The Secret to Writing a College Admissions Essay That Stands Out from the Crowd

The Secret to Writing a College Admissions Essay That Stands Out from the Crowd If youre in the process of writing a college admission essay, youve already had a taste of the anxiety these types of assignments can cause. While choosing each word carefully, your mind probably spins with a series of questions: Will this essay keep me from getting in? Will they find it boring? Does it stand out from the crowd?Added to that anxiety are the often complex, or just plain strange, questions that many colleges will ask, like Do you believe we are alone? or How do you feel about Mondays? Whether the question is strange or difficult, overly simplistic or not even applicable to your life- here are some quick tips on the secret to writing a college admissions essay that stands out from the crowd of other essays the admissions committee will read along with yours.Less is moreMany colleges will give you a word count maximum but for the ones where a word count minimum is given, dont take that as an invitation to write over 800 words. The admissions committee who will be reading your essay(s) will also be reading a stack of other essays, and will not want to spend more time reading yours than necessary. Keep it concise to maintain their interest without taking up a lot of their time.Uniqueness countsThe key to writing an essay that stands out from the others is to be as unique as possible. While this might be a difficult task for many soon-to-be college freshmen, its worth your time and effort to think of something- anything- that makes you unique compared to the others. Maybe its a travel experience, a family history, a goal, a way that you think or something youve done?Dont cover everythingIf youve led an especially busy life as a high school student, dont try to cover everything youve done. Pick the highlights- the activities that were the most rewarding or the most impressive- and stick to those few things. If you write about 20 different activities within the span of a 500-700 word essay, your writing will inevitably appeared scattered and unorganized . Its simply impossible to write about that many topics with that limited of a word count and keep it organized.Be controversialMany people falsely assume that you should avoid topics such as religion, politics and the like in college entrance essays, but this couldnt be farther from the truth. Although you should avoid soapboxes and topics that might be against school philosophy (if applying to a religious-oriented school), voicing your stance and providing reasonable arguments for it and against it shows that you know how to think logically and coherently about important topics- a trait that you will need to succeed as a college student.Avoid mistakes in grammar, punctuation and spellingWhile this should be obvious, you would be amazed at how many students submit essays with glaring grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes. The main reason for this is they depend on their word processors spelling/grammar check, which will not catch many of the mistakes that a flesh and blood edi tor would catch. Submitting an essay with these types of mistakes is a guaranteed way to get your application rejection. The admissions committee will believe (and rightly so) that if you have errors on what should be an example of your best work, your daily work in college will have even more errors. When they compare an essay with errors to an essay without them, and have to choose between the two, its obvious which one they will choose. And it wont be yours.Be accurateI am consistently amazed at the number of college admissions essays I receive that refer to particular works or authors, and then get those titles and author names wrong. While a good editor will hopefully catch such errors, its impossible for an editor to know about every topic and every author. For this reason, beyond the mistakes that can be made with spelling, punctuation and grammar, a big mistake that many applicants make is inaccuracy of information. When referring to a particular author who was an influence on your life and choices, be sure to get the name of the author and title of the work right. When discussing theories, research, or any topic for that matter, be sure that you are completely accurate in the context and use of this information. Otherwise, youll seem as if you dont know what youre talking about and are just throwing out information that youve neither studied nor learned.Be descriptiveWhen youre discussing something that youve accomplished or situations in which youve excelled, be descriptive because it lends a sense of credibility and humaneness to what you are saying. This is not to say that you should overload an essay with adjectives and adverbs, but adding details like this will make your writing more exciting and more vivid- two traits that admissions committees love in an essay.Be likeableThis one is perhaps the most important, as long as your grammar, spelling and punctuation are correct. When an admissions committee reads an essay written by a student who has excelled much in their high school years but seems pedantic, stuffy and just plain boring, that student still has a chance of being denied admission. College is as much about social interactions as it is about academics. If you fail to show that you can be likeable and fit in well with the college community, you have missed an opportunity to make your essay stand out from the rest.

Things to Know Before Visiting a Butterfly House

Things to Know Before Visiting a Butterfly House Youve probably seen live butterfly exhibits offered in your local zoos or nature museum. These exhibits offer visitors the chance to observe butterflies up close. Most butterfly houses populate their exhibits with butterflies from around the world, allowing you to see a variety of colorful species youd have to travel the globe to find in the wild. Bring a camera, because youll definitely want to capture images of these flying flowers. Heres a primer on what to expect when visiting, including tips for getting butterflies to land on you, and photographing your favorites. Things to Know Before You Visit a Butterfly House Butterfly houses are hot, humid environments. In most cases, the exhibit is meant to mimic butterflies native tropical habitat. If you have health issues that may be exacerbated by high temperatures or humidity, you may want to keep your visit short. A well-designed butterfly house usually has a double set of doors with a vestibule in between at both the entrance and exit. This is to help prevent butterflies from escaping  and to help keep the temperature inside the exhibit constant. Butterfly houses usually have misters placed throughout the exhibit to help maintain the humidity. Depending on where they are located, you might be sprayed with a gentle mist of water as you walk through the exhibit. Butterflies sometimes rest on the ground, including on the pathways where you will be walking. Pay attention to where you are stepping to avoid crushing a resting butterfly. Be sure to look up, too! Resting moths can fly way up high on the exhibit walls, or even on light fixtures. Butterflies behave differently depending on the species, the time of day, and environmental variables like temperature and humidity. Some species on exhibit may seem to do nothing but rest. These are often crepuscular butterflies, meaning theyre active at dawn and dusk. Most will be most active during the warmest, sunniest part of the day, which is usually the afternoon. Because butterflies are short-lived, some of the butterflies you observe may be nearing the end of their lives. You might see some butterflies that look tattered, with missing wing scales or even torn wings. This doesnt mean something is wrong with their care. Newly emerged butterflies, by contrast, will have bright, bold colors, and clean wing edges. Usually, the staff will release newly emerged butterflies and moths into the exhibit at a specific time each day, often in the afternoon. If you want to see this, you might want to call ahead to ask when they do the daily release, so you can plan your visit accordingly. Butterfly House Donts You will usually find a set of rules posted where you enter the butterfly house. These may include: Dont bring food or drinks into the exhibit.Dont wander off the pathways in the exhibit.Dont touch the plants or pick flowers.Dont pick up or handle the butterflies, unless a staff member invites you to do so.Dont remove butterflies from the exhibit area, even if they are dead. Butterfly House Dos Do take your time. Butterfly spotting takes patience!Do ask questions. Most butterfly houses have knowledgeable staff or volunteers posted in the exhibit area, able and willing to teach you about the species you are seeing.Do look for feeding stations and puddling areas, where you can get a closer view of the butterflies.Do visit the emerging area, where you can watch new butterflies and moths break out of their pupal cases. You might have to wait for a while to see one emerge, but it is well worth it.Do consider bringing a small pair of binoculars with you, to get a better view of butterflies perched high in the exhibit.Do take lots of pictures! Where else will you have that many butterflies within reach of your camera lens?Do check for hitchhikers before you exit the butterfly house. Ask a friend to make sure no butterflies have perched on your back. Behaviors You Can Observe in the Butterfly House To the novice butterfly observer, it might look like the butterflies are only doing one of two things: flying or resting. But theres more to butterfly behavior than that. Some male butterflies will patrol a territory, looking for a mate. Youll see him flying back and forth, back and forth in one area of the exhibit. Other butterflies are more passive in defending their territory, preferring instead to perch. These butterflies sit quietly in one spot, usually high on a tree or other foliage, watching for females to flutter into their area. If a male competitor enters his territory, he may chase him away. Because butterflies are ectothermic, they will bask in the sun to warm their bodies and their flight muscles. Butterflies also engage in puddling, which is how they get the minerals they need. You may see butterflies mating, and you will definitely observe butterflies feeding on nectar. See how many different behaviors you can observe! Tips for Getting a Butterfly to Land on You If youre lucky, a butterfly might land on you while you are in the exhibit. Theres no guarantee this will work but, you can do a few things to increase your chances. The best rule of thumb is to act as a flower: Wear brightly colored clothes. I have a bright yellow and orange tie-dyed shirt that always seems to lure butterflies to me.Smell sweet. If youre wearing a skin lotion or perfume that smells a bit like flowers, that attract a hungry butterfly.Stay still. Flowers dont move, so you wont fool a butterfly if youre walking around. Find a bench and stay put for a while. Tips for Taking Photos in a Butterfly House Butterfly houses afford photographers a unique opportunity to capture images of butterflies from all over the world, without the expense of traveling or the frustration of looking for them in the wild. Keep in mind that some butterfly houses do not allow photographers to bring tripods in, so call and ask before you visit. Here are a few tips for getting the good photographs on your next visit to a butterfly exhibit. Plan your visit for early in the day. Butterflies will be most active from late morning until late afternoon. You have a better chance of photographing butterflies at rest if you visit the butterfly house as soon as it opens in the morning.Give your camera time to adjust to the tropical environment. One thing that drives me nuts when I visit a butterfly house is my camera lens fogging up. If you move from a cooler, drier environment into the hot, humid climate of the butterfly exhibit, your camera is going to need a bit of time to acclimate before your lens will stay clear.Photograph butterflies from the front, not the back. You will be tempted to photograph the easy targets, like the butterflies resting on foliage with their beautiful wings visible to you. Look for butterflies on feeding stations or flowers, where you might be able to get a good close-up of it uncoiling its proboscis to drink, or tasting a piece of fruit with its feet. Rules for Displaying Live Butterflies Organizations that operate  live butterfly exhibits in the U.S.  must follow very strict USDA regulations. In most cases, their permit does not allow them to breed the species on exhibit. Plants within the butterfly exhibit provide nectar only; no larval host plants will be provided. Instead, they must purchase butterflies as pupae, which are housed in a separate area until the adults emerge. Most butterfly houses receive new shipments of pupae on a weekly basis since adult butterflies are short-lived. Once they are ready to fly, the adults are released into the exhibit. All butterflies must be kept within the confines of the butterfly house, and careful measures must be taken to prevent escapes.

Enterprise Project Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Enterprise Project Management - Assignment Example At such a point, the PMOs opt to use Scrum itself to sprint the PMO. Planning monthly and conducting daily scrums like all the other teams. The community of practice is that group that involves the like-skilled individuals who have the ability to build the high performance work groups .Such groups are based on the collaboration and facilitation that best apply in the project management. One of the most significant things that the PMO should do is to help in support the formation of such communities and then promote them. For that reason, communities of practice help in spreading Scrum throughout the organization. These groups also help in spreading all the good ideas from one team to the other (Pries & Quigley, 2012). Most PMOs are not fully implemented or even fail to get configured after sometime. In the process of changing the environment, the organization needs to see the results fast before starting a long term investment in a new PMO. When one starts reconfiguring the PMO, the set standards helps in planning and scheduling the progress and deviations of the projects. The tools necessary for enabling the PMO and other significant managers in the project environment helps to examine capabilities and potentialities as well as supervise the available resources and implement the operational planning and support activities such as training program management applications (Pries & Quigley, 2012). 2(b) The PMO is committed to the pursuit of excellence in all the project management practices. While ensuring that the project performance contributes to improving business performance, this will be carried out as the component of the PMO charter that requires to be clearly confirmed. For that reason, if the business intention of the PMO is not clearly stated, the PMO is viewed as the ad hoc attempt in fixing a temporary situation in the project

International Joint Venture System Research Proposal

International Joint Venture System - Research Proposal Example Influence to more international maybe as sure of many opportunities opened up by vast markets, which result from unique political, economic& cultural environment in China. Any foreign company could need to rethink its approach in managing employees and the organization as a whole. Against this background, formation of joint ventures in China calls for adaptability, and management of change. These will and bring about improved performance by thawing any foreseeable resistance, withholding crucial information and claiming responsibility for the managerial decision and action taken by personnel. The United States of America is a capitalist economy whose strategic orientations calls for "let the best man win and put you money when your mouth is" perspective. This indeed may not be an appealing view for a Chinese socialist oriented economic attitude. Therefore setting up business of a joint venture system in china calls for a great understanding of the intricacies involved. Other experts call this environmental scanning while the researcher now feels it is appropriate to term it as regional or global scanning. A Sino American comparative analysis type of study will form the basis for the ensuing research on variables that will include adaptability to environmental factors, human resource management adjustments in the nature of personnel training, development , strategic thinking , horizons etc 2. Research objectives and Questions. The primary objectives for this study shall be To focus on the influences of both internal and external forces on joint ventures established in China. To identify the ways in which adaptation is done for succeeding in such ventures. To evaluate the essence of training and development in success in joint venture business. To determine the competitive advantages China offers to such joint ventures. Some specific research questions for this study include; Why is Chinese culture and orientation important Why is training and development critical for success among joint ventures How does competitive advantage and adaptation assume significance Which internal and external influences affect joint venture systems in global market What complexities exist in Chinese based joint venture What are the likely ways in which to alleviate such complexities. 3. Reviewing previous literature There are different sources of data, i.e. primary and secondary. However, it may not be appropriate to assume that the other experts have not positively contributed into the pool knowledge of in this area. To refer and borrow from scholars on Chinese management issues, publications by journals and texts regarding such operations by joint ventures form a critical basis for argumenting ideas available to support any ideas made. There has been a notion regarding paucity of studies on management in China. Academicians have focused on human resource practices in general, which seem shallow (Verna & Yan 1995, Tsung, 1994, Ding, Fields and Akhtar, 1997). Change, management & adaptation :On managing change and ensuring adaptability the (economist, 1991) when China was in a modernization phrase, China attracted industrial foreign

Homeostatic Imbalances a person on Dialysis Might Face Essay Example for Free

Homeostatic Imbalances a person on Dialysis Might Face Essay The human body relies on homeostasis to function properly, so the body makes adjustments constantly to keep balanced within physiological limits. The kidneys in the urinary system are a major workhorse in keeping the body in balance. They regulate the ionic composition of blood, pH of blood, blood volume, blood pressure, blood glucose, production of hormones, and excretion of foreign materials and waste products (Jenkins Tortora, 2013). If this process fails or there is impairment (renal failure), then a person relies on dialysis to artificially clean the blood, remove excess fluid and electrolytes. The patient will have to go to a facility to have this done on a routine schedule. The dialysis machine uses dialysate solution to maintain diffusion gradients that help with removing waste and add other substances; meanwhile the patient will also be heparinized to prevent clotting during the procedure. Patients with renal disease or renal failure have a lot of electrolyte imbalances and most commonly will present hyperkalemia (too much calcium). The excess calcium can cause arrhythmias. After dialysis the patient usually will have severe cramping due to the shift in pH and removal of excess fluids (concentration). Patients are at risk for thrombosis, urine retention or incontinence, insomnia, imbalanced glucose, dehydration and hypertension. Homeostasis is key for all systems of the body to function, including temperature regulation. The enzymes have a specific range in which they can work. The patient can help their situation by strictly following a prescribed diet; including proper hydration and getting enough exercise and sleep (Clinical Practice Guidelines for Bone Metabolism and Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease. Connection Between Salt and Water in Maintaining Blood Volume and Blood Pressure Changes Water and salt play an important part in blood volume and blood pressure. The first step in regulation of blood volume is in the kidneys; where water and salt are excreted into the urine, based on the needs of the body. One factor controlling water and salt is based on hormone response. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAAS) hormones effect the release on water and salt into the urine. Sodium is controlled by angiotensin II along the  proximal tubule, loop of Henle and the distal tubules. Aldosterone in the collecting tubules also stimulates sodium to move from the tubules into the interstitium, bringing water along as well and increasing blood volume, thus increasing blood pressure. The antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is on the end of the distal tubules and allows for more water resorption. Water will reenter the interstitium if the existing is hypertonic by way of osmosis to reduce water loss and urine volume. High blood volume increases blood pressure, which increases the blood flowing through the kidneys (Cardiovascular Physiology Concepts, n.d.). This increases the glomerular filtration rate which will put more water and salt into the urine and then lower the blood volume and reduce the blood pressure because of a higher/faster rate of processing. Homeostasis is always trying to be achieved. References Cardiovascular Physiology Concepts. (n.d.). CVPhysiology. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://www.cvphysiology.com/Blood%20Pressure/BP025.htm Clinical Practice Guidelines for Bone Metabolism and Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease. (n.d.). Clinical Practice Guidelines for Bone Metabolism and Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from https://www.kidney.org/professionals/kdoqi/guidelines_bone/guide6.htm Jenkins, G. W., Tortora, G. J. (2013). Anatomy and physiology: from science to life (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Abortion :: essays research papers

This is a very big moral issue. I wonder is people realize that they are killing an innocent baby? Yes it is a fetus, but it is in the process of becoming a whole innocent, beautiful baby. God is just in the process of creating. Every baby deserves a chance at life. You did. No matter how hard that life might be. It sickens me that there are people having abortions just because they made a mistake, and could just not say no. Some woman use abortion as a form of birth control. I don’t know why helpless little babies should die due to someone else’s mistake. Isaiah 44:2 says, â€Å"Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb...† This just proves the fact that as soon as conception, God starts creating. This is something He does very well. I believe that Abortion is murder. The definition of murder is: the unlawful and malicious or premeditated killing of one human being to another. The definition of abortion is: any deliberate procedure that removes, or induces the expulsion of a living or dead embryo or fetus. The definitions use the words malicious, premeditated, and deliberate. These are all synonyms. Why is it that if a person gets into an accident with a pregnant woman, and the woman and the baby die, the person is charged with two counts of man slaughter? In that case the baby is considered as a living baby. In the case of abortion though the baby is only considered a fetus. Did you know that a Doctor can make an abortion, to kill the baby at 5 months of conception, without any problem. However, if the same doctor gives a medicine to the mother at 2 weeks or 5 months of conception, and the baby is born with a birth defect, that Doctor will be sued for more than a million dollars. That doesn’t make since to me. The Doctor can kill the baby deliberately, but he can not damage the baby by accident? Here are some statistics on abortion: There is 54 million abortions per year worldwide, 1 million abortions per w eek, and 3 abortions per minute. In 1999, there were 1,500,000 abortions in the US. Did you know that 18 days after conception, an EKG of the baby can be record a human heart. 40 days after conception, measurable waves of the child’s brain can be found?

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-three

THE FEW SECONDS OF SILENCE that followed seemed to stretch out to eternity. Everyone was confused, each for totally different reasons. Jill's initial surprise had been laced with excitement, but as she stared around from face to face, her smile faded and faded until she looked as bewildered as the rest of us. â€Å"What's going on?' asked a new voice. Moments later, Emily Mastrano appeared beside her daughter. Emily glanced at me and Sydney with curiosity and then gasped when she saw the third member of our group. â€Å"Sonya!' Emily jerked Jill back, her face filled with panic. Emily wasn't guardian-fast, but I admired her responsiveness. â€Å"Emily †¦ ?' Sonya's voice was very small, on the verge of cracking. â€Å"It †¦ it's me †¦ really me †¦' Emily tried to tug the man inside as well but stopped when she got a good look at Sonya. Like anyone else, Emily had to acknowledge the obvious. Sonya had no Strigoi features. Plus, she was out in broad daylight. Emily faltered and opened her mouth to speak, but her lips couldn't quite manage it. She finally turned to me. â€Å"Rose †¦ what's going on?' I was surprised that she would regard me as an authority, both because we'd only met once and because I honestly wasn't sure what was going on either. It took me a few attempts to find my voice. â€Å"I think †¦ I think we should come inside †¦' Emily's gaze fell back on Sonya. Jill tried to push forward to see what all the drama was about, but Emily continued blocking the door, still not totally convinced it was safe. I couldn't blame her. At last, she gave a slow nod and stepped away to give us access. Sydney's eyes flicked toward the car, where Victor, Robert, and Dimitri were waiting. â€Å"What about them?' she asked me. I hesitated. I wanted Dimitri to be with me to drop the bombshell, but Emily might only be able to handle one thing at a time here. Moroi didn't have to run in royal circles to know who Victor Dashkov was or what he looked like. Our trip to Las Vegas had been proof of that. I shook my head at Sydney. â€Å"They can wait.' We settled into the family's living room and learned the guy who'd answered the door was Emily's husband, John Mastrano. Emily went through the motions of offering us beverages, like this was a perfectly ordinary visit, but the look on her face confirmed she was still in shock. She handed us glasses of water like a robot, her face so pale she might have been Strigoi. John rested his hand on Emily's once she sat down. He kept giving us wary looks, but for her, he was all affection and concern. â€Å"What's going on?' Emily's eyes were still dazed. â€Å"I †¦ don't know. My cousin is here †¦ but I don't understand how †¦' She looked back and forth at me, Sydney, and Sonya. â€Å"How is this possible?' Her voice shook. â€Å"It was Lissa, wasn't it?' exclaimed Jill, who undoubtedly knew this relative's sordid history. She was understandably shocked–and a little nervous–but excitement was beginning to stir. â€Å"I heard what happened with Dimitri. It's true, isn't it? Lissa can heal Strigoi. She saved him. She saved †¦' Jill turned toward Sonya, enthusiasm wavering a little. I wondered what kind of stories she'd heard about Sonya. â€Å"She saved you.' â€Å"Lissa didn't do it,' I said. â€Å"Another, uh, spirit user did.' Jill's face lit up. â€Å"Adrian?' I'd forgotten about her crush on him. â€Å"No †¦ someone else. It's not important,' I added hastily. â€Å"Sonya's †¦ well, she's Moroi again. Confused, though. Not quite herself.' Sonya had been drinking in the sight of her cousin but now turned to me with a wry, knowing smile. â€Å"I can speak for myself, Rose.' â€Å"Sorry,' I said. Emily turned to Sydney and frowned. They'd been introduced, but no more. â€Å"Why are you here?' Emily didn't have to say what she really meant. She wanted to know why a human was here. â€Å"Are you a feeder?' â€Å"No!' exclaimed Sydney, jumping up from her spot beside me on the loveseat. I had never seen her filled with such outrage and disgust. â€Å"Say that again, and I'll walk right out of here! I'm an Alchemist.' She was met with blank stares, and I pulled Sydney back down. â€Å"Easy, girl. I don't think they don't know what Alchemists are.' Secretly, I was glad. When I'd first discovered the Alchemists, I'd felt like I was the last person in the world to find out. It was nice to know others were out of the loop too. Keeping things simple for now, I explained to Emily, â€Å"Sydney's been helping us.' Tears brimmed in Emily's blue eyes as she turned back to her cousin. Emily Mastrano was one of the most stunning women I'd ever met. Even tears were beautiful on her. â€Å"It's really you, isn't it? They brought you back to me. Oh God.' Emily rose and walked over to hold her cousin in a deep embrace. â€Å"I've missed you so much. I can't believe this.' I almost felt like crying, too, but sternly reminded myself that we had come with a mission. I knew how startling this all was. We had just turned the Mastrano family's world upside down †¦ and I was about to complicate things even more. I hated to do it. I wished they could have the time they needed to adjust, to celebrate the miracle of having Sonya back. But the clock at Court–and on my life–was ticking. â€Å"We brought her †¦' I said at last. â€Å"But there's another reason we're here.' I don't know what tone my voice conveyed, but Emily stiffened and stepped back from Sonya, sitting down beside her husband. Somehow, in that moment, I think she knew why we were here. I could see in her eyes that she was afraid–as if she'd been dreading this type of visit for years, as if she'd imagined it a hundred times. I pushed forward. â€Å"We know †¦ we know about Eric Dragomir.' â€Å"No,' said Emily, her voice an odd mixture of harshness and desperateness. Her obstinate manner was remarkably similar to Sonya's initial refusal to aid us. â€Å"No. We are not doing this.' The instant I'd seen Jill, the instant I'd recognized those eyes, I'd known we had the right place. Emily's words–more importantly, her lack of a denial–confirmed it. â€Å"We have to,' I said. â€Å"This is serious.' Emily turned to Sonya. â€Å"You promised! You promised you wouldn't tell!' â€Å"I didn't,' said Sonya, but her face wore its earlier doubt. â€Å"She didn't,' I said firmly, hoping to reassure them both. â€Å"It's hard to explain †¦ but she kept her promise.' â€Å"No,' repeated Emily. â€Å"This isn't happening. We cannot talk about this.' â€Å"What †¦ what's going on?' demanded John. Anger kindled in his eyes. He didn't like seeing strangers upset his wife. I directed my words to Emily. â€Å"We have to talk about this. Please. We need your help. We need her help.' I gestured to Jill. â€Å"What do you mean?' asked Jill. That earlier eager spark was gone, cooled by her mother's reaction. â€Å"It's about your–‘ I came to a stop. I'd rushed into this, ready to find Lissa's sibling– her sister, we now knew–with little thought of the implications. I should have known this would be a secret from everyone–including the child in question. I hadn't considered what a shock this would be to her. And this wasn't just some random stranger. This was Jill. Jill. My friend. The girl who was like a little sister to all of us, the one we looked out for. What was I about to do to her? Looking at John, I realized things were worse still. Did Jill think he was her father? This family was about to be shaken to its core– and I was responsible. â€Å"Don't!' cried Emily, jumping up again. â€Å"Get out! All of you! I don't want you here!' â€Å"Mrs. Mastrano †¦' I began. â€Å"You can't pretend this isn't real. You have to face it.' â€Å"No!' she pointed to the door. â€Å"Get out! Get out, or I'll †¦ I'll call the police! Or the guardians! You †¦' Realization flashed over her now that the initial shock of seeing Sonya had faded. Victor wasn't the only criminal Moroi would be on guard for. â€Å"You're a fugitive! A murderer!' â€Å"She is not!' said Jill, leaning forward. â€Å"I told you, Mom. I told you before it was a mistake–‘ â€Å"Get out,' repeated Emily. â€Å"Sending us away won't change the truth,' I said, forcing myself to stay calm. â€Å"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?' John's face was flushed red, angry and defensive. â€Å"If I don't have an answer within thirty seconds, I'm calling the guardians and the police.' I looked over at Jill and couldn't speak. I didn't know how to say what I needed to, at least not tactfully. Sydney, however, didn't have that problem. â€Å"He's not your father,' she said bluntly, pointing at John. There was a slight pause in the room. Jill almost looked disappointed, like she'd hoped for more exciting news. â€Å"I know that. He's my stepdad. Or, well, my dad as far as I'm concerned.' Emily sank back on the couch, burying her face in her hands. She seemed to be crying, but I was pretty sure she could jump up at any moment and call the authorities. We had to get through this fast, no matter how painful. â€Å"Right. He's not your biological father,' I said, looking steadily at Jill. The eyes. How had I never noticed the eyes? ‘Eric Dragomir is.' Emily made a low keening sound. â€Å"No,' she begged. â€Å"Please don't do this.' John's anger morphed back to the confusion that seemed to be so in fashion in this room. â€Å"What?' â€Å"That †¦ no.' Jill slowly shook her head. â€Å"That's impossible. My father was just †¦ just some guy who ran out on us.' In some ways, that wasn't far from the truth, I supposed. â€Å"It was Eric Dragomir,' I said. â€Å"You're part of their family. Lissa's sister. You're †¦' I startled myself, realizing I had to look at Jill in a whole new way. â€Å"You're royalty.' Jill was always full of energy and optimism, operating in the world with a naive hope and charm. But now her face was grim and sober, making her look older than her fifteen years. â€Å"No. This is a joke. My dad was a lowlife. I'm not †¦ no. Rose, stop.' â€Å"Emily.' I flinched at the sound of Sonya's voice, surprised to hear her speak. I was more surprised at her expression. Authoritative. Serious. Determined. Sonya was younger than Emily by–what? Ten years, if I had to guess. But Sonya had fixed her cousin with a stare that made Emily look like a naughty child. â€Å"Emily, it's time to give this up. You have to tell her. For God's sake, you have to tell John. You can't keep this buried anymore.' Emily looked up and met Sonya's eyes. â€Å"I can't tell. You know what will happen †¦ I can't do that to her.' â€Å"None of us know what will happen,' said Sonya. â€Å"But things will get worse if you don't take control now.' After a long moment, Emily finally looked away, staring at the floor. The sad, sad look on her face broke my heart. And not just mine. â€Å"Mom?' asked Jill, voice trembling. â€Å"What's happening? This is all a big mix-up, right?' Emily sighed and looked up at her daughter. â€Å"No. You are Eric Dragomir's daughter. Rose is right.' John made a small, strangled sound but didn't interrupt his wife. She squeezed his hand again. â€Å"What I told you both over the years †¦ it was true. Mostly. We did just have a brief †¦ relationship. Not a cheap one, exactly. But brief.' She paused and glanced over at John this time, her expression softening. â€Å"I told you †¦' He nodded. â€Å"And I told you the past didn't matter to me. Never affected how I felt about you, about Jill. But I never imagined †¦' â€Å"Me neither,' she agreed. â€Å"I didn't even know who he was when we first met. It was back when I lived in Las Vegas and had my first job, dancing in a show at the Witching Hour.' I felt my eyes go wide. No one seemed to notice. The Witching Hour. My friends and I had been to that casino while hunting for Robert, and a man there had made a joke about Lissa's father being interested in showgirls. I knew Emily worked in a Detroit ballet company now; it was why they lived in Michigan. Never would I have guessed that she'd started as a feather-and-sequin-clad dancer in a Las Vegas show. But why not? She would have had to start somewhere, and her tall, graceful frame would lend itself well to any type of dancing. â€Å"He was so sweet †¦ and so sad,' Emily continued. â€Å"His father had just died, and he'd come to sort of drown his sorrows. I understood how a death would devastate him, but now †¦ well, I really understand. It was another loss to his family. The numbers were dropping.' She frowned thoughtfully and then shrugged. â€Å"He was a good man, and I think he truly loved his wife. But he was in a dark, low place. I don't think he was using me. He cared about me, though I doubt what happened between us would have in other circumstances. Anyway, I was fine with the way things ended and was content to move on with my life †¦ until Jill came along. I contacted Eric because I thought he should know–though I made it clear I didn't expect anything from him. And at that point, knowing who he was, I didn't want anything. If I'd let him, I think he would have acknowledged you, had a role in your life.' Emily's eyes were on Jill now. â€Å"But I've seen what that world is like. Court life is politics and lies and backstabbing. In the end, the only thing I'd accept from him was money. I still didn't want that. I didn't want to feel like I was blackmailing him–but I did want to make sure your future was secure.' I spoke without thinking. â€Å"You don't really live like you're using that money.' I regretted the words as soon as they were out. Their home was perfectly nice, hardly the depths of poverty. But it also didn't match the funds I'd seen moved around in those bank accounts. â€Å"I'm not,' said Emily. â€Å"It's on hand for emergencies, of course, but mostly I set it all aside for Jill, for her future. To do whatever she wants.' â€Å"What do you mean?' asked Jill, aghast. â€Å"What kind of money are you talking about?' â€Å"You're an heiress,' I said. â€Å"And royalty.' â€Å"I'm not any of those things,' she said. She was frantic now, looking around at all of us. She reminded me of a deer, ready to bolt. â€Å"There's a mistake. You've all made some mistake.' Emily stood up and walked over to Jill's chair, kneeling on the floor before it. Emily clasped her daughter's hand. â€Å"It is all true. And I'm sorry you have to find out like this. But it doesn't change anything. Our lives aren't going to change. We'll go on just like we have before.' A range of emotions raced over Jill's features–especially fear and confusion–but she leaned down and buried her face against her mother's shoulder in acceptance. â€Å"Okay.' It was a touching moment, and again, I almost felt like crying. I'd had my own share of family drama and parental issues. Like before, I wanted the Mastranos to have this moment–but they couldn't. â€Å"You can't,' I told them. â€Å"You can't go on like before. Jill †¦ Jill has to go to Court.' Emily jerked away from Jill and stared at me. Only a second ago, Emily had been full of grief and distress. Now, I saw intense anger and ferocity. Her blue eyes were stormy, fixing me with a sharp glare. â€Å"No. She is not going there. She is never going there.' Jill had already visited Court before, but both Emily and I knew that I wasn't referring to some casual sightseeing trip. Jill had to go with her true identity. Well– maybe true wasn't the right word. Illicit royalty wasn't part of her nature, at least not yet. She was who she'd always been, but her name had changed. That change had to be acknowledged, and the Moroi Court would be shaken. â€Å"She has to,' I urged. â€Å"The Court's getting corrupted, and the Dragomir family has to play its part to help fix things. Lissa has no power alone, not without a family quorum. All the other royals †¦ they're trampling her. They're going to push laws that won't help any of us.' Emily still knelt by the chair, as though shielding Jill from my words. â€Å"And that's exactly why Jill can't go. It's why I wouldn't let Eric acknowledge her. I don't want Jill involved. That place is poison. Tatiana's murder is proof.' Emily paused and gave me a sharp look, reminding me that I was the chief suspect. Apparently we weren't past that yet. â€Å"All those royals †¦ they're vicious. I don't want Jill turning into one of them. I won't let her turn into one of them.' â€Å"Not all royals are like that,' I argued. â€Å"Lissa's not. She's trying to change the system.' Emily gave me a bitter smile. â€Å"And how do you think the others feel about her reform? I'm sure there are royals who are happy to see her silenced–royals who wouldn't like to see her family reemerge. I told you: Eric was a good man. Sometimes I don't think it's a coincidence their family has died out.' I gaped. â€Å"That's ridiculous.' But I suddenly wasn't so sure. â€Å"Is it?' Emily's eyes were on me, as though guessing my doubts. â€Å"What do you think they'd do if another Dragomir came forward? The people who oppose Vasilisa? What do you think they'd do if only one person stood between them and her family's power?' Her implications were shocking †¦ yet, I knew they weren't impossible. Glancing over at Jill, I felt an empty, sinking feeling in my stomach. What would I be subjecting her to? Sweet, innocent Jill. Jill wanted adventure out of life and could still barely talk to guys without blushing. Her desire to learn to fight was half-youthful impulse and half-instinct to defend her people. Stepping into the royal world could technically help her people too–though not in a way she'd ever expected. And it would mean getting involved with the dark and sinister nature that sometimes filled the Court. Emily seemed to read my silence as agreement. A mix of triumph and relief crossed her face, all of which vanished when Jill suddenly spoke up. â€Å"I'll do it.' We all turned to stare. Thus far, I'd been regarding her with pity, thinking of her as a victim. Now, I was startled at how brave and resolved she looked. Her expression was still underscored with a little fear and shock, but there was a steel in her I'd never seen before. â€Å"What?' exclaimed Emily. â€Å"I'll do it,' said Jill, voice steadier. â€Å"I'll help Lissa and †¦ and the Dragomirs. I'll go with Rose back to Court.' I decided mentioning the myriad difficulties of me getting anywhere near Court wasn't important just then. Honestly, I had reached a point where I was playing all of this by ear, though it was a relief to see Emily's fury shifted away from me. â€Å"You will not! I'm not letting you near there.' â€Å"You can't make this choice for me!' cried Jill. â€Å"I'm not a child.' â€Å"And you're certainly not an adult,' retorted Emily. The two began arguing back and forth, and soon John jumped in to support his wife. In the midst of the family bickering, Sydney leaned toward me and murmured, â€Å"I bet you never thought the hardest part of finding your â€Å"savior' would be getting her mom to let her stay out past curfew.' The unfortunate part about her joke was that it was kind of true. We needed Jill, and I certainly hadn't envisioned this complication. What if Emily refused? Clearly, keeping Jill's heritage a secret was something she'd been pretty adamant about for a while– say, like, fifteen years. I had a feeling Jill wouldn't be beyond running away to Court if it came down to that. And I wouldn't be beyond helping her. Once more, Sonya jumped into the conversation unexpectedly. â€Å"Emily, didn't you hear me? This is all going to happen eventually, with or without your consent. If you don't let Jill go now, she'll go next week. Or next year. Or in five years. The point is, it will happen.' Emily sank back against the chair, face crumpling. â€Å"No. I don't want this.' Sonya's pretty face turned bitter. â€Å"Life, unfortunately, doesn't seem to care what we want. Act now while you can actually stop it from being a disaster.' â€Å"Please, Mom,' begged Jill. Her jade Dragomir eyes regarded Emily with affection. I knew Jill might indeed disobey and run off–but she didn't want to, not if she didn't have to. Emily stared into the distance, long-lashed eyes vacant and defeated. And although she was standing in the way of my plans, I knew she did it out of legitimate love and concern–traits that had probably drawn Eric to her. â€Å"Okay,' said Emily at last. She sighed. â€Å"Jill can go–but I'm going too. You aren't facing that place without me.' â€Å"Or me,' said John. He still seemed bewildered but was determined to support his wife and stepdaughter. Jill regarded them both with gratitude, reminding me again that I'd just turned a functional family dysfunctional. Emily and John coming with us hadn't been part of my plans, but I couldn't blame them and didn't see what harm they'd cause. We'd need Emily anyway to tell everyone about Eric. â€Å"Thank you,' I said. â€Å"Thank you so much.' John eyed me. â€Å"We still haven't dealt with the fact that there's a fugitive in our home.' â€Å"Rose didn't do it!' That fierceness was still in Jill. â€Å"It was a setup.' â€Å"It was.' I hesitated to speak my next words. â€Å"Probably by the people opposing Lissa.' Emily paled, but I felt the need for honesty, even if it reaffirmed her fears. She took a steadying breath. â€Å"I believe you. Believe that you didn't do it. I don't know why †¦ but I do.' She almost smiled. â€Å"No, I do know why. It's because of what I said before, about those vipers at Court. They're the ones who do this kind of thing. Not you.' â€Å"Are you sure?' asked John uneasily. â€Å"This mess with Jill is bad enough without us housing a criminal.' â€Å"I'm certain,' said Emily. â€Å"Sonya and Jill trust Rose, and so I do. You're all welcome to stay here tonight since we can hardly head out to Court right now.' I opened my mouth to say we most certainly could leave right now, but Sydney elbowed me sharply. â€Å"Thank you, Mrs. Mastrano,' she said, summoning up that Alchemist diplomacy. â€Å"That would be great.' I repressed a scowl. Time was still pressing on me, but I knew the Mastranos were entitled to make some preparations. It was probably better to travel in the daytime too. A rough check of my mental map made me think we could do the whole drive back to Court in one day. I nodded in agreement with Sydney, resigning myself to a sleepover at the Mastrano house. â€Å"Thanks. We appreciate it.' Suddenly, something occurred to me, summoning back John's words. This mess with Jill is bad enough without us housing a criminal. I gave Emily as convincing and reassuring a smile as I could muster. â€Å"We, um, also have some friends with us waiting out in the car †¦'

Comparison of Two Construction Projects

Tour & A ; Taxis Park – Bas SmetsThis undertaking is situated on the Tour & A ; Taxis site in Brussels and is portion of a maestro program by Michel Desvigne, which covers 20 hour angle of green zone on and around the Tour & A ; Taxis site. The 4 hour angle park designed by Bas Smets in 2013 is the most of import and cardinal portion of the 9 hour angle park on the site itself and extends from the Havenlaan to the Bockstael Boulevard. The natural incline of the terrain has been levelled when the site industrialized more than a hundred old ages ago and a feeder of the river Zenne had been filled up. Bas Smets wishes to re-establish the natural alleviation by softening the bing inclines at the borders of the terrain, utilizing dirt excavated in the lower parts of the park, since there was no money to supply new dirt. The dirt is non industrially polluted, but some sorting was necessary: illegal dumping, crushed rock, finer dirt and sand. The lower parts of the park are excavated as these are really boggy. A drainage system with crushed rock basin, with a volume of 1 million, will be installed and allows the H2O to infiltrate into the dirt. This manner, the surface will ever be dry, merely in exceptionally heavy rains H2O will stay on the hayfield. The site was really hostile towards workss, even weeds were hardly able to turn at that place. Therefore, over 3000 willows are planted. These innovator trees grow two metres a twelvemonth and absorb a batch of H2O. Their roots heighten the undersoil and so ease the growing of the more ‘noble’ trees which bit by bit will be planted. After 5 old ages, when these ‘noble’ trees are grown plenty, the willows will be cut. This is an accelerated procedure to recover the nature. On short notice, a green belt will turn, which will screen the park visitants from the many edifice sites that will be started on the site the following few old ages. In the long tally, a fully-fledged park will develop. The flora that will be used, refer to the historical workss that grew in the vales of Brussels before the urbanisation. â€Å"The site will be laid out by adult male but the park is seen as a existent vale of the Zenne† , says Smets, whom antecedently studied the top ography of Brussels and its rivers extensively ( Vermeersch, 2014 ) . At the Centre of the sphere, a big unfastened infinite will be created. Here people will be able to loosen up, athletics or bask the position over the vale of the Zenne. â€Å"In this manner, our park does non differ much from the nineteenth-century Parkss like Ter Kameren or the Woluwepark, † says Smets. ( Van Garsse, 2013 ) At the side of the Havenlaan, the bing above-ground parking batch and asphalt will do manner for a public topographic point with five rows of trees, which will link the Havenlaan with the park. On the other side of the park, at the Bockstael Boulevard, the park will link to the green zone planted by Leefmilieu Brussel in the old path bed. The full 9 hour angle park will be the largest green park constructed in Brussels in the past hundred old ages.Minneapolis Riverfront – StossRivers in history have served as ecological and historical anchors of the communities populating around them. As American metropoliss deindustrialized, rivers have been uncla imed for civic usage. They lay cluttered ; leftovers of their past service as barriers to their possible re-use. ( Ganes, 2011 ) . In September 2010 an international design competition was announced, intended to turn to 5.5 stat mis of Minneapolis’ Upper Mississippi River, widening from the Stone Arch Bridge to the northern metropolis bounds. Stoss’s proposal, titled Streamlines, seeks to claim the Mississippi river as civic infinite and re-establish its presence in the metropolis. Their first measure is to repossess the river by a three-part activation scheme, purposefully conceived to hold a important impact along the full north riverfront: FlowIntersect, a light sculpture by public creative person Rafael Lozano-Hemmer that visualizes the meandering of the river ; light-boats, luminescent fibreglass dinghies which offer occupants and visitants immediate entree to the river ; and re-fashioned flatboats, bing flatboats that have been adapted to recreational usage, such as a swimming pool and an amphitheater. These intercessions besides buy clip to develop the remainder of the park and the milieus. The cardinal component in their design, harmonizing to the interior decorators themselves, are new Bridgess across the Mississipi. They provide connexion across the river, between distinguishable territories in the metropolis, but the Bridgess provide non merely physical connexion, they besides provide ocular way-finding, place-making throughout a additive long site. The brides are linked to one another via the Riverwalk and the Parkss and connect vicinities on both riverbanks, long separated by an industrial barrier. Streamlines is besides a undertaking about working ecologies, ecological systems and kineticss put to work to clean, to re-constitute this working riverfront ( Stoss Maltzan Utile, 2011 ) . The river park on the north riverfront is a on the job landscape, one that cleans the site, and accordingly the metropolis, as it grows. The chief construction of the park is a natural water-cleansing system of back-to-back deep-rooted basins, wherein stormwater is intercepted and filtered. The H2O so flows into a shallow watercourse and pelecypod bed. On the eastside of the river, Stoss creates several Botanical Overlooks. These are public gardens in which regional indigen ecosystems are contrasted with more notional and alien environments. Waste heat produced by a nearby power works is used to heat a series of public outdoor hot baths and, after the temperature has bit by bit diminished, nurseries. When the power works is non running, a field of solar hot H2O warmers provides the needful hot H2O. These gardens reach beck into nearby vicinities via H2O avenues, which collect and clean stormwater as good and serve as riverfront connections. The undertaking besides focusses on the milieus of the river, since Stoss wants to re-establish the presence of throughout the whole metropolis. To accomplish this, they extend and expand the influence of the river to the vicinities by re-making the I-94 corridor as an Energy Forest, filled with native trees that create new vegetated home grounds, cut down heat radiation, and clean air pollutants from go throughing vehicles. With the same purpose in head, three new urban paradigms are proposed, each showing a new manner to populate the river. The fist, Industrious Parks, proposes live/work loft lodging on the upper narratives above warehouses and industrial infinites. Here every bit good, tendrils of the river penetrate the territory and do the country perform better ecologically and making so, appreciate the vicinity. Second, the Greenhouse District with the Botanical Overlooks, re-imagines underutilized packages on the East Bank of the river as sites for public gardens. The 3rd par adigm, City Islands, is envisioned as a natural extension of the life style and character of Nicollet Island. Here, rowhouses and townhouses are scattered in an comestible landscape, supplying an low-cost nutrient beginning, maintained by the island community but are accessible to everyone.ComparisonBeginnings & A ; Works CitedSMETS, B. , 2014,The Discovery of the Landscape, Lecture at KULeuven VAN GARSSE, S. , 2013,Uitgelicht: park onder de bruggen aan Thurn & A ; Taxis, [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.brusselnieuws.be/nl/nieuws/een-park-onder-de-bruggen [ Accessed 28 December 2014 ] VERMEERSCH, L. , 2014,Dreef en glooiend landschapspark op Thurn & A ; Taxis, [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.brusselnieuws.be/nl/nieuws/dreef-en-glooiend-landschapspark-op-thurn-taxis-beelden [ Accessed 28 December 2014 ] LUYSTERMAN, P. , 2014,Weldra ligt u op de wei van Tour & A ; Taxis, [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.up-site.be/images/tijd_20140509_019.pdf [ Accessed 28 December 2014 ] STOSS,Minneapolis Riverfront, [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.stoss.net/ [ Accessed 28 December 2014 ] STOSS MALTZAN UTILE,Streamlines, Detailed proposal, [ Online ] Available at hypertext transfer protocol: //minneapolisriverfrontdesigncompetition.com/wp-content/themes/mrdc/docs/Stoss_Proposal.pdf [ Accessed 28 December 2014 ] GANES, J.,2011,Minneapolis Riverfront Competition Finalist / StossLU, [ Online ] Available at: ArchDaily hypertext transfer protocol: //www.archdaily.com/ ? p=159167 [ Accessed 28 December 2014 ] StossLU, 2011,Video presentation Minneapolis Riverfront Competition,[ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=n5h0yA2NVeU [ Accessed 28 December 2014 ] 1

An Analysis and Comparison Between Talbots Inc. and Chicos Fas, Inc. Essays

An Analysis and Comparison Between Talbots Inc. and Chicos Fas, Inc. Essays An Analysis and Comparison Between Talbots Inc. and Chicos Fas, Inc. Essay An Analysis and Comparison Between Talbots Inc. and Chicos Fas, Inc. Essay A Brief Summary of the Businesses The purpose of this term paper is to discuss the similarities and differences between Talbots Inc. (Talbots) and Chicos FAS Inc. (Chicos). This paper will detail the nature of each companys respective business, past financial performance, and expected future outlook. The paper is divided into two sections. The first section will discuss each companys history, business structure, and future plans independently from each other. The second section will discuss several important financial ratios and provide a detailed analysis comparing the two companies. By the end of this analysis, the reader will have a better understanding of these two retailers and the industry in which they operate. Chicos is a specialty retailer of private label womens merchandise, with fashion looks ranging from casual to dressy. The company also sells intimates, accessories and other non-clothing items. Chicos began its operations in 1983 with its target market being women over 35 years old and of moderate to high level income households. The company designs the vast majority of its products in-house or through its independent vendors. Chicos has made small acquisitions of product lines and/or companies, including the White House / Black Market (WHBM) brand and Somas, as well as acquiring most of the assets of Fitigues which operated 784 retail stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Over the past several years, Chicos has continued to open new stores. Chicos business strategy is focused on its private-label merchandise and the accessories it sells at a great, bargain value. As of March 17, 2006, Chicos operated 31 Chicos brand outlet stores, eight WHBM brand outlet stores and one Fitigues brand outlet store. Currently, the distribution for all brands (except the Fitigues brand) is handled through Chicos distribution center in Winder, Georgia. As of January 28, 2006, Chicos had roughly 11,000 employees. In fiscal year 2005 (FY 2005 ), Chicos continued to see strong growth in its financial performance. Chicos reported its ninth consecutive year of double-digit comparable same store sales increases, as well as record revenues, net income and its highest ever operating margin. They also elieve that the increase in comparable Company store net sales in the current fiscal year resulted from the continuing effort to focus Chicos product development, merchandise planning and allocation, buying, technical design, and marketing departments on Chicos target customers. In FY 2005, net income rose 37. 4% from $141 million to $194 million. Net sales increased for the FY 2005 by 31. 7%, to $1. 4 billion and operating income rose 33% to $298 million. The main drivers in the increase of net sales were catalogue orders and Internet orders for FY 2005, which increased by $9. 3 million, or 34. 7%, compared to FY 2004. It is believed that this increase was primarily due to the increased circulation of catalogue mailings and additional television spots in FY 2005 compared to FY 2004. Comparable store sales for Chicos owned stores increased 14. 3% year over year, primarily due to increased transactions compared to FY 2004. Chicos believes that comparable store sales growth is critical in achieving its ability to manage their stores efficiently and continue future increases in financial performance. In other words, by increasing the transactions per store, while minimizing markdowns, and other miscellaneous costs, the same store sales will increase. Besides their operating liabilities, Chicos is virtually debt-free, while having cash and marketable securities of over $400 million. In FY 2005, Chicos generated $268 million of cash flow from operations compared with $224 million in FY 2004, an increase of 20%. Strong cash flow is paramount to Chicos future success. By efficiently managing its cash flows, Chicos will help support its general operating needs and capital expenditure requirements while simultaneously increasing shareholder value (i. e. , increasing the present value of future cash flows). In FY 2005, Chicos brand strategy was re-focused by refining the business operations, and broadening the customer base. In FY 2005, Chicos opened a total of 106 new stores, 57 Chicos stores, 44 WHBM store, and five Somas stores. In addition to its new store openings, 36 stores increased their square footage, thus allowing them to have more merchandise readily available to the customer. Based on its current business strategy, Chicos will continue improving their existing stores by increasing the square footage as additional selling space is needed. In addition, the Chicos loyalty club (also known as Passport) reached 1. 7 million permanent members with spending in excess of $500 by the end of FY 2005. As Chicos moves into FY 2006, their goal remains unchanged: to continue to create and grow strong branded concepts that target compelling niche markets and ultimately deliver predictable, sustainable growth to out shareholders . In FY 2006, Chicos plans to open between 140 and 165 net new stores (as of January 2007, there are currently 920 total stores). Talbots is a national specialty retailer and cataloguer of womens, childrens and mens classic apparel, accessories and shoes. Talbots operates stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. They offer many varieties of clothes, ranging from sportswear to casual wear and shoes. They also brand their own merchandise in misses and womens petite sizes. Talbots merchandising strategy focuses on achieving a classic look, emphasizing different styles and quality. Talbots stores and catalogues offer the option to mix and match clothing with accessories, enabling the customer to complete their wardrobe. Talbots has two reportable segments, including the retail segment and direct marketing segment (i. e. , the internet and catalogue sales). Each segment requires a different marketing and management strategy. The retail segments (based on television and printed advertisements) revenue is driven primarily by the in-store sales of women, children and mens clothing and accessories. The direct marketing segments (based on online advertising and mailings) revenue is driven primarily by its approximately 25 catalogue mailings per year and online, via the website. Talbots currently circulates 48 million catalogues per year. As of January 28, 2006, Talbots employed 11,600 people and operated a total of 1,082 stores (as compared to 1,049 stores in FY 2004). Based on Talbots filing of the 10-K, net sales in FY 2005 were $1,808,606 compared to $1,697,843 in FY 2004, an increase of 6. 5%. Operating income was $152,148 in FY 2005, compared to $142,115 in FY 2004, an increase of 7. 1%. Cash flow from operations was 12% of sales, or $211,438 for FY 2005, compared to $155,223 for FY 2004. Total revenues for the year rose 7% to approximately $1. billion. Comparable store sales also grew at a modest 2. 6%. Comparable store sales were positive in each of the first seven months of FY 2005, driven by a healthy sales performance across the U. S.. However, the catastrophes of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, led to a decrease in comparable store sales in September 2005 as Talbots had significant operations in the south (roughly 50 stores, from Louisiana to Alabama , up to Arkansas and Kentucky). Due to the natural disasters, Talbots needed to markdown its merchandise in order to clear out unsold inventory. Another reason for the small comparable same store sales, year over year, was also due to the fact of more of the same styles, thus, resulting in fewer options to choose from for the customer, again resulting in markdowns. The final reason for the lower sales was due to Talbots releasing fall clothing in September, based on customer patterns, but the customers were not ready to buy such clothing at that time period. In other words, for this time period, Talbots did not have a good sense of product differentiation, as many of these styles werent unique or unusual to the general population. Customers were not enthusiastic about the semi-annual sale either, and much of the summer inventory was also left unsold. Because of this, inventory was up 3. 4% in FY 2005 as compared to FY 2004. Talbots direct marketing business also increased at 9% to $265 million, driven by an impressive 28% increase in internet sales. Online sales accounted for roughly 42% of the total direct marketing sales, up from 36% in FY 2004. Besides record profits for the third consecutive year, Talbots set a record for Internet and catalogue order fulfilments. Based on the companys studies, 50% of customers who visit Talbots online are considered window-shoppers, who would then make their purchases at their local stores. Likewise, 67% of those who receive catalogues would also shop in the store within two weeks. Talbots has a credit charge card, except theirs does not go through a third party, as they have their own department who process orders and fulfil sales (also known as the Talbots Charge Card), to roughly 600,000 customers. The nature of the business tends to create two different distinct selling seasons; spring and fall. During the spring season, direct marketing sales are stronger in the first quarter, while retail store sales become stronger in the second quarter. During the fall and winter seasons, both the retail stores and direct marketing have strong fourth quarters, as Christmas holiday season is the primary cause. The Companys fourth quarter sales for the last two years were 26. 9% for FY 2005 and 27. 7% for FY 2004, of total sales for the year. The Companys merchandising strategy focuses on liquidating seasonal inventory at the end of each selling season which historically happens at the end of the second and fourth quarters. These markdowns usually lead to an increase in sales; however, since these are markdowns, this negatively impacts the companys bottom line. Understanding the Businesses, based on Ratios and Financial Statements I will now start discussing the financials of both companies, based on the form 10-K filed with the SEC. A comparison of both companies will be performed from the perspective of financial ratios as well as benchmarking against the industry average for several of the ratios. The first ratio that I will discuss is the price earnings ratio, also known as the P/E ratio, as well as price multiple or earnings multiple. The P/E ratio is calculated by the market price of the security in relation to the earnings per share of the security. The historic P/E ratio for Chicos as of January 28th, 2006 was 39. 8, while the P/E ratio for Talbots during the same time was 16. 5. In general, a high P/E suggests that investors are expecting higher earnings growth in the future compared to compani es with a lower P/E, but this isnt always the case. For Chicos, an investor is willing to pay $39. 8 for $1 of current earnings while Talbots investors are willing to pay $16. 5 for $1 of current earnings. I will now touch upon another very important ratio, the quality of inventory turnover analysis. As we are dealing and focusing on retail businesses, understanding this ratio is paramount to the industry, as this is the heart of the business. The inventory turnover is calculated by taking the cost of goods sold divided by the average inventory for the year. This ratio measures the efficiency of a companys inventory management and should be compared against industry averages. A low turnover implies poor sales and therefore, excess inventory. A high ratio implies either strong sales or ineffective buying. For FY 2005, Chicos inventory turnover was 6. 5, while Talbots was 4. 8. Based on these numbers, we can see that Chicos inventory moves more quickly through the production process to the ultimate sale to the customer, thus reducing storage and miscellaneous costs. Since 2001, inventory turnover has increased each year for Chicos, while Talbots inventory turnover has decreased during the past year. Much of this has to do with the hurricanes during September, as well as incorrectly forecasting customers patterns of when they would buy products, thus resulting in price markdowns. To note, the industry average inventory turnover is 4. 56. Gross profit margin (GPM) is also a very important measure for retailers. The GPM shows the relationship between sales revenue and cost of sales and indicates the portion each dollar of sales that contributes to the companys profit. GPM is calculated as revenue minus cost of goods sold divided by revenue. Chicos GPM was 61% in FY 2005, 61. 4% in FY 2004 and 60. 5% in FY 2003. The GPM for Talbots during the past three years was 36. 2% in FY 2005, 35. 6% in FY 2004 and 38. 3% in FY 2003. Gross profit margin serves as the source for paying additional expenses and future savings. As with most retailers, they [i. e. the industry] are very fickle with fashion (i. e. wrong guess in style and design could ruin an entire season). This typically results in price markdowns. In this particular case, I feel that Talbots fluctuation between FY 2003 to FY 2005 could be based on the fact that they had bad styling and designs for the line of clothing and accessories, and the customers were not pleased. Another ratio I will discuss is the net profit margin (NPM) . It is calculated as net income divided by net sales. Based on FY 2005 results, the NPM for Chicos was 13. 8% while the NPM for Talbots was 5. 15%. What NPM truly shows is managements effectiveness at controlling revenues and expenses to generate greater shareholder returns. Basically, it measures the portion of sales a company actually keeps in earnings. Since 2003, Chicos NPM has steadily increased, while Talbots NPM has steadily decreased. The NPM since 2003 for Chicos was 13. 24% in FY 2004 and 13. 04% in FY 2003. The NPM for Talbots over the same time span was 5. 2% in FY 2004 and 6. 44% in FY 2003. This may also be attributable to Talbots inefficiency to sell and market their products. I will now touch upon another very important ratio, the quality of income ratio (QIR). The QIR is calculated as cash flow from operating activities divided by net income. The QIR measures the portion of income that was generated in cash. With all things being equal, a higher QIR indicates greater ability to finance operating and other cash needs from operating cash flows. Any ratio [QIR] that is greater than 1:1 is considered quality income. Based on FY 2005, Chicos QIR was 1. 38:1, while Talbots was 2. 27:1. Based on the assumption that anything greater than 1:1 is quality income, both Chicos and Talbots have quality income. The next two ratios are considered liquidity ratios . The first ratio that I will talk about is the working capital turnover. Working capital turnover is used as a means of comparing the depletion of working capital to the generation of sales over a given time period (i. e. money used to fund operations and the sales generated from these operations). This provides some useful information as to how effectively a company is utilizing its working capital to generate sales. It is calculated by dividing sales by working capital . Based on FY 2005 results, the working capital turnover for Chicos was 3. 38, while the working capital turnover for Talbots was 4. 81. In a general sense, the higher the working capital turnover, the better, because it means that the company is generating a lot of sales compared to the money it uses to fund the sales. The current ratio is also a term used frequently when discussing a companys liquidity. The current ratio measures a companys ability to pay short-term obligations utilizing current assets. It is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities. It is also known as liquidity ratio, cash asset ratio, and cash ratio. The higher the current ratio, the more capable the company is of paying its current obligations. The current ratio for Chicos is 4. 39:1 and Talbots is 2. 54:1. Based on these ratios, it can be assumed that both companies do not have any issues paying off their obligations. Free cash flow (FCF) is an integral part of every company. It is a measure of financial performance calculated as operating cash flow less capital expenditures and dividends. In other words, FCF represents the cash that a company is able to generate after expending the money required to maintain or expand its asset base. FCF is important because it allows a company to pursue opportunities that enhance shareholder value. Without cash, it is difficult to develop new products, make acquisitions, pay dividends or reduce debt. Based on the calculations, the FCF for Chicos is 120,771 and the FCF for Talbots is 113,420. Debt to equity is yet another important term used when discussing companies. It is a measure of a companys financial leverage calculated by dividing its total liabilities by stockholders equity (also can be calculated by long-term debt divided by stockholders equity). It indicates the portion of equity and debt the company is using to finance its assets. Chicos debt to equity is 0. 24 (24%) while Talbots is 0. 83 (83%). In this case, both Chicos as well as Talbots assets are primarily financed through equity. In the same category as debt to equity, return on equity (ROE) is also a useful tool in measuring a corporations profitability. It reveals how much profit a company generates with the money shareholders have invested. The ROE is useful for comparing the profitability of a company to that of other firms in the same industry. ROE is viewed as one of the most important financial ratios. ROE is equal to a fiscal years net income (after preferred stock dividends but before common stock dividends) divided by total equity (excluding preferred shares), expressed as a percentage. Based on FY 2005 calculations, the ROE for Chicos was 28. 4% and the ROE for Talbots was 15. 3%. Based on these calculations, it shows that Chicos is more efficient at generating profits for every dollar of net assets, and to that extent, shows how well it uses investment dollars to generate earnings growth. Gross profit percentage (GPP) is another measurement used to analyze companies. It measures how much of every sales dollar is considered gross profit. All things being equal, a high gross profit results in higher net income. For FY 2005, Chicos GPP was 61%, while Talbots was 36. 2%. Historically, the GPP for Chicos was a bit higher than 61% (61. 4% in FY 2004 and 61. 3% in FY 2003). The decrease of 40 basis points over the last year resulted primarily from a decrease in merchandise margins from their outlet stores, as well as their investments into WHBM and Somas. Year over year, Talbots GPP increased from 35. 6% in FY 2004 to 36. 2% in FY 2005. The final ratio I will talk about is the total asset turnover (TAT). The TAT can be defined as sales (or operating) revenues divided by average total assets. In other words, the amount of sales generated for every dollars worth of assets. Asset turnover measures a firms efficiency at using its assets in generating sales or revenue the higher the number the better. It also indicates pricing strategy: companies with low profit margins tend to have high asset turnover, while those with high profit margins have low asset turnover. Based on FY 2005 results, the TAT for Chicos as well as Talbots was 1. 64. Regarding the common sized income statement, I will now express the ending fiscal year figures since for Chicos as well as Talbots. CHICOS To note, all percentages above represent their respective dollar amounts over net sales, with net sales being 100%. For instance, the gross profit (net sales minus cost of goods sold) was $857,042. $857,042 divided by $1,404,575 is 61%. TALBOTS The same situation is expressed here. Net sales for the year were $1,808,606 (expressed in thousands). Hence, if cost of sales was 63. 8%, then the actual dollar amount was equivalent to $1,153,890. Thus the gross profit (not expressed above) is $654,872 (roughly 36. 2%). Every percentage is divided by the net sales to achieve the desired result (within reason). In conclusion, there is a lot to be said about these two companies and where they are going. They are both highly motivated to produce the highest quality merchandise and they scale their merchandise to the mid-income families, more towards the women 35 and over. While one company was gaining ground versus their peers, the other was having an average year, but the negativity was centered on the hurricanes and bad judgement of when styles were in and when to have their sales. Much can be said about these companies, and where they are heading. Both CEOs seem very upbeat and optimistic about the market as well as their expansion. Both companies feel that their future success relies on the many different factors, and that uncertainties will occur. These potential risks and uncertainties include the financial strength of retailing in particular and the economy in general, the extent of financial difficulties that may be experienced by customers, the quality of merchandise received from vendors, the extent and nature of competition in the markets in which the companies operate, and the extent of the market demand and overall level of spending for womens private label clothing and related accessories, to name a few. Hopefully, after reading this analysis and comparison of Chicos and Talbots, you were able to understand a bit more about the nature of their businesses and management strategies.

Belt Idioms

Belt Idioms Belt Idioms Belt Idioms By Maeve Maddox A striking headline from The Daily Beast got me thinking about all the expressions that make use of the noun belt: The Rustbelt Roars Back From the Dead I thought a post about belt idioms might be especially useful to ESL speakers. A belt is a strip of flexible material, such as leather, plastic, cloth, used with or without a buckle for wear (usually) around the waist. Some idioms are based on a belt’s narrow shape, like the following epithets for different sections of the United States. Corn Belt This term refers to the region in the north-central Midwest of the United States where corn (maize) and corn-fed livestock are raised. The Corn Belt extends from western Ohio to eastern Nebraska and northeastern Kansas. Cotton Belt This is the region of the South and Southwestern sections of the United States where much cotton is grown. Rust Belt Regions in the Midwest and Northeast that were once centers of manufacturing but which have become the sites of obsolete, abandoned factories are collectively known as the Rust Belt. Bible Belt Sections of the United States, especially in the South and in Middle West, where many residents hold fundamentalist religious beliefs, has long been referred to as the Bible Belt. The AP Stylebook warns journalists to use the term with care â€Å"because in certain contexts it can give offense.† Sun Belt Those states in the South and West, ranging from Florida and Georgia through the Gulf states into California are often referred to as the Sun Belt. Other belt idioms are based on the use of the belt as an article of clothing. to tighten one’s belt The meaning is â€Å"to spend less money.† A person who must spend less money on groceries may be forced to eat less and lose weight as a result. Losing weight makes it possible to fasten a belt more tightly. Example: Just as families and businesses across the nation have tightened their belts, so must the federal government. to get something under your belt This means â€Å"to complete some endeavor seen as necessary.† Example: Aled Davies has his first Grand Prix under his belt. to hit below the belt The meaning is â€Å"to take unfair advantage of someone.† In boxing, striking an opponent below the belt is against the rules. Example: Sarkozy hits below the belt as race for Elysà ©e hots up a belt and braces approach (British) a belt and suspenders approach (American) This refers to a way of doing things that involves more than the usual amount of caution. Either a belt or a pair of braces or suspenders is sufficient to hold up one’s trousers. Using both is excessive. Example: The combination of these factors- change in key staff and rapid growth- meant that there needed to be a â€Å"belt and braces†Ã‚  approach  to quality management  and staffing.   Constitutional protections seem to represent a belt and suspenders approach. put a notch on one’s belt This idiom can mean â€Å"to defeat an opponent† or t†o add something to a collection.† According to the lore of the Old West, every time a gunfighter killed a man, he cut a notch on his gun handle or along the edge of his gun belt. Example: For DeMint, the Moran victory is  another notch  on the  belt. 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 Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 15 Lessons for Mixing Past and Present TenseComma Before Too?

Thinking about literature review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Thinking about literature review - Assignment Example Technology and educational change have led to the rise of NBLT, which uses internet hence; increasing literacy in the information. However, Postman (1993) condemns that use of computers for having led to lose of confidence in human judgement and subjectivity. Nevertheless, the invention of internet has enabled students to use the Web for their research. Indisputably, a majority of students use the internet to begin their research assignment (Chen et al., 2010). The distance students are not able to reach their various libraries in order to access the books with relevant information (Chen et al., 2010). These students therefore get the information for research work from the internet. Neil Postman (1993) argues that technology has a monopoly of power in our society especially given that the society no longer use technology as a support system but because it is shaped by it. Postman argues that technology in communication affects the education as well as monopolizing reading habits of the youth. Postman (1993) adds that technology has led to information chaos besides cultural changes especially through printing and broadcasting. Even though the use of the internet has led information literacy, Postman argues that invention of technology has disadvantages too (Postman,