Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Leadership in Star Trek for Vulcan Leader - myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about th Leadership in Star Trek for Vulcan Leader. Answer: Introduction Leadership may be defined as the ability to guide an organization or a group of people. This may be considered a research area as well as a hands-on skill. There exist various viewpoints on the approaches taken to leadership. According to the environment of the academics in US, leadership maybe defined as the social influence process whereby the concerned person may support and help his fellow workers to accomplish a common job. These definitions change with the change in the approach towards the definition of the project. The following report discusses the leadership style of Captain Spock, a character from the television series based on science fiction. The report focusses on the leadership style of the Vulcan leader, Spock as depicted in the sixteenth episode of the first season of the series titled The Galileo Seven. The report attempts an analysis of the effectiveness of the leadership style and behavior of Captain Spock as depicted in the given episode. Discussion A media franchise of America brought into existence by Gene Roddenbury, Star Trek is based on science fiction (Gregory 2016; Greenberger, 2012). The story of the series narrates the adventures of the captain and crew of the fictional aircraft, USS Enterprise (NCC - 1701). The show is set in the twenty-third century in the 2260s in the Milky Way galaxy. The onboard crew of the spaceship include the captain of the ship, Captain James T. Kirk, the first officer Spock, who is also the science officer and the chief medical officer of the team, Leonard McCoy along with the other crew members. The spacecraft that has been in use in the television series is mentioned to be made by the interstellar Federal republic called United Federation of Planets. According to the storyline, the crew is entrusted with the duty of finding planets that may sustain lifeforms. The expedition is conducted in a relatively small part of the galaxy. The television series was first broadcasted on the 8th of Septem ber, 1966 on NBC in the United States. The episode in discussion, The Galileo Seven is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the series. The episode was first aired in on the 5th of January in the year 1967 in the United States (StarTrek.com 2017; Rehak 2016). In this episode, the U.S.S. Enterprise passes by the Murasaki 312, enroute to Makus III. the Makus III is ridden by plague and needs medical supplies which are to be delivered by the starship. The crew of the starship are under the orders from the Starfleet to inquire upon galactic phenomena similar to the exhibited by the beehive-like group of stars. Thus, seven members of the crew and the first officer, Spock embark on a journey to take a closer look of the star-group. The shuttle spacecraft is pulled out of their track and out of the range of sensors of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise. The crew manages a crash landing on a rocky area covered with fog on the Taurus II. The Taurus II is inhabited by huge, combative manlike creatures. The crew of the shuttlecraft along with the first officer had to face and defend themselves against the attacks of the humanoids while trying to mend the space shuttle and leave the hostile planet as soon as possible. Due to an ionization effect on the instruments of the space shuttle, the U.S.S. Enterprise fails in its attempts to find the Galileo. Commissioner Ferris, the federation official who was in charge of the mission to supply emergency medical supplements to the planet Makus III, had objected to undertaking of the exploration mission to explore the galactic phenomena at the quasar like formation of stars under the leadership of Spock, the science officer of the spacecraft (Startrek.com 2017). The Galactic High Commissioner demands that the captain of the spaceship, Captain Kirk call off the search for the lost shuttlecraft and proceed on their journey towards the plague-ridden planet of Makus III. In the meantime, on the Taurus II, two of the crew are murdered by the humanoids who reside on the planet. A crew member places an irrational demand for Spock. Spock was demanded to halt the repairmen of the space shuttle and participate in the burial of the dead crew. The logical insight of Spock bars him from complying to the wishes of the lieutenant in the situation that they were facing at the current moment. The Galileo manages to orbit around the planet in an unsteady manner while the starship crew gets busy in preparing for the flight to the planet Makus III. Spock realizes that the shuttle would not be making it out of the gravitational range of the planet and thus in an attempt to escape the planet, the science officer ignites the fuel that was left in the shuttle. The crew of the space shuttle get teleported to the space ship after the crew onboard the U.S.S. Enterprise detect a flare like that of a meteor as the space shuttle gets destroyed in the atmosphere of the Taurus II. Spock sticks to the point that the decision that he took to attempt a try at saving themselves was a logical Vulcan approach to the problem. Officer Spock, is an extremely logic-oriented person. Throughout the entire series, in every random situation the personality of this person which is revealed shows appropriate application of logic and reasoning devoid of emotional attachments. Captain Kirk acknowledges the same fact when he says that he has known Spock to have judged every situation based on logic and logic alone (Hermalin 2014; Hurwitz and Hurwitz 2015). A true leader must not let the air of pride cloud into his head. Spock displayed this trait in the earlier part of the episode, where he mentions that he is a very logical person and neither does he enjoy the idea of commanding nor is he frightened by it. True to his character, in this situation as well, Spock demonstrated his sense of proper reasoning when he spoke of the details of the weapon used to kill Latimer instead of emotionally speaking about the death of his comrade (Nichols 2017; Zehetner and Steinkellner 2014). This was not very readily accepted by two of the other crew members present there and they criticized him for his heartless behavior. On the subject of heading back to the starship it was observed that 150 pounds of weight needed to be dismounted to achieve escape velocity. This needed the crucial decision of sacrificing the life of one crew member back on planet Taurus-II or leaving none behind but jeopardizing the success rate of their survival. At times a leader is forced to take strong decisions, no matter how cruel it may seem, for the benefit of the entire team (Hicks 2017). Officer Spock exhibited such nervous strength under the umbrella of logical indifference and rationally, when he casually decided that it is the most logical solution to ensure the safety of the entire crew. This shows that though Officer Spock is emotionally ignorant, he is a responsible leader (Reynolds 2015; Balzac 2014). A leader must always keep faith in his abilities. He must keep his cool and calm even when the situation around him intensifies or his team members start doubting him (Hermalin 2014). Officer Spock exhibits such dedication and calmness when he sees that the fuel tank of his ship had been depleted. In all the adversities, he never lost his composure and had hope as well as his calm rational mind at work to calculate a way out of the difficult situation his team was in. This shows the composure of Spock as a leader. Although it might seem difficult, sometimes following through the seemingly irrational decision of the team mates is also a duty of the leader to keep their trust in themselves unaltered. As is seen in the case of Gaetanos death, although a proper burial was unnecessary and risky for the crew, but upon being insisted forcefully by his team, Spock decided in favor of the burial. This shows Spock knows when to let go of his personal decisions as a team leader and allow the wishes of his teammates as well. On rare occasions the most crucial decision a leader might have to take is to sacrifice his/her own self for the benefit or rather survival of his team. This requires an immense sense of dedication and responsibility to the team to put their survival even before ones own life, and Spock exhibited such dedication, when he was injured by one of the locals of planet Taurus-II, and ordered his team to leave him behind so that they may survive. His radical act of suddenly engaging the jet thrusters in hope of sending a distress signal, can also be judged as an act of heroism on part of the leader, when he successfully safe-zoned his team out of danger (Franco 2016). An overall judgement of the character of Spock reveals that leaders like him may not be too friendly to work with, but are uncompromising on the efficiency-front. They are dedicated, work-oriented, self-less and responsible leaders, valued and respected by the entire team (Halmburger, Baumert and Schmitt 2016; Duncan 2013). This is proven by the fact that the team members chose to rescue Spock and not leave him alone in-spite of his discreet orders to do so when he was injured. Conclusion In lieu of the above discussion, it may be said that Spock is a very rational and logical person. He tries to work based on only logic which his team members may find heart less at times Spock steps up boldly into every situation and helps his team reach new places and achieve what they had thought of accomplishing. Thus considering all aspects of the character, it may be said that Spock is a leader capable of guiding his team in the best possible manner. References Balzac, S.R., 2014. Leadership, Power, and Emotional Intelligence. InOrganizational Psychology for Managers(pp. 63-82). Springer New York. Duncan, C., 2013.Unite the Tribes: Leadership Skills for Technology Managers. Apress. Franco, Z.E., 2016. Heroism in Times of Crisis.Handbook of Heroism and Heroic Leadership, p.185. Greenberger, R., 2012.Star Trek: The Complete Unauthorized History. Voyageur Press (MN). Gregory, C., 2016.Star Trek: Parallel Narratives. Springer. Halmburger, A., Baumert, A. and Schmitt, M., 2016. Determinants of Moral Courage.Handbook of Heroism and Heroic Leadership. Hermalin, B.E., 2014. At the helm, Kirk or Spock? The pros and cons of charismatic leadership.Browser Download This Paper. Hermalin, B.E., 2014.At the Helm, Kirk or Spock? Why Even Wholly Rational Actors May Favor and Respond to Charismatic Leaders. Working paper, UC Berkeley. Hicks, E.A., 2017. Designing Effective Teams for Technical Services: The Role of Leadership, Followership, and Group Emotional Intelligence. Houllou, J.R.Z., 2016. A multido nos seriados Star Trek e Heroes: dissensos do imperialismo ao imprio.Doutorado Cincia da Linguagem Florianpolis-Tubaro. Hurwitz, M. and Hurwitz, S., 2015.Leadership is half the story: A fresh look at followership, leadership, and collaboration. University of Toronto Press. Nichols, K., 2017. Case Study# 4: Star Trek by Gene Roddenberry.Public Voices,13(2), pp.143-161. Rehak, B., 2016. Transmedia space battles: reference materials and miniatures wargames in 1970s Star Trek fandom.Science Fiction Film Television,9(3), pp.325-345. Reynolds, S., 2015.Leadership 101. Defense Acquisition University Fort Belvoir United States. Startrek.com (2017).Ferris, Galactic High Commissioner. [online] StarTrek.com. Available at: https://www.startrek.com/database_article/ferris [Accessed 15 Oct. 2017]. StarTrek.com (2017).Galileo Seven, The. [online] StarTrek.com. Available at: https://www.startrek.com/database_article/galileo-seven-the [Accessed 15 Oct. 2017]. Zehetner, K. and Steinkellner, P., 2014. Servant Leadership in Finance-Contradiction or Symbiosis?.International Journal of Arts Sciences,7(2), p.361.

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Directors or the Management of Businesses †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: How to the Directors or the Management of Businesses? Answer: Introduction At the time of running of the businesses, the board of directors or the management of the businesses has to face some major financial risks. These financial risks are major hindrances for the performance of the businesses. Examples of the major financial risks are exposure risk, operational risk, credit risk, market risk, foreign exchange risk, economic volatility risk, liquidity risk, inflation risk and many others (Hull 2012). In order to mitigate all these financial risk factors, the business organizations need to employ effective risk management strategies. Financial Risk Management is the process of increasing the economic value of the organization by effectively managing the above-mentioned risks effectively. In the process of financial risk management, the business organizations use different kinds of strategies as if the strategy is diversifications and others (Christoffersen 2012). In the process of risk management, a crucial strategy is the hedging strategy. Hedging is the process to reduce or to control the financial risks of the business organizations. The main objective of the process of hedging is to reduce the risks related with the future change in the value of future position. Different kinds of techniques are used in the process of hedging; but in this process, hedging takes opposite and equal position in two different markets. Another crucial objective of hedging is to protect the capital of the business against the economic inflation with the help of investment in the financial instruments with high yield. Hence, hedging can be considered as one of the major tools to reduce different kinds of financial risks of the businesses (Bielecki and Rutkowski 2013). Company Background The study involves with the analysis and evaluation of the financial risk management processes of one of the best mining companies. BHP Billiton Limited. BHP Billiton is one of the largest Anglo-Australian multinational mining corporations that are involved with the processes of mining, metals and petroleum. The company was incorporated in the year of 1985 and the headquarter of the company is in Melbourne, Australia. BHP Billiton has its business operations spread all over the world. The major products of the company are iron ore, coal, natural gas, copper, petroleum and others. BHP Billiton has an employee base of 65,000. It has been seen that the company has been facing some major financial risks like external risks, operational risks and others (bhpbilliton.com 2017). Identification of the Primary Financial Risks of BHP Billiton In the business operations of BHP Billiton, the management of financial risks is an important aspect. One of the major mottos of the company is to provide greater certainty and confidence to the stakeholders of the organization by managing the business risks effectively. On the other hand, the process of business decision-making of BHP Billiton largely depends on the financial risk management of the company. As the study is about the financial risk management of BHP Billiton, it is needed to discuss the major financial risks of the company. The primary financial risks of BHP Billiton are shown below: One of the major financial risks of BHP Billiton is involved with the failure of Samarco dam. On 5 November 2015, the Samarco dam faced a trailing failure. This dam failure had an adverse effect on the financial operations of the company (Labonne 2016). The Samarco dam failure significantly affected the financial result of BHP Billiton in the financial year 2016. After the failure of Samarco dam, the business operations of BHP Billiton were closed for some days. This is an example of the incidents from where financial risks are derived. Apart from this, there are some other risks in the business operations of BHP Billiton. Another crucial financial risk of BHP Billiton is the interest rate risk. As per the financial report of BHP Billiton, the company had a total debt of $43,342 million in the year 2016. The amount of interest that needs to be paid is $12,241 million. Thus, it can be seen that the company has a huge amount of debt and this loan amount leads to a huge amount of intere st that needs to be paid in the future period (bhpbilliton.com 2017). It can be seen that BHP Billiton is exposed to the interest rate risks due to the huge amount of long-term debts. The floating rate of interest is changed with the economic condition of the country (Wu 2013). The next significant risk is the currency risk. It can be seen that the rate of currency is related with the economic condition of the country and the rate of interest. Due to worldwide economic slowdown, a significant fluctuation can be seen in the exchange rate of the currencies (Su et al. 2013). The next primary financial risk is the commodity price risk. Due to the world economic slowdown, the purchasing power of the customers has decreased and this reason affects the price of commodity of BHP Billiton. Another major financial risk of BHP Billiton is reduction in the Chinese demand. As per the speculation of the board of management of BHP Billiton, this reduction of demand is going to negatively affect the financial results of the organization (Lf and Ericsson 2015). Years Particulars Details 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Earnings Per Share (EPS) A 5.79 4.09 5.2 0.71 -2.4 Market Price Per Share B 78.42 68.2 47.32 25.76 35.78 Dividend Per Share C 2.2 2.28 2.36 2.48 1.56 P/E Ratio B/A 13.544 16.6748 9.1 36.2817 -14.908 Dividend Yield C/B 0.02805 0.03343 0.04987 0.09627 0.0436 The above table shows the Profit Earning Ration (P/E Ratio) and Dividend yield ratio for the last five years starting from 2012 to 2016. A higher amount of P/E ratio indicates that the investors are speculating higher growth of the company. From the above, it can be seen that the P/E ratio is in negative in 2016 as compared to 2015. Even the P/E ratio is in negative in 2016. It indicates that the investors are highly disappointed with the company due to various financial risks. From the dividend yield, it can be seen that the company has given less amount of dividend in 2016 as compared to 2015. It implies that the profit of the company is danger as the company is providing less amount of dividend. Recommendation on Hedging The above discussion sheds lights on the financial risks of BHP Billiton Limited. It can be seen that BHP Billiton has adopted many attractive strategies to mitigate the financial risks of the organization. However, based on the discussion about the primary financial risks of the organization, some major recommendations are provided below: In case of Samarco dam failure, it is recommended that BHP Billiton needs to investigate more on this failure to know the actual reason of the failure. In order to employ the effective risk management strategy, it is needed to know the main reasons of the failure of the dam. In this regard, it is necessary to form an investigation committee to discover the major reason of the failure (Smith 2016). As per the above discussion, another major primary financial risk of the company is the interest rate risk. As the fluctuation of interest risk is largely depends on the economic condition, the process hedging is to be recommended in this regard. The strategy of hedging is needed to mitigate the risk involved in the interest rates (Bingham and Kiesel 2013). As per the above discussion, the nest risk is the currency rate risk. In this regard, the recommendation is to adopt the strategy of hedging in the aspect of currency risk. As per the annual report of the organization, the company has also adopted the strategy of hedging in case of currency risks. The recommendation is same as the adopted strategy of the company as the process of hedging helps to reduce the financial risks of the organizations (Scordis and Steinorth 2012). The above discussion indicates that the next risk of BHP Billiton is the commodity risk. In relation with the commodity price risk, it is recommended to employ the strategy of hedging. The strategy of hedging will be helpful to mitigate the risks related to the commodity prices. The recommendation is provided in accordance to the strategy of the company as the company also adopted the strategy of hedging (Goss 2013). In case of the reduction of Chinese demand, it is recommended to investigate into the matter to know the reasons of the decrease in the demand. These are the recommended strategies that BHP Billiton needs to strategies to mitigate the financial risks of the company (Shen, Gao and Cheng 2012). Recommendation on Hedging As per the above discussion about the recommendation regarding the solution of the financial risks of the organization, there are three cases where the strategy of hedging is recommended. They are interest rate risk, currency rate risk and commodity price risk. this part of the study shows the type of derivatives strategies that needs to be strategies. In the case of interest rate risk, it is recommended to adopt the swap derivative for the process of hedging. Swap derivative is considered as one of the most complex derivatives. The adoption of swat derivatives allows the participants to change their cash flows. It can be seen that BHP Billiton has a large number of term debts and for this reason, the company has to pay a large amount of interest in the future. However, with the help of hedging through swap derivative, the company will be able to change its rate of interest from fixed rate to floating rate or floating rate to fixed rate. This is a private contract and the related parties can go for negotiation at the time of hedging (Saretto and Tookes 2013). In case of the currency risk, it is recommended to adopt the strategy of forward contract derivative at the time of hedging process. Forward contract is the most common and widely used contract. In the process of forward contract, two parties are agreed upon a contract to sell something in the near future and the selling price is determined at present situation. With the help of this hedging strategy, BHP Billiton will be able to set the price of the currency based on the recent time. This will help the organization to avoid the negative effect of the change in exchange rate of the currencies. It is not compulsory to disclose the all the information about forward contract hedging to people (Aid, Campi and Langren 2013). However, in case of the currency risks of the organization, the most suitable procedure will be the hedging process with the help of future contracts. In case of the future contracts, the selling or buying process takes place in near future, but the prices in which th e selling or buying process takes place will be determined in the present time. The third risk is about the risk of commodity price. In this regard, it is recommended to adopt the option contract in the process of hedging. In the process of option contract, to parties are agreed upon to sale or purchase something in the near future. In this case, one party has the obligation to sell or purchase in the near future and another party has the power to decide whether he/she wants to sell or purchase. With the help of this strategy, BHP Billiton will be able to sell his products in the near future. In this derivative, the organization will be able to make decision on the selling or purchasing the commodities in pre-determined prices. This process of hedging will be useful for the company to mitigate the risks regrinding the prices of the commodity of the organization (Voit 2013). Hedging Strategies As per the above discussion, it can be seen that there are three kinds of risks. They are interest rate risk, currency rate risk and commodity price risk. Among all these three risks, the currency rate risk and commodity prices risk will be hedged with full exposure. The interest rate swap will not be hedged. Same like the interest rate risk, the currency rate risk will not be hedged. The main reason is that the company has its presence all over the world and for this reason the company has to make currency exchanges in several countries. The main focus of the report is to make the hedging of the commodity price risk of the company (Dong, Kouvelis and Su 2014). Hundred percent of the exposure of commodity price of the company will be hedged. It implies that company will hedge all the future purchase of the commodities of the organization as the company is considering that there will be fluctuations in the future price of the commodities. As per the provided information, the hedging time or horizon is December 2017. As the company is dealing with crude oil, the future prices of crude oil will be USD $51.74. However, the company is speculating that the price of crude oil will be decreased in the near future. Hence, there is a risk that the company may have to face losses. For this reason, the company will buy put option. This process will help the company to hedge the loss amount. For example, the company is considering the fact the price of crude oil will be decreased to USD $45.74 in future. If not hedged, the company has to face the loss of USD $6 ($51.74 - $45.74). The advantage of having the hedging strategy is that with the help of put option, the company will hedge the risk of USD $6 (Loss 2012). Particulars Value Hedging Strategy Buy Put Current Price USD $51.74 Expected Price (Future) USD $45.74 Declining Price USD $6 ($51.74 - $45.74) Adequacy of Hedging in BHP Billiton As per the above discussion, it can be understood that the main purpose of the implementation of the hedging process is to minimize the risks of the business organization. There is not any exception of this fact in case of BHP Billiton. From the annual report of the company, it can be seen that the company has adopted the strategy of hedging the various aspects of the financial business operations. It can also be been seen that the company has adopted different derivatives for different business operations. One can take the example of currency rate risk of the company. It can be seen that the organization have adopted the swap derivative for the process of heeding. In case of the commodity price risk, BHP Billiton has adopted the future contract hedging strategy. Hence, it can be seen that the company has hedged the business operations based on the merit of the risks. In this regard, it can be said that BHP Billiton has done quite a good job as the company is adequately hedged. Howev er, it is recommended the company needs to frequently review its hedging techniques to know that whether there is any loopholes in the hedging process of the company. It is also recommended that BHP Billiton should also search for scopes so that the hedging processes of the company can make more effective (bhpbilliton.com 2017). Conclusion According to the above discussion, it can be seen that there are some major financial risks in the business operation of BHP Billiton. They are commodity price risk, interest rate risk, currency rate risk, decrease in Chinese demand, the samarco dam risk and many others. Among all these risks, commodity price risk, interest rate risk and currency rate risk demand the strategy of hedging to be minimized. As per the recommendation, swap derivative hedging process will be applicable for interest rate risk; forward contract derivative risk will be applicable for currency rate risk and option contract derivative hedging process will be applicable for commodity price risk. It can be seen that BHP Billiton is adequately hedged as the company has hedged most of the business activities based on the merit of the risks. However, it is recommended that the company need to review its hedging activities for improvements. References Aid, R., Campi, L. and Langren, N., 2013. A Structural Risk?Neutral Model for Pricing and Hedging Power Derivatives.Mathematical Finance,23(3), pp.387-438. BHP Billiton. (2017).BHP Billiton | Minerals Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.bhpbilliton.com/our-businesses/minerals-australia [Accessed 19 May 2017]. Bhpbilliton.com. (2017).Annual Report 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.bhpbilliton.com/-/media/bhp/documents/investors/annual-reports/2016/bhpbillitonannualreport2016.pdf?la=en [Accessed 19 May 2017]. Bielecki, T.R. and Rutkowski, M., 2013.Credit risk: modeling, valuation and hedging. Springer Science Business Media. Bingham, N.H. and Kiesel, R., 2013.Risk-neutral valuation: Pricing and hedging of financial derivatives. Springer Science Business Media. Christoffersen, P.F., 2012.Elements of financial risk management. Academic Press. Dong, L., Kouvelis, P. and Su, P., 2014. Operational hedging strategies and competitive exposure to exchange rates.International Journal of Production Economics,153, pp.215-229. Goss, B., 2013.Futures markets: their establishment and performance. Routledge. Hobson, D. and Klimmek, M., 2012. Model-independent hedging strategies for variance swaps.Finance and Stochastics,16(4), pp.611-649. Hull, J., 2012.Risk management and financial institutions,+ Web Site(Vol. 733). John Wiley Sons. Labonne, B., 2016. Mining dam failure: Business as usual?.The Extractive Industries and Society,3(3), pp.651-652. Lf, A. and Ericsson, M., 2015. Iron Ore 2015: Market Review and Forecast.Engineering and Mining Journal,216(11), p.34. Loss, F., 2012. Optimal hedging strategies and interactions between firms.Journal of economics management strategy,21(1), pp.79-129. Saretto, A. and Tookes, H.E., 2013. Corporate leverage, debt maturity, and credit supply: The role of credit default swaps.Review of Financial Studies,26(5), pp.1190-1247. Scordis, N.A. and Steinorth, P., 2012. Value from hedging risk with reinsurance.Journal of Insurance Issues, pp.210-231. Shen, L., Gao, T.M. and Cheng, X., 2012. China's coal policy since 1979: A brief overview.Energy Policy,40, pp.274-281. Smith, K., 2016. Brazil: BHP Billiton under pressure for Samarco compensation.Green Left Weekly, (1119), p.18. Su, R., Yi, R., Hooper, K. and Dutta, A., 2013. Information Spillover, Profit Opportunities, and Return Deviations Analysis: The Case of Cross-Listed BHP Billiton.International Journal of Business and Economics,12(2), p.155. Voit, J., 2013.The statistical mechanics of financial markets. Springer Science Business Media. Wu, M., 2013. Coal mining.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Modern Family Tv Show free essay sample

Holidays are always beautiful events in our life even if we only have it once a year. It’s the time when families enjoy been together. It is a time when we all happy and forget all concerns during the year. It is the time to apologize if we have done something wrong. But the most important is been with the people you love the most. Modern Family is a really fun TV show they have thought something important about the holidays. Since most of them would not at home during Christmas Day they decide to have an express Christmas. Christmas day it is important for people that celebrate this holiday, for others is just another regular day. But, even if people don’t celebrate Christmas they have a holiday that could be the same when they enjoy and gather together with their family. For Modern Family, it was important for them to make this express Christmas because they wanted to have a family reunion and celebrate together. We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Family Tv Show or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They all put their effort to accomplish their goal by buying the tree, putting the colorful lights, wrapping the presents and making dinner. Modern Family shows us that if we really want something it must be done if you really desire it. We saw that most of them have complications doing what they have to do. The Christmas tree was crash by two cars, the turkey was trade for a Christmas present, and the angel that goes on the tree fly over the window and broke. They all thought that it was a waste of time in doing the express Christmas. But, one of the members of the family says that even though the plan fell they all are together and it was the most important. It was true, they have their family, love and they are all happy about what they have. For many people Christmas could be a melancholy day where they don’t have any family or they do but they are far away. So, they don’t feel like celebrating since this type of holidays is to be with your family and love ones to celebrate. But, Modern Family, though us that even if something go wrong there is people out there that love you, care and support you. There is always someone out there that is willing to make them happy. Modern Family tries their best to come up with the plan and have their Christmas presents and celebrate it before. But, things didn’t go very well and the fun part was that they enjoy doing it anyways. Because they did it together as a family and that is what family is for to support each other. Holidays are the most precious events for most of us, because is the time to be with the family and also is the time to a new beginning.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Free Essays on Thomas Jefferson

(Born April 13, 1743 at Shadwell, Virginia; died July 4, 1826, Monticello) Thomas Jefferson author of the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, third president of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia voiced the aspirations of a new America as no other individual of his era. As public official, historian, philosopher, and plantation owner, he served his country for over five decades. His father Peter Jefferson was a successful planter and surveyor and his mother Jane Randolph a member of one of Virginia's most distinguished families. Having inherited a considerable landed estate from his father, Jefferson began building Monticello when he was twenty-six years old. Three years later, he married Martha Wayles Skelton, with whom he lived happily for ten years until her death. Their marriage produced six children, but only two survived to adulthood. Jefferson, who never remarried, maintained Monticello as his home throughout his life, always expanding and changing the house. Jefferson inherited slaves from both his father and father-in-law. In a typical year, he owned about 200, almost half of them under the age of sixteen. About eighty of these lived at Monticello; the others lived on adjacent Albemarle County plantations, and on his Poplar Forest estate in Bedford County, Virginia. Jefferson freed two slaves in his lifetime and five in his will and chose not to pursue two others who ran away. All were members of the Hemings family; the seven he eventually freed were skilled tradesmen.Having attended the College of William and Mary, Jefferson practiced law and served in local government as a magistrate, county lieutenant, and member of the House of Burgesses in his early professional life. As a member of the Continental Congress, he was chosen in 1776 to draft the Declaration of Independence, which has been regarded ever since as a charter of American and univer... Free Essays on Thomas Jefferson Free Essays on Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson is remembered in history not only for the offices he held, but also for his belief in the natural rights of man as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and his faith in the people’s ability to govern themselves. He left an impact on his times equaled by few others in American history. Born on April 13, 1743, Jefferson was the third child in the family and grew up with six sisters and one brother. Though he opposed slavery, his family had owned slaves. From his father and his environment he developed an interest in botany, geology, cartography, and North American exploration, and from his childhood teacher developed a love for Greek and Latin. In 1760, at the age of 16, Jefferson entered the College of William and Mary and studied under William Small and George Wythe. Through Small, he got his first views of the expansion of science and of the system of things in which we are placed. Through Small and Wythe, Jefferson became acquainted with Governor Francis Fauquier. After finishing college in 1762, Jefferson studied law with Wythe and noticed growing tension between America and Great Britain. Jefferson was admitted to the bar in 1767. He successfully practiced law until public service occupied most of his time. At his home in Shadwell, he designed and supervised the building of his home, Monticello, on a nearby hill. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1769. Jefferson met Martha Wayles Skelton, a wealthy widow of 23, in 1770 and married her in 1772. They settled in Monticello and had one son and five daughters. Only two of his children, Martha and Mary, survived until maturity. Mrs. Martha Jefferson died in 1782, leaving Thomas to take care of his two remaining children. Though not very articulate, Jefferson proved to be an able writer of laws and resolutions he was very concise and straight to... Free Essays on Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Who: Thomas Jefferson was born in Albermarle County, Virginia. He attended the College of William and Mary. Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton and they lived at Monticello. He was a member of the Continental Congress and the Virginia House of Burgesses. At the age of 33 he wrote the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson became minister to France causing much conflict with Alexander Hamilton. He was the third President of the United States and retired after his second term. Thomas Jefferson pushed for states rights as opposed to a central government. He died in 1826. What: In 1776 at the age of 33 Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. He would later write a bill for the freedom of religion that would be enacted in 1786. Thomas Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as minister to france in 1785. As two parties began to form Jefferson took the leadership of the Republicans. He lost the presidential election by three votes to Adams, only to become his Vice President. When he finally became President the revolution in France was over. Jefferson cut back on Army and Navy expenditures, cut the budget, and got rid of the tax on whiskey and still managed to drop the national debt by thirty three percent. The greatest success of his presidency was the Louisiana Purchase. With this he was able to double the size of the United States by purchasing vast amounts of land from Napoleon. The purchase also brought along troubles with Spain since the boundaries were unclear. Jefferson later tried to purchase the Floridas but to no ava il. During his second year Jefferson had to deal with French and English warships forcing American merchants into service. To stop the impressment of Americans Jefferson passed the Embargo Act, cutting off all trade from America. A very unpopular and hard to enforce act, it was later replaced by the NonIntercourse Act prohibiting trade with Great Britain an... Free Essays on Thomas Jefferson (Born April 13, 1743 at Shadwell, Virginia; died July 4, 1826, Monticello) Thomas Jefferson author of the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, third president of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia voiced the aspirations of a new America as no other individual of his era. As public official, historian, philosopher, and plantation owner, he served his country for over five decades. His father Peter Jefferson was a successful planter and surveyor and his mother Jane Randolph a member of one of Virginia's most distinguished families. Having inherited a considerable landed estate from his father, Jefferson began building Monticello when he was twenty-six years old. Three years later, he married Martha Wayles Skelton, with whom he lived happily for ten years until her death. Their marriage produced six children, but only two survived to adulthood. Jefferson, who never remarried, maintained Monticello as his home throughout his life, always expanding and changing the house. Jefferson inherited slaves from both his father and father-in-law. In a typical year, he owned about 200, almost half of them under the age of sixteen. About eighty of these lived at Monticello; the others lived on adjacent Albemarle County plantations, and on his Poplar Forest estate in Bedford County, Virginia. Jefferson freed two slaves in his lifetime and five in his will and chose not to pursue two others who ran away. All were members of the Hemings family; the seven he eventually freed were skilled tradesmen.Having attended the College of William and Mary, Jefferson practiced law and served in local government as a magistrate, county lieutenant, and member of the House of Burgesses in his early professional life. As a member of the Continental Congress, he was chosen in 1776 to draft the Declaration of Independence, which has been regarded ever since as a charter of American and univer... Free Essays on Thomas Jefferson In this article â€Å"Thomas Jefferson and the Meanings of Liberty,† scholar and historian Douglas L. Wilson warns of the dangers of presentism when evaluating the character of Thomas Jefferson and his contributions. Wilson used the alleged affair between Jefferson and Sally Hemings to present his case of presentism. He then showed how presentism has distorted history as in the case of how Americans now perceive the stories of the Old West. Wilson took great effort to show that Jefferson had many qualities and talents that were never justly emphasized. In fact, he portrayed Jefferson as a modern futuristic thinker whose own personal life did not reflect his beliefs in regards to freedom and race. Thomas Jefferson’s ideas and beliefs about equality of man were heavily influenced from European thinkers during the eighteenth century, or the Age of Reason. Fawn M. Brodie published a book in 1974 where she tried to prove that Thomas Jefferson and his slave girl, Sally Hemings, had a thirty-eight year love affair. Jefferson himself denied the allocation. Jefferson biographer Dumas Malone stated the book had no historical merit. Wilson believed that great Americans, including Kennedy, should be judged by their accomplishments and not by their personal weaknesses. Wilson argues how presentism has distorted history regarding stories and tales that used to glorify the Old West. These have now turned to lessons on how man has ruined the land and mistreated the Indians. A generation ago children admired the stories of Davy Crocket and other Indian fighters and today the old heroes of the west are regarded as killers who destroyed the land and personal rights of the Indian. Wilson strongly argues that using our values today alter the heroes of yesterday. Douglas showed in his article that Jefferson was a contemporary on such views as exercise and diet and architecture. In his youth he was a runner and later believed in the benefits of wal... Free Essays on Thomas Jefferson When the name Thomas Jefferson is mentioned we consider it a prastejuse name of one of this great nation’s Founding Fathers. We are proud to have such a brilliant man representing the history of this nation. If an individual were to take a step closer they may be a little surprised at what they might find, and even upset that this man represents a part of this nation’s history. The greatest of conflicting issues with Thomas Jefferson was his issue on slavery. Was Thomas Jefferson for slavery, against it, or is this an issue that will boggle the minds of many people for eternity? This paper will provide facts and opinions on what the answer to those questions might be. Did Thomas Jefferson’s contributions help or hinder the creation of our nation today? Thomas Jefferson was born into a life as a slave owner. He inherited twenty-two slave and 5,000 acres of land from is father’s death. A decade later he inherited 135 more slaves and more land from his father-in-laws death (Finkelman, 186). At the end of the Revolution Thomas Jefferson had what seemed to be a miniature state, containing his family and around two hundred slaves (Finkelman, 186). Throughout his entire life he would buy and sell a great number of slaves, and as a slave owner he was nether to helpful or to hindering. He would punish them if they needed it and reward them if they did something out of their regular duties. He was considered to be an ordinary southerner and master (Finkelman, 186). Despite the many men of his stature at that time were manumitting or emancipating their slaves Thomas Jefferson would never conform to any such thing. He would own his slaves until the day that he died, and even then they would be sold to pay off the debt he owed at his death (Thomas). Through his life he would only free seven of the hundreds of slaves he owned....

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

E-Commerce Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10500 words

E-Commerce - Dissertation Example The fragmentation that has been mentioned above has been largely responsible for the cause of low productivity and deteriorating operational efficiencies in construction companies. On a positive note it can be said that, with the advent of information technology, construction companies are being seen increasingly using innovative information technology tools in order to address the issues associated with fragmentation. According to Lee and Yu several construction companies have been able to accrue the benefits of web based project management and internal administration system which in turn has enabled mangers to enhance their productivity as well as operational efficiency. The incorporation of information technology in the form of web based project management and internal administration system has also enabled construction companies to enhance coordination and collaboration among various operational departments that exist within the companies. Not only has this system facilitated collaboration and coordination between operational departments within one company but has also enabled two companies, engaged in one project, to enhance their coordination. As a conseq uence of that a robust line of communication could be established between business units of a company which in turn facilitated effective channelization of information thereby enhancing operational efficiency. Such have been the benefits of an all integrated web based project management and internal administration system.

Monday, February 3, 2020

If you could pursue any occupation regardless of education, training, Essay

If you could pursue any occupation regardless of education, training, special talent, or expense, what would it be and why (maximum two pages, single spaced, - Essay Example Many companies require a bachelors degree in Computer Science, Information Science or Scientific Programming, according to EUREKA. And experience is some times required too. The common experience wanted is two to six years in systems support, programming, network services, diagnostics and/or communications, again according to EUREKA. Some of the best colleges in California to earn a degree in computers are Cal Tech, Cal Poly, USC, and Cal State Fullerton. What should I take while in college to become a software business analyst? A software business analyst is a programmer first and foremost. So they need a strong background in computer programming. Also a software business analyst is required to have some skills in computer-controlled equipment, CAD/CAM system development, and familiarity with programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, XML, PHP, and Assembly. Other abilities needed include strong organization skills, principles in computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis and other techniques, knowledge of design software programs, and the ability to plan and oversee projects (1). There is a TV show called The Screen Savers that started in 1998 and continues today. I started watching the show from the beginning but I wasnt really interested in it fully, I really only cared about what games I could play on my computer. But about a year later something happened that sparked my current fascination in computers. So I find the career of software engineer will give me a great chance to learn a variety of different areas. I interviewed my computer teacher in Bangalore University, who has been in the computer field since 1988 and currently works at Bangalore University. I asked him what he thought was the best way to get in to computers and he said that getting a good education and that if you have a high enough GPA, some companies recruit students straight out of college. Another

Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Fat Girl, Andre Dubus

The Fat Girl, Andre Dubus To accept the others, first we have to accept ourselves and accept who we are The Fat Girl is a short story about a girl that tries to fit in todays standards and satisfies her parents as well. The author , Andre Dubus , shows how trying to fit in the society standards , individuals have the pressure of conforming to a superficial image. This idea is developed through the early years of Louise , her weight change and new life , and back to the old habit. First of all, Andre Dubus, takes us into the life of a young girl whose mother is convincing her that she will become fat and how hard is to make friends. We can see this after the mom tell her daughter , You must start watching what you eat, her mother would say. I can see you have my metabolism. As the mother doesnt want that, she puts Louise onto a strict diet. In order not to displease her mother, but still satisfy her hunger, Louise started eating food when no one was watching. While her mother was strict and caring, on the other side her father was loving and misguided. Louise didnt have a lot of friends. Her two childhood friends, Joan and Marjorie were both thin but they felt as a social outcast in other ways. Louise only feels comfortable in the presence of others who were also insecure and unhappy. Ironically Louise intentionally chooses friends who are not heavy because she worries about the way others will see her. I was always thinking about what people saw when they loo ked at me and didnt want them to see two fat girls. It appears that Louise finds her weight issues to be bigger than her friends insecurities. She chooses to exclude those who are heavy from her life while welcoming those with different negative issues. In addition to her self-image issues, Louise also doubts her ability to find happiness in an intimate relationship. Her mother put in her head some negative perceptions such as In five years youll be in high school and if youre fat the boys wont like you; they wont ask you out . This quote shows the overall feeling of the people who dont meet todays standards. Louise continues down this negative road when she decides to go to an all-girl college so she can avoid rejection from guys. Up until this point her only contact with a boy was at a picnic with a drunken kiss . Once in college , Louise shows us how changing and losing weight makes a lot of difference in someones life. Louise continues her self-loathing into college where the only close friend she makes is this thin girl with emotional issues. In the story we can see a strong friendship between the two girls, which leads to the important point where Louise decides to go on a diet, and it is only because her best friend Carrie convinces her that she needs to become thin so that some boy will love her as Carrie does. Carrie pleads, I want you to be loved the way I love you. Louise, if I help you, really help you, will you go on a diet?. Although Carrie is trying to help her best friend, she is actually reinforcing Louises views of her own body. She starts losing fat and her mother starts threating her differently. She finds her way more beautiful and starts buying all kinds of stuff .As Louise progresses with her new diet, she becomes more and more irritable and unhappy with life. In all her l ife she had never been afflicted by ill temper and she looked upon it now as a demon which, along with hunger, was taking possession over her soul .With this quote the author wants to show us that Louise is being pressed into losing weight for strictly superficial reasons, and so she can get accepted into society and fit todays standards. This can be further seen when Louise feels shame and embarrassment when she goes to Carries house for thanksgiving, all because she is aware Carries parents know she is dieting. Louise is uncomfortable and feels excluded in partaking of the many dishes the other thin people can comfortably enjoy. In the end , we cant forget our old habits and sometimes we should accept who we are and stay the way we are. After college, the new thin Louise meets a young lawyer named Richard, who finds her attractive and has no knowledge of her life before. Louise is sure he would never have looked at her if she had still been heavy. They get married and Louise becomes a housewife. While Louise struggles to keep herself thin, her husband can eat anything he wants and still remain fit. She makes him all kind of Italian food that she is unable to consume. It is ironic that she marries a person who has the metabolism of a pencil sharpener when Louise must watch every calorie she eats. The next five years shows a Louise who is thin with new friends, a loving husband, and an active lifestyle, which is by most accounts a perfect life. In her fifth year of marriage, Louise becomes pregnant and her eating begin to become uncontrollable. The new changes in her body frighten her as Louise remarks that sh e is starting to gain weight but she told herself it was only the baby, and would leave with its birth. But at other times she knew quite clearly that she was losing her discipline she had fought so hard to gain during her last year with Carrie. A baby is born, but Louise has now returned to her bad habits and though she cares for her child, she continues to alienate her husband. They fight at nearly every dinner over her appetite and weight gain . Andre Dubus finishes his story with a surprised Louise enjoying a candy bar and shocked to discover her husband Richard is still there. In conclusion, The short story The Fat Girl by Andre Dubus shows many of the negative aspects associated with eating disorders, fat people, and the way society addresses them. Todays standards are too high and people who dont fit in them are getting rejected and they feel sad about their body. Sometime they try changing , but sometimes is better to be who you are and accept yourself.