Risk Assessment Case Study

Risk Assessment Case Study C is a 14 year old boy who has a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder and learning disability. C is a very active young boy. His mother is a P.E teacher and has him involved in many outdoor activities. C loves being outdoors and doing practical hands on things such as cooking and outdoor activities. Although C is involved in various activities, these are all organised by his family. Mrs F feels that C constantly seeks reassurance when doing tasks etc. She would like to develop his dependence by involving him in activities which are not organised by the family. Furthermore Mrs F felt concerned that if anything were ever to happen to her or her husband, she would like to know that C has some experience within a different type of home care setting. I completed a UNOCINI assessment on C and a carers assessment on Mrs F. From that I felt that C would benefit from some time spent apart from the family. After completing the carers assessment with Mrs F, I determined that although the mai n reason for the parents was to develop Cs independence now that he is 14, I felt they would also benefit from these few hours of respite. The need for respite was not initially an issue however when I got Mrs F to think about her caring role and the level of caring responsibilities and how this impacted on her socially and emotionally, she acknowledged that yes, these few hours would act as respite for her as she care for C full-time when she comes home from work on weekdays and at the weekends. This option would help to develop his independence and get him more socially integrated in activities not organised by the family. I also identified two other services called Enable and Charis. The family were informed of these services and given the appropriate information. I left this information with the family so that they could make an informed decision. Mr and Mrs F agreed that they would definitely want to consider the option of the respite unit for C to attend for a few hours every week initially, with the view that they may want to increase this at a later date. The purpose of this piece of work is to carry out a risk assessment prior to C commencing the rest bite unit. This will need to consider any risks there are with C, how C may behave, what the triggers etc are and how the staff at O can best deal with these risks. Because there are significant behavioural problems with C, the risks are mainly centred around outdoor safety as he has a significant fear of dogs, his dislike of loud noises and consideration of his speech difficulties which will most likely result in communication difficulties. These factors all present risks to C and this meeting is an opportunity for Cs parents, a staff member from the unit, Cs teacher and I to come together, identify the risks, discuss how they are a risk to C and identify the best ways the staff can manage these risks. Legislation that will guide my practice As a student social worker I have a duty to practice in a professional and legal manner and it is important that I am aware of the legislation related to disability, which provides the mandate for the intervention. The Health and Personal Social Services (NI) Order (1972) sets out the role of social workers in Article 4 as having a duty to promote the well being of all the public. The Chronically Sick Disabled Persons Act 1978 legally obliges Personal Social Services to disseminate information, assess need, collect and maintain confidential information and provide Social Welfare Services to meet the needs of any person defined as chronically sick and/or disabled. Under this piece of legislation disabled people have the right to live in the community and be provided with appropriate support services. Under section one, authorities have a duty to inform themselves of the number and needs of handicapped persons in their areas and a duty to publicise available services. Section 2 lists various services which should be provided to meet the needs of disabled people including; social work support to families, adaptations to the home and including special equipment, holiday arrangements and meals (OliverSapey, 2006). An opportunity for C to develop his independence has been identified as a need for C. I have enquired into the services available and signposted the fam ily to these services. It is now their decision as to whether they want to avail of them or not. The Children (NI) Order 1995 is the main piece of legislation associated with the Childrens Disability Unit. This piece of legislation sets out the powers and duties of the Trust in relation to Children in Need and others. The Trust sets out clear assessment procedures for children in need which take account of any special needs. The order outlines that children with a disability will, in many cases, require continuing services throughout their lives therefore the assessment process needs to take account of any special needs and to take a longer perspective than for other children in need. A holistic assessment is needed to determine what is best needed for that child, taking into account the child and familys strengths, weaknesses and capacities. I have assessed the needs of C and his parents and from that I feel that I strongly feel this service will be of benefit to both C and his parents. Article 17 (c) defines a child in need as a child with a disability; C has a diagnosis of autism and learning disability and therefore is considered a child in need due to this disability. Also I am aware that in accordance with this legislation (Article 17 a b) I have a responsibility to ensure C achieves or maintains a reasonable standard of development or health through the provision of services. I will bear in mind Article 18 which sets out the trusts duty to support children in need. I had a duty to support C by carrying out an assessment of need which will allowed me to determine what type of support C required. Support may be provided in terms of providing services, signposting, referral to other agencies or the worker may provide emotional support, 1 to 1 work, advice, a listening ear etc. In this instance I have provided the appropriate support through signposting the family to two other services for C and I am in the process of providing them with a respite service. Within my work with children I am conscious that the welfare of the child is paramount and that this supersedes all else (Article 3 (1). To ensure I achieve this I have knowledge of and will make reference to The Welfare Checklist Article 3 (3) (Children NI Order 1995) The Disabled Persons Act (NI) 1989 also gives the mandate for the intervention. It gives individuals more control over their lives by providing them with the right to; representation, consultation, assessment, information this I consider to be my role. Carers also have the right to request an assessment and the ability to care is taken into consideration during the assessment process and when decisions are made. The legislation ensures that disabled people have equal opportunities in terms of services amongst other things. I have already completed a carers assessment with Mrs F which indicated that this service would also be of benefit for her as Cs carer. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991) set out for the first time, the rights of the child. Article 2 states, Whereby appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child, parents, legal guardians or family member and under article 6 whereby all children have the right to life and to the greatest possible opportunities to develop fully. It is hoped that through C spending some time away from his family, it will develop his independence. Under article 3, whereby in all actions the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration. In assessing the risks associated with C, we will be able to identify what the risks are, what the level of risk is, are there any triggers, what primary preventative strategies can be used to avoid these behaviors and reactions occurring, what secondary measures should be introduced if the behaviors become apparent, what reactive strategies should be required, specify any unmanaged risks and determine what should be the response following a behavioral incident. The Human Rights Act 1998 brought the European Convention of Human Rights into domestic law. Human rights are universal legal guarantees protecting individuals and groups against actions and omissions that affect their freedom and human dignity (SHSSB, 2004: 42). Every child has rights under the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the child 1989. Every child has a right to survival, developmental, protection and participation rights. Article 23 of the UNCRC states that a disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self reliance and facilitate the childs active participation in the community. I am mindful that the Data Protection Act (1998) must be adhered to at all times in order to ensure that information is accessed only by people who have a right to access it. This ensures that service user confidentiality is respected and that relevant and accurate information is stored. This legislation safeguards personal data i.e. personal information that is stored on computer and on relevant manual filing systems under eight principles. Policies and Procedures It is imperative that as an student of the trust I have knowledge of the Trust Policies and Procedures and how they inform my practice. It is important that I inform Mrs F about the complaints procedure and provide a leaflet advising individuals of how to make a complaint and express their views about the Trust services. It is important for the Trust to have feedback from service users as this enables the Trust to change and improve standards of services were appropriate. Furthermore it is important service users are aware of the confidentiality policy. I will explain to Mrs F that the information discussed within the meeting will be kept confidential. Theoretical Considerations Risk became a dominant preoccupation within Western society towards the end of the 20th century, to the point where we are now said to live in a risk society, with an emphasis on uncertainty, individualization and culpability (Beck, 1992). Social workers frequently have to deal with risk. Obvious examples would be when there are concerns about the safety of children. The process of assessing risk highlights the complexity of the social work role. The fact that decisions have to be made seems to require an element of control in peoples lives and this can cause conflict for some workers. The question often arises about the obvious power imbalance between the worker and the service user and issues can surface around care versus control. Burke and Cigno (2000) pose the question as to what degree of vulnerability in children reaches the degree of threshold for intervention, and what should be done to minimize the risks to children. These are difficult issues to reconcile. All parties concerned should be aware that allowing children to take a certain amount of risk is recognition of human beings to fulfill their potential. Denial of risk-taking greatly reduces steps towards independence and decreases quality of life. Trying to balance between parental and organisational protectiveness and acceptance of the childs need to take risks can be a difficult undertaking. There is also the problem of communicating effectively with children their wishes and needs. In the case of children and young people with learning difficulties, professionals are likely to have to learn additional ways of ascertaining the childs wishes and assessing his or her situation. All forms of risk need to be acknowledged in any assessment or evaluation (Trevithick, 2003: 115). A risk assessment is only valid for the situation which it has been carried out in and needs to be an ongoing process as the child develops. It is important to recognize that the situations of children and families are not static they are fluid and changing. Each individual risk has a lifespan and needs to be constantly monitored and reviewed. However, it is important not to give the concept of risk more weight than is needed by becoming too focused on controlling risks. Questions should be asked about whether or not the level of risk is acceptable, sometimes risk is inevitable and to try and control everything a person can or cannot do can be a breach of a persons basic human rights. The Bamfords Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability Equal Lives Group argued how service users want the chance to make their own choices in life and to be supported by the professionals around the m, not simply told what they can and cannot do. Hope and Sparks (2000) suggest that a risk assessment can only identify the problem of harm, assess the impact of it on key individuals, and pose intervention strategies which may diminish the risk or reduce harm. They do not believe that assessments can prevent risk completely. This is something which I would be inclined to agree with. Beckett and Maynard propose that control may be used to protect service users, staff and other members of the community and that by controlling the extent of potential risks that we are ensuring that the best possible care can be delivered. They feel that control used appropriately is not the opposite of care, but on the contrary is an expression of care. We should not fall into the simplistic idea that the use of statutory powers is necessarily oppressive or that working in other ways is necessarily anti-oppressive. There has been a concurrent growing mistrust of professionals in social work and an increased reliance by the profession on complex systems of assessment, monitoring and quality control (Stalker, 2003). Parton (1998) proposes that the blaming society is now more concerned with risk avoidance and defensive practice than with professional expertise and welfare development. However, risk is a normal and often beneficial part of everyday life. While it enables learning and understanding, in the case of potentially destructive consequences it may need to be monitored and restricted. The Southern Health and Social Care Trust (2008), define risk as the chance, great or small, that damage or an adverse outcome of some kind will occur as a result of a particular hazard. It is the threat that an event or some action will adversely affect the Trusts ability to successfully execute its strategies and achieve its objectives. It is a process of continual improvement which requires the identification, assessment, analysis, evaluation, treatment, monitoring and communication of risk. The Southern Trust Risk Management Strategy recognizes the need to reduce and eliminate or reduce all identifiable risk to the lowest practicable level. The trust is committed to achieving this through a holistic approach based on the principle that risk management is everybodys responsibility. There are two important models to consider when assessing risk, that of Brearley and that of Greg Kelly. Brearleys analysis of risk talks about predisposing hazards, which are factors that cannot be changed or are difficult to change before decisions are to be taken. He talks about situational hazards, which are factors specific to the situation that can be changed. Brearley also takes into account the strengths of the situation as factors that decrease the possibility of a poor or loss outcome. This is a positive step which may encourage families if their strengths are acknowledged. The Childrens (NI) Order 1995, promotes the welfare of the child and risk assessment and risk management are now a central part of the social work role and should acknowledged accordingly. Greg Kellys model is designed for use when there are serious concerns for the welfare of the child. It is designed to help clarify the issues in relation to the protection of children, to address key questions in decision making in situations where risk is present, what is the problem and how serious is it? The development of a non-technical language (strengths and weaknesses) has made the model useful in sharing and discussing issues with parents. What is very useful about this model is that it categorises risk. Thus to agree on the degree of risk is to agree on the harm that is more likely (high risk) or less likely (low risk) to occur in the absence of preventative measures. It inevitably involves a degree of predicting future events. Almost by definition taking decisions in situations of risk means taking them not in ideal circumstances and with less knowledge than we feel we need. Despite the dangers, however, childrens circumstances sometimes require that we take decisions base d on our best estimate of the risk of harm to them in a particular situation and at a particular time. The risk assessment pro-forma used at O respite unit is based on Greg Kellys model in that it categorises risk as high, low or medium. High Risk would be recent and regular occurrence of behaviour, for example in the past 3 months. Medium risk would be recent and only occasional occurrence in the past 3 months. Low risk would be seen as having happened in the past but would only have occurred very minimally in the past 3 months. The assessment here is not just the potential of risk of harm to the children, but also the individual measures staff can take to prevent the likelihood of the risk actualizing and any steps that management may need to take. Person centred planning is rooted in the belief that people with disabilities are entitled to the same rights, opportunities and choices as other members of the community. Person centred planning has been around for about twenty-five years and its principles are about sharing power with service users and community inclusion. This way of thinking insists that people with disabilities have the same quality of life and position in society which is equal to people without disabilities. It challenges the idea of grouping people together on the basis that they are perceived as needing the same level of assistance. Person centred planning asks how the client wants to live their life and ways that they think could make this possible and if they require any support with this. Person centred planning has five key features:- The person is at the centre, family members and friends are partners in planning, the plan reflects what is important to the person, their capacities and what support they require, the plan helps build the persons place in the community to welcome them. It is not just about services and reflects what is possible, not just what is available. The plan results in ongoing listening, learning, and further action. Putting the plan into action helps the person to achieve what they want out of life. Person centred planning is about the social worker facilitating the service user to take control of his or her own lives and move forward as much as is possible. Coulshed and Orme (2006) illustrate how it focuses on the individual as unique and special in their own situation. It is important for the social worker to develop a good relationship with the service users for this approach to be successful. It encourages the development of an equal, non-authoritarian relationship where both service user and social worker work together to establish a significant and meaningful relationship.  (Trevithick, 2006: 271) It is important in person-centred planning to work out what is important to the client but also what is important for the client, which can sometimes be difficult. This can even be simple things such as pen pictures which illustrate the things which are of most important to our clients. This can include information such as favourite foods, colours, clothes, possessions, people, activities or place. It is important to remember these principles when I am completing the risk assessment and ensuring that it is a personalised account of this child. Previous knowledge My knowledge of risk assessment is initially very limited. Although I have completed various UNOCINI assessments, and within that you are thinking about risk and identifying potential risks for that child or family if certain support networks or services etc are not put in place, this is not as extensive as this specific risk assessment I am to undertake with C. I read around the topic of risk assessment and took into account the different models, especially the Southern Trusts Risk Management Strategy. I also considered number 4 of NISCC objectives which was to manage risk to individuals, families, carers, groups, and communities, self and other colleagues. This increased my sense of purpose and direction in which the risk assessment was to take. I have good knowledge around C and the family as I had completed the initial assessment. I have previously met with Cs teacher which gave me an insight into Cs daily routine at school and explained the best way to communicate with C. Further to this I read a completed risk assessment which used the same pro-forma to gain a better understanding of how the information gathered should flow. It is important to have an understanding of what autism is and how it can impact on a person and their family as C has autism. Having shadowed the autism support worker few home visits to see children who have autism, I already had an insight into the importance of the schedule and routine for children who have autism. I had also previously increased my knowledge base by talking to the autism support worker within the team about the disorder and its effects. My first degree in Psychology also looked at autism and its effects on development so I have refreshed my memory and read my notes again. Tuning into my own feelings as a worker I feel a little nervous as I will be facilitating this meeting. I feel nervous about the fact that there will be other professionals such as Cs teacher and the social worker and manager from the respite unit. Furthermore, Mrs F is also a teacher. Considering Mrs Fs profession, she may have standards and I hope I am able to effectively facilitate the meeting in a professional manner which meets her standards. In saying this, I have met with Mrs F on a few occasions and I feel very comfortable with her. I want to be able to facilitate this meeting as effectively as possible in ensuring everyone gets an opportunity to contribute, all opinions are considered, all risks are identified and a plan is set in place which will effectively manage these risks. I feel slightly more confident in that I have met with the social work manager and Cs teacher before and feel I have built up a good rapport with Mrs F. Tuning Cs feelings C is unable to contribute to the meeting due to his learning disability. Tuning into parents feelings This is a new experience for Mrs F as she is Cs main carer and the only time they are ever apart is when C is away at school. She may be feeling anxious about considering the risks there are with C. She is placing a lot of trust in the staff at O in order to be aware of these risks and manage them. However this is an opportunity for Mrs F to inform the staff on how to best, most effectively manage the risks associates with C. In turn this meeting may consequently lessen Mrs Fs anxieties in knowing that we have identifies the relevant risks and we are fully aware of how to most appropriately manage these risks. This will hopefully provide reassurance for Mrs F in knowing that the relevant safeguards will be put in place prior to C commencing the unit. Skills It is important that I am able to analyze the information from the O assessment in order to determine if there are any risks, what they are, how they are currently managed and how they could be best managed by staff members. I have already analyzed what the risks are. I have determined that Cs communication is a risk as there is a risk he may become distressed if the staff at O do not understand him. I thus felt inviting Cs teacher to the meeting was important. I felt this could also act as an information sharing meeting whereby the people that C spends most time with such as his mother and teacher would be able to give input on how best to communicate with C. Cs teacher previously informed me that use of the PECS and super symbols would be essential to apply in order to effectively communicate with C, until such times as the staff familiarise themselves with C. The ability to analyze involves breaking a situation or issue down into its component parts so that the inter-connections a nd patterns can be uncovered (Thompson, 2005). I need to be able to analyze the information gathered to determine what the risks are, to determine the level of risk and determine what safe guards need to be put in place in order to try and reduce these risks. Communication has been defined as, the verbal and non verbal exchange of information, including all the ways in which knowledge is transmitted and received (Barker, 2003: 83). I will be facilitating this meeting and thus I need to communicate in a clear and concise fashion in explaining the purpose of the meeting, what I hope to cover, why and what I hope to achieve. I will explain the relevance of inviting Miss V, Cs teacher and explain how I hope she will be able to contribute to the meeting. This will reassure Miss V of her role, purpose and prepare her for what she may want to say with regard to how the staff can best communicate with C. I will similarly explain the relevance of why Cs parents are there also, in that they know C best as his parents and carers and their input and advice will be most valuable with regards to identifying any additional risks I may have missed, and how to manage these and give any input they wish throughout the meeting. This is also an opportunity fo r Cs parents to ask any additional questions, be reassured that we are aware of the risks involved with their son, the appropriate safeguards will be put in place to try and minimize the risks and what plan they have in place if something does happen to C. Negotiation skills are vital as a result of this Risk Assessment. I have invited the relevant persons to this meeting so important information can be shared with regard to how certain risks can be most effectively managed. Miss V, Cs teacher has a good insight into effective communication exchange techniques which will allow the staff and C to effectively communicate with each other and understand what C is communicating. This is vital in order to prevent C from feeling frustrated if noone understood what he was saying or what he wanted etc. I will be looking upon Mr and Mrs F are experts in their own family lives. Noone will know C better than themselves and thus their input is vital in indentifying any additional risks, how they can best be managed. Before we end the discussion, in order for the risk assessment to be effective I feel it is necessary that everyone negotiates on how the risks can most effectively be managed. Trevithick (2005) proposes that listening provides a creative opportunity to demonstrate our commitment and care. The essence of good listening is learning about how to reach the emotions and thoughts of others; it requires active involvement and engagement with the client. I am confident in my ability to convey that I am valuing Mrs Fs contribution as she is the expert her family life with C and Mrs Vs contribution as Cs teacher. Values I am committed to anti-oppressive practice and Thompsons PCS model of discrimination helps me to be mindful of this. Thompson analyses discrimination in terms of three levels: the personal, which highlights the feelings and attitudes at an individual level; the cultural which refers the social norms, and the structural level which is the way that oppression and discrimination can be institutionalised in society. Biesteck value principles are principles of the social worker-service user relationship which are deemed to be effective forms of practice. The principles are:- individualization, purposeful expression of feelings, controlled emotional involvement, acceptance, non-judgemental attitude, service user self-determination and confidentiality. I think these value principles have a lot to offer professionals. I think in terms of this risk assessment I will be aware of the importance of individualisation. This is a specific piece of work which directly impact on the care and support that C will receive while he is at O for respite. It is vital that the work is an accurate representation of C and his individual needs. Biestecks value principles are a useful checklist to ensure that we are practicing in an anti-oppressive manner. One of the core values that I believe to be relevant in all of my work is respect for the person I am working with. Valuing Ms F and treating her with dignity is fundamental to a good working relationship. This should be a part of my everyday practice, part of empowerment, participation and choice (Payne, 1998). Thompson acknowledged the importance of respecting persons and not treating them in a way that you would object to if other people treated you like that (Thompson, 2000). In order to build trust and a positive working relationship with Ms F, Rogers (1961) core conditions of empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard are vital. I need to be able to convey to Mrs F that I understand their situation and their feelings. In order to do this I need to be open and honest and convey warmth and a non-judgmental attitude to Mrs F. If my work is to be effective it needs to be based on partnership. I hope to convey to Mrs F that she will always will be the expert on herself and C and their family situation. Within a social work context, it is the service users who should define their own needs and dictate wherever possible how their needs should be met (Parker Bradley 2003). Useful pointers in developing a relationship based on partnership include: do not do most of the talking, do not put words into peoples mouths, help everyone feel comfortable, particularly Mrs F. Empowerment involves seeking to maximise the power of clients and to give them as much control as possible over their circumstances. It is the opposite of creating dependency and subjecting clients to agency power (Thompson 1993:80). I will be reminding Mrs F of the importance of her contribution in identifying any risks and advising on how she best manages those risks at present as no one knows C better than herself. Hopefully this reassurance will empower Mrs F to contribute as much as possible to the sharing of information.

Lord of the Flies Essay

The title of this book, Lord of The Flies, refers to Beelzebub, a figure that is often linked with the devil. The book also has several references to Jesus Christ of the new testament, which shows us the religious integrity of the book. This essay refers to a specific character in that book, Simon, a boy who is lost on an island with a group of other boys. Simon has just been killed by the other boys. The other boys have embraced their inner savage, and have disregarded their previous civilized lives. Simon however, is the only one who has not. In the last four paragraphs of â€Å"Chapter Nine: A View to a Death†, of Lord of the Flies, Golding makes clear the use of light imagery to suggest the apotheosis of Simon. The changing environment around Simon suggests his apotheosis. The sky shows us that Simon is being deified. When Simon is killed, â€Å"the rain cease[s]† (153) and the sky becomes scattered with â€Å"incredible lamps of stars† (153). This text suggests that Simon’s death has gone noticed, from which the setting turns from a dark rainy night, into a clear, starlighted evening, as if Simon has been summoned by fellow deities. Golding describes nearby holy organisms using light imagery. The passage states that the shoreline â€Å"was full of strange, moonbeam-bodied creatures with fiery eyes† (154). The creatures that are present in the scene are bright and full of light, which indicate the holiness of the scene, as only a deity could attract such mysterious and bright creatures. The shoreline itself is also used to describe imagery. The shoreline Simon’s body was on â€Å"became a streak of phosphorescence† (153). The word phosphorescence is another indicator of light, which shows the imagery of the scene. It is suggestes that this is spontaneous phosphorescence, which means it suddenly luminated the dark scene upon Simon’s death. Golding uses several factors of the environment to create light imagery, which suggest the divine change that Simon’s body is going through. The imagery used to describe the transformation of Simon’s body suggests a divine change. Golding describes how Simon’s body becomes outlined. On the beach, â€Å"the line of [Simon’s] cheek silvered† (154). The reference of silver, which is referenced multiple times in this passage, shows that Simon is being encrusted in a outline that is abnormal to mortals. As in, he may be dead, but his body is being immortalized like a god. Imagery is used to describe the creatures that surround Simon and their actions. These creatures â€Å"with their fiery eyes†¦ busied themselves round his head† (154). The creatures are rounding Simon’s head, which creates a halo, an angelic symbol. The halo is often drawn on angels, which are prophets of deities. Simon’s body becomes permanently preserved as a deity. After the creatures surround him, â€Å"the turn of [Simon’s] shoulder became sculptured marble. Marble is a stone that is usually used to create statues of gods and goddesses, which is the bright stone that Golding states Simon’s body transforms into. Golding uses deity-like qualities to describe Simon’s dead body with light imagery. Simon’s environment, as well as his dead body, has been proven to show clear symbolism between him immortal deities. Golding uses light imagery to accomplish this. Simon was executed for no logical reason in this book. It is important to note that the savagery of primitive society slowly, but steadily, got the best of these boys, with the exception of the one boy, who brought reason but was rejected.

Tuesdays with Morrie

Christina An Weiss AIC September 9, 2010 Tuesdays with Morrie Love is a powerful emotion and an essential human need. Without loving the ones around them and their community, people are unable to live their lives to the fullest. In Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, love is a most meaningful and dominant message. We feel comfort and connection with love in our lives. As Morrie says, if we devote love into our lives, we are able to fulfill our lives. In reality, many people work up until their last breath to have more and more money. However, when they look back, they realized they never lived their lives with fulfillment.Money may buy them materialistic needs but love and affection are able to bring purpose and meaning. According to Morrie, â€Å"The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning† (43). By devoting himse lf to love the others around him, Morrie was able to create â€Å"a cocoon of human activities – conversations, interaction, affection – and it filled his life like an overflowing soup bowl† (43).The humans believe only money can compose accomplished lives. However, they do not notice how powerful love can be; love itself is able to aid them into creating their own world, a world they wanted. If they devote their love to their community and the ones around them, they will be surprised how fulfilling their lives can become. Love is not only just pouring affection to others; understanding, guidance, comfort are also needed. These are small step people must take to create their own world.Humans need connection and comfort from the ones around us. Despite the far distance, love is still possible. I lived in 2 different places. I was born in Korea and lived for 8 years. Then I moved to Toronto, Canada, and lived for about 4 years. Now I live in Naperville, Illinois. We are still able to feel love among us because we created our friendship deep enough that where ever we are, we still feel the connection and comfort. If this world did not have love among people, the humans would be nothing but heartless robots.One of my favorite books is The Great Gatsby. This novel talk about how a man, Gatsby, becomes rich just for the girl, Daisy, he fell in love with. Even though he has a lot of money and throws ravishing parties every day, nothing can fill his life except for the love from his girl. Gatsby has a huge, exquisite house. It was big yet empty. His house was always full of people who came to his party. Gatsby does not mind random people coming to his party. He just wanted his life to be filled with people. However, that never happened.He house was filled, but never his life. His life only chased his love for Daisy, and never for the people around him. Gatsby’s materialistic things never satisfied his life. He never tried to make friends an d therefore, he was never happy. Gatsby’s ravishing yet empty life shows us, that his outer shows others wealth and power. Nonetheless, his inside was just a hollow body. We can learn that even when people have the money they can spend on anything, money does not create a fulfilled life that everyone dreams of.People can fulfill their lives if they just took the time to look back and created more deep relationships. Love is not just for couples, or marriages. It is also significant in the communities and the ones who are always there. People around the world want so many materialistic things. But when they look back again, they want more friends and more relationships. Everyone will soon realize how much time they might have wasted running toward for materialistic things. If the humans let love come in, they realize that â€Å"love is the only rational act† (52). Tuesdays with morrie Mitch Album July 12, 2014 â€Å"My old professor, meanwhile, was stunned by the normalcy of the day around him. Shouldn't the world stop? Don't they know what has happened to me? † ;Mitch (pig 8) Morris's death sentence came in the summer of 1994. This meant an end to Morris's dancing. Following that came Memoir beginning to walk with a walker, the end to driving, swimming and most of all teaching. Memoir was diagnosed with ALLS, which is a brutal illness of the neurological system. 1 . What does this quote mean or suggest to you? Peoples problems range from bad to not so bad.Many In the world don't know what others have to go through on a dally basis. I feel people should take that Into consideration when making decisions and/or dealing with their problems. Memoir was diagnosed with ALLS, a terminal sickness, meanwhile there are people who are taking their lives and becoming depressed for silly reasons. Memoir has every right to be upset but he looks at his sickness as a new beginning, to look at life a different way. I believe that's how everyone should look at life no matter what the situation is. 2. What is the authors attitude toward the ideas, events, or characters he/she is resenting?Explain your reasoning. The author has a positive attitude toward the events in the story. One of Memories students, Mitch, eulogies him. When Mitch found out about his sickness, he contacted him immediately. However, when he arrived he didn't even want to get out of the car. Visiting Memoir became a ritual, he would fly to see him every Tuesday. As each Tuesday passed, Match's attitude toward Morris's situation changed for the better. Each Tuesday he would bring food from the market and even though as time passed Memoir couldn't eat food unless it was mushy, he still brought it.Memories costive outlook on life and his happiness influenced Mitch and made him realize there is so no reason to be negative and unhappy. July 132014 â€Å"In fact, I lost contact with most of the people I knew in college, including my beer drinking friends and the first woman I ever woke up with I the morning. â€Å"-Mitch (pig Match's life after hugging his professor last wasn't that Interesting. His dream was to be a musician, but after several unsuccessful gigs that dream faded. Mitch had his first encounter with death, his uncle that taught him many things, who he looked up to, died from cancer at a young age.HIS uncle asked him one night If he would be year. After his funeral, time suddenly became precious and he didn't want to Joke around anymore. What does this quote mean or suggest to you? This quote suggests to me that people leave, you move on and things that was once important don't mean as much anymore. Although you move on, you shouldn't loose touch because something so deadly can come out of no where and hurt a loved one. For example, Match's uncle. Mitch looked up to his uncle, he taught him how to drive, throw a football and teased him about girls. He wanted to be him exactly when he grew up and sadly he wasn't around for long.In conclusion, moving on is fine but don't move on to the point you loose touch completely with a loved one because you will regret it. 2. What are the implications of this idea, I'm the story and/or beyond it? This quote represents the idea of moving on, how it has it pros and cons. This ideas implied in the story because Mitch moved on and forgot about his dear professor and all of a sudden he found out he was diagnosed with a terminal disease. Mitch reunited with his professor, no and they began to meet every Tuesday to catch up and for Memoir to teach his last lesson about life.Like I said in my revises answer, when moving on don't detach completely because a loved on May not be with you for long. â€Å"Yeah he refused to be depressed. Instead, Memoir had become a lightning rod of ideas. He Jotted down his thoughts on yellow pads, envelopes, folders, scrap paper†¦ â€Å"Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others†; â€Å"Don't assume that it's too late to get involved. â€Å"†-Mitch/Memoir (pig 18) Morris's health isn't getting any better; he has to use a wheelchair full time; his legs were dead. Yet he refused to be depressed.He began to Jot down every idea that came to mind. One of his friends, Maurice Stein, was so taken by his words that he .NET them to a Boston Globe reporter, who came and wrote a story on him. It was called, The Professor's Final Course: His Own Death. How does the quote connect to other ideas in the story? Memoir is faced with a lot of obstacles throughout the book, however he doesn't let it stop him. This quote connects to other ideas in the story because Memoir is constantly thinking positive. After a while, he has had over fifty â€Å"aphorisms†.Since Maurice Stein showed the world Memoir, and Copper reached out to him; he has now fame in his life. Fame is constantly showing up in his life, for example, he gets letters, p eople want to meet him and he has been on Gospel's show more than once. 2. Why do you think this quote is important, to you personally and/or characters he/ she is presenting? Explain your reasoning. I think this quote is important to the character Mitch is presenting because if Memoir didn't have positivist during this roller coaster, then it would be a lot harder to are dying, you begin to live your life.Although Memoir can't live his life actively, he is living his life emotionally talking to people, sharing his story and most of all helping them. July 14, 2014 â€Å"The eighties happened. The nineties happened. Death and sickness and getting fat and going bald happened. I traded lots of dreams for a bigger paycheck, and I never even realized I was doing it. † -Mitch (pig 33) Mitch is thinking to himself about how he would of felt if he didn't see Memoir before he died. He said he only had one excuse, it was a good excuse, but he became wrapped up in his own life.Memoir ke pt talking to him as if it has Just been a long vacation but during that vacation Mitch found Jobs and got married. Mitch feels bad, he felt that he became someone he never wanted to become. His days were full, but he spent the day doing things that left him unsatisfied. This quote suggests to that Mitch only cared about money, and luxurious objects. Rather than love, family and friends. He never wanted to end up like this, he never expected to loose contact with Memoir. But time began to fly by; his dreams disappeared and his world became revolved around money and his Job. . Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, history, or your own life. Mitch reminds me of a majority of today's society. Many teens and adults are only worried about money and what they have. Yet, the car they drive or their salary isn't going to keep their loved ones around. Sometimes you realize when it's too late. Many peoples dreams become unrealistic when they get caught up in their ego. They could of achieved their goals if they weren't too busy worrying about money and more about what matters, such as family, friends and school.July 15, 2014 â€Å"The discussions give me an excuse to talk to him, fatherly conversations I cannot have with my own father, who would like me to be a lawyer† -Mitch (pig 47) Memoir and Mitch became very close which was unusual for Mitch because he wasn't a relative yet, he didn't mind. Mitch and his father don't really get along cause he has a different future planned for him. Match's dad wants him to be a lawyer, Mitch is in luck because Memoir doesn't like lawyers. Instead he wanted to. Be a musician, and Memoir supported that; which made him feel like a father.Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, history, or your own life. Mitch reminds me of my own life because my dad and I don't really get along either. I have a person that is like a father figure to me and he supports me more than my own dad does. Unlike Match's dad having different goals for him, my dad college and how much stress comes out from it. . Why do you think this quote is important, to you personally and/or the whole story? Since Mitch doesn't have a great bond with his father, it influences his relationship with Mitch and Memoir.It makes their relationship stronger. Mitch isn't afraid to tell Memoir what he is feeling and what he wants in life. If Mitch were to have these kind of talks with his dad, it wouldn't go over so well. July 16, 2014 â€Å"Because it's the ultimate sign of dependency. Someone wiping your bottom. But I'm working on it. I'm trying to enjoy the process. Enjoy it? â€Å"Yes. After all, I get to be a baby one more time. â€Å"† -Memoir (pig 49) Mitch and Memoir are Tuesday people, therefore Mitch only visits him on Tuesday. On the first Tuesday they talk about the world. Talking to Memoir was similar to their old college dialogues.Memoir asking questions and listening to Match's responses. During one of marries interviews with Ted Copper, he told him that his lowest point in life will be when he has to have someone to wipe his ass. He thinks that because it is the ultimate sign of dependency, and Memoir doesn't like to depend on people. What is reveled about the character(s) through this quote? Q This quote reveals that Memoir has a positive outlook on everything he is going to o through. Although he doesn't like the idea of depending on someone to wipe his ass, he take s the negativity and turns it into positivist.Memoir thinks that he is getting another chance to be a baby, which is a weird but good way to look at it. If Memoir focused on the fact that he is getting weaker, he would become unhappy. It's impossible for Memoir to be unhappy about anything. 2. How does this quote connect to other ideas in the story? This quote connects to the other disadvantages Memoir is being handed through the story. Such as, using a walker, danci ng, swimming and so on. No Neater how setting stopping what used to be an everyday activity, he keeps his head up. Memoir is always positive when normally he should be upset.Nothing can stop Memoir from smiling. July 17, 2014 â€Å"The next Tuesday, I arrived with the normal bags of food- pasta with corn, potato salad, apple cobbler- and something else: a Sony tape recorder,† -Mitch (pig 62) On the third Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about regrets. Since Memoir is getting sicker and time is going very fast; Mitch decided to bring a tape recorder so he could remember what they were talking about. Memoir has patience, courage, humor and pennies; he is looking at life from a very different place than anyone else. The tapes were like photographs, a desperate attempt to steal something from death's suitcase.Mitch has a positive attitude when dealing with the tape recorder. He doesn't want to forget about the countless amount of Tuesdays he spent with his favorite professor. Mitch wants to be able to listen to Morris's voice after he passes; although he denies that when confronted. Memoir wants to be able to tell him his story before he runs out of time, and Mitch is perfectly fine with that. 2. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or the whole story? I think this quote is important to the whole story because it represents the fact that Memoir is an influential person.He impacts many lives and decisions. The tape recorder proves to Memoir that he will never be forgotten. A part in the story, Memoir talks about if he will be forgotten when he passes. He will not. Too many love and care for him as a person and his personality to forget him. â€Å"We all need teachers in our lives. And mine was sitting in front of me† -Mitch (pig 65) Mitch is worrying about if he should be consumed with sad thoughts and regrets of what he has missed. Memoir says that's what everyone is worried about, they are all rapped up in their family, caree r, money, meeting the mortgage and so on.Yet, they don't stand back and say, â€Å"Is this all? â€Å". People need to probe you in the right direction and that's what Memoir is doing. What works of art, music, dance or film does it remind you of? How? How does making the connection help you get more out of the question? This quote reminds me of the film, Mantilla. Mantilla was adopted into a very discouraging family, who didn't care for her. When she met her teacher Ms. Honey, she began to realize what life has to offer. This is the same situation with Memoir and Mitch, Memoir opened up Match's and made him realize what's right in front of him. . What does this quote mean or suggest to you? This quote suggests that you should always have an intelligent, influencing person in your life you can always go to to help point you in the right direction. Having that second option makes decision making a lot easier, and I feel everyone should have a person like Memoir. I've had several fr iends in my life, that always point me in the right direction and I'm very thankful to have them. July 18, 2014 â€Å"†Everyone knows they're going to die,† he said again, â€Å"but nobody believes it. If we id, we would do things differently. † -Memoir (pig 81) On the fourth Tuesday, they talked about death. Memoir is now on a machine, helping him breath and Mitch hates it. Yet, once again Memoir looks at it differently. He says that everyone needs to accept that they are going to die one day and that they should've prepared at any time. Therefore, you can be more involved in your life ask it if today's the day and if they are ready. Memoir then turned to his shoulder and asked the bird if today is the day I die. What are the implications of this idea, in the story and/or beyond it? The idea of accepting death is implied throughout the story.Memoir accepts the fact that he will be dying soon, therefore he lives his life differently. He lives his life to the full est, and doesn't let negativity and unhappiness prevent him. Although, Memoir has hit his lowest point, dependency, he doesn't allow that to prevent him from sharing his life story and his optimism with visitors and Mitch. If the quote suggests a conflict, what might have caused the problem? What solution(s) might exist? This quote suggests the conflict of internal vs.. Acceptance of death. The idea of believing you're invincible causes this problem.The only solution that exists, is to accept that you will die one day. Accepting that idea will result in a better life. You will begin to live life to its fullest, and you will achieve more things. â€Å"You know what the Buddhists say? Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent. † -Memoir (pig 103) It is the sixth Tuesday and Memoir and Mitch are talking about Emotions. Memoir is beginning to struggle much more as the days pass, but no matter what he will be happy to see Mitch. Mitch still brings a bag of food ever y time he visits, but Memoir would never hurt his feelings and tell him he can't chew it.Memoir begins the Tuesday by telling Mitch that he has to detach himself from experiences. Instead of letting the experience penetrate you, on the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or to the whole story? I think this quote is important to me personally because this is something I have trouble with daily. Whenever someone comes into my life, I get attached very easily. Therefore, when it's time to detach I get hurt. I need to accept the fact that everyone will be temporary, and I can't let myself get hurt over that.Instead of thinking about the future together, I need to enjoy the experience with that person now and let the experience penetrate me fully. History or in your own life. As I stated in the last question, it's very difficult for me to detach from someone. I don't think I am the only one who deals with this problem. Some get extremely attached and when that person leaves they go insane and do something incredibly crazy things themselves or to the person. I read an article where a girl was arrested for stalking her boyfriend, sending an extraordinary amount of texts, emails, calls, voiceless and so on to him.This is the problem, some believe that it won't happen again; therefore they put all their trust into one person. When that person ends up being what they didn't expect they go crazy. Facedown on the tile floor, stayed there for hours†¦. What she mostly wanted, he learned was the same thing many people want-someone to notice she was there. † Mitch (pig 109-110) Memories inspirational and positive attitude was shaped by the years he spent working at a mental hospital. Morris's Job was to observe mental patients and record their treatments. This quote suggests the conflict of internal conflict vs.. Society.This conflict has been caused by a selfish society. The only solution that mi ght exist is if society would cake time to care about the people surround them. This quote represents a simple issue. She would lay on the floor everyday and everyone would walk all over her. All it took for her to get off the floor was for someone to notice her; and that person was Memoir. 2. Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, in history or your own life. The character Memoir reminds me of a close friend of mine. Both of them are hardly negative and sad, and they will always put others before them.I admire her greatly. She is always there to help me and give me advice, which is exactly what Memoir does. People like Memoir don't get enough thanks, and they deserve the recognition. July 19, 2014 Memoir had aging in better perspective. Listen, I know what a misery being young can be, so don't tell me it's so great. All these kids who came to me which their struggles, their strife, and their feelings of inadequacy, their sense that life was mi serable,so be they wanted to kill themselves†¦ † -Memoir (pig 117) The seventh Tuesday, Memoir and Mitch talk about the fear of aging. Surprisingly Memoir isn't Aids of aging.Adapt first he felt letting someone wipe his behind would influence his mood for the worse, yet it didn't. He now enjoys his dependency, he enjoys someone rolling him over to his side and rubbing cream on his behind. Then they talked about the fear of aging. Mitch made the observation that on billboards on young and beautiful people are featured. None of the models could pass over 35. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or the whole story? This quote is important to the whole story because It gives Memoir more of a reason to accept the fact he is growing old.Being young isn't fun anymore, it's all about how much money you have, what car you drive, who you are dating, how much you weigh and so on. Also the young are not wise and hardly understand life. The older you get, the wiser you are and the more you understand. People that are 2. If the quote suggests a conflict, what might have caused the problem? What The conflict of internal vs.. Society is represented through this quote. Judgmental people, high standards and high expectations causes this conflict. Teens are desperately trying to escape people's expectations.Life shouldn't be about what you have and who you talk to. This causes teens to be ignorant. The only solution to this problem is to live life to your fullest and forget about what others think. He smiled, you know what that reflects? Unsatisfied lives. Unfulfilled lives. Lives that haven't found meaning. Because if you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more. You can't wait until you're sixty-five. † -Memoir (pig 118) The seventh Tuesday, Memoir and Mitch talk about aging. Aging is a very valuable and ignorant people don't understand that.Memoir states that if a ll young people are battling getting older, they will always be unhappy. Turning a year older opens a new door for all. Mitch doesn't understand how Memoir doesn't new young and healthy people. Memoir does new them being able to go to the health club or swimming but he detached himself. He envoys them, but he doesn't let it prevent him from living his life. This connection help you get more out of the question? The quote reminds me of the movie 17 Again. Each Effort is unsatisfied with his life, he was getting divorced, he kids wouldn't speak to him and he wasn't the hot Jack he used to be.This depression was very obvious, which resulted in a â€Å"Janitor† letting him go back in time to be 17 again. Although he was able to relive his teen life, no did fix certain problems he couldn't help but think about his wife. Each has to choose teen two choices, going to college and play basketball or go back to his age and win his wife back. He chose his wife. Even though staying young is fun, growing old is better and that can be represented in this movie. I feel that this quote can represent Mitch a little bit. Mitch is a very busy person, he is always doing something; yet he isn't happy doing it.Mitch obviously wishes he could go back to college, considering all the questions he is asking Memoir. However, Mitch makes Memoir realize how much of an advantage they both have. They may have wrinkles or bald spots but they are both getting more insightful as time passes. July 20, 2014 â€Å"You need food, you want a chocolate sundae. You have to be honest with yourself. You don't need the latest sports car, you don't need the biggest house. † -Memoir (pig 126) values in the wrong things which leads to broken lives. Memoir has good and sometimes bad days but no matter what, his love for music strengthens.Memoir then begins to talk about how the country is brainwashing everyone. For example, they say â€Å"Owning things is good. More money is good. More proper ty is good. More imperialism is good† and so on. Mitch and Memoir make their way towards marries study, everything is the same. When Memoir was told about his terminal illness, he lost interest in purchasing new items. This quote suggests to me that the world is revolved around money. It's always about what you have, not your personality. It shouldn't matter what car you drive, or the house you live in or what you look like.The materialistic things in life doesn't matter and people take that for advantage. Mitch was so caught up in his own life, worrying about his Job and how much money he was making instead of contacting his professor. Thankfully, he woke up from his nightmare and Memoir talked some sense into him. Now they spend every Tuesday having instructed conversations. Mitch reminds me of several people in my own life. They are all caught up in the materialistic things rather than the love in his life. The only thing to blame for this is society, and to break through f rom it you would have to become your own person.Break the standards and expectations the world has set. Focus on what really matters and that's your family. July 21, 2014 â€Å"So many people with far smaller problems are so self-absorbed, their eyes glaze over if you speak more than thirty seconds. † -Mitch (pig 136) The ninth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talked about how love goes on. Mitch kept trying to get in touch with his brother that lives in Spain, yet he kept ignoring his calls. Memoir now isn't able to go to the bathroom on his own! A catheter was inserted. As each visit passed, his spine began to melt into the chair and take shape.Although he was becoming his weakest, he insisted on being wheeled to his study. This was represented by his new aphorism, â€Å"When you're in bed, you're dead. † So many people takes things to granted and don't understand that life can be worse, Memoir could Just sit in his bed and feel himself dying, yet he doesn't let death cause him to be selfish. The quote suggests internal conflict vs.. Self. Most are self-absorbed. Acting as if they are listening to what you're saying, but actually waiting for you to end so they can start talking. They don't care about other people, and sadly that's a majority of today's society.Only worried about their issues, but need to realize there are healthy they do. 2. How does this quote relate to others work of literature? In the novel, Ordinary People, the protagonist Conrad is going through a lot. He feels he was the cause of his brothers death and he doesn't feel good enough for his parents, therefore he turns to cutting. His mother, Beth Garret is very self-absorbed. She only cares about what others think of her. For example, she flipped when she found out from a friend that her son quit the swim team and not from her own son.This represents selfishness, her son is in pain and she only cares for her reputation. â€Å"Although she had never met Memoir, she took the phoneâ € ¦ † -Mitch (pig 143) The tenth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about marriage. Memoir has always heard about Match's wife, Jeanine, but never met her. One day Mitch was on the phone with Memoir and Jeanine surprisingly took the phone from him. Instead of rejecting Morris's request, she decided to come with Mitch next Tuesday to see Memoir. As stated in this chapter, marriage is a very complicated thing and many have problems with it.However, many don't realize that having a loved one is very important to have. When you're in a situation like Memoir, going through it without a loved one is very hard. Going through it with friends is fine, but they won't be there when you're ill and coughing at night. But your soul mate will be. This quote makes me very happy because it represents kindness and peace towards everyone. Jeanine has never met Memoir, all she knows is stories Mitch has old her and that makes her more eager to meet such a man. All it takes to influence and be ones hero is a positive attitude when going through the worst.Memoir accepts the fact that he is dying, and he isn't depressed one bit. He may have his moments and days, but it doesn't let that stop him. This quote suggests that no matter what you are going through, it doesn't hurt to be positive; also it doesn't hurt to give people a chance. 2. What is reveled about the character(s) through this quote? I think this quote is important to the whole story because it represents the genuine characters. Not only Match's wife, but Mitch, Memoir, Morris wife and the handful of people that visit Memoir daily.Jasmine's actions and feelings forwards Memoir surprised Mitch very much. I feel that her characteristics made Mitch feel extremely happy and proved to Mitch that Morris's personality influences not Just him but people he didn't even meet. July 22, 2014 â€Å"Yes. For all the things we didn't do. All the things we should have done. You can't get stuck on the regrets of what should have happ ened. That doesn't help you when you get to where I am. † -Memoir (pig 166) On the twelfth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about forgiveness. A friend of

How Did Hannibal Die

Hannibal Barca was one of the great generals of ancient times. After his father led Carthage in the First Punic War, Hannibal took over the leadership of Carthaginian forces against Rome. He fought a series of successful battles until he reached (but did not destroy) the city of Rome. Later, he returned to Carthage, where he led his forces less successfully. How Hannibals Successes Turned to Failure Hannibal was, by all accounts, an extraordinary military leader, He led many successful campaigns, and came within a hairs breadth of taking Rome. Once the Second Punic War ended with his return to Carthage, however, Hannibal became a wanted man. Sought for arrest by the Roman Senate, he lived the rest of his life one step ahead of the Empire. In Rome, Emperor Scipio was accused by the Senate of sympathizing with Hannibal. He defended Hannibals reputation for a time, but it became clear that the Senate would demand Hannibals arrest. Hearing of this, Hannibal fled Carthage for Tyre in B.C.E. 195. Later he moved on to become a counselor to Antiochus II, King of Ephesus. Antiochus, fearing Hannibals reputation, put him in charge of a naval war against Rhodes. After losing a battle and seeing defeat in his future, Hannibal feared that he would be turned over to the Romans and fled to Bithynia: A conquered man, he flees headlong into exile, and there he sits, a mighty and marvellous suppliant, in the Kings antechamber, until it please His Bithynian Majesty  to awake!(Juvenal, Satires) Hannibals Death by Suicide When Hannibal was in Bithynia (in modern-day Turkey), he helped Romes enemies try to bring the city down, serving the Bithynian King Prusias as a naval commander.  At one point, Romans visiting Bithynia demanded his extradition in B.C.E. 183.  To avoid that, he first tried to escape: When Hannibal was informed that the kings soldiers were in the vestibule, he tried to escape through a postern gate which afforded the most secret means of exit.  Ã‚  He found that this too was closely watched and that guards were posted all round the place.(Livy, History of Rome) Hannibal said, Let us ease the Romans of their  continual dread and care, who think it long and tedious to await the  death of a hated old man, and then drank poison, which he may have kept hidden under a gem on a ring. He was then 65 years old. Then, invoking curses on Prusias and his realm and appealing to the gods who guard the rights of hospitality to punish his broken faith, he drained the cup. Such was the close of Hannibals life.(Livy, History of Rome) At his own request, Hannibal was buried in Libyssa in Bithynia. He specifically asked not to be buried in Rome because of how his supporter, Scipio, was treated by the Roman Senate. Resources and Further Reading Eutropius, Flavius. Abridgement of Roman History. Translated by John Shelby Watson, Bohn, 1853.Hoyos, Dexter. Hannibals Dynasty: Power and Politics in the Western Mediterranean, 247-183 BC. Routledge, 2005.Juvenal and Roger Pearse. â€Å"Satire 10.† Juvenal and Persius, edited by Thomas Ethelbert Page et al., translated by George Gilbert Ramsay, by Juvenal and Aulus Persius Flaccus, Heinemann, 1918, Tertullian Project.Livius, Titus Patavinus and Bruce J. Butterfield. â€Å"Book 39: The Bacchanalia in Rome and Italy.† Ab Urbe Condita Libri, edited by Ernest Rhys, translated by William Masfen Roberts, Dent, 1905, Livys History of Rome.Pliny. â€Å"Book V, Chapter 43: Bithynia.† Natural History, edited by John Bostock and Henry Thomas Riley, Taylor and Francis, 1855, Perseus Project.Plutarch. Parallel Lives. Edited by John Dryden and Arthur Hugh Clough, Little, Brown, and Company, 1860, Project Gutenberg.Victor, Sextus Aurelius. De Viris Illustribus Urbis Romae (187 2). Edited by Emil Keil, Kessinger, 2009.

Love, Hate, and Temptation - 1560 Words

Love, Hate, and Temptation In March 2013, Tyler Perry released Temptation: Confessions of A Marriage Counselor. This is Perry’s 15th movie, which he both wrote and directed. This film, like all of Perry-made movie, gratifies values of the African-American church-going audience. Perry grew up in New Orleans, La. Perry’s childhood was full of hard times, but was soothed by church attendance with his mother. His father, Emmitt Perry Sr. was a carpenter. The family makeup included Perry senior’s wife, Maxine, two daughters, and two sons, one named Emmitt Tyler Perry Jr. As a young boy, Emmitt Jr. witnessed an abusive father who continually beat his mother, his brother and his sisters, and also Emmitt Jr. Family drama was something constant in young Emmitt Jr.’s life. Growing up in poverty only added to the family’s hardships. Eventually the physical abuse from Emmitt Sr. became so tragically violent that Emmitt Jr. considered killing his father and even considered killing hims elf. Deciding that he could no longer take the abuse of his father on his family, Emmitt Jr. left home. The domestic violence that occurred in his youth made him severely depressed as a teenager. As an adult, Perry watched The Oprah Winfrey Show and in a recent interview, said he remembered watching an episode discussing the therapeutic nature of writing. That inspired him to begin writing, and he worked through his bad experiences by writing letters to himself. He adapted his letters into a play, IShow MoreRelated The Temptations. Essay550 Words   |  3 Pagesnostalgic trance from the lyrics. The type of lyrics that can convey the reader into the past, present, or future time. The Temptations has mastered this talent. From their time to the present day, the Temptation’s music can still be looked upon in the 21st Century culture. They became soul writers and masters of touching inner emotions that listeners held. 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The Life and Theories of Abraham Maslow Essay - 2561 Words

Humanistic psychology is the field of psychology which holds the beliefs that people can control their own behavior and that people naturally strive to reach their full potential (Feldman, 2009). Humanistic psychology discards the notion that neither biological processes nor environment are the underlying cause of human behavior, and instead states that humans attempt to innately endeavor their full potential. A prominent factor in humanistic psychology is free will. In opposition of determinism, which states that every event, including every human decision and action, is inevitable, free will states that individuals have the authority to make decisions over their life. Additionally, humanistic psychology holds the notion that people have†¦show more content†¦In order to please his parents, Maslow first studied law at the City College of New York. He then transferred to Cornell, and then back to the City College of New York. After marrying, he and his new wife, Bertha, moved to Wisconsin where Maslow attended the University of Wisconsin. It was here that Maslow found his true passion; Psychology. At the University of Wisconsin, Maslow went on to flourish in his studies, and was able to work with Harry Harlow. Maslow received his Bachelors of Arts in Psychology in 1930, his Master of Arts in Psychology in 1931, and his PhD in Psychology in 1934, all from the University of Wisconsin. After receiving his PhD, Maslow and his wife moved back to New York, where Maslow worked with E.L. Thorndike at Columbia. Later, Maslow began teaching full time at Brooklyn College, during which time he made many acquaintances in the field of Psychology such as Alfred Adler, Karen Horney, and Erich Fromm. From 1951 to 1969, Maslow worked as the head of the psychology department at Brandeis. During this time he met Kurt Goldstein, who first introduced the idea of self-actualization. On June 8, 1970, Maslow unfortunately suffered and died from a heart attack in California (Boe ree, 2006). Hierarchy of Needs Theory Maslow is perhaps most known for his hierarchy of needs theory. This theory states that certain needs take priority over others. For instance, if someone is in need of shelter and are thirsty, they will look for waterShow MoreRelatedEssay on Maslow Hierarchy of Needs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe Study of Maslow Hierarchy of Needs This essay study is about Maslows school of thought. Maslows hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels. I liked the way he differed from traditional psychologists. For example, he studied happy, high performing people to learn more about what they had in common. Maslows main contributions to psychology were the founding of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology in 1961. 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Financial Management and Value of Money †Sample Assignment

Question: This course explores the financial management of the corporation. The course covers financial statements and cash flow analysis, financial impacts of decision-making, capital budgeting, strategic and operational planning. On the other hand, it explores the theoretical and practical issues of capital structure design, considers firm financing alternatives, including equity, long-term debt, hybrid securities, leasing, securitization, project finance, and examines the process through which securities are issued. The course also explores share repurchase, dividend policy, and risk management. Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Review the financing alternatives, time value of money, and categorize the valuation of financial assets (stocks and bonds). Assemble the component cost of capital for various types of capital structure. Evaluate past and future performance and measure proposed investments. The requirements Of the project are the following: Requirement no.1: Propose critical analysis for two academic articles on: Article number one . Extracting the article on Capital structure and cost of capital. Extract (weight of debt. (Liabilities)/ Weight of equity (owners equity)..Percentage. Article number two Past and future financial performance. (Evaluate the financial performance of the company using financial ratios such as Profitability ratios, Coverage ratios, Turnover ratios, Financial ratios, Leverage ratios..etc.). For example, you can write about cash mangers, stability.. etc). Please You will consider the following: the critical analysis will be as (debating not summary), you will go through 3 essential paragraphs, first paragraph will include (for example the author for my article who said (you will mention his findings). Second paragraph will include other authors views about the same topic. Third paragraph will include my opinion in the same topic like (I can see that based on.). Requirement No.2: Apply the outcomes from the previousarticles to the selected company as if you are the finance manager for such company. You will select a company from the link above, you will see how the selected company financially seen by auditors then you can extract financial statements which will measure capital structure (debt long term (non-current liability)), owners equity. Considering (ANNUALAUDITED 2014 or 2015). NOTE: show calculation in separate worksheets (Excel) when entering statement of income and financial position with related equations. (Excel template attached) you will fill in the worksheets in the attached excel template. Answer: Introduction The following report presents the critical analysis on the capital structure and cost of capital with reference to the article in one part. In the second part of the requirement, critical analysis for the past and future financial performance of a selected company. The financial performance evaluation will be based on the profitability ratios, coverage ratios, turnover ratios, financial ratios, leverage ratios and similar other ratios. The critical analysis in financial terms is important to evaluate for making better business decisions with respect to further investment, maximization of profits and revenues. Capital structure and cost of capital is derived from the two financial elements of the organization i.e. debt and equity (DeAngelo and Stulz 2015). Analysis of capital structure is essential to determine the companys financial sources to operate its overall business as well as to determine its sustainable growth by using several sources of funds. On the other hand, cost of capital is analyzed to determine the opportunity cost to make particular investment for the growth of business (Graham, Leary and Roberts 2015). However, in the second article, analysis on the financial performance on past and future trends of a company listed on Dubai Stock markets using several financial ratios. Further, in case of requirement two outcomes of analysis conducted in the first requirement will be used to evaluate the financial statements of a listed company for the purpose of further investment. The financial statement to be considered will be audited annual report for the year 2015 and measurement of capital structure and cost of capital considering debt and equity will be presented. The analysis on the financial statement of the company would assist in determining the past and future performance to make decisions on proposed investment for sustainable growth of the organization. Article 1: Critical Analysis on Capital structure and cost of capital Extraction of article on Capital Structure According to the article on A review on the Capital Structure Theories by Popescu Luigi and Visinescu Sorin, survey on the theories of capital structure has been considered from the start up point and further investment. For relevance of the theory, assumption of perfect capital market has been considered with respect to the debt and equity costs in optimal capital structure after the accounting of transaction costs like taxes and commissions. The article involves the study of Modigliani Miller theorem, the trade off theory and market timing theory. It states that there was no accepted theory of capital structure and therefore, the theory was conducted on the assumption of specific set of expected cash flows in a firm. On the other hand, trade off theory was used by incorporating income tax, which formed a benefit for reducing cost of debt. Additionally, the article presents a theory on optimal capital structure either by using companys own funds or by using external finance (Luigi a nd Sorin 2009). However, contention of other authors in this concept is different with regard to the capital structure and related transactions cost. It has been stated by the authors that transaction costs does not affect the carrying cost of capital for the purpose of investment and operating business activities. Costs on corporate income tax, interest charges, commission to agents and other transaction charges affect the amount of profit but not the capital structure of the organization (Faccio and Xu 2015). Apart from that, authors also mentioned that the expected cash flows of the company depend on the cost of capital and investment pattern of the organizations. Some of the articles also contradicted the assumptions of Modigliani Miller on perfect capital market with respect to the transactions costs. It is has been conducted that there are several transactions and business activities charges that are incorporated for business operations and affect the capital structure of the organization (Els as and Florysiak 2015). Considering the theory of A review on the Capital Structure Theories and reviews of other authors, it can be opined that the capital structure is a process to make decisions on the division and usage of organizations cash flow. The divisions can be based on the two components i.e. fixed component and residual component. Fixed component is structured to meet the liabilities towards debt capital while the residual component is structured to meet the capital amount for equity shareholders. Capital structure is a proportion of several long-term financial sources that are required to operate business activities (Schepens 2016). It is essential to have proportionate capital mix with respect to long-term debt and equity capital to manage financial leverage of the organization. Additionally, capital structure analysis is critical and is essential to make decisions with respect to finance the assets of the organizations and meet the short-term obligations of the business. It is important for the organization finance managers to conduct optimum mix of debt and equity to control the cost of capital as well as to maintain the expected return of the organizations. Extraction of article on Cost of Capital In the article of The Cost of Capital, Corporation Finance and the Theory of Investment by Franco Modigliani and Merton H. Miller, cost of capital has been identified as the funds used to acquire the assets of organizations having uncertain yields. The article presented the cost of capital to be obtained by using debt capital like debentures or other long- term debts and equity issues on the basis of pro-rata share. It is essential to manage cost of capital employed to maintain the sustainable growth of the business, evaluation and decisions on capital budget and investment proposal based on the micro and macro- economic level. The articles also covered the valuation of shares and valuation of cost of capital on the assumptions that the physical assets are owned by the organizations. It has been observed in the article that the market value of the organization is not dependent on the capital structure but on capitalization of its expected return. Moreover, the average cost of capital has been considered as the ratio of expected return (Xi) and market value of the securities (Yi) which is stated as Xi/ Yi for any of the organization (Modigliani and Miller 1958). Apparently, in view of articles by other authors, cost of capital is stated as the opportunity cost of entire capital employed in the business organizations. Cost of capital is a measurement of the proportionate cost of different modes of capital invested with respect to debt and equity. Cost of debt is determined as the equivalent or actual interest rate of using debt capital that is adjusted with the corporate tax rate (Core, Hail and Verdi 2015). On the other hand, cost of equity capital is determined by using the opportunity cost of investment by using market interest rate, risk free rate and the market investment risk. The illustration on cost of capital provided is cost of debt after tax is 8.1% whereas the cost of equity is 16.5% and the weight of debt used by the company is 15.9% while that of equity is 84.1%. Therefore, the average cost of capital= 8.1%* 15.9% + 16.5%* 84.1% = 15.1%. Hence, as per the articles of other authors, cost of capital has been derived from the debt and equity component instead of market values and securities (Li 2015). Considering the contents of articles provided by the authors, I conclude that the cost of capital should be measured by using the cost of long- term debts and equity capital invested by the organizations. Determination of cost of capital using the expected return and market values of securities does not reflect optimum results on using the companys finance to operate the business activities. It is an opportunity cost for using specific investment to manage risk and expected returns by employing the companys financial sources of funds. The cost of capital determination is different from company to company based on the profitability, credit worthiness and market value of the organizations shares and securities. Article 2: Financial Performance Financial performance is a measurement of optimum utilization of companys assets for the operation of its business in order to generate maximum revenue and profitability. It is used to analyze the financial position of the business organization and is measured by using the financial ratios (Flammer 2015). In the present assignment, financial performance of the company Abu Dhabi Aviation Group is presented by using several financial ratios. It has been observed from the companys financial reports for the year 2015 that the companys total asset is around AED 4,670 million and total equity is around AED 2,615 million. On the other hand, the companys profit during the year was AED 277 million and the earning per share was 0.60 AED (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). Financial ratios or ratio analysis is a technique to determine the companys strength and weakness with respect to overall performance by considering two variables of financial information (Saeidi et al. 2015). There are various categories of financial ratios that are used to compare the relative performance level of the company and its competitors which are discussed as following: Profitability ratio analysis is a process to measure the financial performance during the year on considering the companys profitability. It is used to evaluate the organizations capacity to generate maximum earnings to benefit the company as well as its stakeholders (Bal 2016). The important components of the profitability ratios are gross profit margin, operating margin, return on assets, return on equity, return on sales and return on investment. Profitability Ratios 2015 2014 AED $ AED $ Gross profit margin Gross profit 553,283 416,140 Net Sales 2,181,612 1,611,413 Gross profit ratio 0.25 0.26 Operating margin Operating Income 277,347 244,686 Net sales 2,181,612 1,611,413 Operating margin ratio 0.13 0.15 Return on Assets Net Income 277,347 244,686 Average Total Assets 4,670,458 4,304,946 Return on assets 0.06 0.06 Return on equity Net Income 277,347 244,686 Shareholder's equity 2,408,445 2,199,105 Return on equity 0.12 0.11 Table 1: Profitability ratios of Abu Dhabi Aviation (Source: Created by author) It can be analyzed from the above calculation that the gross profit margin ratio of the organization is 0.25 in the year 2015 while 0.26 in the year 2014. It is a ratio used to measure the profitability of the company on selling the inventories. Higher gross profit margin means the organization is selling the inventories at higher percentage of profit. Accordingly, in the case of Abu Dhabi Aviation, gross margin ratio was higher in the year 2014 while it declined in 2015 (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). Operating margin, on the other hand is an indicator for the companys investor to measure the efficiency of business operations. It is analyzed to determine the companys stability with respect to the profitability and turnover. In case of Abu Dhabi Aviation, operating margin in the year 2014 was 0.15 while in the year 2015 it declined to 0.13 (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). A higher operating margin is favorable for the company because it shows that the ability to make more money for covering the operating expenses and maximizing profitability. Hence, Abu Dhabi Aviation seemed to have sound operating margin though it declined in the year 2015. Apart from operating and gross profit margin, profitability ratio of return on assets and return on equity shows the companys ability to finance the assets and shareholders or investors. Return on assets reflects the ability of company to earn maximum return on the assets invested since the assets are generally funded by equity or debt (Hogan 2015). From the above table, return on assets of Abu Dhabi Aviation shows the results at 0.06 in both the years 2015 and 2014. Hence, it can be said that the companys efficiency to earn return on invested capital is decent and intact. Similarly, return on equity reflects the efficiency of company in generating and maximizing profits from the investors fund. Therefore, higher the equity return ratio better is the organizations ability to earn income for the shareholders and maintain the business growth (Norvaiien, Stankevi ien and Kruinskas 2015). The results of Abu Dhabi Aviation show increment in the return on equity in the year 2015 at 0.12 whereas the return in the year 2014 was 0.11 and it can be concluded that the companys efficiency to earn income for investors is good. Coverage ratio is measured to identify the companys efficiency to make the payment of financial obligations and if the coverage ratio is higher, it can be said that the company is efficient to pay off its liabilities and debts. Interest coverage ratio is determined to measure the ability to pay off the interest amount to debenture holders within the due dates. It is used to measure the companys profitability and risk elements to evaluate the business values and operational efficiency (De Jonghe and ztekin 2015). Other coverage ratios that are used to determine the companys efficiency are asset coverage ratio, debt service coverage ratio and cash coverage ratio. Coverage Ratios 2015 2014 AED $ AED $ Interest coverage ratio EBIT 277,347 244,686 Interest expense 25,740 26,519 Interest coverage ratio 10.77 9.23 Debt service coverage ratio Net operating income 251,607 218,167 Debt service 807,418 673,949 Debt service coverage ratio 0.31 0.32 Asset coverage ratio Total assets- short term liabilities 4,183,717 3,923,662 Total Debt outstanding 807,418 673,949 Asset coverage ratio 5.18 5.82 Cash coverage ratio EBIT + non cash expenses (Depreciation) 490,079 434,072 Interest Expenses 25,740 26,519 Cash coverage ratio 19.04 16.37 Table 2: Coverage ratios of Abu Dhabi Aviation (Source: Created by author) It can be analyzed from the above computation that company, Abu Dhabi Aviations ability to meet the financial obligation is decent and sound. However, the cash coverage ratio and asset coverage ratio of the enterprise declined in the financial year 2015 compared to that of the financial year 2014. Therefore, the company seemed to have sound cash management and efficient in maintain the stability to perform the business operations effectively and efficiently. Abu Dhabi Aviation companys profitability ratios and cash coverage ratios reflected its capacity to maximize the profits, management of cash funds as well as maintaining the business stability. Requirement 2 To present the requirement for the purpose of companys financial performance and evaluating the capital structure, Abu Dhabi Aviation Company has been selected. The selected organization is an airline-based company listed at Abu Dhabi deals in oil fields and economic facilities and is one of the largest helicopter operators. It employs more than 900 people with current profit $2,773 million in the year 2015 and capital amount to $4,447 million. The company also generated maximum revenue in the year 2015, which increased at an approximate rat of 26% (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). Following is the extract of companys financial report showing the audited income statement and financial position during the year 2015 and 2014. Income Statement 2015 2014 AED $ '000 AED $ ,000 Revenue 2,181,612 1,611,413 Operating cost (1,628,329) (1,195,273) Gross profit 553,283 416,140 Administrative expenditures -271,497 -222,386 Profit in change of value of investment 9,772 48,725 Investment income 6,409 6,758 Rent -2,172 -2,211 Finance income 2,522 2,563 Finance expenses -25,740 -21,394 Impairment loss -66261 -55514 Other incomes 624,314 488,145 Profit for the year 277,347 244,686 Balance Sheet Equity Share capital 444,787 444,787 Share premium 112,320 112,320 Reserves 1,521,531 1,434,163 Retained earnings 329,807 207,835 Non controlling interest 206,802 213,597 Total Equity 2,615,247 2,412,702 Liabilities Non- current liabilities 1,568,470 1,510,960 Current liabilities 486,741 381,284 Total Equity and liabilities 4,670,458 4,304,946 Assets Non- current Assets 3,103,593 3,151,263 Current Assets 1,566,865 1,153,683 Total Assets 4,670,458 4,304,946 Table 3: Financial statement of Abu Dhabi Aviation (Source: Created by author) The independent auditors have conducted observation and auditing of the financial statements of the company for the year 2015 with the presentation of comparative year 2014. Auditing has been conducted in accordance with the International Auditing Standards by placing the reasonable assurance and opinion on the income statements and balance sheet to examine the fairness and correctness. The auditor provides and expresses opinion on the valuation of assets and liabilities by checking the viability with respect to the accounting frameworks. It is also essential to examine the correctness of recording and recognizing the account payables and receivables with that of actual payments and dues (Joutsenvirta and Vaara 2015). In addition, the financial position of the company includes long-term debt in its capital structure during the financial years 2015 and 2014. 2015 2014 AED $ '000 AED $ ,000 Capital Structure Share capital 444,787 444,787 Share premium 112,320 112,320 Reserves 1,521,531 1,434,163 Retained earnings 329,807 207,835 Long- Term Debts 807,418 673,949 Financial Lease Liabilities 117,332 118,292 Table 4: Capital Structure of Abu Dhabi Aviation (Source: Created by author) It can be observed from the above statement of capital structure that there was increase in the companys earnings during the financial year 2015 than that in the year 2014. Along with that, the long-term debts also increased in the year 2015 approximately by 16%, which also increased the interest expenses in the year 2015. On the contrary, the liability of the company with respect to the long- term financial lease was declined in the year 2015 compared to the liability in 2014 at an average rate of 1.00% (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). However, as per the computation of different profitability ratios and coverage ratios of the company, Abu Dhabi Aviation return on equity improved from 0.11 in the accounting year 2014 to 0.12 in the financial year 2015. Apart from the equity return, the earnings per share of the company also increased in the year 2015 at 0.60 while it was 0.48 in the financial year 2014 (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). This increment in the companys return displays the efficiency of the companys generating maximum returns for the benefit of shareholders and employees. For the analysis of the companys financial performance in maximizing the profit and for future investment to generate maximum return, it is important to examine the financial assets and its sources of funds. According to the financial statements of the company, total non- current assets reflected the balance of $3,103 million in the year 2015 and $3,151 million in 2014. On the other hand, current asset balance shows $1,566 million in 2015 and $ 1,153 million in the year 2014 (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). As the computation on ratio analysis for return on assets shows 0.06 for both the years 2015 and 2014, it can be said that the company is efficient to pay off its obligations. Additionally, cash flow statement of the company disclosed the cash funds earned from the operating activities is $431 million in the financial year 2015 whereas $445 million in the financial year 2014. The result reflects the decrease in cash return before the payment of interest and payment for employees benefit. 2015 2014 AED $ '000 AED $ ,000 Cash income from operating activities 431,670 445,442 Payment of Interest (25,740) (26,519) Payment of employees end of service benefits (6,287) (13,864) Net cash income for operating activities 399,643 405,059 Table 4: Cash generation of Abu Dhabi Aviation (Source: Created by author) Above statement, shows the net income of company from the operating activities declined at 1.33% during the accounting year 2015 compared to the year 2014. The difference is due to payment of interest, which decreased from $26 million in the year 2014 to $25 million in the financial year 2015. On the contrary, payment to the employee benefit decreased from $13 million in the year 2014 to $6 million in 2015 at an approximate rate 53%. But, at the same time companys gross cash income declined in the year 2015 at 3.10% (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). Cash income from the investment activities in the statement of financial information disclosed the balance $334 million in the year 2015 and $713 million in the financial year 2014. On observing the cash- flow statement for income from investment activities it can be said that the investment value in the year 2015 had declined compared to that in the year 2014. During the year 2015, Abu Dhabi Aviation made investment in the shares of NCI valuing at $14 million. Moreover, the investment in joint venture that was made in 2014 at $40 million has been demolished in the year 2015 (Abudhabiaviation.com 2016). It can be observed from these transactions that the company needs to plan for further investment to increase its business operation and returns. For this purpose, the management is required to review the financial position of the company with respect to the fixed assets, current assets and liabilities. Further, companys capital structure should also be reviewed to analyze the companys position to operate its business activities efficiently and effectively. Observing the accounting information on Abu Dhabi Aviations capital, value of the organization reflected as the sum of share capital and long term debts. 2015 2014 AED $ '000 AED $ ,000 Share capital 444,787 444,787 Long- Term Debts 807,418 673,949 Value of the firm 1,252,205 1,118,736 Table 5: Value of Abu Dhabi Aviation (Source: Created by author) The above statement on computation of value of business discloses the value in the year 2014 at $1,118 million, which increased to $1,252 in the financial year 2015. It reflects the maximization in the market value of the company at an approximate rate of 12%, which represents the maximization in the value of shareholders wealth and companys returns. Another ratio that is used to measure the companys financial ability and strength is debt to equity ratio that reflects the percentage of finance come from investors and creditors. It is calculated by comparing the companys total debt and total equity as reported in the statement of financial position of the organization. Debt to equity ratio 2015 2014 AED $ '000 AED $ ,000 Long- Term Debts (a) 807,418 673,949 Financial Lease Liabilities (b) 117,332 118,292 Total Debt (a+ b) 924,750 792,241 Share capital 444,787 444,787 Debt to equity ratio 2.08 1.78 Table 6: Debt Equity ratio Abu Dhabi Aviation (Source: Created by author) Since the debt equity ratio of the company in both the years is more than one, it indicates that Abu Dhabi Aviation is employing debt financing more than the equity funds. A debt equity ratio if appears at lower than one then it can be said that the company id financial stable. On the other hand, it the debt equity ratio is higher than one, it is assumed that the company is experiencing risk towards its creditors for repayment and interest payment. Therefore, in case of Abu Dhabi Aviation, debt equity ratio was 1.78 in the year 2014, which increased to 2.08 in the financial year 2015. During the analysis of companys financial position, it is observed that the Abu Dhabi Aviation has encountered risk towards the long- term finance providers as well as towards the lease providers. Conclusion Therefore, analyzing the financial statements and several financial ratios of Abu Dhabi Aviation it can be concluded that the companys revenue increased from the year 2014 to 2015. However, the company also experienced decline in the investment and cash profits from the operating activities but it maintained the return on assets at 0.06 in both the financial year 2014 and 2015. At the same time higher debt equity ratio in the year, 2015 represents the elements of risk towards the creditors for the payment obligations. Although, net profit of the company increased in the year 2015 from 2014, yet the company experienced lower gross profit margin in the financial year 2015. In the view of above discussion, it can be recommended to the companys management that the operating expenses should be reviewed. It is important for Abu Dhabi Aviation to control the operating expenses so that the gross margin increases. At the same time, company should lower its debt financing and increase the equity capital to control the potential finance risk. It would assist the company to control the interest expenses and give the benefit to make further investment. Abu Dhabi Aviation is also recommended to manage its operating activities by maintaining the quality and controlling the relative costs. 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