Saturday, January 25, 2020

I Am Legend | An analysis

I Am Legend | An analysis When you are the last of the species reaching out for help, looking for someone that does not live a nocturnal existence, you need to have faith in God. The novel version of I Am Legend is better then the motion picture because the information slowly leaks out about Nevilles past, present, and specifics about the vampires. Robert Neville is a scientist who is unable to stop the spread of the horrifying virus that is fatal, incurable, and man-made. For three years, Robert has sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivor who might be out there. Robert obtains books and other research materials to discover the cure of the disease which is a strain of bacteria capable of infecting both deceased and living hosts. The virus has mutated everyone except one survivor which is Robert Neville. Robert is confused about his faith in God due to the situations he had to face. The characters usually depend on one another because it defines their true character in the end. Robert is trying to find the specifics about the vampires, so he can find a cure A virus can be spread really fast from one person to another. Robert Neville might be the only survivor of an incurable plague that has mutated everyone into bloodthirsty creatures who are determined to destroy him. There is always a solution to a conflict in which Robert believes he can find a resolution. Robert is trying to find a cure for the virus that has infected everyone in the world. The novel describes the situation that Robert is facing is very risky and in the motion picture it seems as if his everyday life is not too bad. His everyday target is to be back home before sunset. Usually there are a lot of difficulties that people face to find an explanation to a problem. Robert came up with a plan to capture a vampire because he wants to try different experiments to find the cure. Generally to accomplish a goal there is always some problem that interferes but never give up too fast. Robert accomp lished to trap an infected woman but the other vampires watched his every step and played the same trick on him. The novel didnt have much detail on how Robert trapped the vampire but the motion picture demonstrates the pain and the risk he had to go through. Robert put his life in danger, knowing the consequences. Putting in all the effort and not giving up is the first step to success. Robert was doing an experiment on the infected women and it slowly began to show good results. Working to the best of someones ability always receives an award at the end. The therapy Robert gave to the woman who is infected by the virus, slowly started to work. The motion picture has a very intense situation because Robert wants to help all the other vampires who have been infected but none of them are ready to listen to him. The novel shows Robert as the only survivor left of his own race. Robert didnt give up and took every step very carefully, which helped him achieve his goal. People believe in God but the terrible situations that they face are because of their own mistakes. Robert thinks the problem that he is going through is because of people being lazy and not taking a serious action right away. Most people believe that people impose disasters on themselves. Robert believes in God and also believes that the circumstances every one is going through is because of their blunder. The novel doesnt clearly state about Robert believing in God but in the movie it displays an clear image of Robert believing in God. Depending on someone too much is not good because when he/she lets the person down, it really hurts. Neville is depending on Ruth because she can help him out of jail. Sometimes people face problems that they shouldnt be punished for and dealing with it patiently is the best way. After a few years of loneliness and fear in a civilization devoid of civilized people, Robert struggled with his beliefs. Robert slowly started to loose his faith because fo r three years he has been trying his best to find a cure but its doing him no good. In the novel Robert is in prison and the only person who can get him out is Ruth. Usually people just accept their faith and try to live it happily. Robert accepts his faith and tearfully asks Ruth not to let this society get too ruthless. It is hard to count on someone who has let you down or tests a persons patience more than they should. A woman named Anna saves Robert from an accident and claims God guided her to find him just in time. In the movie it shows that it is hard for Robert to forget all the nasty problems that he had to face all by himself and in the novel he just accepts his faith because whatever he tried was no good. At first many people think God doesnt resist but the problems that people deal with, slowly realize that he is always there for everyone. To find out more about a character there is always more than one person in a novel or a movie. Not knowing anyone can make a persons life miserable. Robert is trying to find a cure without anyones help and he believes he will accomplish in his task. Listening to someone who a person does not know too much about can sometimes be very dangerous. Roberts neighbor Ben Cortman is always yelling Roberts name during the evening, trying to convince him to come out just so he can harm him. The movie shows Robert in a high degree of loneliness because everyone around him is trying to destroy him but in the novel Robert has his wife and daughter with him with some time and then he is all by himself trying to find a cure for the virus. When a person is stuck in a situation that no one can help him/her out with, the best thing to do is have faith in God. Robert is in jail and the only person who can help him out is Ruth. When a person is saved from a big problem, he/ she has done good deeds. Robe rt had a huge accident but Anna saved his life due to the radio messages Robert sent out. The novel and movie both show that when Robert needed the most help, someone is there for him because he has a good intention and he has waited patiently to find a cure to the virus. There is always more then one character in a story because thats the only way to find out more about the character itself. Overall I think the novel is better than the movie because the author slowly leaks out the information. Robert Neville found out the cure all by himself and had to deal with very difficult problem, he is the only survivor. Robert sent out radio messages for three years desperate to find another survivor but he lost his faith in God because he patiently waited for a few years and whatever step he took would end up being difficult and bad for him. It is hard to know about a character who does not depend on one another. Therefore Robert is a legend because he found the cure to the virus and all the problems he went through, he didnt give up. To achieve something in life keep trying and never give up because at the end it is always worth it.

Friday, January 17, 2020

New Heritage Doll Essay

Introduction Emily Harris is the Vice president of New Heritage Doll Company’s production division. In mid-September of 2010 she was trying to decide on project proposals for the company’s capital budget meeting in October. Of the proposals presented to her, two of them stood out based on their innovation and ability to strengthen the division’s product lines. The first project, Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansion (MMDC), would extend the warm weather products to an all-weather clothing line. The second project, Design your Own Doll (DYOD), would start with a website where customers would choose the doll’s features, color, etc. and then the dolls will be made to order. The firm could decline both of the proposals because of managerial and financial resource constraints. Other divisions in the company are also expected to promote projects of their own. Because of these factors Harris has to choose to promote one of her division’s projects over the other. The fo llowing questions will help Harris make the best decision for her division and help support her recommendation when communicating back with the divisions executives. 1. Set forth and compare the business cases for each of the two projections under consideration by Emily Harris. Which do you regard as more compelling? The Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansions (MMDC) Project involves expanding the existing successful Match My Doll Clothing line. This clothing line originally consisted of a few sets of matching doll and child clothing for warm weather. Given its current success, there is a consideration to expand it to include all season clothing line. Since it is an expansion to existing product line, investment in operating capital, pricing structure and product cost can be based on historical information. The company should be able to use current sales channels like selling to retail divisions or private labels. New Heritage should be able to outsource manufacturing of this product line expansion to Asia, similar to other existing products. The Design Your Own Doll (DYOD) Project involves creation of new customized dolls to customer’s specification. This project will require new web-based doll-design software. Due to lead time constraints, the company will have to consider manufacturing this made-to-order product line in-house or outsource it to contract manufacturers in USA instead of Asia. This would be a new manufacturing channel for the company. Product cost is expected to be high due to low volume and customized set up. New Heritage Doll Company will have to be thorough when they calculate product cost and price structures for this new product line. This new product will probably be sold through on-line channels only. Without any financial information, the Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansions (MMDC) looks more attractive because it involves less risk and less capital investment and utilizes existing infrastructure and well established sales channels. 2. Use the operating projections for each project to compute a net present value (NPV) for each. Which project creates more value? We assumed that the Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansions (MMDC) Project is a medium risk project since it is an extension to existing successful product line so we used risk-adjusted cost of capital of 8.4%. We believe that project 2 (DYOD) is a much higher risk project since it is a completely new product line for the company and requires an information technology component, so we used risk-adjusted cost of capital of 9%. According to Exhibit 1, the Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansions (MMDC) Project has a Net Present Value (NPV) of $7,150 and Exhibit 2 shows that the Design Your Own Doll (DYOD) Project has a Net Present Value (NPV) of $7,058. Both projects have positive NPV and would create value for the company. However, the Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansions (MMDC) Project has a slightly higher NPV so it would create more value for the company . 3. Compute the internal rate of return (IRR) and payback period for each project. How should these metrics affect Harris’s deliberations? How do they compare to NPV as tools for evaluating projects? When and how would you use each? The internal rate of return (IRR) for the Match My Doll Clothing Line  Expansions (MMDC) is 24.0% based on the NPV calculated above ($7,150). The IRR for the Design Your Own Doll (DYOD) project is 17.9% based on the NPV calculated above ($7058). The calculated IRRs of the two projects do not eliminate either from consideration. Both projects IRR’s are above their individually assigned discount rates, 8.4% for MMDC and the higher (riskier) 9.0% for DYOD. The MMDC Project has an IRR=24%, MIRR=21%, payback of 7.4 years and discounted payback of 9.1 years. The DYOD Project has IRR=17.9%, MIRR=16.4%, payback of 9.1 years and discounted payback of 9.4 years. The MMDC Project has a higher NPV and better internal rate of returns (both IRR and MIRR) than DYOD Project. The MMDC Project has a shorter payback and discounted payback period than DYOD Project. So based on financial analysis, the MMDC Project is more attractive than DYOD Project. The DYOD Project is more capital intensive and even though it might potentially generate higher revenues, it would take longer to generate free cash flow. The NPV is lower for the DYOD Project in this case because it uses higher risk-adjusted cost of capital than the MMDC Project. One point to mention is that the payback period is less sophisticated than IRR or NPV. The payback period looks at the cash flows and determines when the money paid out will be recovered by the benefits of a project. The payback period looks at a project only until the costs have been recovered. This analysis tool is often ignored because it does not take into consideration the time value of money. The time value of money limitation of the payback period can be modified by using the discounted cash flows of a project for the analysis of when the outflows will be recovered. To make the most informed decision the IRRs and payback periods of the projects should be compared in conjunction with the NPVs of the two projects. The NPV analysis of the two projects under consideration indicates that the MMDC Project is the better of the two projects. 4. What additional information does Harris need to complete her analyses and compare the two projects? What specific questions should she ask each of the project sponsors? When comparing the two projects other than comparing the NPV and IRR of each project Harris will need to look at other factors as well. Among the factors that should be considered along with the NPV and IRR, are the manufacturing capabilities, the company’s core competencies, and ensuring that the project aligns with the company’s corporate strategy. With this being said the DYOD Project is at a disadvantage because the MMCD Project is already a successful operation which allows Harris to analyze the historical data as opposed to the project projections of DYOD. Using the factual data provided by MMCD is a less risky option for Harris to choose. In order to ensure that Harris is making the correct decision on which project to select she should ask the following question of each of the project sponsors: Is manufacturing children’s clothing part of the core competencies of New Heritage? Is your project aligned with the mission and long term strategies of the company? What are the differences in New Heritages current market and the doll market? How will scaling up production affect operating and overhead costs? What is the level of risk of the Design Your Own Doll project? Did they consider all hidden labor costs in the MMDC Line Expansion, which are similar to the extra labor costs in the DYOD project? Additionally, it would also be helpful if Harris had information about projects submitted by other departments to make sure that proposed production department projects are in-line with other department projects and an overall company strategy. Even though financially the MMDC Project is more compelling, maybe there is a good reason to pick the DYOD Project. For example, if one of the other divisions is submitting a complimentary project to the DYOD, maybe that would lower the overall risk of the DYOD Project and make it more appealing strategically. 5. If Harris is forced to recommend one project over the other, which should she recommend? Why? Since Harris can only promote one project during the capital budget meeting we would recommend that she support the MMDC Project. Of the two projects presented by her division it has the highest NPV. Financial Management authors Brigham and Ehrhardt state often ‘‘whenever conflicts exist between mutually exclusive projects, use the NPV method†. The NPV method tells us how much a project will add to the value of the company. This is a stated  goal of the New Heritage Doll Company. Also, this project would seem to further solidify relationships with strong customers and gain new ones by broadening the brand and leveraging existing infrastructure.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Manifest Destiny Manifest Identity - 878 Words

Princee Thakkar 1001051938 Professor- Dr. Goral. MANIFEST DESTINY Manifest Destiny was basically the belief Americans had to extend its systems of democracy, federalism, and personal freedom, as well as to accommodate its rapidly growing population by ultimately taking possession of the entire North American continent. My interpretation remains diplomatic. Since Manifest Destiny was always a general notion than a specific policy. It had helped the Native Americans to expand their land and the American settlers had witnessed enough growth which would have not been possible in their own lands. Since the stint of post-Manifest Destiny had experienced massive growth in life styles of Native Americans as well as American Settlers. As far as morality is concerned it was gained and lost equally. Moreover an equal amount of American Citizens disliked the concept of Manifest Destiny and territorial growth by implying slavery like the Whig Party. Manifest destiny had provided its rhetorical tone for the largest acquisition in the US History. The concept behind Manifest Destiny remains diplomatic as the one half of the entire American Continent - the North Americans used it to justify ‘The Trail of Tear’ and American-Mexico War, whereas the apparent half of the Mexicans or the then Tejanos lost the Texan boundary in their own accord, since after independence from the Spanish rulers there were only 2000 native Tejanos in the Mexican territory. To encourage economic development MexicoShow MoreRelatedManifest Destiny Is An American Philosophy Essay2281 Words   |  10 Pages Manifest Destiny is an American philosophy with which it is to justify how that country has understood their place in the world and how to relate to other people. It is a doctrine, phrase or idea that expresses the belief that the United States is destined to spread to the four winds as supports the idea that is, to expand on the terr itories conquered North America and, in general, on the Western Hemisphere. This doctrine was not free of racism, considering that the American people wereRead MoreEssay On Manifest Destiny1709 Words   |  7 Pagesone of many seminal events in the history of the United States. However, it began the debt we are still in today; the Louisiana Purchase gave us the land that began the Manifest Destiny. â€Å"The term Manifest Destiny originated in the 1840’s when John L. O’Sullivan said in an article that it was the American colonist’s Manifest Destiny to spread over the continent and that God had given them the land for the sole purpose of multiplying and free development.† (History.com staff). It was this philosophyRead MoreThe American Of The Mexican American War1664 Words   |  7 Pages The Mexican American War â€Å"No President who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure.† –President James K Polk. The Manifest Destiny is believed to have the primary cause of western expansion in the United States during the 19th century. This doctrine is believed to have been the primary sources which led to the vast expansions because of its belief that the expansion wasRead MoreThe End Of The Civil War1805 Words   |  8 PagesReconstruction, that the depression and other financial panics drew away the focus of reconstruction on a national level. The government was focused on getting people out west for expansion, allocating land, the gold rush, and fulfilling their manifest destiny. Fredrick Jackson Turner, an American historian in the early 20th century, argued that expanding the western frontier was what shaped the U.S democracy and stated that the U.S success was also attributed to it. However, his thesis ignored genderRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act By President Jackson1371 Words   |  6 PagesThe idea of western expansion was promoted in order to strengthen the reputa tion and the entirety of the infant country. This was appropriated and romanticized through texts and documents, such as Manifest Destiny by John C. Calhoun and the message promoting the Indian Removal Act by President Jackson, which uses various appeals and logical fallacies to persuade the audience on the ideal benefits and optimistic virtues without the consideration of the Native American demographic. While expandingRead MoreGovernment s Military Interventions Toward Native Peoples Overlooked Violence Essay1306 Words   |  6 PagesCormac McCarthy, Judge Holden celebrates the human nature of violence and its necessity to find order in chaos. Blinded by the greed for control, he refuses to acknowledge the norms of civilized behavior. Similarly, under the principles of the Manifest Destiny, the U.S. government’s military interventions toward Native peoples overlooked violence. These parallels reflect the exceptionalist idea that one is inherently more virtuous and entitled to higher purposes. Historians and primary accounts confirmRead MoreManifest Destiny Essay735 Words   |  3 PagesManifest Destiny affect on Modern United States During the mid 1800’s America was at a peak of nationalism, which involved their religious beliefs. Manifest destiny describes the attitude of a white man in America during the 19th century, involving their desire for evangelization, white supremacy, and westward expansion. To a majority of the Americans, manifest destiny was a proud accomplishment they would be faced with. Manifest destiny had a negative impact on the Native Americans, however, itRead MoreThe Ethnic Cleansing Of The United States1237 Words   |  5 Pageslebensraum, the idea of Manifest Destiny in the United States transposed to a German-defining East in Poland and Russia. Inspired by the stories of May and lebensraum, Hitler repeatedly compared Manifest Destiny in the United States and a German-defining East in Poland and Russia. To what extent did western fiction influence the political landscape and Hitler’s War in East Europe? Historians have argued that Hitler was inspired by the stories of May and Manifest Destiny in the United States. HistorianRead MoreJohn O Sullivan s Manifest Destiny938 Words   |  4 Pagesname to this belief in 1839: Manifest destiny. Manifest Destiny resulted through misguided beliefs of predestination and white superiority, in which white men, despite opposition, forced their way to the west coast of America. Motives of religion, economic, race, and nationalism contributed to the justification of their ambitious goals and the repercussions. As Catherine Denial states in her article, â€Å"Manifest Destiny: Creating an American Identity,† Manifest Destiny was â€Å"the idea that AmericansRead MoreJohn O Sulliv Manifest Destiny1164 Words   |  5 PagesAmericans wanted to head west, this mindset was given the name of â€Å"Manifest Destiny† by John O’Sullivan. Manifest Destiny was a term that was prevalent during the 19th century. It expressed the belief that America’s mission was to expand their civilization across North America; this expansion would create liberty and economic progress through territorial gain. President Jefferson, Madison and Monroe, all collectively believed in the Jeffersonian’s mindset, these presidents encouraged such movement;