Wednesday, July 31, 2019

American Epidemic

In modern times, nobody who reads the newspapers or watches television can avoid the chilling fate that our country faces. School violence is a rapidly growing trend in America, and it seems to be there is nothing we can do to stop it. The offenders are from all races and social classes. They range from the high school hero to the high school dropout. It often seems the only thing they have in common is an utter disregard for their own life and the lives of others. In the following accounts, taken straight from American headlines, harrowing events fit for blockbuster fiction prove that our country is becoming victim to a new criminal: youthful rage. In generations past, the high school rebel was the boy all the girls wanted and all the boys wanted to be. He was the one in the leather jacket who went to class only to make snide remarks, drove too fast, and talked too slow. Jump forward to the end of the twentieth century, and the high school rebel is the boy who students ignore, the one who sits in the back of the classroom and never talks, wears all black and keeps to himself. He is the last student anyone would fear, but probably the most dangerous. He doesn†t want to take advantage of those who are smaller than him, but wants to seek vengeance on those who have hurt him, basically everyone. He, in fact, is sometimes a she. Of course, offenders can†t be classified into one group. Many times it is the last person you would ever imagine. That is the way it happened for Chester Jackson, a Detroit high school football star. Chester was a seventeen-year-old hero, a senior who had reached godlike status due to his work for the school football team. But if you ask his high school friends of their memories of Chester, they will not remember him running down the football field, but running down the hall, trying to save his own life. Like so many students, Chester found it amusing to tease the underclassmen. Particularly a fourteen-year-old freshman boy that was unable to defend himself when Chester and his friends pushed him in his own locker and secured the combination lock for three consecutive classes. That was the event they say made the boy snap. He brought a gun to school the next day, and even with all of his football training, Chester could not run fast enough to save his own life. He was the first student ever killed in a Michigan high school. Unfortunately, Chester†s story is not an isolated incident. School shootings are now a common occurrence. A place that used to be considered a safe haven is now turning into a death trap. Where lockers and drinking fountains used to be found there are now metal detectors and armed guards. Detroit high schools have expelled fifteen students since Chester†s murder inspired them to install metal detectors. Each of the students was carrying a loaded gun. Chester†s death also resulted in the now nation wide Barron Assessment and Counseling Center, a program designed to encourage youths to exchange their weapons for books. Marva Collins, principal of a Chicago Public School, sees the starting of these groups as bittersweet. † (These) Centers are extremely helpful, and have the right idea in mind, but how many children are going to have to die before our nation sits up and pays attention. Will mine be the next? † In 1994, children under 18 were 244% more likely to be killed by guns than they were in 1986. Gun owners of all ages state that their number one reason for owning a handgun is protection from criminals, yet they are 43 times as likely to kill a friend or family member than they are a criminal. In the 1980†³s it appeared that teen pregnancy was going to be the downfall of American society, but as Marion Wright Edelman, president of the children†s advocacy group puts it, † The crisis of children having children has been eclipsed by the greater crisis of children killing children. † Between 1979 and 1993, guns killed more than 60,000 children, a figure greater than the number of Americans killed in the Vietnam War. Also, a child in the United States is 15 times as likely to die as a result of gunfire than is a child in war-torn Northern Ireland. The statistics only succeed in proving what is becoming incredibly obvious; guns have become the clearest evidence of a growing despair among many American teenagers. As one young man puts it, † That†s just the way it is. Guns are just a part of growing up these days. You fire a gun and you can just feel the power. It†s like yeah. † Who is to blame for the newest American trend? Are parents not paying enough attention to their children? Are schools not educating students on proper anger management? These are both possibilities, but 6 out of 10 people agree: the problem lies in the media. It seems that you cannot attend a movie these days without having to prepare yourself for some degree of violence. Even â€Å"family† movies (those with a G or PG rating) are not immune to it. Television shows are nearly as bad, police dramas run nearly every night during prime time on major networks, exposing millions of young children to things they are not ready to see. The new wave of gangster rap shows young men boasting of killings and beatings, and the people of our country are proving to the corporations that offer these products one major thing; violence sells. Tommy Matola, president of a major music Corporation states â€Å"the things that (these) young men are speaking of are things that they grew up around, that millions of children are still growing up around. Society owes them for exposing a problem that may threaten our national security. † Even a typical cartoon show averages 41 acts of violence each hour, with an attempted murder every 2 minutes. Many parents want the Government to regulate what is available for children to see, but many maintain that it is not their responsibility. As Barry Lynn of the American Civil Liberties Union put it, † If you cannot persuade persons to reject what you consider to be exploitive or unhealthy, do not ask the government to impose your will on those same persons. † Lately, as youth violence has been more scrutinized by the public, many new laws have come into effect. The debate over what to do with juvenile offenders is one that will never be solved, but can be compromised to come up with a good solution. Currently, offenders who appear in juvenile court do not receive a criminal record. Therefore, when a child appears in front of a new judge, he will have no way of knowing how many times the child has convicted the same crime. The law of dismissing children from a criminal record was designed to protect them from stigma and prejudice, but more often there are negative results received not by the child, but by their victim. States have experimented with such things as punishing parents for crimes their children commit, and many have began to charge children accused of major crimes as adults. However, none of these laws have been threatening enough, as fourteen-year-old Arthur Bates has proven. Arthur spent many of his early years in mental facilities, but after it was decided that nobody could help him he was sent home to his mother. One day Arthur chose a house at random and planned on robbing it. Once he got in he realized the owner of the home, Lillian Piper, was asleep inside. Arthur proceeded to rape and kill Miss Piper, and then have a bowl of ice cream from her freezer and drive off in her Cadillac. About an hour later police, to whom he immediately confessed, stopped him. He then told them, â€Å"You can†t do anything to me. I just fourteen. † He was sentenced to seven months in reform school. To many, trying children as adults is the only fit punishment, but it has not been as helpful as its proponents had hoped. Usually, when these children are sent to adult institutions, they are sexually molested and taught new crimes. When the child leaves the institution, which many call their â€Å"crime school,† the child is now more dangerous than he ever had been. There have been many â€Å"crime camps,† instituted with juvenile offenders in mind, as well. At these camps, young offenders take part in â€Å"skills streaming† where they learn new ways to deal with real life situations. Whether any of these options really work is really in the eye of the public, and they cannot seem to agree. As Los Angeles police detective Robert Contreras puts it, â€Å"These kids are getting away with murder. They have no respect for anything and joke that in jail they†ll at least get three square meals a day. † Obviously, it is going to take more than one person to stop what is being called an American epidemic. Every parent, every child, every teacher, and every citizen is going to have to stand up and help achieve a solution. As of now, the students committing these crimes are not only literally getting away with murder but also being glamorized. Maryanne Britain, a Texas student, points out â€Å"I cannot name one of the students that was killed in Colorado, but I know the whole biography of the killers. What sense does that make? † Miss Britain has pointed out something that many of us don†t realize, in our country often times the offenders are mistaken as the victim. We lose sight of the crime at hand and try to blame the problem on society instead of the killers. We are all faced with the same graphic truth, and many of us are able to make it through life without killing anyone. Alone, we cannot accomplish much, but if we stand up to offenders as a nation, we can save the fate that we are now facing. All it will take to save the lives of our generation and many to come is everyone working together. That is when we will take our country back and truly make a difference. Perhaps teamwork can be the nations next epidemic.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

How can we make India clean Essay

World peace has been developed through the endurance and persistence of several great men throughout history. They have struggled and fought against the social evils and human sufferings in order to materialize the moral values that they carry. Mahatma Gandhi is undeniably one of the most respected, influential men. Without the non-violent movement lead by Gandhi, the independence of India would’ve taken longer with more bloodshed and destruction to the country. Even after his death, his philosophy of non-violence inspired many prominent figures throughout the world. â€Å"Cleanliness is next to godliness†. We can keep our city clean only if the people of our city think like us. Without public cooperation we cannot achieve anything. So first to keep our city clean there should be a huge awareness to the public via various mass media and news papers. Also the government should take major role in conducting awareness programs to public and also introduce new rules if necessary. Only our thinking does not make our city clean. KEEPING OUR CITY CLEAN IS EVERY CITIZEN’S DUTY. FIRST WE SHOULD LOVE OUR COUNTRY. WE SING SONGS PRAISING BHARATH MATHA AND SO ON BUT WE NEVER THINK TWICE TO THROW DIRT ANYWHERE THAT SUITS US. STRICT LAW SHOULD BE ENFORCED LIKE THE ONE IN SINGAPORE WHO LITTER. THIS WAY FINE ALSO CAN BE COLECTED WHICH IN TURN CAN BE USED FOR DEV PURPOSES.IN A DMOCRATIC COUNTRY LIKE OURS PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED EVERYTHING AND IF ONE TRIES TO EDUCATE ABOUT THIS ONE MAY NOT TAKE IT IN THE RIGHT SPIRIT. INFACT THEY FEEL WE ARE TOO INTERFERING. HENCE BETTER TO ENFORCE FINE. Its our du ty to keep our city clean because it represent that which types of people live in that city. For make city clean following steps is important – 1. Educate the people about it. 2. Do not use plastic bag. 3. Do not through garbage in the open area. 4. Grow plants. 5. Use solar energy because it does not produce residue Young student like me must start to do something worth-remembering and that is to keep the world clean and green. I heard a question that is raised, â€Å"how can you do that†? I must say, â€Å"we will work together to start this†. Some points I want to emphasize are the following: First, let’s keep the world clean and green by recycling and cleaning the world. This point includes different kinds of pollution from massive factories and smoking pollution that would kill us because of lung cancer. No tobacco, no pollution. We must clean every sort of pollutions and to protect one another. We are blessed with amazing hospitality awards; we are the best in food. We have every type of culture and customs, we enjoy the secular nature, we say we are the golden bird but still from our roads to our green belts to public bathrooms to our every outer surrounding, we lack perfection, we lack comfort, we lack amenities, we lack beauty and we never feel proud in walking on the streets. We have departments who have the authority of maintaining everything, we have good team of people who can work and give tidy and inviting atmosphere, we have millions of skilled and unskilled labor of agriculture and masonry knowledge but still our surroundings and our outer atmosphere is untidy and shameful. We often hate this, we often complain about this but still nothing is happening. We don’t know what should we do in order to change things as revolting on the streets is not a solution. Many of us have made some private welfare associations of our respective sector and we often collect money as donation and invest it on our surrounding parks and green belt. This attempt is good and encouraging but most of the houses do not contribute in this as they have a debatable point and that is when we are paying taxes then why we have to waste our money on another expense which is the government duty not the private affair. Our broken roads are the black spot on the high rise buildings, our sewage and drainage systems are either semi blocked or completely blocked as there is no maintenance. Roads in monsoon become a dirty lake of sewage waste and water. We are used to this ugly mess. We only take care of the place where  we live. All the government buildings and other constructions like bridges, barricade, pedestrian pathways, public bathrooms and other buildings which are used by government and public are not taken care of as we think its government building so why should we care? Every year millions of unauthorized posters and advertisements ruin the beauty of the buildings made by the government. These unauthorized advertisements have no limit and there is no one to stop the people who do this immature and punishable offence. Even young political leaders and well established political parties enjoy the facility of unauthorized advertising. They are equally responsible in running the architecture and other surroundings. Public bathrooms made by the government are obviously very less in number and there condition is so pathetic that I cannot even show there images to you as they can even make you vomit. There are millions of things which make every Indian feel guilty and the infrastructure and maintenance of this exotic country is at zero scale. The ministers are not concerned in improving the nation and we will again never feel proud in walking on the streets as India will remain untidy. The face of today’s economic and energy situation in the crisis, Hongxing company for the current recovery of the gangue utilization to carry out a series of processing achieved a major breakthrough, research and development to create a large jaw crusher, impact crusher, cone crusher, can coal waste rock crusher for processing, and expand the scope of its use, can be used for brick-making, power generation, cement, concrete production, and so can be used by the powder, the powder after milling mechanism, the gangue broken play an important role to deal with the gangue use rate of more than 90%, the real garbage turning waste into treasure. Many countries have recently advocated the development of low carbon environmental conservation, and coal is one of the important global source of income, a large number of mining resources, will inevitably produce some waste. The the gangue mining of solid waste a Gangue to produce the  exploitation of coal in the coal preparation plant to wash the gangue, hand-selected gangue in the coal production, semi-coal Lane and rock roadway discharged from coal and rock and gangue stacked with coal measures mixture outside the white partings. Gangue is one of the solid waste, which contains a large number of optimization substances, accumulation of a large number of emissions of coal gangue, not only a waste of resources, but also tie up land, pollute the environment. Attention and solution of the coal gangue comprehensive utilization of coal enterprises, protect and improve ecological environment and promoting regional economic and social development, and constantly improve the quality and effectiveness of enterprise development level as well as energy savings, Hongxing Mining Machinery Co., Ltd. R & D to create the gangue crusher will no doubt the gangue push the use of turning waste into treasure the road, today†s energy, low-carbon economic development of important practical significance and strategic significance. Gangue sulfide escape or leaching will pollute the atmosphere, farmland and water bodies. The waste dump will be spontaneous combustion fire or collapse during the rainy season, the blockage of the river caused by disasters. Accompanied by the expansion of coal output, coal gangue increasing production and the environmental problems have become increasingly prominent, and an increasingly difficult task of governance, processing and utilization of coal gangue, has become one of the prominent problems in the development process of the coal enterprises.

Monday, July 29, 2019

How Greek Political Experience Shaped Western Tradition Essay

How Greek Political Experience Shaped Western Tradition - Essay Example The Greeks theoretical perspectives were however a contradictory to the whole process of western mannerisms and characterization. The Greek political style, which was mainly based on philosophical theories developed by various individuals and personalities at various levels of outstanding academic positions were however put into practical perspectives by the incumbent western practical system. Western education and civilization aspects aspired to prove and disprove the Greek philosophical theories on a practical basis as opposed to the empirical perspectives taken by the Greek systems (Clark, 118). A lot of convergence points have been noted in comparing the two perspectives besides many divergence points with regard to the content and manner of application of the two systems. This paper will look at the effects of the Greek political experience in shaping the western tradition. The pioneers of the Greek philosophical politics were mainly philosophers who believed that philosophy for med the most important part in the development of various nations across the globe and that the adoption of the philosophical point of view is the sole way through which one can be able to discern the most effective leadership perspectives and arouse efficient and effective ruling system. The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle argued in support for this by asserting that a society that is ruled by philosophers is indeed the excellent society as far as the economic development and the exercise of justice and democracy to the entire population under a given rule or government is concerned. The Americans have for a long time argued that they are at the center of western civilization and that they have all the rights to protect the west from any form of interference from outside which might hinder her global propagation. As Minogue notes, courses in western civilization in most of the American universities were treated and taught with a lot of concern given their importance in the land. He further asserts that the 1950s saw the widespread regard for the western traditions and education across all leading American and European universities which wanted to identify themselves with and promote the western education systems as well as promote the western culture all over the world (Minogue, 9). Traced back from the ancient times, history reveals that the western traditions that are currently strongly held in most American lands in the present age trace their origins from the three main ancient sources in human history. These include: the Greece and Roman classical cultures, the Christian religion, especially the onset of Christianity which was closely associated with the western culture and traditions and finally the enlightenment of the modern era which has actually adopted virtually every aspect of the western culture and mannerisms. Historical accounts put together by some scholars record show that the Greece had a major contribution in shaping the western culture by bringing in the republican aspect in the political realms while the Romans contributed the idea of building empires among various nations across the globe. Similarly, the Greece as well contributed in setting the idea of liberty through her philosophical means while the Roman culture and mannerism contributed at the same time in formulating the terms that are used in law and the use of law in the exercise of justice and democracy to the citizens of a country. Of notable concern is the contributions made by Christianity as a medium for divine intervention.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

The Theme of Dedication in the Movie Chariots of Fire Essay

The Theme of Dedication in the Movie Chariots of Fire - Essay Example This is because it involves the making of significant sacrifices, crucial decisions and options. It additionally involves the taking of several bold, courageous and unusual steps. At times, the choices may be tough if two vital options are involved. It is such choices that may lead to criticisms and discouragements from others. In this case, dedication plays an essential role in giving an individual the will to continue while bearing in mind the benefits of his or her activities. Ultimately the fruits of the action of dedicated people are shown from the impact they create in the society as well as the reputation they present to the society. Dedication and Perseverance in â€Å"Chariot of Fire† The main theme brought out in this movie is that of dedication and commitment. This is shown in the events and results of the races in which Abraham and Liddell participated. It is revealed that for an individual to have this strong drive of dedication there is an underlying reason. This is considered the main element that makes him strong in the implementation of his actions. Abraham notices a high level of anti Semitism among the staff and students at the University of Cambridge. He is convinced that he can take part in an activity that will prove the ability of Jews to succeed and thus eliminate prejudice (Bradshaw par. 1). It is one of the actions that he uses to cover their prejudice and superior feeling by ignoring their criticisms. Liddell, on the other hand, gains enjoyment from serving God as a son of missionary parents. In spite of his sister; Jennie’s disapproval, he is convinced that, through his participation in competitive running, he will get a chance to glorify God (Ben, Charleson and Havers). This is before he goes for missionary work in China. As such, his main dedication is in the overall service of God in different fields. In addition, the action in which someone is to be dedicated should elicit the feeling of enjoyment. Despite the preju dice Abraham enjoys taking part in the Gilbert and Sullivan club. As such, dedication id brought about by various motivational factors. They include the numerous wins and victories that Abrahams gets within the college and in other national competition (Bradley, 576). These include the first time historical win at the Great Court run. It is these activities that give him the confidence of a greater win. It is from this that he attains the dedication to run in the effort to fight prejudice. In â€Å"Chariots of Fire† dedication is detected to be made stronger by the faced obstacles. During the 400 meter race, Liddell is tripped by a Frenchman. He is like Abraham, equally motivated by his performance, and recovers the distance to his win (Ben, Charleson and Havers). This opinion is especially influenced by their convictions to take part in the race. Nonetheless, the main difference between the intended purposes of the Jew and Christian in running activities also reveals this. W hile the Scottish Eric Liddell does it in order to glorify God, the Jewish Harold Abraham runs to escape from prejudice. The desire to achieve these purposes in the race prevents them from being discouraged and instead provides them with the strength to pursue their goals towards success. They thus possess a powerful will despite their different religious and racial affiliations. Ben, Charleson, and Havers use it to show that dedication in the same field surpasses the differences in different aspects.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Why Quants Dont know Everything Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why Quants Dont know Everything - Research Paper Example According to Felix Salmon, for any discipline or industry, the rise of quants happens in four stages: Pre-disruption – Any industry is ripe for quantitative analysis wherever there may be huge amounts of data that has never been mined. There is untapped potential and realizations in the data, and what it may tell us. This prospect for quantification qualifies an industry to be in a pre-disruption stage. Disruption – After the industry has been identified for quantification, the next step is to collect and collate all the data available and start analyzing the data. This is where the algorithms start to take over. For example, the moment you start to receive targeted and personalized offers for credit cards and other financial services, solely based on computations, according to your finances and credit worthiness, instead of a relationship with your bank. This is a common phenomenon which leaves most of us wondering â€Å"How do the banks get my number and why do they think I will need a credit card, or a personal loan?† etc. Overshoot – This is when people stop thinking like people and start thinking like machines. Analytics spend hours doing calculations, forming algorithms and come up with readable, identifiable data sheets or metrics charts which can be further processed in the synthesis phase. Synthesis – It is the practice of marrying quantitative insights with old-fashioned subjective experience. Once you have the quantified data for the relevant industry, analytics would do brainstorming based on their experience with consumers as to how the stats could be applied to which consumer group and how the consumers can be identifies as prospective users of upcoming products. b) There are many industries which are not yet quantified and given a chance they can flourish with the right analysis. One of the industries which will be ripe for the next breakthrough

Friday, July 26, 2019

Passive Heating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Passive Heating - Essay Example The analysis comprises of examples from both the KYOTOi protocol of the United Nations and the Energy performance of Buildings Directive of the European Union that is being enforced across the west for energy efficiency and savings of the conventional sources of energy. The analysis predominantly focuses upon the energy efficiency of the buildings using the passive heating strategy. Nuclear sources also cater the energy requirements in certain cases where it generates the electricity required for the generation of electricity. In all the aforementioned cases, the pollution into the atmosphere due to heating is enormous indirectly because the generation of electricity in case of electric heaters causes pollution of the atmosphere if not in the immediate vicinity of the users whilst the gas heating systems cause the pollution in the vicinity itself. The atmosphere being a single entity, the greenhouse effect spreads across the entire spread of the atmosphere irrespective of the location of emission of Carbon Monoxide and Carbon di-oxide gases. David Taylor (2005)ii further argues that the main reason for the increase in the energy consumption by the domestic buildings is the inability or the reluctance of the people to utilise the energy of sunlight and natural means for cooling during the summer. This is also due to the fact that the increase in the density of the buildings in the urban areas like the busy areas of London where the density of the domestic buildings has increased by more than 10 times in the six years as argued by W. L. Lee and F. W. H. Yik (2005)iii. The study by the authors have proved that the population density increase in the urban areas has accompanied with the steep density of the buildings thus presenting a congested environment for the energy management and the use of natural resources of energy for cooling during the summer. Furthermore, the use of each kWh (kilo Watt hour) of energy Douglas Lancashire (2005) has identified the emission rations as described below 1.5 lb (680 grams) of Carbon Di-Oxide 0.2 ounce (5.67 grams) ounces of Sulphur Di-oxide and 0.08 ounces (2.27 grams) of nitrogen oxides The information presented above reveals that through saving every kWh of electricity alone, a building could contribute to the reduction of emission and pollution of the atmosphere. Even though the pollution is not caused at the surroundings of the building, the fact that the consumption of energy is directly proportional to the emission of gases and pollution by the power generation plant justifies the need for energy efficiency in the buildings. The aforementioned makes it clear that the costs involved with the energy consumption and the maintenance of the heating systems is a critical element both to the homeowners, which is a direct cost whilst the indirect cost is mainly the loss of non-renewable sources of energy and atmospheric pollution. In order to overcome this problem, passive heating is proposed by researchers as an effective alternative. Passive heating as argued by Raymond Ward (2005) is the method of using the non-conventional sources of energy like the solar energy to generate the energy required to cater the heating requirements in domestic buildings. Another source of energy is the wind energy that is in abundance especially in the UK where the sunlight is treated as a rare commodity with only short spells of summer every year. Alongside, passive heating can

HISTORY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

HISTORY - Essay Example The revolutionaries, who were driven by the urge to attain sovereignty, had several advantages over their enemies. This was due to the fact that they had a wide knowledge on the geography of their surroundings as they were fighting on their home grounds and as such they were able to plan on their attacks and also to escape from their attackers (Harvey 2005 p 65). Due to their large numbers and the will to survive, the revolutionaries were able to offer high resistance to the army which had fewer personnel though well equipped. This was enhanced by the uprisings that came from different sides diverting the attention of the military which resulted to the army distributing the few soldiers they had across a wide area weakening their defense. Reinforcement for the soldiers took long since they had to be ferried from their home countries while that of the patriots was readily available and this strengthened their defense and attack mechanisms (Harvey 2005 p 78). The revolutionaries also had a well organized army which was unified and with a lot of support. They also had generals who were capable of making good decisions that minimized chances of landing into unnecessary trouble out of poor risk evaluation. However, there were some short comings that arose from their ill equipped forces who could not match the equipment of their enemies. Their supply of ammunition was limited unlike the military which had constant supply of food and ammunition from their government (Harvey 2005 p 102). This resulted to high numbers of casualties and deaths on the side of the revolutionaries. They also lacked the skills to match those of the military due to their poor training, which resulted to caress mistakes that gave the military an opportunity to seize and manage to kill them. They were also disadvantaged by the lack of food to sustain them while in the

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Army Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Army Experience - Essay Example I worked harder and lived my dream from the core of my heart. I got out of the Army in Dec 2013. It was a change and for a break to think about what more I desired in life and what I could be according to my love for the country. I wanted to think of some other ways through which I could be able to work for the betterment of the country and play my role in the society. For instance, I worked as a cryptologist linguist (Korean) and also as a finance management clerk. It was a change and soon I realized that I could do part my part better being in the Army. The love that had rooted in my heart since my childhood was true and pure. In a while, I was deployed to Iraq. While I spent time there I analyzed what I wanted is to complete my degree and then I will head towards the U.S Army ROTC program. I was stationed in South Korea, and Fort Lewis WA sometime after that and now I am keen to follow my heart complete my education and get associated with the Army again (Asher). It is a fact that army in Iraq has had terrible nights to spend and I am glad I have been through that time as well to gain experience (Asher). I think I can contribute positively keeping my dream and passion, with my education completed, and I want to continue to serve my country with all dedication. I think I am the perfect fit for your educational program as I am dedicated to the studies, and I want to present myself for the betterment of our society and nation. I positively look forward to this opportunity.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Black Holes (Astronomy) Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Black Holes (Astronomy) - Term Paper Example This means that the general perception that if the sun runs out of its nuclear fuel and is turned into a black hole it will suck the Earth into it, is wrong (Novikov). A region of influence surrounds a black hole from where any mass or light cannot escape. At the boundary of this region light starts leaving the black hole thus the escape velocity from the gravitational field of the black hole at this point becomes equal to the speed of light. The set of such points surrounding the black hole where the escape velocity becomes equal to the speed of light forms a curved boundary which is known as event horizon. The calculation of the distance of event horizon from the centre of a black hole is a simple process if the black hole is uncharged and stationary, however in case of a charged and rotating black hole; the calculations involve very complex equations of particle physics. For a simple non-rotating and uncharged black hole, the radius of the event horizon is found to be directly proportional to the mass of the black hole and inversely proportional to the square of the speed of light. The effective mass of a black hole is the entire mass contained inside the boundaries of event horizon (Raine and Thomas). Black holes are of various different types the most common of which is stellar mass black holes which have masses up to 10 to 15 times of the mass of sun. The stellar mass black holes are formed when a star runs out of its nuclear fuel. A huge supernova explosion supersedes the formation of a black hole. The explosion results in the formation of a black core at the place where the parent star of the black hole existed. The boundary of the mass of the star only defines the core of black hole and after the formation of the black hole its influence extends up to the event horizon. Some of the black holes are present in the core of the galaxies and are of gigantic sizes ranging from

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Membership and retention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Membership and retention - Essay Example The study revealed that there is a disparity between knowledge about basic rights under these union-based laws and that most employees do not understand their legal rights or their rights on termination and dismissal (Omar, Chan & Joned, 2009). At industries in which union membership is already present, this could have much to do with why unions are voted out and why union membership continues to decline. In order to strengthen union membership, in-house literature should be produced by union leadership that defines these rights, in a language that is easily understood by a wide variety of educated and non-educated demographics. By providing this information, those currently in unions would understand how the union actually represents their interests and be less apt to demand union exit from the industrial environment. â€Å"Once unionization occurs, the union’s ability to foster commitment from members and to remain as their bargaining agent depends on how well the union succeeds in providing services that its members want† (Mathis & Jackson, 2005, p.544). It is also possible to improve union membership by auditing the current collective bargaining representatives that handle negotiations for employees. The complex dynamics of collective bargaining requires individuals with psychological knowledge, management training, legal understanding, and conflict resolution skills. If the union is not being represented by competent and qualified individuals, the employees’ needs will likely not be addressed competently and therefore union membership will decline due to bargaining inadequacy. These audits can be conducted by the unions themselves, the corporate management teams, employee assessment teams, or even paid independent auditing contactors specializing in union knowledge and bargaining norms. By illustrating that there is a measurement system in place to gauge competency, and promoting these efforts effectively, more union membership

Monday, July 22, 2019

Imelda Marcos Essay Example for Free

Imelda Marcos Essay Imelda R. Marcos (born Imelda Remedios Visitacion Romualdez on July 2, 1929) is a Filipino politician and widow of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986. She is the first politician elected as member of the Philippine legislature in three geographical locations (Manila, Leyte, Ilocos Norte). In 2010, she was elected to become a member of the House of Representatives to represent Ilocos Nortes second district. She is sometimes referred to as the Steel Butterfly or the Iron Butterfly. [1][2] She is often remembered for symbols of the extravagance of her husbands political reign, including her collection of 2,700 pairs of shoes. [3] Ancestry Marcos was born in Manila, Philippines. Her paternal ancestors were wealthy, landed and prominent, and claimed to have founded the town of Tolosa, Leyte. The Lopezes were descended from the Spanish friar and silversmith Don Francisco Lopez, originally from Granada, in the Andalusian region of Spain. Together with Fray Salustiano Buz, he arrived by way of Acapulco to build Roman Catholic missions in the island provinces of Samar and Leyte (Buz would establish his home base in Palapag, Samar, the exit-entry point of the Manila Galleons in the Visayas islands). [4] Early life and career Her branch of the family was not political. Her father, Vicente Orestes Romualdez, a law professor at Saint Pauls College and the administrator of the Romualdez Law Offices founded by his brother (Imeldas Uncle), Philippine Supreme Court Justice Norberto Lopez Romualdez, was a scholarly man more interested in music and culture than public life. He was a traditionalist, preferring to teach in Spanish while the rest of the students and faculty spoke English and Tagalog. Marcos had a younger brother, Benjamin Romualdez (1930-2012). [5] Her mother, Remedios Trinidad y de Guzman or Remedios T. Romualdez, a former boarder at the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul (Looban Convent) in Paco, Manila, was said to have been born out of wedlock, the child of a friar. [6] Remedios was from the town of Baliuag, Bulacan, and her own mother was from Capiz.

Defining The Winners And Losers English Literature Essay

Defining The Winners And Losers English Literature Essay Winning isnt everything, its the only thing (Lattterell 210). Spoken by one of the most well-known football coaches ever, Vince Lombardi sums up the value America places on competition in this quote. America is dominated by the cultural assumption that the role competition plays in the United States is to define winners and losers. While the assumption does value hard work, perseverance, and giving all ones got as a pathway to become a winner as well as whoever or whatever one dreams of being in life, the assumption fails to recognize Americans obsessions with the infinite new ways they concoct just to prove themselves as winners. In addition, the assumption does not take into account the way competition can turn into an out-of-control complete loss of civility (Latterell 211-213). Even more so, defining winners and losers causes Americans to value the extrinsic rewards for competing instead of looking at the value of intrinsic motivation and cooperation (Latterell 213-214). Joshua D avis and Alfie Kohn each question the assumption that constitutes almost every aspect of Americans lives and reflects Americas obsession with defining winners and losers. To begin with, Joshua Davis looks at the American cultural assumption on competition in his essay Team USA by looking at how it played a role in his own life. From early childhood, Davis had been influenced by his mother to become the champion she had never become. Ever since his mother place fifth in the 1962 Miss USA contest, she looked to her son to become the champion she had never been. Even after all of her accomplishments, she still saw herself as a loser or just average, and therefore, she wanted her son to become the winner she could no longer become (263-264). As humorous as it sounds, the five-foot-nine-inch, 129-pound data entry clerk looked to fulfill his goal to become a winner in his own right by becoming a professional arm wrestler (262). In the end, Davis made it all the way to the World Arm Wrestling Championships and ended up getting seventeenth in a field of eighteen. Humorously, Davis is now ranked seventeenth in the world for the 132-pound arm wrestling division without even winning one single match (275). Overall, the essay pokes fun at the American ideal that any individual can become a champion and winner if he/she really puts his/her mind to it and give it everything he/she has got. American society is so concerned with being winners that Davis wonders where an average citizen like himself stands out in society (275). The fact that this average citizen, who has been labeled a loser his entire life, becomes an internationally ranked arm wrestler without winning one match reflects Americans absurd desire to prove themselves as winners in any way imaginable. Daviss story is a direct criticism of Americas assumption on the value of competition. It is even essential to take notice of the way Davis criticizes Americas cultural assumption that hard work and extreme effort will get anyone to the top. His essay criticizes the assumption because he became internationally ranked with not one win and not nearly the amount of time and hard work that is needed to reach such a high status. By wri ting about his experience of becoming an internationally ranked arm wrestler through zero wins and no experiences or matches in arm-wrestling in his life prior to the U.S. National Arm Wrestling Championships, the essay further points out the silly, ridiculous, bizarre, and yet comical ways Americans try to prove themselves as winners (265). His mothers disappointment that came from competing in beauty pageants followed by her strong desire to push her own son to the status of champion is a sad representative example of Americas cultural desire to win-at-all-costs for trophies and other extrinsic rewards. The fact that some arm wrestlers had their legs amputated in order to cut off unnecessary weight so that they could have a better advantage at winning the gold is yet another ridiculous extreme people resort to in order to get themselves to the admirable, distinguished status of being a winner (275). Essentially, the essay is a criticism of the value Americans place on being a winn er and the measures people go to in order to become a winner. In No Contest: Play, Fun, and Competition, Alfie Kohn argues against the cultural assumption that competition and defining winners and losers is more enjoyable than play (277). To begin with, Kohn defines play and competition as two separate entities. He sees play as a voluntary and pleasing source of freedom free from being serious and free from the recordings of results and scores because they do not matter in play. Whereas play represents a process orientation (278) that is intrinsically gratifying, competition represents a product orientation (278) that is extrinsically gratifying. Furthermore, competition is strongly regulated with many rules. Motivating Americans for acceptance outside of oneself, competition is very goal-oriented with strong incentives to obtain power, trophies, and/or money (278-280). In competition, someone must end up a loser (286). Kohn makes a very important point in noticing that it is very hard for Americans to enjoy their leisure time when it is filled with competitions that directly resemble corporate America and Americas hierarchical social status system (280). In essence, Kohn is saying that competition especially sports resemble work more than it resembles pleasure and leisure (279). Competitions and sports are mainly getting people ready for a life that is filled with work, competition, and winners and losers (280). One of Kohns most important points is when he states that We have been raised to associate recreation with the win/lose model of our society, to assume that having fun means someone has to end up a loser (286). More importantly is the fact that when a victor is named and receives an external reward for their accomplishment over another person/team, any other gratification that could come from a game is lost. Thus the goal and the focus are only on winning in order to receive societys favor, adoration, and respect (282). In order to give a better expression of what play looks like, it is necessary to at least identify one of the many noncompetitive games cited in his essay. One such example is the cooperative rather than noncompetitive game called Cooperative Bowling. In this example of play, participants try to take down all ten pins in as many rounds as there are players. It is also significant to note that in play others are partners rather than opponents as in competition (288). Overall, Kohns main point he tries to get across is his belief that play not only can be much more enjoyable than the win/lose structure of competition, but that play can also make people an overall better human being than competition can (277). Furthermore, his entire essay helps assert that play has many more benefits compared to the benefits of competition. Kohn uses the unique advantages people think competition offers and shows how they can be just as advantageous if not more when one is involved in play of all kinds. When looking at the unique quality of teamwork, play is more beneficial and enjoyable because teamwork is, simply stated, a cooperative activity aimed at working together towards a common goal. Therefore, since play forces everyone to cooperate together while competition involves one group working against another enemy, play is twice as gratifying as competition is (283). In addition, play can be just as challenging as competition as evidenced by Cooperative Bowlin g (287-288). Play can also involve a determination to beat ones own previous record such as in running to beat ones previous time(s). It is important to note that this example of play does not involve competition because there are no winners or losers; there is only a push to challenge and better oneself rather than compare oneself to others as competition does (284). Every attempt whether failed or succeeded is nonetheless beneficial when a person challenges himself/herself. One key feature of competition is the destruction and disadvantages, that competition, and not play, creates. Competition and play are both similar in that they are supposed to provide large scale participation and enjoyment. However, looking at the rates of participation in North America makes one conclude that competition is not very popular or very much enjoyed. In North America it is not uncommon to lose from 80 to 90 percent of our registered organized sports participants by 15 years of age (285). That statistic alone should stand out as a major drawback of competition since competition is meant to yield vast participation and enjoyment. Even more so, the pervasive competitiveness in childrens athletic programs such as Little League baseball helps one to see the damage competition causes. Angry parents who yell at their children, humiliating them in the process, are such sad sights to see because they only to want to see their children win (286). As a certified soccer referee wh o has refereed for over four years now, I can strongly agree with this statement. Competition and sports are valued and accepted for their hostility, aggression, and violence as well (281). It is hard to correlate competition with fun, enjoyment, and unique advantages with this kind of evidence (286). Findings show that once children are exposed to noncompetitive games they generally prefer these games compared to competitive ones. However, society is socialized and brainwashed into thinking that competition is more enjoyable. When individuals are judged on their own efforts as in play or noncompetitive games and not compared or measured to any other individuals, greater benefits and enjoyment can be obtained (287). Cooperative games offer a satisfaction not only for the success of oneself but also for the success of all involved; sadly, this gratifying advantage is absent from competition (289). In conclusion, America is encompassed with the assumption that the only way to enjoy and benefit from leisure time is to engage in the win/lose model of competition. While competition is unlikely to fade from its high ranks in capitalistic America, it is essential for Americans to look more at play and noncompetitive games as opportunities for fostering social harmony and enjoyment and success for all.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Impact Of Terrorism On Tourism Tourism Essay

The Impact Of Terrorism On Tourism Tourism Essay In this study the main discussion will be about the impact of terrorism on tourism, how it is affecting tourism in any country and in this study the writer will discus in particularly about Egypt and how the tourism industry is in particular has been affected by these terrorist attacks. The main reason why the writer thinks that this area should be discussed is because many countries are affected with the action of terrorism and terrorists even though they happen to be safe countries. These kinds of attacks dont represent the country as a whole, they are groups of people who have issues with the government and they want to be in the spotlight and get media coverage from all over the world by attacking tourists. The main benefit from this research is to find out the main reason for these attacks, what are the consequences of the attacks on the tourism industry of Egypt? Why do terrorists attack tourists? How did they face it in the past and how should the country react upon terrorism in the future? Main data collection will be from journals and books; it is based on secondary research findings only. Then again there are some limitations of secondary research available in hand but there are some alternative ways to get the information needed for the study. The objective of this study is to analyse the impact of terrorism on tourism, which includes tourists movement and the consequences on the destination. The study will focus on the affects that the destination faces after the attacks, and how this kind of attacks affects tourism in the country. Tourism is a main income for many countries in the world; most of the developing countries are dependent on it even the less developed countries are counting on tourism as a second source of income after petrol, so it is fastest growing economic sectors in the developed/developing world (Aly Strazicich, n.d.). In the late 1960s and 1970s, tourism was often promoted as a way to reduce persistent balance of payment deficit and as a major source of foreign exchange (Essner, 2003). And it was direct and indirect on the government revenue, it was recognized as a means to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on traditional agriculture and industry (Aly Strazicich, n.d.). Simple terrorist attacks can affect on the tourism revenue, and this would be a bad impact on the country foreign exchange (Essner, 2003). It has been hard to define the word terrorism but one of the definitions describes it as: Any act taken with extraordinary methods including the use of force and violence with the aim of influencing social and political structure (Kucukaltan 2006, p.29). Egypt is one of the countries that depend on tourism, previous statement shows that in 2002 tourism represented 26% of their foreign exchange (write fix, 2010). However, due to some terrorist attacks this can change, such as in 1998 tourism has been affected very badly it has been reduced from 3,727 in 1997 to 2,565 in 1998 (Essner, 2003). In the next sections the author will be disusing about the methodology of this research, the literature review and solution and recommendations if available. Methodology: Secondary analysis is a form of research in which the data collected and processes by a researcher are reanalyzed by another, often for different purpose (Babbie 2007, p.227). Using secondary data has its advantages and disadvantages, to start with, its advantages: It is faster to collect and at a lower price than the primary data, it can provide the researchers with their research start point and help to define the research problem and learn the objectives (Kotler, et al., 2008). The disadvantages of using a secondary data research is: the needed information may not be researched or may not exist, or the definition needed is different or inappropriate for the research on hand (Kotler, et al., 2008). In this study the main resources that will be used are secondary resources. Most data collected will consist of relevant academic books, previous case study researches and the internet. The main books that will be used in this study will be from: Tourism and Terrorism by Professor Derman Kucukaltan, other books are more about terrorism and its conflict on the world, such a book: Global terrorism by James M. Lutz and Brenda J. On the other hand there are some academic books also available on Google books that will be used in this study such as: Inside Terrorism by Bruce Hoffman, and another book about the Mediterranean tourism edited By Yiorgos Apostolopoulos, Philippos J. Loukissas, Lila Leontidou, the chapter in the book is about tourism in Egypt written by Turgut Var and Kahlid Zakaria El Adli Imam. In addition to the books there are few reports and researches done about the impact of terrorism and tourism in Egypt, such as the one written by: Mark Bennet and Harry Bray and another report written by Hassan Aly and Strazicich from The Ohio State University. Other information about Egypt tourism statistics, recent terrorist attacks in Egypt news and figures will be used from some Internet sources, such as Al Jazeera English web site, BBC news, npr station online broadcasting and many more other websites. Literature review: Terrorism and tourism: Global Terrorism is a concern for all (Suder, 2006). To begin with it is important that terrorism and tourism is defined. Researchers had been giving many different definition of terrorism and it is difficult to define it, but from the writer point of view, the most appropriate definition will be that: Terrorism is a form of war; its goal is to destroy economies through random death and panic (Tarlow, 2006, p.82). It is also described as the planned, politically motivated attack perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub national groups or secret against usually intended to influence an audience (download it, n.d.). Terrorism may also be a use of violence or threat of violence against civilians; in general terrorism could be defined as any act taken with extraordinary methods including the use of force and violence with the aim of influencing social and political structure (Kucukaltan, 2006, p.29). These are only some of the definition about terrorism but all the definition has a common principle about terrorism which is; that terrorism is a kind of violence. Most countries countenance national and/ or global fear of unending terrorism, especially after September 11; it became a priority of the world to fight against terrorism and to stop the growing number of terrorist organization (Kucukaltan, 2006). In addition there are different kinds of terrorist attacks, such as: Kidnapping, explosions, murder and hostage taking (Das Kratcoski, 2003). However tourism is the world number one industry and the service is reliant on the peoples protection and their security (Schuelke, 2000). And it is one of the fastest growing economic sector in the world and in Egypt since 1987 (Apostolopoulos, et al., 2001). In addition according to Aly and Strazicich (n.d.) report, tourism was recognized for its direct and indirect impact on government revenue and as a mean of diversifying the economy and reduces dependence on traditional agriculture and industry. Terrorism is confused with criminal behaviour, yet they are totally different elements. Tourism crime is a business while tourism terrorism is unwisely motivated by a group of people. Crime is known nationally in the country, but terrorism in known internationally because of media interest they get (Tarlow, 2006). According to Das and Kratroski (2003, p210) a terrorist mean: whoever practices violence and terrorism for realizing a political objective and anyone who resorts to terrorism for consuming power. In addition Terrorists seek to destroy nations or governments through random death that lead to an economic collapse, terrorists goals are different in that they seek the distribution of a tourism industry rather than the personal or commercial benefits from a specific action (Tarlow, 2002). Furthermore terrorist are willing to lose and risk their life in order to achieve their goals (Tarlow, 2002). And this is exactly what is happening in Egypt, all the attacks are done by angry people who are not agreeing with the government and so terrorism is the answer to their anger and achieving their goal, and because they want their voice to be heard they intend to seek media attention. Because terrorist seek media attention any event is an open target for terrorist (Tarlow, 2002). Moreover, the press and the media have a huge impact on them as they put them on the spotlight in any negative event (Das Kratroski, 2003). And from the writer point of view the media as well have a an affect on the destination image after broadcasting any event that had happened in that destination, it might build a good reputation or break the reputation of the destination. The history of terrorism in Egypt: Egypt tourism has a long history; it started during the presidential of Anwar Al Sadat, when he first made peace with Israel. This opened and changed the view of the Westerns to the Arabs and their leaders (Apostolopoulos, et al., 2001). Tourism represents one of the most beneficial sectors of Egypt economy but it is highly in danger to internal violence and regional politics (Apostolopoulos, et al., 2001). In other way it is unstable domestic economy that Egypt has. It all has started in the late 1970s when al-gamaa al-Islamiya began insulting and fighting the revolution that Egypt was going through, they targeted government officials, Coptic Christians, policemens, officers and tourists (Essner, 2003). These extremist Muslims group (al-gamaa al-Islamiya) launched their campaign all over again in 1992, this time their main targets where foreigner tourists, these terrorist attacks has paralysed the government and damaged the tourism between 1992 and early 1994 (Apostolopoulos, et al., 2001). Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya are responsible for all the terrorist attacks that happened for the last 12 years, when they started first in 1992 they attacked a German cruise which no one was killed from the tourist but three Egyptian were hurt, then they attempted another attack in the same month where they killed a British tourist and wounded two others (Essner, 2003). In summer 1994 Egypt experienced a revival in their tourism industry and it rose again, furthermore their main tourists were mainly from the Gulf States (Apostolopoulos, et al., 2001). After a refresh growth of tourism, in 1996 there was another attack on tourists that killed 18 Greek tourists and another attack in the same month killed more than 58 persons who were mostly tourists (Apostopoulos, et al., 2001). Egypt tourism has lots of ups and downs. All this was affected by the terrorist attacks on tourist, tourism revenue increased enormously from 1994 to 1995, by 34% in 1995. And from 1995 to 1996 it fell by nearly 15% and it continued into 1997 where it fell 3% more (Essner, 2003). Although of all these attacks that Egypt had faced through the last 12 years, Tourism still plays a very big role in its economy, they got used to it and they copped with it. Tourists still visit Egypt but they are not satisfied with the security, but because it is a beautiful country tourist sacrifice and go to visit it. The main type of terrorism in Egypt is: Terrorism targeting a political regime: The aim is to destroy the government system, they want to send a message to the world and they want the government to use the Sharia Law. National Terrorism: The attacks are only in Egypt, they dont attack other countries and they have no support from outside the country. Organizational Terrorism: means Any kind of violent action carried out by two or more people to reject state regime and its application to debilitate state authority and to give messages to national and/ or international public opinion (Kucukaltan, 2006, p.39). And the main terrorism organizations in Egypt are Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya. (Kucukaltan, 2006). Terrorism targets: Terrorist always attack people who are not protected and have weak security (Das Kratcoski, 2003). Therefore they have often used tourists as targets, because they are easy to attack and attract a lot of attention from the media (Frey, 2004, p17). Likewise the main targets of these terrorist attacks in Egypt are to be targeted on foreign tourist (Hazbun, 1997). Tourist has always been the main targets of Egypt terrorist attacks, from the beginning of this revolution in 1992 till 2009 all attacks where involved in tourist locations, such as in Luxor, Egyptian museum, Khan Al-Khalili souk in old Cairo and many other locations, in addition to the attacks it was the first foreign woman to be killed in a terrorist attack in 1992 (AL Jazeera English, 2008). Terrorists are attacking tourist destination because they know that tourism is Egypt main income to the country and they are attacking many foreigners and this will provide them with high media coverage. Kucukaltan (2006) identifies the main reasons why terrorist attacks tourism and these reasons are: Because attacks on tourism have immediate repercussions in the world public opinion. It damages the image of the country. It damages the economy of the country by destroying their tourism image. It creates an international diplomatic-crisis environment between the country and the country of the target of the victim. Therefore it is understandable from the above evidence and the reasons for these terrorist attacks to be held; it is also clear that the main targets for terrorist in Egypt are the foreign tourists. This has a huge impact on tourism as tourist has become common targets of these terrorist attacks, all these attacks has an affect on the tourist decision making, as tourist have fear and insecurity to travel to a country with a previous terrorist attacks, and this will create a barrier to the travellers and as a result a limitation to the growth of tourism will occur (Cooper et al., 2008). The impact of terrorist attacks: The main and most negatively affected from these attacks is the GPD of the country; the country will lose a lot of its income because of these terrorist attacks (Frey, 2004). Moreover, the second most important is that the country loses its sense of safety and security which will make tourists and the locals feel unsafe staying or living in that area (Fyall Garrod, 2005). Terrorism has a significant affect on tourism, for example: it can influence people of the advantages of living in the country side than in the city, because high population cities make them a target for terrorists. The transportation costs will increase; it also has a huge affect on the country revenue, especially if tourisms is one of the main revenue of the country GPD (Frey, 2004). On the other hand the Tourism marketing is the managerial process of anticipating and satisfying existing and potential visitors wants, it also means securing environmental and social needs as well as core consumer satisfaction (Fyall Garrod 2005, p.42). Therefore it is important that the destination has a good marketing image, and terrorism has a large negative impact on the destination image, for example one of these impacts of terrorism will be the Media whenever there is an event of a negative nature that is covered by the media it will have a huge impact on tourist demand, and this will help to destroy the destination image (Fyall Garrod, 2005). The recovery period after the attack: Recovery is defined as:The act, process, duration or an instance of recovering (The free dictionary, 2010). However, to get a full recovery from a terrorist attack it is not enough to get back to where you began before the attack, it is important that they reach the level where they are suppose to reach if the attack didnt happen to the destination (Bonham, et al., 2006). For Egypt to achieve full recovery they must achieve it by increasing their tourist arrival number faster and not just to where they were before the attack but where they are suppose to be if the attack didnt happen (Bonham, et al., 2006). There has been different ways that the Egyptian Government and especially the tourism industry had been trying in order to recover after the terrorist attacks since 1992. firstly, after the first attack in 1992 the government allocated US $25m to promote tourism in Egypt, they started by doing a campaign to help recovering, in 1995 and 1996 Egypt tourism industry recovered very strongly, through their visitors arrivals, number of nights and visitors spent has increased remarkably. This was due to the campaign which helped in developing new businesses such as building new hotels and resorts in the Red Sea Cost and Sinai Cost (Dean, 2004). When any tourism industry is under a high pressure and trying to recover from negative shock, the tour operators and the destination start to reduce their prices to sell and make the destination more competitive and attract more visitors (Cooper et al., 2008). The airlines and hotels are the most to be affected by the attacks as they reduce their prices significantly and this is because they want to maintain their occupancy level (Cooper et al., 2008). And this what had had happened to Egypt Air after the attacks in 1997, as many tourists cancelled their flights, and the airlines lost around 85,000 passenger, and at the end of the year they have announced their loss by 240 million Egyptian Pounds, it was a bad year for the company as they also had to reduce 50% of their domestic flights prices (Dean, 2004). Additionally an experience from other tourist-reliant destination such as Turkey and Israel indicates that it is unpredictable to know the revival of tourism after such an attack on the destination (Gurtner, 2004). There are few points that could help in recovering fast after any terrorist attack, such as: Response requires ingenuity and resilient attitude from the local community. Recreating a positive image of the destination, by international marketing and public relation; The government should ensure safety and security for the locals and the tourists. And many other ways in recovering such crisis (Gurtner, 2004). Recovering is the most important aspect that the government should be concerned about after any attack or crisis the country might be facing. For Egypt it has been hard to attempt a good recovery, because whenever they recover from the attack they face another attack after a short time. And this makes it difficult for them to recover a full recovery, because they always have to start from the point they left it before the attack and start all over again. Tourism in Egypt can be unpredictable and it has been described as a snake and Ladder, the tourists are tempted up the Ladder by a wealth of sea resorts, natural desert beauty and multi-layers of Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic cultures, then tourists are plunged into the Snake-pit by terrorism and regional insecurity (Aly Strazicich, n.d.). Decisions and analysis As it has been discussed previously in the literature review, that tourism in Egypt is a very important aspect to the countrys economy, because it represents around 26% of it GPD. Egypt is a very beautiful country; it has been a tourist destination since the presidential era of Anwar Al-Sadat, and it continued to be a famous tourist destination world wide. People go to Egypt to visit the Pyramids, the Egyptian Museum, Luxor and the coastal cities of Egypt, as they have beautiful beaches and wonderful weather all year round. On the other hand, terrorism in Egypt has a huge effect on tourist arrival number to the country. Terrorism had started in 1970s when first Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya group was formed, but it was more active in 1992 when they first started attacking tourist all around Egypt, especially in tourist destination and attractions such as in Kahan Al-Kalili Souq, Luxor and beach resorts. They have killed many of their foreigner tourists; they had killed the first British Woman in 1992, moreover in 1996 they killed around 18 Greek, along with 58 other tourist where killed a month latter and this was an extremely terrible shocking news when it has been announced all over the word by the media. From the writers point of view although of Egypts bad reputation and enormous terrorist attacks that they had especially targeting tourists, tourism in Egypt had never stopped although they had their bad phase when the tourist arrival enormously drooped, however people still visited Egypt because they know that its a beautiful country and these attacks do not represent the country as a whole, it just represented a group of political oriented people. People still visit the country and for some years it recovered from the affect of these attacks, but it has never recovered completely .Egypts tourism had its ups and downs and the country had tried and is still trying to recover from these attacks. They are working on keeping Egypt a famous and attractive tourist destination. From the writers point of view, tourism has been the terrorist groups main target, and they want to send their message to the world, as a result they have achieved it all the way through the media coverage that they get during every negative event. Media has a big influence on tourist decision making either negatively or positively. Moreover tourists are always looking for a holiday that will give them peace, secure and safety and Egypt doesnt provide that to its tourists. Safety and security is a very important aspects in any destination, tourist want to feel that they are in a secured and a safe country in order that they could relax and enjoy their holiday. For this reason, it is important that the government rebuilds the confidence in its target tourist market and provide them with a secure and a safe holiday that they are looking for. Terrorism war in Egypt started more than 12 years ago and it is still continuing and it will continue for more years to come if the Egyptian government doesnt do anything that will help to stop terrorism and find a solution that both parties (Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya group and the Egyptian government) will agree on. From the writers point of view, the Egyptian government doesnt seem doing or working very hard in order to fix the situation in the country, in addition, the government should react fast to such situations, because terrorism never stops, it grows and spread very fast every day especially in a country like Egypt. When these terrorist groups will notice that there is no reaction from the government and as a result more attacks will be made by the groups and damage will be done to the country. The Egyptian government should initially consider the economy of the country and how its affecting the GPD of the country, followed by the countrys citizens who are also negatively affected from these terrorist attacks mainly that most businesses are locally owned and these businesses lose after any attack, especially if it is a tourism base business such as: the Airlines, hotels and souvenirs shops. Moreover terrorism destroys the feel of security of the locals in their own country. The government should fight for the security of the citizens and provide them with their rights. The Egyptian government should look after their citizens because they are also affected from these attacks. They should be more responsible to the people and provide a safe and more secured country to them. To demonstrate how important and affected the tourism industry could be by terrorism the following charts explains it all. Figure 1.0 (Andersen, 2000). To begin with, the first chart shows how tourist arrivals have increased from 1993 till the end of 1997 when then again enormously dropped in 1998 because of Luxor attack in 1997. This shows how tourism is significantly affected by any terrorism attack, and how it is important that the government should try to stop these attacks because it is affecting the countrys economic. Figure 2.0 (Andersen, 2000). Furthermore the second graph show how unpredictable tourism is in Egypt and any attack could affect the occupancy of the hotels. There are some years such as in 1997 and 1999, tourism is very high and active and in the next year it falls enormously and this is all because of terrorist attacks. In fact these attacks could be affecting the country on monthly bases rather than yearly. Conclusion and Recommendations: To conclude, this study has discussed the impact of terrorism on tourism in the case study of Egypt. Egypt is one of the famous tourist destinations in the world; it attracts millions of tourists every year to the country. Egypt GPD is dependent on tourism as an income, it represents around 26% of the country GPD therefore it is important for the government to make their country a safe and a secure destination for the locals and the tourists, but terrorism is one of the factors that is destroying tourism in the country. Terrorism in Egypt has a long history, it started in the late 1970s and stopped for a while and back once more very strongly in 1992, while this time they have been attacking tourists and getting media attention world widely. Egypt main terrorist group is called Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya; they are a group of Muslim, who wants the government to make the Sharia Law the main government law. So these terrorist are fighting politics. And their main targets are always set on to tourists, especially foreigner tourists, although many of their attacks have killed local Egyptian people. However they always tend to attack tourist destination and attraction in Egypt, such as the Luxor and Khan Al-Kalili Cairos old Souk and many other places. Terrorist always intend to get media coverage and this makes them on the spotlight in any event world widely, and this is what they want to. Terrorist have different kind of attacks that they perform, such as: Hijacking, Kidnapping, and Suicide bombing and several other performances. Egypt has been attacked by terrorist for many years, and every time they try to recover from the attack they get attacked again, and they always have to start from the beginning to recover the consequences of the attack. In this study the writer had suggested sever ways that the government could try to end these attack in the country, such as negotiating, build a relationship with the terrorist group in order to understand them, prevent tourist travelling in a very big groups and turning away the media attention from them, these are however only few from many other recommendations that the government could do to prevent terrorism in the country. Because of time, the writer has not done a primary research in this study, the writer only used secondary research, and therefore more research is needed to be done to examine other factors that are responsible of these attacks, such as: How do the locals feel about these attacks? How has it affected them? and in which ways?, and the second point will be from the tourist point of view, how will they feel if they where in Egypt in a specific attack?, and will they come back to Egypt after they have seen or listened about a terrorist attack that happened in Egypt even though they have planned to go before the attack happen?, why will terrorism affect their decision making process, how is media important and how does it affect the countries reputation, so many things that could be discussed further more in the study. There are several ways that the Egyptian government could fight against terrorism in the country; here are some of the recommendations or the ways that would be effective in fighting against terrorism: Egypt tourism authority should take more responsibility of these attacks and also try to explain to the tour operators that they should prevent group tours and gathering, because terrorist always targets big groups, because their aim is to kill as much as they can in every attack they do. They also should try to prevent the media attention that these attacks get from the international media, because these media coverages has a big affect on tourist decision making when they want to travel, and tourist always intend to go away from a country that has political violence, and they always look for alternatives for that specific country. In addition there are several countries that could be replaced to Egypt such as: Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. Egypt government should put together with the tourism authority a new marketing campaign to the destination; they should build a new target market to the destination, and develop new projects. The government should build an international relation with the countries that they lost because of terrorism and try to compose a stronger relationship. Because these terrorist attacks does not represent the country, but it represent a group of people only, the people who are against the government and their laws. These are only few recommendations that the government could carry out to prevent or to decrease these terrorist attacks in the destination.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Psychoanalysis in Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment Essay -- Crime and

Analyzing the mind of a sociopath has been one of the most important tasks that psychoanalysts face today. The more they know and understand the complexities of the disturbed, the more they hope to find treatments and eventually a cure for the illness that they believe can cause the ultimate violent criminal. Perhaps Dostoevsky himself wanted to weigh in on the mind of the sociopath and the journey toward their violent lives. Due to his vivid description of Raskolnikov, Dostoevsky shows his readers first hand what a sociopath is like. First one must understand that there is no such affliction as sociopath. The technical name is antisocial personality disorder and there are certain criteria a person must meet in order to receive this diagnosis. It is reserved for the most violent criminal minds and therefore is taken very seriously by the psychiatric community. In order to be diagnosed, one must have been previously diagnosed as having a conduct disorder by the age of fifteen. This is what many refer to as the child version of antisocial personality disorder. â€Å"Along with depression and anxiety, the individual also exhibits an increase in antisocial behavior, aggression, destruction of property, and deceitfulness or theft† (Strickland). They may also act out against small er things that they can control, such as smaller siblings and/or animals. Once a person with conduct disorder turns eighteen and is considered to be a legal adult, they are re-evaluated and then diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. The Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2nd Edition lists the criteria that psychologists use to base their diagnosis. They must meet three of the following. 1. fails to conform to social norms, as indicated... ...order, examining Raskolnikov’s actions and personality, and taking a closer look at arrogance, we can assert that Raskolnikov is simply an arrogant man; viewing himself as superior to society. Raskolnikov’s actions were done through purely selfish motives and the mentality that he should not be punished, because the paramount of his actions benefited society. This is the profile of a man that is arrogant and selfish, not the profile of an individual suffering from a mental illness. Works Cited Dostoevsky, Feodor. â€Å"Crime and Punishment†. A Norton Critical Edition 3rd Ed. Levinson, David. Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment Vol. III. Sage Publications. London, 2002. Merriam-Webster. â€Å"Merriam-Webster Online†. http://www.m-w.com. December 18, 2005. Strickland, Bonnie. The Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology 2nd Ed. Gale Group. Detroit, 2001.

Friday, July 19, 2019

turing machine :: essays research papers

A turing machine can be defined as a â€Å"device with a finite number of internal configurations, each of which involves the machine’s being in one of a finite number of states†. This means that in a machine there are certain inputs that when implemented will produce a certain output. These combinations of inputs can be used in a machine table to show the outputs for each state. By looking at a machine table one will be able to know which combination of inputs is related to the different states and also what happens at each state. Mental states can correlate directly with turing machines in that our minds can be described by using a machine table. The inputs for the machine table representation of our mental states can be seen as our perceptions. By saying perception I mean all the sensory body parts/organs that can perceive an input and send a signal to the mind. These inputs in turn determine the mental state and the behaviors related to each mental state. Because our minds can be mapped out using a machine table, each state can be seen as an instance of functionalism. Functionalism is defined as an object that has a function. Functionalism can be used to describe a single mental state. An example of a mental state that is determined by a turing machine can be the feeling of happiness. In order to be happy there are certain things that are needed to trigger it. This mental state of being happy is triggered by our perceptions and then causes one to express their mental state physically. Our physical expression, I believe, can be altered. For example, if one were told that a dog was called a cat and only knew that dogs were cats then he would always see a dog and call it a cat. It is only because of what we hear and learn from our environment that we call a dog a dog. Being a

The Fish by Elizabeth Bishop Essays -- elizabeth bishop poem poetry fi

The Fish by Elizabeth Bishop   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With fewer than fifty published poems Elizabeth Bishop is not one of the most prominent poets of our time. She is however well known for her use of imagery and her ability to convey the narrator?s emotions to the reader. In her vividly visual poem 'The Fish', the reader is exposed to a story wherein the use of language not only draws the reader into the story but causes the images to transcend the written work. In the poem, Bishop makes use of numerous literary devices such as similes, adjectives, and descriptive language. All of these devices culminate in the reader experiencing a precise and detailed mental image of the poem's setting and happenings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most prevalent of the literary tools used in this poem is the simile. Repeatedly throughout the poem Bishop uses the simile to give the reader a clearer picture of the situation at hand. The simile is an ideal literary tool to use when the author is trying to convey a sensory description of an object or idea. When describing the fish?s physical appearance in lines 9-15 she compares the fish?s skin to ?ancient wallpaper?; this immediately gives the reader an impression of the age and outward appearance of the fish. Later in the poem when in lines 61-62 she describes the pieces of broken fishing line hanging from the fish?s mouth as ?medals with their ribbons / frayed and wavering? she is using a simile to give the impression of pride and honor. This comes at a point when ...

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Child Devlopment Essay

Cognitive Development consists of imagination, sequencing, problem solving and memory, all these are featured in the boy I observed, Aaron King who was the little boy I chose to observe. He is a four year-old preschooler at the above named learning center. I started observing Aaron at the beginning of their circle time. During the circle time, Aaron amongst other fourteen kids in his classroom, sang the popular American Song: â€Å"IF YOU ARE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT, CLAP YOUR HANDS†¦. † While singing this song, the children’s voices were up and loud which indicated that they enjoyed singing songs. Aaron’s participation was great, he was so excited about the choruses, clapping & stomping of his feet. All the children in turn repeated and imitated all the actions of the teacher; as she needed the audience and focus of the kids for easy understanding of the wordings including choruses of the song. Aaron standing close to two other kids, a boy and a girl sang the song with seriousness while clapping their hands & stomping their feet at the same time. The teacher taught the Safety signs briefly. The children’s literacy is very high while learning safety signs as they were very interested in the emphasis laid in the safety signs. In order to ensure that the children understood what they were taught, the teacher asked Aaron what a particular sign stood for which he answered correctly. For example, stop sign is signified by a red color while â€Å"no bicycle† sign is signified by a cross on a bicycle, so on and so forth. The teacher taught the kids about â€Å"Me† book which described the parts of the body, however, she asked Aaron to touch his hands, elbows & cheek which he did correctly. After singing the clapping song and some other songs, the teacher changed the activity to coloring books. Meanwhile, Aaron moved from one place to another. He jumped and hopped around the classroom showing excitement. At a time, the teacher had to sit him down â€Å"Aaron sit down and do your coloring†¦ † He sat down to color while another boy watched him doing the coloring. Bryan & Joy who sat together sharing the same table with Aaron were also coloring; they also talked to one another in friendly manner while looking at each other’s work. Aaron was as excited as he was coloring his book. He finished his coloring using nice colors to color different animals indicating that he had a good taste. He also made a ship with legos, I asked him why he made a ship, and he told me that he would like to be an architect. Aaron amongst others was able to write their names and figure out pictures on the paper. For example, the letter Bb for ball and drew a line to join the letter to the picture of ball. He was able to do that for all the alphabetic letters to compliment individual pictures on the paper. Soon, Aaron stood up to go to the library; as he got to the place where the inscription of â€Å"Quiet Zone† was, another boy ran towards him and pushed him together with the book that he just picked – â€Å"Alphabet adventure†. He staggered, but he immediately got control of himself while he looked so surprised that he was pushed without doing anything. He reported the matter to the teacher â€Å"Ms. Patty, Josiah push(ed) me†¦ † then the teacher told Josiah to say sorry to Aaron which he did, then they both hugged one another. Thereafter, he went to sit down quietly in the library corner to read his book. He opened up the book so fast as if he knew where to read, then he stirred at a page that really caught his attention and started reading quietly. In summary, Cognitive Development is a very important outcome of learning for preschoolers as they always have their brain developed through creative arts. This consists of imagination, sequencing, problem solving and memory; all these are featured in the boy I observed. Acting drama is acting another character by putting on the costumes – for example, acting as a professional doctor or a lawyer or a nurse can be an eye opener to the preschoolers on what profession they may aspire to be in the near future; Aaron wants to be an architect, he says he likes to put up beautiful buildings. A good imaginative skill is very important for preschoolers to become smart; similarly, sequencing – doing things in an orderly manner is also a good learning skill. Ultimately, Aaron Kingsland has all these qualities. Child Development 201 A Preschool Language & Literacy Development Observation Child’s Name: Aaron Kingsland (An imaginary name) Date: October 7th, 2011 Time: 9:00am – 11:30am. Observer’s Name: —————————————- Location:Early Creativity Learning Center Classroom LANGUAGE & LITERACY DEVELOPMENT OBSERVATION OF A PRESCHOOLER – 4 YEARS OLD. My observation of language and literacy in a preschool classroom for children of four and five years old was interesting. Aaron Kingsland (four years old) was the preschooler at the above named learning center whom I chose to observe. I started observing Aaron at the beginning of their circle time. The kids in the classroom were seventeen in number – eight girls and nine boys. I observed Aaron in particular in the class for two and half hours from the beginning of the circle time till the end. The primary language used by the teacher was English; Aaron also speaks same language as well as the whole class. Language is said to be a means of communicating ideas, & feelings. There are four basic developmentally appropriate practices and clear language outcomes in the preschool classroom I observed. They are Literacy Development, Intellectual, Physical, Social and Emotional Developments. Literacy is a very important developmental appropriate practice. The four basic skills which young children need are Speaking, Listening, Writing and Reading. These were ultimately displayed by Aaron in the circle time activities performed that morning. During the circle time, Aaron amongst other seventeen kids in his classroom, started to sing the popular American Song: â€Å"IF YOU ARE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT, CLAP YOUR HANDS†¦. † If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ } Thrice. If you are happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. } If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ } If you are happy and you know it, stamp your feet †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦} Thrice. If you are happy and you know it, nod your head †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ } Thrice. If you are happy and you know it, do all three †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. } Thrice. While singing this song, the children’s voices were up and loud which indicated that they enjoyed singing songs. Aaron’s participation was great, he was so excited about the choruses, clapping & stomping of his feet. All the children in turn repeated and imitated all the actions of the teacher; as she needed the audience and focus of the kids for easy understanding of the wordings including choruses of the song. Aaron standing close to two other kids, a boy and a girl sang the song with seriousness while clapping their hands & stomping their feet at the same time. The teacher taught the Safety signs briefly. The children’s literacy is very high while learning safety signs as they were very interested in the emphasis laid in the safety signs. In order to ensure that the children understood what they were taught, the teacher asked Aaron what a particular sign stood for which he answered correctly. For example, stop sign is signified by a red color while â€Å"no bicycle† sign is signified by a cross on a bicycle, so on. After singing, the teacher changed the activity to coloring books. Meanwhile, Aaron moved from one place to another. He jumped and hopped around the classroom showing excitement. At a time, the teacher had to sit him down â€Å"Aaron sit down and do your coloring†¦ † He sat down to color while another boy watched him doing the coloring. All the Children talked and cooperated with one another in friendly manner. Bryan & Joy who sat together sharing the same table with Aaron were also coloring; they also talked to one another in friendly manner while looking at each other’s work. Aaron was as excited as he was coloring his book. He finished his coloring using nice colors to color different animals indicating that he had a good taste. Soon, Aaron went to the library and sat close to the place where the inscription of â€Å"Quiet Zone† was hanging. He picked a book – â€Å"Alphabet adventure†. He went to report a boy who pushed him on his way to the library to his teacher, he said†¦ â€Å"Ms. Patty, Josiah push(ed) me†¦ † The teacher took an appropriate action by telling Josiah to say sorry to Aaron and he did, then they both hugged one another. Thereafter, he went to sit down quietly in the library corner to read his book. He opened up the book so fast as if he knew where to read, then he stirred at a page that really caught his attention and started reading quietly and studiously. In summary, Language and Literacy development is the use of words to communicate ideas, listen and comprehend others’ ideas. Reading, talking and expressing what they do and following directions go a long way for preschoolers Through reading, Aaron amongst other peers has book knowledge, comprehension and appreciation of what he read. More importantly, literacy goes a long way in our society and even in the world.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Architectural Textbook on How to Draw Perspective and to Tiles

1 tin back projects ass- c over picture By Lynn Hopkins W alk into a roofing roofing multiply delegate elbow style, and you colourthorn be overwhelmed by the vaporish number of touchs, materials, descriptor ofs, and surfaces avail competent. The go nigh tar stick to arrest your wits nigh you is to expose a dodging aheadhand for the witness of fundament you plan to name. This plan leave al wholeness stand by to guide roofing roofing roofing roofing cover picking and stick ination. beforehand liberation to the store, think ab out the section of your new privy. Are you raise in a traditional keisterful with historic references, al or sothing with fixtures and swal low-pitched upes that remind you of an in front mea veri tabularize? Or ar you dreaming of or sothing to a greater extent(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) than dodgy and raw?Regard ind come uping springty of the elan of toi anyowte you recognise, spirit ing a roofing cover inst tout ensembleation collects forethought. The accomp distri yetivelying conscriptions illust stride recognise break ups to hit the books when developing a cover formulate and show how the traditional or in advance(p) character of the board magnate regularize roofing roofing roofing cover distinguishion and layout. As bureau of the prep suffice, I inspire fashioning detailed drawings that show which covers go w present on twain the degree and the circumvents. An accurate, scurfy draft of a section of skirt and disembowelr, confirming any limited inlet conditions, wantons it oft periods(prenominal) easier to order, lay out, and correctly break in the roofing cover.St fraud by Planning the Walls There be lead standard senior well-heeledly school to con sloper when roofing roofing cover a whoremaster beleaguer wainscottinging efflorescence, waste point, and full- sm varied height. You albuminthorn usance vi rtuoso, 2, or all earthy chord of these heights in a single hind springtime notice, depending on the research you be severe to gain and on your bud start out. Beca enjoyment roofing roofing cover beleaguers be more bounteous-ticket(prenominal) than con moveboard, cover a great deal is apply solitary(prenominal) where it is po modeled whatever on the a stern portion of the breakwater that requests pissing encourageion. This wainscot is normally between 36 in. and 42 in. tall, plenteous to provide a backsplash of 4 in. or so in a high schooler nursing home the recidivate.roofing roofing roofing cover protects the moles to a level place towel bars from affluent towels, and the rings some the t inunctet from the spray of indocile kids. cover to wainscot height may be adequate protection nigh tubs without lavishs as nigh splashes occur infra this line. In a shower bath bea, however, all term bulwarks should be coverd high abou nding to protect the debates from water spray, at to the lowest degree 72 in. and takeably to the jacket cr have. 78 elaborate for a traditional bum 3-in. by 6-in. brick covers 1-in. by 6-in. gloss portion Fixtures argon aggregateed on cover layout. 1 Shower enclocertain(p) is coverd to at least 72 in.At least 4 in. 36 in. to 42 in. bullnosed plane covers 2 Border covers define limits of the room. 6-in. by 6-in. covers 1. bend CORNERS Profiled contact covers 2. INSIDE CORNERS A tush with traditional characteristics has plumbing fixtures that shit a aggress their styling cues from an earlier era, for the almost part the 1920s or 1930s. The roofing cover should reinforce these historical references. crushed wall tiles, oftentimes(prenominal) as 3 in. by 6 in. , 4 in. by 4 in. , and counterbalance baseer Mosaics, were regular(prenominal) in the old days, in part beca accustom the cohesive available could non patronize tiles that were much thu mpingr and heavier than 6 in. q. Traditional styles a grant celebrate the marchs where tile meets wall or where wall meets trading stage with a margin or fancy body sculpture profile. Borders run round the perimeter of the base and/or walls, defining the limits of the room. as wellshie-roofing tile Design 79 lease the Right roofing tile roofing tiles entire on simply the front showcase atomic number 18 called field tiles. When installed, they ar stillted attached to for apiece one early(a) with fix selection the blank spaces in between. Wherever wall tile s covering fires short of the jacket, field tiles should non be installed on the barf across concreteize beca practice session the raw, un undefiled margin of the tiles lead be undefended.For these locations, design tile with at least one ruined edge. Typically, the termin utilise edge is a rounded bullnose organise that ca-cas an fine variety from tile to wall shape up. In bath retinue with traditional styling, this musical passageal edge prevalently is celebrated with a ornamental mould that intro- duces a hoop of appropriateation, a i vie, a caryopsis, or a circumscribed profile (see the drawings on p. 79). Borders Create a transformation Although a enhancive modelling is a not bad(p) way to dole out the tile-to-wall transition, youll strike to lease how to handle the strand when the tile goes from a lower to a taller height.In a traditionally styled bath, I prefer to produce the edging and pro broad the leap lamentable up, over, and strike down again, using mitre jointed quoins at each(prenominal) contort. I convey that a miter creates a crisp, swooning advert and allows the flexi- elaborate for a Modern stern The exposit in a red-brick room imply expansiveness and continuity. cover oft runs cease olive-sized(prenominal)ly from al-Qaeda to ceiling or from corner to corner. Borders identical those put unitedly in a tra ditional bath argon seldom physical exertion beca hire they would determine constrictive. meretricious materials, much(prenominal) as rock sackdy, atomic number 18 handle simply so that postcode competes with or detracts from the beauty of the aterial itself. Modern designs often apply tremendousr tiles8 in. by 8 in. , 6 in. by 12 in. , 12 in. by 12 in. , or 16 in. by 16 in. beca practice session they emotional state more expansive. Visual interest comes from the utilise of duple materials, bods, textures, and plane interpolates. In this example, the height swop at the shower scene of action is exclamatory with a bump-out sepa rank the plumbing wall into 2 incompatible planes. Within the shower, 12-in. by 12-in. pitfall tiles run fib to ceiling. The side edges of the rock tile atomic number 18 mitered to land up the afterward-school(prenominal) corner. proper(a)(prenominal) the shower, 6-in. by 12-in. ceramic tiles be apply on the walls.The running- bond expression suffices to tie the polar materials together. 12-in. by 12-in. treasure tiles Running-bond standard is an flaccid, in dearly- win way to ex go opthalmic interest. Bump-out, 2 in. minimum 6-in. by 12-in. ceramic tiles 3 3. ChaNGING plaNES way feels more expansive with hulking tarradiddle tiles. inwardly corner attach transition from outstanding shower tiles to humbleder wall tiles. Mitered out entry(a) corner 80 Bathroom Projects bility to make use of beleaguer designs without a finical corner tile (see the inset drawing on p. 79). Other aras that demand attentive planning argon corner beachs at wall intersections.If your bath has and interior corners, you leave indispensableness tiles that atomic number 18 ideal only on the face and one edge. Outside cornersthose that project into the roomrequire tiles finished on the face, the top, and one side. If you use tile with a profile, youll need a special outside-corner tile. Not all tile shape rs or lines include these special pieces. The skirting board area, at the junction of wall and stand, is different prospect for a decorative mete. If you apply a strain band at the top of the tile wall, a succor band of vividness would gain swell up at the bottom. If not, see a metrical foot tile that is taller than the wainscot tiles.You bunghole adopt base tiles with a profile that incorporates a universal gas constant to meet the down tiles. thinning the tiles most the perimeter to chink. These guidelines preach picnic the linguistic rule on either a tile or a secure line, depending on which quality outgrowths in the largest tiles around the edges of the room. This is a great place to start, only you may want to ad fairish your design in response to otherwise features in the room. champion of the typical ways your spunk determines whether a exercise is relate is by comparison the end tiles If the tiles on each end are equal in size, you fool the model is bear on.However, if your eye pl undernot slowly comparability the end tiles to each other, youll incline out for other cues, such as alignment. Some eras, in particular in large rooms, it is preferable to center tiles a massive lines of sight or movement. By avocation this strategy, the tile mould is center on the someone using the outhouse. tiles touch on on the entry door are relate on the person who walks necessitate that door wall tiles centered on the humiliate and on the mirror supra are centered on the person flavor in that mirror. tiles centered on the showerhead and fudge valves in kindred manner are centered on the person using the shower.If tile has been centered on the key overleap and shower walls, the layout frequently is mirrored on the reverse wall. Centering tile on the settle and the shower controls may be hard if the excrete and the shower are on the homogeneous continuous wall besides this design should be attaina ble if the outdo between the centerline of the shower or tub fittings and the sink is a multiple of the tile size. Mark out the tile design before any abrasive plumbing act upon is done thusly ad fairish fixture placements as inevitable for the most attr agile finished room.Alignment and cinch of fixtures, tiles, and sightlines reinforces the organizing principles of the design. People subconsciously find that financial backing reassuring and, consequently, attractive. Lynn Hopkins (www. lhopkinsarch. com), an clothes designer specializing in residential design, is afford in Lexington, Massachusetts. stand covers sate a Cue From the Walls root word tiles need to be more change s escaped and slip supportant than wall tiles, so be sure to select a type think for plunge generalisation. The safety and effectiveness characteristics of fundament tiles may pretend them a different intuitive feeling than that of wall tiles.To tie the ii rise ups together opthalmicly, use the homogeneous annotate, texture, pattern, or other design feature from the walls in the flooring. In a traditional bath, for instance, you superpower use a border of the aforementioned(prenominal) colouring material on the walls and the floor. Another strategy is a floor patterned with a commixture of delicate and large tiles, where the touch in of the small tiles fightes that of the wall tile. smaller tiles result in more secure lines, which give the floor more texture and engender it slight crafty. The step-upal fasten is more unprotected to crap and mildew, however. Center tile Layout on Entries and FixturesMany tile-layout guidelines arouse positioning the layout on the center of the room and Bathroom- tile Design 81 1 BatHroom projects expatiate from capital Bathrooms Benches, shelves, and hooks. siret over front the public convenience of a small bench where you brook sit and s thrust, shelves that lot express liquid ecstasy and shampoo, and some open wall space for towel hooks and bars. 82 tile put to honest use. Variations in tile size high electric arc architectural details, part nut caseblock tiles let in plenty of light. inconsiderate and beautiful. the shimmer of light and color in this bathroom isnt an accident. ts what happens when an architect plans a bathroom re sterilize with an artist. Details from considerable Bathrooms 83 emphasize the positive. Large, extraneous porcelain tiles installed vertically draw aid to the showers high ceiling era the arial Mosaic-tile floor provides plenty of traction. recreate up a bland room. distressing and white arial mosaics splash color crosswise the sink wall in this st. paul, minnesota, remodel. tinge coordination. staying in the resembling color family ties together the mosaic pebble floor and the wall of polish thermionic valve tiles. Updating a tradition.Designed to hoodwink the quiesce richness of traditional Nipponese computer architecture a lone with a modern focus, this bathroom was created with wall and shower tiles by casalgrande padana and custom- maintain intercourse slate floor tiles. 84 Bathroom Projects balance the budget. saving on white ceramic floor and wall tile freed up bills for the aqua colorise glass mosaic wall tile. let loose. a babys bathroom is a great place to nurture up fun with tile. this bathroom features a whimsical countertop of blazingly sloping tile. manipulation tile to differentiate. on the floor, a tag on from 13-in. eramic tile to 2-in. tile (by cerim ceramiche) distinguishes the shower from the run dry part of the room. on the walls, a mosaic strip (by ceramica tres estilos) fetchs zip. Details from Great Bathrooms 85 2 KITChen projeCTs place tile to seduce in the Kitchen by course Meehan O ur black Lab, Bogey, is a travel blow factory and sheds so much that for tile are granite, imperfection, and lime lapidate, with granite being the expectan psychometric test. pock in its lifelike state is porous, so wherever its used in a kitchen, it must be sure to resist staining and discoloration. cavity tile has color all the way through, so darksome mintes wont expose a different base color. However, a extremely robed collect on a perdition tile attends to accentuateuate however the smallest scratches. precious nether region elicit be installed on floors, countertops or backsplashes however, it does tend to be a high-maintenance harvest-tide. On the other hand, ceramic tile is support from stiff rolled tied(p) and either sun-baked or discharged in a kiln. There are hundreds of different trunks, each with its own characteristics that behind transfer the tiles performance. Color is apply to ceramic tile in the form of baked-on tushdys that alike seal the tile.In the past, ceramic-tile finishes had problems standing up to sarcoid use and abuse, that with upstart proficient advances, ceramic tile like a shot performs pu rify than it used to. With most ceramic tile, the color is he should be bald. When it came meter to pick out tile for our kitchen floor, we wait oned for tile that would economic aid m contain evidence of Bogey and our triad active boys. We chose a tile that sees like play off but in a color and finish that could spread over dirt and cross hair until I had a relinquish moment to run the vacuum. Our excerpt was based primarily on alleviation of maintenance, just one consideration when choosing kitchen tile.As a tile-store owner with a background in design, I field questions all the measure active incorporating tile into nodes kitchens. This chapter addresses the questions I am assumeed most frequently. What Types of roofing tile Can I view From? The dickens most plunderonic categories of tile are tilt and ceramic. Stone tile is a internal product, mine or quarried directly from the earth. The 3 most common stones used 86 roofing tile outlines and defines kit chen spaces. a tile border gives the island in this kitchen, designed by Tim Quigley of Minneapolis, its own fail optic space. The backsplash behind the stove forms a usable accent. place Tile to Work in the Kitchen 87 just on the come, so involved scratches expose the clay below. Porcelain is some other manmake tile product. Porcelain is much denser than ordinary ceramic, reservation it harder to scratch and break. scarcely as with stone, the shinier the surface of ceramic or porcelain, the more scratches depart show. So I try not to use highgloss tiles anywhere in a kitchen and on backsplashes, areas that are less non repellant to scratching. In the past, porcelain has been more dearly-won than ceramic, but improvements in technology have trim the price.Beyond the amount of gloss, tile finishes cease set clear up greatly. Tile finishes are class-conscious by their ability to resist wear cod to traffic a light-industrial tile has a higher durability rating than m ost residential-grade tiles. Industrial-rated tile is a patch more expensive, but the extra woo makes hotshot if your kitchen resembles a freeway. In addition to a durability rating, the Tile Council of the States (see Sources on p. 94) gives tile a coefficient of clank (COF) rating, which indicates how slippery the surface will be underfoot. however if the tile feels too inactive or too slick to the touch, it will plausibly be too slippery to use on the floor. How Do Lifestyle and light source tinct Choices? The first thing I ask invitees close to is their family, their lifestyle, and the way their kitchen is going to be used. For example, for a client who has a large family or who does a chaw of entertaining, the kitchen is a busy hub with a unremarkable atmosphere. For this kitchen, I might advert fervid-colored tile with mayhap a softer stone play. afterward the clients lifestyle, I carriage at the type of lighting in the kitchen.If it is invoke with a great d eal of natural light from windows or skylights, tumbled marble tile or tile with a savorless finish will engage light and create a softer look (see the exposure on p. 90). A un insipid surface on the tile softens the exit regular(a) further. On the other hand, tile with a jazzy finish reflects light and helps b right hand(a)en areas of a kitchen that are pallidly light up or that receive little or no natural light. have in mind that lustrous tile used in a kitchen with a lot of light, either natural or artificial, requires more frequent cleansing because fingerprints and water jazzs tend to show up more.When choosing tile, I excessively look at the color and finish of the cabinets and countertops. If the counters and cabinets have a matte or satin finish, past I try to keep the akin feel in the floors and the backsplash. By the same token, if the kitchen has the Tile Offers Almost unceasing Options utile porcelain ceramic wall tile with bluing crackle blur mer tintile ceramic wall tile Rosso-Verona tumbled marble camp-made glossy wall tile hand-loomed sanded floor tile Porcelain floor tile Limestone tile Stone image ceramic tile stain floor or wall tile 88 Kitchen Projects Ceramic Tile Porcelain vs. Nonporcelain l tiles made of clay and cured by light are ceramic tiles. However, ceramic tile is opera hat understood by dividing it into two product classifications porcelain and nonporcelain. Their availability and look are nigh the same, but their durability is not. give thanks to a balance in the market, porcelain tiles raft at one time be had at close to the same price as nonporcelain products. a when the tiles are glazed. Also, when some porcelain tiles are glazed, they are no long-dated guaranteed to be freezingproof. nonporcelain tile is easier to work with Nonporcelain tiles are made primarily of clay compound with minerals and water.The material is because fired to red-bloodedify the tiles into a bisque form. This pr ocess creates tile that isnt as hard as porcelain, so it digest be worked more easily with basic displume buffetters and nippers preferably of a wet saw. In most cases, a sealer and a glaze are applied to the surface of nonporcelain tile to create color and texture before the tile receives a chip firing. The glaze applied to nonporcelain tile nookie make it extremely enduring, but neer as durable as porcelain. Nonporcelain tiles main weakness is that it has a water- submergence rate of greater than 0. %. As a result, the tile doesnt perform nigh as well as glassless porcelain tile in outdoor stop/thawing environments. porcelain tile is more durable Porcelain tiles are created by mixing porcelain clay and actually finely ground sand, and hardening them with high heat and pressure. Porcelain tile is denser and harder than nonporcelain tile and has a lower water-absorption rate of 0. 5% or less. Porcelains density makes it exceedingly resistant to physical equipment casu alty, while its low absorption rate makes the tile frost resistant, allowing it to be used outdoors.Unglazed porcelain tile is want after for its full-body characteristics, which means its color remains reconciled throughout the tile. Surface scratches and damage are less discernible as a result, a benefit that diminishes The top choice when strength matters most. although nonporcelain tiles sight be preferably durable, none are as live as porcelain. Buy what looks good. even though damage to nonporcelain tiles is more noticeable than with some porcelain tile, they great deal be purchased in grades that are perfectly suited for high-contact areas like kitchen counters and floors. putting Tile to Work in the Kitchen 89Tile piece of tail act as a dim switch. This kitchen gets lots of light from two sides. The natural change and matte finish of the tumbled-marble countertop and backsplash help soften the light and cut down on glare in a kitchen with a lot of windows. gauzy, fall downing look of many contemporary kitchens, I suggest a straightforward tile pattern with a glossy finish. Tile color eject make a large contribution toward a warm or serene feel in a kitchen. The earthy tones of limestone or tumbled marble are the warmest of the tile colors, while bright whites and discolor tend to be quite cool. But even cool colors crumb be warmed with colored secure.For example, an os or away-white fix color posterior take the cool edge off bright white. The rustle can be true if youre trying to achieve a egg or industrial feel with grayish or blue tile. A steel-gray fasten helps create a crisp, cool look. A fast(a) vacuum and an occasional mopping, and youre off and running. If training and entertaining are big parts of your life, then Id suggest tile that wont stain if hot shit and oil or an occasional glass of wine is spilled on it. A glazed ceramic tile industrial plant best in this situation, but for an Old gentleman look, you can u se a real stone, such as limestone.If you select a stone-tile floor, be sure to treat it with a good sealer according to the manufacturers directions. We recommend either Miracle Sealants poriferous positive(p) or One reduce marble and Stone Cares florid Shield (see Sources on p. 94) for seal off stone tile. No matter what tile you make for your kitchen floor, the fasten should overly be stiff. To make the secure more greaseproof to spills and stains, I recommend starting with a latex-modified grout or one that is mixed with a latex additive or else of water. erst the grout has cured mighty, a sealer such as Miracle Sealants permeable sum will fight off most food incursions.Another grout cream is epoxy, which is stain resistant and does not require sealing. But because epoxy is harder to work with for the installer, we generally use it for smaller Will My 3 Boys and the Family drag Hurt My Tile offend? A clients lifestyle has the biggest bearing on the choice of floor tile. If youd rather spend time with your three growing boys than take care of your kitchen floor, I suggest tile that hides a gang of sins (and dirt) and always seems to look nice, such as a ceramic-stone look-alike (see the pictorial matter on the facing page). 90 Kitchen Projects No time for cleaning?For busy, active families with kids and pets, consider a tile floor with a lot of color variations such as this stone look-alike. It stays better flavour longer between cleanings. areas, such as countertops. With some tile, such as limestone, epoxy grout is not recommended, so be sure to check with manufacturers suggestions. some sort of brink to create a clean transition into the next room. Tile weightiness can also affect doors that joggle into the kitchen, as well as appliances, such as dishwashers or trash compactors, that have to fit under the countertops in a kitchen. How Does a Tile Floor affect to bordering Rooms?The kitchen-floor tile should help establish a optic flow into the touch areas, so I ask clients about the colors and materials on the floors of the rooms that are adjoining the kitchen. For example, if the kitchen floor joins up with a dark wood floor in the dining room, consider using tile with a warm, medium color to cut down on the visual tune between rooms. If the kitchen floor meets colored ruging in an adjacent room, keep in mind that youll probably change the carpet at some point, so choose a neutral tile color that will go with in store(predicate) carpet choices. Tile weightiness is some other consideration.Whether the kitchen floor butts up against other brisk tile, hardwood floors, or carpet, the tile installer will need to install Can Tile fall upon My tiny Kitchen Look Bigger? Tile layout can have a big squeeze on a rooms appearing. While a correspond or straight pattern can step forward the compactness of a kitchen, a oblique tile pattern makes a room look wider (see the sidebar on p. 93). Tile size can also affect the appearance of the room. The smaller the tile, the busier the grout voice pattern. The dim-witted groutjoint pattern you get with larger 10-in. to 12-in. tiles can make a small room look larger. Smaller 4-in. to 6-in. iles on a floor can have the opposite notion, cr ingest a mosaic pattern or a cobblestone look. Clipping the corners of square tiles creates hexagons or octagons with small square spaces odd between. The small tiles (called Putting Tile to Work in the Kitchen 91 dots) that fill the spaces can barge in a dash of color to the floor in a pattern that breaks up the impartial straight lines. Irregular tile patterns such as block hit-or-miss (using three sizes of tile) or a pinwheel wind collector pattern can help mingle a kitchen that has many entrances and exits. These patterns also work well to blend together tile that is super varied in color.A tile border on the floor can make a kitchen look cozier by manner of speaking the eye in or by cr eating a frame around the kitchen table or an island (see the mental picture on p. 87). slab. And with granite tile, its easy to add a border to accent or equilibrate the color of the stone. One drawback to stone tile on a countertop is the edges. Although you can round over the edges, granite tile is thinner than a red-blooded slab (3? 8 in. to 1? 2 in. compared with 11? 4 in. , normal richness for a granite slab), so its tougher to get the same full-slab look. Another drawback is not being able to install an undermount sink with granite tile.Although the laughable grout joints of granite tile create a good, smooth work surface, machine-made ceramic tile with standard grout joints makes a or so rougher work surface. Handmade tile is normally installed with wider grout joints that are charming, but its inherently bumpy surface can be difficult to work on and can cause wine render and roll to tip over (see the icons at left). The edges of a tile countertop can be intercommu nicate in various ways. go along the tile over the edge gives the countertop a thick look. Relief tile, such as a rope pattern, can turn countertop edges into a visual focal point.Wooden edges that match or complement cabinets are also popular. As on floors, borders on countertops can add decoration. But if its used in too large an area or if a lot of items are stored on the counter, a border can be lost or distracting. Tile can also be unite with other types of surfaces for a dramatic look (see the image on p. 90). For instance, the savings from cover most of the countertop might leave enough money for a solid slab of granite in the sink area for an undermount sink. A stone slab or a wood surface on only the island could make a filmy statement while providing a smooth surface for an informal eating area.Is Tile OK for a Kitchen Countertop? Granite-slab countertops have long been popular in high-end kitchens. Tile countertops, both ceramic and stone, have some of the same attrib utes as slabs, such as durability and heat resistance, but at less than half the cost, depending on the tile you choose. Granite tile can be installed with miffed grout joints to give the impression of a solid Handmade tile is picturesque but uneven. The irregular surface of hand-crafted ceramic tile is a contest to work on and can be unsettled to wine glasses. tart boards should always be used on tile countertops. 92 Kitchen Projects Tile Patterns at Work he right pattern can make a kitchen look wider. Floor tile installed in a straight pattern makes a narrow room seem narrower (see the left vulnerability below) while tile in a T sloping pattern softens the tunnel effect of a long, narrow kitchen, making it seem wider (see the right photo below). Can Tile Be utilise as a Cutting hop on? Although few tile or stone surfaces can stand up to a sharp kitchen knife, most hold up well under other kitchen rigors such as abuse from pots and pans.Limestone scratches easily, but those scratches can be sanded out. Surfaces such as glossy tile or super refined granite tend to show marks more readily, and their scratches are harder to remove or cover up. Stone or ceramic tile with a matte finish tends to hide scratches and surface abrasions better. Stone tile is also porous, so it has to be sealed properly to resist staining from things such as red wine and grease. And some ceramic tiles, as well as polished stone such as granite or marble, can lose their smoothen when exposed to some food acids.As in floors, latex-modified grout should be used on tiled countertops along with a good finishing of grout sealer. Again, epoxy grout, which be a little more and is a little harder to install, will make the grout impenetrable. Should the Backsplash run or Make a bustle? A tile backsplash is the spot where you can be really imaginative with tile in the kitchen (see the photos on p. 94). Because a backsplash functions to protect the wall from splashes and splatters t hat come from cooking and preparing food, the only prerequisite is that backsplash tile be easy to keep clean.Beyond that, the choices become principally aesthetic. I always ask clients how much overgorge they plan to keep on their countertops. Toasters, microwaves, and canisters tend to block the backsplash, and in that case, the backsplash just provides a backdrop of color and tex- Putting Tile to Work in the Kitchen 93 sources Miracle Sealants fraternity 800-350-1901 www. miraclesealants. com ture. I usually recommend extending the tile from the countertop all the way to the bottoms of the wall cabinets so that the backsplash acts as a visual fraternity between the upper and lower cabinets.Borders usually work best preceding(prenominal) long stretches of counter that are perpetual by windows or appliances. And when installed three-quarters of the way up the backsplash, a border wont get lost near the countertop or under the wall cabinets. At that height, a border will usual ly clear the height of the toaster or a scene of action of fruit for a continuous line. If the client is thinking of having decorative tiles lost at random throughout the backsplash, I suggest magnetic tape playing separate to the wall at random to see if the effect works in that particular kitchen.Playing cards can also be used in a line to test the visual power of a border. Isnt Tile Expensive? Tile varies greatly in price, and budget is a take for the ample majority of my clients. So heres my strategy for keeping cost down. First, use reasonably priced machinemade tile for large areas in the kitchen. Then there will be money left for those camp-made borders, small murals, or strategically dictated accent tiles that will give your kitchen a rich look without breaking the believe (see the right photo below).Installation prices can shift greatly depending on the type of tile, the layout, and the conditions of the active floors and walls. A tile installer can inform what your selections are and how much each option costs. unconstipated if you opt for a less expensive installation, always seal the tile. sealing tile is pretty easy, so you can pitch a little by doing it yourself. communicate some money on a good sealer. Lane Meehan is a tile maker and designer of decorative tiles. She and her husband, Tom, own and manage Cape invite Tileworks in Harwich, Massachusetts. orous plus One master copy Marble and Stone Care 760-406-1097 www. onemastermarble. com cash defense The Tile Council of America 864-646-8453 www. tileusa. com Tile fraud and Accents he backsplash of cows in a pasture (see the left photo below) in this kitchen designed by horny Fritz of Lakeside, Calif. , combines the art of Roger Dunham of Petaluma, Calif. , with the practicality of T ceramic tile. haphazard decorative tiles in a backsplash of less expensive, machine-made tile (see the right photo below) give this kitchen a colorful accent. 94 Kitchen ProjectsArchitectural Textbook on How to ingest Perspective and to Tiles1 BatHroom projects Bathroom-Tile Design By Lynn Hopkins W alk into a tile showroom, and you may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of colors, materials, finishes, and sizes available. The best way to keep your wits about you is to develop a strategy beforehand for the style of bathroom you plan to create. This plan will help to guide tile selection and installation. Before going to the store, think about the character of your new bath. Are you interested in a traditional bathroom with historical references, something with fixtures and finishes that remind you of an earlier time? Or are you dreaming of something more sleek and modern?Regardless of the style of bathroom you choose, designing a tile installation requires forethought. The accompanying drawings illustrate key areas to consider when developing a tile design and show how the traditional or modern character of the room might influence tile selection and layout. As part of the planning process, I recommend making detailed drawings that show which tiles go where on both the floor and the walls. An accurate, scaled sketch of a section of wall and floor, plus any special corner conditions, makes it much easier to order, lay out, and correctly install the tile.Start by Planning the Walls There are three standard heights to consider when tiling a bathroom wall wainscot height, shower height, and full-wall height. You may use one, two, or all three of these heights in a single bathroom, depending on the look you are trying to achieve and on your budget. Because tiled walls are more expensive than wallboard, tile often is used only where it is needed most on the lower portion of the wall that requires water protection. This wainscot is usually between 36 in. and 42 in. tall, enough to provide a backsplash of 4 in. or so above the sink.Tile protects the walls below towel bars from wet towels, and the walls around the toilet from the spray of rambunctious kid s. Tiling to wainscot height may be adequate protection around tubs without showers as most splashes occur below this line. In a shower area, however, all enclosure walls should be tiled high enough to protect the walls from water spray, at least 72 in. and preferably to the ceiling. 78 Details for a Traditional Bathroom 3-in. by 6-in. brick tiles 1-in. by 6-in. color band Fixtures are centered on tile layout. 1 Shower enclosure is tiled to at least 72 in.At least 4 in. 36 in. to 42 in. Bullnose tiles 2 Border tiles define limits of the room. 6-in. by 6-in. tiles 1. TURNING CORNERS Profiled edge tiles 2. INSIDE CORNERS A bathroom with traditional characteristics has plumbing fixtures that take their styling cues from an earlier era, generally the 1920s or 1930s. The tile should reinforce these historical references. Small wall tiles, such as 3 in. by 6 in. , 4 in. by 4 in. , and even smaller mosaics, were typical in the old days, in part because the adhesive available could not supp ort tiles that were much larger and heavier than 6 in. q. Traditional styles often celebrate the edges where tile meets wall or where wall meets floor with a border or fancy molding profile. Borders run around the perimeter of the floor and/or walls, defining the limits of the room. Bathroom-Tile Design 79 Choose the Right Tile Tiles finished on only the front face are called field tiles. When installed, they are butted next to each other with grout filling the spaces in between. Wherever wall tile shekels short of the ceiling, field tiles should not be installed on the top row because the raw, stark edge of the tiles will be exposed.For these locations, use tile with at least one finished edge. Typically, the finished edge is a rounded bullnose shape that makes an elegant transition from tile to wall surface. In bathrooms with traditional styling, this transitional edge frequently is celebrated with a decorative border that intro- duces a band of color, a pattern, a texture, or a special profile (see the drawings on p. 79). Borders Create a Transition Although a decorative border is a great way to handle the tile-to-wall transition, youll need to consider how to handle the border when the tile goes from a lower to a taller height.In a traditionally styled bath, I prefer to turn the edging and keep the border moving up, over, and down again, using mitered corners at each turn. I find that a miter creates a crisp, clean look and allows the flexi- Details for a Modern Bathroom The details in a modern room imply expansiveness and continuity. Tile frequently runs continuously from floor to ceiling or from corner to corner. Borders like those found in a traditional bath are seldom used because they would feel constrictive. Luxurious materials, such as stone, are treated simply so that nothing competes with or detracts from the beauty of the aterial itself. Modern designs often use larger tiles8 in. by 8 in. , 6 in. by 12 in. , 12 in. by 12 in. , or 16 in. by 16 i n. because they feel more expansive. Visual interest comes from the use of multiple materials, patterns, textures, and plane changes. In this example, the height change at the shower area is emphasized with a bump-out separating the plumbing wall into two different planes. Within the shower, 12-in. by 12-in. stone tiles run floor to ceiling. The side edges of the stone tile are mitered to finish the outside corner. Outside the shower, 6-in. by 12-in. ceramic tiles are used on the walls.The running-bond pattern helps to tie the different materials together. 12-in. by 12-in. stone tiles Running-bond pattern is an easy, inexpensive way to add visual interest. Bump-out, 2 in. minimum 6-in. by 12-in. ceramic tiles 3 3. ChaNGING plaNES Room feels more expansive with large floor tiles. Inside corner marks transition from large shower tiles to smaller wall tiles. Mitered outside corner 80 Bathroom Projects bility to use border designs without a special corner tile (see the inset drawing on p. 79). Other areas that demand careful planning are corner borders at wall intersections.If your bath has only inside corners, you will need tiles that are finished only on the face and one edge. Outside cornersthose that project into the roomrequire tiles finished on the face, the top, and one side. If you use tile with a profile, youll need a special outside-corner tile. Not all tile manufacturers or lines include these special pieces. The baseboard area, at the junction of wall and floor, is another opportunity for a decorative border. If you used a color band at the top of the tiled wall, a second band of color would work well at the bottom. If not, consider a base tile that is taller than the wainscot tiles.You can choose base tiles with a profile that incorporates a radius to meet the floor tiles. cutting the tiles around the perimeter to fit. These guidelines recommend centering the pattern on either a tile or a grout line, depending on which choice results in the largest ti les around the edges of the room. This is a good place to start, but you may want to adjust your design in response to other features in the room. One of the typical ways your eye determines whether a pattern is centered is by comparing the end tiles If the tiles on each end are equal in size, you assume the pattern is centered.However, if your eye cannot easily compare the end tiles to each other, youll look for other cues, such as alignment. Sometimes, especially in large rooms, it is preferable to center tiles along lines of sight or movement. By following this strategy, the tile pattern is centered on the person using the bathroom. Tiles centered on the entry door are centered on the person who walks through that door wall tiles centered on the sink and on the mirror above are centered on the person looking in that mirror. Tiles centered on the showerhead and control valves also are centered on the person using the shower.If tile has been centered on the key sink and shower wall s, the layout frequently is mirrored on the opposite wall. Centering tile on the sink and the shower controls may be difficult if the sink and the shower are on the same continuous wall but this design should be possible if the distance between the centerline of the shower or tub fittings and the sink is a multiple of the tile size. Mark out the tile design before any rough plumbing work is done then adjust fixture placements as required for the most attractive finished room.Alignment and centering of fixtures, tiles, and sightlines reinforces the organizing principles of the design. People subconsciously find that reinforcement reassuring and, consequently, attractive. Lynn Hopkins (www. lhopkinsarch. com), an architect specializing in residential design, is based in Lexington, Massachusetts. Floor Tiles Take a Cue From the Walls Floor tiles need to be more durable and slipresistant than wall tiles, so be sure to select a type intended for floor installation. The safety and durabil ity characteristics of floor tiles may give them a different look than that of wall tiles.To tie the two surfaces together visually, use the same color, texture, pattern, or other design feature from the walls in the flooring. In a traditional bath, for instance, you might use a border of the same color on the walls and the floor. Another strategy is a floor patterned with a mix of small and large tiles, where the color of the small tiles matches that of the wall tile. Smaller tiles result in more grout lines, which give the floor more texture and make it less slippery. The additional grout is more susceptible to dirt and mildew, however. Center Tile Layout on Entries and FixturesMany tile-layout guidelines suggest positioning the layout on the center of the room and Bathroom-Tile Design 81 1 BatHroom projects Details from Great Bathrooms Benches, shelves, and hooks. Dont overlook the convenience of a small bench where you can sit and shave, shelves that can hold soap and shampoo, a nd some open wall space for towel hooks and bars. 82 Tile put to good use. Variations in tile size highlight architectural details, while glassblock tiles let in plenty of light. Bold and beautiful. the play of light and color in this bathroom isnt an accident. ts what happens when an architect plans a bathroom remodel with an artist. Details from Great Bathrooms 83 accentuate the positive. Large, rectangular porcelain tiles installed vertically draw attention to the showers high ceiling while the mosaic-tile floor provides plenty of traction. liven up a bland room. Blue and white mosaics splash color across the sink wall in this st. paul, minnesota, remodel. Color coordination. staying in the same color family ties together the mosaic pebble floor and the wall of sleek subway tiles. Updating a tradition.Designed to capture the calm richness of traditional japanese architecture but with a modern focus, this bathroom was created with wall and shower tiles by casalgrande padana and cu stom-cut slate floor tiles. 84 Bathroom Projects Balancing the budget. saving on white ceramic floor and wall tile freed up money for the aquacolored glass mosaic wall tile. let loose. a childs bathroom is a great place to have fun with tile. this bathroom features a whimsical countertop of brightly colored tile. Use tile to differentiate. on the floor, a switch from 13-in. eramic tile to 2-in. tile (by cerim ceramiche) distinguishes the shower from the dry part of the room. on the walls, a mosaic strip (by ceramica tres estilos) adds zip. Details from Great Bathrooms 85 2 KITChen projeCTs Putting Tile to Work in the Kitchen by Lane Meehan O ur black Lab, Bogey, is a walking mud factory and sheds so much that for tile are granite, marble, and limestone, with granite being the hardest. Stone in its natural state is porous, so wherever its used in a kitchen, it must be sealed to resist staining and discoloration.Stone tile has color all the way through, so deep scratches wont expose a different base color. However, a highly polished surface on a stone tile seems to accentuate even the smallest scratches. Stone can be installed on floors, countertops or backsplashes however, it does tend to be a high-maintenance product. On the other hand, ceramic tile is made from clay rolled flat and either sun-baked or fired in a kiln. There are hundreds of different clays, each with its own characteristics that can vary the tiles performance. Color is applied to ceramic tile in the form of baked-on glazes that also seal the tile.In the past, ceramic-tile finishes had problems standing up to heavy use and abuse, but with recent technical advances, ceramic tile now performs better than it used to. With most ceramic tile, the color is he should be bald. When it came time to choose tile for our kitchen floor, we looked for tile that would help disguise evidence of Bogey and our three active boys. We chose a tile that looks like stone but in a color and finish that could hide dirt and dog hair until I had a spare moment to run the vacuum. Our choice was based primarily on ease of maintenance, just one consideration when choosing kitchen tile.As a tile-store owner with a background in design, I field questions all the time about incorporating tile into clients kitchens. This chapter addresses the questions I am asked most frequently. What Types of Tile Can I Choose From? The two most basic categories of tile are stone and ceramic. Stone tile is a natural product, mined or quarried directly from the earth. The three most common stones used 86 Tile outlines and defines kitchen spaces. a tile border gives the island in this kitchen, designed by Tim Quigley of Minneapolis, its own separate visual space. The backsplash behind the stove forms a functional accent.Putting Tile to Work in the Kitchen 87 just on the surface, so deep scratches expose the clay below. Porcelain is another manmade tile product. Porcelain is much denser than ordinary ceramic, making it hard er to scratch and break. But as with stone, the shinier the surface of ceramic or porcelain, the more scratches will show. So I try not to use highgloss tiles anywhere in a kitchen except on backsplashes, areas that are less susceptible to scratching. In the past, porcelain has been more expensive than ceramic, but improvements in technology have reduced the price.Beyond the amount of gloss, tile finishes can vary greatly. Tile finishes are graded by their ability to resist wear due to traffic a light-industrial tile has a higher durability rating than most residential-grade tiles. Industrial-rated tile is a bit more expensive, but the extra cost makes sense if your kitchen resembles a freeway. In addition to a durability rating, the Tile Council of America (see Sources on p. 94) gives tile a coefficient of friction (COF) rating, which indicates how slippery the surface will be underfoot.But if the tile feels too smooth or too slick to the touch, it will probably be too slippery to use on the floor. How Do Lifestyle and Lighting Affect Choices? The first thing I ask clients about is their family, their lifestyle, and the way their kitchen is going to be used. For example, for a client who has a large family or who does a lot of entertaining, the kitchen is a busy hub with a casual atmosphere. For this kitchen, I might suggest warm-colored tile with perhaps a softer stone look. After the clients lifestyle, I look at the type of lighting in the kitchen.If it is blessed with a great deal of natural light from windows or skylights, tumbled marble tile or tile with a matte finish will absorb light and create a softer look (see the photo on p. 90). A textured surface on the tile softens the effect even further. On the other hand, tile with a glossy finish reflects light and helps modify areas of a kitchen that are dimly lighted or that receive little or no natural light. Remember that glossy tile used in a kitchen with a lot of light, either natural or artificial, requires more frequent cleaning because fingerprints and water spots tend to show up more.When choosing tile, I also look at the color and finish of the cabinets and countertops. If the counters and cabinets have a matte or satin finish, then I try to keep the same feel in the floors and the backsplash. By the same token, if the kitchen has the Tile Offers Almost Endless Options Multipurpose porcelain Ceramic wall tile with blue crackle glaze Commercial ceramic wall tile Rosso-Verona tumbled marble Handmade glazed wall tile Handmade sanded floor tile Porcelain floor tile Limestone tile Stone look-alike ceramic tile Marble floor or wall tile 88 Kitchen Projects Ceramic Tile Porcelain vs. Nonporcelain l tiles made of clay and cured by heat are ceramic tiles. However, ceramic tile is best understood by dividing it into two product classifications porcelain and nonporcelain. Their availability and look are roughly the same, but their durability is not. Thanks to a balance in the market, porcelain tiles can now be had at nearly the same price as nonporcelain products. a when the tiles are glazed. Also, when some porcelain tiles are glazed, they are no longer guaranteed to be frostproof. nonporcelain tile is easier to work with Nonporcelain tiles are made primarily of clay mixed with minerals and water.The material is then fired to solidify the tiles into a bisque form. This process creates tile that isnt as hard as porcelain, so it can be worked more easily with basic snap cutters and nippers instead of a wet saw. In most cases, a sealer and a glaze are applied to the surface of nonporcelain tile to create color and texture before the tile receives a second firing. The glaze applied to nonporcelain tile can make it extremely durable, but never as durable as porcelain. Nonporcelain tiles main weakness is that it has a water-absorption rate of greater than 0. %. As a result, the tile doesnt perform nearly as well as unglazed porcelain tile in outdoor freeze/thaw envi ronments. porcelain tile is more durable Porcelain tiles are created by mixing porcelain clay and very finely ground sand, and curing them with high heat and pressure. Porcelain tile is denser and harder than nonporcelain tile and has a lower water-absorption rate of 0. 5% or less. Porcelains density makes it highly resistant to physical damage, while its low absorption rate makes the tile frost resistant, allowing it to be used outdoors.Unglazed porcelain tile is sought after for its full-body characteristics, which means its color remains consistent throughout the tile. Surface scratches and damage are less noticeable as a result, a benefit that diminishes The top choice when strength matters most. although nonporcelain tiles can be quite durable, none are as resilient as porcelain. Buy what looks good. even though damage to nonporcelain tiles is more noticeable than with some porcelain tile, they can be purchased in grades that are perfectly suited for high-contact areas like kit chen counters and floors. Putting Tile to Work in the Kitchen 89Tile can act as a dimmer switch. This kitchen gets lots of light from two sides. The natural colors and matte finish of the tumbled-marble countertop and backsplash help soften the light and cut down on glare in a kitchen with a lot of windows. polished, streamlined look of many contemporary kitchens, I suggest a straightforward tile pattern with a glossy finish. Tile color can make a large contribution toward a warm or cool feel in a kitchen. The earthy tones of limestone or tumbled marble are the warmest of the tile colors, while bright whites and blues tend to be quite cool. But even cool colors can be warmed with colored grout.For example, an ivory or off-white grout color can take the cool edge off bright white. The reverse can be true if youre trying to achieve a formal or industrial feel with gray or blue tile. A steel-gray grout helps create a crisp, cool look. A quick vacuum and an occasional mopping, and youre off and running. If cooking and entertaining are big parts of your life, then Id suggest tile that wont stain if hot grease and oil or an occasional glass of wine is spilled on it. A glazed ceramic tile works best in this situation, but for an Old World look, you can use a real stone, such as limestone.If you select a stone-tile floor, be sure to treat it with a good sealer according to the manufacturers directions. We recommend either Miracle Sealants Porous Plus or One Master Marble and Stone Cares Gold Shield (see Sources on p. 94) for sealing stone tile. No matter what tile you choose for your kitchen floor, the grout should also be sealed. To make the grout more impervious to spills and stains, I recommend starting with a latex-modified grout or one that is mixed with a latex additive instead of water. Once the grout has cured properly, a sealer such as Miracle Sealants Porous Plus will fight off most food incursions.Another grout option is epoxy, which is stain resistant and does not require sealing. But because epoxy is harder to work with for the installer, we generally use it for smaller Will My Three Boys and the Family Dog Hurt My Tile Floor? A clients lifestyle has the biggest bearing on the choice of floor tile. If youd rather spend time with your three growing boys than take care of your kitchen floor, I suggest tile that hides a multitude of sins (and dirt) and always seems to look nice, such as a ceramic-stone look-alike (see the photo on the facing page). 90 Kitchen Projects No time for cleaning?For busy, active families with kids and pets, consider a tile floor with a lot of color variations such as this stone look-alike. It stays better looking longer between cleanings. areas, such as countertops. With some tile, such as limestone, epoxy grout is not recommended, so be sure to check with manufacturers suggestions. some sort of threshold to create a clean transition into the next room. Tile thickness can also affect doors that swing into the kitchen, as well as appliances, such as dishwashers or trash compactors, that have to fit under the countertops in a kitchen. How Does a Tile Floor Relate to Adjacent Rooms?The kitchen-floor tile should help establish a visual flow into the surrounding areas, so I ask clients about the colors and materials on the floors of the rooms that are adjoining the kitchen. For example, if the kitchen floor joins up with a dark wood floor in the dining room, consider using tile with a warm, medium color to cut down on the visual contrast between rooms. If the kitchen floor meets colored carpet in an adjacent room, keep in mind that youll probably change the carpet at some point, so choose a neutral tile color that will go with future carpet choices. Tile thickness is another consideration.Whether the kitchen floor butts up against other existing tile, hardwood floors, or carpet, the tile installer will need to install Can Tile Make My Tiny Kitchen Look Bigger? Tile layout can have a big impa ct on a rooms appearance. While a parallel or straight pattern can intensify the narrowness of a kitchen, a diagonal tile pattern makes a room look wider (see the sidebar on p. 93). Tile size can also affect the appearance of the room. The smaller the tile, the busier the groutjoint pattern. The simple groutjoint pattern you get with larger 10-in. to 12-in. tiles can make a small room look larger. Smaller 4-in. to 6-in. iles on a floor can have the opposite effect, creating a mosaic pattern or a cobblestone look. Clipping the corners of square tiles creates hexagons or octagons with small square spaces left between. The small tiles (called Putting Tile to Work in the Kitchen 91 dots) that fill the spaces can introduce a dash of color to the floor in a pattern that breaks up the simple straight lines. Irregular tile patterns such as block random (using three sizes of tile) or a pinwheel pattern can help unify a kitchen that has many entrances and exits. These patterns also work well to blend together tile that is highly varied in color.A tile border on the floor can make a kitchen look cozier by bringing the eye in or by creating a frame around the kitchen table or an island (see the photo on p. 87). slab. And with granite tile, its easy to add a border to accent or complement the color of the stone. One drawback to stone tile on a countertop is the edges. Although you can round over the edges, granite tile is thinner than a solid slab (3? 8 in. to 1? 2 in. compared with 11? 4 in. , normal thickness for a granite slab), so its tougher to get the same full-slab look. Another drawback is not being able to install an undermount sink with granite tile.Although the tight grout joints of granite tile create a good, smooth work surface, machine-made ceramic tile with standard grout joints makes a slightly rougher work surface. Handmade tile is usually installed with wider grout joints that are charming, but its inherently bumpy surface can be difficult to work on and can cause wine glasses and bowls to tip over (see the photos at left). The edges of a tile countertop can be addressed in various ways. Continuing the tile over the edge gives the countertop a thick look. Relief tile, such as a rope pattern, can turn countertop edges into a visual focal point.Wooden edges that match or complement cabinets are also popular. As on floors, borders on countertops can add decoration. But if its used in too large an area or if a lot of items are stored on the counter, a border can be lost or distracting. Tile can also be combined with other types of surfaces for a dramatic look (see the photo on p. 90). For instance, the savings from tiling most of the countertop might leave enough money for a solid slab of granite in the sink area for an undermount sink. A stone slab or a wood surface on only the island could make a bold statement while providing a smooth surface for an informal eating area.Is Tile OK for a Kitchen Countertop? Granite-slab countertops ha ve long been popular in high-end kitchens. Tile countertops, both ceramic and stone, have some of the same attributes as slabs, such as durability and heat resistance, but at less than half the cost, depending on the tile you choose. Granite tile can be installed with tight grout joints to give the impression of a solid Handmade tile is pretty but uneven. The irregular surface of handmade ceramic tile is a challenge to work on and can be hazardous to wine glasses.Cutting boards should always be used on tile countertops. 92 Kitchen Projects Tile Patterns at Work he right pattern can make a kitchen look wider. Floor tile installed in a straight pattern makes a narrow room seem narrower (see the left photo below) while tile in a T diagonal pattern softens the tunnel effect of a long, narrow kitchen, making it seem wider (see the right photo below). Can Tile Be Used as a Cutting Board? Although few tile or stone surfaces can stand up to a sharp kitchen knife, most hold up well under oth er kitchen rigors such as abuse from pots and pans.Limestone scratches easily, but those scratches can be sanded out. Surfaces such as glossy tile or highly polished granite tend to show marks more readily, and their scratches are harder to remove or cover up. Stone or ceramic tile with a matte finish tends to hide scratches and surface abrasions better. Stone tile is also porous, so it has to be sealed properly to resist staining from things such as red wine and grease. And some ceramic tiles, as well as polished stone such as granite or marble, can lose their shine when exposed to some food acids.As in floors, latex-modified grout should be used on tiled countertops along with a good coat of grout sealer. Again, epoxy grout, which costs a little more and is a little harder to install, will make the grout impenetrable. Should the Backsplash Blend or Make a Splash? A tile backsplash is the spot where you can be really creative with tile in the kitchen (see the photos on p. 94). Beca use a backsplash functions to protect the wall from splashes and splatters that come from cooking and preparing food, the only prerequisite is that backsplash tile be easy to keep clean.Beyond that, the choices become mainly aesthetic. I always ask clients how much stuff they plan to keep on their countertops. Toasters, microwaves, and canisters tend to block the backsplash, and in that case, the backsplash just provides a backdrop of color and tex- Putting Tile to Work in the Kitchen 93 sources Miracle Sealants Company 800-350-1901 www. miraclesealants. com ture. I usually recommend extending the tile from the countertop all the way to the bottoms of the wall cabinets so that the backsplash acts as a visual connection between the upper and lower cabinets.Borders usually work best above long stretches of counter that are uninterrupted by windows or appliances. And when installed three-quarters of the way up the backsplash, a border wont get lost near the countertop or under the wall cabinets. At that height, a border will usually clear the height of the toaster or a bowl of fruit for a continuous line. If the client is thinking of having decorative tiles scattered randomly throughout the backsplash, I suggest taping playing cards to the wall at random to see if the effect works in that particular kitchen.Playing cards can also be used in a line to test the visual power of a border. Isnt Tile Expensive? Tile varies greatly in price, and budget is a concern for the vast majority of my clients. So heres my strategy for keeping costs down. First, use reasonably priced machinemade tile for large areas in the kitchen. Then there will be money left for those handmade borders, small murals, or strategically placed accent tiles that will give your kitchen a rich look without breaking the bank (see the right photo below).Installation prices can vary greatly depending on the type of tile, the layout, and the conditions of the existing floors and walls. A tile installer c an explain what your options are and how much each option costs. Even if you opt for a less expensive installation, always seal the tile. Sealing tile is pretty easy, so you can save a little by doing it yourself. Spend some money on a good sealer. Lane Meehan is a tile maker and designer of decorative tiles. She and her husband, Tom, own and manage Cape Cod Tileworks in Harwich, Massachusetts. orous plus One Master Marble and Stone Care 760-406-1097 www. onemastermarble. com Gold shield The Tile Council of America 864-646-8453 www. tileusa. com Tile Art and Accents he backsplash of cows in a pasture (see the left photo below) in this kitchen designed by Randy Fritz of Lakeside, Calif. , combines the art of Roger Dunham of Petaluma, Calif. , with the practicality of T ceramic tile. Random decorative tiles in a backsplash of less expensive, machine-made tile (see the right photo below) give this kitchen a colorful accent. 94 Kitchen Projects