Mt435 Unit 3 Assignment

Introduction Question One Based on the information presented in the scenario/case study discuss Albatross Anchor’s competitiveness in relation to (please address all items in the below list and provide support for your conclusions): 1. Cost a) Cost of Production: To understand the cost of production we must first understand what two costs are valuable to company along what can make a company gain or lose profit. First we look at Variable cost which â€Å"depends on what materials and labor are needed for the company† and in this case it is anchors which can vary with the volume of anchors that is produced (Russell & Taylor, 2011).The fixed costs are â€Å"those that do not vary with output and typically in rents, deprecation, insurance, set-up cost and normal profit† (economicsonline. co. uk). Fixed costs are usually known as your overheads. When it comes to Albatross Anchor and the manufacturing of its anchor we can see that the fixed cost are down because they chose to manufacture in house. Looking at the cost we can see that the cost of manufacturing mushrooms/bell anchors are $8. 00 per pound and $11. 00 per pound for the snag hook anchors.One has to understand that Albatross sells their products are the same rate as their competitors and their product are made primarily for fresh water which can be a disadvantage. Another disadvantage that I noticed is that all of their produces are made in house which affect their cost as well. When it comes to shipping they only have two means which is shipping (larger freight ships) and truck shipping. Although there profit margin may at times be less than 35% we also have to think if they operating efficiently and everything that maybe affected if the manufacturing, shipping or receiving lines go down. ) Economies of Scale in material purchasing: â€Å"A company that achieves Economies of Scales lower the average cost per unit through increased production since fixed costs are shared over an incre ased number of goods† (Andexer, 2008). â€Å"When more units of a good or a service can be produced on a larger scale, yet with (on average) less input costs, economies of scale (ES) are said to be achieved. Alternatively, this means that as a company grows and production units increase, a company will have a better chance to decrease its costs† (Investopedia. com).One has to ask that if, Albatross Anchors is producing anchors in small batches how are they able to meet the economies of scale? To be honest we can state they are not. Although the company itself has grown from 4 to 130 people the company output/manufacturing has not causing the cost of output to drop. c) Cost of Raw Materials Sitting Idle in the Warehouse: â€Å"Raw materials can be classified as direct or indirect materials. Direct materials are: raw materials that can be physically and directly associated with the finished product† (simplestudies. com).With that being stated if the raw materials a re sitting idle in the warehouse then that will affect the overhead. This may also affect the shipping/receiving departments along with the storage space that is available. d) Cost of Finished Goods Sitting Idle in the Warehouse: With both finished and raw materials sitting idle one has to ask how much of increase in cost is because of the storage is the company taking. Many products at Albatross Anchor are not shipped out until they proven to efficient. 2. Speed of manufacturing process from order to finished product.Although it may seem that due to limited amount of anchors that are made are produced the manufacturing of the product would be efficient and effective. But from the video and all of the reading I would have to say that due to the types of machines that is need for each anchor that speed and quality maybe affect at times. There are different types of machines that are needed for each anchor along with making sure that employees are trained well to run the machines. Wit h that being stated between having to change each machine/product line it may slow the process of making each product. 3.Flexibility in filling order(s). When it comes to the flexibility of filling order Albatross only sells their anchors at wholesale price and it is mainly to companies and not the general consumer/public. Another factor to consider is the way the building is set up along with the limited amount of space that is available in the warehouse between each department. Many items depending on the size and quantity can take weeks in order to fill that particular order. 4. Technology. When it comes to our current world and as much technology that is used one may think that they would have found a way to put it use within heir company but that is not the case. Albatross Anchors only tend to changes as they go along causing them to fall behind when it comes to technology. The machines are older which has me wondering about the added cost that it may cause to keep them going. 5. Capacity and facilities. After reviewing the video I see that their facilities are in poor conditions making it harder for many to work that type of environment. The administrative office have no space/order to them along with their shipping or receiving department affecting how the company flows on a daily bases.Not having enough space along with clean, organized facilities can affect the produce and output of a company. 6. Service to customers. Albatross Anchors only sell to wholesalers not really having a relationship to their consumers. Because many of products are sold by distribution companies or OEM companies usually have large orders one may not know the real service that is being provided. Another factor to consider is that they sell their products at the same rate as their competitors so there is never any real discount creating a larger client base.I would suggest opening the doors to other consumers to help broaden the market. Question Two There are many ways that mus hroom/bell anchors may be manufactured. Albatross Anchor is considering two new manufacturing processes (Process A and Process B) to reduce costs. Analysis of the information below will help determine which process has the lowest breakeven point (this validates the process is more cost effective). For each process the following fixed costs and variable costs are identified below: Anchor and ProcessProcess AProcess BSale price per anchor$45. 00$45. 00 Total Fixed cost $ 650,000. 00$950,000. 00 Variable cost per anchor$ 36. 00$ 29. 99 Based on the information in the table above complete the table below: Anchor and ProcessProcess AProcess B (a) Fixed costs per anchor 650000950000 (b) The total number of anchors to attain break–even point for Process A and Process B 72,22263,291. 14 (c) Based on your calculations which Process (A or B) that you would recommend for adoption (you can select only one). Please make sure to explain how you arrived at your conclusion.Personally since t he breakeven point of the two has been calculated I would have to recommend using process B because of the cost and the amount that has are produced. Within a company we all have to think about what is going to be profitable in the end and that is another reason why I went with Process B. Conclusion Albatross Anchor is a family business that started off with only four people and it grew to 130. This company has came along way and have the potential to grow even bigger it they can deliver product quality and also using some of the newer technology that is available to them.I would also suggest that they expand their market and client base along with renovating/expanding the manufacturing company. Along with improving their manufacturing departments they also need have the administrative office in a space that is workable and more organized. Within every business there needs to be a plan, structure and a means of delivering the best quality of service that is out there and this compan y has a long way to go. References Cost of Production. (n. d) Retrieved March 17, 2013 from http://www. economicsonline. co. uk/Business_economics/Costs. html Andexer, T. 2008). Analysis and Evaluation of Market Entry Modes Into the Asia-Pacific Region. Retrieved March 17, 2013 from books. google. com/books? isbn=3640144074 Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing cost, (n. d) Retrieved March 16, 2013 from http://simplestudies. com/manufacturing-nonmanufacturing-costs. html/page/4 What are Economies of Scale? (Smith & Marshall, 2009) Retrieved March 17, 2013 from http://www. investopedia. com/articles/03/012703. asp Russell, R. Taylor, B. (2011). Operations Management: Creating Value along the Supply Chain, 7th Edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons

Legacy of the Samurai Essay

For seven centuries, the samurai ruled Japan as the powerful warrior class. As a class of warriors and knights, they led society in feudal Japan. The loyalty to his lord was much more important than his allegiance to his friends, family and even the emperor. Their philosophy was one liberated him from fear, and for these reasons, the samurai came to be the dominate force throughout medieval Japan. War played a central part in the history of Japanese samurai. As regional clans gathered manpower, resources and struck alliances with each other, they formed a hierarchy centered around a toryo, or chief. This chief was typically a relative of the emperor and a member of one of the two dominating clan families of the pre-samurai era. Though they were originally sent to regional areas for a fixed four year term as a magistrate, the toryo usually declined to return to the capital when their terms ended. Their sons inherited their positions instead and continued to lead the clans in suppressing rebellion throughout Japan during the middle and later Heian period. (Cook 24) One main reason why conflict between clans was so predominant was because they were typically started as a result of land ownership. Only a fifth of Japan’s land was suitable for agriculture. The struggle for control of land eventually gave rise to the samurai class. The samurai eventually became a class unto themselves between the 9th and 12th centuries A.D. They were called by two names: samurai which means â€Å"knights† and bushi which means â€Å"warriors†. The samurai came from guards of the imperial palace and from private guards that the clans employed. They also acted as a police force in and around Kyoto. These forerunners of what we now know as samurai had ruler-sponsored equipment and were required to hone their martial skills. They gave complete loyalty to their daimyo (feudal landowner) and received land and position in return. Each daimyo  used his samurai to protect his land and to expand his power and rights to more land. The first samurai were servants, yet their advantage of being the sole armed party increasingly became apparent. By promising protection and gaining political clout through political marriages they amassed power, eventually surpassing the ruling aristocrats. (Kure 10-12) In the late 12th century, the two most powerful clans served the emperor of Japan: the Taira clan, and the Minamoto clan. These two families became bitter rivals, and in 1192, Minamoto Yoritomo led his clan to victory over the Taira. The emperor, the traditional head of the Japanese government, declared Minamoto Yoritomo shogun, the head of the military. However, Yoritomo used his new power to strip the emperor of all political power, make his position as shogun permanent, and set up a military dictatorship known as bakufu. So, the samurai went from being servants of the land-owning daimyos to being the rulers of Japan under the shogun. (Dean 21) Over time, powerful samurai clans became warrior nobility, who were only technically under the court aristocracy. When the samurai began to adopt aristocratic pastimes like calligraphy, poetry and music, some court aristocrats in turn began to adopt samurai customs. (Dean 22) In spite of various scheming and brief periods of rule by various emperors, real power was now in the hands of the shogun and the samurai. The reign of the samurai lasted until the late 19th century. The image of the samurai that is probably most well-known is that of a sword expert, brandishing his curved katana with deadly skill. However, for the first few centuries of their existence, samurai were better known as horse-riding archers. Firing a bow while riding a horse was a demanding task, and mastering it required years of relentless practice. Some archers practiced on targets tethered to a pole, which could be swung to make a moving target. For a time, living dogs were used as moving archery targets, until the shogun abolished the malicious practice. (Turnbull 45) The amount and form of a samurai’s training depended on the wealth of his family. In  lower-class families, sons were sometimes sent to village schools for basic education, but they received most of their samurai training from their fathers, older brother, or uncles. Training in martial arts was considered very important, and often began at age five. Sons of wealthy families were sent to special academies, where they were tutored in literature, the arts, and military skills. (Daidoji, Ratti, and Cleary 6-10) Swordsmanship was taught in a similarly relentless manner. The most recognized weapon of the samurai throughout history was the katana. The oldest swords were straight and had their early design in Korea and China. A katana was never worn without its companion sword, the wakizashi; it was a shorter sword with a broader blade. Together the two swords are referred to as daisho, meaning â€Å"large and small.† The word dai (large) represents the katana and the word sho (small) represents the wakizashi. The smiths who created the katana for the samurai are widely regarded as the finest sword makers in history. (Daidoji, Ratti, and Cleary 42) The samurai’s desire for tougher, sharper swords in battle gave rise to the curved blade. One of the biggest problems in making a sword is keeping it sharp. A weapon made with a hard metal will keep its edge, but will be brittle and prone to breaking. Japanese sword smiths solved this problem by making the core of the sword with a soft metal that wouldn’t break. This core was then covered with layers of harder metals that were repeatedly folded and hammered until there were literally millions of layers of metal laminated together. The edge was so sharp that a skilled swordsman could slice a human in half with one blow. Upon completion, the sword tester took the new blade and cut through the bodies of corpses or condemned criminals. They started by cutting through the small bones of the body and moved up to the large bones. Test results were often recorded on the nakago (the metal piece attaching the sword blade to the handle). The samurai often gave names to their swords and believed it was the soul of their warriorship. (Sato 28-33) In addition to swords and bows, samurai used a variety of bladed-pole arms. One of the more common Japanese pole arms was the naginata, which consisted of a sharp blade two to four feet in length mounted on a wooden shaft that  was four to five feet long. The extra reach afforded by these weapons allowed infantry to hold attackers at bay, or make a first strike before an attacker with a sword could reach them. They were also very effective against mounted opponents. (Kure 170) A big change occurred in the late 15th century because of the consistency of war and the introduction of guns into battle. In the 16th century, European traders arrived in Japan for the first time. The Japanese paid large sums for their matchlock guns, quickly mastering the smithing techniques needed to mass produce the weapons. Although the gun is not traditionally associated with samurai, it was a major influence on Japanese warfare from that point on, allowing daimyos to raise large armies of relatively untrained men armed with cheap guns. Many samurai adopted the unreliable weapons, which were best used as a backup to the more trustworthy sword. (Turnbull 73) The sword played a very key role in the methods and philosophies of the samurai. Without the samurai â€Å"bushido†, they would be considered by modern terms to be heartless killers. Bushido means â€Å"way of the warrior†. It was at the heart of the beliefs and conduct of the samurai. The philosophy of bushido is â€Å"freedom from fear.† It meant that the samurai transcended his fear of death. That gave him the peace and power to serve his daimyo faithfully, loyally and die honorably if necessary. Duty is a primary philosophy of the samurai. In order for the samurai to truly be able to serve his purpose, death must be ignored. An excerpt from _Code of the Samurai_ exemplifies this ideology: _†One who is a samurai must before all things keep constantly in mind†¦the fact that he has to die. If he is always mindful of this, he will be able to live in accordance with the paths of loyalty and filial duty, will avoid myriads of evils and adversities, keep himself free of disease and calamity and moreover enjoy a long life. He will also be a fine personality with many admirable qualities. For existence is impermanent as the dew of evening, and the hoarfrost of morning, and particularly uncertain is the life of the warrior†¦Ã¢â‚¬ _ (15) Religiously, Zen Buddhism spread among samurai in the 13th century and helped to shape their standards of conduct, particularly overcoming fear of death and killing, but among the general populace Pure Land Buddhism was predominant. (Kure 12) Honor was so important to the samurai that they would frequently take their own lives in the face of failure, or if they had violated bushido. This honor-bound suicide became very ritualized, taking the form of seppuku. Also known by the more popular phrase hara-kiri, seppuku was a way for a samurai to restore honor to his lord and family, and to fulfill his obligation of loyalty even if he had failed as a samurai. (May 2) Ritualized seppuku involved the samurai wearing the proper garments while he was presented with the ritual knife, wrapped in paper. The samurai would then take the knife and cut open his own stomach, from left to right, with a final upward cut at the end. However, seppuku was not a solitary act, and few samurai were left to die a slow and excruciating death from disembowelment. Another samurai would typically stand behind the one committing seppuku, and behead him with a sharp sword shortly after the seppuku cut was made to spare him from unnecessary suffering. (May 3) The original motivations for this method of death may well have been purely practical. Cutting off one’s own head is impossible, and the spirit was felt to reside in the stomach, slitting the belly open was felt to be the most straightforward (if not quickest) way to die and free the spirit. (May 5) Although, seppuku may seem crude in modern day society, it was the only way to regain one’s honor, and looked upon as honorable even after the samurai’s decline towards the end of the 19th century. The role of the samurai during peacetime gradually declined, but two key factors led to the demise of samurai: the urbanization of Japan, and the end of isolationism. As more Japanese citizens moved to the larger urban centers of Japan, there were fewer farmers producing the necessary rice to feed the  growing population. The lavish lifestyle enjoyed by the shoguns and most daimyos started to eat away at the economic system. Many Japanese, including lower class samurai, grew dissatisfied with the shogunate because of the deteriorating economic circumstances. (Dean 37) In 1853, U.S. ships sailed into Edo Bay with Commodore Matthew Perry at the helm, intending to deliver a message from President Millard Fillmore to the emperor. Although the emperor was still considered a figurehead, the shogun truly ruled the country. President Fillmore’s message was clear. He wanted to open trade relations with Japan, he wanted shipwrecked U.S. sailors to be treated properly by Japanese soldiers and citizens, and he wanted to open Japanese seaports as a resupply stations for American ships. (Kure 167-9) In Perry’s wake, a rift divided opposing views in Japan. Some wanted to reject the American offer, continue with isolationism, and maintain their ancient traditions. Others, however, realized that Japan could never defend their country when faced with the better technology of the western civilizations. They proposed opening the gates of Japan with the intention of learning everything they could from the Americans, terminating isolationism and becoming a stronger world power. Ultimately, the bakufu decided to open Japanese seaports for American resupply, and later decided to establish trade with America. (Avakian 41) The emperor initially refused to approve to the treaty’s conditions, but because he was merely the face of Japanese government, the bakufu went ahead with the treaty anyway. Several factions of rebellious samurai wanted Japan to stay the same, and therefore supported the emperor and began a civil war against the bakufu. To much surprise, they overthrew the shogun, ending the Tokugawa period and restoring the emperor to his rightful power. Lower class samurai took positions of leadership within the administration, controlling the government from behind the new emperor, a young man by the name of Emperor Meiji. This event is known as the Meiji Restoration. (Avakian 43-48) Throughout Japan at the time, the samurai numbered 1.9 million. The samurai in Japan were not merely the lords, but also their higher retainers, people  who actually worked. With each samurai being paid fixed stipends, the upkeep presented an immense financial burden, which provoked the emperor and his oligarchy to act accordingly. Whatever their true intentions, the oligarchs started a slow and deliberate process to abolish the samurai class. First, in 1873, it was proclaimed that the samurai stipends were to be taxed on a rolling basis. Later, in 1874, the samurai were given the choice to convert their stipends into government bonds. Finally, in 1876, this option of conversion was made obligatory. (Avakian 49-54) Finally, in 1876, the emperor banned samurai from wearing their swords, leading to the creation of a drafted standing army. The final bell had tolled for the samurai — they no longer existed. Not surprisingly, this led to a series of riots from disgruntled samurai. One of the major riots, the Satsuma rebellion, eventually turned into a civil war. This rebellion was, however, put down swiftly by the newly created imperial army The new army was trained in Western tactics and utilized more advanced weapons. Ironically, the core of the new army was the Tokyo Police force, which was formed largely of former samurai who had helped the emperor regain his empire. This sent a strong message to the nonconformist, rebellious samurai that their time was indeed up. (Kure 172-174) The samurai continue to impress, and serve as a model for obedience, reverence, and loyalty on so many different scales. The incredibly rich heritage provided by this elite class of warrior leaders can be linked to the foundations of numerous facets of the life we lead today. Although the samurai cease to exist, their spirit of honor and discipline has found a home in modern times. From the kamikaze pilots of Japan in World War II, to martial artists and even modern businessman who look to bushido as a guide to living an honorable life, samurai continue to positively influence Japan today. BIBLIOGRAPHY Avakian, Monique. The Meiji Restoration and the Rise of Modern Japan. Boston: Silver Burdett, 1991. 38-54. Cook, Harry. Samurai: the Story of a Warrior Tradition. New York: Sterling, 1998. 22-35. Yuzan Daidoji, Oscar Ratti, and Thomas Cleary. The Code of the Samurai. Boston: Tuttle, 1999. 10-44. Dean, Arlan. Samurai: Warlords of Japan. New York: Scholastic Library, 2005. 19-37. Kure, Mitsuo. Samurai: An Illustrated History. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 2001. 10-179. May, Nick. â€Å"Seppuku – a Practical Guide.† Gaijin Gleaner (1997): 1-5. 1 Dec. 2006 . Sato, Kanzan. The Japanese Sword: A Comprehensive Guide. New York: Kodansha International, Ltd., 1983. 28-80 Turnbull, Stephen. Samurai Warfare. New York: Sterling, 1996. 44-73. Yamamoto, Tsunetomo, and William S. Wilson. Hagakure: the Book of the Samurai. Tokyo: Kodansha America, 1983. 17-65.

Evolution and Natural Selection Lab Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evolution and Natural Selection Lab - Coursework Example Archaeologists found that there were fossil remains of extinct animals as they dug deeper into the strata. They could see similarities in the different fossils but could not comprehend why or how they existed. Darwin influenced the theory of evolution in his study of finches and tortoises of the Galapagos Islands. Though different, Darwin could note similarities that converged the different birds to the same ancestors. The tortoise in the different islands though seemingly similar, Darwin noted that they had distinct variation. His breakthrough was in 1859 when he published the book On the Origin of Species (Evolution and Natural Selection, 2010). First, Darwin views a species as organisms that can vary over time and space. He says that the equivalent of today’s organisms that existed earlier in life varied in form and behavior from those of today, as do those in distanced geographic regions today. Fossils also differ thus supporting the claim (Evolution and Natural Selection, 2010). Second, he says that all organisms have shared common ancestors. The relations can be traced over millions of years ago. Different organisms diverged from their common ancestry to form their own independent species. Sharing of common ancestry is manifested by the similarities that different species share today e.g. we share common ancestry with chimpanzees dating back around eight million years back. Lastly, Darwin puts forth that evolution is steady slow process. Fossil records showed this form of process plus the emergence of unprecedented novel organisms in Darwin’s time (Evolution and Natural Selection, 2010). Natural selection entails variation, inheritance, excessive speed of population growth and differential survival and reproduction. Related organisms vary in form and behavior and include variations in body size, facial markings, hair color and so on. Inheritance involves passing of certain traits

Analyze a current or past relationship and create a strategy for Essay

Analyze a current or past relationship and create a strategy for managing it - Essay Example Losing contact with each other, we both had strings of relationships until both of us had our families. Both of us had only one child out of our own marriages and both of us got divorced from our spouses. Twenty years later, Andy came back to visit me at my mom’s house. He just took a chance if I was there, and was surprised when I was, as I was also visiting her. It was a pleasant surprise for both of us. At first, it was awkward seeing your first love two decades later when a whole lifetime has passed in between. We caught up with each other’s lives, but did not have enough time, since he was flying back to Australia the following day. A week later, I found a friend request on Facebook from Andy which I happily accepted. Since that time, we have spent much time chatting with each other, and even tried video-chatting a few times. Over time, we realized we were still in love with each other after all these years. Although we did not officially declare that we are once a gain a couple, we treat each other as if we are. I cannot fully commit to him because I did not really believe in long distance relationships, and somehow, had doubts as to his relationship history, since he has shared that he’s been into several relationships after his divorce. I, myself, have not gone dating after my divorce, so I had several qualms about getting into a serious relationship at this point in my life. Meanwhile, I decided to enjoy what Andy and I currently have, without the complications of commitment. It is what is known in social networking sites as a relationship status of â€Å"It’s Complicated†. Attraction Our initial attraction to each other was physical. Andy was a very handsome teenager, and was quite popular with the girls. On the other hand, I did not look bad myself, being a cheerleader and a prom queen contender. Knowing each other well as we dated exclusively in our teens, the attraction went beyond the surface. I discovered that he had a kind heart which was compassionate to others in need. He was a very good son and brother and to top it all, he had a sense of humor that complemented mine. I admired his drive and ambition to be successful, and envied his focus and persistence in his studies. I was sure that he was a great catch and would be an ideal husband and father as well as a successful professional in the future. Andy admitted that he fell in love with my feminine ways and the way I treated my family and friends. He felt very protective over me because I was so naive. He liked the fact that I was very down-to-earth and did not waste my time on shallow things such as fashion, make-up and boys. He loved my simplicity and the fact that I was a homebody, very skilled in cooking and home design and organization. He also thought I would make the perfect wife and mother someday. Our short term and long-term attraction factors for each other may be explained theoretically. Matlin (2008) explains gender differe nces in attraction partner as based on an evolutionary psychology approach. According to this approach, people’s preferences have roots in evolution where men prefer young, attractive, healthy-looking women who are likely to pass on men’s genes to the next generation. On the other hand, women are drawn to men who are economically stable to ensure that their future children are well provided for (Matlin, 2008). Women were also found to value a partner’s ambition, industriousness and social dominance as well as emotional

Last day at school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Last day at school - Essay Example I gained many friends in these years and they really changed my world. Even the teachers of the school were different in their own way. Somewhere friendly but others grave and did not talk freely with us. It is sometimes hard to imagine that these lovely years of learning has at last come to an end. It is impossible to believe that I need to leave the high school where I met so many wonderful people and friends. I know I have become close with my fellow students and this bond is not easy to forget. It is really difficult to assume what life would have been without these happy high school years. These days I was sometimes joyful and sometimes nervous and also there were days of sorrow. All these emotions took a ride through my years in high school. And the day when I had to bid good bye to my friends, tears rolled out of my eyes. I never realized that I love my school so much .It has given me valuable experience and knowledge and number of friends that I can never forget. It was a mem orable days, when I was busy compiling my graduation book with my friends and fellow students. All of us with a mixed feeling of sorrow and anxiety in our mind spend the last days of school in unity. I remember the times when I was busy with compiling the graduation book, the one with all the memories, fun photos and writing jotted down in it. The graduation book is a treasure for me, when I look in to the book I find my friends face glaring at me which give me utter happiness. The day when I was compiling it, I requested my best friend to put his picture on the front page and he sticked a photo in which both of us were holding hands in a sportive manner. He wrote words which displayed his feeling and love for me. I could not look in to his eyes as I could see the tears ready to fall out of his eyes. I did not know to cry or smile and was in a big confusion as to how to express my feelings for my friend at this delicate moment. The second page of the book I dedicated to the sporting days that me and my friend have spend together .The picture of me and him in soccer shorts and dribbling the ball through the foot ball ground and how messy we looked. Those beautiful days are hard to be captured in the space of a book. In that joyous moment I hugged my friend as he meant a lot to me. The main reason for this is that he was with me through all the good and bad times of high school days. He drew a picture of my smiling face with the pen on this page and I knew he always wanted me to laugh and be happy. The other moment was to confront my only friend who was a girl and she was such a lovely person, less could be told about her. She was the one who gave me confidence and hope in times of despair and depression. When I moved to this school, I was all gloomy and disturbed but she came to me as a hope. She consoled me and introduced me to other students proudly and made me converse with my class mates. On this day I expressed to her what she has meant to me. I hugged her and express my gratitude and respect as she was unlike other girls in the class. It was surprising when she wrote that sweet poem in my book which related to friendship and love. There were words from heart and is heart touching every time I read it. The picture taken with me and her on the birthday was the best picture in my graduation book. Her smile was radiant and always gave me positive vibes. I remember the day, when I approached her at home and requested for a picture for my book. And she came with a wrapper of chocolate that I have given her during my school days. She still had it, and she stuck that to my book and I could not ask for more. The wrapper still smelled of chocolate, it had the aroma of friendship and warm feeling she had for me. I could n

The firsts in your life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The firsts in your life - Essay Example There were a total of nine participants including me in the course. As far as the theoretical parts go they were easy. A total of seven hours of theoretical teaching lead in the culmination of an exam in which the minimum pass percentage was cent percent. That means anyone wishing to pursue skydiving further than theory was supposed to obtain a score of 100 out 100. Eventually the day arrived. In the dressing room we put on our diving overalls, parachutes, altimeters (gadget that keeps track of the altitude), helmets, gloves and goggles. Last minute reminders, tips, tricks, prayers in short there was a general buzz of excitement around; an excitement that reverberated with a tingling sensation in my spine. All the divers queued up and boarded a twin otter double engine aircraft. The aircraft taxi, takeoff, and eventual ascension to nearly 12,000 feet seemed something irrelevant compared what was coming. "Of course who can force me to jump if I don't want to" that was the thought running in mind during the time of the flight. It's odd how some silly reasoning like not wanting to disappoint your instructor could be a factor in one's resolve when death seems more than just a possibility, but it did. Finally when the plane reached approximately 12,500 feet the rear ramp was opened. In an instant my goggles smoked up, after the smoke cleared I was shocked to see the plane empty of the sky-divers. The only ones left behind were instructors and jump facilitators, all with a brooding grin on their faces. It was my moment of truth, no excuses. Those few seconds, my toes peeping over the edge of the plane, all I heard was my instructors command, "Now!", and I jumped. With the earth nearly twelv e thousand five hundred feet below, those few seconds became the defining moment of my life. (Skydiving.com) The first few seconds, I had a sense of falling, and falling fast. Those initial few seconds nearly took the life right out of me quite literally as during the first few seconds (till one is stabilized) breathing is strained. Suddenly everything became peaceful, calm, as if one was falling through emptiness into oblivion. The speed and that sense of falling were gone; replaced by what some would call weightlessness; I was floating for all I could say. Keeping an eye on the altimeter which showed nearly 6,000 feet (meaning I had dived nearly half the distance) I braced for opening the parachute. At soon as the altimeter crossed the 5,500 mark I pulled the ripcord. The parachute ballooned without any problems. The great anti-force slowed me with a jolt. The canopy flight, of course, was to take more time than the free fall. This was when I began getting a good look at my surroundings; the view was simply breath-taking. (Skydiving.com) Ever heard the word "On top of the world" I'm sure it refers to the sky-diving experience and nothing else. After taking in the scenery for a while it was time to get the bearings right for the landing. The tension mounted again as I neared the landing area, piercing the clouds. But maneuvering the chute proved to be easier than I considered it to be. Eventually I landed,

Research report on Internet Security Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Report on Internet Security - Research Paper Example This denotes whenever a person is online, he/she can become a possible target for security threats (BigPlanet, n.d.). Due to this reason, internet security has become more important for internet users including individual persons, organisations and the government. The structure of internet allows for the existence of several security threats (Daya, 2008). Focusing on this aspect, the report encompasses brief history of internet security threats. Furthermore, the report also describes about the method of protection from security threats. The objective of the report is to acquire a brief idea about different security threats that exist in internet and how these threats can be dealt with. History of Internet Security Threats The idea of internet has started as a project sponsored by Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of US Department of Defence in the year 1969. The key intention of the project was to develop a network which can operate even if main segments of communication netwo rk crash. Thus, ARPANET was designed in order to redirect the network traffic spontaneously around the problems in linking systems. The protocols of ARPANET were mainly intended for openness and flexibility of information, rather than for information security. Thus, every person needed to be an unrestricted insider of the network so that information can be shared easily. As more computer systems (which are also known as sites in present day’s phraseology) linked in the ARPANET, the worth of this network has increased (Dekker, 1997). At that time, researchers played practical fun on each other by using ARPANET which involved joke mails, annoying posts and other minor security breaches. During that period, connection from any remote system was not considered as a security threat, because ARPANET users comprised a small group of people who were generally familiar to each other and also had faith on each other. Since the popularity of ARPANET increased, its users also augmented. In the year 1986, the first exposed security threat in ARPANET occurred in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory of California where an unidentified system had attempted to copy information from the computer system. This incidence raised concerns about the damaging characteristics of ARPANET (Dekker, 1997). In the year 1988, ARPANET had first faced mechanical security incident namely ‘Morris Worm’, where a student of Cornell University developed a program which can connect with another system and can copy itself in the system. This self copying mechanical attack caused symmetrical eruption of copies at computers that were connected with ARPANET. At that time, ARPANET had almost 88,000 users who reflected it as the prime way of communication. In reaction to the worm, several users had detached themselves from the ARPANET, further hindering the communication procedure. Several organisations have emerged after these security occurrences in order to deal with the online att acks and instruct the ARPANET users regarding potential security threats and also certain preventive activities (Dekker, 1997). In the year 1989, ARPANET was officially termed as Internet and shifted from a government research project