Friday, November 29, 2019

The Murderous Miracle Sherlock Homes - Creative Story Essays

The Murderous Miracle: Sherlock Homes - Creative Story The Murderous Miracle A Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Style Mini-Mystery I awakened from my morning slumber and groggily entered the foyer to find Holmes sitting in his chair in a speculative pose while thoughtfully smoking on one of his many pipes. "Good Morning Holmes!, " I said in one of my Cheeriest tones, which wasn't very impressive, due to the fact I am not a morning person "And what wakes you up so early this fine morning?" "Early?" Holmes replied "Why it's nearly noontime, it's you who have been sleeping in! And making an awful racket with that dreadful snoring of yours!" I was struck by a paroxysm of coughing as Holmes' smoke entered my lungs, "Noontime? Nonsense, That pipe must be doing more damage than I thought! It is a tad early for that kind of thing anyway!" said I, a bit less cheerier than before due to Holmes' mindless banter. He only smiled and said "See for yourself,my good man, look through the window onto the common, and tell me what you see..." I did as he told, clearing my eyes, and to my shock I saw the townspeople all about in their daily hustle and bustle which was common to northern London preceding teatime. "Well, it appears you are right! People are at work, conducting their business and the like. I'm awfully sorry, I'm just rather irritable in the morning." "Quite alright my friend, it's understandable, tell me, what else do you see at the window?" Holmes calmly stated. "Well, Nothing out of the ordinary, as I said before, just..wait! There is a crowd of people around a car right next to our doorstep!" I exclaimed. " Is the man a shady character with a dark beard and an umbrella on his shoulder?" Holmes asked. "Why Yes! That describes him perfectly! Who is he and how do you know him?" I asked. "Well,that happens to be Sir Reginald Chaucer of Pottingshire, and also one of the most wealthy men in all of England." said he. "So? What importance is he to us? And why does he happen to be on our doorstep?" I voiced. "He happens to be suspected of the murder of one Friedrich Nietzche because of financial reasons, and is presumably our newest client." Sir Chaucer was a very strange man, very eccentric, those were the first two thoughts to enter my mind, even as he was climbing the stairs to the designated "meeting room". I thought this, not because he was rich, for I do not like to stereotype a man that way, but as he progressed up the stairs occasionally he would pause, mutter something to himself, and go on. Those were not the doings of a sane man. But for every bit that he was strange, I was ten times more intrigued by this man, and in wondering why he was here had piqued my curiosity to the highest mark. But as he came through the door I tried my best to disguise the inquisitive look upon my countenance and took a seat. "Welcome!" my friend called "I assume that you are Sir Reginald Chaucer of Pottingshire?" "Of course I am! Who else would I be? I do hope I haven't come to a drunken sod and not an private detective. At any rate, I don't want to speak here at all, it's too much peasantry for my taste, and I fear I could not stay here long without quickly becoming nauseous." Sir Reginald, who obviously had no need for formal introductions, replied. "Therefore," he continued, cutting off a reply from Holmes "you will come with me to my estate in Pottingshire whether or whether not it pleases you to do so." "But, kind Sir," I interjected "Most of our best work is conceived right here, and you might be interrupting the detective process!" "I did not pay you for your own comfort, but for mine! And if you are the sort of detectives who rely on a certain room for your brain power, I think I'll be looking somewhere else!" Sir Reginald complained. "Don't worry good man," my friend said "It's just that Dr. Watson here is a bit bold for his own good, and I can assure you that such extensive methods need not be taken," And as he saw the look of astonishment on my face he cast a discreet wink my way. "If only," Holmes

Monday, November 25, 2019

Several Grinding Mill Phenomenons of Ball Mills Essays

Several Grinding Mill Phenomenons of Ball Mills Essays Several Grinding Mill Phenomenons of Ball Mills Essay Several Grinding Mill Phenomenons of Ball Mills Essay Wet ball mill is grinding equipment production, one of the rolling mill is a cylinder with a special support structure in accordance with the new concept design of a new mill. Let solves the system under harsh environmental conditions and prolonged sealing problems arising from the work cylinder traverse problem. Now, come to you to talk about the wet ball mill installation process sequence, base unit installation, we hope that this knowledge a help: Understanding the detection of ball mill load is significant. Grinding Jobs appear package ball, the grinding of the material and the gas temperature is high, end mill sieve take water vapor, the product has a thin sheet materials, while the large tile mill outlet temperature is high, the grinding of cement tacky. So pack the ball mill produces grinding phenomenon with full, what does? L . Into the grinding material is too dry, too little water, fine powders prone to static electricity and adhere to the surface grinding. 2. Duct blockage, poor ventilation, the eat can not be discharged in the mill, the mill will lead to overheating and package materials ball. . Into the grinding material temperature is too high, or if the material is too long residence time in the mill, or poor ventilation, the temperature Inside the mill is too high, generating static electricity, so fine powders adsorbed on the surface of the grinding balls causes packet. Most customers in the production process for the mill appeared packages balls and full grinding phenomena do not know, a problem I o not know in what way the rescue, resulting In ball mill not normal production operations.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Dissertation2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Dissertation2 - Essay Example A similar pattern of social influence was also reported by those who were identified as in-group members and as protà ©gà ©s. In-group members and mentored individuals reported greater use of expert and referent power than out-group members and non-mentored people. Further, out-group members and non-mentored individuals both reported a greater use of coercive power than did in-group members and protà ©gà ©s. Research interest in mentor/protà ©gà © relationships developed during the 1980s. It arose largely without articulated conceptual links to other topics in social/organizational psychology such as leadership, social influence, pro-social behavior, or social exchange. The first studies of this developmental relationship were descriptive and exploratory, such as Krams early research (2003) which identified two functions that mentors provide their protà ©gà ©s: career and psychosocial. More recent research (Noe, 1998a, 458) has examined the process and outcome of formal assigned mentor-protà ©gà © pairings and, in particular, the difference in outcomes between formal and naturally developing informal mentoring relationships (Chao, Walz, & Gardner, 2002, 619). Noe (1998b, 68) reviewed work on mentoring as it pertains to womens career development. He recommended clarifying the nature of the mentoring construct, suggesting several research questions about the development and effectiveness of these relationships. Noe also stated that "the use of leader-member exchange theory may further understanding of the dynamics involved in the formation of mentorships" (p. 73). Consistent with Noes recommendations, the present study was designed to investigate the convergence of mentoring relationships with another construct in social/organizational psychology: high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX). To explore the convergence of LMX and mentoring, we propose that

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Nigel Slacks transformation process model Essay

Nigel Slacks transformation process model - Essay Example However, this was only the first Dimension of the whole project. In fact, a second Dimension follows in which should answer the following question: what the relevant technology could offer to the transformation of resources in the particular firm. More specifically, the business process technology would improve the firm’s resources mainly offering a framework for the increase of their productivity. If such a target could not be achieved by the above procedure then the firm should avoid the transformation of its processes by first instance. On the other hand, the value of the business process technology for the completion of the business transformation process would be examined thoroughly before the implementation of the relevant technology. Finally, the role of business process technology in the whole procession would be evaluated in terms of its importance for the achievement of the targets set by the firm attempting the transformation of its processes.The effectiveness of th e relevant procedure was examined by Slack et al. (2005) with a specific reference to five firms: a fashion clothing retailer, a retail bank, a full-service airline industry, a food company and a company operating in the area of laboratory services. Their research led to the following results: a) the market performance opportunities associated with BPT (business process technology) are far broader than the traditional narrow focus on cost reduction; as a result, any evaluation of BPT must reflect its impact.

Monday, November 18, 2019

MIH 521 Health Program Evaluation (Mod 2 SLP) Essay

MIH 521 Health Program Evaluation (Mod 2 SLP) - Essay Example In this case the evaluation would be done of FitKids which is a program to keep kids healthier through activity. If we do not evaluate the programs we set up, we do not know how well they are doing and what their results are (attc-ne.org). The plan to evaluate according to Harvard Medical School plans(2009) includes the following things. Identify with precision what it is that the specific program has as a purpose and in the case of FitKids, the reason is to have healthier more active kids which prevents chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and orthopedic diseases. It is important to know whether the program has the potential to meet its goals and the terminology that is used in the evaluation study must be explained up front to assure a thorough understanding of the results. Threats to validity are always a problem in any kind of research but it is particularly so in an evaluation study. There are according to the Harvard School plan (2009) seven threats that must be watched for. Those are a history of events happening during the study that were not planned to occur. There is a maturation problem that can occur when the passage of time changes the study and one does not realize or plan for that as well as the fact that a testing issue could happen. Testing issues usually happen when there is bias in the choice of controls though, which is not likely to happen in this particular evaluation.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Importance And Significance Of Self Awareness Social Work Essay

The Importance And Significance Of Self Awareness Social Work Essay Self awareness, according to Wong (2003), means recognition of our personality, strengths and weaknesses and likes and dislikes. As a social worker, self awareness is an essential element to prepare oneself to encounter the clients personal matter, their attitudes, thoughts, etc. The essay is going to discuss the importance and significance of self awareness. Then talk about what I have learnt about myself, in terms of my personalities, attitudes, strengths, limitations and how my past experiences affect me. Finally correlate how self awareness can help my professional development as a social worker. According to Rothman (1999), everyone has its own attitudes or viewpoints towards something. Our thoughts and values are shaped during the time of infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood. These thinking may be based on our own experiences, education received or society influences. It is clear that our past experiences, social norms, values from the others, characteristics, prejudices or stereotypes shape Knowing how my past experiences influence my own values helps me to be more aware of my own self. Having an uncle who committed suicide that made my family, especially my grandmother, sad and miserable, I personally hate people who have the intention to end up their lives. However, this hatred may make me unable to make the most appropriate decision when a client who has the will to commit suicide seeks help from me. Moreover, as suggested by Biestek (1961), the relationship between the social worker and the client has been called the soul of casework. It may be hard for me to develop appropriate relationship with the client. It is possible that I will have uncontrolled emotional involvement and judgmental attitudes towards the client. Without self awareness and knowing what experiences shape my thoughts, I will experience difficulty in providing sensitive and skillful services to the clients. I may also unknowingly reject the client and avoid talking too much about death unconscious ly. However, by knowing what experiences are affecting my values and thoughts, Rothman (1999) suggested that it assists the worker to work with clients, and to control and minimize the influences of personal attitudes and beliefs that may be harmful and prejudicial toward clients. Prejudices, biases and stereotypes may be great barriers on my professional development. It is common that when come to minorities such as prostitutes, homosexuals or the street sleepers, people may regard their behaviors as unethical. It may due to their personal values, cultural, religious and other beliefs which people take for granted to adopt when facing these issues. I also have prejudices and stereotypes on them and they may be expressed in conversations, acts or behaviours since they are hidden in the subconscious as suggested by Rothman (1999). I may unknowingly have words that harm them and make them defensive or not trust in me. Thus making it hard to develop good relationship with the client and hard to have intervention processes. For example, I have been exposed to a strong heterosexual bias and may incorporate some homophobic reactions such as discomfort or hatred of homosexual people. Without self-awareness and knowledge, I may not be able to provide skillful services to gay or lesbian clients. If a worker has religious belief, he or she may even have a strong belief that homosexuality is a sin. According to Sheafor and Morales (2007), one of the competences required for social work practice is the capacity to engage in ethnic-, gender- and age-sensitive practice. In order to achieve this, it is essential for a worker to find ways and methods to separate their personal belief system from their professional values, ethics and roles. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses also helps me with my professional development. I am glad and patient to listen to others. At the same time, I am also empathetic to others experiences and difficulties. It makes the clients feel being respected and thus it is easier to develop a proper client-worker relationship. It is of utmost importance that the client trust you Reflecting on our own experiences and developmental stages helps when working with clients. For example, I was shy and not willing to express my care towards others in my childhood. And I would have no opportunity to show my love to my grandmother who died years ago. The losses in my life make me re-think the way I used to be and strive for a change, that is, be more outgoing and caring to others. I can thus draw on my personal experience when working with young people and guide them in the changing process. However, it also makes me consider my limitations, that is, when working with elderly clients. I can relate my experience that is similar to a teenagers, however, it is impossible for me to have certain difficulties faced by elderly clients such as the aging process. As suggested by Berman-Rossi(2001), a social worker thus must develop aging relevant knowledge, self awareness, sensitivity and skill. Knowledge about aging demographics, age-related changes and developmental tasks i s essential. Although there are limitations to my service provided, there are ways to minimize the inadequacy. Increased openness to other ways of thinking My family is a blissful one, sometimes having some conflicts but still harmonious on the whole. I once thought that it is normal to have the kind of family like mine, and at least most of the families are alike. However, it is wrong as there are diversities in family structure. Some families are single-parented, while some may have huge communication problems among family members or having family members that are drug addicts that greatly affects the family. Sharing own feelings and thoughts among a group of peers helps to make up ones own viewpoint towards the population. By listening and sharing, one can know more about the peers attitudes on the issue, to examine their own attitudes and to exchange opinions in an overview. One can also have a broader view on an issue and Social workers must confront their own prejudices and stereotypes about minorities. Making myself known about losses in my own life helps me to understand what past experiences or feelings are affecting my own values and thoughts today.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Rates Of Reaction :: Papers

Rates Of Reaction Aim: To find out the effect of acid concentration in dilute hydrochloric acid and magnesium ribbon, and how much hydrogen gas is given off. Prediction: I predict that as the concentration of the hydrochloric acid increases the time taken for magnesium ribbon to dissolve will decrease. Apparatus: Saturated test tube Rubber bung Bowl water Magnesium ribbon Concentrated hydrochloric acid Plastic tube Stopwatch Conical flask Measuring cylinder The concentration of the acid is going to be my only variable. It will vary the time taken for the magnesium ribbon to dissolve into the acid. Other things that I will be using are not going to be varied these are volume of hydrochloric acid and magnesium ribbon. The magnesium ribbon dissolves into the hydrochloric acid because then it collides with the particles inside the hydrochloric acid. Activation energy is minimum amount of energy required for a reaction to take place. For each of the concentrations I use the activation energy will be different. If the activation energy is high then only a small amount of particles will have enough energy to react but if the activation energy is low then a lot more particles can react. The reaction will also be exothermic because it will be giving off heat and hydrogen gas. A change in concentration is a change in the number of particles in a volume. If we increase the volume the particles will collide more because they are crowded. Factors: The factors that could affect the rate of reaction are as follows: Concentration of Acid This could affect the rate of reaction because the higher that concentration of the acid the more particles there are so there is more collision per second. Temperature: If the starting temperature of the acid is different each time then the speed at which the atoms will collide will increase or decrease depending on what the temperature is.

Monday, November 11, 2019

3.03 Two Idealists: Double Feature

Part I. Ralph Waldo Emerson In an essay published in 1841, Emerson addressed one of the central characteristics of the American sensibility: individualism. Before you read, take a moment to think about the term â€Å"self-reliance† and what it means to you as a teenager and a student. As you read, determine what â€Å"self-reliance† meant to Emerson and how your meaning and his overlap. †¢ Read â€Å"Self Reliance. † †¢ Open and complete the questions on the Emerson Questions page. †¢ Then, continue to Part II.Part II Henry David Thoreau â€Å"Civil Disobedience† was inspired by a night in jail, which Thoreau had to serve for not paying his poll tax. His refusal to pay a tax to the state stemmed from his opposition to slavery. The state supported it, and to show his disdain towards the state's position, he refused to pay this tax. Some people have suggested the essay shows that Thoreau merely wanted to withdraw from life and all its hard que stions. Others see Thoreau's position as the only one he could take to justify his stand.Upon completion of this assignment, Part II, you will have to decide for yourself how this essay affects you. †¢ Read â€Å"Civil Disobedience. † †¢ Write a letter to the editor either in support of, or in opposition to this statement from the excerpt above, â€Å"That government is best which governs not at all. † – Thoreau †¢ Before you begin writing, continue to the Report page, where you will receive further instruction on how to formulate this letter. †¢ You will be adding this letter (Part II) to your Part I assignment to submit as your assessment for this lesson

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Funny Fathers Day Quotes to Make Dad Smile

Funny Father's Day Quotes to Make Dad Smile We celebrate Fathers Day to honor our fathers. Laughter is an excellent gift. Get your father to laugh with one of these chuckle-worthy funny Fathers Day quotes: Bob Monkhouse My father only hit me once - but he used a Volvo. Robert Orben Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards. Ann Richards I have always had the feeling I could do anything, and my dad told me I could. I was in college before I found out he might be wrong. Jay Leno A lot of controversy over this possible invasion of Iraq. In fact, Nelson Mandela was so upset, he called Bushs dad. How embarrassing, when world leaders start calling your father. Barbara Kingsolver It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didnt. Jimmy Piersall Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then, fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitchers mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again. Bertrand Russell The place of the father in the modern suburban family is a very small one, particularly if he plays golf. Brad Pitt Man, if I can get a burp out of that little thing I feel such a sense of accomplishment. Ernest Hemingway To be a successful father theres one absolute rule: when you have a kid, dont look at it for the first two years. Gabriel Garcia Marquez A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father. Tim Russert The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get. Mark Twain When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. Bill Hicks I never got along with my dad. Kids used to come up to me and say, My dad can beat up your dad. Id say, Yeah? When? Jack Handy Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which I guess is why several of us died of tuberculosis. Alice Roosevelt Longworth My father always wanted to be the corpse at every funeral, the bride at every wedding, and the baby at every christening. Donald Trump I love producing children. Its fun! I dont like taking care of children, but I love producing children. Jerry Seinfeld There is no such thing as fun for the whole family. Patrick Dempsey Heres the cycle: They wake up, they cry, they go to the breast, they eat, they poo or pee, you change a diaper, and they go back to sleep. Its much harder for my wife than for me because shes pumping or nursing. Lionel Richie Forget about surviving 40 years in the music business. Just surviving 27 years of Nicole Richie has been a struggle-and-a-half, I want to tell you. I stand here as a survivor, I want you to know, for all the parents out there. Chris Martin Men should always change diapers. Its a very rewarding experience. Its mentally cleansing. Its like washing dishes, but imagine if the dishes were your kids, so you really love the dishes. Bill Cosby My father confused me. From the ages of one to seven, I thought my name was Jesus Christ!

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Gram Stain Procedure in Microbiology

Gram Stain Procedure in Microbiology The Gram stain is a differential method of staining used to assign bacteria to one of two groups (gram-positive and gram-negative) based on the properties of their cell walls. It is also known as Gram staining or Grams method. The procedure is named for the person who developed the technique, Danish bacteriologist Hans Christian Gram. How the Gram Stain Works The procedure is based on the reaction between peptidoglycan in the cell walls of some bacteria. The Gram stain involves staining bacteria, fixing the color with a mordant, decolorizing the cells, and applying a counterstain. The primary stain (crystal violet) binds to peptidoglycan, coloring cells purple. Both gram-positive and gram-negative cells have peptidoglycan in their cell walls, so initially, all bacteria stain violet.Grams iodine (iodine and potassium iodide) is applied as a mordant or fixative. Gram-positive cells form a crystal violet-iodine complex.Alcohol or acetone is used to decolorize the cells. Gram-negative bacteria have much less peptidoglycan in their cell walls, so this step essentially renders them colorless, while only some of the color is removed from gram-positive cells, which have more peptidoglycan (60-90% of the cell wall). The thick cell wall of gram-positive cells is dehydrated by the decolorizing step, causing them to shrink and trapping the stain-iodine complex inside.After the decolorizing step, a counterstain is applied (usually safranin, but sometimes fuchsine) to color the bacteria pink. Both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria pick up the pink stain, but it is no t visible over the darker purple of the gram-positive bacteria. If the staining procedure is performed correctly, gram-positive bacteria will be purple, while gram-negative bacteria will be pink. Purpose of the Gram Staining Technique The results of the Gram stain are viewed using light microscopy. Because the bacteria are colored, not only is their Gram stain group identified, but their shape, size, and clumping pattern may be observed. This makes the Gram stain a valuable diagnostic tool for a medical clinic or lab. While the stain may not definitely identify bacteria, often knowing whether they are gram-positive or gram-negative is sufficient for prescribing an effective antibiotic. Limitations of the Technique Some bacteria may be gram-variable or gram-indeterminate. However, even this information may be useful in narrowing down bacterial identity. The technique is most reliable when cultures are less than 24 hours old. While it can be used on broth cultures, its best to centrifuge them first. The primary limitation of the technique is that it yields erroneous results if mistakes are made in the technique. Practice and skill are needed to produce a reliable result. Also, an infectious agent may not be bacterial. Eukaryotic pathogens stain gram-negative. However, most eukaryotic cells except fungi (including yeast) fail to stick to the slide during the process. Gram Staining Procedure Materials Crystal violet (primary stain)Grams iodine (mordant, to fix crystal violet in the cell wall)Ethanol or Acetone (decolorizer)Safranin (secondary stain or counterstain)Water in a squirt bottle or dropper bottleMicroscope slidesCompound microscope Note its better to use distilled water than tap water, as pH differences in water sources may affect results. Steps Place a small drop of bacterial sample on a slide. Heat fix the bacteria to the slide by passing it through the flame of a Bunsen burner three times. Applying too much heat or for too long can melt the bacteria  cell walls, distorting their shape and leading to an inaccurate result. If too little heat is applied, the bacteria will wash off the slide during staining.Use a dropper to apply the primary stain (crystal violet) to the slide and allow it to sit for 1 minute. Gently rinse the slide with water no longer than 5 seconds to remove excess stain. Rinsing too long can remove too much color, while not rinsing long enough may allow too much stain to remain on gram-negative cells.Use a dropper to apply Grams iodine to the slide to fix the crystal violet to the cell wall. Let it sit for 1 minute.Rinse the slide with alcohol or acetone about 3 seconds, followed immediately with a gentle rinse using water. The gram-negative cells will lose color, while the gram-positive cells will rema in violet or blue. However, if the decolorizer is left on too long, all cells will lose color! Apply the secondary stain, safranin, and allow it to sit for 1 minute. Gently rinse with water no longer than 5 seconds. The gram-negative cells should be stained red or pink, while the gram-positive cells will still appear purple or blue.View the slide using a compound microscope. A magnification of 500x to 1000x may be needed to distinguish cell shape and arrangement. Examples of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Pathogens Not all bacteria identified by the Gram stain are associated with diseases, but a few important examples include: Gram-positive cocci  (round)  -Staphylococcus aureusGram-negative cocci  -  Neisseria meningitidisGram-positive bacilli (rods)  -  Bacillus anthracisGram-negative bacilli  -  Escherichia coli

Monday, November 4, 2019

Patient Safety and Medication Administration in Nursing Research Paper

Patient Safety and Medication Administration in Nursing - Research Paper Example The understanding that is developed is that in order for a nurse to avoid medication errors, the nurse ought to ensure that whatever medication is being administered is being given in the right format (Elliott M and Liu Y. Zhang, Patel & Johnson believed that nurses must ensure that all these right procedures are followed but Conrad et al. (2010, p. 141) on the other hand stated that it may not all medications that would have to go through all the 9 rights but at least in all cases, 5 of these should be used. Reflecting on the 9 rights, Palmieri et al. (2009, p. 36) noted that the 9 rights have been made to cover aspects of medication, which when ignored, can lead to serious errors with the administration. To have a better understanding of how the 9 rights helps to prevent or minimize errors, Elliott M1, Liu Y. stated that one may simply turn the ‘right’ to ‘wrong’ and know the effect that a refusal to abide by the procedures can bring. Another important int ervention that has been noted to be very effective with the minimization of errors is the organization of medications within the medication room (Alldred et al. 2008, 320). In order jurisdiction, this is referred to as sorting, labeling, or nomenclature (Alldred et al. 2008, 321). Nurses have been noted to make the Accidental mistake of confusing the labels of some medical products for others. Because of this when there is a mixture of drugs with similar packages, the chances that there will be mix up leading to errors are higher.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

International Money and Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International Money and Finance - Essay Example ompany name â€Å"Sunbelt Rentals.† Sunbelt Rentals has 358 facilities across the United States, and functions primarily in the commercial construction market. The company’s annual report from 2010 provides clues on the exchange rate risks. The operating statistics on the number of rental stores and staff strength provide a comparative view of the performance of the Ashtead Group for both Sunbelt Rentals and A-Plant in the years 2009 and 2010 respectively (Ashtead Group Press Release, 2011). Ashtead Group exposure to exchange rate risk develops from translation risk, which emerges from most of the company’s assets, liabilities, income, and costs being written in U.S. dollars. The changes in the comparative value of Pound Sterling and the U.S. dollar impact on the financial strength and functioning of the company. All of the company’s debt is shown in U.S. dollars in order to secure the revenue stream, hedging against the translation effect erupting from the shift in the dollar exchange rate. The company pays dollar interest on its debts to reduce the impact of any shift in the dollar exchange rate on its income (Moffett et al., 2009, p. 260, Ashtead Group Annual Report Accounts, 2010). Movement in the exposure of the company against the Pound Sterling or other currencies can create significant transaction exposure. Higher levels of exposure can affect the firm’s short-term cash flow and therefore may force the firm to borrow in order to meet its short-term cash requirements (Moffett et al., 2009, p. 253-255). Until the 31st of October, 2010, all company debts were shown in U.S. dollars and nearly 80% of the value of the company’s net assets was also in dollars. It proved to be a robust hedge against currency fluctuations. It reduces the impact of exchange rate fluctuations as interest is paid through dollars, thus reducing the effect on pre-tax profits and income. Based on the latest currency mix of Ashtead Group’s profits and dollar debt levels, in