Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Baccalaureate

Failure of the League of Nations

Originated at the end of World War I to keep peace, the League of Nations did not fulfill its aspirations. The League was intended to sanction countries attacking others, but its effectiveness depended on member countries to reinforce its decisions. For instance, in 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria, and in 1935, Italy invaded Abyssinia; in both cases, the League failed to act decisively. Furthermore, when Adolf Hitler began breaking the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, the League also proved ineffective.

Appeasement Policy and Non-Intervention

European countries attempted to appease Adolf Hitler, allowing him to pursue his expansionist agenda in an effort to avoid war. This policy enabled aggressive nations to achieve... Continue reading "Interwar Period Crises: Causes of World War II and the Great Depression" »

Crime Headlines

Recent Incidents

Breaking News

1. Police Give Chase After Bank Robbery
2. Two Youths Charged with Vandalism of Monument
3. Thieves Caught Red-Handed by Police
4. Inmates Escape from High-Security Prison
5. Gunman Releases Hostage After Long Negotiation

Ongoing Investigations

Justice Served

MANAGING INPUTS

Optimal production process: Right mix of input+Efficient procurement +Optimal usage = Firm operates on the cost function and not above it.

Transaction costs => Excess costs on the actual amount paid to the input supplier. Play a crucial role in determining optimal input procurement.

Include: Costs of searching for a supplier, Costs of negotiating, Other expenditures

Transaction costs à General in nature – Eg. Transportation costs

Specialized investment – an investment that cannot be recovered in another trading relationship.

Specialized investments increase transactions costs because they lead to: Costly bargaining, Underinvestment, Opportunism

Spending on machine to test some device.

Types of specialized investments: 1. Site... Continue reading "Optimal Input Procurement and Transaction Costs in Business" »

Climate Change: Causes, Impacts and Actions to Take

Climate change is one of the greatest environmental threats facing the planet. I think that the Earth is definitely experiencing climate change and that human action is mostly responsible for it.

We only need to take a look at newspapers to read about the consequences of global warming on Earth. Increases in ocean temperature and the Earth’s surface temperature, widespread melting of snow and ice, and the rising of sea level are some pieces of evidence regarding climate change. In my opinion, we should not be surprised by these effects because we are badly ill-treating our planet by deforestation, the use of aerosols, and the burning of fossil fuels.

To conclude, I strongly believe that irreversible

William Blake — Songs of Innocence

Songs of Innocence, written in 1788, shows Blake's effort to take his poetry beyond words on a page; he felt the poems needed to be illustrated to create his desired effect. It was a sign of his increasing awareness of the social injustices of his time, which led to the completion of his Songs of Experience in 1794.

Social and Political Influences

One of Blake’s main influences was the society in which he lived. He lived during revolutionary times and witnessed the downfall of London during Britain’s war with republican France. His disgust with society grew as he matured, and The Songs of Innocence and Experience depict this transition. As well as having radical religious ideas for the time — he did not... Continue reading "William Blake: Songs of Innocence — Themes & Social Critique" »

Package Specification: gestionInstituto

CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE gestionInstituto
AS

  

Cursors

Functions and Procedures

Package Body: gestionInstituto

CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE BODY gestionInstituto
AS

  

Function: media

PL/SQL Package: gestionEmpleados Specification

CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE gestionEmpleados
AS
  -- Cursor to get average salary per department
  CURSOR curMediaSueldo IS
    SELECT AVG(salario) "media", dept_no 
    FROM emple 
    GROUP BY dept_no;

  -- Cursor to select all employees
  CURSOR curEmpleados IS 
    SELECT * 
    FROM emple;

  -- Cursor to select all departments
  CURSOR curDepartamentos IS 
    SELECT * 
    FROM depart;

  -- Package variables
  nombre VARCHAR2(40);
  media NUMBER;
  departamento VARCHAR2(20);

  -- Function declaration to get department name
  FUNCTION nomDepart(numeroDpt depart.dept_no%TYPE) 
    RETURN gestionEmpleados.departamento%TYPE;

END gestionEmpleados;

PL/SQL Package Body: gestionEmpleados

CREATE OR

I would really love to visit Coney Island again. The place is far from the bustling city, and getting there is already part of the adventure. One can take the tunnel or drive, but whichever way you take, when one arrives on the island, it’s like being transported in time.

A Journey to Coney Island's Past

There is that feeling of déjà vu one gets when you see the heart of the island for the first time. Maybe it is because of the old films that featured the amusement parks, or because as a young child you had countless dreams of coming here. The place is filled with old buildings and structures that remind us of how our parents and grandparents might have enjoyed the Thunderbolt, the mermaid shows, the parachute drop, and all the other parks... Continue reading "Coney Island's Enduring Charm and Nostalgia" »

Sony Announces the PlayStation 4

At the PlayStation Meeting 2013 in New York, Sony revealed its latest gaming console: the PlayStation 4. While the console's hardware remained under wraps, attendees were treated to demos of several upcoming games. Details such as price and release date are yet to be announced, but more information is expected at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

A Focus on Games

Lead architect Mark Cerny took the stage, reviewing the history of PlayStation before officially announcing the PS4. While some technical specifications were mentioned, the primary focus was on the games.

Knack and Killzone

The first demo showcased Knack, a family-friendly game designed by Cerny himself. For hardcore gamers, a new installment in... Continue reading "PlayStation 4 Unveiled: A Glimpse into the Future of Gaming" »

Analyzing Auggie Pullman's Triumph: Wonder Chapters 39-42

Mr. Tushman's Speech and Auggie's Reaction (p. 302)

Awards (p. 302)

Why do you think Mr. Tushman’s voice kept cracking during his speech announcing the award winner? How do you think Auggie felt at the end of this chapter? What do you think is going through his mind?

Mr. Tushman was emotional because he knew everything Auggie had gone through that year, and he genuinely felt Auggie deserved this recognition.

Auggie likely felt a mix of emotions:

• Shock: He probably did not expect to receive the award.
• Happiness and Pride: People were not only accepting him but also acknowledging his positive qualities and contributions.

He was probably wondering why he had received this award, reflecting on... Continue reading "Auggie Pullman's Transformation: Analyzing Wonder's Ending" »