of ensuring that domination (Family Violence Professional Education Taskforce 1991). Although all forms of domestic violence are pressing issues of equal importance, this essay is more specifically directed at spouse abuse and aims to delve deeper into the issue of domestic violence by examining its causes with respect to the socioeconomic status of the particular family and its effects upon women in Australian society. The FACS (Family and Community Services) booklet (1995), defines domestic violence as follows: 'when a woman suffers persistent physical, verbal, economic or social abuse from her partner with the result that she suffers a sustained emotional and, or psychological effect.' Domestic violence is the most common form of assault in Australia today. However, it remains a hidden problem because it occurs within the privacy of the home and those involved are usually reluctant to speak out (Healey 1993).

Cross-Border Strategic Alliances and Foreign Market Entry Essay

Introduction It is indisputable that as the world gets globalized, virtually all companies are compelled to expand their market to the international or foreign nations. Expansion into the foreign countries is perceived to be associated with many positive impacts. However, it has been shown that some entry modes are detrimental to the performance of the company or the firm. This implies that before any firm decides to expand, it has to weigh different international entry modes and determine the best mode to use.   This paper discusses one of the modern entry modes, called cross-border strategic alliance. The paper will achieve this by reviewing one of the detailed article cross-border strategic alliances. Analysis The article entitled â€Å"Cross-Border Strategic Alliances and Foreign Market Entry† by Larry Qiu analyzes how firms are motivated to form cross-border strategic alliances when entering into new markets. The goal of the article trying to answer the question as to why most firms are forming cross-border strategic alliances and also identifying the economic factors that facilitate the formation of such alliances. Utilizing a two-country, multi-firm and three-stage economic model, the author reveals astonishing findings on the manner in which companies enter into international market (Qiu, 2006). The article reveals that the company can enter into an international market in different ways. Some of the ways include export and foreign direct investments. Cross-border mergers and acquisition, according to the article is the modern way in which a country can penetrate other countries. There are other traditional forms such as export and green-field foreign direct investment (FDI). The article analyzes based on the thesis statement that multinationals are shifting from the traditional forms such as FDI to modern forms such as cross-border mergers and acquisitions and cross-border strategic alliances. The factors that are considered to influence the choice of the entry mode include such aspects as variable costs such as trade and transport costs and fixed costs. The author argues that a company may set up just one plant in its own country and uses it to serve both the domestic and foreign markets. According to the article, search firm will be entering into foreign and international countries through export. Alternatively the same firm may opt to set up two plants, one plant in the domestic country and the other in the foreign country. In such a case, the firm will be entering into foreign country through foreign direct investment. The invention of cross-border strategic alliances, according to the article, has compelled most countries to switch from export to FDI. This is because the cross-border strategic alliance is associated with numerous benefits compared with the export strategies (Qiu, 2006). For example it creates different synergies in the domestic and foreign markets. In addition, it promotes production alliances, which help each of the allied firms to reduce production costs both in their domestic plants as well as their foreign plants. As far as distribution costs is concerned, the article argues that the cross-border marketing, which is a product of the cross-border strategic alliance, reduces the allied firms’ distribution costs in their foreign market (Qiu, 2006). Conclusion The foregoing analysis has shown why cross-border strategic alliance is becoming the most preferred mode of entry as far as international trade is concerned. Compared to other entry mode methods, cross-border strategic alliances create different synergies in the domestic and foreign markets (Qiu, 2006). Some of the synergies include production cost synergies and distribution costs synergies. These synergies helps the company reduce the production and distribution costs and hence get profits. References Qiu, L. D. (2006). Cross-Border Strategic   Alliances and Foreign Market Entry. Hong Kong   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   University of Science and Technology. Retrieved from:   Ã‚   http://www.etsg.org/ETSG2006/papers/Qiu.pdf   

Animal vs. Plant Cells

Animal and plant cells have many of the same characteristic. Animal cells and plant cells are both eukaryotes. They both have cell nucleus which contain chromosomes or DNA, as well as cell membrane encompassing the cell to control the substances moving in and out of the cell. They both contain enzymes from liposome for breaking down larger molecules. Animal and plant cells both transport protein into and out of cells through endoplasmic reticulum and have vacuoles where food, water, and nutrients are stored as well as provide stability for a plant. Three Differences Along with the similarities, there are also differences between animal cells and plant cells. Plant cells contain chloroplast to help make their own food whereas animal cells do not and animal cells do not possess a cell wall like plant cells do. Another difference is the shape of the cells. Animal cells are circular in nature and plant cells are rectangular. Although animal cells and plant cells both contain vacuoles: the function, quantity, and size of the vacuoles are different in each cell. Food and waste are stored in one or more small vacuoles in animal cells whereas plant cells contain one large vacuole which is mainly used for storing water and providing the plant with stability. Five Internal Structures of a Plant Some internal structures of plant cells are ribosomes, chloroplasts, nucleus, Golgi body, and central vacuole. Ribosomes are responsible for synthesizing protein and amino acid to be released inside and outside the cell. Chloroplasts capture sunlight energy to produce food for plants through photosynthesis. The nucleus is the brain of the plant; it contains DNA to characterize each cell into a specific type. The Golgi body sorts proteins and cell nutrients and releases small amounts into the cytoplasm. The central vacuole is the storage bin and backbone to the plant. It stores food and water for the plant as well as providing strength and stamina for the plant stem.