Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems

The Cold War: A Summary

The Cold War was a long period of tension between the democracies of the Western World and the communist countries of Eastern Europe. The West was led by the United States, and Eastern Europe was led by the Soviet Union. These two countries became known as superpowers. Although the two superpowers never officially declared war on each other, they fought indirectly in proxy wars, the arms race, and the space race.

Key Events and Turning Points

The Yalta Conference

At Yalta, the future of Poland was discussed. Stalin wanted control of Poland, but the U.S. and U.K. were strongly against it. Britain pointed out that they had entered the war in defense of Poland and could not accept anything but free elections in an independent... Continue reading "Cold War: US-Soviet Tensions & Proxy Conflicts" »

Sole Proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is a business structure where an individual owns and operates the business. The owner contributes the capital, manages operations, and is solely responsible for the business's outcomes. They may work alone or employ others. This structure is the easiest to form and simplest to organize. The sole proprietor can borrow funds or utilize others' money for business purposes.

Advantages of Sole Proprietorship

Easy to Start

Forming a sole proprietorship is easier than partnerships or corporations. There are no legal formalities like agreements, memorandums of association, or articles of association.

Easy to Dissolve

Dissolving a sole proprietorship is simple, as the owner doesn't need permission from shareholders... Continue reading "Sole Proprietorship: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Characteristics" »

Business Studies

The NBER has formally affirmed that the US financial system is in a recession.

By putting into action an effective monetary policy, the Federal Reserve and the US government could uphold stable prices, thus sustaining conditions for long-standing economic expansion as well as increased employment opportunities. This study will explain how open market operations, discount rate, and reserve requirements could be utilized in order to stimulate the American economy.

Open Market Operations

Open market operations (OMOs) refer to the buying and selling of securities by a central bank in the open market to execute monetary policy. OMOs could be utilized in adjusting the supply of reserve balances in order to uphold the federal funds rate... Continue reading "Monetary Policy Tools to Revive the US Economy" »

Key Social Topics in Spain

Right to Education

When we talk about the right education, we refer to the right to a school education for children. In Spain, education is compulsory until sixteen years of age. In underdeveloped countries, a great majority of children do not have this right, and most organizations work for this cause. From my point of view, all people should have this right and be able to make use of it. Rich countries, for example France or the USA, should provide financial support for this cause.

Young People and Family Bonds

In Spain, families and friends are important and very close. A tradition is to gather the entire family on Sundays for lunch and spend the day together. From my experience, my family is very small but we are... Continue reading "Spanish Social Issues: Education, Family, and Consumerism" »

The Real McCoy: A Castle's Ghostly Secret

Four children were staying in an old castle. A rumor circulated that a real ghost haunted the place. However, one child was skeptical. The other three children conspired to imitate ghosts and surprise him. But he saw a ghost that was clearly not one of his friends, a chilling encounter that proved the castle's spectral inhabitant was indeed the real McCoy.

Strange Message: An Astronaut's Legacy

A young girl dreamed of becoming an astronaut. One day, her computer received a strange message. It read: “Follow your dream!” She found this unbelievable, as she had never shared her dream with anyone. Thinking it was a marvel, she replied to the message. Later, she discovered the message had been sent by a... Continue reading "Unexplained Encounters: True Supernatural Stories" »

Ch. 1 — Operations and Supply Chain Management

Ch. 1 — Operations and Supply Chain Management - design, operation and improvement of the systems that create and deliver the firm's primary products and services.

Key Processes

• Operations processes - how things are made.
• Supply chain processes - how things are moved.
• Supply chain management - the integrated management of operations and supply chain processes.

Definitions

• Process - One or more activities that transform inputs into outputs. Types are planning, sourcing, making, delivering, returning.
• Product-service bundling - when a firm builds service activities into its product offerings to create additional value for the customer.
• Mass customization - the ability to produce a unique product exactly

The Human Circulatory and Respiratory Systems

Key Components and Functions

1. The Diaphragm's Role in Respiration

The diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity (containing the heart, lungs, and ribs) from the abdominal cavity. It plays a crucial role in respiration. As the diaphragm contracts, the volume of the thoracic cavity increases, drawing air into the lungs.

2. Arteries: Transporting Oxygenated Blood

Arteries are large, thick-walled, muscular blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart.

• Pulmonary Arteries: Carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.
• Umbilical Arteries: Paired arteries (one for each half of the body) found in the abdominal and pelvic regions. They supply deoxygenated blood from the fetus to the placenta

Hotel Management Agreements

Definition

A hotel management contract is an arrangement whereby a hotel's owner contracts with a separate company, or an operator, to run a hotel. The owner retains limited control over the operation of the asset, often through measurable performance standards, albeit that the owner retains more risk than if the hotel were leased to the operator.

An operator, or hotel management company, hired to run a hotel business will provide supervision, expertise, established methods and procedures, and normally also a track record of verifiable past performance. The operator runs the hotel for a fee according to specified terms negotiated with the owner.

Term

The initial term of a management contract is the length of time that... Continue reading "Hotel Management Contracts vs. Tourist Operation Leases" »

The Spanish Constitution: The Supreme Legal Text

The Spanish Constitution is the supreme legal text. It is located at the apex of the regulatory hierarchy. Constitutional rules outline the legal framework in which private relationships unfold. It was promulgated in 1978. Constitutional provisions are grouped into two categories:

1. The dogmatic part, which comprises:
   • a) The Preamble (principles and founding values)
   • b) The Preliminary Title (Articles 1-9, basic constitutional principles configuring the political and territorial model and defining identifying marks of the Spanish State)
   • c) Title I (Articles 10-55, “On Fundamental Rights and Duties”, under which fundamental rights, civil liberties, and governing principles of social and economic policies

Understanding Map Generalization

What is Cartographic Generalization?

Reality has far too much information to be conveyed on a single two-dimensional map. Map generalization is the process of selecting and simplifying map features appropriate to the map's scale and purpose.

Key Techniques in Map Generalization

• Selection: Choosing only relevant line, point, and area features to be mapped. This decision is based on the map's intended use.
• Simplification: Reduction of unnecessary detail, often involving reducing the number of vertices (corners) in a polygon shape or line.
• Smoothing: Similar to simplification, this technique smooths out abruptly joined lines, improving aesthetic quality.
• Displacement: Shifting overlapping features slightly so that all