text:
Tag: leash
Would you let a drone walk your dog?
We report often on dog-related technology here on ohmidog! — both that which is budding and that which has found its way to the marketplace — and a good 90 percent of the time we have nothing positive to say about it.
Including this time.
A drone that walks your dog? No. No. And no.
This is just one man's experiment, but let's hope it doesn't catch on.
Here's the thing about dog-centered technology: It's usually not centered on dogs at all.
Instead, it is aimed at making the lives of dog owners easier. Generally, it is something that relieves dog owners of responsibility, allowing them to both spend less time with their dog and feel less guilty about it.
Like machines that, on a programmed schedule or through remote operation, can dispense a treat to your dog while you're away.
Or a machine that will play fetch with your dog while you're away, or just too tired to go to all that effort.
And all those other contraptions, apps and gizmos that allow you to cut down on face to face time with your dog, thereby eroding the one thing that counts — the bond between the two of you.
Those devices aren't really making it any easier for you to live your life. Your dog, on the other hand, is.
The video above shows Lucy, a golden retriever from Connecticut, being walked by a drone.
Jeff Myers, the mind behind this video, said he wanted to show it could be done — always a dangerous reason to do something, especially when it's the sole reason.
Myers lives in New York City, and he borrowed his mother's dog for the experiment, in which dog is leashed to drone and drone is controlled by an app.
It's just a concept Myers says.
So too, at one point, was dog cloning. Those concepts — good or bad — have a way of turning into business enterprises once the realization that there could be profits kicks in.
This NPR report about the dog walking drone and other technological developments for dogs, concluded, "The future is here and it's pretty darn cute."
Pretty darn cute?
Yeah, right up there with using your car to walk your dog:
Posted by John Woestendiek April 29th, 2016 under Muttsblog, videos.
Tags: animals, bad, bond, car, control, dog, dog technology, dog walking, dogs, driving, drone, drones, exercise, experiment, leash, pets, remote, responsibility, rope, technology, walk, walker, walking
Comments: none
Facing eviction, woman strangles pit bull; says she didn't want anyone else to have it
Faced with eviction unless she got rid of her pit bull, a Florida woman got rid of her pit bull — by strangling her and burying her in her mother's yard, authorities say.
Shelly Bezanson, 28, of Osprey, told police she choked the dog to death with her own leash because she didn't want anyone else to have her, the Herald-Tribune in Sarasota reports.
"The vet would not put Diamond down, so I did," Bezanson said, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
After learning she faced eviction, Bezanson repeatedly asked a veterinarian to euthanize the otherwise healthy 7-year-old dog. When the vet repeatedly refused, suggesting rescue groups that would take the dog in and find her a new home, Bezanson took matters into her own hands.
On Nov. 14, Bezanson strangled Diamond using the dog's chain leash, turning up the music in her apartment so her neighbors would not hear her, officers said.
Sarasota County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Wendy Rose called the incident a "horrible story — particularly when you have so many willing rescue groups to help take the dog and give it a forever home."
Bezanson told officers she did not want anyone else to have the dog.
"I promised Diamond we would be together until the end," deputies quoted Bezanson as saying. "And this was the end."
In later interviews, she told deputies that she regretted what she did and wished she would have found someone else to take care of the dog.
Bezanson also owned a kitten and a domesticated rat when she was arrested, and she told officers she planned to adopt another dog.
Charged with animal cruelty, she is being held at the Sarasota County Jail on $25,000 bond.
Judging from the comments the article is generating, she might want to stay there.
(Photos: Mug shot of Bezanson, and undated photo of Bezanson with Diamond, provided by Sarasota County Sheriff's office)
Posted by John Woestendiek January 22nd, 2014 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animal cruelty, animals, apartments, bans, chain, charges, choked, cruelty to animals, diamond, dogs, eviction, florida, killed, landlords, leash, osprey, pets, pit bull, pit bulls, pitbull, pitbulls, sarasota county, selfish, shelly bezanson, sheriff, strangled, tenants
Comments: 2
Thou shalt not poop
When the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine decided it needed to do something about the increasing numbers of dogs pooping on its hallowed grounds, it turned not to a deity, but to a design firm.
That firm's answer? A series of signs, using Old Testament verse as an inspiration, along with regular English, in smaller print, for those who might not get it.
The Episcopal church, something of a landmark in New York City, isn't totally down on dogs. It hold a blessing for dogs and other creatures on St. Francis Day. And it doesn't mind that it has become a popular spot with dog owners. It just didn't like the mess.
The design firm Pentagram says the church didn't specifically request humorous signs, but that seemed to be the best approach.
The signs read, "Thou shalt not poop (Please keep dogs off grass)," "Hold close thy loved (Please keep dogs on a leash)," and "Collect what you receive (Please clean up after your dog)."
(Photo: Pentagram)
Posted by John Woestendiek October 16th, 2013 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animals, bible, cathedral of saint john the divine, church, clean up, dog, dog poop, dogs, episcopal, grass, grounds, leash, new york, old testament, pentagram, pets, poop, scripture, signs
Comments: none
Golden? Yes. Silence? Not a chance
How many human years have gone into figuring out just where and how dogs can play in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area?
We don't know, but clearly the debate isn't over yet, and won't likely ever be.
The latest revision of the federal dog management plan for GGNRA adds some new areas that dogs on leashes can roam, subtracts a few areas where dogs could previously run free, and once again stirs the decades-long debate over where dogs fit in at the scenic, 80,00-plus-acre federal playground.
The new document is an attempt by National Park Service officials to address some of the 4,713 comments that poured in after the first 2,400-page dog management plan was released in 2011. "The tome," the San Francisco Chronicle notes, "outweighs many of the pooches that frequent the park."
I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere in the Bay Area, dog talking amongst themselves are just shaking their heads and laughing about all the man-hours that have gone into figuring it all out: "C'mon guys, is it really that complex?"
Unfortunately, since it involves humans, yes, dogs, it is.
Especially when many of those humans see what they want to do on the land as paramount — be it dog-walking, bird-watching, jogging, hiking, biking, picnicking, ocean-gazing, serenity-seeking or soul-searching.
Between all those conflicting agendas, and its mission to protect the integrity of the land, the National Park Service faces a balancing act that has no end.
Its latest effort is a proposal that loosens some restrictions and tightens others when it comes to dogs in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The proposal adds more leashed areas to the GGNRA and let dogs run free in new areas of Fort Funston and Fort Mason.
"It's a substantial increase in the amount available for off-leash voice control use and connectability to the beach," said Howard Levitt, the park's director of communications and partnerships. "The trails themselves are on leash, but the off-leash areas are substantial, including flat open areas that are commonly used right now."
Still, dog lovers, see its restrictions as overly severe.
"It's far more restrictive than we ever would have imagined," said Martha Walters, chairwoman of the Crissy Field Dog Group. "We feel very betrayed by the Park Service, especially after all these years working with them in a cooperative manner. There is no scientific basis for this radical change."
Recreation area officials said the changes are needed because of the increasing number of visitors — they now number about 14.5 million a year — and their conflicting recreational pursuits. Naturalists and bird-watchers, for instance, often complain about dogs trampling vegetation, frightening birds and harassing wildlife.
Adding to complexity of it all is the fact that GGNRA includes 21 locations spread over San Mateo, San Francisco and Marin counties; with 1,273 plant and animal species, some endangered; 1,200 historic structures, including 5 National Historic Landmarks; and 192 recorded archeological sites.
That leads to different doggy rules for different locations. Under the park service's latest proposal, canines would still be prohibited on East Beach, but they would be allowed on the middle portion of the beach and on the east side of the grassy former air field. Ocean Beach would still be off limits to unleashed dogs everywhere except north of Stairwell 21, which is closest to the Cliff House. Off leash areas would be added to the grassy areas near Bay and Laguna streets, at Fort Mason and at Fort Funston.
Instead of a complete ban on dogs at Muir Beach in Marin County — as originally proposed — leashed dogs would be permitted. The six beaches in Marin County where unleashed dogs are now permitted would be reduced to one — Rodeo Beach.
The GGNRA's new park, Rancho Corral de Tierra in San Mateo County, near Moss Beach, would allow leashed dogs only on trails next to the communities of El Granada and Montara.
Dog lovers say were expecting more when the park decide to review and reissue a dog management plan.
"People have been walking their dogs off leash on Crissy Field, Baker Beach, Muir Beach and many of these other coastal areas with no problems for generations," Walters said. "Can you imagine taking your dog to the beach and keeping him on a leash? It doesn't make any practical sense."
A 90-day public comment period on the new proposals began Friday and will end Dec. 4, and a series of public meeting will be held in November. ( Nov. 2, at Fort Mason Center, Bldg. D, Fleet Room, in San Francisco; Nov. 4, Farallone View Elementary School in Montara; Nov. 6, Tamalpais High School, Ruby Gym, in Mill Valley.)
The final (yeah, right) plan is expected in late 2015.
(Photo: Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco; by Raphael Kluzniok / The San Francisco Chronicle)
Posted by John Woestendiek September 13th, 2013 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animals, comments, dog, dogs, draft, federal, ggnra, golden gate, golden gate national recreation area, leash, leashed, national park service, off-leash, on leash, park service, pets, proposals, public hearings, restrictions, unleashed
Comments: 1
Bulletin: Not everybody loves your dog
Farhad Manjoo doesn't want to pet your dog.
In fact, he'd prefer it if you'd keep your dog to yourself — out of the park he wants to read in, away from the cafe where he enjoys his Frappuccino, and definitely not in the gym in which he works out.
It was a case of the latter that triggered a well-written, semi-playful, anti-dog diatribe he wrote for Slate last week.
Manjoo argued that dogs are getting too many privileges. He pointed out that not everybody enjoys their presence, cited health hazards they could conceivably pose, and suggested all those people who take their dogs everywhere start leaving them at home.
Not sharing one's dog? To me, that's the equivalent of hiding a Van Gogh behind an ironing board in the basement. Or putting a newfound cure for cancer in a time capsule. Or shielding your eyes — just to be safe — from a blazing sunset.
Still, we'd defend Manjoo's preference to live life without somebody else's dog in his face. That's his right. It's his loss, but it's also his right.
Manjoo is Slate's technology columnist and the author of True Enough: Learning To Live in a Post-Fact Society. So it doesn't surprise me — he being caught up in all things digital — that he has failed to catch on to or be captivated by the wonder of dogs.
Microchipping aside, dogs and technology are best kept separate. They don't always get along, maybe because they are the antithesis of each other. Technology may be the cure for everything, but dogs are the cure for technology. We'll get back to this point, but first let's look at what Manjoo said — after an unwanted encounter with a Doberman inside his gym.
"The dog came up to me, because in my experience that's what dogs do when you don't want them to come up to you. They get up real close, touching you, licking you, theatrically begging you to respond… I guess I was fairly sure he wouldn't snap and bite me, but stranger things have happened — for instance, dogs snapping and biting people all the time.
"Why was this dog here? And why was no one perturbed that this dog was here?
"…No one was asking because no one could ask. Sometime in the last decade, dogs achieved dominion over urban America. They are everywhere now, allowed in places that used to belong exclusively to humans, and sometimes only to human adults: the office, restaurants, museums, buses, trains, malls, supermarkets, barber shops, banks, post offices… Dogs are frequently allowed to wander off leash, to run toward you and around you, to run across the baseball field or basketball court, to get up in your grill. Even worse than the dogs are the owners, who seem never to consider whether there may be people in the gym/office/restaurant/museum who do not care to be in close proximity to their dogs. …"
Manjoo admits to not being a dog person, but at least — unlike most anti-dog types — he has a sense of humor about it.
"It's not that I actively despise mutts; I just don't have much time for them, in the same way I don't have time for crossword puzzles or Maroon 5," he writes.
"But here's my problem: There's now a cultural assumption that everyone must love dogs. Dog owners are rarely forced to reckon with the idea that there are people who aren't enthralled by their furry friends, and that taking their dogs everywhere might not be completely pleasant for these folks."
And seldom, he points out, does anyone whose dog accosts him say they're sorry.
"… I can promise you she won't apologize for the imposition. Nor will she ask you if you mind her dog doing what he's doing. Nor will she pull on its leash, because there won't be a leash, this being an office, where dogs are as welcome as Wi-Fi and free coffee."
The same holds true, he notes, at coffee houses.
Here we should point out that the dog pictured atop this post is mine, and that, in the photo, Ace is enjoying an iced coffee product at Starbucks, offered to him by a customer whose behavior indicated she wanted him to visit her table.
When I take Ace to a Starbucks, or most anywhere else, it's usually pretty apparent who wants to meet him and who doesn't, and I restrain him accordingly. I don't have to compile any data or crunch any numbers, I can just tell. It's not brain surgery, or computer science.
Even though most people go to Starbucks for the free Wi-Fi, or the expensive coffee, I'd estimate about one of two customers wants to meet my dog. Ace — and this isn't true of every dog — has a way of figuring that out himself, and generally will avoid those who show no interest in him, unless they are in the process of eating a muffin or pastry, in which case he's willing to overlook the fact they may not be dog lovers.
What makes the numbers even more impressive is that 8 of every 10 customers at your typical Starbucks are under the spell of their computer device and not at all cognizant of what's going on around them.
Ace is sometimes able to break that spell, at least he does for me.
As for me, I'd rather have access to Fido then Wi-Fi anyday. Fido will soothe me. Wi-Fi will likely, at some point, make me angry and frustrated. Fido will focus me. Wi-Fi will distract me. Wi-Fi will accost me with uninvited and intrusive messages, and send me alerts, and remind me of all the things I need to do today. Fido will remind me all those things aren't really that important and can wait until tomorrow. Wi-Fi will take me out of the moment; Fido will keep me in it. Wi-fi has no soul. Fido does, and his presence allows our souls — those of us who have them — to be refreshed. Dogs keep us from becoming an entirely manic society.
No one, if I have my laptop on, will want to come up and pet it, except maybe Farhad Manjoo, who — while not having the least bit of interest in my dog — is probably curious about my gigabytes and apps.
On this much I will agree with Manjoo: There are dog owners who seem unaware that not everybody will delight in their dog, oblivious to the fact that some might find their dog annoying and intrusive. Similarly, though, there are parents of children who don't realize not everybody will delight in their antics. Similarly, too, there are grown-up people who fail to realize that they themselves are annoying and who we'd prefer not to have inflicted upon us.
Unfortunately, we can't just ban them. Our choices are limited. We could work on being tolerant — of all ages, sizes, shapes and species, despite their noise, intrusiveness and abrasiveness levels. Or we could go somewhere else. Or we could complain.
Sometimes, when visiting a Starbucks or other coffee place, I wonder if I should lodge an official complaint with management about Wi-Fi — objecting to its omnipresence, and how it seems to be turning people into keyboard-pushing zombies.
"No," I'd say, "I'm not technically allergic to it, but I'm uncomfortable with it near. I've had some bad experiences with it. Sometimes it bites people when they least expect it, and I'm pretty sure it harbors germs."
"But it's wireless," the manager might say.
"Exactly," I'd say with a huff. "Put a leash on it."
Posted by John Woestendiek May 14th, 2013 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animals, apps, behavior, cell phones, coffee, common sense, computers, culture, devices, digital, dislike, dog, dog friendly, dogs, dominion, farhad manjoo, fear, gyms, hate, laptops, leash, leashed, love, manners, parks, pets, place, privileges, public, rights, slate, society, starbucks, technology, unleashed
Comments: 11
When the babysitter scratches and drools
We're not big on dogs being tethered to anything — posts, parking meters, even, except when necessary, humans.
And, entanglements sometimes being easy to get into and hard to get out of, it's definitely not a good idea, generally speaking, to leash them to each other.
But this was brief, and supervised, and kinda cute.
Ace was recruited into babysitting duty over the weekend when, on the quatro de Mayo, we went to a Cinco de Mayo party at a former neighbor's home.
Two other guests brought their little dogs. First came a pipsqueak of a pup named Penny who, after greeting everyone, still had lots of energy to spare. With a fairly busy road nearby, it was suggested Penny be tethered to a somewhat stationary object — namely Ace.
We're not recommending you try this at home, but Ace is pretty mellow, gentle with the little ones and had met Penny before.
Plus, he was used to being latched to smaller dogs, having shepherded a dachshund friend several times without stepping on him.
Plus, he was so happy to return to his old neighborhood he wasn't about to dart off, or even saunter off, dragging two little balls of fluff behind him.
Plus, I was watching over it all pretty closely.
Ace didn't seem to mind the arrangement a bit, and Penny put up with it, sometimes walking along in stride with him. She figured out pretty quickly, when she did try to scoot of on her own, that it was hopeless.
After exploring together, Ace decided to lay down, and Penny settled nearby, finding a stick to chew on.
About then, Charlie arrived, another fluffy little dog — slightly larger than Penny. That led to an energy surge, at least among the smaller, younger dogs, so we decided to hook Charlie to Ace, too.
As Charlie and Penny frolicked, Ace monitored them for a while, then worked the crowd, begging for food and ignoring the occasional little tugs on his harness.
Eventually, Charlie and Penny were freed, and they were so into playing, they didn't go anywhere, except in tiny circles around each other — ignoring their babysitter entirely.
I think Ace liked briefly having a mission.
Like all good things though, it came to an end.
Posted by John Woestendiek May 8th, 2013 under Muttsblog.
Tags: ace, animals, babysitter, babysitting, backyard, charlie, cinco de mayo, dogs, harness, leash, leashed, party, penny, pets, play, supervision, tethered, tethering
Comments: 3
Columnist's best friend?
In the old days, when a newspaper columnist started writing about his dog, it meant — at least in the eyes of your more crusty and jaundiced types — he or she had run out of things to write about.
Of course, it (usually) wasn't true then. And it's even less true now.
Newspapers, as they did with the Internet, have belatedly realized that dog stories are important, that dog stories draw readers, and that dog stories are actually human stories, in disguise. They've finally begun to catch on to dog's new place on the social ladder, and the wonders within them, and the serious issues surrounding them, and that they are far more than just cute.
None of which probably mattered to Steve Lopez when he decided last week to tell the story of his family's new rescue … rescue-me-again … rescue-me-one-more time … dog.
Who is also pretty cute.
Lopez, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, decided with his wife that their daughter, at age 9, was ready for a dog. Their search took them to Tailwaggers, a pet store in Hollywood, where adoption fairs are hosted by Dogs Without Borders. Though dogless for many years, Lopez knew rescuing a mutt — as opposed to purchasing a purebred — was the preferred route these days.
Canine ownership has gotten a lot more complicated than it was when he was a kid, noted Lopez, who definitely has a crusty side.
"First of all, unless you want a rescue dog, you face the withering judgment of do-gooders who have devoted their lives to saving pups from the boneyard," he wrote. "…I live in Silver Lake, not far from a sprawling dog park. And if an abandoned infant were spotted on the curb of that busy corner, across the street from a dog with a thorn in its paw, I guarantee you dozens of people with porkpie hats and tattooed peace signs would rush to the aid of the dog instead of the child."
At the adoption fair, his family became enchanted with a 3-year-old Corgi mixed named Hannah, who was described as "a very timid, shy and fearful little girl " in need of "a home where she can blossom!"
(As Lopez, author of "The Soloist" and other books, may have noticed, those involved in the world of rescuing and rehoming dogs tend to use a lot of exclamation points!)
They then began the adoption process, which, he noted, required many forms: "As I recall, applying for a mortgage wasn't quite as involved. And many of the agencies insist on a home inspection, as well as a donation fee of up to $450."
They took Hannah home for a trial period, as a foster. There, unlike at the fair, she refused to walk on a leash.
To get her to go to the bathroom, Lopez says he carried the dog, who they renamed Ginger, to the bottom of the driveway. Given she didn't move when he put her down, and to build some trust, he said, Lopez unhooked the leash.
Ginger took off.
Lopez ran to his car and began the search.
"My daughter had waited five years for this pup, and I'd lost her in five minutes."
His wife called the adoption agency to report the escape and got a scolding for letting the dog off her leash. "I must admit, they had told us rescue dogs can be runners, and that we shouldn't let them off the leash," Lopez wrote. "On the other hand, if you're going to call yourself Dogs Without Borders … what message are you sending?"
They searched all day, put up fliers, and posted Ginger on Craigslist as a missing dog. The next day, they found her on a neighbor's patio and took her home.
The next day, a Monday, Lopez returned from work to learn Ginger had jerked away while being walked and disappeared again, this time dragging her leash. Reasoning that maybe Ginger didn't want to be there, he and his wife agreed that — once they found her again — they might want to return her.
"Maybe she'd been abused, but it seemed unlikely she'd ever be the warm and cuddly family pet we wanted our daughter to have."
On Tuesday morning, Lopez was awaked by a scratching sound on the front door. When he opened it, Ginger walked in, her leash still attached. That sight, it seems, cut right through the columnist's crusty parts.
"We're keeping this dog," he said.
I'd be willing to bet they do, and that someday — when there's nothing else to write about, or even when there is — we'll be reading about her again.
(Photo of Ginger by Steve Lopez / Los Angeles Times)
Posted by John Woestendiek May 7th, 2013 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animals, author, best friend, column, columnist, corgi, dog, dogs, dogs without borders, family, ginger, hannah, home, leash, los angeles, los angeles times, media, mix, news, newspapers, pets, rescue, runaway, soloist, steve lopez, tailwaggers
Comments: none


text:
FedEx expects delivery volume to surge on Mondays
Retailers' holiday promotions and a shift in consumer buying habits generates heavy demand for Monday deliveries by FedEx.
FedEx expects delivery volume to surge on Mondays
Retailers' holiday promotions and a shift in consumer buying habits generates heavy demand for Monday deliveries by FedEx.
Nordstrom names a new president for its e-commerce site
Ken Worzel becomes president of Nordstrom.com as the retailer shakes up executive duties.
Sign up for IRNewsLink and get daily reports delivery to your inbox. Sign Up Now
Sponsored by 2013 Social Media 300
1 - 7 of 7 Results
Powered by Usablenet, the Carphone Warehouse mobile site lets consumers review and purchase phones, tablets, plans, accessories and more.
Posted 03/08/2012
Shoppers with smartphones can receive rewards and exclusive offers by downloading the free app and simply stepping inside any Best Buy store
Posted 05/20/2011
Scott Wheway, a 20-year veteran of U.K. food retailer Tesco Stores, will oversee online and direct operations as well as stores for Best Buy Europe.
Posted 08/03/2009Katie EvansPost a comment
Neville Roberts was named enterprise chief information officer for all of Best Buy Co., and Scott Wheway and Sean Skelley were appointed chief operating officer and president, respectively, of Best Buy's international operations.
Posted 06/01/2009Katie EvansPost a comment
To expand its digital entertainment portfolio, Best Buy is spending $121 million to buy digital music service Napster Inc. But even with Napster in hand, Best Buy still faces an uphill challenge against market leader Apple`s iTunes.
Posted 09/15/2008Katie EvansPost a comment
A venture between the retailers gives Best Buy better access to European markets via The Carphone Warehouse's 2,400 stores and its web site. In return Best Buy will help Carphone tap the growing electronics market in select European countries.
Posted 05/14/2008Bill BriggsPost a comment
Amazon.co.uk says it is the first European e-commerce site to serve 5 million customers. 3.2 million have placed at least one order in the past year.
Posted 03/25/2002Kurt PetersPost a comment

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Newegg.com - A great place to buy computers, computer parts, electronics, software, accessories, and DVDs online. With great prices, fast shipping, and top-rated customer service - once you know, you Newegg.
If you are reading this message, Please click this link to reload this page.(Do not use your browser's "Refresh" button). Please email us if you're running the latest version of your browser and you still see this message.
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, Laptops, Electronics, HDTVs, Digital Cameras and More!
Showing Results: Most Recent
This review is from: HomeWorX HW180STB HDTV Digital Converter Box with Media Player Function & Dolby Digital & HDMI Out
Pros: This converter tunes in many more channels a previous box. I am using this box with a 150 mile antenna(rotorary) and a RF system. Works great.
Cons: The only trouble I have is getting the remote to work consistantly.READ FULL REVIEW


text:
Author has written 29 stories for Criminal Minds, Bones, Hawaii Five-0, Supernatural, Harry Potter, Law and Order: SVU, Avengers, Walking Dead, and Sherlock.
PREVIOUS PEN NAME: Walking Saint
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: My stories may have grammar errors because English is NOT my first language, so I'm apologizing in advance... Please don't hate or hurt me.
"All Bette's stories have happy endings. That's because she knows where to stop. She's realized the real problem with stories — if you keep them going long enough, they always end in death."
Sandman #6: "24 Hours"
"When asked, 'How do you write?' I invariably answer, 'One word at a time,' and the answer is invariably dismissed. But that is all it is. It sounds too simple to be true, but consider the Great Wall of China, if you will: one stone at a time, man. That's all. One stone at a time. But I've read you can see that motherfucker from space without a telescope."
Stephen King
I love Original Characters. If you ever read any of my fics, or just checked my stories, you already know that most of my stories have OCs.
In case you're reading any of my fics, most of them aren't Beta read so, sorry if there are lots of errors. I'm actually looking for Betas so that my stories look a bit better; in the mean time, I sure hope you enjoy! Also, reviews are much appreciated!! I absolutely love feedback and comments. They help me to improve my writing.


text:
LondonUnited Kingdom
November 18, 2012
No introduction yet
Click here to join Jeff's UK meetup group
Follow us on Facebook.
Follow us on Twitter
Meeting 5 September
London Meeting 20 November
London Meeting Saturday 17 September
London meetings August 17 and 18
London Meeting Saturday September 3
London meetings TBA
London 8 and 9 October
Yoga of Non-Duality classes in London alternate Thursdays
Leading Publisher of books on contemporary Advaita Non-duality
Non-duality Meetings every Tuesday evening in Dartmouth Park
A webpage has been set up where you can donate in appreciation of Nathan
London meeting's TBA
Rest. Inquire. Enjoy life
Nothing Exists Despite Appearances
London Meeting TBA
Non-conceptual awareness
A method of self inquiry pioneered by Dougless E Harding
4,025 Truth Seekers
2,804 Ecstatic Dancing LoveBeamers
13,332 Spiritual Explorers
19,644 Interested Listeners
2,840 Members
1,806 Mooji Sangha
Meetup members, Log in
By clicking "Sign up" or "Sign up using Facebook", you confirm that you accept our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy


text:
|Housing and Accommodations
Field Trips and Transportation
Housing and Accommodations
Field Trips
In past summers, students had the opportunity to visit historic and cultural sites in South Africa including: the Apartheid Museum, the Constitutional Court (a notorious former prison where thousands of political activists, including Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, were detained and punished), the Hector Pietersen Museum in Soweto (a commemoration of the 566 people who died in the June 1976 student uprisings), the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site (a museum containing three million-year-old hominid fossils, including the skull of "Mrs. Ples"), Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison), Victor Verster Prison in suburban Cape Town (prison from where Nelson Mandela was released), District Six museum (about an area where people of all races lived together during the 60's and 70's) as well as the newsrooms of media organizations based in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Trips and excursions may also include some of the following:In-country orientation, tours of Johannesburg and Cape Town and walking tours of Melville and V&A neighborhoods. Details TBD for summer 2017.


text:
UKDN Waterflow sets the standard in the repair and improvement of Britain's drainage network. With activities ranging from emergency call out to homes and businesses to major infrastructure project management, our 600 directly employed staff, operating from 19 bases throughout the UK, are equipped with leading edge and innovative technology to provide best in class drainage solutions 24/7.
Our specialist drainage capability includes, sewer, civil engineering and asset management services to rail, water, highways, construction and facilities management clients.
The company has a proud history of achieving the highest industry standards of customer service, safety and protection of the environment and we are recognised within the industry for the introduction, training and execution of new technology.
Plummer to head RDG Paul Plummer is to succeed Michael Roberts as the chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).
NTAR - Setting the standard A training academy which sees itself playing a pivotal role in finally grasping the rail industrys skills challenge is set to open in October.


text:
This course contains the basics of Financial ManagementCourse introduction
Capital Budgeting and Cash Flow Analysis
Key Chapter Concepts
Capital Investment Opportunities During a Business Downturn:The Case of Cleveland Cliffs Inc.
Financial Challenge
When the economy enters a period of low or negative economic growth, many firms cut back on the capital investments they had planned to make. With low or no growth in demand for their products, many firms postpone expansions. During business downturns, other firms become strapped for cash and look to sell off surplus assets so that they can acquire the cash that will be needed to survive the downturn. Still others are forced to enter bankruptcy proceedings and often liquidate assets as part of that process.
It is in times like these, such as late 2001 and early 2002, that opportunities present themselves to firms that are well positioned with strong balance sheets and ample cash balances.
In some cases, the acquisition of another firm's assets may be driven by the fact that the assets being acquired may be a better strategic fit for the acquiring firm than for the seller. For example, in late 2001 Mead Corporation sold its Western Graphics poster-making unit to Rose Art Industries (the second largest maker of crayons).
Rose aims to dominate the art -and-crafts market in the United States. Similarly, Eaton Corporation recently sold its air- conditioning business unit to Parker-Hannifin. Eaton wanted to exit the air -conditioning business, whereas Parker-Hannifin, armed with $825 million in cash, wanted to grow this sector of its business.
In other cases, the acquisitions represent moves of desperation by firms that are short of cash. Under these circumstances,"fire-sale" prices can be found by those with abundant liquid resources. For example, in 2001, Cleveland Cliffs Inc., a firm that controls half of the nation's iron-ore production, used the business downturn and the financial woes of many steel producers to pick up additional iron mines at bargain prices. Nearly a third of Cleveland Cliffs' customers were in bankruptcy proceedings in late 2001, and many of these firms have ownership interests in iron mines that they were willing to unload.
WHX (parent company of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel), for example, agreed to sell Cleveland Cliffs its 12.5 percent share in a Michigan mine for no cash. Cleveland Cliffs merely had to assume the debt on the mine. Similar acquisitions of mining properties owned by bankrupt Bethlehem Steel and bankrupt LTV were also in the works. Cleveland Cliffs has been successful in cutting its costs, reducing the tax on the production from these mines, and securing other concessions from the states where they operate in exchange for commitments to keep the mines open.This cost -cutting was an essential element of the financing of these acquisitions. Cleveland Cliffs now considers every iron -ore mine owned by U.S. steelmakers to be for sale, and was aggressively pursuing them during the period of the business downturn and cash flow problems for the nation's steelmakers.
Other companies have used the weak business climate as an opportunity to acquire strategic resources and bargain prices. For example, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP spent about $500 million on acquisitions during 2001. During 2001, American Greetings Corporation paid $35 million to buy its biggest online competitor, BlueMountain. A few years ago, Excite@Home, which entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, had paid $780 million to acquire BlueMountain.
Acquisitions such as these offer some important lessons. First, liquidity provides a company with opportunities to acquire assets at very favorable prices during times of weak business conditions. Strong firms set the stage for further growth by making bargain purchases during business downturns. Second, there is usually a price at which the assets in even the weakest industries (such as iron -ore mines) can make good economic sense. Cleveland Cliffs' strategy of picking up iron -ore mine assets at bargain prices speaks to this. Regardless of the economic conditions, financial managers need to scrutinize all major capital investments to determine whether they are likely to contribute to the creation of shareholder value.
The analysis of capital investments (that is, projects having economic lives extending beyond one year in time) is a key financial management function. Each year, large and small firms spend hundreds of billions of dollars on capital investments. These investments chart the course of a company's future for many years to come.Therefore, it is imperative that capital investment analysis be performed correctly. This chapter develops the principles of capital investment analysis —with an emphasis on the estimation of cash flows from a project. Chapter considers appropriate decision criteria in the capital budgeting process that will maximize shareholder wealth.Introduction
This is the first of several chapters that explicitly deal with the financial management of the assets on a firm's balance sheet. In this and the following two chapters we consider the management of long -term assets.
Capital budgeting
is the process of planning for purchases of assets whose returns are expected to continue beyond one year.A capital expenditure is a cash outlay that is expected to generate a flow of future cash benefits lasting longer than one year. It is distinguished from a normal operating expenditure, which is expected to result in cash benefits during the coming 1-year period. (The choice of a 1-year period is arbitrary, but it does serve as a useful guideline.)
Several different types of outlays may be classified as capital expenditures and evaluated using the framework of capital budgeting models, including the following:
Total investments or capital expenditures of all industries in the United States during 2002 exceeded $1.1 trillion. Capital expenditures are important to a firm both because they require sizable cash outlays and because they have a long -range impact on the firm's performance. The following example illustrates the magnitude and long-term impact of capital expenditures for an individual company.
In June 2002, Ford Motor Company announced plans to invest $5 billion to $6 billion in Volvo, its Swedish luxury -car subsidiary that it had purchased for $6.5 billion in 1999.1 The bulk of the funds invested were to be used to build up to five new or redesigned midsize vehicle models. Also, part of the capital invested was to be used to expand its manufacturing facilities in Sweden and Belgium in order to be able t produce up to 600,000 units per year, compared with the 425,000 units it produced in 2001. These capital expenditures were being made despite a weak economy, a loss of $5.45 billion by Ford in the previous year, and a 15 percent drop in Volvo's U.S. sales during the first five months of 2002, compared with the previous year. Despite these concerns, Ford had confidence in Volvo's new products and the long-term health of the economy and the company.
A firm's capital expenditures affect its future profitability and, when taken together, essentially plot the company's future direction by determining which products will be produced, which markets will be entered, where production facilities will be located, and what type of technology will be used. Capital expenditure decision making is important for another reason as well.
Specifically, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to reverse a major capital expenditure without incurring considerable additional expense. For example, if a firm acquires highly specialized production facilities and equipment, it must recognize that there may be no ready used -equipment market in which to dispose of them if they do not generate the desired future cash flows.
For these reasons, a firm's management should establish a number of definite procedures to follow when analyzing capital expenditure projects. Choosing from among such projects is the objective of capital budgeting models.Key Terms and Concepts in Capital Budgeting
Before proceeding with the discussion of the capital budgeting process, it is necessary to introduce a number of terms and concepts encountered in subsequent chapters.
Cost of Capital
A firm's cost of capital is defined as the cost of the funds supplied to it. It is also termed the required rate of return because it specifies the minimum necessary rate of return required by the firm's investors. In this context, the cost of capital provides the firm with a basis for choosing among various capital investment projects. In this and the following two chapters, it is assumed that the cost of capital is a known value.
How Projects Are Classified
A firm usually encounters several different types of projects when making capital expenditure decisions, including independent projects, mutually exclusive projects, and contingent projects. As is demonstrated in previous Chapter , project classification can influence the investment decision process.
Independent Projects
An independent project is one whose acceptance or rejection does not directly eliminate other projects from consideration. For example, a firm may want to install a new telephone communications system in its headquarters and replace a drill press during approximately the same time. In the absence of a constraint on the availability of funds, both projects could be adopted if they meet minimum investment criteria.
Mutually Exclusive Projects
A mutually exclusive project is one whose acceptance precludes the acceptance of one or more alternative proposals. Because two mutually exclusive projects have the capacity to perform the same function for a firm, only one should be chosen. For example, BMW was faced with deciding whether it should locate its U.S. manufacturing complex in Spartanburg, South Carolina, or at one of several competing North Carolina sites. It ultimately chose the Spartanburg site; this precluded other alternatives.
Contingent Projects
A contingent project is one whose acceptance is dependent on the adoption of one or more other projects. For example, a decision by Nucor to build a new steel plant in North Carolina is contingent upon Nucor investing in suitable air and water pollution control equipment.When a firm is considering contingent projects, it is best to consider together all projects that are dependent on one another and treat them as a single project for purposes of evaluation.
Availability of Funds
When a firm has adequate funds to invest in all projects that meet some capital budgeting selection criterion, such as has been true for Philip Morris (now part of Altria Group) in recent years, the firm is said to be operating without a funds constraint. Frequently, however, the total initial cost of the acceptable projects in the absence of a funds constraint is greater than the total funds the firm has available to invest in capital projects.This necessitates capital rationing, or setting limits on capital expenditures, and results in some special capital budgeting problems.Basic Framework for Capital Budgeting
According to economic theory, a firm should operate at the point where the marginal cost of an additional unit of output just equals the marginal revenue derived from the output. Following this rule leads to profit maximization. This principle may also be applied to capital budgeting decisions. In this context, a firm's marginal revenue is the rates of return earned on succeeding investments, and marginal cost may be defined as the firm's marginal cost of capital (MCC), that is, the cost of successive increments of capital acquired by the firm. We illustrates a simplified capital budgeting model.
This model assumes that all projects have the same risk. The projects under consideration are indicated by lettered bars on the graph. Project A requires an investment of $2 million and is expected to generate a 24 percent rate of return. Project B will cost $1 million ($3 million minus $2 million on the horizontal axis) and is expected to generate a 22 percent rate of return, and so on. The projects are arranged in descending order according to their expected rates of return, in recognition of the fact that no firm has an inexhaustible supply of projects offering high expected rates of return.
This schedule of projects is often called the firm's investment opportunity curve (IOC). Typically, a firm will invest in its highest rate of return projects first—such as Project A —before moving on to less attractive alternatives. The MCC schedule represents the marginal cost of capital to the firm. Note that the schedule increases as more funds are sought in the capital markets. The reasons for this include the following:
The basic capital budgeting model indicates that, in principle, the firm should invest $9 million and undertake Projects A, B, C, D, and E, because the expected returns from each project exceed the firm's marginal cost of capital. Unfortunately, however, in practice, financial decision making is not this simple. Some practical problems are encountered in trying to apply this model, including the following:
Briefly, that process consists of four important steps:
The remainder of this chapter is devoted to a discussion of the first two steps.Generating Capital Investment Project Proposals
Ideas for new capital investments can come from many sources, both inside and outside a firm. Proposals may originate at all levels of the organization —from factory workers up to the board of directors. Most large and medium -size firms allocate the responsibility for identifying and analyzing capital expenditures to specific staff groups.
These groups can include cost accounting, industrial engineering, marketing research, research and development, and corporate planning. In most firms, systematic procedures are established to assist in the search and analysis steps. For example, many firms provide detailed forms that the originator of a capital expenditure proposal must complete.
These forms normally request information on the project's initial cost, the revenues it is expected to generate, and how it will affect the firm's overall operating expenses. These data are then channeled to a reviewer or group of reviewers at a higher level in the firm for analysis and possible acceptance or rejection.
Where a proposal goes for review often depends on how the particular project is classified.
Classifying Investment Projects
As noted earlier, there are several types of capital expenditures. These can be grouped into projects generated by growth opportunities, projects generated by cost reduction opportunities, and projects generated to meet legal requirements and health and safety standards.
Projects Generated by Growth Opportunities
Assume that a firm produces a particular product that is expected to experience increased demand during the upcoming years. If the firm's existing facilities are inadequate to handle the demand, proposals should be developed for expanding the firm's capacity such as Ford's decision to expand Volvo's manufacturing facilities, discussed in the first section of the chapter. These proposals may come from the corporate planning staff group, from a divisional staff group, or from some other source.
Because most existing products eventually become obsolete, a firm's growth is also dependent on the development and marketing of new products. This involves the generation of research and development investment proposals, marketing research investments, test marketing investments, and perhaps even investments in new plants, property, and equipment. For example, in order for the mineral extraction industries to keep growing, they must continually make investments in exploration and development. In 2002, ExxonMobil's capital and exploration expenditures were $14.0 billion.
Similarly, firms in high-technology industries —such as electronics and pharmaceuticals—must undertake continuing programs of research and development to compete successfully. For example, Merck spent over $2.4 billion on research and development in 2002.
Projects Generated by Cost Reduction Opportunities
Just as products become obsolete over time, so do plants, property, equipment, and production processes. Normal use makes older plants more expensive to operate because of the higher cost of maintenance and downtime (idle time). In addition, new technological developments may render existing equipment economically obsolete. These factors create opportunities for cost reduction investments, which include replacing old, obsolete capital equipment with newer, more efficient equipment.
Projects Generated to Meet Legal Requirements and Health and Safety Standards
These projects include investment proposals for such things as pollution control, ventilation, and fire protection equipment. In terms of analysis, this group of projects is best considered as contingent upon other projects.
To illustrate, suppose USX wishes to build a new steel plant in Cleveland, Ohio. The decision will be contingent upon the investment in the amount of pollution abatement equipment required by state and local laws. Thus, the decision to invest in the new plant must be based upon the total cost of the plant, including the pollution abatement equipment, and not just the operating equipment alone. In the case of existing facilities, this type of decision making is sometimes more complex.
For example, suppose a firm is told it must install new pollution abatement equipment in a plant that has been in operation for some time. The firm first needs to determine the lowest cost alternative that will meet these legal requirements. "Lowest cost" is normally measured by the smallest present value of net cash outflows from the project. Then management must decide whether the remaining stream of cash flows from the plant is sufficient to justify the expenditure. If it appears as though it will not be, the firm may consider building a new facility, or it may decide simply to close down the original plant.
Project Size and the Decision-Making Process
The classification of a proposed project influences the capital investment decision-making process. However, there are other factors to consider —in particular, the size of the expenditure required to carry out the project. Most firms decentralize the decision-making function. For example, whereas the approval of the president and the board of directors may be needed for especially large outlays, such as Ford's $5 to $6 billion investment in Volvo discussed earlier in the chapter, a divisional vice president may be the final decision maker in the case of medium -size outlays.
A plant manager may have responsibility for deciding on smaller outlays, and a department head in a particular plant may be authorized to approve small outlays. For example, at Hershey Foods, a corporate -level review is required for all projects of more than $500,000. Projects below this amount are evaluated at the operating division level only. Hershey is moving toward a system that will require a corporate-level review for all projects of $50,000 or more. This chain of command varies with individual companies. In large firms, however, it is impossible for any one person to make every decision regarding proposed capital expenditures, and a decentralized system is usually employed.Principles of Estimating Cash Flows
The capital budgeting process is concerned primarily with the estimation of the cash flows associated with a project, not just the project's contribution to accounting profits. Typically, a capital expenditure requires an initial cash outflow, termed the net investment. Thus it is important to measure a project's performance in terms of the net (operating) cash flows it is expected to generate over a number of future years.
Figure shows the estimated cash flows for a particular project. After an initial net investment of $100,000, the project is expected to generate a stream of net cash inflows over its anticipated 5-year life of $50,000 in year 1; $40,000 in year 2; $30,000 in year 3; $25,000 in year 4; and $5,000 in year 5. This type of project is called a conventional or normal project.
Illustration of Estimated Cash Flows for a Normal Capital Investment Project
Nonnormal or nonconventional projects have cash flow patterns with either more than one or no sign change. Table illustrates the cash flow patterns for three sample projects. Projects X and Y can cause some analytical problems, as we shall see in the discussion of the internal rate of return criterion in the following chapter. Project X might require that certain equipment be shut down and rebuilt in year 3, and Project Y could be an investment in a mining property, with the negative cash flow in year 5 representing abandonment costs associated with closing down the mine after its mineral wealth has been depleted.
Finally, Project Z, which generates negative cash flows over the entire life of the investment, such as an investment in pollution control equipment, can be difficult to evaluate using the decision- making criteria developed in the next chapter.
Regardless of whether a project's cash flows are expected to be normal or nonnormal, certain basic principles should be applied during their estimation, including the following:
A firm may also have to provide for further working capital increases as sales increase over the life of the project. These additional working capital requirements should be included in the yearly net cash flows as outflows.However, as the project winds down, net working capital balances decline; these should be included as inflows when determining yearly cash flows. Other indirect effects may occur when one division of a firm introduces a new product that competes directly with a product produced by another division. The first division may consider this product desirable, but when the impact on the second division's sales is considered, the project may be much less attractive.
For example, in the Ford capital expenditure decision discussed earlier in the chapter, the company should consider the impact of the increased output of Volvos on the demand for Ford's other luxury -car brands —namely, Lincoln and Jaguar.
Sample Cash Flow Patterns for Nonnormal Projects
Because sunk costs cannot be recovered, they should not be considered in the decision to accept or reject a project. For example, in 2004, the Chemtron Corporation was considering constructing a new chemical disposal facility. Two years earlier, the firm had hired the R.O.E. Consulting Group to do an environmental impact analysis of the proposed site at a cost of $500,000.
Because this $500,000 cost cannot be recovered whether the project is undertaken or not, it should not be considered in the accept –reject analysis taking place in 2004. The only relevant costs are the incremental outlays that will be made from this point forward if the project is undertaken.
costs. Opportunity costs of resources (assets) are the cash flows those resources could generate if they are not used in the project under consideration. For example, suppose that the site Chemtron is considering to use for its disposal facility has been owned by the firm for some time. The property originally cost $50,000, but a recent appraisal indicates that the property could be sold for $1 million.
Because Chemtron must forgo the receipt of $1 million from the sale of the site if the disposal facility is constructed, the appropriate opportunity cost of this piece of land is $1 million, not the original cost of $50,000. These five principles of cash flow estimation may be applied to the specific problem of defining and calculating a project's net investment and net cash flows.
The net investment (NINV) in a project is defined as the project's initial net cash outlay, that is, the outlay at time (period) 0. It is calculated using the following steps:
PLUS or MINUS
The net investment (NINV).
The calculation of the net investment for two example projects is illustrated in later sections of the chapter dealing with asset expansion and asset replacement projects. Also discussed are some of the tax consequences that can influence the net investment of a project. These tax effects are the treatment of gains and losses from asset sales in the case of replacement decisions.
If a project generates additional revenues and the company extends credit to its customers, an additional initial investment in accounts receivable is required.Moreover, if additional inventories are necessary to generate the increased revenues, then an additional initial investment in inventory is required, too. This increase in initial working capital—that is, cash, accounts receivable, and inventories —should be calculated net of any automatic increases in current liabilities, such as accounts payable or wages and taxes payable, that occur because of the project.
As a general rule, replacement projects require little or no net working capital increase. Expansion projects, on the other hand, normally require investments in additional net working capital.
Some projects require outlays over more than one year before positive cash inflows are generated. It may take several years to design and construct a new production facility, such as an automobile assembly plant. In these cases, the NINV for that project will be equal to the present value (at time 0) of this series of outlays, discounted at the firm's cost of capital. For example, consider a project requiring outlays of $100,000 in year 0, $30,000 in year 1, and $20,000 in year 2, with a cost of capital equal to 10 percent. The NINV or present value of the cash outlays is calculated as follows:
Figure illustrates this concept.
Timeline of NINV for a Project with Multiple Period OutlaysNet (Operating) Cash Flows
Capital investment projects are expected to generate after -tax cash flow streams after the initial net investment has been made. The process of estimating incremental cash flows associated with a specific project is an important part of the capital budgeting process.
Capital budgeting is concerned primarily with the after -tax net (operating) cash flows (NCF) of a particular project, or change in cash inflows minus change in cash outflows. For any year during the life of a project, these may be defined as the change in operating earnings after taxes, _OEAT, plus the change in depreciation, _Dep, minus the change in the net working capital investment required by the firm to support the project, _NWC:
NCF = ΔOEAT +ΔDep –ΔNWC
The term change (Δ) refers to the difference in cash (and noncash) flows with and without adoption of the investment project.
Depreciation is the systematic allocation of the cost of an asset with an economic life in excess of one year. Although depreciation is not a cash flow, it does affect a firm's after -tax cash flows by reducing reported earnings and there by reducing taxes paid by a firm. If a firm's depreciation increases in a particular year as a result of adopting a project, after -tax net cash flow in that year will increase, all other things being equal.
After -tax net cash flow also considers changes in a firm's investment in net working capital. If a firm increases its accounts receivable, for example, in a particular year without increasing its current liabilities as a result of adopting a specific project, after -tax net cash flow in that year will decrease, all other things being equal. On the other hand, a reduction in a firm's investment in net working capital during a given year results in an increase in the firm's NCF for that year.
From basic accounting definitions, the change in operating earnings after taxes (ΔOEAT) in Equation is equal to the change in operating earnings before taxes (ΔOEBT) times (1 – T) where T is the marginal corporate income tax rate. Furthermore, _OEBT is equal to the change in revenues (ΔR) minus the change in operating costs (ΔO) minus the change in depreciation (ΔDep). Substituting these terms in Equation yields the following definition of net cash flow:
NCF = (ΔR – ΔO – ΔDep)(1 – T) + ΔDep – ΔNWC
Equation can be further extended into an operational definition of NCF by defining ΔR as Rw – Rwo, ΔO as Ow – Owo, andΔDep as Depw – Depwo where
Rwo = Revenues of the firm without the project
Rw = Revenues of the firm with the project
Owo = Operating costs exclusive of depreciation for the firm without the project
Ow = Operating costs exclusive of depreciation for the firm with the project
Depwo = Depreciation charges for the firm without the project
Depw = Depreciation charges for the firm with the project
The definition given in Equation can be rewritten as follows:
NCF = [(Rw – Rwo) – (Ow – Owo) –
(Depw – Depwo)] (1 – T) + (Depw – Depwo) – ΔNWC
These calculations and equations are summarized in Table In the final year of a project's economic life, Equation must be modified to reflect recovery of the incremental after-tax salvage value of the asset(s).
The following two sections illustrate the calculation of net cash flows using these equations.
Recovery of After-Tax Salvage Value
Whenever an asset that has been depreciated is sold, there are potential tax consequences that may affect the after-tax net proceeds received from the asset sale. These tax consequences are important when estimating the after-tax salvage value to be received at the end of the economic life of any project. As discussed earlier, the tax consequences of asset sales are also important when calculating the net investment required in a replacement investment project. There are four cases that need to be considered.
Case 1: Sale of an Asset for Its Book Value If a company disposes of an asset for an amount exactly equal to the asset's tax book value, there is neither a gain nor a loss on the sale and thus there are no tax consequences. For example, if Burlington Textile sells for $50,000 an asset with a book value for tax purposes of $50,000, no taxes are associated with this disposal.(In general, the tax book value of an asset equals the installed cost of the asset less accumulated tax depreciation.)
Case 2: Sale of an Asset for Less Than Its Book Value If Burlington Textile sells for $20,000 an asset having a tax book value of $50,000, Burlington Textile incurs a $30,000 pretax loss. Assuming that this asset is used in business or trade (an essential criterion for this tax treatment), this loss may be treated as an operating loss or an offset to operating income. This operating loss effectively reduces the company's taxes by an amount equal to the loss times the company's marginal tax rate.
Summary of Net Cash Flow Calculations and Equations
Assume that the company's earnings before taxes is $100,000 (before consideration of the operating loss from the disposal of the asset). Taxes on these earnings are $100,000 times the company's marginal (40 percent) tax rate, or $40,000. (We use a 40 percent marginal tax rate throughout the book for ease of calculation. Actual current corporate marginal tax rates are discussed in Appendix 2A.) Because of the operating loss incurred by selling the asset for $20,000, the company's taxable income is reduced to $70,000 and the taxes decline to $28,000 (40 percent of $70,000). The $12,000 difference in taxes is equal to the tax loss on the sale of the old asset times the company's marginal tax rate ($30,000 *40%).
Case 3: Sale of an Asset for More Than Its Book Value but Less Than Its Original Cost
If Burlington Textile sells the asset for $60,000—$10,000 more than the current tax book value —$50,000 of this amount constitutes a tax -free cash inflow, and the remaining $10,000 is taxed as operating income. As a result, the firm's taxes increase by $4,000, or the amount of the gain times the firm's marginal tax rate ($10,000 _40%). (The IRS treats this gain as a recapture of depreciation.)
Case 4: Sale of an Asset for More Than Its Original Cost If Burlington Textile sells the asset for $120,000 (assuming an original asset cost of $110,000), part of the gain from the sale is treated as ordinary income and part is treated as a long-term capital gain. The gain receiving ordinary income treatment is equal to the difference between the original asset cost and the current tax book value, or $60,000 ($110,000*$50,000). The capital gain portion is the amount in excess of the original asset cost, or $10,000. Under the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993, both ordinary income and capital gains are taxed at the same corporate rate (35 percent).
Recovery of Net Working Capital
In the last year of a project that, over its economic life, has required incremental net working capital investments, this net working capital is assumed to be liquidated and returned to the firm as cash. At the end of a project's life, all net working capital additions required over the project's life are recovered —not just the initial net working capital outlay occurring at time 0. Hence, the total accumulated net working capital is normally recovered in the last year of the project. This decrease in net working capital in the last year of the project increases the net cash flow for that year, all other things being equal. Of course, no tax consequences are associated with the recovery of NWC.
Interest Charges and Net Cash Flows
Often the purchase of a particular asset is tied closely to the creation of some debt obligation, such as the sale of mortgage bonds or a bank loan. Nevertheless, it is generally considered incorrect to deduct the interest charges associated with a particular project from the estimated cash flows. This is true for two reasons.
First, the decision about how a firm should be financed can —and should—be made independently of the decision to accept or reject one or more projects. Instead, the firm should seek some combination of debt, equity (common stock), and preferred stock capital that is consistent with management's wishes concerning the trade-off between financial risk and the cost of capital. In many cases, this will result in a capital structure with the cost of capital at or near its minimum. Because investment and financing decisions should normally be made independently of one another, each new project can be viewed as being financed with the same proportions of the various sources of capital funds used to finance the firm as a whole.
Second, when a discounting framework is used for project evaluation, the discount rate, or cost of capital, already incorporates the cost of funds used to finance a project. Thus, including interest charges in cash flow calculations essentially would result in a double counting of costs.
Depreciation was defined earlier as the systematic allocation of the cost of an asset over more than one year. It allows a firm to spread the costs of fixed assets over a period of years to better match costs and revenues in each accounting period. The annual depreciation expense recorded for a particular asset is simply an allocation of historic costs and does not necessarily indicate a declining market value. For example, a company that is depreciating an office building may find the building's market value appreciating each year.
There are a number of alternative methods of recording the depreciation of an asset for financial reporting purposes. These include straight-line depreciation and various accelerated depreciation methods. Under the straight-line depreciation method, the annual amount of an asset's depreciation is calculated as follows:
Annual Installed Cost Depreciation = ————————————— Amount Number of years over which the asset is depreciated
The installed cost includes the purchase price of the asset plus shipping and installation charges, that is, Step 1 of the NINV calculation described earlier.
For tax purposes, the depreciation rate a firm uses has a significant impact on the cash flows of the firm. This is so because depreciation represents a noncash expense that is deductible for tax purposes.Hence, the greater the amount of depreciation charged in a period, the lower the firm's taxable income will be.With a lower reported taxable income, the firm's tax obligation (a cash outflow) is reduced and the cash inflows for the firm are increased. For example, suppose that the Badger Company in a given year has revenues of $1,000,000, operating expenses exclusive of depreciation of $500,000, straight-line depreciation of $100,000, and a marginal tax rate of 40 percent.
Its operating cash flow is calculated in part (a) of Table to be $340,000. Now suppose Badger opts to use an accelerated depreciation method for tax purposes, rather than the straight-line method. As a result, its depreciation expense is recorded as $150,000 instead of $100,000. Its operating cash flow is now $360,000, as shown in part (b) of Table
Comparison of Straight-Line and Accelerated Depreciation Methods:
A comparison of the two cash flow statements shows that the use of accelerated depreciation reduces operating earnings after taxes from $240,000 to $210,000 and reduces taxes from $160,000 to $140,000 but increases operating cash flow from $340,000 to $360,000. Hence, the use of accelerated depreciation for tax purposes is desirable for the firm because it reduces tax outlays and thereby increases cash flow. In general, a profitable firm will depreciate its assets as quickly as the tax law allows, and it should use whatever allowable method permits the highest percentage depreciation in the early years of an asset's life.
The tax method currently used in the United States is the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) method.
The cash flow examples discussed in this chapter use straight -line depreciation to keep the calculations simple. In actual practice, companies today should use the MACRS method when computing the NCFs from a project. The relevant depreciation number that should be used when computing the after -tax net cash flows expected from a capital expenditure project is the tax depreciation amount.Asset Expansion Projects
A project that requires a firm to invest funds in additional assets in order to increase sales (or reduce costs) is called an asset expansion project. For example, suppose the TLC Yogurt Company has decided to capitalize on the exercise fad and plans to open an exercise facility in conjunction with its main yogurt and health foods store. To get the project under way, the company will rent additional space adjacent to its current store. The equipment required for the facility will cost $50,000.
Shipping and installation charges for the equipment are expected to total $5,000. This equipment will be depreciated on a straight-line basis over its 5-year economic life to an estimated salvage value of $0. In order to open the exercise facility, TLC estimates that it will have to add about $7,000 initially to its net working capital in the form of additional inventories of exercise supplies, cash, and accounts receivable for its exercise customers (less accounts payable).
During the first year of operations, TLC expects its total revenues (from yogurt sales and exercise services) to increase by $50,000 above the level that would have prevailed without the exercise facility addition. These incremental revenues are expected to grow to $60,000 in year 2, $75,000 in year 3, decline to $60,000 in year 4, and decline again to $45,000 during the fifth and final year of the project's life. The company's incremental operating costs associated with the exercise facility, including the rental of the facility, are expected to total $25,000 during the first year and increase at a rate of 6 percent per year over the 5-year project life.
Depreciation will be $11,000 per year ($55,000 installed cost, assuming no salvage value, divided by the 5-year economic life). TLC has a marginal tax rate of 40 percent. In addition, TLC expects that it will have to add about $5,000 per year to its net working capital in years 1, 2, and 3 and nothing in years 4 and 5. At the end of the project, the total accumulated net working capital required by the project will be recovered.
Calculating the Net Investment
First, we determine the net investment required for the exercise facility expansion. TLC must make a cash outlay of $50,000 to pay for the facility equipment. In addition, it must pay $5,000 in cash to cover the costs of shipping and installation of the equipment. Finally, TLC must invest $7,000 in initial net working capital to get the project under way. The 4-step procedure discussed earlier for calculating the net investment yields the NINV required at time 0:
Note that steps 3 and 4 are not required in this problem since this is an asset expansion decision and no existing assets are being sold.
Calculating Annual Net Cash Flows
Next, we need to calculate the annual net cash flows associated with the project. The first year net cash flows can be computed by substituting _R = $50,000, _O = $25,000, _Dep = $11,000, T = 0.40, and _NWC = $5,000 into Equation :
Year 1:
A similar calculation for the second year, where _R = $60,000, _O = $25,000 (1 + 0.06)1 = $26,500, _Dep = $11,000, T = 0.40, and _NWC = $5,000, yields:
Year 2:
Finally, in the fifth year, TLC will recover its working capital investment of $22,000, i.e., $7,000 (Year 0) and $5,000 (Years 1, 2, and 3). Substituting _NWC = –$22,000, along with _R = $45,000 and _O = $25,000 (1 + 0.06)4 = $31,562, _Dep = $11,000, and T = 0.40 into Equation yields:
Year 5
The calculations of annual cash flows for these years as well as for years 3 and 4 are summarized in Table Note that since the equipment was fully depreciated and had no salvage value at the end of the fifth year, the after-tax salvage value was $0. The cash flows associated with the exercise facility project are illustrated with the time line in FigureAsset Replacement Projects
The previous example of an asset expansion project illustrated the key elements of the calculation of a project's net investment and its annual net cash flows. In this section, we consider an asset replacement project. Asset replacements involve retiring one asset and replacing it with a more efficient asset.
Suppose Briggs & Stratton purchased an automated drill press 10 years ago that had an estimated economic life of 20 years. The drill press originally cost $150,000 and has been fully depreciated, leaving a current book value of $0. The actual market value of this drill press is $40,000. The company is considering replacing the drill press with a new one costing $190,000.
Shipping and installation charges will add an additional $10,000 to the cost. The new machine would be depreciated to zero on a straight-line basis. The new machine is expected to have a 10 -year economic life, and its actual salvage value at the end of the 10 -year period is estimated to be $25,000. Briggs & Stratton's current marginal tax rate is 40 percent.
Calculation of Annual Net Cash Flows for TLC Exercise Facility
Estimated Cash Flows for TLC Investment Project
Calculating the Net Investment
Steps 1 and 2 of the net investment calculation are easy; the new project cost($190,000) plus shipping and installation ($10,000) is $200,000. In this case, no initial incremental net working capital is required. In steps 3 and 4, the net proceeds received from the sale of the old drill press have to be adjusted for taxes.
Because the old drill press is sold for $40,000, the gain from this sale is treated as a recapture of depreciation and thus taxed as ordinary income. Table summarizes the NINV calculation for Briggs & Stratton. As can be seen in this table, the NINV is equal to $176,000.
Calculating Annual Net Cash Flows
Suppose Briggs & Stratton expects annual revenues during the project's first year to increase from $70,000 to $85,000 if the new drill press is purchased. (This might occur because the new press is faster than the old one and can meet the increasing demands for more work.) After the first year, revenues from the new project are expected to increase at a rate of $2,000 a year for the remainder of the project life.
Assume further that while the old drill press required two operators, the new drill press is more automated and needs only one, thereby reducing annual operating costs from $40,000 to $20,000 during the project's first year. After the first year, annual operating costs of the new drill press are expected to increase by $1,000 a year over the remaining life of the project. The old machine is fully depreciated, whereas the new machine will be depreciated on a straight -line basis.
The marginal tax rate of 40 percent applies. Assume also that the company's net working capital does not change as a result of replacing the drill press. The first -year net cash flow resulting from the purchase of the new drill press can be computed by substituting Rw = $85,000, Rwo = $70,000,Ow = $20,000,Owo = $40,000, Depw = $20,000 ( = $200,000/10), Depwo = $0, T = 0.40, and _NWC = $0 into Equation 9.3 as follows:
Using the different expected values for new revenues Rw = $87,000 and new operating costs Ow = $21,000 in the second year, the second-year net cash flows can be computed as follows:
Net Investment Calculation for Briggs & Stratton
Year 2:
Similar calculations are used to obtain the net cash flows in years 3 through 9.
Finally, in year 10, the $25,000 estimated salvage from the new drill press must be added along with its associated tax effects. This $25,000 salvage is treated as ordinary income because it represents a recapture of depreciation for tax purposes.
NCF10 = [($103,000 – $70,000) – ($29,000 – $40,000)– ($20,000 – $0)](1 – 0.4) + ($20,000 – $0) – $0 + $25,000 salvage – tax on salvage (0.4*$25,000) = $34,400 + $25,000 – $10,000 = $49,400
Table We shown here is a summary worksheet for computing the net cash flows for Briggs & Stratton during the 10-year estimated economic life of the new drill press.
Table We shown summarizes the net cash flows for the entire project. This schedule of net cash flows plus the NINV computed in the preceding section form the basis for further analysis. several different capital budgeting decision models are applied to similar cash flow streams from other projects to determine the investment desirability of these projects. The cash flows developed in this chapter are an essential input in the capital budgeting decision process.Problems in Cash Flow Estimation
Because project cash flows occur in the future, there are varying degrees of uncertainty about the value of these flows. Therefore, it is difficult to predict the actual cash flows of a project. The capital budgeting process assumes that the decision maker is able to estimate cash flows accurately enough that these estimates can be used in project evaluation and selection. For this assumption to be realistic, a project proposal should be based on inputs from marketing managers regarding revenue estimates and inputs from the production and engineering staffs regarding costs and achievable levels of performance.
Objective inputs from these sources can help reduce the uncertainty associated with cash flow estimation. In addition, cash flow estimates for different projects may have varying degrees of uncertainty. For example, the returns from asset replacement projects are generally easier to forecast than the returns from new product introductio projects.The Practice of Cash Flow Estimation for Capital Budgeting
The analysis presented in this chapter and throughout the book suggests that generating accurate estimates of the cash flows from investment projects is extremely important to the success of the firm. A survey supports this conclusion and provides considerable insight regarding the cash flow estimation procedures used by larger firms (Fortune 500).
The majority of the firms responding to the survey had annual capital budgets of more than $100 million. Nearly 67 percent of the firms prepared formal cash flow estimates for over 60 percent of their annual capital outlays, and a majority produced detailed cash flow projections for capital investments requiring an initial outlay of $40,000 or more.
Firms with high capital intensity and high leverage were more likely to have one or more persons, such as a financial analyst, treasurer, controller, or department manager, designated to oversee the process of cash flow estimation. This reflects the larger number of projects associated with capital-intensive firms and the need to effectively manage the risk associated with high leverage.
When asked about the type of cash flow estimates that were generated, 56 percent indicated that they used single-dollar estimates, 8 percent used a range of estimates, and 36 percent used both single -dollar estimates and a range of estimates. There was a significant positive correlation between firms that use both types of estimates and measures of operating and financial risk, suggesting that the use of a range of estimates is one procedure for managing high risk. Forecasting methods employed by the respondent firms included subjective estimates from management, sensitivity analysis, consensus analysis of expert opinions, and computer simulation.
Many firms used multiple cash flow forecasting techniques. The longer the forecasting horizon —that is, the longer the economic life of the project —the more likely a firm is to use multiple methods for forecasting future cash flows.
Financial factors considered to be important in generating cash flow estimates include working capital requirements, project risk, tax considerations, the project's impact on the firm's liquidity, the anticipated rate of inflation, and expected salvage value. Important marketing factors considered include sales forecasts, the competitive advantages and disadvantages of the product, and product life. Important production factors include operating expenses, material and supply costs, overhead and expenses for manufacturing, capacity utilization, and start-up costs.
Three-fourths of the companies surveyed make comparisons between actual and projected cash flows, with nearly all the firms comparing actual versus projected initial outlays and operating cash flows over the project life; about two -thirds of these firms make comparisons of actual versus projected salvage values. The most accurate cash flow estimates are reported to be the initial outlay estimates, and the least accurate element of cash flow estimates is the annual operating cash flows.
Cash flow forecasts were more accurate for equipment replacement investments than for expansion and modernization investments or for acquisitions of ongoing businesses. Firms with the information system in place to generate cash flow forecasts tend to produce more accurate forecasts than firms with less sophisticated capital project evaluation procedures.
Summary Project Cash Flows for Briggs & Stratton
Cash Flow Estimation Biases
The estimation of the cash flows associated with an investment project is the most important step in the capital expenditure evaluation process. If the cash flow estimates associated with a project are intentionally or unintentionally biased, a firm's resources are unlikely to be allocated to the set of investment projects that will maximize shareholder wealth. There are several reasons why managers might produce biased cash flow estimates when preparing capital expenditure project proposals.
First, a manager might be tempted to overestimate the revenues or underestimate the costs associated with a project if the manager is attempting to expand the resource base over which he or she has control. By biasing the estimates of a project's cash flows upward, a manager is likely to receive a larger share of the investment resources of the firm. Because managerial compensation is sometimes tied to the span of job responsibilities, managers may be tempted to expand this span of control at the expense of other areas in the firm.
Second, some firms tie employee compensation to performance relative to stated objectives —a compensation scheme often called management by objective. If a manager is confident that the best estimate of the cash flows from a proposed project is sufficiently large to guarantee project acceptance, the manager may be tempted to reduce these cash flow estimates to a level below the "most likely outcome" level, confident that the project will continue to be viewed as an acceptable investment and that it will be funded.
However, once the project is under way, the project manager will feel less pressure to meet projected performance standards. The downward bias in the cash flow estimates provides a cushion that permits suboptimal management of the project while achieving the objectives enunciated when the project was first proposed.
What impact does intentionally biasing cash flow estimates for investment projects have on achieving the goal of shareholder wealth maximization?


text:
Feb. 18, 2014
WASHINGTON - Senior guard Samisha Powell (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) scored 13 points and the Georgetown University women's basketball team (9-18, 3-12 BIG EAST) came from behind to upset the No. 22/RV St. John's University Red Storm (19-6, 12-2 BIG EAST), 60-57, Tuesday night at McDonough Arena. The win snapped the Red Storm's 11-game winning streak and marked the first win over a ranked opponent since Nov. 11, 2012.
"We're getting better," said Georgetown Head Coach Jim Lewis. "St. John's is obviously having an excellent season coming in in first place in the BIG EAST, but we played them well up there so we've gotten better and we can continue to get better."
Freshman guard Faith Woodard (Brandon, Fla./Freedom) and sophomore guard Logan Battle (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) each scored 12 points and freshman center Natalie Butler (Fairfax Station, Va./Lake Braddock) added 14 rebounds for the Hoyas.
Georgetown outrebounded St. John's, 36-30, and shot 46.2 percent from the field.
Amber Thompson scored 14 points and Aliyyah Handford and Briana Brown each added 13 for the Red Storm, who hadn't lost since Jan. 5 at Xavier. The Red Storm shot just 29 percent in the decisive second half.
St. John's led by three just minutes into the second half, but a 12-2 Georgetown run including six points from Woodard gave the Hoyas a 44-37 lead with 11:53 remaining in the contest.
From that point on, GU held onto the lead keeping it a two-possession game. With 1:16 left and Georgetown leading by seven, St. John's staged a 6-0 run to cut it to one with 22 seconds on the clock. Sophomore guard Katie McCormick (Leonardtown, Md./St. Mary's Ryken) made two free throws and the Red Storm's game-tying 3-pointer bounced off the back rim allowing the Blue & Gray to hold on for the 60-57 victory.
St. John's led for the entire first, going ahead by as much as 10 points late in the half. Looking at a 27-17 deficit with 4:26 before the break, a 6-0 run cut it to four and a late layup from Powell made it 31-29 going into the break.
"We had great contributions throughout the lineup tonight, Logan Battle and Samisha Powell were really good, and everyone was good," said Lewis. "We controlled what we could. They got away from us a few times in transition buckets and offensive penetration, but once we corrected that we looked good. I have to say that our coaching staff did a great job tonight, it was an outstanding collective effort."
The Hoyas will be back in action on Sunday at Villanova at 1 p.m. The game will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 and live stats will also be available at www.GUHoyas.com.
More Headlines
Women's Basketball Announces Non-Conference...
The Georgetown University women's basketball squad released its 2016-17 non-conference schedule...
King Spends Summer Interning in New York
Georgetown University women's basketball senior guard Tyshell King (Baltimore, Md./St....
Woodard Checks in From NBC
Throughout the summer, members of the Georgetown University women's basketball team will be...
Rodgers Named to USA Basketball Women's...
Georgetown University women's basketball alum Sugar Rodgers (C'13) was named to the...
Women's Basketball Pro Update
Georgetown University women's basketball alumnae Rebekkah Brunson and Sugar Rodgers are...
Rafiu Attends 2016 United Nations Sports Summit
Georgetown University Women's Basketball Graduate Assistant Coach Ki-Ke Rafiu was one of 11...
Woodard Spends the Summer at NBC Studios
Throughout the summer, members of the Georgetown University women's basketball team will be...
Adair to Speak at USA Basketball Youth Coach...
Georgetown University Head Women's Basketball Coach Natasha Adair has been invited to be...
Top Videos
DOWNLOAD SCHEDULE: Add to calendar
Friday, Nov 11 Sport Opponent Time Coverage Women's Basketball George Washington 7:00 PM Sunday, Nov 13 Sport Opponent Time Coverage Women's Basketball at Virginia Tech TBA Friday, Nov 18 Sport Opponent Time Coverage Women's Basketball at Minnesota 5:00 PM Tuesday, Nov 22 Sport Opponent Time Coverage Women's Basketball at Florida International TBA Friday, Nov 25 Sport Opponent Time Coverage Women's Basketball vs Wright State 11:00 AM
- Online Stores & Tickets


text:
Skiing the Lyngen Peninsula
Skiing the Lyngen Peninsula
It goes like this: Chuck your reputation as America's greatest downhill skier, shred big lines in Alaska, tear through the X Games, then weigh a return to the Olympics in a wild new event.
Seven new tools to help you make the most of winter
Two gung-ho idiots try to demonstrate that the world's last great forest + chainsaws = awesome skiing
A year after the debut of his Ski Tour, Kipp Nelson is back with more events, more bands, and more babes. Sleep is totally overrated.


text:
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok - Bangkok - Thailand
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok - BangkokJW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
Address: 4 Sukhumvit Soi 2
Phone Number: +6626567700
Geolocation: 13.741946, 100.552177
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok Rates & Reservations
- Book your room
- Book your room
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok Reviews
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok average rating
8.7 out of 10 based on 417 user reviews.
8.7 out of 10 based on 417 user reviews.
Check Availability and Book Now....
If you experience any problems with the above search please click here
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok - Bangkok Description
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok is conveniently located in the popular Sukhumvit area. Offering a variety of facilities and services, the hotel provides all you need for a good night's sleep. Service-minded staff will welcome and guide you at the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok. Each guestroom is elegantly furnished and equipped with handy amenities. Enjoy the hotel's recreational facilities, including fitness center, sauna, outdoor pool, spa, massage, before retiring to your room for a well-deserved rest. JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok is an excellent choice from which to explore Bangkok or to simply relax and rejuvenate.
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok - Bangkok classifies itself as a 5 star hotel.
N.B. Please note that the star ratings are interpreted generously by the hotels in many countries.
N.B. Please note that the star ratings are interpreted generously by the hotels in many countries.
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok - Bangkok Facilities
N.B. Please note that these are considered correct at the time of publishing, but may no longer be available. If any of the facilities are absolutely essential for you please check when booking. Please do not assume that all are included in the room rate.
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok Hotel Facilities
- 24-Hour Front Desk
- 24-Hour Room Service
- Airport Transfer
- Babysitting
- Bar
- Business Center
- Car Park
- Coffee Shop
- Concierge
- Dry Cleaning
- Elevator
- Executive Floor
- Express Check-In / Check-Out
- Facilities For Disabled Guests
- Laundry Service
- Luggage Storage
- Meeting Facilities
- Newspapers
- Restaurant
- Room Service
- Safety Deposit Boxes
- Salon
- Shops
- Valet Parking
- Wi-Fi in Public Areas
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok Room Facilities
- Air Conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Bathtub
- Coffee / Tea Maker
- Complimentary Bottled Water
- Daily Newspaper
- Desk
- DVD / CD Player
- Executive Lounge Access
- Hair Dryer
- In Room Safe
- Inhouse Movies
- Internet Access - Lan
- Internet Access - Lan (Complimentary)
- Internet Access - Wireless
- Internet Access - Wireless (Complimentary)
- Ironing Facilities
- Laptop Safe Box
- Mini Bar
- Non Smoking Rooms
- Refrigerator
- Satellite / Cable TV
- Seating Area
- Separate Shower And Tub
- Shower
- Television
- Whirlpool Bathtub
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok Sports and Recreation
- Fitness Center
- Garden
- Hot Tub
- Massage
- Outdoor Pool
- Sauna
- Steamroom
Online Reservation - click here
reserve your discounted JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok room now!
reserve your discounted JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok room now!


text: thisisizzy Play via YouTube OPEN IN APP NSFW Safe Is this playlist safe for work? gold Uh-Huh This My Shit April 30, 2012 | 14 tracks | 2,225 139 | Stats Will SmithThe Click FiveCiara 2000snostalgiapophip hoprock Liked Collect Share Edit celebrate Liked! Share this mix with friends: Uh-Huh This My Shit Wrong video Collect Share Liked! Share this mix with friends:


text:
Follow HitFix Follow @hitfix
Britney Spear's Down Under lip-syncing causes a brouhaha
Should there be a law requiring disclosure?
We're crying crocodile tears for Britney Spears right now. Apparently, Brit Brit is upset about a story in the Australia press that claimed fans walked out of her Perth show on Friday, due, in part, to her lip-syncing, according to a story in Reuters. There seems to be some debate over how many, if any, disgruntled audience members stormed out and if the number was exaggerated by a reporter.
I'm of two minds about her lip-syncing. At this point, anyone who's buying tickets to Spears' show, which has been on the road for months, and is shocked, SHOCKED I say, that she is lip-syncing, has been living under a rock. So, I'm not buying the complaints.
But what remains is the greater question of is it okay for an artist to lip-sync virtually her entire show, as Spears does, and not disclose that fact in advance. In the U.S., apparently, the answer is yes. In the land down under, maybe not. According to MSNBC.com, there are now three Australian politicians calling for artists to disclose they are lip-syncing on their concert tickets.
By the time the patron is holding the ticket in their hot little hands, hasn't that ship already sailed? If someone is serious about letting ticket buyers know in advance that the performer they are plunking down their money to see is lip-syncing, then doesn't it make much more sense to declare that such information must run in all ads for the show and on the ticket agency's site? Therefore, the consumer can decide if she wants to still attend the show before the purchase. It's too late after they've bought the ticket to then reveal that information.
Where do you draw the line? If an artist's vocals are largely live but she is singing to enhanced tapes, does that need to be disclosed? Does the idea only apply to the lead singer? What if there are other elements, such as music tracks, etc. Do they need to be disclosed beforehand?
The bigger question is does the public care? Fans have flocked to Spears' website to voice their support for her (presumably they can still express themselves live, even if Britney can't). Any fan of true rock is likely to feel that what Spears is doing is a sham. The beauty of seeing a live show is that you are watching the performer in a unique moment in time—warts and all. A real musician/artist should be able to sing live. But for non-rock fans, maybe it's just what we've come to expect: we're going to see a spectacle--a show-- and it's to be judged in its entirety-- not on the vocals only, but the dancing, the costumes, the effects—the entire package. Plus, why the hue and cry is the artist is lip-syncing to his or her own vocals—canned as they may be?
Passing a law requiring tickets to state an artist is lip-syncing would change absolutely nothing. If anything, it might free up artists to stop the charade of pretending to sing to their songs as they gyrate around like strippers. Isn't that the real hypocrisy: That Spears is even pretending to sing along so when anyone not in the first three rows watches the show on the big screens, Spears has to look like she's singing? Let's free her up to concentrate on her modest dancing skills since she can't control those from the sound board.
Spears' next show in Australia is Wednesday in Melbourne. We'll continue to watch and see if the controversy grows or if the sound and fury—like Spears' live voice in concert—goes silent.
Should artists be forced to disclose whether they lip sync in concert? Share your thoughts below.