Main Features Of The Indian Hotel Industry Tourism Essay

Main Features Of The Indian Hotel Industry Tourism Essay The major players in the Indian hotel industry can be broadly classified into private players and public players. The major private players include Indian Hotels Company limited, East India Hotels Limited (The Oberoi group), Asian Hotels and ITC Hotels. ITDC and Hotel Corporation of India are the major public sector players.   Sector Outlook Hotel industry depends largely upon the foreign tourist arrivals further classified into business travelers (around 65% of the total foreign tourists) and leisure travelers. The following figures show that business as well as the leisure travelers (both domestic and international) formed major clientele for hotels in 2004. Over the last two years, the hotel industry has seen higher growth rates due to greater number of tourist arrivals, higher occupancy rate (being around 75% in FY06) and significant increase in average room rate (ARR). The major factors contributing to this growth include stable economic and political conditions, booming service industry, FDI inflow, infrastructure development, emphasis on tourism by the central as well as state governments and tax rationalization initiatives to bring down the tax rates in line with the international levels. Some of the main features of the Indian hotel industry include the following:  · The industry is more dependent on metropolitan cities as they account for 75% to 80% of the revenues, with Delhi and Mumbai being on top.    · The average room rate (ARR) and occupancy rate (OC) are the two most critical factors that determine profitability. ARR depends on location, brand image, star rating, quality of facilities and services offered. The occupancy rate depends on other seasonal factors.    · India is an ideal destination for tourists. Approximately 4.4 million tourists visit India every year. Thus the growth prospects are very high.    · In the hotel sector, a number of multinationals have strengthened their presence. Players like Four Seasons are also likely to enter the Indian market in the near future. Moreover, Indian hotel chains are also expanding internationally. A combination of all these factors could result in a strong emergence of budget hotels, which could potentially lower the cost of travel and related costs. The industry can be classified into four segments:  · 5 Star and 5 Star Deluxe. These are mainly situated in the business districts of metro cities and cater to business travelers and foreign tourists. These are considered to be very expensive. These account for about 30% of the industry.    · Heritage Hotels. These are characterized by less capital expenditure and greater affordability and include running hotels in palaces, castles, forts, hunting lodges, etc.    · Budget Hotels:  Budget hotels cater mainly to domestic travelers who favor reasonably priced accommodations with limited luxury. These are characterized by special seasonal offers and good services.    · Unclassified:  These are low-priced motels spread throughout the country. A low-pricing policy is their only selling point. This segment accounts for about 19 % of the industry. Trends In Hospitality Sector Trends that will shape the future of hospitality sector are: 1. Low Cost Carriers 2. Budget Hotels 3. Service Apartments 4. Technology 5. Loyalty Travel 1. Low cost carriers:  Travelers in general are more price sensitive to airfare than they are to hotel room rates. Often a low airfare will stimulate demand for travel even if hotel prices are increasing. LCCs are a good option for business travelers, as they have advantages like low costs, more options and connectivity. 2. Budget hotels:  More than 50 per cent of occupancy of a majority of hotels comes from the business travel segment. The average room rate (ARR) realized from business travelers is normally higher than from leisure travelers. Heightened demand and the healthy occupancy rates have resulted in an increase in the number of budget hotels. Some of the new players entering into this category of hotels include Hometel, Kamfotel, Courtyard by Marriott, Country Inns Suites, Ibis and Fairfield Inn.   3. Service apartments:  The concept of service apartments, though a recent phenomenon in India, is an established global concept. Villas in Spain, flats in the UK and apartment complexes in the US have all created a viable market for those who want more than just a room in a hotel. Service apartments are the latest trend in accommodation, offering the comfort and convenience of a home without the hassles of having to maintain or look after it. Ideally suited for medium-to-long staying guests, service apartments are a natural choice for corporate employees or expatriates relocating to a particular city, non-resident Indians visiting the country for long spells and foreigners visiting the city for long durations.   4. Technology:  Travel and technology have become inseparable. Technology is making its own advances with high-tech video conferencing facilities, web cameras and virtual reality mode of conferencing. On-line bookings, e-ticketing, Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, easy access to information, etc. are just a few areas where technology has completely changed the the way we travel.   5. Loyalty travel:Today, airline-credit card company tie-ups have brought a whole range of benefits to the travelers. These include insurance cover, upgrades, free tickets, access to executive lounges, and a host of other goodies. ITC Hotels Limited ITC Hotels:  · ITC Hotel Maurya Sheraton Towers, New Delhi  · ITC Hotel Grand Maratha Sheraton Towers, Mumbai  · ITC Hotel Sonar Bangla Sheraton Towers,Kolkata  · WelcomHotel Mughal Sheraton, Agra  · WelcomHeritage ( These hotels are spread over all over india and are currently operating in Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu Kashmir, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Karnataka.) MARKET CAPITALIZATION   Month High Low Average July 2006 69470.81 61622.49 65132.68 August 2006 71935.59 63162.11 66907.27 September 2006 71616.29 68235.51 69865.82 October 2006 73136.79 69172.79 70595.60 November 2006 71870.11 66984.82 69353.40 December 2006 71557.75 63306.15 67001.52 Key Stats Ratios Quarterly Annual   (2006) Annual   (TTM) Net Profit Margin 21.70% Operating Margin 31.32% EBITD Margin 34.70% Return on Average Assets 18.35% Return on Average Equity 26.75% RECRUITMENT POLICY: The potential candidates who are looking forward to build their career in ITC Hotels should possess several qualities like integrity, intellectual rigor, a will do attitude, team skills, ability to think strategically, high energy, creativity and leadership. For  entry level, ITC relies on campus recruitments and visits various management and engineering institutes. Some of the institutes include IITs, IIMs, FMS, XLRI, etc. ITC also provides  summer internships.  The internships are for a total of 8 weeks during April July every year. For middle level opportunities, advertisements are placed on the company website and the interested and eligible candidates are invited to apply on-line. The middle management level provides opportunities in Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Logistics and many more. Indian Hotels Company The Indian Hotels Company (IHC) is the parent company of Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces. It was founded by Jamsetji N. Tata on December16, 1903. Currently the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces comprises 57 hotels at 40 locations across India. Additional 18 hotels are also being operated around the globe. During fiscal year 2006, the total number of hotels owned or managed by the Company was 75. The Taj hotels are categorized as luxury, leisure and business hotels. The Taj Luxury Hotels offer a wide range of luxurious suites with modern fitness centres, rejuvenating spas, and well-equipped banquet and meeting facilities. The Taj Leisure Hotels offer a complete holiday package that can be enjoyed with the whole family. It provides exciting activities ranging from sports, culture, environment, adventure, music, and entertainment. The Taj Business Hotels provide the finest standards of hospitality, which helps the business trips to be productive. They offer well-appointed rooms, telecommunication facilities, efficient service, specialty restaurants and lively bars, well-equipped business centres, and other conference facilities. Management: Chairman: Mr. Ratan N Tata Managing Director CEO: Mr. Raymond Bickson Chief Operating Officer, Leisure Hotels: Ms. Jyoti Narang Chief Operating Officer, Luxury Hotels: Mr. Abhijit Mukerji Chief Operating Officer, Business Hotels: Mr. Jamshed S. Daboo Vice President-Legal Company secretary: Dev Bajpai Chief Financial Officer: Mr. Anil P Goel   Financial Data   Key Stats Ratios Quarterly   (Mar 04) Annual   (2006) Annual   (TTM) Net Profit Margin 4.86% 11.93% 5.03% Operating Margin 8.24% 16.75% 7.77% EBITD Margin 29.11% 23.33% Return on Average Assets 5.32% Return on Average Equity 15.48% Market Capitalization in last 6 months (Rs.crores) Month High Low Average July 2006 6983.18 5883.71 6640.63 August 2006 7536.56 6745.18 7229.90 September 2006 8093.45 7482.83 7835.64 October 2006 8576.75 7911.81 8146.62 November 2006 9046.91 8080.31 8681.29 December 2006 9444.76 8400.55 9001.56 Four new hotels in Bangalore: Taj Group invests Rs.1,000 crore The Taj Group of Hotels will invest about Rs 1,000 crore for constructing four new hotels in Bangalore. It has submitted an Expression of Interest to Delhi Airport International Limited (DAIL). The company has also submitted an Expression of Interest for building a top-class hotel in the airport vicinity. Besides the company has been allocated a site at Greater Noida for building a hotel, while it is keen on entering into a management contract for a hotel in Gurgaon. The Group was also eyeing to enter hotel business overseas like Maldives, Mauritius, Colombo, Boston and Sydney. The Group is also planning to explore seven more locations in Mumbai and increase its total room capacity to 2,000 in the commercial capital in the next five years. This expansion of its budget hotels will generate numerous jobs in the industry. The group has also taken up the renovation and management of Rail Yatri Niwas, the well-known Delhi budget hotel owned by the railways, on a 15-year lease. As part of the deal with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), which currently runs it, the Taj group will renovate the Yatri Niwas and add food courts within the complex. The makeover will be done on a redesign-operate-manage-transfer basis. The hotel will be run under the Taj groups budget hotel brand, Ginger, which has hotels in Mysore, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Haridwar and Bhubaneshwar. Taj group of hotels will upgrade all four Rail Yatri Niwas hotels located in Delhi, Howrah, Ranchi and Puri.   The Oberoi Group (EIH) The Oberoi Group was founded in 1934 by Late Rai Bahadur M S Oberoi. The group owns and/or manages 32 hotels with 3,193 rooms under names of Oberoi Hotels Resorts and Trident Hilton, a luxury backwater cruiser in Kerala and Oberoi Flight Services, a division of EIH that provides commercial in-flight catering and operates airport lounges and restaurants. It has branches in five countries, situated in two continents (Asia and Africa). The chain operates the following hotels and resorts in India: The Oberoi, New Delhi Oberoi, Mumbai, Maharashtra The Oberoi, Banglore, Karnataka The Oberoi Amarvilas, Uttar Pradesh The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, West Bengal The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, Rajasthan The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Rajasthan Wildflower Hall, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh The Oberoi Cecil, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh The Oberoi Motor Vessel Vrinda, Kerela. The other businesses of EIH include:  · Mercury Car Rentals  · Corporate Air Charters  · EIH Press  · Mercury Travels  · Flight Catering   MARKET CAPITALIZATION   Key Stats Ratios Annual   (2006) Net Profit Margin 22.32% Operating Margin 30.45% EBITD Margin 48.13% Return on Average Assets 8.81% Return on Average Equity 21.09% The market capitalization of EIH as on march 21, 2007 was Rs. 3,748.74 cr. Oberoi Group ventures into Middle East hospitality industry Oberoi Group will run two hotels in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to tap the growing Middle East tourism market. Oberoi will manage a city hotel as well as one resort property in the UAE capital. The company has also signed an agreement for a hotel in Dubai, which is part of a 800- million-dirham property project being developed by Rani International. The companys development plans are focused on the Middle East and Asia. It has 32 hotels in five countries and is planning to open new properties in several locations, including Marrakesh, Muscat, Maldives, Cambodia and Thailand. It is also planning to launch its luxury cruiser on the Nile, The Oberoi Zahra, in October this year with an idea to redefine the paradigm of luxury on Nile. The Oberoi Zahra, Luxury Nile Cruiser comes with 25 luxury suites and two Grand suites. The Grand suites have their own private decks and outdoor Jacuzzis. With the Indian economy growing fast, Oberoi is also looking at a number of new sites in India cities, including Hyderabad, Pune, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai. It currently has 11 brand hotels in India. Oberoi was also ranked ninth among the top 10 leading chains, hotels, resorts and spas across the world, according to the 2007/2008 Worlds Top Hotels, Resorts and Spas survey report released by Zagat Surveys.   Radisson Hotels Resorts Radisson Hotels Resorts: Radisson hotels are a worldwide chain of 435 hotels with a total of 102,000 guest rooms, in 61 countries. The first Radisson Hotel was built in 1909 and was purchased by Curt Carlson in 1962 and is still owned by his Carlson Companies. Radisson Hotels International is a fully owned subsidiary of the Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, which is one of the major operating groups of Carlson Companies Inc.Carlson Hospitality brands include Regent International Hotels, Radisson Hotels Worldwide, Country Inns and Suites by Carlson, Park Hospitality, Carlson Vacation Ownership, and Carlson Lifestyle Living. Carlson companies also include the Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Carlson Leisure Group, Carlson Marketing Group and a worldwide marketing services company. With more than 1520 hotel, resort, restaurant and cruise ship operations in 79 countries, Carlson Companies provide employment to 190,000 people in more than 140 countries.   Scope Of Hospitality Sector In 2003-04 the hospitality industry contributed only 2% of the GDP. However, it is projected to grow at a rate of 8.8% between 2007-16, which would place India as the second-fastest growing tourism market in the world. This year the number of tourists visiting India is estimated to have touched the figure of 4.4 million. With this huge figure, India is becoming the hottest tourist destination. The arrival of foreign tourists has shown a compounded annual growth of 6 per cent over the past 10 years. Besides, travel and tourism is the second highest foreign exchange earner for India. Moreover, it is also estimated that the tourism sector will account for nearly 5.3 per cent of GDP and 5.4 per cent of total employment. GDP Employment Visitor Export Personal TT Capital Investment Govt. Expenditure Outlook for 2006 7.80% 1.40% 10.90% 6.90 % 8.30% 7.70% Outlook for 2007-2016 6.60% 1.00% 7.80% 6.70% 7.80% 6.60% Future of hospitality sector: To boost up the growth of tourism in India, the government has proposed to invest Rs. 520 crore in 2007-2008. Tourism in expected to grow further over the next few years due to the changes taking place on the demand and supply sides. The factors that will account for the further growth of tourism will include the following:  · Change in standards of living  · More disposable income  · Better education  · Long leisure time  · Aging population   Owing to growth of tourism sector, infrastructure will improve, competition will increase, new products will come into markets and better services will be provided. Due to the rapid growth in tourism, the hotel industry is also booming. Many international players like Le Meridien and Accor are heading towards Indian markets to expand their business. With governments full support in developing infrastructure, increase in demand, open sky policies and increased competition, the hospitality industry is getting consolidated and has many more opportunities to grow further. Challenges For Hospitality Industry 1.Shortage of skilled employees:One of the greatest challenges plaguing the hospitality industry is the unavailability of quality workforce in different skill levels. The hospitality industry has failed to retain good professionals. 2.Retaining quality workforce:Retention of the workforce through training and development in the hotel industry is a problem and attrition levels are too high. One of the reasons for this is unattractive wage packages. Though there is boom in the service sector, most of the hotel management graduates are joining other sectors like retail and aviation. 3. Shortage of rooms:  The hotel industry is facing heavy shortage of rooms. It is estimated that the current requirement is of 1,50,000 rooms. Though the new investment plan would add 53,000 rooms by 2011, the shortage will still persist.   4. Intense competition and image of India:  The industry is witnessing heightened competition with the arrival of new players, new products and new systems. The competition from neighboring countries and negative perceptions about Indian tourism product constrains the growth of tourism. The image of India as a country overrun by poverty, political instability, safety concerns and diseases also harms the tourism industry.   5. Customer expectations:  As India is emerging as a destination on the global travel map, expectations of customers are rising. The companies have to focus on customer loyalty and repeat purchases.   6. Manual back-end:  Though most reputed chains have IT enabled systems for property management, reservations, etc., almost all the data which actually make the company work are filled in manual log books or are simply not tracked.   7. Human resource development:  Some of the services required in the tourism and hotel industries are highly personalized, and no amount of automation can substitute for personal service providers. India is focusing more on white collar jobs than blue collar jobs. The shortage of blue collar employees will pose various threats to the industry.

The Sexual Content in Angela Carter?S the Bloody Chamber

The Sexual Content in Angela Carter? s â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, is a selection of fairytales which have been re-written by Angela Carter to place them in the modern day. Carter has taken seven fairytales whose â€Å"latent content† she says were â€Å"violently sexual†, (qtd by Robin Sheets, â€Å"Pornography Fairy Tales and Feminism† 642). The stories include a variation of classics fairytales such as â€Å"Bluebeard†, â€Å"Beauty and the Beast† and â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† with sometimes more than one version of the same original tale, for example â€Å"Wolf-Alice† and â€Å"The Company of Wolves†. In re-writing these fairy tales Carter has given the new versions a specifically sexual content and focuses on the female protagonist, which as a result, has become the issue of much debate and criticism. In particular, the sometimes explicit sexual content of the stories has raised questions among some feminist writers regarding Carter? s stance on the issue of the role of women and pornography. Focusing mainly on the main story of the collection, â€Å"The Bloody Chamber†, this essay will aim to highlight Carter? s intentions for the sexual content of her stories. In doing so, whilst commenting from some critical essays regarding Carter? s stance on pornography, this essay will also address â€Å"Lovely Linda†, a review of Inside Linda Lovelace, by Linda Lovelace a porn actress, which was written by Angela Carter. In her essay, Robin Sheets compares â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† to another of Carter? s books The Sadiean Woman and the Ideology of Pornography. Sheets takes one of ten short stories in the collection and using only this story tries to define Carter as either one of â€Å"Sade? new Juliettes† or a â€Å"new Justine†, (qtd. by Sheets pp636-637). These titles, which make reference to characters from works by the Marquis de Sade, were created by Robin Morgan in her criticism of feminist activists who opposed or supported the antipornography movement, those who support pornography being the â€Å"new Juliettes† as they align themselves with sex based on domination, where the â€Å"new Justines† are said to always portray themselves of the victims of male brutality. Antipornography activists described pornography as a â€Å"cause of women? oppression†, (Sheets 637), and Sheets focuses on this in â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† as a means to decide which flag Carter is flying. Like all fairy tales the original story of Bluebeard contained a moral. Sheets comments that although over time there have been variations made to the story in order to change the moral the one that has prevailed has been that which advises women against curiosity, (Sheets 643). Whilst comparing the Marquis of the story to the Marquis de Sade, Sheets links the sadistic acts of the Marquis in â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† to that of de Sade. When one takes into consideration Carter? s review of Linda Lovelace? s book, Inside Linda Lovelace, when addressing the sexual content of â€Å"The Bloody Chamber†, it is easy to understand Carter? s opinion of pornography and as result her reasons for using it in her stories. At the start of the review Carter describes Lovelace? s fame as a result of the â€Å"demands of a society that uses libidinal gratification as a soporific in a time of potential social disruption†. From the outset of this review Carter? negativity towards â€Å"our Lady of Hard-Core Porn†, is evident, so what is different about Linda Lovelace and the content of her own works that attracts so much argument regarding its pornographic nature? In her review she goes on to remark that â€Å"libidinal gratification† is now unlimited but that this has changed as a result of society changing as in short that although we are sexually free now it is only because society says so, which means that if we have to wait for society? s permission we still are not free, (Angela Carter, Shaking a Leg 54). This oppression of women is one of the most commonly debated aspects of pornography. The debate develops into deciding what pornography is and what is erotica, the difference being (if one uses Gloria Steinem? s definition as example), that erotica is â€Å"mutually pleasurable, sexual expression between people who have enough power to be there by positive choice†, (qtd. by Sheets 637). Although Linda Lovelace claims sexual freedom and wants to be equal in bed, Carter makes sure to point out that the sexual acts that Lovelace boasts about being able to do with her mouth and her vagina she has learned from a man, Chuck, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 54). In turn when one compares this oppression to â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† one can see that indeed there are some obvious examples of masochism, one of which being when the narrator describes having sex as being â€Å"impaled†, (Angela Carter, Burning Your Boats, 121) by her husband. Indeed the whole story up until the point where she goes to the forbidden room is one of subjugation. When one takes into consideration the remarks that Carter makes in her article of Lovelace about society, it can be argued that the initial argument regarding the intentions of the sexual content in Carter? s works also stem from the boundaries which society sets. Where some only see the oppression of the protagonist, others look beyond this to see an alternative to the protagonist’s actions. As Merja Makinen points out in â€Å"Angela Carter? s The Bloody Chamber and the Decolonisation of the Feminine Sexuality†, there is an alternative argument to that of the narrator of â€Å"The Bloody Chamber†. Here, Makinen argues that to an extent the narrator does in fact consent to the â€Å"sado-masochistic transaction†, (Makinen 32). This can be seen in the narrator? brief descriptions of the desire that is lurking within her, â€Å"I was aghast to feel myself stirring†, (Carter, Burning Your Boats 119). Therefore, it can be argued that rather than being subjected to this act, the presence of consent transforms this into an act of erotica. This could be an example of which Makinen describes as Carter re-writing the old tales by playing with the earli er misogynistic version, (Makinen 24). As mentioned earlier Sheets attempts to brand Carter as a â€Å"new Juliette† or â€Å"new Justine†, but in the end her argument is inconclusive and cannot decide on one particular side of the fence for the writer. In comparison, Carter refers to Lovelace as someone who has been â€Å"sexually exploited by men†, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 55). Carter makes it blatantly clear in this article that she is against pornography, not because of the acts that take place but because of the oppression of women. She describes Lovelace as someone who lives in a world dictated by men, she has learned her technique from men and although it is a world of sex, the sex itself has been reduced to what Carter calls a â€Å"geometric intersection of parts†, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 56). Carter compares what Lovelace is doing to that of what takes place in a Brothel. She comments that â€Å"our society generally denies the prostitute both appreciation and the opportunity to exercise particular sexual virtuosity†, and ironically confirms that â€Å"Lovelace is no prostitute†, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 55). Carter portrays Lovelace as what this writer believes is what every anti-pornography activist has in mind when they are condemning pornography, â€Å"she is a shaven prisoner in a cage whose bars are composed of cocks†, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 56). From this review it is a wonder that there would be any debate as to whether or not the sexual content of Carter? s works support pornography, and it is clear that she uses sexual practice based on domination for other means, in her writing. The other stories in The Bloody Chamber approach a different aspect of female sexuality and desire and Makinen implies that it is necessary to read all the stories to understand the intentions of Carter. For example, the story of â€Å"The Lady of the House of Love† shows the inversion of the Bluebeard character. Who can mistake the gothic tropes used to portray the female vampire as a male. The teeth of the vampire which would penetrate the virgin boy, but yet there is still an element of desire for the vampire and in order to obtain that she must pay a price. Makinen argues that rather than being against or for pornography, Carter aims to portray a wider incorporation of female sexuality, and use â€Å"feminism to challenge sexist constructions†, (Makinen 25). This, it could be argued, is why the book starts with an obvious description of female oppression. At the same time however, one also has to keep in mind the variations to the original Bluebeard story that Carter has included. The mother who saves the day, the second husband who is gentle and kind and also the protagonist being the narrator herself, are what Sheets describes as Carter â€Å"writing against the interpretive tradition that emphasizes the wife? s sexual curiosity†, (Sheets 644). As we have seen in the review of Lovelace? s book, Angela Carter sees pornography as the oppression of women by men and that she does not look too highly upon this factor. When one takes this into consideration whilst reading her books, it can be seen then that although she uses material which can be argued to be that of a pornographic nature, she does so not as a means to approve of the oppression of women. Rather she uses this material to â€Å"critique phallocentrism† and as a means to demonstrate female sexuality and the representation of femininity, (Makinen p34). Bibliography Carter, Angela, â€Å"The Bloody Chamber†, Burning Your Boats, London: Chatto & Windus, 1995. Carter, Angela, â€Å"Lovely Linda†, Shaking a Leg, London: Chatto & Windus, 1997. Makinen, Merja, â€Å"Angela Carter? s The Bloody Chamber and the Decolonisation of Feminine Sexuality†, New Casebooks: Angela Carter, Ed. Alison Easton, Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000, pp20-36. Sheets, Robin Ann, â€Å"Pornography, Fairy Tales, and Feminism: Angela Carter’s â€Å"TheBloody Chamber†Ã¢â‚¬ , Journal of the History of Sexuality, Vol. 1, No. 4, (April,1997), pp 633- 657 08/04/2011

Essay on The Army Should Continue Random Drug Testing

Soldiers are in the spot light way to much these days, from a recruiter at a local school to a Soldier in Iraq. The nation trust’s these Soldiers to defend her against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. With this trust comes added responsibility and scrutiny from the media. The Army is aware of this and takes great measures to combat any disloyal acts from happening with in its ranks. To ensure Soldiers are fit for duty the Army has incorporated an extensive drug testing program for their warriors. â€Å"In doing this it helps keep the fight going and our Soldiers out of the limelight†, said by the Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston. The Army drug testing program is a precise and time consuming process. Every Commander in the†¦show more content†¦The UPL then discretely brings the supplies back to the unit and briefs the Commander as to which date the test will be administered. The day prior to the test is when the individuals to be tested and the observers are identified. The people being tested are pulled from a computer program that randomly selects names of Soldiers assigned to the unit. The UPL will generate the forms and the labels from this program. These names will also be put on a Command Directive making it an order from their Commander to be at this test. The Commander will select observers by means of who meets the criteria and who has been through the training. All of the selected observers will come in and get briefed, trained, and sign an Observer Statement prior to being allowed to participate. The Commander will also designate a testing and holding area with a non-testing Noncommissioned Office (NCO) charged with over seeing that no one leaves until a sample is provided. The morning of the test is very hectic and busy. The Soldiers taking the test are called about two hours before the test and are told that there is a Command Directive that they be there. The latrines (restrooms) will be inspected by the UPL for items that can be used as adulterants and then placed off limits to personnel not participating in the test. The UPL will then inspect the holding area for size, security, water jugs, and to makeShow MoreRelatedHuman Test Subjects and the Need for Guidelines 1190 Words   |  5 Pagesin to play. What about the humans who get tested on unwillingly, or people who do not possess the capability to consent to such procedures? They are also in need of someone to look out for them. Throughout time, many governments have done extreme testing to move forward their population’s health and for what they call the greater good. Yet, more often than not, these test have no rules or regulations. A moral code has been established slowly after many of these ghastly occurrences became known. 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Are Online French Translators Trustworthy

How reliable are computers at translating French? Should you be using Google Translate to complete your French homework? Can you trust a computer to translate your business correspondence or should you hire a translator? The reality is that, while translating software is helpful, it is not perfect and should not replace learning any new language yourself. If you rely on machine translation to switch between French and English (and vice versa), you may find yourself at the losing end of a conversation. What is Machine Translation? Machine translation refers to any kind of automatic translation, including translation software, hand-held translators, and online translators. While machine translation is an interesting concept and considerably cheaper and faster than professional translators, the reality is that machine translation is extremely poor in quality. Why Cant Computers Translate Languages Properly? Language is simply too complicated for machines. While a computer may be programmed with a database of words, it is impossible for it  to understand all of the vocabulary, grammar, context, and nuances in the source and target languages. Technology is improving, but the fact is that machine translation will never offer more than a general idea about what a text says. When it comes to translation, a machine simply cannot take the place of a human. Are Online Translators More Trouble Than Theyre Worth? Whether or not online translators like Google Translate, Babylon, and Reverso  are useful is going to depend on your purpose. If you need to quickly translate a single French word into English, youll probably be okay. Similarly, simple, common phrases may translate well, but you must be wary. For instance, typing the sentence I went up the hill into Reverso produces Je suis montà © la colline. In the reverse translation, Reversos English result is I rose the hill. While the concept is there and a human could figure out that you probably went up the hill rather than lifted the hill, it wasnt perfect. However, can you use an online translator to recall that chat is French for cat and that chat noir means a black cat? Absolutely, simple vocabulary is easy for the computer, but sentence structure and nuance require human logic. To put this plainly: Should you be completing your French homework with  Google Translate? No, thats cheating, first of all. Secondly, your French teacher will suspect where your answer came from.Adults hoping to impress a French business associate  should also put a real effort into learning the language. Even if you mess up, they will appreciate that you took the time to try rather than send entire emails translated by Google. If its really important, hire a translator. Online translators, which can be used to translate web pages, emails, or a pasted-in block of text,  can be useful. If you need to access a website written in French, turn on the translator to get a basic idea of what was written. However, you should not assume that the translation is a direct quote or completely accurate. You will need to read between the lines on any machine translation. Use it for guidance and basic comprehension, but little else. Remember, also, that translation - whether by human or computer - is an inexact science and that there are always numerous acceptable possibilities. When Machine Translation Goes Wrong How accurate (or inaccurate) are computers at translating?  To demonstrate some of the problems inherent in machine translation, lets look at how three sentences fared in five online translators. In order to check the accuracy, each translation is run back through the same translator (reverse translation is a common verification technique of professional translators). There is also a human translation of each sentence for comparison. Sentence 1:  I love you very much, honey. This is a very simple sentence - beginning students could translate it with little difficulty. Online Translator Translation Reverse Translation Babylon Je taime beaucoup, miel. I love you much, honey. Reverso Je vous aime beaucoup, le miel. I like very much you, the honey. FreeTranslation Je vous aime beaucoup, le miel. I like you a lot, the honey. Google Translate Je taime beaucoup, le miel.* I love you very much, honey. Bing Je taime beaucoup, miel. I love you, honey. What went wrong? All of the  automatic translators took the word honey literally and used miel  rather than the intended  term of endearment.Three translators  compounded the error by adding the  definite article. The same three translated  you as  vous, which doesnt make much sense, given the meaning of the sentence.Bing lost  beaucoup  in its reverse translation, but Reverso did a particularly bad job - the word order is atrocious. Human Translation:  Je taime beaucoup, mon chà ©ri. Sentence 2:  How many times did he tell you to write it? Lets see if a  subordinate clause  causes any trouble. Online Translator Translation Reverse Translation Babylon Combien de fois vous a-t-il dit de lui crire? How much time does it have says you to write to him? Reverso Combien de fois vous a-t-il dit de lcrire ? How many times did he tell you to write it? FreeTranslation Combien de fois a-t-il dit que vous crivez il? How many times he says that you write it? Google Translate Combien de fois a-t-il de vous dire lcrire?* How many times did he tell you to write? Bing Combien de fois il vous a-t-il dit lcrire ? How many times he has told you to write it? What went wrong? Babylon inexplicably decided that it was an  indirect object, rather than the  direct object  that it is, which completely changed the meaning. In its reverse translation, it mistakenly translated the  passà © composà ©s auxiliary verb and main verb separately.Google added the  preposition  de, which makes it sound like how many times does he have to tell you to write it. In its reverse translation, it lost the direct object.FreeTranslation and Bing did even worse, with grammatically incorrect French translations. Reversos translation and reverse translation are both excellent. Human Translation:  Combien de fois est-ce quil ta dit de là ©crire  ?  or  Combien de fois ta-t-il dit de là ©crire  ? Sentence 3:  Every summer, I drive up to the lake house and cruise around with my friends. A longer and more complicated sentence. Online Translator Translation Reverse Translation Babylon Chaque t, je conduis la maison et la croisire de lac autour avec mes amis. Each summer, I lead to the house and to the cruising of lake around with my friends. Reverso Chaque t, je conduis(roule) jusqu la maison de lac et la croisire autour avec mes amis. Every summer, I lead(drive) (run)((drive)) up to the house of lake and the cruise all around with my friends. FreeTranslation Chaque t, je conduis jusqu la maison de lac et jusqu la croisire environ avec mes amis. Every summer, I drive to the house lake and to the cruise about with my friends. Google Translate Chaque t, je conduis la maison et le lac autour de croisire avec mes amis.* Every summer, I drive at home and around the lake cruise with my friends. Bing Tous les ts, jai avancer jusqu la maison du lac et croisire autour avec mes amis. Every summer, I proceed to the home of the Lake and cruise around with my friends. What went wrong? All five translators were fooled by the phrasal verb cruise around and all but Google by drive up - they translated the verb and preposition separately.The pairing house and cruise caused problems as well. It seems that the translators could not figure out that cruise was a verb rather than a noun in this instance.In its reverse, Google was fooled by  et,  thinking that I drive to the house and to the lake are separate actions.Less shocking but still incorrect, is the  translation of drive as  conduire  - the latter is a  transitive verb, but drive is used here  intransitively. Bing chose  avancer, which is not only the wrong verb  but in an impossible conjugation; it should just be  javance.And whats up with capital L with Lake in Bings reverse translation? Human Translation:  Chaque à ©tà ©, je vais en voiture à   la maison de lac et je roule avec mes amis. Common Problems in Machine Translation Though a small sample, the above translations offer a pretty good idea of the problems inherent in machine translation. While  online translators can give you some idea about the meaning of a sentence, their numerous flaws make it impossible for them to ever replace professional translators. If youre just after the gist and dont mind decoding the results, you can probably get by with an online translator. But if you need a translation that you can count on, hire a translator. What you lose in money youll more than make up for in professionalism, accuracy, and dependability.