Smoking in Public Places Essay

Smoking in Public Places Essay Smoking in Public Places Essay Smoking in Public Places Should be Banned In the 1990s, the government started regulating the areas in which smokers may light up. There have been many debates over the years concerning where Americans may smoke. Smokers account for about twenty percent of America while the non-smokers account for eighty percent. The government has instrumented laws preventing smoking indoors. Smoking in all public places should be banned because it negatively affects non-smokers and smoking should not be allowed to upon on others’ breathing space. Many smokers may not be aware of what chemicals are found in cigarettes. â€Å"Cigarettes contain up to 7,000 chemical compounds and more than 250 of these are known to be harmful, and 69 are known to cause cancer.† The same chemicals may also be found in household items like paint thinner and pesticides. If more information like this were available to the public, smokers would think twice before they lit up. On average, a person would not inhale a pesticide or paint thinner. That is what people should consider before they light up (Johnson 36). There is another way chemicals and particles can travel through the air. This is called third-hand smoke. This is when the smoke off the cigarette gets shuffled around by the wind. The particles get trapped on objects like leaves and grass. â€Å"One study has shown fumes from smoke were found as far as 44 feet away. Other studies claim that, on the right windy day, fumes can rival what you may encounter in an indoor environment.† These studies have not been around for very long and have little research shown. Since the research shows evidence of the particles in the air and on objects, it is safe to assume that the chemicals from smoking may be harmful to others (Stobbe np). The surgeon general’s office has been warning people from the 1960s of the effects of second-hand smoke. They state, â€Å"There is no safe level of exposure to Second hand smoke, and any exposure is harmful.† Their research also suggests that second hand smoke causes cancer and heart problems. Heart disease is the most common which results in 46,000 deaths every year. It also showed that lung cancer kills around 3,400 a year. The research shows that thousands are dying every year from exposer to second-hand smoke. Based on this research, there is evidence to suggest innocent people are being harmed every year from second-hand smoke (American Cancer Institute 4). â€Å"Tobacco smoke is one of the most common asthma triggers.† Smoke irritates the linings of the airway which can produce an attack. The severity of these can range from mild to serious. In a severe case, the lungs cannot receive enough air due to the swelling of these linings. The Center for Disease and Control and Prevention has concluded that even the slightest particles from smoke may cause an asthma attack. Since asthma attacks can be fatal, it is best to only allow it in a personal area where they are not in contact with others (CDC 5). Even though cigarette smoke has been proven harmful, many argue that smoking should be allowed in parks. The parks are shared by non-smokers and smokers alike. That should not give one group more power over the other. Everyone pays taxes which provide the park maintenance and salaries of the employees who keep the parks open. Jacob Sullum provides a rousing rebuttal on the defense of the smokers. He states that the government bureaucrats must respect the rights of adults who make the decision to smoke. Parks should have designated smoking areas for those who choose to smoke. Almost all states have banned it from indoor environments. They should have the right to light up in designated areas in an outdoor setting like a park (Sullum

History of Computer Printers

History of Computer Printers The history of computer printers started in 1938 when  Chester Carlson  invented a dry printing process called electrophotography commonly called a Xerox, the foundation technology for laser printers to come. In 1953, the first high-speed printer was developed by Remington-Rand for use on the  Univac  computer.   The original laser printer called EARS was developed at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center beginning in 1969 and completed in November  1971. Xerox Engineer Gary Starkweather adapted Xerox copier technology adding a laser beam to it to come up with the laser printer. According to Xerox, The Xerox 9700 Electronic Printing System, the first xerographic laser printer product, was released in 1977. The 9700, a direct descendant from the original PARC EARS printer which pioneered in laser scanning optics, character generation electronics, and page formatting software, was the first product on the market to be enabled by PARC research. IBM Printer According to IBM, the very first IBM 3800 was installed in the central accounting office at F. W. Woolworth’s North American data center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1976. The IBM 3800 Printing System was the industry’s first high-speed, laser printer. It was a laser printer that operated at speeds of more than 100 impressions-per-minute. It was the first printer to combine laser technology and electrophotography according to IBM. Hewlett-Packard In 1992, Hewlett-Packard released the popular LaserJet 4, the first 600 by 600 dots per inch resolution laser printer.   In 1976, the inkjet printer was invented, but it took until 1988 for the inkjet to become a home consumer item with Hewlett- Packards release of the DeskJet inkjet printer, priced at a whopping $1000.   The History of Printing The earliest dated printed book known is the Diamond Sutra, printed in China in 868 CE. However, it is suspected that book printing may have occurred long before this date.   Before Johannes Gutenberg, printing was limited in the number of editions made and nearly exclusively decorative, used for pictures and designs. The material to be printed was carved into wood, stone, and metal, rolled with ink or paint and transferred by pressure to parchment or vellum.  Books were hand copied mostly by members of religious orders. Gutenberg  was a German craftsman and inventor. Gutenberg is best known for the Gutenberg press, an innovative printing press machine that used movable type. It remained the standard until the 20th century. Gutenberg made printing cheap. Ottmar Mergenthalers invention of the linotype composing the machine  in 1886 is regarded as the greatest advance in printing since the development of moveable type 400 years earlier. Teletypesetter, a device for setting type by  telegraph, was  developed by F.E. Gannett of Rochester, New York, W.W. Morey of East Orange, New Jersey, and Morkrum-Kleinschmidt Company, Chicago, Illinois The first demo of Walter Moreys Teletypesetter took place in Rochester, New York, in 1928. Louis Marius Moyroud and Rene Alphonse Higonnet developed the first practical phototypesetting  machine. The phototypesetter that used a strobe light and a series of optics to project characters from a spinning disk onto photographic paper. In 1907, Samuel Simon of Manchester England was awarded a patent for the process of using silk fabric as a printing screen. Using materials other than silk for screen printing has a long history that begins with the ancient art of stenciling used by the Egyptians and Greeks as early as 2500 B.C.

Influence of McDonald's Company on the State of the US Economy Essay

Influence of McDonald's Company on the State of the US Economy - Essay Example The primary challenge currently facing McDonald’s is the worsening state of the US economy, as concerns mount about a possible recession. In late January, the company reported a $1.2 billion fourth-quarter profit but warned of weakness in the US market. Same-restaurant sales were essentially flat in Dec. 2007, sparking fears that the one-month result might portend a trend. It was the growth in international sales that allowed for the company’s overall gains. The American market is the company’s largest and most crucial, with over 14,000 locations (â€Å"McDonald’s Posts Profit†). A Feb. 8 company press release reinforced the concerns about the domestic market, with US comparable sales only up 1.9 percent, while for Europe and the Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa bloc, sales were up 8.2 and 7.8 percent, respectively (â€Å"Strong Global Results†). If the current US slowdown leaks into the global marketplace, companies like McDonald’s may no longer by able to count on foreign sales to bolster the bottom line. The economic woes in America are tightening many pocketbooks and forcing even habitual fast-food customers to cut back. After decades of economic expansion and ever-growing consumer expenditures, signs are legion that the days of easy credit are over and that belt-tightening measures are becoming more the norm than the exception across the American landscape. The unfolding housing bubble collapse has had a major impact, as have continued nationwide job contractions. Even value-oriented businesses like McDonald’s are likely to be hit by potential customers staying home rather than coming out to their restaurants (Goodman 1). In addition, food prices have been rising steadily as have oil and gasoline costs, putting a severe squeeze on the average American consumer. In February, consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since 1992, according to a closely watched national survey. All of this is causing consumers to cut back on non-essential items (Grynbaum 1). Food is not a non-essential item, but the challenge to McDonald’s management is to revive stagnant domestic sales by convincing more potential consumers that they are better served by visiting their local restaurant as opposed to making meals at home. Once a significant enough number of people become convinced of this, it would help to break same-restaurant sales in the US out of its current flat-growth pattern.

Business Organisation and Behaviour Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Organisation and Behaviour - Term Paper Example That which brings the distinction between leadership and mere management is the approach that the former uses. Many firms fail to succeed in the quest to meet their long-term objectives as they lack one of the most vital elements in the running of business organizations which is effective leadership. There is further clear difference between just leadership and an effective one. The root source of a business proliferation in the market and sustained high performance is the kind of leadership it has. The ability to gain loyalty, inspire a team and make the diverse workforce operate as a single unit is what makes leadership special. For effective functionality, it is a prerequisite that a good and healthy coordination structures are put in place commanded or regulated by an excellent leader. Many leaders, however, fail to deliver effective leadership because of the wrong and inapplicable styles that probably do not match the nature of the business they are handling or are rigid as to a ccommodate the market situation. Choosing the best leadership style is not an option if effective leadership is anticipated. Management approaches and organizational theories that businesses subscribe to largely affect, just like in leadership, their eventual performance (Griffin and Moorhead, 2012: 100). This paper aims at evaluating these factors bit by bit as it relates them to the practical case of Vodafone so as to bring out a comprehensive outcome about their interplay in the organization.

Mary Shellys Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Mary Shellys Frankenstein Essay The director has made it clear to the audience that the film will be about life and death by having a statue of Jesus almost toppling over, next to a large figure of the grim reaper representing death. When Frankenstein is digging the grave up, he throws dirt over the statue, perhaps representing how he has no respect for death. The props and costumes are used reflect the setting and atmosphere. Dr. Frankensteins clothes differ from the rest of the cast, wearing a cravat and white shirt; the director may have done this to represent his higher status in society, compared to the mourners or Frankensteins hunchback assistant. In Branaghs film the costumes are all very similar, they play no major part in the first four minutes studied. However they help to keep in with the mono colour of the ice and pale faces. These bland colours create a stark and dramatic contrast to the bright red blood which comes on screen when the monsters hand dramatically appears. The make up worn by the characters in Whales film is heavy, pronounced and very theatrical; designed so that people in the theatre could see the faces from far away, but on camera it looks exaggerated and over the top. Branagh has used make-up subtly and realistically, creating red cheeks to show cold conditions alongside messy hair and unshaven faces to represent the length of time since the characters have been near civilization. Whales theatrical past suggests why all the facial expressions and movements are prominent and exaggerated. Although Branagh also has a distinguished history in theatre, Whale was working in the beginnings of Hollywood when cinema was portrayed much like theatre on screen. In the first close ups of Fritz and Frankenstein they are both wide-eyed which connotes stereotypical mad scientists and both characters creep around the graveyard with dramatic stage whispers. The facial expressions and emotions in Branaghs Frankenstein are far less obvious and it is due to this fact that there is a lot more change in emotion over a short space of time. During a few minutes, the expressions of one character changed from fear, to pride, to concentration and then anger. This emotion change is slightly exaggerated to let the audience engage and empathize with the characters. One way that Branagh lets the audience use their imagination is by his use of positioning within the frame. Most shots are very closely cropped to the faces so that we can see expressions clearly. However, when the monster was killing the dogs, Branagh cleverly clipped the shots so that the suspense could be continued and prolonged. This method of positioning is a big contrast to Whales. Most of the shots in his version are mid or long and there are very few point-of-view or close ups. This is partly due to the lack of technology and experience. Branagh may have used more adventurous and interesting angles but he has had 60 years of Hollywood to look back on; Whale was at a huge disadvantage in this respect and this should of course be considered when deciding who is the better director. Whale did try and be adventurous in some respects: he used an effective high angle shot towards the end of the four minutes, it showed Fritz and Frankenstein walking towards the gallows, which heightened the feeling of a change of setting, and it clearly showed the rocky landscape, which also increased the sense of fear. Whale has placed the characters so that they were very central within the frame. The camera sticks to the action and follows it, much like if one were watching a play, a method most probably influenced by Whales history in theatrical directing. Branaghs editing is a great deal faster than Whales so this gives him more scope to change the camera angles. However, the reason for this difference in speed could be down to the settings of the expositions, not effectiveness of directing. Branaghs film begins in a chaotic storm with lots of action, whereas Whale tries to connote sense of fear and slow eeriness. Branagh tries to create an emotional impact and takes it for granted that the audience will understand and follow the action, whereas Whales style is more conventional and his editing is used for practical purposes and to see the setting and to follow the action. As an audience in the 20 and 21st century, we are so used to the conventional shock tactics, that we fail to take into account their effect in older films, such as Whales Frankenstein. Although aspects of Whales production may seem dated to todays audience, theres an atmosphere present that would be hard to re-create, even with technological advances. Kenneth Branaghs Frankenstein, for all its use of modern technology, lacks the atmospheric build up that Whales seems to have. Whales film is more like the nineteenth century novel; his style suits the slow unveiling of narrative, as in the book, whereas Branagh conveys a sense of action and fast moving suspense to satisfy the ever-demanding audience. The fast moving action means that Branagh has not had a chance to build up a sense of fear; everything is over dramatized and with a very fast pace. Although Branagh has indeed created an atmospheric build up, using all the modern technology available, James Whales Frankenstein has stood the test of time and, although it was directed 63 years before Branaghs, has used the most effective techniques available to build up an atmosphere of tension and fear. If an audience of today find Whales directing more or equally effective than Branaghs then imagine how well it would have worked on audiences unaccustomed to this level of horror within a film. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Teaching Philosophy Statement :: Teachers Education Essays

Teaching Philosophy Statement Education is an experience that will contribute to all aspects of one’s future. The process of that experience is a long progression that should be a positive era in one’s life. Receiving an education should be an enjoyable experience, one in which when you look back and reflect on it you feel that your time was well spent receiving it. A person should learn how to think critically and for them self. They should learn to be an individual not always comply to other people’s opinions. A philosophy of education should be established so that one may understand and articulate the decisions made in the school and classrooms. The overall purpose of education is to not only to prepare children intellectually but also emotionally, socially, and physically for the world that awaits them. It is important that students develop in these areas of maturation. In today’s society almost every job requires some sort of education. As an educator I hope to connect with students and motivate them to acquire such an education. I hope that my students learn to appreciate the benefits of physical fitness and also learn that it can be fun, as well as challenging. I am majoring in k-12 Physical Education and Athletic Training. I plan to teach at the high school level while also serving as the school’s Athletic Trainer. Idecided to also be a physical education teacher because I want to connect with the children not only through athletics but also through the classroom. I want to be not only a teacher but also a positive role model for the children, someone they can come to in a time of need. Since my classroom will more than likely be in a gymnasium I will not be able to determine how it is set up. However, I will be able to determine where the children sit during class time. The children will be in lines parallel to each other for stretching before activity begins. Each week a new person will come to the front of each line to lead the stretches, and the person that was at the front the week before will go to the back.

Similarities Between Terrorism and Organized Crime:

Similarities between terrorism and organized crime: Today’s terrorism and organized crime groups are so similar that their differences are starting to blur and the commonalities are becoming clearer. Terrorism and organized crime is a perfect match, that may have different objectives, but they can accomplish their goals through one another. The underground network, tactics they share and utilize to accomplish a task in support of one another, recruiting methods, financial institutions, and the effects of globalization and technology are the main similarities.In today’s world one does not survive without the other. Dictionary. com defines terrorism as, â€Å"The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes; the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization; and a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government. † Terrorism has been around since the 1st Century AD. Many civilizations have used terrorists tactics on a weakened state or a state they which to overthrow. One of the first uses of modern terrorism was Maxmilien Robespierre.After the French Revolution, Robespierre was a dictator that used terrorism to remain in control. He stated that, â€Å"Subdue by terror the enemies of liberty, and you will be right, as founders of the Republic. † In the late 1960s, International Terrorism took the world over with hijacking. Of recent most terrorism is based on an ideology and religion. The ideology of the different terrorists groups may differ from religion, politics, animals, the planet, to many different reasons. However they use fear to accomplish a goal.Many different law enforcement organizations have different definitions of terrorism, but they all describe using terror/fear, usually against non-combatants, in order to further their cause. They are organized to ensure if one is caught or killed, the ideal can continue on and not be compromised. They protec t the organization with cells and are given only pertinent and applicable information to each cell. Legaldictionary. com defines organized crime as, â€Å"A widespread group of professional criminals who rely on illegal activities as a way of live and whose activities are coordinated and controlled through some form of entralized syndicate. † The traditional organized crime groups were developed in Sicily by individuals who wanted to control a community. These individuals were looking to become rich through corruption and fear. Organized crime moved to the United States during immigration and the repression of organized crime in Southern Europe during the early 1900s. Organized criminals sought in opportunity in the United States. Many immigrants came to America seeking the â€Å"American Dream†, but those dreams turned to nightmares. The easiest and fastest way to get the American Dream was through the â€Å"Mafia†.The mafia sought two things and two things onl y, money and power. The mafia quickly grew in size; because like prison you either stuck with your kind or found yourself face down in the street. The mafia gave protection and supported your family. With a weakened state in the new United States economy, politicians and law enforcement were easily bought out. They organized themselves so that the Boss spoke and everyone listened; however unless you were a CPT or high ranking individual, you rarely ever heard it directly from the head honcho.They protected the boss, by limited exposure and just in case the police wasn’t on their payroll they could never tie it to him. The families used mainly two different methods to control a community. They either used fear or kindness. Many communities protected organized crime families. They were the protection to the community and supported the community with jobs and money. The old adage goes, â€Å"Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. † However if you challenged them, you were usually met with a swift and gruesome punishment.Examples were made not to challenge the family. Many times in the news it is hard to remember which organization is a terrorist’s organization and which is an organized crime. Their tactics are so similar and their ideology is becoming so indifferent. Terrorist will sometimes conduct attacks such as kidnapping, bank robberies, smuggling of contraband, and other illegal activities only for capital gain to further their cause. This is no different than organized crime to gain more money for power. Many times these activities find these two organizations in cohorts.Underground networks have become the preferred method of any illegal organization. Organized criminals have street credentials that a normal criminal cannot gain due to its size, trust, and reliability. Organized criminals have spent centuries developing underground networks in order to traffic contraband throughout the world. â€Å"The FBI estimates that the unde rground economy produces $500 billion per year. An underground economy requires secret institutions, and terrorists have found various enterprises for hiding money,† (Terrorism & Homeland Security, 7th edition; Jonathan R. White; 2012).Underground networks are not only used for smuggling money, drugs, or weapons, but people as well. The organized crime organizations are able to provide clean papers to terrorists in order for them to move from city to city undetected. These underground networks are used so widely now that if the terrorist organization were to crumble, the terrorists of the world would have to focus on their immediate area because they would have no way of moving people, weapons, or money. As part of the underground network both organizations are tied to one another through many capital gaining ventures.In Afghanistan the drugs are used to sell to organized crime for distribution. The terrorists will grow, protect, and even traffic the drugs for a substantial am ount. The money gained from organized crime is then funneled into their cause. Reports have also shown that Al-Qaeda is working with drug lords in Mexico, which help them, sneak into the United States. Who better then Mexican drug lords to help terrorists into the United States? One of the most profitable ventures in human smuggling is the human sex slave trade.Terrorist’s organizations will capture women from foe tribes and other places and then they are sold to organized crimes using the underground network to sell them and smuggle them. Terrorists and organized crime are so similar in their tactics that at times it seems as if there is a school that both organizations send their recruits to. The first tactic is kindness to their community. The concept is to protect the community and hopefully in return you are shown loyalty. Provide money, jobs, and a safe haven to the locals and when law enforcement omes around no one is willing to talk to them. When this tactic doesnâ₠¬â„¢t work they turn to fear. If anyone in the community speaks out against the organization or talks to law enforcement they are made an example of and most of the time the person is killed in the most gruesome manner to show the others that they should never talk to law enforcement. Both organizations use bombs, burning bodies, decapitation, killing of the whole family and friends, and torture. To be in an organization, the two main ways are to be either born into it or recruited.Many times the family members or terrorists are born and raised into an organization. From toddler they are taught to hate a certain kind of person, hate a religion or government, and to want all the power and money in the world. Both organizations look to recruit people, because without recruiting the organizations could not survive. They look for easily controlled and people with little to no existence. The potential recruits are usually people that can easily conform to their way of life and standard, no family ties, and need something to believe in.The organizations offer them something they have never had before such as; love, commitment, loyalty, something to believe in, and a purpose. In order to complete their tasks, it takes a lot of money. Both organizations launder their money through one another and legitimate and legal businesses. Three weeks ago, three used car dealerships were closed down and the owners were arrested for funneling money through the dealership for terrorists. The easiest thing to do with illegal money is to turn it right back around through a legal front. Through the underground network, both organizations have what is kind of like a line of credit.It is very similar to wire transfer or they are given credit wherever they are. For example, when drugs are sold to a criminal organization in Afghanistan, the money may not be received right away or it may be received in another country. This type of financial institution takes years to build and trust. The ability to communicate and globalize has increased the effectiveness of the terrorists and the profit of the criminal organizations. Both organizations are using technology to easily communicate on different continents and work together.Technology has benefited terrorists by giving them another avenue for an attack. Cyber terrorism is one of the biggest threats today. Events like September 11th, have globalized terrorism and made terrorism the number one objective of most countries. â€Å"The Age of Globalization has created the conditions allowing terrorists and organized crime groups to join forces. Such as the FARC in Columbia,† (Dangerous Alliance: Terrorism and Organized Crime, Ron Chepesiuk, 2007) Due to the emergent link between terrorism and organized crime the War on Terrorism has developed into a world effort.Terrorism and organized crime are two entities that are heavily sought by law enforcement, so in order to stay one step ahead working together is a benefit fo r both. If the terrorist assist in moving drugs through their territory, they can continue building bombs with the money earned. If organized crime can learn new tactics from terrorism they can control their own lands and people more efficiently. In the world of technology and world policing the similarities and unity between the organizations keeps them both in business.

Yahoo Strategic Management Report

Yahoo! : Business on Internet Time Group 2: Aaron Duke Alejandro Reynoso Erin Moon Sophia Benevento February 21, 2012 Dr. Jay Lee GM 105 California State University, Sacramento Executive Summary Yahoo started out as a hobby between two Stanford students, Jerry Yang and David Filo, and turned from a simple website with categorized information to a powerful navigational tool for millions of users. It generated millions in revenue and helped shape the way the modern-day internet is used, both in terms of streaming information and streaming revenue.The U. S. military first used the internet in the 1960s as a way of safeguarding against centralized information. Decades later, it was used as a tool to help researchers share informaiton. In the 1990s, HTML language was created to help read documents easier. Within a few years, browsers, portals, and internet service providers (ISPs), along with the low price and easy access to computers had connected the world and the internet was born.As Y ang and Filo created a way to monetize the traffic created by the popular Yahoo portal, the attractiveness of the Yahoo model helped propel the global reach of the internet, and brought about intense competition, new tools, new models of monetization, and the need for new strategy. When using Porters five forces model to analyze the portal industry’s attractiveness, it is clear that attractiveness is low. The bargaining power of suppliers is high, bargaining power of the buyers is low, threat of new entrants is high, start-up costs cause high barriers to entry, alternative edia allow the threat of substitutes to be high, and the potential for revenue has saturated the industry with competitors. This competitive environment rapidly changed since Yahoo was first created. There was virtually no competition and it was able to quickly secure large market segments. Using a strategy of simplicity, independence and strategic partnerships, Yahoo created a user-friendly point-of-entry for consumers to find information on the internet while making millions of dollars. Yahoo led the portal industry from 1994 to 1998, during which its market capitalization grew to $30 billion.In 1999, the industry began to change further as mergers and acquisitions consolidated power. Media companies, ISPs, browser companies and content providers were merging and acquiring each other in a flurry of moves in order to retain competitive advantage. The strategy of independence that brought Yahoo success needed to be reevaluated. In an environment with such volatile and intense competition, what strategy should Yahoo implement? As leader of the internet portal industry, Yahoo’s position, both in terms of its external environment and internal resources and capabilities, should be exploited in order to bring about above-average returns.Both the Industrial Organization (I/O) and Resource-Based models of above-average returns can be utilized. It shows Yahoo to be in a favorable posit ion and the tools needed to effectively create new partnerships that will secure market share and long term profitability. Further, A SWOT analysis shows that Yahoo has strong brand image and opportunities for strategic partnerships, even though as first-mover in the industry, it lacked a long-term strategy and is threatened by intense competition.The story of Yahoo shows that a company’s strategy must always be evaluated for effectiveness in terms of its current external environment and its internal resources and capabilities. While effective strategy early on may bring about a favorable position in the industry, competitive forces will cause a company to seek out new strategies, new partnerships and new models in order to remain competitive and profitable. Background Jerry Yang and David Filo created the portal Yahoo in April of 1994. It was originally used as a hobby to track web addresses sent to them by friends.They were students at Stanford, but they gave up their educa tion to focus on running Yahoo. Jerry’s Guide to the World Wide Web was created by Yang and Filo as a guide to navigate though the web. These web sites were sorted into a database and thousands of users began to use their service. Yahoo officially became a business on March 5, 1995. They hired Tim Koogle as CEO, as well as a staff of six people which eventually grew. Yahoo’s operations had three separate departments: property development, marketing and sales, and international.Property development focused on production and engineering. Marketing and sales handled corporate marketing, business development, and sales. They also had customized Yahoo pages in 18 countries, which was run by their International departments. Yahoo was located in Silicon Valley, and they offered five main services (properties) to consumers such as navigation, community, personalization, e-commerce, and international. Navigation allowed consumers to find information. Community offered an addres s book, email, chat, and message boards for consumers.Personalization allowed users to personalize their web pages and e-commerce offered shopping and other online sales. International properties were designed for those in different countries and had each country’s language and local content. By 1998, Yahoo had an estimated 100 million connected consumers, 167 million page views per day, and a market value of $30 billion. By 1998, they had an increased revenue for 1. 5 years. Industry Evolution The Internet was first used in the U. S. Military for defense in 1960.In 1986, the National Science Foundation used it for transferring research files and exchanging electronic mail. In 1991, Hyper text markup language (HTML) was created by Tim Berners Lee. This language allowed documents to link to one another through a host computer, and people could view graphics, audio and text. In 1994, the first internet browser was created. This allowed people to view web documents easily. Navig ation sites, called â€Å"portals,† soon followed. Portals had two types of consumers: non-paying users and paying companies that wanted to advertise.Portal companies typically made revenue through advertising, and they often paid for information that would be exclusive to their site, such as news and sports. Click-thrus and referral fees made up a majority of their revenues from consumers, as well as targeted placements. During the 1990s, personal computers began to sell quickly for home use. Computers were sold with modems, software, a browser, and a way to access the internet. The two browsers that were commonly used were Netscape and MSN. Portals could be chosen by the consumer, but they often came included on the computers.Consumers also chose portals based on habit, quality of information, and brand. Access to the internet was usually done through the phone company, and later high-speed broadband was offered through cable providers. Internet usage began to increase at a fast pace and soon there were millions of people using the internet daily in many countries around the world. Industry Attractiveness Using Porter’s five forces model, we conclude that the bargaining power of the content providers varied depending on the relevance of the information.The bargaining power of suppliers of unique information, such as popular real-time news or sports, was high. Some of the portals paid companies a monthly rate up to $50,000 for information. However, that bargaining power of other suppliers of information such as specialized content, which was less crucial to the portal, is moderately high. This could range between $2,500 to $20,000 per month. Nevertheless, some of the smaller content providers would receive free placement in exchange for their information. Overall, the bargaining suppliers of the most important information is very high.Technology and labor were also suppliers. The threat of new entrants to the industry is high. However, the capit al requirements in order for a new entrant to compete is also very high. During the first few years after Yahoo was launched, many other entrants decided to enter the market. There would be even more entrants in the next few years. Yet, most of the companies that compete against Yahoo are not making money, they are actually losing money. There are many substitutes in the industry that users may prefer to use instead of a portal.Portals considered themselves to be media companies and not just a search engine. Some of the substitutes of portals are television, newspapers, movies, magazines, and even other non-portal websites. In addition, the bargaining power of major paying customers, those who want to advertise on the portals, is very high. In spite of this, the bargaining power of small paying customers is moderate. The smallest orders of advertisement were $1000. But all of the deals where typically negotiated. Moreover, the competitive rivalry is very intense. The only two portal s who were making money in 1998 are Yahoo and AOL.However, AOL was not only a portal, it also provided internet access, which provided the majority of their income. Yahoo was the only portal that was not also an ISP and was still profitable. In summary, the overall attractiveness to enter the industry is very low. The industry is saturated with many different types of competitors, and the start up cost for a new entrant is extremely high. Performance and Strategy When Yahoo invented the first internet â€Å"portal,† it also created the internet portal industry There was virtually no competition and it was able to quickly secure large market segments.It had the â€Å"blue ocean† at its feet as it created new demand in an uncontested market. Yahoo saw the value of creating a user-friendly Internet portal before anyone else. By moving quickly and efficiently, Yahoo was able to negotiate, and frequently dictate, pricing with partners which led to large amounts of revenue. Yahoo’s performance has been very effective, resulting in positive revenue gains leading to profitability in 1998. Yahoo chose a strategy based on forming strategic partnerships that simply added value to the company.They decidedly chose not to merge with other companies in order to retain full control of operations. This way, Yahoo executives were able to take full advantage of both its position and revenue streams and reinvest into the company. This would create value-adding â€Å"properties† and services and thus stay ahead of the competition. The strategy that Yahoo implemented proved very successful. This strategy was one of simplicity and independence compared with their other competitors. They had a maintained a business plan that was developed in 1995 and a one-year operating plan that showed their financial goals and top priorities.They did not have a detailed marketing plan. The employees worked in close quarters, although the structure of the firm was hierar chal. Employees worked in cubicles to save costs. Yahoo was the only portal, aside from AOL, to post profits in 1998. AOL’s profits were significantly larger than Yahoo’s due to the fact that they generated large amounts of revenue as an Internet service provider (ISP). By selling access to the internet, AOL gained revenue from both Internet use and access, while Yahoo generated revenue only from internet advertising.In 1998, it seemed that Yahoo was trending toward losing market share to AOL because would have been wise to invest money into becoming an ISP, however as we have seen, the dominant ISPs have become companies like AT&T and MCI, companies that control the means of communication, namely the phone lines and satellites. Yahoo has kept their basic strategy. Yahoo possesses in-house expertise in engineering. All in all, their strategy has been very successful until 1999. Mergers & Acquisitions of Competitors There were many mergers and acquisitions in the portal industry during 1998 and January 1999.Media sites such as Disney and NBC were partnering with portals such as Infoseek and Snap to gain a competitive advantage and market share. Internet service providers were also acquiring portals with the hopes of gaining more consumers and increasing their profits. For example, the service provider @Home acquired Yahoo’s main competitor Excite, while AOL acquired the very popular Netscape. The internet and portal industry was new for the public in the 1990s. Although there were billions of dollars being spent in e-commerce and by advertisers, the portal industry had only a few years of data to compare when creating a new strategy.Many companies relied on analysts’ predictions for revenue, which may not have been accurate. The strategies ranged from ISP’s hosting portals, media company mergers with portals, and portals acquiring numerous smaller businesses. While some of the strategies seemed to make logical sense, the only two portals that created a profit in 1998 were Yahoo and AOL. The problem with many of these acquisitions and mergers was the amount of money that was being spent at the risk of their stakeholders, particularly their capital market stakeholders. For example, @Home paid $6. billion for Excite, but only a few years later, @Home filed for bankruptcy (Source). These internet service providers and portals had a first-mover advantage so they were able to gain a large market share. Increased competition brought about mergers and acquisitions which consolidated power within fewer companies, in hopes of gaining more of a competitive advantage and greater market share. A Strategy Change? Koogle and his team were aware of the intense competition in the external environment and considered it’s options. Though they were successful and profitable, they were unsure of the future.Their strategy was basic and they had used one business plan, which never changed. They were an independent compa ny, unlike some of their competitors. The management at Yahoo should continue observing the market and begin to create a new business and marketing plan. The portal industry is growing and becoming fiercely competitive, and with Yahoo’s main competitor Excite flaunting their slogan, â€Å"Still with the same old Yahoo? † they should consider changing their strategy. Their high stock price has allowed them to hire some of the most skilled engineers. This, along with capital has allowed them the option to either â€Å"make† or â€Å"buy† companies.Partnering with other businesses that have interest in their company such as AT&T, MCI, Time Warner, and News Corporation may be good options. They also have the capital to acquire Geocities, which is another internet portal. They can also negotiate exclusive distribution deals with personal computer makers such as Compaq, Gateway, HP, and IBM in order to secure market share and increase its customer base. Yahoo s hould adjust their strategy because as their competitors continue to partner with other firms, their customers will likely choose to advertise with these larger companies and they risks losing millions in profits.The best option for Yahoo would be to approach News Corporation and negotiate a possible media partnership in the future. This will allow Yahoo to gain more consumers while leaving them with control of the company. It is not wise to sell because Yahoo has an estimated worth of $30 billion, and their rival Excite had just sold for less than $7 billion. (I/O) Model of Above-Average Returns Yahoo invented the internet portal industry. In 1994, the external environment of the industry was void of economies of scale and barriers to market entry.There was no need for diversification or product differentiation, and there were no other firms to compete with. Yahoo had a simple strategy that capitalized on its first-mover advantage, its access to top engineering talent in Silicon Va lley, and its vision that focused on creating a user-friendly entry point for the internet. This simple strategy was sufficient for above-average returns in the early days of the industry, but as the internet evolved and industry competition increased, Yahoo realized it needed to reevaluate their position in the industry in order to continue enjoying the same above-average returns. External Environment: Several mergers and acquisitions had consolidated ISPs, portals, media companies, and content providers. Yahoo had was the only portal not in talks with a major partner. †¢ Attractive Industry: Yahoo is still the largest portal in the industry. This position makes the industry attractive, however the growing competition makes the position unsecure. †¢ Strategy Formulation: Yahoo can no longer survive on its own. Its partnership with telecommunication giant AT&T is losing strength as AT&T looks to provide customers with web content, no longer needing the content provided by Yahoo.Yahoo needs to partner with traditional media companies, secure more distribution deals with computer companies, improve technologies that would enhance the speed and usability of their search engine. †¢ Assets and Skills: Yahoo has a reputation for independence and tough negotiations. Moving forward, executives will need to be able to build and maintain relationships with potential partners. Yahoo currently has access to the top engineering and management talent in Silicon Valley. Strategy Implementation: Meet with executives from telecommunication, traditional media, and personal computer companies with the goal of creating exclusive partnerships. This will boost brand recognition, increase customer base, increase market share and profitability. Building and maintaining these relationships will lead to future growth. Resource-Based Model of Above-Average Returns It was necessary for Yahoo to also evaluate their internal environment. Resources and capabilities were essen tial for the success of the company, as well as a competitive advantage, strategy formulation and implementation, and an attractive industry. Resources: Yahoo has the top engineering and management talent in Silicon Valley. It has a popular product with a loyal customer base. It has financial resources, a market capitalization valued at $30 billion. †¢ Capabilities: Yahoo was able to secure the position of industry leader, secure distribution deals and valuable partnerships, and create an internet portal that customers widely valued over the competition. †¢ Competitive Advantage: Internally, Yahoo’s resources and capabilities exceeds that of its competitors.Superior talent, better vision of what a portal should offer, and effective execution all contributed to Yahoo’s early success. However it needs to combine its resources and capabilities through strategic partnerships in order to maintain its competitive advantage. †¢ Attractive Industry: As the leade r in the internet portal industry, Yahoo executives can exploit opportunities to merge or form partnerships with any number of major industry companies. †¢ Strategy Formulation and Implementation: Yahoo’s early success is attributed to its executives utilizing its talent, industry position, partnerships and financial resources.Management needs to direct these resources and capabilities toward strategic partnerships with traditional media and personal computer companies in order to create value-adding partnerships, boost brand recognition, increase customer base, and increase market share and profitability. Building and maintaining these relationships will lead to future growth. The use of both the I/O model and the Resource Based Model are crucial for Yahoo to analyze and use as they formulate their strategy for earning high profits. SWOT Analysis When analyzing Yahoo, it is clear that they have many strengths.One of their main strengths is their strong brand image compa red to their competition. Yahoo is currently the second biggest business in the industry both in the United States and globally after Google. Also, Yahoo was the first business to enter into this new industry, with it’s portals, commonly known as search engines now. In addition, Yahoo built many strategic partnerships. These strategic partnerships were negotiated by the business development staff at Yahoo. One example of a strong strategic partnership was teaming up wit AT&T in order to combine Yahoo! s services with access to the Internet. Yahoo also had a few weaknesses. Yahoo was lacking a long-term strategy, and their unwillingness to embrace the changes in the industry. They also did not offer Internet access like other portals such as AOL and MSN. The company had many opportunities. For instance, they had the opportunity to do strategic acquisitions or partnerships with other companies in order to ensure that their leadership will not be taken away by other companies th at were involved in mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, Yahoo had the opportunity of the growing online advertising market.Expenditures for online advertising grew from $0 in 1994 to $2 billion in 1998, and they were expected to keep growing exponentially. A third opportunity that Yahoo had is to keep expanding to more countries. Yahoo had international properties in 18 countries, but there are many other countries where Yahoo can keep expanding. The threats that Yahoo was facing were the very intense competition and government regulations. As the Internet industry evolved, regulations became more strict and the government becomes more involved. References Cnet. Feb-21-2011. http://news. cnet. com/2100-1033-273689. html

Effective Ways to Overcome Postnatal Depression While Studying

Effective Ways to Overcome Postnatal Depression While Studying Postpartum depression can be a serious condition that mothers who have recently given birth may face. Being a new mother in school can be challenging enough, but if symptoms of postpartum depression occur, it can be even more stressful. What Is Postpartum Depression? Postpartum depression is a condition that can develop anywhere from three weeks to a year after the birth of a child. Symptoms include: feelings of sadness hopelessness loss of appetite urge to sleep all the time inability to practice self-care difficulty performing simple tasks trouble with focusing and loss of memory anxiety and feelings of guilt over not being able to bond with or care for your baby If you are experiencing these symptoms, know that you are not alone: about 1 in 7 mothers experience postpartum depression. Postpartum depression can be brought on by a number of factors. The sudden drop in hormones after the birth of a child can lead to depression. Being in a stressful environment or experiencing relationship strain between you and the child’s father may lead to depression. How to Overcome Postpartum Depression? If you’re in school and experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression, here are some things you can do to get help and alleviate symptoms. #1 See a Doctor The first thing you should do any time you’re feeling depressed, regardless of whether or not it’s due to postpartum is to talk to a doctor or psychologist. They can help you work through the emotions you’re feeling and build a plan for how to cope with them. Getting professional help can also take a lot of the burden off of you to get better on your own. You will still have to do your part and participate as well as you can in the sessions, but allowing someone who is an expert in this subject to take the reins can be a huge relief to a lot of new mothers. #2 Keep the Journal It can be helpful to write your thoughts down in a journal, even if there are painful thoughts. Having a place to express your feelings and let things out can also help you organize your thoughts. You may also do some journaling exercises that help you think positive thoughts like write down things you’re grateful for or writing down activities you look forward to doing with your baby. #3 Talk to Your Advisor Don’t be afraid to talk to the staff at school, particularly your advisor. If you don’t have a close relationship with your advisor, but you do with another professor, don’t hesitate to reach out and let them know you’ve been struggling with postpartum depression. You may be able to negotiate some of the workload or come up with a plan to help support you in this process. #4 Reach Out to Friends Friends and loved ones are there for a reason, and that’s to enjoy the good times and stick by you in the challenging ones. Accept help when it’s offered and ask for it when you need it. Many of your friends will be relieved to be able to be of use to you, especially when they see you’re struggling. Let them babysit your baby while you get a massage or a hair-cut or go for a walk by yourself. Organizing the time and a support team that allows you to perform self-care can help to alleviate feelings of stress and pressure. #5 Eat Well As a new mother, your body needs nutrients to recover from the stress of carrying a child and going through the birthing process. Foods like salmon contain DHA which, in addition to being healthy for your baby if you are breastfeeding, can also help prevent postpartum depression. However, because salmon also contains mercury, it’s advisable to limit its consumption to 12 ounces or two servings a week. Other foods such as low-fat dairy, lean beef, legumes, blueberries, brown rice, oranges, eggs, whole-wheat bread, leafy greens, whole-grain cereal and lots of water can all contribute to a healthy and energetic body and mind. #6 Exercise Exercise may be the last thing you want to do when you’re experiencing postpartum depression, but it can be one of the greatest tools to help you feel better. Exercise is an important part of your health and self-care and making time for it can greatly improve your self-esteem and boost energy levels. Simple exercises like walking, sit-ups, kegels, cat/cow pelvic tilts can help you tone and stretch parts of your body. You can also do workouts with your baby which are convenient when you want to work out but can’t find a sitter. They can be a fun way to bond with your baby. Take advantage of your school’s nursery (if they have one) and hit the gym as often as you can. #7 Join a New Mom’s Group New mothers have a lot in common and joining a new mom’s group can help you to make new friends, learn that you’re not alone in what you’re going through and give you resources on how to alleviate some of the challenges you’re experiencing. Feeling alone can really trigger depression and joining a group helps you to know you’re not alone. #8 Consider Switching to Online Though new mothers can absolutely be successful students on campus, sometimes it can be a challenge that feels too overwhelming. If you feel self-conscious about your body or weight, or it’s difficult for you to breast-feed among your peers or your class schedule feels overwhelming, an online course could provide relief from some of those things. If switching to online, make sure you still maintain contact with friends and family members. Isolation will only increase the feelings of depression. For studying mothers, postpartum depression can be a difficult challenge that can feel debilitating. However, taking certain actions such as talking to a psychologist, journaling your feelings, talking to your advisor or other trusted professor, reaching out to friends and loved ones, eating well, getting some exercise, joining a new mom’s group and possibly switching to an online course can all help to alleviate the effects of postpartum depression.

Writing an Email Salutations and Valedictions - Proofread My Paper

Writing an Email Salutations and Valedictions - Proofread My Paper Writing an Email: Salutations and Valedictions When writing an email for work or college, there are rules you should observe regarding the opening and closing messages. These are known as â€Å"salutations† and â€Å"valedictions.† The correct phrases to use for these depend on who you’re emailing. What are Salutations? A â€Å"salutation† is the greeting at the beginning of an email or letter. You’ll always need one of these unless you’re emailing someone you know well, as an email has to be addressed to someone! Dear or Hi? The correct salutation to use in an email depends on who you’re contacting and why you’re getting in touch. The traditional choice here is â€Å"Dear [Person’s name]†, such as in: Dear Donald, I’m writing today to let you know that†¦ However, this can seem quite formal. This is fine if you want your email to seem official (you may even want to use their title and surname). But otherwise a simple â€Å"Hi† or â€Å"Hello† is often good enough (and is becoming more common than â€Å"Dear† anyway): Hi Don! I’m writing today to let you know that†¦ As such, knowing which salutation to use is basically a judgment call based on how well you know the person you’re emailing. But what do you do if you don’t even know their name? In these cases, you can either use their job title (e.g., â€Å"Dear Hiring Manager†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) or a generic greeting, like â€Å"To Whom it May Concern† or â€Å"Dear Sir/Madam†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Usually, though, it’s better to find the name of the recipient and use that. This makes emailing the Man With No Name difficult. What are Valedictions? Since we’ve already explained that salutations are greetings, you’ve probably guessed that a â€Å"valediction† is the sign-off message at the end of an email or letter. Another term for a â€Å"valediction† is a â€Å"complimentary close,† but they describe exactly the same thing. How to Sign-Off an Email This also depends on how formal you’re being. If you know the recipient well, you might even skip the valediction altogether and just give your name instead. However, it’s generally a good idea to use some kind of sign-off. For everyday use, the valedictions â€Å"Kind regards† and â€Å"Best wishes† work well, whether in formal or informal settings. If you’re going for a more official tone, you might want to stick to traditional valedictions like â€Å"Yours faithfully,† â€Å"Sincerely yours,† or â€Å"Yours truly.† Each of these has a specific use: Yours faithfully = Writing to someone you don’t know (can seem a bit old-fashioned) Yours truly = Writing to someone you don’t know well (a little more up-to-date) Sincerely yours = Writing to someone you know (friendly but formal) As with salutations, this is ultimately a matter of judgement, so just go for what feels right! Say bye!(Source: funny 24h/YouTube)

Wlat Disney- Strategic Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wlat Disney- Strategic Management - Term Paper Example The founder of the company, Walt Disney soon realised that relying on the studio alone will be risky; hence after understanding the changing customer requirements he entered the movie making business. These movies were great hits among children as well as adults. Soon the company entered the business of theme parks where the visitors are entitled to avail entertainment for 24*7 hours. This was a unique idea because here the visitors get an opportunity to come in direct contact with the cartoon characters. They can find the cartoons to be moving, dancing and plying with them. These parks were great hit among the children and even their parents used to take active participation in it. Both the above mentioned businesses are example of horizontal diversification of the main theme of Disney, i.e. cartoon characters. Another major move of the company was to enter the retail business where the children were the target customer of the company. Products like books and magazines were sold which were manufactured in Disney press. Some special toys were also designed for the visitors. The company entered horizontal diversification to gain synergy. Almost all the businesses were targeted towards a common customer base, i.e. children. The expertise of the company helped to create innovative and attractive cartoon characters which were used in almost all the business units. For example, the movies were used to make a cartoon characters familiar to the target audience. Later on, these characters were used to attract customers to visit the theme parks. Finally, popularity of the cartoon characters was used to sell different toys and books published by Disney press. The company also developed vertical integration with internet and TV for further expansion of business and development of the market image. Apart from synergy, there were certain other factors that assisted the company to succeed in the target marks.

THE LABOR MARKET Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

THE LABOR MARKET - Essay Example No individual firm can influence the wages of labor, and neither can labor unions, whose primary role is to fight for better work conditions and better pay for its members. In the short-run, the curve for labor demand is not flexible and is steep because, in a short time, firms do not get the adequate opportunity to respond to rapid changes in the market (Flinn, 2010). But in the long-run, this curve is flexible and flat since firms can adjust their schedules and processes to meet market changes. In a competitive market, a company will only hire some workers whose marginal benefit in productivity is the same as the marginal cost of labor. The company will only employ the number of employees it will be able to afford at the wage rate set by the market. When a firm uses cheaper substitutes of labor, like machines, the demand for labor will decrease. If these tools are readily available, more efficient than manual labor, and the cost of employing labor substitutes is less than the marginal cost of labor, firms will demand less of labor. Availability of labor alternatives is being enhanced by rapid changes in technology, which produces equipment and machinery that can easily replace human labor. Another factor that would lead to a decrease in the demand for labor is a change in the number of firms in a particular industry. When there are numerous barriers to entry into an industry, the firms there will be few, and demand for labor will not increase when all other factors are held constant. Where there are few or no barriers to entry, an industry becomes very competitive so that firms can easily enter and trade. An increase in firms increases the demand for labor since human capital is needed to run these new companies. If the market price of the product or service a company produces increases, the demand for labor will increase in the short-run and reduce in the long-run. When the prices rise, sales will yield