Building Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Building Design - Essay Example Rondeau et al. suggests this formula for computing payback period as: (2006, p. 145). For example, an individual decides to purchase a condominium unit in Central London as an investment for  £245,000. He further invests around  £25,000 to furnish the unit and make it easily leasable. Thus his total investment is  £270,000. He then is able to rent it out for  £1,900 while spending about  £100 in maintenance, thus is able to generate a net profit of  £1,800 a month. Using the above formula, it will take a 12  ½ years for the owner to recover the condominium’s purchase price through the net profit of the lease. Rate of return is a financial measure of the profitability of an investment or a project. It is â€Å"what you get, minus what you started out with, expressed as a percentage of what you started with† (Getlner, et al., 2007, p. 176). Using the above example in the payback period concept, let us examine the rate of return of the condominium unit investment as several periods of time. At 12  ½ years, the owner would have made  £270,000 of rental profits, equal to the initial investment on the unit. Therefore, the rate of return on the 12.5th year would have been 0%. However if he waited 2  ½ more years to assess his investment, he would realize a 20% rate of return or  £54,000. There are two types of returns, one that is time-based, called periodic returns and one that is dollar-weighted (or in this case, pounds-weighted) called internal rate of return (Getlner, et al., 2007, p. 174). Internal rate of return, commonly referred to as IRR is applicable to real estate investments because it can compute investment performance over long periods of time which is the usual case in owning a property. One need not know the yearly value of the asset, the important information is the value of the capital investment at

Video Game Violence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Video Game Violence - Research Paper Example On the other hand, some video games may have potential benefits to children. The games’ realistic and stimulating character has made it extremely acceptable and trendy to the younger generation. Statistics show that almost 80% of American children, ages 7 to 17 years old, play an average of 8 hours daily. While some games available in the market are suitably wholesome, beneficial and educational for children; some games, particularly those with ultra violent content could be destructive and inappropriate. The intensification of electronic play together with the escalating incidences of youth crimes has led to massive government and police investigations and legislative schemes worldwide (â€Å"School Age: Video Game Addiction†). Majority of conducted studies have been centered on the negative correlation between electronic games and aggressive behavior among the youth; and assessment of strategies aimed at reduction of risks to minors. However, minimal studies have been carried out to prove some probabilities of constructive influences on children’s development (Salonius-Pasternak and Gelfond 6). Despite numerous researches on the impact of violent electronic games on children, there appears to be as much perplexity as ever. Why do video games increase violence and aggression among the youth? How do these games affect children’s behavior? Why do those children already exposed to violence in society choose games of aggression? We may or may not find convincing answers to link video games with violent behavior. Psychoanalysts, educators, scientists, computer technologists, parents and even commoners may give different opinions and through them, we will be able to understand the reasons behind their arguments. This article will analyze the different viewpoints of different observers. Potential benefits and negative impacts will be presented, as well as this author’s personal analysis on the issue: Evidences of exhibited aggressiv e behavior in children and the growing incidence of crimes committed by young gamers are linked with over-exposure to video games; however, the probabilities of video games’ positive influences should not be ignored. Evidences of exhibited aggressive behavior in children and the growing incidence of crimes committed by young gamers are linked with over-exposure to video games; however, the probabilities of video games’ positive influences should not be ignored. In the seventies, modernization and technological innovations introduced electronic game play to society, particularly targeting the interest of the younger generation. Since then, video game play became a major part of children’s daily activities. In the 1980s, classrooms were equipped with computers and later, computers were recognized as providers of knowledge. Studies showed that educational software and games can undeniably have numerous beneficial effects on children’s academic performance (K ent). The beneficial effects electronic play has on children should not be discounted. Video games are educators. The interactive nature of this electronic media can be highly motivational; children become enthusiastically connected; they learn through repetition; and are rewarded for skillful