Illegal Immigration Is A Problem That Affects All Americans

In one way or another we are all immigrants, our ancestors came to America in search of the American dream and freedom of the promise land. Back in the late eighteen to early nineteen hundreds the government encouraged immigration. The reasoning for this was because America was growing and their territories were expanding they were in need of help with the continuing growth of our country. Ellis Island could see up right to over a thousand immigrants a day and they were welcome with open arms. America has always been viewed as the land of opportunity where everyone can achieve their greatest dreams. No wonder even today people are still flocking to the shores, America by the hundreds, leaving behind their countries, because they are either war stricken, battling religious persecution or suffering from impoverishment. Unfortunately not all who arrive here are doing it legally. Illegal immigration has become a problem that affects all Americans. What defines a person as an illegal immigrant; they can be classified as anyone who migrates to a country in search of a perpetual tenancy lacking any form of documentation or legal rights to be there. As of 2012 there were over 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. Many individuals feel that illegal immigration should not be a major concern, they don’t seem to understand the effects that this has on our economy or they just frankly don’t care. The problems that derive from illegal immigration can be anything fromShow MoreRelatedImmigration Problems in the United States Essay1191 Words   |  5 PagesImmigration problems are not just a problem in Arizona but a problem throughout the United States. The definition in the Webster dictionary, an illegal immigrant or alien is a non-citizen whom has entered the United States without government permission or who has stayed beyond the terminat ion date of the visa is consider an illegal immigrant or alien. Arizona’s newly enacted immigration law, which was meant to stem human trafficking and drug-related border violence, has been criticized by many asRead MoreThe Issue Of Illegal Immigration1623 Words   |  7 Pagesis asked about many topics. One topic inparticular has become very popular, illegal immigration. The primary question that is asked is, â€Å"How will you deport and limit the number of illegal immigrants in the United States?† This question got me thinking, If I were in their position what would I say in response? The following essay will illustrate the ideas on illegal immigration. Facts Immigration has always been a problem ever since we put a border between the United States and Mexico. In the beginningRead MoreMedia Reaction to Immigration1471 Words   |  6 PagesMedia Reaction to Immigration Name Course Date Submitted Media Reaction to Immigration: The issue of illegal immigration is one of the hotly debated topics in almost every facet of society, especially among political leaders. This topic has also received huge media attention and reaction in the recent past including an article written by William Finnegan and published by The New Yorker. The article focuses on addressing the issue of borderlines and is based on the move by 17 Congress membersRead MoreIllegal Immigration1709 Words   |  7 PagesIllegal Immigration: The Undocumented Issue In this paper I will discuss one of the biggest issues in the United States: Illegal immigrants. Some may say that illegal immigration has a positive impact on the United States’ economy, and some think that these undocumented immigrants affect jobs and wages of people that are living in this country. I think that illegal immigrants harm the United States’ economy through their use of our country’s social services such as health care, education andRead MoreThe Impact of Illegal Immigration on the United States1523 Words   |  6 PagesImmigration is one of the hot topics in today’s society: legal and illegal. According to, Philip E. Wolgin, in his article, â€Å"Immigration Polling Roundup: Americans of All Political Stripes Want Congress to Pass Immigration Reform†, there are 11.7 million unauthorized immigrants living in America today. From 1990 – 2007, immigration increased from 3.5 million to 12.2 million. Since 2007, immigration has decreased and fluctuated from 12.2 million illegal immigrants to 11.7 million illegal immigrantsRead MoreCritical Analytical Argument On Immigration1586 Words   |  7 PagesAnalytical Argument Immigration 3/26/16 Immigration CAA Paper Background Uncontrollable, problematic, and overly populated are words that come to mind when immigration is mentioned. For many years’ immigration has become a huge problem throughout the world, in several places. Immigration is the migration of non-native citizens into a country with the hopes of settling there (â€Å"immigration†). People of different ethnicities settling into another country without citizenship is illegal and creates a lotRead MoreThe New Colossus By Emma Lazarus955 Words   |  4 Pagesinto the United States is when the problems arise. Thesis: People have been immigrating to the US for decades and is something our nation was founded on; however, when it is left unregulated, it can have many adverse affects. Preview: Today, I will be addressing how illegal immigration impacts us and I will be introducing a policy to address the problem. Transition to first main point: To start, there are multiple problems that result from illegal immigration. Body: Population levels have risenRead MoreIllegal Immigration And The United States1532 Words   |  7 PagesSince the establishment, people have been emigrating from every foreign country into the United States. Immigration is defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary as â€Å"a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence† (â€Å"immigrant†). In the beginning, America was the land of opportunity, which allowed people to have a chance at reaching success. Since then, the population has grown to over 320 million people. Because of the explosion of people entering the United States, a restriction mustRead MoreIllegal Immigration Speech Essay765 Words   |  4 Pageshope for all immigrants that enter the U.S. Do we still agree with what those words say? I’m not against all of the immigrants who want to start a better life here by becoming legal citizens. I’m against the millions of illegal immigrants that come to the U.S. and cause trouble and make things harder for the legal immigrants that are already here. Illegal immigrants have long been a problem in the United States, and there have always been so many controversies about illegal immigration Today, I wouldRead MoreThe Biggest Problem Facing America1445 Words   |  6 Pagesfaces a plethora of problems and issues on a daily basis. Lets face it, though many view us as superior to all other countries, we, as a nation, are far from a utopia. Because of our supremacy and power, we probably deal with more issues than any other country in the world. But, judging the importance of these issues is simply a matter of opinion. One can argue valid points for multiple issues as being the most important of all. In my opinion, third world immigration and the affects it has on America

What Is The World Essay - 749 Words

How The World Works Today’s society Restaurants, parties, parks, dinner table, etc†¦ everywhere you go you see people on there phones non-stop. There checking twitter, snapchat, Facebook, etc. It looks like people can’t live without those 4 things in life because all I see is them checking what the latest gossip is about the Kardashians or Musicians. Apparently its more important to know more about what the Kardashians ate for breakfast than eating breakfast with our family. Thats how society has been for the past 5 years with there phones as their lifeline, since people can’t live without them anymore. People already have the mentality that they just need to see their phones or else they won’t be satisfied! Its not just one,†¦show more content†¦When something like Donald Trump comes up in social media, and talk about how rude he is to people and how he has no right to do the things he’s doing to people now these days, people come and defend him! Saying how its not true he’s gonna make America great again which is not true at all. People are more worried about what a kid is listening to than Donald Trump ruining other peoples lives that did nothing wrong. One can’t even post their opinion about anything anymore because theres always gonna be that one person who just brings you down until you feel hurt and never express your feelings again to the world even if its something good. Seeing the beauty around us What I think we should all do at this point is see the beauty that is around us, or more importantly see the beauty in each other. We can’t live in a world where we receive hatred on social media or more in real life. Everywhere you go theres always going to be hatred, but if we don’t start with each other then how are we going to stop this? First thing you need to do is don’t be on your phone so much, see the beauty around you and get to know people face to face, rather than texting one another. We wereShow MoreRelatedWhat is the World Bank? Essay976 Words   |  4 PagesDuring, and in the years after the World War 2, there was a significant need of financial aid, especially in Europe. The structural US were almost untouched, and their economy was rising. Soon they became the new superpower. At a conference held in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, in 1944, the World Bank (WB) was founded for purposes of reconstruction in Europe. The head office was placed in Washington, and the bank president was American. When the economic situation in Europe stabilized, the WB shiftedRead MoreWhat Is The World According To Rebecca Essay1015 Words   |  5 PagesThe World According to Rebecca Rebecca grew up in a small town in a house people didn’t notice, but she had married rich. Well, she hadn’t exactly married rich. She had married smart. They met at school in the late 80s. Greg was a history major on the pre-law track. He was, perhaps, a bit short, but he was taller than Rebecca, so she didn’t mind as much. They married five years after graduation. She had waited for him through his short-lived job as a teacher and then through law school. And whenRead MoreEssay about What is World History?4758 Words   |  20 PagesWhat is world history? Bruce Mazlish contends that world history, as opposed to global history, is the study of systemic processes of interaction among diverse peoples, best typified by the work of William H. McNeill. By contrast, global history is the history of globalization, a process that Mazlish argues did not begin to occur on a significant scale until at least the 1950s, and, more plausibly, the 1970s. Citing prominent economic historians, Nicholas Kristof asserts that globalizationRead MoreEssay on What Would the World Be Like Without Happiness?1319 Words   |  6 PagesWhat would the world be like without happiness? 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Essay example774 Words   |  4 Pagesadditional method of hero determination referred to as the hero’s Journey—a 12-part journey that a majority of hero stories use. Japan is a culture that is vastly different from cultures described as western. (Europe The Americas, Australia) Since World War 2, Japan has rapidly grown in technology, borrowing from western culture but largely remaining unique to its rich heritage. With Japan’s rapid industrialization has come a reliance on technology. Though they do have a variety of interesting literatureRead MoreWhat Can We Do About World Poverty? Essay510 Words   |  3 PagesPoverty affects 80% of people in the world. That means over three million people live on less than $2.50 a day. The question today now rises what we can do as a county and as individuals to help. Poverty is an important issue to discuss and know more about for many reasons. More than 48 million Americans live in poverty and 15.9 million of those are children. 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The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Twenty Free Essays

string(21) " was not a surprise\." Outside the carriage, the atmosphere was considerably less tense. The three men remained on horseback, never quite in a line. Every now and then one of them would increase his pace or fall behind, and one horse would pass another. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Twenty or any similar topic only for you Order Now Perfunctory greetings would be exchanged. Occasionally someone would comment on the weather. Lord Crowland seemed rather interested in the native birds. Thomas didn’t say much, but – Jack glanced over at him – good Lord, was he whistling? â€Å"Are you happy?† Jack asked, his voice a bit short. Thomas looked back in surprise. â€Å"Me?† He frowned, thinking about it. â€Å"I suppose I am. It’s a rather fine day, don’t you think?† â€Å"A fine day,† Jack echoed. â€Å"None of us is trapped in the carriage with that evil old hag,† Crowland announced. â€Å"We should all be happy.† Then he added, â€Å"Pardon,† since the evil old hag was, after all, grandmother to both of his companions. â€Å"Pardons unnecessary on my account,† Thomas said. â€Å"I agree with your assessment completely.† There had to be something significant in this, Jack thought – that their conversation kept returning to how relieved they all were not to be in the dowager’s presence. It was damned strange, to tell the truth, and yet, it did make one think†¦ â€Å"Will I have to live with her?† he blurted out. Thomas looked over and grinned. â€Å"The Outer Hebrides, my man, the Outer Hebrides.† â€Å"Why didn’t you do it?† Jack demanded. â€Å"Oh, believe me, I will, on the off chance I still possess any power over her tomorrow. And if I don’t†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thomas shrugged. â€Å"I’ll need some sort of employment, won’t I? I always wished to travel. Perhaps I shall be your scout. I’ll find the oldest, coldest place on the island. I shall have a rollicking good time.† â€Å"For God’s sake,† Jack swore. â€Å"Stop talking like that.† He did not want this to be preordained. He did not want it to be understood. Thomas ought to be fighting for his place in the world, not blithely handing it over. Because he himself did not want it. He wanted Grace, and he wanted his freedom, and more than anything, right at that very moment, he wanted to be somewhere else. Anywhere else. Thomas gave him a curious look but said nothing more. And neither did Jack. Not when they reached Pollamore, or Cavan town, or even as they rode into Butlersbridge. Night had long since fallen, but Jack knew every storefront, every last signpost and tree. There was the Derragarra Inn, where he’d got himself drunk on his seventeenth birthday. There was the butcher, and the blacksmith, and ah, yes, there was the oatmeal mill, behind which he’d stolen his first kiss. Which meant that in five – no, make that four – more minutes, he would be home. Home. It was a word he had not uttered in years. It had had no meaning. He’d lived in inns and public houses and sometimes under the stars. He’d had his ragtag group of friends, but they drifted in and out of togetherness. They thieved together more by convenience than anything else. All they’d had in common was a shared past in the military, and a willingness to give a portion of their bounty to those who had returned from the war less fortunate than they. Over the years, Jack had given money to men without legs, women without husbands, children without parents. No one ever questioned where he’d got the money. He supposed his bearing and accent were those of a gentleman, and that was enough. People saw what they wanted to see, and when a former officer (who never quite got around to sharing his name) came bearing gifts†¦ No one ever wanted to question it. And through all this, he’d told no one. Who had there been to tell? Grace. Now there was Grace. He smiled. She would approve. Perhaps not of the means, but certainly of the end. The truth was, he’d never taken anything from anyone who hadn’t looked as if they could afford it. And he’d always been careful to more thoroughly rob the most annoying of his victims. Such scruples would not have kept him from the gallows, but it had always made him feel a bit better about his chosen profession. He heard a horse draw up next to his, and when he turned, there was Thomas, now keeping pace beside him. â€Å"Is this the road?† he asked quietly. Jack nodded. â€Å"Just around the bend.† â€Å"They are not expecting you, are they?† â€Å"No.† Thomas had far too much tact to question him further, and indeed, he allowed his mount to fall back by half a length, granting Jack his privacy. And then there it was. Cloverhill. Just as he’d remembered it, except maybe the vines had taken over a bit more of the brick facade. The rooms were lit, and the windows shone with warmth. And even though the only sounds were those made by the traveling party, Jack could swear he could hear laughter and merriment seeping out through the walls. Dear God, he’d thought he’d missed it, but this†¦ This was something more. This was an ache, a true, pounding pain in his chest; an empty hole; a sob, forever caught in his throat. This was home. Jack wanted to stop, to take a moment to gaze at the graceful old house, but he heard the carriage drawing closer and knew that he could not keep everyone at bay while he indulged his own nostalgia. The last thing he wanted was for the dowager to barge in ahead of him (which he was quite certain she would do), so he rode up to the entrance, dismounted, and walked up the steps on his own. He closed his eyes and drew a long breath, and then, since he wasn’t likely to amass any more courage in the next few minutes, he lifted the brass knocker and brought it down. There was no immediate reply. This was not a surprise. You read "The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Twenty" in category "Essay examples" It was late. They were unexpected. The butler might have retired for the night. There were so many reasons they should have got rooms in the village and made their way to Cloverhill in the morning. He didn’t want – The door opened. Jack held his hands tightly behind his back. He’d tried leaving them at his sides, but they started to shake. He saw the light of the candle first, and then the man behind it, wrinkled and stooped. â€Å"Master Jack?† Jack swallowed. â€Å"Wimpole,† he said. Good heavens, the old butler must be nearing eighty, but of course his aunt would have kept him on, for as long as he wished to work, which, knowing Wimpole, would be until the day he died. â€Å"We were not expecting you,† Wimpole said. Jack tried for a smile. â€Å"Well, you know how I like a surprise.† â€Å"Come in! Come in! Oh, Master Jack, Mrs. Audley will be so pleased to see you. As will – † Wimpole stopped, peering out the door, his wizened old eyes creasing into a squint. â€Å"I am afraid that I brought a few guests,† Jack explained. The dowager had already been helped down from the carriage, and Grace and Amelia were right behind her. Thomas had grabbed onto his grandmother’s arm – hard, from the looks of it – to give Jack a few moments alone, but the dowager was already showing signs of impending outrage. â€Å"Wimpole?† came a feminine voice. â€Å"Who is here at this hour?† Jack stood stiffly, hardly able to breathe. It was his aunt Mary. She sounded exactly the same. It was as if he’d never left†¦ Except it wasn’t. If he’d never left, his heart wouldn’t be pounding, his mouth wouldn’t be dry. And most of all, he wouldn’t feel so bloody terrified. Scared spitless at seeing the one person who had loved him his entire life, with her whole heart and without condition. â€Å"Wimpole? I – † She’d rounded the corner and was staring at him like a ghost. â€Å"Jack?† â€Å"In the flesh.† He tried for a jovial tone but couldn’t quite manage it, and deep inside, down where he kept his blackest moments, he wanted to cry. Right there, in front of everyone, it was twisting and writhing inside of him, bursting to get out. â€Å"Jack!† she cried out, and she hurled herself forward, throwing her arms around him. â€Å"Oh, Jack. Jack, my dear sweet boy. We’ve missed you so.† She was covering his face with kisses, like a mother would her son. Like she should have been able to do for Arthur. â€Å"It is good to see you, Aunt Mary,† he said. He pulled her tight then and buried his face in the crook of her neck, because she was his mother, in every way that mattered. And he’d missed her. By God, he’d missed her, and in that moment it did not matter that he’d hurt her in the worst way imaginable. He just wanted to be held. â€Å"Oh, Jack,† she said, smiling through her tears, â€Å"I ought to horsewhip you for staying away so long. Why would you do such a thing? Don’t you know how worried we were? How – â€Å" â€Å"Ahem.† Mary stopped and turned, still holding Jack’s face in her hands. The dowager had made her way to the front entrance and was standing behind him on the stone steps. â€Å"You must be the aunt,† she said. Mary just stared at her. â€Å"Yes,† she finally replied. â€Å"And you are†¦?† â€Å"Aunt Mary,† Jack said hastily, before the dowager could speak again, â€Å"I am afraid I must introduce you to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham.† Mary let go of him and curtsied, stepping aside as the dowager swept past her. â€Å"The Duchess of Wyndham?† she echoed, looking at Jack with palpable shock. â€Å"Good heavens, Jack, couldn’t you have sent notice?† Jack smiled tightly. â€Å"It is better this way, I assure you.† The rest of the traveling party came forward at that moment, and Jack completed the introductions, trying not to notice his aunt going from paler to palest after he identified the Duke of Wyndham and the Earl of Crowland. â€Å"Jack,† she whispered frantically, â€Å"I haven’t the rooms. We have nothing grand enough – â€Å" â€Å"Please, Mrs. Audley,† Thomas said with a deferential bow, â€Å"do not put yourself out on my accord. It was unforgivable for us to arrive without notice. I would not expect you to go to any great lengths. Although† – he glanced over at the dowager, who was standing in the hall with a sour look on her face – â€Å"perhaps your finest room for my grandmother. It will be easier for everyone.† â€Å"Of course,† Mary said quickly. â€Å"Please, please, it’s chilly. You must all come inside. Jack, I do need to tell you – â€Å" â€Å"Where is your church?† the dowager demanded. â€Å"Our church?† Mary asked, looking to Jack in confusion. â€Å"At this hour?† â€Å"I do not intend to worship,† the dowager snapped. â€Å"I wish to inspect the records.† â€Å"Does Vicar Beveridge still preside?† Jack asked, trying to cut the dowager off. â€Å"Yes, but he will surely be abed. It’s half nine, I should think, and he is an early riser. Perhaps in the morning. I – â€Å" â€Å"This is a matter of dynastic importance,† the dowager cut in. â€Å"I don’t care if it’s after midnight. We – â€Å" â€Å"I care,† Jack cut in, silencing her with an icy expression. â€Å"You are not going to pull the vicar out of bed. You have waited this long. You can bloody well wait until morning.† â€Å"Jack!† Mary gasped. She turned to the dowager. â€Å"I did not raise him to speak this way.† â€Å"No, you didn’t,† Jack said, which was the closest he was going to come to an apology while the dowager was staring him down. â€Å"You were his mother’s sister, weren’t you?† the dowager said. Mary looked a bit baffled at the sudden change of topic. â€Å"I am.† â€Å"Were you present at her wedding?† â€Å"I was not.† Jack turned to her in surprise. â€Å"You weren’t?† â€Å"No. I could not attend. I was in confinement.† She gave Jack a rueful look. â€Å"I never told you. It was a stillbirth.† Her face softened. â€Å"Just one of the reasons I was so happy to have you.† â€Å"We shall make for the church in the morning,† the dowager announced, uninterested in Mary’s obstetrical history. â€Å"First thing. We shall find the papers and be done with it.† â€Å"The papers?† Mary echoed. â€Å"Proof of the marriage,† the dowager bit off. She looked upon Mary with icy condescension, then dismissed her with a flick of her head, adding, â€Å"Are you daft?† It was a good thing Thomas pulled her back, because Jack would have gone for her throat. â€Å"Louise was not married in the Butlersbridge church,† Mary said. â€Å"She was married at Maguiresbridge. In County Fermanagh, where we grew up.† â€Å"How far is that?† the dowager demanded, trying to yank her arm free of Thomas’s grasp. â€Å"Twenty miles, your grace.† The dowager muttered something quite unpleasant. Jack could not make out the exact words, but Mary blanched. She turned to him with an expression nearing alarm. â€Å"Jack? What is this all about? Why do you need proof of your mother’s marriage?† He looked at Grace, who was standing a bit behind his aunt. She offered him a tiny nod of encouragement, and he cleared his throat and said, â€Å"My father was her son.† Mary looked over at the dowager in shock. â€Å"Your father†¦John Cavendish, you mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thomas stepped forward. â€Å"May I intercede?† Jack felt exhausted. â€Å"Please do.† â€Å"Mrs. Audley,† Thomas said, with more dignity and collection than Jack could ever have imagined, â€Å"if there is proof of your sister’s marriage, then your nephew is the true Duke of Wyndham.† â€Å"The true Duke of – † Mary covered her mouth in shock. â€Å"No. It’s not possible. I remember him. Mr. Cavendish. He was – † She waved her arms in the air as if trying to describe him with gestures. Finally, after several attempts at a more verbal explanation, she said, â€Å"He would not have kept such a thing from us.† â€Å"He was not the heir at the time,† Thomas told her, â€Å"and had no reason to believe he would become so.† â€Å"Oh, my heavens. But if Jack is the duke, then you – â€Å" â€Å"Are not,† he finished wryly. â€Å"I am sure you can imagine our eagerness to have this settled.† Mary stared at him in shock. And then at Jack. And then looked as if she very much wanted to sit down. â€Å"I am standing in the hall,† the dowager announced haughtily. â€Å"Don’t be rude,† Thomas chided. â€Å"She should have seen to – â€Å" Thomas shifted his grip on her arm and yanked her forward, brushing right past Jack and his aunt. â€Å"Mrs. Audley,† he said, â€Å"we are most grateful for your hospitality. All of us.† Mary nodded gratefully and turned to the butler. â€Å"Wimpole, would you – â€Å" â€Å"Of course, ma’am,† he said, and Jack had to smile as he moved away. No doubt he was rousing the housekeeper to have her prepare the necessary bedrooms. Wimpole had always known what Aunt Mary needed before she’d had to utter the words. â€Å"We shall have rooms readied in no time,† Mary said, turning to Grace and Amelia, who were standing off to the side. â€Å"Would the two of you mind sharing? I don’t have – â€Å" â€Å"It is no trouble at all,† Grace said warmly. â€Å"We enjoy each other’s company.† â€Å"Oh, thank you,† Mary said, sounding relieved. â€Å"Jack, you shall have to take your old bed in the nursery, and – oh, this is silly, I should not be wasting your time here in the hall. Let us retire to the drawing room, where you may warm yourselves by the fire until your rooms are ready.† She ushered everyone in, but when Jack made to go, she placed her hand on his arm, gently holding him back. â€Å"We missed you,† she said. He swallowed, but the lump in his throat would not dislodge. â€Å"I missed you, too,† he said. He tried to smile. â€Å"Who is home? Edward must have – â€Å" â€Å"Married,† she finished for him. â€Å"Yes. As soon as we were out of mourning for Arthur. And Margaret soon after. They both live close by, Edward just down the lane, Margaret in Belturbet.† â€Å"And Uncle William?† Jack had last seen him at Arthur’s funeral. He’d looked older. Older, and tired. And stiff with grief. â€Å"He is well?† Mary was silent, and then an unbearable sorrow filled her eyes. Her lips parted but she did not speak. She did not need to. Jack stared at her in shock. â€Å"No,† he whispered, because it could not be true. He was supposed to have had a chance to say he was sorry. He’d come all the way to Ireland. He wanted to say he was sorry. â€Å"He died, Jack.† Mary blinked several times, her eyes glistening. â€Å"It was two years ago. I didn’t know how to find you. You never gave us an address.† Jack turned, taking a few steps toward the rear of the house. If he stayed where he was, someone could see him. Everyone was in the drawing room. If they looked through the doorway, they would see him, struck, ready to cry, maybe ready to scream. â€Å"Jack?† It was Mary, and he could hear her steps moving cautiously toward him. He looked up at the ceiling, taking a shaky, open-mouthed breath. It didn’t help, but it was all he could manage. Mary laid her hand on his arm. â€Å"He told me to tell you he loved you.† â€Å"Don’t say that.† It was the one thing he couldn’t hear. Not just now. â€Å"He did. He told me he knew you would come home. And that he loved you, and you were his son. In his heart, you were his son.† He covered his face with his hands and found himself pressing tight, tighter, as if he could squeeze this all away. Why was he surprised? There was no reason he should be. William was not a young man; he’d been nearly forty when he married Mary. Did he think that life would have stood still in his absence? That no one would have changed, or grown†¦or died? â€Å"I should have come back,† he said. â€Å"I should have – Oh, God, I’m such an idiot.† Mary touched his hand, pulled it gently down and held it. And then she pulled him out of the hall, into the nearest room. His uncle’s study. Jack walked over to the desk. It was a hulking, behemoth of a thing, the wood dark and scuffed and smelling like the paper and ink that always lain atop it. But it had never been imposing. Funny, he’d always liked coming in here. It seemed odd, really. He’d been an out of doors sort of boy, always running and racing, and covered in mud. Even now, he hated a room with fewer than two windows. But he had always liked it here. He turned to look at his aunt. She was standing in the middle of the room. She’d closed the door most of the way and set her candle down on a shelf. She turned and looked back at him and said, very softly, â€Å"He knew you loved him.† He shook his head. â€Å"I did not deserve him. Or you.† â€Å"Stop this talk. I won’t hear it.† â€Å"Aunt Mary, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He put his fisted hand to his mouth, biting down on his knuckle. The words were there, but they burned in his chest, and it was so damned hard to speak them. â€Å"You know that Arthur would not have gone to France if not for me.† She stared at him in bewilderment, then gasped and said, â€Å"Good heavens, Jack, you do not blame yourself for his death?† â€Å"Of course I do. He went for me. He would never have – â€Å" â€Å"He wanted to join the army. He knew it was that or the clergy, and heaven knows he did not want that. He’d always planned – â€Å" â€Å"No,† Jack cut in, with all the force and anger in his heart. â€Å"He hadn’t. Maybe he told you he had, but – â€Å" â€Å"You cannot take responsibility for his death. I will not let you.† â€Å"Aunt Mary – â€Å" â€Å"Stop! Stop it!† The heels of her hands were pressed against her temples, her fingers wrapping up and over her skull. More than anything, she looked as if she were trying to shut him out, to put a stop to whatever it was he was trying to tell her. But it had to be said. It was the only way she would understand. And it would be the first time he’d uttered the words aloud. â€Å"I cannot read.† Three words. That’s all it was. Three words. And a lifetime of secrets. Her brow wrinkled, and Jack could not tell – did she not believe him? Or was it simply that she thought she’d misheard? People saw what they expected to see. He’d acted like an educated man, and so that was how she’d seen him. â€Å"I can’t read, Aunt Mary. I’ve never been able to. Arthur was the only one who ever realized.† She shook her head. â€Å"I don’t understand. You were in school. You were graduated – â€Å" â€Å"By the skin of my teeth,† Jack cut in, â€Å"and only then, with Arthur’s help. Why do you think I had to leave university?† â€Å"Jack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked almost embarrassed. â€Å"We were told you misbehaved. You drank too much, and there was that woman, and – and – that awful prank with the pig, and – Why are you shaking your head?† â€Å"I didn’t want to embarrass you.† â€Å"You think that wasn’t embarrassing?† â€Å"I could not do the work without Arthur’s help,† he explained. â€Å"And he was two years behind me.† â€Å"But we were told – â€Å" â€Å"I’d rather have been dismissed for bad behavior than stupidity,† he said softly. â€Å"You did it all on purpose?† He dipped his chin. â€Å"Oh, my God.† She sank into a chair. â€Å"Why didn’t you say something? We could have hired a tutor.† â€Å"It wouldn’t have helped.† And then, when she looked up at him in confusion he said, almost helplessly, â€Å"The letters dance. They flip about. I can never tell the difference between a d and a b, unless they are uppercase, and even then I – â€Å" â€Å"You’re not stupid,† she cut in, and her voice was sharp. He stared at her. â€Å"You are not stupid. If there is a problem it is with your eyes, not your mind. I know you.† She stood, her movements shaky but determined, and then she touched his cheek with her hand. â€Å"I was there the moment you were born. I was the first to hold you. I have been with you for every scrape, every tumble. I have watched your eyes light, Jack. I have watched you think. â€Å"How clever you must have been,† she said softly, â€Å"to have fooled us all.† â€Å"Arthur helped me all through school,† he said as evenly as he was able. â€Å"I never asked him to. He said he liked – † He swallowed then, because the memory was rising in his throat like a cannonball. â€Å"He said he liked to read aloud.† â€Å"I think he did like that.† A tear began to roll down her cheek. â€Å"He idolized you, Jack.† Jack fought the sobs that were choking his throat. â€Å"I was supposed to protect him.† â€Å"Soldiers die, Jack. Arthur was not the only one. He was merely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She closed her eyes and turned away, but not so fast that Jack didn’t see the flash of pain on her face. â€Å"He was merely the only one who mattered to me,† she whispered. She looked up, straight into his eyes. â€Å"Please, Jack, I don’t want to lose two sons.† She held out her arms, and before Jack knew it, he was there, in her embrace. Sobbing. He had not cried for Arthur. Not once. He’d been so full of anger – at the French, at himself – that he had not left room for grief. But now here it was, rushing in. All the sadness, all the times he’d witnessed something amusing and Arthur had not been there to share it with. All the milestones he had celebrated alone. All the milestones Arthur would never celebrate. He cried for all of that. And he cried for himself, for his lost years. He’d been running. Running from himself. And he was tired of it. He wanted to stop. To stay in one place. With Grace. He would not lose her. He did not care what he had to do to ensure their future, but ensure it he would. If Grace said that she could not marry the Duke of Wyndham, then he would not be the Duke of Wyndham. Surely there was some measure of his destiny that was still under his control. â€Å"I need to see to the guests,† Mary whispered, pulling gently away. Jack nodded, wiping the last of his tears from his eyes. â€Å"The dowager†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Good lord, what was there to say about the dowager, except: â€Å"I’m so sorry.† â€Å"She shall have my bedchamber,† Mary said. Normally Jack would have forbidden her to give up her room, but he was tired, and he suspected she was tired, and tonight seemed like the perfect time to put ease before pride. And so he nodded. â€Å"That is very kind of you.† â€Å"I suspect it’s something closer to self-preservation.† He smiled at that. â€Å"Aunt Mary?† She’d reached the door, but she stopped with her hand on the knob, turning back around to face him. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Miss Eversleigh,† he said. Something lit in his aunt’s eyes. Something romantic. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I love her.† Mary’s entire being seemed to warm and glow. â€Å"I am so happy to hear it.† â€Å"She loves me, too.† â€Å"Even better.† â€Å"Yes,† he murmured, â€Å"it is.† She motioned toward the hall. â€Å"Will you return with me?† Jack knew he should, but the evening’s revelations had left him exhausted. And he did not want anyone to see him thus, his eyes still red and raw. â€Å"Would you mind if I remained here?† he asked. â€Å"Of course not.† She smiled wistfully and left the room. Jack turned back toward his uncle’s desk, running his fingers slowly along the smooth surface. It was peaceful here, and the Lord knew, he needed a spot of peace. It was going to be a long night. He would not sleep. There was no sense in trying. But he did not want to do anything. He did not want to go anywhere, and most of all, he did not want to think. For this moment†¦for this night†¦he just wanted to be. Grace liked the Audleys’ drawing room, she decided. It was quite elegant, decorated in soft tones of burgundy and cream, with two seating areas, a writing desk, and several cozy reading chairs in the corners. Signs of family life were everywhere – from the stack of letters on the desk to the embroidery Mrs. Audley must have abandoned on the sofa when she’d heard Jack at the door. On the mantel sat six miniatures in a row. Grace walked over, pretending to warm her hands by the fire. It was their family, she instantly realized, probably painted fifteen years ago. The first was surely Jack’s uncle, and the next Grace recognized as Mrs. Audley. After that was†¦Good heavens, was that Jack? It had to be. How could someone change so little? He looked younger, yes, but everything else was the same – the expression, the sly smile. It nearly took her breath away. The other three miniatures were the Audley children, or so Grace assumed. Two boys and one girl. She dipped her head and said a little prayer when she reached the younger of the boys. Arthur. Jack had loved him. Was that what he was talking about with his aunt? Grace had been the last to enter the drawing room; she’d seen Mrs. Audley pull him gently through another doorway. After a few minutes the butler arrived, announcing that their rooms had been prepared, but Grace loitered near the fireplace. She was not ready to leave this room. She was not sure why. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh.† She looked up. It was Jack’s aunt. â€Å"You walk softly, Mrs. Audley,† she said. â€Å"I did not hear you approach.† â€Å"That one is Jack,† Mrs. Audley said, reaching out and removing his miniature from the mantel. â€Å"I recognized him,† Grace murmured. â€Å"Yes, he is much the same. This one is my son Edward. He lives just down the lane. And this is Margaret. She has two daughters of her own now.† Grace looked at Arthur. They both did. â€Å"I am sorry for your loss,† Grace finally said. Mrs. Audley swallowed, but she did not seem to be near tears. â€Å"Thank you.† She turned then, and took Grace’s hand in hers. â€Å"Jack is in his uncle’s study. At the far end of the hall, on the right. Go to him.† Grace’s lips parted. â€Å"Go,† Mrs. Audley said, even more softly than before. Grace felt herself nod, and before she’d had time to consider her actions, she was already in the hall, hurrying down toward the end. To the door on the right. â€Å"Jack?† she said softly, pushing the door open a few inches. He was sitting in a chair, facing the window, but he turned quickly and stood at the sound of her voice. She let herself in and closed the door gently behind her. â€Å"Your aunt said – â€Å" He was right there. Right there in front of her. And then her back was against the door, and he was kissing her, hard, fast, and – dear God – thoroughly. And then he stepped away. She couldn’t breathe, she could barely stand, and she knew she could not have put together a sentence if her life had depended on it. Never in her life had she wanted anything as much as she wanted this man. â€Å"Go to bed, Grace.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"I cannot resist you,† he said, his voice soft, haggard, and everything in between. She reached toward him. She could not help it. â€Å"Not in this house,† he whispered. But his eyes burned for her. â€Å"Go,† he said hoarsely. â€Å"Please.† She did. She ran up the stairs, found her room, and crawled between her sheets. But she shivered all night. She shivered and she burned. How to cite The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Twenty, Essay examples

In Our Time Essay Example For Students

In Our Time Essay Half-way through reading Hemmingways collection In Our Time I was interrupted by my roommate, George. He wanted to know how I liked the story. He seems to be very impressed that Im reading Hemmingway. I explained to him that it was, in fact, not one story, but a collection of short stories. He asked if they had a common theme or not, and I found it difficult to answer. Yeas and no, I said. I then went on to explain that although one character, Nick, appeared occasionally, the stories didnt flow as one large story. Its sort of like a painting, I told him, If you could pick out any one individual brush-stroke and study it, it would be meaningless. But if you pull back and see all the brush-strokes, you can view the painting in its entirety. He thought this was very wise and went away, contented that I was a literate genius. Myself, I didnt really know what to gather from the stories. Ive never honestly read any Hemmingway previously. Ive started to read The Sun Also Rises about ten times and gotten waylaid by Batman, Robert B. Parker, and the like each time. I think I read The Old Man and the Sea ages ago in high school, but it was so long ago that it has slipped completely from my memory. He is one of those authors that I always connect with my father and his college years for some reason, although Im not entirely sure why. Ive always wanted to read Hemmingway, but Ive always wanted to read all of Shakespeare, Homer, and Eliot, too. The edition Im reading has the short stories separated by Chapters which do and dont tell a story. The Chapters strongly remind me of Pink Floyds The Wall. I was also surprised at how simple it is to read them. They are perfect examples of how Poe defined the short story: quick, (sometimes) powerful, and written to evoke one feeling. After reading The End of Something, for example, I was struck by how easily Hemmingway made me sad. The ending to A Very Short Story was pure torture. All the stories are simply constructed, no superfluous words, no extra images to clutter the feeling. They seem to be written with Strunk and Whites Elements of Style in mind. After not one of them was I wanting for more. Each was a universe unto itself. Out of Season was difficult because I wasnt sure of how it made me feel, almost as if it was beyond me to understand what was happening to the characters and therefore I wasnt supposed to have read it. I enjoyed reading In Our Time, sitting on a float in a pool in the sun. The whole time, though, I was worried about what sort of response I was having to each story. I think it clouded my mind while I was reading and I must try to avoid that. If I had simply picked the book from a shelf and read it on a summer day, I think my responses would have been subtly different, although Im sure I dont know in what way. I am never sure what kind of response a professor is looking for in these response papers, or how formal they should be, but this is obviously the first of many and I will learn from your response to it.

Management Essay Example

Management Essay THE ROLE OF PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT IN INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROJECT PORTFOLIO Name Institution Date THE ROLE OF PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT IN INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROJECT PORTFOLIO Introduction The issue of whether project managers should adopt project portfolio management in the management of multiple projects or not has raised a lot of debates in organizations. It is evident that project managers find it difficult to manage multiple projects on their own without the help of project portfolio management which provides the capacity needed to effectively handle multiple projects. Some company executives insist that portfolio managers are not necessary and yet this not the case. Companies initiate multiple projects each and every day with high performance standards. Project managers do not have the capacity to coordinate and control multiple projects in a project portfolio without the help of project portfolio management (Mahajan 2009, p. 78). Project portfolio management is a new concept in project management that is yet to fully explored and utilized by many organizations. The effectiveness of a project portfolio can not be achieved without the expertise of a portfolio manager. The effectiveness of a project portfolio is very vital when an organization wants to meet its organizational and financial goals (Mahajan 2009, p. 134). Some project managers feel that their job is threatened with the introduction of project portfolio management. This is not the case because project portfolio management is only meant to complement the work of a project manager. This position paper will discuss why it is necessary for an organization to adopt project portfolio management when handling multiple projects. Project portfolio management plays a critical role in increasing the efficiency of a project portfolio. We will write a custom essay sample on Management specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Background Information It is important to first of all have some background information about project portfolio management before discussing why it is necessary in increasing the effectiveness of a project portfolio (Levin 2010, p. 93). Project portfolio management introduces a new system in portfolio management where all the technologies, methods and processes used in the management of multiple projects are centralized in one place. Each project in a project portfolio has unique characteristics that are analyzed and collectively managed by the project portfolio management office. Effective allocation and tracking of resources meant for multiple projects is not an easy task but this can be done by a portfolio manager who has the capability and tools to come up with an effective framework for managing multiple resources (Brunel 2006, p. 28). Project portfolio management is very essential in project-driven organizations and this is attributed to the fact that inter-related tasks need to be managed in a centralized manner. Project execution and decision making are the segments of project management that require the capabilities provided by project portfolio management. Project portfolio management provides project managers with the required capabilities necessary to handle multiple projects. Project portfolio management offers simple and cheap strategies that are needed in the execution of multiple projects. Some of the most important capabilities brought about by project portfolio management include pipeline management, resource management, change control, financial management and finally risk management (Brunel 2006, p. 59). The capabilities brought by project portfolio management are very critical in increasing the efficiency of a project portfolio (Rad 2006, p. 9). The work of project managers becomes simple with the adoption of project portfolio management. Project portfolio management provides the best platform for project managers to carry out their duties with minimum risks (Rad 2006, p. 49). The importance of project portfolio management can only be understood in this discussion by looking at the efforts being put in place by organizations to ensure that the project portfolio management office does its best in the management of multiple projects. There is a concerted effort by organizations to increase awareness on the importance of project portfolio management because of the critical role that project portfolio management plays towards the success of an organization (Kevin 2006, p. 143). Many organizations are now focused on improving their project portfolio by putting in place the necessary structures to facilitate the learning process. In order for project portfolio management to serve its purpose, there are certain things that need to be improved. To begin with, any initial information about a project portfolio should be gathered and reported through the recommended procedure. Organizations can also improve their project portfolio management by coming up with clear goals and objectives to guide their projects (Kevin 2006, p. 143). It is important for portfolio managers to develop asset portfolios for optimum resource utilization. Asset portfolios are normally linked to the organizational and financial goals of a project to enhance consistency when it comes to project portfolio management. The resources to be used for multiple projects are identified as early as possible to enable portfolio managers to come up with effective strategies for maximum utilization of resources. An initial assessment of a project portfolio helps portfolio managers to correct some of the mistakes that can affect the overall performance of a project portfolio (Morris 2010, p. 45). Portfolio balance is another aspect that is given special attention in project portfolio management. Portfolio managers communicate their recommendations to the relevant departments within the organization on a regular basis. It is always a challenge to choose the right projects using the right methods and this requires a professional portfolio manager who can carry out the task satisfactorily (Morris 2010, p. 9). Portfolio managers come up with proactive measures that bring high returns at the lowest risk possible. Facts about the Role of Project Portfolio Management Project portfolio management brings out the business value of a project by putting in place results oriented strategies (Grobys 2009, p. 176). All projects within an organization are directed in the right way to guide an organization to wards executing the right projects. Each project has a significant impact on the portfolio and this makes it necessary for portfolio managers to monitor the performance of each project. The overall success of a project portfolio depends on the contribution of all the projects within the portfolio. Portfolio managers determine whether a particular project is likely to have a negative impact on current and future projects (Grobys 2009, p. 176). It is necessary for portfolio managers to identify projects that depend on each other in advance in order for them to come up with the right strategies. Information overload is one thing that project portfolio managers avoid at all costs (Ibrahim 2011, p. 85). Portfolio managers work with the most important data as a way of avoiding onfusion. It is not easy to work on all projects and at the same time achieve the desired results. Project portfolio management was introduced to help organizations in handling multiple projects in an efficient manner. Each project has team leaders who constantly report to portfolio managers on a regular basis about the progress of individual projects. The process of evaluating projects is made effi cient by the right portfolio management systems (Brentani 2006, p. 109). The role of project portfolio management is to ensure that project portfolios achieve the expected results in the right way. Many organizations have discovered the importance of project portfolio management and that is the reason why new systems are being put in place to simplify the work of a project manager (Brentani 2006, p. 109). Project portfolio management software systems are chosen according to the objectives of a given organization. Project portfolio management software has important features that facilitate process evaluation, measurement of benefits and costs, progress reporting, capacity planning and the tracking of benefits. This system enables the company executives to make the right decisions when it comes to finances and business. An organization that is ready to adopt project portfolio management should have the characteristics necessary for effective utilization of the capabilities brought by project portfolio management (Brentani 2006, p. 110). A portfolio manager strictly follows and implements all kinds of standardization without any kind of bias (Moore 2009, p. 156). Project portfolio management improves processes as a way of enhancing the outcome of projects. Organizations should have processes that are properly defined for portfolio managers to have an easy time when they are trying to make improvements. Project portfolio management provides the necessary framework that helps an organization in managing change (Moore 2009, p. 34). Project Portfolio Management Discussion The issue of whether companies should adopt project portfolio management can only be discussed comprehensively by looking at both sides (Levin 2010, p. 93). According to the argument in this paper, project portfolio management is very vital when it comes to increasing the effectiveness of a project portfolio. To begin with, the failure of a project-oriented organization to adopt project portfolio management disconnects information technology with business (Brunel 2006, p. 9). Project portfolio management facilitates a closer alignment of information technology with business. Companies are able to get value for their massive investment in information technology because project portfolio management enables executives to monitor the entire project portfolio and decide on the viability of each project (Rad 2006, p. 49). T hrough project portfolio management, project managers can monitor the progress of multiple projects and ensure compliance with all specifications and standard. Project managers often face challenges when handling multiple projects without the help of project portfolio management because they can not receive detailed data on current and future projects. Organizations that are yet to adopt project portfolio management incur a lot of costs and at the same time experience a decrease in production (Rad 2006, p. 51). On the other hand, project portfolio management reduces costs and increases productivity through appropriate allocation of resources and asset reuse. Project portfolio management enables project managers to make business-based decisions that improve returns and minimize risks (Rad 2006, p. 1). Project managers who work without the help of project portfolio management find it difficult to predict the outcome of current and future projects. Project portfolio management helps project managers in the identification of inter-project dependencies and prediction of project outcomes (Morris 2010, p. 71). The status of multiple projects can b e assessed by project portfolio management assessment strategies (Morris 2010, p. 122). It is necessary to adopt project portfolio management if there is need for a company to improve the effectiveness of its project portfolio. Despite this assertion, there are some arguments that do not support the idea of having portfolio managers in managing multiple projects (Levin 2010, p. 93). The first counter-argument is based on the opinion that portfolio management is only critical in determining whether the expected efficiency will be achieved or not. Poor handling of project portfolio management can lead to a situation where the level of overhead exceeds the benefits. The other reason why some organizations are reluctant to adopt project portfolio management is because it brings a cultural shift. Project portfolio management comes with new roles, processes, and corporate relationships that may take a lot of time for members within the organization to adapt to the new culture (Brunel 2006, p. 28). Portfolio management introduces the aspect of change management for effective balancing of new personnel, technologies and processes. The introduction of project portfolio management in projects that are ongoing can kill the project momentum because a lot of training is needed to familiarize the workers with the new systems. The possibility of a cultural resistance is what scares many organizations from adopting project portfolio management. The other argument on why project portfolio management is not necessary is that the business value of a project can be delayed as a result of over-engineered projects (Brunel 2006, p. 59). It is also not a guarantee that project portfolio management can deliver the desired result when it is implemented for the first time. It takes a lot of effort for project portfolio managers to make things perfect during the initial stages. Trying to change everything at once is one of the reasons why project portfolio management can end up failing (Ibrahim 2011, p. 5). Gradual implementation of new tools, processes and roles for a group of projects under project portfolio management is necessary when an organization wants to increase the effectiveness of a project portfolio (Morris 2010, p. 71). The final argument on why project portfolio management is not necessary in increasing the effectiveness of a project portfolio is based on the fact that some very important projects can be excluded even af ter the organization has spent a lot of resources and time to work on them (Rad 2006, p. 9). Despite these numerous claims against project portfolio management, it is important for organizations to clearly understand the importance of project portfolio management when it comes to achieving both financial and organizational goals. Conclusion It is important to reiterate the fact that portfolio managers play a very significant role in increasing the efficiency of a project portfolio. Project portfolio managers have a responsibility of ensuring that an organization runs multiple projects in the best way possible. Project portfolio managers consolidate projects that have similar needs and characteristics for effective planning and reporting. Project portfolio management saves the leadership in organizations a lot of money and time because it provides the highest level of management when handling multiple projects. The project portfolio of an organization can be compromised easily when a project portfolio management system is not in place (Levin 2010, p. 119). Through project portfolio management, the executive is able to receive information about all the projects that are in progress without much struggle. Portfolio managers have special attributes that play a critical role in improving the processes and strategies when an organization is in the process of handling multiple projects. An organization that is yet to implement project portfolio management is bound to face financial and organizational challenges on a regular basis (Levin 2010, p. 119). Organizations that want to improve the performance of their projects and at the same time maintain operational and financial stability should consider project portfolio management. This is can done through setting up a project portfolio management office and hiring competent portfolio managers to assist project managers in handling multiple projects. References Brentani, C 2006, Portfolio management in practice, Butterworth-Heinemann, London. Brunel, J 2006, Integrated wealth management: The new direction for portfolio managers, Euromoney Books, London. Grobys, K 2009, Portfolio management, Books on Demand, New York. Ibrahim, N 2011, Project portfolio management in philanthropic organizations, GRIN Verlag, New York Kevin, S 2006, Portfolio management, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. , New York. Levin, G 2010, Interpersonal skills for portfolio, program, and project managers, Management Concepts Incorporated, London. Mahajan, A 2009, Portfolio Management: Theoretical and empirical studies, Global Indian Publications, New Delhi. Moore, S 2009, Strategic project portfolio management: Enabling a productive organization, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Morris, P 2010, The Wiley guide to project, program, and portfolio management, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Rad, P 2006, Project portfolio management: Tools and techniques, www. iil. com/Publishing, New York. Management Essay Example Management Essay THE ROLE OF PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT IN INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROJECT PORTFOLIO Name Institution Date THE ROLE OF PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT IN INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROJECT PORTFOLIO Introduction The issue of whether project managers should adopt project portfolio management in the management of multiple projects or not has raised a lot of debates in organizations. It is evident that project managers find it difficult to manage multiple projects on their own without the help of project portfolio management which provides the capacity needed to effectively handle multiple projects. Some company executives insist that portfolio managers are not necessary and yet this not the case. Companies initiate multiple projects each and every day with high performance standards. Project managers do not have the capacity to coordinate and control multiple projects in a project portfolio without the help of project portfolio management (Mahajan 2009, p. 78). Project portfolio management is a new concept in project management that is yet to fully explored and utilized by many organizations. The effectiveness of a project portfolio can not be achieved without the expertise of a portfolio manager. The effectiveness of a project portfolio is very vital when an organization wants to meet its organizational and financial goals (Mahajan 2009, p. 134). Some project managers feel that their job is threatened with the introduction of project portfolio management. This is not the case because project portfolio management is only meant to complement the work of a project manager. This position paper will discuss why it is necessary for an organization to adopt project portfolio management when handling multiple projects. Project portfolio management plays a critical role in increasing the efficiency of a project portfolio. We will write a custom essay sample on Management specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Background Information It is important to first of all have some background information about project portfolio management before discussing why it is necessary in increasing the effectiveness of a project portfolio (Levin 2010, p. 93). Project portfolio management introduces a new system in portfolio management where all the technologies, methods and processes used in the management of multiple projects are centralized in one place. Each project in a project portfolio has unique characteristics that are analyzed and collectively managed by the project portfolio management office. Effective allocation and tracking of resources meant for multiple projects is not an easy task but this can be done by a portfolio manager who has the capability and tools to come up with an effective framework for managing multiple resources (Brunel 2006, p. 28). Project portfolio management is very essential in project-driven organizations and this is attributed to the fact that inter-related tasks need to be managed in a centralized manner. Project execution and decision making are the segments of project management that require the capabilities provided by project portfolio management. Project portfolio management provides project managers with the required capabilities necessary to handle multiple projects. Project portfolio management offers simple and cheap strategies that are needed in the execution of multiple projects. Some of the most important capabilities brought about by project portfolio management include pipeline management, resource management, change control, financial management and finally risk management (Brunel 2006, p. 59). The capabilities brought by project portfolio management are very critical in increasing the efficiency of a project portfolio (Rad 2006, p. 9). The work of project managers becomes simple with the adoption of project portfolio management. Project portfolio management provides the best platform for project managers to carry out their duties with minimum risks (Rad 2006, p. 49). The importance of project portfolio management can only be understood in this discussion by looking at the efforts being put in place by organizations to ensure that the project portfolio management office does its best in the management of multiple projects. There is a concerted effort by organizations to increase awareness on the importance of project portfolio management because of the critical role that project portfolio management plays towards the success of an organization (Kevin 2006, p. 143). Many organizations are now focused on improving their project portfolio by putting in place the necessary structures to facilitate the learning process. In order for project portfolio management to serve its purpose, there are certain things that need to be improved. To begin with, any initial information about a project portfolio should be gathered and reported through the recommended procedure. Organizations can also improve their project portfolio management by coming up with clear goals and objectives to guide their projects (Kevin 2006, p. 143). It is important for portfolio managers to develop asset portfolios for optimum resource utilization. Asset portfolios are normally linked to the organizational and financial goals of a project to enhance consistency when it comes to project portfolio management. The resources to be used for multiple projects are identified as early as possible to enable portfolio managers to come up with effective strategies for maximum utilization of resources. An initial assessment of a project portfolio helps portfolio managers to correct some of the mistakes that can affect the overall performance of a project portfolio (Morris 2010, p. 45). Portfolio balance is another aspect that is given special attention in project portfolio management. Portfolio managers communicate their recommendations to the relevant departments within the organization on a regular basis. It is always a challenge to choose the right projects using the right methods and this requires a professional portfolio manager who can carry out the task satisfactorily (Morris 2010, p. 9). Portfolio managers come up with proactive measures that bring high returns at the lowest risk possible. Facts about the Role of Project Portfolio Management Project portfolio management brings out the business value of a project by putting in place results oriented strategies (Grobys 2009, p. 176). All projects within an organization are directed in the right way to guide an organization to wards executing the right projects. Each project has a significant impact on the portfolio and this makes it necessary for portfolio managers to monitor the performance of each project. The overall success of a project portfolio depends on the contribution of all the projects within the portfolio. Portfolio managers determine whether a particular project is likely to have a negative impact on current and future projects (Grobys 2009, p. 176). It is necessary for portfolio managers to identify projects that depend on each other in advance in order for them to come up with the right strategies. Information overload is one thing that project portfolio managers avoid at all costs (Ibrahim 2011, p. 85). Portfolio managers work with the most important data as a way of avoiding onfusion. It is not easy to work on all projects and at the same time achieve the desired results. Project portfolio management was introduced to help organizations in handling multiple projects in an efficient manner. Each project has team leaders who constantly report to portfolio managers on a regular basis about the progress of individual projects. The process of evaluating projects is made effi cient by the right portfolio management systems (Brentani 2006, p. 109). The role of project portfolio management is to ensure that project portfolios achieve the expected results in the right way. Many organizations have discovered the importance of project portfolio management and that is the reason why new systems are being put in place to simplify the work of a project manager (Brentani 2006, p. 109). Project portfolio management software systems are chosen according to the objectives of a given organization. Project portfolio management software has important features that facilitate process evaluation, measurement of benefits and costs, progress reporting, capacity planning and the tracking of benefits. This system enables the company executives to make the right decisions when it comes to finances and business. An organization that is ready to adopt project portfolio management should have the characteristics necessary for effective utilization of the capabilities brought by project portfolio management (Brentani 2006, p. 110). A portfolio manager strictly follows and implements all kinds of standardization without any kind of bias (Moore 2009, p. 156). Project portfolio management improves processes as a way of enhancing the outcome of projects. Organizations should have processes that are properly defined for portfolio managers to have an easy time when they are trying to make improvements. Project portfolio management provides the necessary framework that helps an organization in managing change (Moore 2009, p. 34). Project Portfolio Management Discussion The issue of whether companies should adopt project portfolio management can only be discussed comprehensively by looking at both sides (Levin 2010, p. 93). According to the argument in this paper, project portfolio management is very vital when it comes to increasing the effectiveness of a project portfolio. To begin with, the failure of a project-oriented organization to adopt project portfolio management disconnects information technology with business (Brunel 2006, p. 9). Project portfolio management facilitates a closer alignment of information technology with business. Companies are able to get value for their massive investment in information technology because project portfolio management enables executives to monitor the entire project portfolio and decide on the viability of each project (Rad 2006, p. 49). T hrough project portfolio management, project managers can monitor the progress of multiple projects and ensure compliance with all specifications and standard. Project managers often face challenges when handling multiple projects without the help of project portfolio management because they can not receive detailed data on current and future projects. Organizations that are yet to adopt project portfolio management incur a lot of costs and at the same time experience a decrease in production (Rad 2006, p. 51). On the other hand, project portfolio management reduces costs and increases productivity through appropriate allocation of resources and asset reuse. Project portfolio management enables project managers to make business-based decisions that improve returns and minimize risks (Rad 2006, p. 1). Project managers who work without the help of project portfolio management find it difficult to predict the outcome of current and future projects. Project portfolio management helps project managers in the identification of inter-project dependencies and prediction of project outcomes (Morris 2010, p. 71). The status of multiple projects can b e assessed by project portfolio management assessment strategies (Morris 2010, p. 122). It is necessary to adopt project portfolio management if there is need for a company to improve the effectiveness of its project portfolio. Despite this assertion, there are some arguments that do not support the idea of having portfolio managers in managing multiple projects (Levin 2010, p. 93). The first counter-argument is based on the opinion that portfolio management is only critical in determining whether the expected efficiency will be achieved or not. Poor handling of project portfolio management can lead to a situation where the level of overhead exceeds the benefits. The other reason why some organizations are reluctant to adopt project portfolio management is because it brings a cultural shift. Project portfolio management comes with new roles, processes, and corporate relationships that may take a lot of time for members within the organization to adapt to the new culture (Brunel 2006, p. 28). Portfolio management introduces the aspect of change management for effective balancing of new personnel, technologies and processes. The introduction of project portfolio management in projects that are ongoing can kill the project momentum because a lot of training is needed to familiarize the workers with the new systems. The possibility of a cultural resistance is what scares many organizations from adopting project portfolio management. The other argument on why project portfolio management is not necessary is that the business value of a project can be delayed as a result of over-engineered projects (Brunel 2006, p. 59). It is also not a guarantee that project portfolio management can deliver the desired result when it is implemented for the first time. It takes a lot of effort for project portfolio managers to make things perfect during the initial stages. Trying to change everything at once is one of the reasons why project portfolio management can end up failing (Ibrahim 2011, p. 5). Gradual implementation of new tools, processes and roles for a group of projects under project portfolio management is necessary when an organization wants to increase the effectiveness of a project portfolio (Morris 2010, p. 71). The final argument on why project portfolio management is not necessary in increasing the effectiveness of a project portfolio is based on the fact that some very important projects can be excluded even af ter the organization has spent a lot of resources and time to work on them (Rad 2006, p. 9). Despite these numerous claims against project portfolio management, it is important for organizations to clearly understand the importance of project portfolio management when it comes to achieving both financial and organizational goals. Conclusion It is important to reiterate the fact that portfolio managers play a very significant role in increasing the efficiency of a project portfolio. Project portfolio managers have a responsibility of ensuring that an organization runs multiple projects in the best way possible. Project portfolio managers consolidate projects that have similar needs and characteristics for effective planning and reporting. Project portfolio management saves the leadership in organizations a lot of money and time because it provides the highest level of management when handling multiple projects. The project portfolio of an organization can be compromised easily when a project portfolio management system is not in place (Levin 2010, p. 119). Through project portfolio management, the executive is able to receive information about all the projects that are in progress without much struggle. Portfolio managers have special attributes that play a critical role in improving the processes and strategies when an organization is in the process of handling multiple projects. An organization that is yet to implement project portfolio management is bound to face financial and organizational challenges on a regular basis (Levin 2010, p. 119). Organizations that want to improve the performance of their projects and at the same time maintain operational and financial stability should consider project portfolio management. This is can done through setting up a project portfolio management office and hiring competent portfolio managers to assist project managers in handling multiple projects. References Brentani, C 2006, Portfolio management in practice, Butterworth-Heinemann, London. Brunel, J 2006, Integrated wealth management: The new direction for portfolio managers, Euromoney Books, London. Grobys, K 2009, Portfolio management, Books on Demand, New York. Ibrahim, N 2011, Project portfolio management in philanthropic organizations, GRIN Verlag, New York Kevin, S 2006, Portfolio management, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. , New York. Levin, G 2010, Interpersonal skills for portfolio, program, and project managers, Management Concepts Incorporated, London. Mahajan, A 2009, Portfolio Management: Theoretical and empirical studies, Global Indian Publications, New Delhi. Moore, S 2009, Strategic project portfolio management: Enabling a productive organization, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Morris, P 2010, The Wiley guide to project, program, and portfolio management, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Rad, P 2006, Project portfolio management: Tools and techniques, www. iil. com/Publishing, New York.

The Medieval Period essays

The Medieval Period essays The medieval period encompasses a long span of years when castles, churches and many other great buildings were built. The way the people of the time built tells us a lot about the lifestyle of the people, particularly the wealthy and each country reflects their own style of architecture. The Roman Empire had crumbled and Christianity was rising in strength. The world was in unrest and the architecture of the time reflects that. Furnishings had to be easy to move from place to place. Main rooms were relocated to the first floor, while the ground floor was used for storage or to keep the animals. There were not a lot of windows and the ones that were there were small. Sometimes they were decorated with stained glass that could be removed for safekeeping. During this time brick was used as a principle construction material and they also dressed their buildings in costly marbles. There was still a central hall that had numerous uses. Again the furniture was often being moved to accommodate these different purposes. A hammer beam roof was needed to span the huge space. Some places had stone vaulting that might be painted a deep blue with stars. This room had a large fireplace that might be decorated with carvings. It also had a tall hood on brackets. The walls were whitewashed over plaster that was applied to stonework. They also might have painted wooden wainscoting on the walls. Most of the wood was painted at this time. On the upper part of the wall you might have seen a frieze of figures or other decorations. The lower areas were kept for cloth hangings and the wealthy used tapestry. They even used them for bed covers and bed hangings. The floors were flagged with stone. They used wood on the upper floors. Green, bla ck, brown and yellow coloured ceramic tiles were also used for decoration. The lighting was rush lights and tallow candles. Fortification lessened when peace settled in (15t ...

Death and Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Death and Philosophy - Essay Example Nagel, interestingly, argues that it is not the death that is harm but rather the ending of life. He takes the a bit further by discussing prenatal life and life after death, almost equally qualifying the value of each "state" but fearful to arrive at a conclusion. Should we follow Nagel's premise, then the loss of life is the injury and the earlier loss of life compared to a later loss of life is far more injurious. Indeed, by way of example he states that a corpse can suffer no injury because the corpse is a dead being. Thus perhaps, in Nagel's world, there should be no such thing as a crime committed against a corpse. For example, because the person is dead, one cannot have violated the law because he desecrated a corpse. One can be found guilty, if he contributed to the cause of death only. Nagel's focal point is time. Thus when a person dies, they have been robbed of the extra time that they would have lived. Thus if a man lived 80 years, the harm is not so bad, but if the man lived only 20, the harm is egregious. Lacking here, is the discussion of what happens during that time. For example, if a man lives only 20 years, and becomes an astounding man, has he been robbed Nagel would probably argue in the affirmative. Conversely, if a man is 80 and has lived a life of no consequence, has he been harmed by being robbed of extra years Perhaps not. What if the person has spent 10 of those years suffering from a painful disease Has not death then rescued the person Finally, I am asked to explain which theory I prefer. I do not believe that one suffers by death. I agree with Rosenbaum in that once death has happened, there is no harm. Indeed, it is the path to death in which harm lays in wait. Many religions herald the notion that we choose our own exit from this world by our behavior during the time in it. Rosenbaum however offers an explanation that agrees with my religious values and my basic common sense. Once I am dead, I expect that to be it. Indeed, depending on my condition at death, I may find death to be a

Marks & Spencer plc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Marks & Spencer plc - Research Paper Example The model starts on the premise that an organization is not just Structure, but consists of seven elements: Those seven elements are distinguished in so called hard S's and soft S's. The hard elements (green circles) are feasible and easy to identify. They can be found in strategy statements, corporate plans, organizational charts and other documentations. The four soft S's however, are hardly feasible. They are difficult to describe since capabilities, values and elements of corporate culture are continuously developing and changing. They are highly determined by the people at work in the organization. Therefore it is much more difficult to plan or to influence the characteristics of the soft elements. Although the soft factors are below the surface, they can have a great impact of the hard Structures, Strategies and Systems of the organization. Description(Waterman, R. Jr., Peters, T. and Phillips, J.R. "Structure Is Not Organisation" in Business Horizons, 23,3 June 1980. 14-26.) The Hard S's Strategy Actions a company plans in response to or anticipation of changes in its external environment. Structure Basis for specialization and co-ordination influenced primarily by strategy and by organization size and diversity. Systems Formal and informal procedures that support the strategy and structure. (Systems are more powerful than they are given credit) The Soft S's Style / Culture The culture of the organization, consisting of two components: Organizational Culture: the dominant values and beliefs, and norms, which develop over time and become relatively enduring features of organizational life. Management Style:... The 7-S-Model is better known as McKinsey 7-S. This is because the two persons who developed this model, Tom Peters, and Robert Waterman, have been consultants at McKinsey & Co at that time. They published their 7-S-Model in their article â€Å"Structure Is Not Organization† (1980) and in their books â€Å"The Art of Japanese Management† (1981) and â€Å"In Search of Excellence† (1982).Those seven elements are distinguished in so called hard S’s and soft S’s. The hard elements (green circles) are feasible and easy to identify. They can be found in strategy statements, corporate plans, organizational charts and other documentations.The four soft S’s however, are hardly feasible. They are difficult to describe since capabilities, values, and elements of corporate culture are continuously developing and changing. They are highly determined by the people at work in the organization. Therefore it is much more difficult to plan or to influence the characteristics of the soft elements. Although the soft factors are below the surface, they can have a great impact on the hard Structures, Strategies, and Systems of the organization.Effective organizations achieve a fit between these seven elements. This criterion is the origin of the other name of the model: Diagnostic Model for Organizational Effectiveness. In change processes, many organizations focus their efforts on the hard S’s, Strategy, Structure, and Systems. They care less for the soft S’s, Skills, Staff, Style and Shared Values.

I Think, Therefore I am Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

I Think, Therefore I am - Essay Example This means that he is allowing credibility to only his consciousness and cognitive powers, and not to that of any other objective audience. Indeed his method leaves no room for the derivation of a third-person truth, which would require the acknowledgement of premises beyond the perceiving being's conscious self. Descartes arrives into this insight into the nature of existence after undergoing the three 'waves' of doubt. The first of these brings up the fact that knowledge based on sensory inputs has not always been shown up as reliable. The second is a doubt that all that we experience and feel, indeed, our very existence itself maybe only a dream, because a lot of our thoughts that take place while dreaming, are not in fact real, but they are very similar to our waking thoughts. The third, and the most diabolical one of them all, is that we may be the subject of deception by an evil demonic force that presents to us as irrefutable knowledge, that which is not true at all. The conclusion of "I think, Therefore I am", has been criticized on various grounds.

Using Renewable Energy In Our Daily Lives Environmental Sciences Essay

Using Renewable Energy In Our Daily Lives Environmental Sciences Essay We all are concerned about our future with regard to the way we generate energy and power. Renewable energy is the process by which we use the radiant energy from the sun, wind, and hydropower etc. Unfortunately we are not using renewable energy in most cases and the methods by which we currently getting our raw materials for power and energy are simultaneously destroying our planet and depleting supplies of natural resources. The damages we have caused might take generations to reverse. Many of us who care wants to do something by raising their voice as we are on a threshold of change. Renewable energy resources are not only our way out of an environmental disaster; they could solve some of our economic woes. Many countries are embracing renewable energy and it has benefited n several ways. These benefits include saving consumers money and reducing unemployment. This is not a luxury that we pursue when the cost of gasoline goes up. Now is the time to convert our mode of transportation to clean electricity that we get from renewable sources. This is a necessity that is going to save the lives of future generations. We can survive the problems which we have created in order to power our world. The climate is changing and we have entire species of animals that are now extinct due to pollution. Lets look at the maximum possibilities as we are in the midst of a crisis therefore we must act according to what will benefit our generations. Aim Finding the main reasons for not using renewable energy in our daily lives. Objectives Literature Review Brief History Prior to the development of coal in the mid 19th century, all energy used was renewable, with the primary sources being human labor, animal power in the form of oxen, mules, and horses, water power for mill power, wind for grinding grain, and firewood. A graph of energy use in the United States up until 1900 shows oil and natural gas with about the same importance in 1900 as wind and solar played in 2010. By 1873, concerns of running out of coal prompted experiments with using solar energy.  Development of solar engines continued until the outbreak of World War I. The eventual importance of solar energy, though, was recognized in a 1911 Scientific American article: in the far distant future, natural fuels having been exhausted [solar power] will remain as the only means of existence of the human race. In the 1970s environmentalists promoted the development of alternative energy both as a replacement for the eventual depletion of oil, as well as for an escape from dependence on oil, and the first wind turbines appeared. Solar had always been used for heating and cooling, but solar panels were too costly to build solar farms until 1980.  The theory of peak oil was published in 1956. By 2008 renewable energy had ceased being an alternative, and more capacity of renewable energy was added than other sources in both the United States and in Europe. Renewable energy is becoming more and more prevalent around the world, but it is still not the dominant energy resource.  Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources. Renewable Energy as a replacement for Conventional Fuel Renewable energy replaces conventional fuels in four distinct areas:  electricity generation,  hot water/space heating,  motor fuels, and rural (off-grid) energy services: Power generation. Renewable energy provides 19% of electricity generation worldwide. Renewable power generators are spread across many countries, and wind power alone already provides a significant share of electricity in some areas: for example, 14% in the U.S. state of Iowa, 40% in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, and 20% in Denmark. Some countries get most of their power from renewables, including Iceland (100%), Norway (98%), Brazil (86%), Austria (62%), New Zealand (65%), and Sweden (54%). Heating.  Solar hot water  makes an important contribution to  renewable heat  in many countries, most notably in China, which now has 70% of the global total (180 GWth). Most of these systems are installed on multi-family apartment buildings and meet a portion of the hot water needs of an estimated 50-60 million households in China. Worldwide, total installed  solar water heating  systems meet a portion of the water heating needs of over 70 million households. The use of biomass for heating continues to grow as well. In Sweden, national use of biomass energy has surpassed that of oil. Direct geothermal for heating is also growing rapidly. Transport fuels. Renewable  biofuels  have contributed to a significant decline in oil consumption in the United States since 2006. The 93 billion liters of biofuels produced worldwide in 2009 displaced the equivalent of an estimated 68 billion liters of gasoline, equal to about 5% of world gasoline production In international public opinion surveys there is strong support for promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power, requiring utilities to use more renewable energy (even if this increases the cost), and providing tax incentives to encourage the development and use of such technologies. There is substantial optimism that renewable energy investments will pay off economically in the long term. Primary Source of Renewable Energy With so much dependency placed upon our natural resources to produce our much needed energy, scientists have been evaluating and producing renewable energy as an alternative to traditional energy sources.   Renewable energy is energy that can be reproduced in a short period of time.   The most prevalent forms of renewable energy are solar, wind, biomass, hydro power, geothermal and biofuels. http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTkYfRchpvKxiBs2AOvwdSSJzKy36CT7E2JMhOnxdD18HgVG7uyfw Wind An abundant source of renewable energy, wind power is used as a means of generating electricity.  Wind turbines  are capable of harnessing the power derived from the wind, converting kinetic energy into mechanical energy. A source of clean, green renewable energy, favourable climate conditions in Europe means wind energy is a highly viable method for electricity generation. And none more so than in the UK, with 40% of all wind energy in Europe blowing over the country. Solar In one form or another, solar power has been around for thousands of years. As a renewable source of free, green energy, technology has found a way of harnessing the suns energy via solar panels which are used either to generate electricity (solar photovoltaics) or to produce heat to warm water (solar thermal). A popular choice in a growing renewable energy market, solar technology doesnt generate greenhouse cases and is environmentally friendly. Biomass Biomass energy is produced from organic materials such as plants and animals, but the energy that is produced in this fashion is originally provided by the sun.   For example, plants absorb the suns energy through a process called photosynthesizes.   This energy is then passed on through the organism that eats the plant, creating biomass energy.   The most common forms used to generate biomass energy are wood, crops, manure and some rubbish. When these substances are burned, they give off energy as heat.   For example, if you have a  wood fuelled heating, you are generating renewable biomass energy.   This is not the only method of generating biomass energy; you can also create biomass energy by converting these substances into methane gases, ethanol and biodiesel fuels which can be translated more easily into our current methods of energy use. Geothermal Geothermal energy comes from the original Greek word Geo which means sun. Geothermal energy is derived from the heat that is given off by the Earth.   For example, steam energy or hot water that is generated by the Earth can be used to generate energy.   It is considered to be a renewable source of energy as the water in the Earth is replenished by regular rainfall and the heat used is regularly produced by the planet. Hydro Power Hydro energy is derived from the movement of water.   One form of  hydro power  is generated through the movement of water through turbines, such as water running through turbines in a Dam.   Hydro power is considered a renewable energy source as the water is continuously cycled back through the plant or into nature. Biofuels Biofuels are a form of renewable energy derived from burning plant or animal substances, otherwise called combustion. One of the challenges to biofuels has been that it is not easily transferred into a liquid form which is the primary method used to fuel most cars and homes. Two of the most common strategies that are seed to produce biofuels includes: growing crops to produce ethanol and growing plants that produce biofuel oils. While these methods are effective sources of renewable energy, they are challenging to produce and maintain on a large scale. The basic feature of renewable energy is that it has the capacity to be regenerated and, as such, is virtually inexhaustible, besides being environmentally friendly. These are the two major properties that distinguish it from traditional energy sources. In recent years, these two features have pushed renewable energies to the forefront since, if current fossil fuel consumption rates are maintained, they would only be able to meet our energy needs for a few more decades before running out. The damage to the environment, on the other hand, caused by the burning of fossil fuels and the resulting climate changes, force us to consider alternative energy sources if we want to preserve the planet and guarantee the well-being of future generations. Advantages The advantages of renewable energy over traditional energy sources are many and are receiving ever greater recognition. Technological progress in recent years has contributed to making renewable energy ever cheaper and efficient in generating electricity. The main advantages of renewable energies are: They are inexhaustible, whereas fossil fuels are limited. They have less of an environmental impact than fossil fuel energy sources (coal, oil and gas), since they do not produce carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. They are less of a risk than nuclear energy. They provide energy independence to a country, given that their use does not depend on the import of fossil fuels (which only exist in certain regions of the world). They allow a country to develop certain areas within its borders. Disadvantages It is easy to recognise the environmental advantages of utilising the alternative and renewable forms of energy but we must also be aware of the disadvantages. One disadvantage with renewable energy is that it is difficult to generate the quantities of electricity that are as large as those produced by traditional fossil fuel generators. This may mean that we need to reduce the amount of energy we use or simply build more energy facilities. It also indicates that the best solution to our energy problems may be to have a balance of many different power sources. Another disadvantage of renewable energy sources is the reliability of supply. Renewable energy often relies on the weather for its source of power. Hydro generators need rain to fill dams to supply flowing water. Wind turbines need wind to turn the blades, and solar collectors need clear skies and sunshine to collect heat and make electricity. When these resources are unavailable so is the capacity to make energy from them. This can be unpredictable and inconsistent. The current cost of renewable energy technology is also far in excess of traditional fossil fuel generation. This is because it is a new technology and as such has extremely large capital cost. Research Methodology Findings and Results Reasons of not Using Renewable energy in Daily Lives   Time and time again, we have to explain to them why their reasoning is unfounded but still we find the same excuses wherever we go.   So we thought wed take a little time to dispel the four most common excuses for not utilizing solar power. Its Too Expensive Everyone seems to know that federal and state governments have significant financial incentives in place to help promote the adoption of solar power.    Even after these incentives, the average residential solar system costs between $10,000 and $30,000 and for most people, this represents a major capital investment.   As a result, most people stop there and say, I cant afford it.    What they dont know is that there are a number of financing options available to help ease the cost of solar.   For example, a number of solar installers offer  financing programs  , similar to small loan or mortgage, where there is little to no up front cost and finance the balance of the purchase price through a loan.   As a result, the homeowner does not have to come up with cash upfront but can amortize the cost of the solar system over time.   Whats great is that when you factor in a your reduced utility bill from solar and the amortization cost of the panels, this amount is most likely still less than your electric bill without solar power.   So you save immediately and that savings grows over time as electricity rates increase. There are also programs where you can  lease the panels  Ã‚  for little to no up front costs and you pay a small, manageable monthly fee over the term of the lease.   Again, the savings on your electric bill from the solar panels plus this leasing fee is still likely to be less than your current electric bill without solar.   There is also a mechanism called a  power purchase agreement  , which is a great option for larger projects, where the solar installer installs and owns the panels on the roof of your home/building but provides you electricity and simply charges you a flat fee for that electricity over the life of the agreement (typically 15-20 years).   That way you are guaranteed a set rate of electricity over a long period of time (protecting you from annual rises in electricity rates) and there is no up front cost to you. The moral of the story is that there are a lot of options for people to pay for solar panels. Gone are the days where you have to come up with all the money for solar panels up front. There are simply more ways than ever to finance and make the cost of solar work out beneficially for residential and commercial consumers alike. Solar Wont Work in cold climate Another really bad excuse. The average temperature in a climate region does not have an effect on solar panels.   In fact, solar panels are actually slightly more efficient at producing electricity in cold temperatures. The critical factor for solar panels is a concept called solar isolation which is the amount of sunlight that the solar cells receive. Obviously, the more the better so even if you live in a colder climate that is further north and receive ample amounts of sunlight, solar should work just fine for you. (If you want to learn more about how solar panels work, you can click  here  .) Remember, Germany, is which is farther north than just about any state in the U.S., is the world leader in solar photovoltaic energy with over 9,000 Megawatts.   Thats almost enough to cover the roofs of 2 million U.S. houses!    So dont worry if you live in a cold climate, just make sure that you receive plenty of sunshine. No Power if its cloudy A reasonable concern, but again, not a good reason to avoid solar power.   As stated above, its not temperature that affects the performance of solar panels, rather it is the amount sunlight received.   And even in the sunniest of locations, there are going to be days where there is cloud cover or rain (not to mentioned nightfall) and your solar panels performance may be compromised.   Not to worryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦you will not be left in the dark. Residential and commercial solar panels these days are almost always connected to the utility gridà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is called a grid-tie.   So, while your solar panels are exposed to the sun, the electricity they produce powers your house or building.   But when it is cloudy or nightfall, you will still be able to draw power for your home or building because you remain connected to the electrical grid. Another cool concept is what is called net metering.   In states that allow net metering, if your solar panels produce more electricity in a day than you are consuming, that extra electricity is fed back into the electric grid and can actually spin your electric meter backward.   As a result, at the end of the month, the electric company will take into account the electricity that you fed back in to the grid through your solar power system and you will only pay for the net amount of electricity that you consume. People do not know Where to Start Getting Solar The worst excuse of them all!   First of all, there is a tons of information on the Internet related to solar, so for starters you can get educated that way. However, we understand that there may be so much information that you are overwhelmed. Never fear, sites likeMyEnergySolution.com  Ã‚  take the mystery out of the solar process.  MyEnergySolution.com  contains all the information you need to know about how solar works, what to expect and even ideas to help finance your solar power system. With sites like  MyEnergySolution.com  , there is no excuse not to understand the key elements of going solar. But what about getting a solar installer?   How do I know who to pick?   Another great question.   You can obviously talk to friends who have installed solar power systems in their homes and ask for a reference.   But if you dont have references, solar energy matching services can also take much of the guess work out of selecting a solar installer.   There are several free matching services that connect you with pre-selected and highly reputable solar installers based.   The process is simple: you provide basic information on your location and project type and within minutes or up to 1-2 business days the qualified solar installers will contact you to bid on your project.   These services have saved homeowners time and the headache of dealing with poor quality installers.   For example, see  www.solar-energy-installers.com  . Critical Evaluation Conclusion and Recommendation We know that people have other reasons for not going solar and that is fine.   Choosing solar is a personal/business decision that can only be made by you. However too often, we have seen a number of friends and business associates avoid solar power based on the excuses above yet solar power could have been so value-added to their home or commercial project.   Our goal here is to hopefully de-bunk the biggest excuses that we have seen and help show that there are answers and solutions out there for your concerns.