What Makes People Happy - 836 Words

Kelly Volken Patricia Hake English 20 March 6, 2017 What Makes People Happy? The question â€Å"what makes people happy?† is a very difficult question to answer just because it is one of those questions that can be interpreted in so many different ways. In reality, there are countless amounts of things that make people happy, but the real question is, do those things leave a permanently lasting happy effect on you? The answer probably not. There is a big difference between what can make you happy in the moment, and what makes you a happy person in general. Being young, you may find that happiness is effortless, others not so much. Bottom line, it’s all up to the individual’s perception of how they look at things. In order to find that†¦show more content†¦Negativity brings you nothing beneficial in your life. So it’s up to you to be driven to find that positivity to prosper. My philosophy teacher once told me â€Å"I believe we are all social beings striving for different types of relationships.† Thinking about it, I couldn’t agree with him more. None would be who they are today now without relationships, whether it be your friends, family, coworkers, or basically anyone you’ve known. We are constantly changing as a person because through each and every connection, you learn something, good or bad, though the bad ones seem to stand out more. For example, not many remember how they became friends, but the chances are they remember why they aren’t friends anymore. Obviously, bad memories don’t make you happy, so why don’t we try to avoid them in the first place? It’s so easy for people to be quick to judge, and react off their natural instincts of what they think is right. We all have the right to speak our mind, but you must think about the situation in order to make the decision that will generate happiness. Most of the time when making decisions, it involves the little things. I was in high school once, and I know drama was inevitable. How many of yo u get mad at your friends for not inviting you to certain events, or not telling you something? It happened to me, and no it didn’t make me happy. Looking back, I should not have gotten so worked up over something so small. Life is made up of so many little affairs, thatShow MoreRelatedWhat Makes People Happy854 Words   |  3 PagesThe Good Life The question of what makes people happy has been an ongoing argument for years. Happiness according to dictionary.com can be defined as the quality or state of being happy. There are two perspectives that focus on answering this question of self-happiness, the hedonic and eudaimonic. The Hedonic view (Subjective well-being) is the perspective of how people experience the quality of their lives. Hedonism is about knowing the fulfillment of pleasure. This type of pleasure is physicalRead MorePersonal Note On Happiness And Happiness968 Words   |  4 Pagessomeone what makes them happy, you more than likely would receive a million different answers. The general definition of happiness or being happy is a state of well-being and contentment, or a pleasurable or satisfying experience. An individual’s definition of happiness more as excitement increase in the tendency to choose ab exciting option over a calming option; and defining happiness more as feeling calm increase the tendency to choose a calming option over exciting option. So, what makes peopleRead MoreAldous Huxley s Brave New World875 Words   |  4 PagesFrom the beginning of time, humans have strived to be happy. During this time, thousands of different people have given their interpretation of h appiness. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the simplified definition of happiness is feeling pleasure or joy because of a certain situation. In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Controller, Mustapha Mond, conceals the truth in order to keep everyone happy. He gives his people drugs and brainwashes them into believing that their life is good. SatisfyingRead MoreThe Importance Of Happiness713 Words   |  3 PagesHappiness is a choice, and its only our choice. No matter what the circumstances are in our lives, we get to choose what emotion we want to react with. People show different ranges of emotions which can be caused by other people, but ultimately we choose our emotions with our mind and hearts. It doesnt matter what has happened in your life today, you can still choose to be happy. By choosing to be unhappy you put yourself in a sorrowful and melancholia mindset, which isnt good for your mentalRead MoreThe Book Happy : Happy896 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is happiness? The answers are endless, some people finding something more relatable than others. In the United States, we are given the freedom of speech, and everyone has his or her own opinion. Based on opinion it makes the world a different place. We are not all the same which is better. Happiness is something that can be taken it different ways, like the way it looks and feels but scientist and personal experiences show how it really is. Personally what makes me the happiest is on sportsRead MoreUtilitarianism And The Most Important Argument1679 Words   |  7 Pagesabout utilitarianism and the most important notion that arises from it, which is that an action is morally right only if it maximizes the greatest good for the greatest number of people (Cahn, 114). First, I will explain what utilitarianism is, when and by whom it was originally created, and a brief explanation of what it stands for. I will then explain the two different types of classical utilitarianism and explain th e differences between the two. Next, I will give two arguments to why the utilitarianRead MoreSocrates s Argument At 30a B Of The Apology1386 Words   |  6 Pagesconnection between philosophizing and having an excellent soul is made when Socrates conducted his own investigation by questioning reputable intelligent people, thus realizing people who claim they are knowledgeable are all ignorant, and the true wisdom comes from being self-aware of their own ignorance. However, this leads to another question of what is an excellent soul? Throughout the Apology, bits and pieces of information are presented to us that having an excellent soul is to have virtue. OneRead MoreThe Documentary Happy 905 Words   |  4 PagesThe documentary ‘Happy’ was probably one of the best documentaries I have ever watched. It is a documentary on what truly makes people around the world happy. The movie takes you through true stories of the lives of all kinds of people with different life situations within the entire world. Through each individual story it shows how even though they may have gone or are going through tough situations, they still remain happy with life itself. I really enjoyed this documentary because it made meRead MoreThe Frustrating Pursuit of Happiness1299 Words   |  5 PagesIn today’s society people are constantly striving towards happiness. People will work their entire life chasing something and in the end still be unhappy. Continually pursuing this idealistic goal of happiness and never feeling as though they have accomplished it, leaving people wondering if it is even worth it. It often makes people question what happiness is even considered anymore in today’s society and curious as to how they can achieve such a thing. Devoting one’s entire life to achieving happinessRead MorePursuit of Happiness732 Words   |  3 Pagesperson thinks about happiness at least twice a day. Its only 9pm and I can already tell you that Ive been happy and unhappy many times today. If I asked a group of people what they wanted most out of their lives for themselves or their family, whether for tomorrow or the rest of your life , most people would say happiness. Some might say money, but only because they think money will make them happy. Yes, money can buy things that will provide you with brief happiness, but for true happiness, I believe

The Government Regulation Of Tobacco And Alcohol Sales And...

Q1 Distributive policies control the allocation of benefits to particular groups, they are easily introduced as they can be implemented independently without effecting other groups benefits. (Palmer, Short, 2014) Such as governments Indigenous Chronic Disease Package which aims to manage chronic diseases that effect Indigenous Australians. (AIWH 2014) Another health policy is regulatory, which provides limitations on how specific groups act, some groups are allowed more freedom while others can be more restricted. (Palmer, Short 2014) For example, the state government regulation of tobacco and alcohol sales and supply. (AIHW 2014) While in pursuit of credibility and self promotion, organisations can develop a self regulation policy which can potentially reduce government interfering. (Palmer, Short 2014) Redistributive policies consist of the change of distribution of income, wealth, property and rights of groups by deliberate acts from the Government. (Palmer, Short 2014) The Pharma ceutical Benefit Scheme is an example, as it provides medicine to disadvantaged Australians at a reduced cost. (Human Services 2016) Q2 Health policy is different from other types of policy due to the complex structure of health care, role of medical professionals and the ethical and societal expectations. Firstly, due to the complexity of the health care system, there is dubious comparison to other models such as economic or social activity which add to the difficulty of individualsShow MoreRelatedThe War on Drugs1646 Words   |  7 Pagesdeforestation and pollution. In most cases, production operations are repeatedly forced by supply-side enforcement to relocate into increasingly remote regions for their own protection- including rainforests, nature reserves and protected habitats- always with damaging consequences (McSweeney et al., 2014). As an outlawed industry, these producers are therefore unbound by any environmental regulations or code of ethics. It is in these nations that the War on Drugs is felt yet more acutelyRead MoreLegalization of Drugs Essay1305 Words   |  6 Pagesdebate about the legalization of marijuana for medical exposes the long lasting debate about the economic viability of prohibiting certain kind of drugs considered illicit. Many social costs to society are attributable to illicit drugs, along with tobacco, alcohol, and guns. In fact, each of these vices is allegedly responsible for $200 billion annual expenditure in social costs of the USA (Donohue, 2010). Interestingly, all these commodities mentioned above have common characteristics: a sizeable proportionRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1518 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana The truths about marijuana are slowly starting to resurface, the government keeps ignoring that cannabis could one day be as powerful for the U.S. Unfortunately, these truths about marijuana are under a lot of criticism because of the stereotype of what people see as a marijuana or cannabis smoker. There is a great difficulty in this law because marijuana is still recognized as a harmful and dangerous substance in some states. This can cause problems because each state has their differentRead MoreMicroeconomics Essay- Suppose the Government Raises the Legal Drinking Age in the Uk from 18 to 21. Conduct an Economic Analysis of This Policy to Examine Its Impact on Affected Markets.1260 Words   |  6 PagesSuppose the government raises the legal drinking age in the UK from 18 to 21. Conduct an economic analysis of this policy to examine its impact on affected markets. With reference to the above statement, if the UK government were to increase the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 there are two markets that would mainly be affected- the producers, which is the alcohol industry as a whole and the consumers who are the UK citizens between the age of 18 and 21. A market is a group of buyers and sellersRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?876 Words   |  4 PagesNevertheless the Liberal governments pledge to legalize marijuana use is a step that raises health, social policy, and criminal justice issues, whilst also encompassing economic and financial impacts. However, the news article â€Å"Legal pot revenue could reach $5B a year†, neglects to incorporate many of these themes, focusing strictly on the tax revenues in which Canada s federal and provincial governments will collect from the sale of legal marijuana. Previously, the Canadian government neglected to endorseRead MoreThe North American Industry Classification System Essay1614 Words   |  7 Pagescountry-specific detail. A complete and valid NAICS code has six digits (North American Industry Classification System, n.d.). D. G. Yuengling and Son NAICS code for brewing is 312120. The NAICS code can be broken down by: 31 – manufacturing, 312 – beverage and tobacco product manufacturing, 31212 – breweries, and 312120 – large breweries (Industry Statistics Portal, n.d.). The NAICS for breweries has remained the same since 2002. It is also important to look at beer bottles and glass manufacturing (327213), beerRead MoreLegalization Of Marijuana And Marijuana1633 Words   |  7 Pagesfar safer than alcohol, tobacco and multiple other illicit substances. A study performed by Scientific Reports compared the lethality of the recreational use of 10 drugs that included marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, diazepam, amphetamine and methadone. The researchers found marijuana to have the lowest risk of mortality when compared to things commonly used like alcohol and tobacco. â€Å"Further, the low risk of cannabis use suggests government should use â €Å"a strictRead MoreBusiness Plan1500 Words   |  6 Pagesroom. The beer is cold in the fridge and ready for consumption. A couple of hours have passed and everyone is feeling pretty good. But bad news†¦you are out of alcohol. Unfortunately everyone is too intoxicated to drive so what do you do? Risk getting a DUI just so you can have a buzz for a few more hours? That’s where we come in, an alcohol delivery service. We have all of the popular beer and liquor that college students desire. We have a warehouse located not far from campus fully stocked withRead MoreVincor and the Wine Industry1664 Words   |  7 Pagesthe only companies that are going to survive, grow and maintain a competitive advantage are those that can rationalize their cost structures, achieve economies of scale and control their distribution channels effectively. Synergies in marketing, sales forces, administration and other overhead factors can drive down per unit costs and make Vincor more e fficient. By lowering its cost structure, Vincor can pass lower costs to consumers and gain market share in a global market place. Vincor has surmisedRead MoreThe Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, And Explosives1330 Words   |  6 Pages The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, otherwise known as the ATF, is one of 60 criminal justice programs under the Department of Justice. Their mission is to regulate and investigate crimes related to the above mentioned items. The ATF has been around in one way or another since the beginning of our nation. It started in 1791, when the first tax on distilled spirits was implemented by the new Secretary to the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton (1). Supervisors, inspectors

Spirituality and Strength Free Essays

My Strengths Strength is a word that is greatly misinterpreted. Strength is to overcome challenges that you face and to grow from them. To most, strength only comes in physical form, while for others strength comes emotionally as well as spiritually. We will write a custom essay sample on Spirituality and Strength or any similar topic only for you Order Now One can be small yet strong or one can even be scared yet strong. Strength has no set rules or requirements. Strength is going against all odds to end up prevailing. Being physically strong is the ability to sustain the capacity of a force without breaking or yielding. To be mentally strong is to emerge with confidence through an emotional series of events. For one to be spiritually strong they must have faith in what you believe when the odds are stacked against you. Everyone in life strives to be strong. Why? It is human nature. Physical strength is to prevail through obstacles that test your body to its limits. Physical strength is fighting a disease such as skin cancer. Listening to the doctors tell me that the chances of living a long healthy life are not excellent. After telling me all this they expect me to be that same person who was lways there for others. But who was there for me? Physical strength is fighting the never ending battle of drowsiness, when I was diagnosed with mononucleosis. This was a hopeless battle when I had so many things to do in so little time, Meyer 2 with no energy to spare. Yet, all I wanted to do was to fall into a deep sleep and escape all my responsibilities for the moment. Physical strength is being the strongest that I can be. This is waking up six days a week at the first light of day and pushing my body to its limits at the gym surrounded by other bodies dripping of sweat. It is to fight the endless struggle of laziness of a typical college student and workout even when I have had a long day, with few hours of sleep, and no time in my schedule. Physical strength is a daunting task to seek out but with hard work and perseverance it can be achieved. Mental strength is the ability to overcome hardship, pain, and suffering. The ability to use those experiences from depression in a positive way, to grow and develop from the most painful situations imaginable. That is what mental strength is all about. I have always been told that the strongest are always most successful. My success is the new person that I have become. I ignore the Judgmental looks and comments made by those I love and those I hate. I handle being ridiculed and gossiped about by those, who in the past, I had put all my trust in. Mental strength is dealing with the drama and stress of high school. It takes strength to walk down those cramped hallways alone and be watched by those who I used to be able to call my friends, and having no one to talk to. Even though I feel as though I am alone within a crowd of faces and shadows, bumping into me, trying to knock me down I do not get intimidated. On weekdays at six in the morning I look in the mirror and plaster on a brave face to fool others into thinking that nothing is wrong. I have the strength to not fall in to the deadly trap that people lay out when they make fun of you have with everyone and with yourself. Spiritual strength is the will to believe when all others do not. It is the fight for faith, something that could be imaginary, but that I see as real. It is the urge to die for what I believe in. I maintain my strength while I am tested on my faith in God by countless people, Judging me for following and acting on my beliefs in God. I would rather die protecting my spirituality then live a lie full of regret. In my times of trouble I have come to realize God is the light, the truth, and the way when all other paths are taken over with darkness. My strength is overcoming the hardship of following the unknown and not knowing where it will take me. It is putting my faith trust in God, and praying when I feel scared or upset. Every Sunday morning and Wednesday night I devote myself to the life of the church, the body, and the blood of Jesus Christ. Some say that by having spiritual strength I am condemning myself. On the contrary, in having spiritual strength I am freeing myself to a life full of Joy and happiness. Above all, to have spiritual strength is to have faith, love, patience, dedication and hope in God. In conclusion, there are three types of strength I have exhibited throughout my life; physical, mental, and spiritual. To have physical strength is to excel in challenges that are made upon the body. To have mental strength is to when my limits are tested. To have spiritual strength is to stick to what I believe is morally right in life. These strengths tie into how I live my life day by day. How to cite Spirituality and Strength, Papers

Small Soldiers Soundtrack free essay sample

Although Small Soldiers may seem like a movie for children, the soundtrack is for all ages. Whether you are stuck in the 70s or in with the 90s, there is a good chance you will like this album.The soundtrack has a wide range of music intended for music-lovers of all types. One example is the classic Motown song War by Edwin Star. Many of the older listeners will enjoy this version, while a remix of this song is included on the album, sung by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.While many of the songs are fairly old, most have been remixed. For example, the great classic, Another One Bites The Dust by Queen is accompanied by Wyclef Jean, giving the song a more up-beat feel and attracting more listeners.Another song (one of my favorites) is Rock and Roll [Part 2], also commonly known as The Hey Song. It is yet another remix, but mostly due to the occasional movie quotes. We will write a custom essay sample on Small Soldiers Soundtrack or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In my opinion, this is a great album with a wide variety of songs. This soundtrack brings classics and newer songs together in one great album. It has been put together with everyone in mind and I would definitely consider it a good buy

The Geological composition of Larimar

Introduction The essay is critical examination of Larimar. The paper will bring forth the geological composition Larimar, the importance and uniqueness, reason why it should be appreciated as well as the value of the same in USD. Larimar is in the family pectolite. It is characterized by hardness of between 4.5 and 5.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Geological composition of Larimar specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The color usually ranges from white, deep blue light blue, sky blue to green blue. The crystal system of Larimar is triclinic (Websters 2). Larimar was discovered by Mendez back in 1974. Mendez decided on the name after joining factoring in the name of her daughter Larisa and Mar which is Spanish word referring to the sea. Geological composition of Larimar It is worth noting that the chemical composition (geological) of Larimar is made up of odium silicate hydroxide (NaCa2Si3O8 (OH)). It i s composed of largely pectolite, the chemical composition is acidic. The formation is coined to volcanic rocks of Miocene period where andesites as well as basalts did erupt within limestone. More over, Larimar do have vugs which constitute a number of other important mineral aside pectolite. It is important to note that the pectolite fillings were secondarily occurring within the flow as result of the eruption. Due to erosion, the pectolite were washed downwards toward alluvium and gravels along the beach. A river well known as Bahoruco did carry the sediments that contain pectolite into the sea. The action of tumbling during the transportation of the sediment resulted to the blue color of Larimar (Woodruff 21). Although it has been fond in Bahamas, Larimar is a typical material found in the Central Republic of Caribbean. Two main locations where it is found are Los Checheses and Bahoruco Range. Since pectolite is a rock and it is what constitutes Larimar, this thus means that it h as more set of minerals. Importance Larimar is an important resource that has been and need to be appreciated due to its uniqueness and use. This stone has been widely used in jewelry or ornamental purposes as well as in semi-precious market. Additionally, it is worth noting that in the past, the stone provided artists with a medium in which they could express their ideas. Since it was a durable material, this meant that such piece of art could be available after several years (Carlson et al. 234). On the same note, it should be appreciated and opt to be as a result of its healing properties. The local of Central Republic especially in Bahoruco believe that Larimar can heal ease the pain as a result of inflammation, curb fever as well as reducing heat of sunburn. Additionally, the precious stone is seen as a radiant of love, peace, joy as well as clarity thus need to be used by individuals who are under depression.Advertising Looking for research paper on geology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Value The value of Larimar varies greatly but on the basis of size, weight and shape. Records reveal that the cheapest cost $ 5.00 while the most expensive is $138.05. The two main categories of Larimar are round and oval. The table below summarizes the value of Larimar; Table 1. Value of Round and Oval Larimar Round Larimar (size, mm) Weight(Carats) Color Price 13.70 7.75 Mottled Blue $46.50 45Ãâ€"20 Slab Mottled Blue $18.75 Oval Larimar 9.7Ãâ€"13.5 – Mottled Blue $5.00 10Ãâ€"8+/- – † $8.25 12Ãâ€"10 – † $12.00 13.5Ãâ€"9.4 4.35 † $39.15 13.9Ãâ€"9.9 8.00 † $24.00 17.7Ãâ€"13 13.50 † $40.50 23Ãâ€"14.3 15.45 † $138.05 Source. Carlson, Diane, Plummer, Charles McGeary, David. Physical Geology: Earth Revealed. New York: McGraw-Hill Science Engineering, 2008. Conclusion Larimar is a unique stone characterized by color ranges of blue. It has been used in jewelry in developing ornaments that are very expensive. It is appreciated not only in its use in ornamental but also in human health. It is said that it can help those under stress, suffering from fever and body inflammation. It has also been used in the field of art. The main geological composition of Larimar is summarized in the chemical equation, NaCa2Si3O8 (OH). Works Cited Carlson, Diane, Plummer, Charles McGeary, David. Physical Geology: Earth Revealed. New York: McGraw-Hill Science Engineering, 2008. Print. pp 672. Websters, Adam. Larimar Stone – What is It and Where Does it Come From?, 2010. Viewed on https://ezinearticles.com/?Larimar-Stone—What-is-It-and-Where-Does-it-Come-From?id=4323878 Woodruff, Robert. â€Å"Larimar — Beautiful, blue and baffling†. Lapidary Journal, 1986. Viewed on https://jmarcano.com/mipais/recursos/larimar2.html This research paper on The Geological composition of Larimar was written and submitted by user Giant-dok to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Alive in Song

Alive in Song Free Online Research Papers It was a cold rainy Saturday afternoon in May 2007 when I heard it. I was reluctantly helping my husband clean up an enormous mess in our flooded dungeon of a basement. I was going through the motions, trying to look busy, trying to stay numb. I had heard it before. Many times in fact, but this time it was different. It stopped me and I listened. As Neil Young’s song â€Å"Old Man† played on my radio, it seemed as if his voice began to fade away until all that remained was the beautiful harmonic melody of his guitar. I had heard this before, but not just on the radio. It had been only three weeks since his death and I was living in a pale blue world of nothingness. Vacant and void of everything. It was easier that way. I spoke only when spoken to, and barely even then. I didn’t laugh, I didn’t cry. Still, silent, numb, and under the circumstances perfect. My husband, I’m sure, disagreed. He was ready for me to snap out of it. It had been almost two months since the stroke. It took exactly one month from that day for him to die. I spent every moment possible by his side hoping to find a way to save his life. Absent from my home life, my husband stood in the gap and held it together. Supporting me while I spent my every waking hour at the hospital, he handled all of the housework also having to make babysitting arrangements for our 2 year old daughter while he was at work. Tired of carrying the load alone, he was ready for me to be done grieving. The truth was I had not yet even begun. Not until I heard that son g. In that moment, I was transported from my dark smelly basement into a tiny universe where only I and the rhythm of the guitar existed. I was wrapped in the warm departed solace of my father’s twelve string. That is why the already familiar song was deeply more familiar. He played that song for as long as I can remember only I never heard him sing it. I didn’t know what song it was until that moment. There we were, me and his music. I was alive again in my universe for two. Nothing else existed as I listened to that song like it was the first time I ever heard it. I was consumed by it, immersed in it, feeling each chord until suddenly†¦. It was over. I was back in my basement again and the radio went to commercial. Back to reality, only something was different. My emotions had returned. The song had interrupted my neat little world of numb. I was standing on a mountain of laundry when it hit me. My father is dead and he is gone forever. The flood ga tes opened and my grief took over. They say that â€Å"Time is the healer of all wounds†. Although I don’t believe this to be true, I did manage to eventually pull myself together and move forward with my life. Little by little I dealt with my sorrow. I fought my way through the fog packaging it up piece by piece and storing it away in my heart. I followed through with the grieving process vowing to remember everything. I thought about how I dealt with the loss of my beloved grandfather. I was 17 when he died. The loss of him was so painful, that I found it too hard to even think about him. Now when I call upon my memories of him, I often find them difficult to remember. Perhaps the repression of my grief also led to the repression of my memories. I would not let this happen to the memory of my Dad. As time went by I mourned him less, but missed him more. It was a long time before I allowed myself to listen to that song again. I was far from home visiting my Grandmother in the mountains of New York State. It’s my pilgrimage to the town of his birth. I love it there. Its’ endless rolling hills, crisp fresh air, and laid back way of life remind me of my father. We buried him there at the National VA Cemetery. It is where he belongs, a soldier laid to rest on the mountains that he loved. On a rainy afternoon during my visit, I took my little girl for a drive. I decided to go to the cemetery and lay flowers at his grave. I searched for his headstone with his four year old granddaughter by my side asking me an endless stream of meaningless questions. Lost in a sea of identical VA headstones, I felt as if I would never find it. Tired of walking around in the rain, I was ready to surrender when I looked down and there it was; my father’s name carved in granite. It brought me to my knees. The tears streami ng down my cheeks were indistinguishable from the rain falling from the sky. My daughter, too young to understand, asked, â€Å"Mommy why are you crying?† I answered, â€Å"Because I miss my daddy.† She said, â€Å"Your daddy is a rock?† As we were leaving the cemetery, I decided to take a ride to the lake. My father brought us there for many happy vacations. My mind foggy from crying, I knew the drive would help clear my head and the beautiful lake would sooth my soul by bringing to me the memories that he made for me there. We drove the twenty five minutes that it takes to reach the lake, and I looked in my rear view mirror pleased by what I saw. A sleeping child meant some much needed quiet time for me. I smiled and began my 42 mile journey around Lake Keuka. I wasn’t really put off by the rain anymore because we had no plans for swimming and it suited my mood. I was somberly driving along, taking in the view, while classic rock quietly played on my satellite radio. The dark heavy rain clouds began to part over the lake revealing vivid blue skies. As the sun’s sparkling reflection danced across the lake, the song on the radio changed. Finally ready to hear what it had to say to me, I turned up the volume and took it in. Old man look at my life Twenty four and there’s so much more Live alone in a paradise That makes me think of two. Love lost, such a cost Give me things that don’t get lost. Like a coin that won’t get tossed Rolling home to you. Old man look at my life I’m a lot like you I need someone to love me the whole day through Ah, one look at my life and you can tell that’s true. Lullabies look in your eyes Run around the same old town. Doesn’t mean that much to me To mean that much to you. I’ve been first and last Look at how the time goes past. But I’m all alone at last Rolling home to you. Old man look at my life I’m a lot like you I need someone to love me the whole day through. Ah’ one look in my eyes and you can tell that’s true. Old man look at my life, I’m a lot like you were Old man look at my life, I’m a lot like you were. Neil Young It carries me on its’ sweet solemn melody and I realize how well the song’s lyrics describe how I feel about my father. The love I lost at such a cost. He gave me things that don’t get lost. The example that he set for me is like the coin that won’t get tossed. I remember his lullabies and the look in his eyes. I come to visit that same old town. Just like him, I need someone to love me the whole day through. Look at me and you will see him. I will always find my way back home. When I was a child I thought that my dad wrote every song that he played on his guitar. As I grew, I learned that the Beatles wrote â€Å"Norwegian Wood†; â€Å"Smoke on the Water† was by Deep Purple; and the song that I thought went â€Å"Jaime what you gonna do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  was actually written for a girl named Amy. It was the songs that he did write that he never sang. That is how I came to include â€Å"Old Man† as one of his own, well into my adulthood. He wrote a song to my mother when they fell in love that only he and she knew the words to. My older brother played it on our father’s twelve string on my wedding day as my younger brother walked me down the aisle and gave me away. I thought I knew all of his music until that day in my basement. Maybe now I do, I guess I’ll never know. What I do know is that I love this song. The sad sweet melody and the lyrics that pay tribute to him in ways I never could are etched forever in my heart. I am glad that it never occurred to me that my father was playing â€Å"Old Man† on his guitar while he was alive. It means so much to me now that he is gone. It is almost like he kept a secret from me until I needed to hear it. Some things never die. My father lives on through his music. Research Papers on Alive in SongHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Spring and AutumnThe Fifth HorsemanNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceBringing Democracy to AfricaThe Hockey GameInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

Why has the New Christian Right been so successful in US politics Essay

Why has the New Christian Right been so successful in US politics since the early 1990s - Essay Example America was one of the most liberal democratic countries in the world until recent times. People from all over the world and from different cultures stayed in harmony in America because of the immense freedom and liberties supplied to them by the most civilized administrations in America. Even though America is a Christian dominant country, Hindus, Muslims, Jews and Sikhs faced no discrimination in America until recent times. In fact they were able to establish their own churches, mosques and temples and were able to spread their religion across America. However, 9/11 world trade centre attack by some of the terrorists forced America to rethink and redefine its policies towards people from other cultures and countries. America society is believed to be the most liberal society in the world. Same sex marriages, gayism, lesbianism and homosexuality are accepted life styles in America at present. Americans do not bother much to reveal their sexual orientation at present. Instead of marriage, the new concept of living together is getting popularity in America now. However, it should be noted that a substantial portion of American population still believe in traditions, customs and religions. They are not ready to accept the changes with both hands. Such people started the efforts to regain the lost values, customs and traditions in America society. As a result of that, concepts such as Christian Right and New Christian Right started to develop in America. Christian right is a term used to describe the right political groups in America. It is an informal coalition of various religious communities such as Catholics, Evangelists and Protestants. Right wing political groups in America are adamant in their beliefs and are not ready to dilute their religious beliefs for political gains. They are keen in developing a political system in accordance with the Christian doctrines. As Republican Party principles are

Walmart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Walmart - Essay Example This is done to maintain the quality in Hard Rock Cafà ©. They have rating scale from 1 to 7. If it fails to achieve scale of 7 then the quality and service is believed to be not up to the mark. For efficient process and capacity design, Hard Rock Cafà © educates their staffs to present high quality entertainment. They design the facility through exclusive design, procuring and displaying unique music related merchandizes that includes Jimi Hendrix’s guitars and music events. Hard Rock Cafà © follows a systematic approach for location. It narrows down the search from the country to a city then a particular street corner. They try to enter the right market at the right time (University of Mizzou, 2011). Since it’s a theme restaurant, strategies include music, different visuals and memorabilia. The theme is used to expose memorabilia to customers for the purpose of sales. A dynamic working environment is present and that needs to be inculcated among the staffs. Hard Rock Cafà © inventories consist of merchandize that are related to the history of rock, i.e. memorabilia, special menus and decorations. They have spent approximately US$ 40 million for collecting rocks-and-roll memorabilia inventories. The outsourcing of the supply chain management assists in reducing the transportation cost, optimizes the distribution network and reduces operational cost by 20% (Avicon, 2003). The schedule is flexible as customers are mostly tourist and this is done to render service according to their demand and culture. With regards to maintenance, they provide exclusive activities and excellent performances. The unique music collection are rotated and shared between branches globally. Avicon, (2003). Avicon Leads Hard Rock Cafe’s Successful Transition to Outsourced Logistics, Fulfillment and Distribution. Avicon Engagement to Provide Improved Working Capital, Inventory Management and Operating Margins. Retrieved Online on March 03, 2011

Recommendation Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Recommendation Letter - Essay Example In addition, from his diligent work, Jores proved to be an exceptional student with exemplary grades. Since Clinique Du Gros Chien Hospital serves Duala, the economical capital of Cameroon, Jores has remained pivotal in providing incredible services to our clients, a factor that for the last one year has increased the number of our clients and revenue significantly. He can work both independently as well as team player to achieve excellence in the desired outcome of the hospital. Jores has demonstrated a progressive interest in national environmental affairs and international development through our environmental education initiative. Jores utilized the opportunities that environmental program provided to display her good leadership skills when he successfully organized and implemented environmental group projects within Duala and its environs. Apart from Jores’ degree in MD from France, I understand that he intends to pursue masters in the same line any time from 2015. I would like to add that he has written excellent reports with the experience and exposure that he acquired from our hospital and beyond. I am, therefore, faithful that Jores Kenmoe possesses brilliant abilities, both, as a student and a professional, and I believe he would remain a great asset to any organization. For more details about Jores Kenmoe, contact me on +237

What Is Sales Forecasting Marketing Essay

What Is Sales Forecasting Marketing Essay Forecasting is a little more scientific than looking into the crystal ball . The scientific basis of forecasting lies in studying past , present and future trends , present and future actions and their effects . What happened in the past is relevant to what is happening now and what could happen in the future . Forecasting  is defined as the process of making statements about the events whose actual outcomes have not yet been observed . A common example might be  the estimation  of some variable of interest at some specified future date .  Prediction  is similar , but it is more general term. Both might refer to formal statistical methods employing   the time series ,  cross sectional  or  longitudinal  data and alternatively to less formal judgemental methods . Usage can differ between areas of application for example in  hydrology , the terms forecast and forecasting are sometimes reserved for the estimation of values at certain specific  future  times , while the term prediction is used for more general estimates , such as the number of times the floods will occur over a long period . WHAT IS SALES FORECASTING ? SALES FORCATING : Sales forecasting is estimating what a companys future sales are likely to be , based on the sales records as well as  the market research . Information used for sales forecasting must be well organized and may include information on the competition and the statistics that affect the businesses customer base . Companies conduct sales forecasting in hopes of identifying the patterns so that the revenue and the   cash flow  can be maximized . Sales forecasting is a difficult area of management . Most managers believe that they are good at forecasting . However , forecasts made usually turn out to be wrong . Marketers argue about whether sales forecasting is a science or an art . The short answer is that it is a bit of both. Sales forecast should be conducted regularly and all the forecasting results need to be measured , so that the future methods can be adjusted if necessary . Before the forecasting process begins marketing , sales or other managers should determine how far ahead the forecast should be done . Short term forecasting is a maximum of three months and is often effective for analyzing budgets and markets . Intermediate sales forecasting is between a period of three months and two years and may be used for schedules ,  inventory and production . Long term forecasting is for a minimum of two years and can be used for long term forecast period and is good for dealing with growth into new markets or new products . Basically sales forecasting is analyzing all the parts of a business from total inventory to the strengths and weaknesses of sales people . Managers must think about changes in customer sales or other changes that could affect the forecasting figures . They must be competitive when they are assessing the competition and how they can surpass the competition to better meet the needs of the target market . IMPORTANCE OF SALES FORCASTING Sales forecasting is the basis of all the business activities . All the business activities may it be a sales related matter , production related matter , finance , advertising etc depend on sales forecasting . Any business firm starts its plan with sales forecasting . Sales forecasting is a self assessment tool for a company . A sales forecast reports , graphs and analyzes the pulse of any business . It is a vital basis for a companys budget . The future direction of the company depends on the sales forecasting .   Sales  are the lifeblood of the business .  Its what helps you pay employees , cover operating expenses , buy more inventory , market new products and attract more investors . Sales forecasting is a crucial part of the  financial planning  of the business . Its a self assessment tool that uses the past and the current sales statistics to intelligently predict the future performance . Sales forecasts are also an important part of starting a new business . Almost all new businesses need loans or start up capital to purchase everything necessary to get off the ground office space , equipment , inventory , employee salaries and  marketing . You cant just walk into a bank with a bright idea and lots of enthusiasm . You need to show them numbers that prove your business is viable . In other words , you need a business plan . The importance of Sales forecasting can be stated as follows : 1 . Overstocking and the under stocking of materials can be maintained by a good inventory control. 2 . With the help of sales forecasting , sales opportunities can be found out on the basis of the forecast . 3 . All the activities in an organization , are controlled on the basis of forecasting . 4 . Advertising and sales promotion expenses are based on sales forecasting . 5 . Sales forecasting is also important in the field of personnel department . The number of sales persons , executives etc can be increased or decreased on the basis of sales forecasting . 6 . Sales forecasting is the basis for financial Planning . 7 . In the field of production , with the help of sales forecasting , producer is able to adjust his production schedules and avoid idle time which leads to efficiency . 8 . Supply and demand of the products can be easily adjusted .   9 . It helps in knowing when and how much to buy . 10 . It helps in the product mix decisions . SALES FORECASTING ON THE BASIS OF PAST Many businesses prepare their sales forecast on the basis of their past sales . Past years Sales forecasting is done with the help of Time series analysis . Time series analysis involves the breaking of past sales down into the four components : The trend are the sales growing , flat lining or are in decline ! Seasonal or cyclical factors Sales are affected by the swings in the general economic activity . Seasonal and cyclical factors occur in a regular pattern . Erratic events these include strikes , fashion fads , war scares and other disturbances to the market , which need to be isolated from the past sales data in order to be able to identify the more normal pattern of the sales . Responses the results of the particular measures that have been taken to increase the sales (e.g. a major new advertising campaign) . Using the time series analysis to prepare an effective sales forecast requires the management to : Smooth out the erratic factors . Adjust for the seasonal variation . Identify and estimate the effect of the specific marketing responses . SALES FORECASTING ON THE BASIS OF PRESENT MARKET As a starting point for estimating the market demand , a company needs to know the actual industry sales that is taking place in the market . This involves identifying its competitors and estimating their sales . An industry trade association will often collect and publish the total industry sales , although rarely listing the individual company sales separately . By using this information , each company can easily evaluate its performance against the whole market . This is an important piece of analysis , Say for example that Company A has sales that are rising at the rate of 10% per year . However , it finds out that the overall industry sales are rising by the rate of 15% per year . This must mean that Company A is losing the market share , its relative standing in the industry . Another way to estimate the sales is to buy the reports from a marketing research firm such as AC Neilsen , Mintel etc . These are usually good sources of information for the consumer markets where the retail sales can be tracked in great detail at the point of sale . Such sources are less useful in the industrial markets which usually rely on the distributors. SALES FORECASTING FOR FUTURE MARKET So far we have identified that how a company can determine the current position . How can the future market demand and the company demand be forecast ? Very few products or the services lend themselves to easy forecasting . These tend to involve a product whose absolute level or the trend of sales is fairly constant and where the competition is either non-existent ( e.g. monopolies such as public utilities ) or stable ( pure oligopolies ) . In most of the markets , the total demand and company demand are not stable which makes the good sales forecasting a critical success factor . A common method of preparing the sales forecast has three stages : Prepare the macroeconomic forecast   what will happen to overall economic activity in the relevant economies in which a product is to be sold . Prepare an industry sales forecast   what will happen to overall sales in an industry based on the issues that influence the macroeconomic forecast . Prepare a company sales forecast   based on what management expect to happen to the companys market share . Sales forecasts can be based on the following three types of information : What the customers say  about their intentions to continue buying products in the industry . What the customers are actually doing  in the market . What the customers have done  in the past in the market . There are many market research businesses that undertake surveys of the customer intentions and sell this information to the businesses that need the data for sales forecasting purposes . The value of the customer intention survey increases when there are a relatively small number of customers , the cost of reaching them is small and they have the clear intentions . An alternative way of measuring the customer intentions is to sample the opinions of the sales force or to the consult industry experts .

Abraham Lincolns Assassination Essay -- slavery, abolition, confedera

Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States was elected president on November 6, 1860. Not even on the South’s ballot, Lincoln received 40% of the popular vote. As a strong republican, Lincoln believed in the abolition of slavery. Lincoln became president in the highest conflict between North and South in history, and wanted to preserve the Union. He believed that the South should not be punished after the Civil War, because he thought that they had already been punished enough. Abraham Lincoln’s lenient policies along with the effects of the Civil War led to his assassination. In the 1860’s, disputes began to arise about the amount of power that should be given to the State and Federal governments. During this time, the South believed that slaves were private property, and were necessary to their economy; whereas the North wanted to preserve the Union. Just before Abraham Lincoln was about to become President, South Carolina seceded from the Union because they thought the nation was falling apart. Then just two months later, in February of 1861, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana seceded, creating the Confederate States of America. The Confederates, also known as the Southerners then established a capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, electing Jefferson Davis as their President (Miers, E. S. 1865). On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was re-inaugurated for his second term as the President of the United States. During the War, the Confederates’ general was Robert E. Lee; the best general in the United States, and the Union’s general was Ulysses S. Grant. After several Union victories, including those of Vicksburg and Gettysburg, Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy fell ... ...man, D. J. (2012). Lincoln's last days: the shocking assassination that changed America forever. New York: Henry Holt and Co.. Somerlott, R. (1998). The Lincoln assassination in American history. Springfield, NJ: Enslow Publishers. Swanson, J. L. (2006). Manhunt: the 12-day chase for Lincoln's killer. London: Portrait. The Death of President Lincoln, 1865. (n.d.). The Death of President Lincoln, 1865. Retrieved October 12, 2015, from http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/lincoln.htm The Effect of President Lincoln's Death on National Affairs. (1865, April 17). The New York Times. The Lincoln Assassination and its Aftermath. (n.d.). American Civil War. Retrieved October 14, 2015, from http://www.americancivilwar.asn.au/conf/2006/lincoln_assassination.pdf Redford, R. (Director). (2011). The conspirator [Motion picture]. United States of America: Lions Gate Films.

Marketing Analysis on Google Inc Essay

With the objective of â€Å"To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful† (Google, 2012), Google expands its business to strive towards becoming the leader of internet-related provider, in particular in Internet research and advertising technology. The company has expanded nationally and globally, providing its search service in a large number of different languages and countries through its own unique strategy. The report starts with a discussion about the market Google is operating in, how Google smartly manages its internationalisation and globalization strategy according to its own market position in different stage. Followed by the comment on whether its diversification strategy appropriate across the whole international market. The report then will evaluate this strategy mainly focus on the aspect of the potential to damage its own brand, especially based on the case of their failure expansion in the Chinese market. Then the report will look at impact for the market as Google fully enter the Android market, Google’s business model in terms of reating revenue will be described and processed by the critique of whether the model would be sustainable in the long term. The report finally will define the market Google operate in and how it enters into android market will be explained in detail. Additionally, there are some recommendations provided in terms of its sustainable development through the whole report. ? Defining the market which Google Inc’ operates in? The market in which Google operates in is collaborative and interactive; Google has acquired and merged with different companies, which have given it a competitive edge over other firms. It recently acquired Motorola and this brought a lot of speculation as to whether it could handle the hardware business without any prior experience or necessary skills According to the case (Tangirala and Debapratim, 2012), Google had no skills in the supply chain, monitoring physical stock or achieving efficiencies. However such acquisitions have benefited Google because it has been able to have more reach as it can now target mobile users with the new hardware business. Other companies it has collaborated with are HTC and T-Mobile on implementing the Android platform. Competition The environment is also quite competitive. Having to face giants like Apple, Microsoft and Facebook means that Google has to be highly adaptable and maintain their market share by being more aggressive in their marketing strategies. (Tangirala and Debapratim, 2012), Google says that their acquisition of Motorola will be able to intensify the competition. Motorola’s purchase will fully bring Google into the mobile market as they will now have hardware for their operating system Android, Also Motorola will strengthen the patenting of Google as they have more than 17,000 patents in their name. Apple and other mobile providers might feel threatened by this move. (Rusli and Miller, 2011) Diversification More to this, Google has not focused on its core business of being a search engine rather it is diversifying and looking for new opportunities for growth. Google has expanded into other segments such as maps and Google scholar, in the communications section there is Gmail and an enterprise segment where cloud computing and Google docs are involved, social networking among others. This means that Google is not only able to reach a wider audience but that it is able to spread risks. Diversification means that in case one area of their business fails they have an alternative to rely on. (Tangirala and Debapratim, 2012) Innovation Google’s survival could be attributed to its highly innovative structure. It has a culture of being innovative and an atmosphere that encourages employees to bring new ideas and creativity. However, Google must keep on innovating in order to outdo their competitors and to keep at pace with the changes in the highly volatile global environment (Tangirala and Debapratim, 2012) Infrastructure Together with all the companies that Google has acquired, they also have data centers and servers which it uses to create its web presence and to store information. These infrastructures increase reliability and make information access faster. Google Inc’ had a total of 90,000 servers by 2010 and they invested heavily on technology this gives Google a good platform. Pg. 4 Some of it is virtual for example cloud computing. (Tangirala and Debapratim, 2012) ? What’s internationalization and globalization strategy? In which way Google is going? Internationalization strategy is a development strategy that enterprises want to offer their products and services outside their home country, it usually reflected in the form of greater existence in different locations around the world. That is why internationalization also refers as international expansion (Stephen and Karin, 2002). Internationalization strategy is a development planning during the process of internationalized operation and management, which is designed to give the assistance of improving company’s competitiveness and environment adaptability. Corporations have adopted this strategy view overseas market separately. They treat the markets differently due to various markets’ features. Globalization strategy refers to the procedures of global integration, which incorporate the international operations and markets into a united strategic entity (Stephen and Karin, 2002). Corporations that use this strategy are generally powerful multinational enterprises, they attempt to monopolize markets in their own industries. However, if using this strategy inappropriately, it is more likely to have a detrimental effect on the whole company. The merit of globalization strategy is that companies can concentrate their efforts in building competitive advantages by leveraging capabilities and coordinating activities through boundaries. Which like a double-edged sword, the demerit is that it is hard to coordinate between each subsidiary as well as between headquarter and subsidiaries, because each host country has their own business characteristics. According to the collected evidences Google tends to be relying on the globalization strategy. To begin with, as mentioned above, one reason for companies adopting a globalization strategy is that they want to monopolize the market in their own industry. Definitely, Google achieved this goal. In October 2011, Google accounts for 82. 4% of the worldwide desktop search engine market share. Furthermore, in 2008, Google shifts its international marketing structure form representation offices to Research and Development center, and then to partnerships with other enterprises, which reflected that Google gradually integrated the competitive advantages from the alliance partnership and improved its own capabilities (Ronen, 2009). In addition, Google has many R&D centers worldwide. For instance, if the software was R&D in Israel, this software is not only specialized in Israel market, but also launched globally by using different languages. Therefore it is clear that Google did not focus on localizing their products or services for different markets nowadays. Finally, globalization is focusing on building united competitive advantage. In order to keep its competitive edges, Google transfers and share outcomes of technology innovations within various R&D centers, and with alliance partnerships to connect the operation nd management activities from different counties and locations. Google’s retrieval from china, impacts upon globalization plan. According to the list of info-facts (2012), China is the second most powerful country in the world. And in Fleming’s (2010) report, â€Å"U. S. , China, and India will be the three most powerful countries in 2025†. These illustrate that China is a hugely influential nation around the world. Moreover, China has more than 500 million internet users (Efrati & Chao 2012), and the number is still increasing. China is a market which cannot be ignored. Google’s retreat from the Chinese market has definitely impacted upon Google’s overall global expansion strategy. Most of the Asian countries have strong regional relationship and China has a widely impact on them. As we all know, eastern countries are in high context cultures, but, Google is from a low context culture which is totally different from high context culture. Their ways of running a business are quite different. It seems that if Google cannot operate successfully in China, it cannot operate well in other Asian countries either, such as Japan and Korea. And this will deeply impact its global expansion strategy. As the picture (adapted from Chardonneau’s slides) shown in appendix 1, Asia owns the biggest internet market, and Google’s coverage in Asia is so weak. If Google still wants to achieve its global expansion strategy, it has to come into the Asian market and first of all, Google needs to solve the problem in China. In fact, Google’s quit in China offers its competitors a good opportunity to enter into the Chinese market. After all, not all the international companies are unable to handle the operation problems in China. Since Google announced its retreat, its market share has declined 5% and its biggest competitor in China, Baidu has increased by 50% (Powell 2010). Other internet companies like Microsoft, Sohu and Tencent where all benefit from this great opportunity which offered by Google (Powell 2010). Cultivating your competitors will obviously diminish your own benefits. More and more powerful competitors will absolutely hamper Google’s global expansion. In addition, they need to keep putting efforts to the beta test before they aunch any new products into new market, especially in the Asian market. It needs to customize it according to different market to satisfy local consumers. As discussed above, one of the main reasons why Google failed in the Chinese market was because it did not use ICP, which is a compulsory for all websites operating in China (Zhou, 2009). ? Diversification strategy working in the international market The multi-diversification strategy is generally appropriate a cross the whole international market. This strategy is being used in different markets, while the only difference is whether it more focus on direct-diversification or indirect-diversification that depends on the intensity of competition on the core products. Briefly, since 2004 Google’s endeavor mainly focuses on encouraging innovation by bottom-up through the whole company. It acquires innovative companies to diversify into new areas or to add value to existing technologies and services (Kotelnikov, 2012). From â€Å"personalized web†, â€Å"Google News†, â€Å"Website Optimizer† to acquire technology to put up online display and banner advertisements by buying out â€Å"DoubleClick†. Followed by the direct diversification, Google, starts to expand its new product line through indirect diversification strategy. For instance, Google enters the social networking space through launching â€Å"Orkut†, â€Å"Google Checkout† then was launched as a payment gateway for online buyers and â€Å"Google Chrome† which is a representor of a desktop browser, see appendix one. Firstly, in the current global market, Google’s diversification strategy take the development of its core products as a priority. It makes a great contribution on perfecting its core competency—search engine, which is the most profitable product. Additionally, it also increases the reputation of â€Å"innovation† for Google all over the world. Multi-products line adds more values for the consumers will become the main competitive advantages for Google in the long-term in the international market. Therefore, the benefit of diversification strategy is to protect current market share and attract potential customers by World of Mouth. Particularly, Google launches early nd often in small beta tests before releasing new products into the market, with many markets becoming more and more competitive as a result of new competitors from global or deregulated markets, those who innovate best will win in the future (Kotelnikov, 2012). Secondly, while even through the company put great efforts to add more value on its core products, the competitors also come up with substitute products, for example, â€Å"Powerset† from Microsoft and â€Å"Search Monkey† just launched by Yahoo attack the weakness of Google, providing a much flexible search engine. Google needs to add up more new product lines to create and exploit economies scope. In particular, â€Å"Baidu† whose market share in China is up to 78. 3%, while only 16. 7% of â€Å"Google’s Hong Kong Site†(Baidu, 2012). Google can use its direct-diversification strategy, which pays attention on internal growth of search engine to increase its market share in the market, which doesn’t have a strong competition, such as Australia. The indirect – diversification strategy should be used in the market that already has some strong competitors such as China, Korea. It is certain that the risk of this diversification strategy is there is a huge investment in the new businesses and the majority of the new businesses haven’t started making profit for Google. However, take current global market trend into consideration, the strategy will work in the long term in the international market. If we look closely at year 2009, revenue from ads on their sites accounted for 83% of the total. Compared to 2008, this item represented 90% of Google’s total income. Nevertheless, the growth rate of these â€Å"windfall† is, so far, relatively modest (Sebastian, 2010). Thinking of Google, what product stands out? But are there too many? Is Google too ubiquitous now is an arguable question in recent years? â€Å"I think that, ultimately, we do have too many products and we need to condense them,† Marissa Mayer, Google’s VP of Search, said Friday at the SXSWi conference in Austin (Matt McGee, 2011). According to the map of Google’s product in the appendix, Google products now covered in many different fields such as search engine, social network, music, mobile system etc. But there is people say † As Google Becomes More Ubiquitous, They Get More Sloppy † (Jeff Y, 2012) â€Å"Google is taking information from almost all of your Google services † (Tsukayama, 2012). It was very serious privacy issue and been intensely discussed. † Google makes its money by selling yourself; by knowing where you live, what videos you like watching, and your entire search and surfing history, Google sells targeted advertising to the tune of tens of billions of dollars per year. Selling you is 96% of Google’s revenue stream. ( Anthony, 2011). Google was not obligated to pay a fine for doing so but the brand was damaged to some extent. Google also faces the risk from failed product or services. â€Å"It comes down to having too many things going on at once. At Google, quality control is slipping. † (Jeff Y, 2012). For example, Google lunched Google Buzz in February 2010, it was considered a threat to Facebook and twitter but it’s been shut down very soon in November 2011 by Google because of the lack of users and the late show in the market compare with twitter. The failure of Google buzz damaged not only the real money but also the trust and confidence of consumers toward the brand. (Rob, 2010) Besides, with too many successful products, customers may lose what the brand Google really represents which is also a risk of brand damage. â€Å"We’re very aware that our business is based on the trust of users and if damaged then that’s the worst thing we could do. † The new privacy director said. (Google, 2010) But will all these factors really hurt Google? The answer is uncertain. As we can see from the Googleland map in appendix , Google’s main product is always the search engine and they use all the other products to support it. â€Å"Today, with approximately 70 percent domination of the global search market, the omnipotent, omniscient, omnivorous and ubiquitous Google keeps upping the ante to stay on top of the search engine game. â€Å"(Callari, 2012) Therefore some people argued that as long as people still use and trust the Google search engine, the Google brand will not be hurts seriously. Google’s foray into Android market, all around impact. In this section, we will focus more on Google’s capability after it has bought Motorola and gain access to becoming one of mobile phone providers with its own Android OS. After Google has bought Motorola, there are a few implications to mention here. First of all Google will be the owner of all patents from and therefore will be of a great support for Google when their mobile phone enters the market where Apple is a dominant player (Reisinger, 2011). During the launch of a new phone company is most likely to be sued by their competitor arguing over the originality of the phone. Therefore after having Motorola as a patent support Google may save a lot of money in this aspect. Secondly is that Google now has a capacity to create and manufacture their own mobile phone and tablet PC. The benefits of buying Motorola also extends to the field of hardware that Motorola has been in for sometimes, what Google has bought to it self is the hardware manufacturing ability, ranging from TV top box, internet TV to internet router and live stream (Bryant, 2011). Therefore again apple will have to be careful since now Google has a potential to fight Apple not just in the field of mobile phone but also as a TV top box provider i. . Google TV (Purdy, 2011). Thirdly it is not clear that when the new Motorola, Google phone is released, it will come with the newest Android OS or not. But move to buy motorolla to gain access to manufacturing capability can really affect Google’s android mobile partner. One clue to this argument is current news about Samsung, which has been Google’s main Android phone provider, has announced that its mobile phone in a short future will also feature the windows operating system (The Sydney Morning Herald, 2012). Although the news said it was all about Samsung providing more variety to the consumer, but it can also be thought of an uncertainty avoidance move by Samsung who might feel an aggressive move by Google coming into the hardware market. Perhaps besides Google and Motorola as the two winners from the incident, Microsoft surprisingly might gain benefit from this incident (Wortham, 2012). This move from Google is actually what Microsoft is hoping for because besides Google, the only well know non-phone maker operating system is the â€Å"windows 8† from Microsoft. The moment of changes to watch out for is the time that Google’s partners feel that they are indeed competing against Google instead of having Google as their partner (Wortham, 2012). Microsoft windows 8 here will then act as a preferable alternative operating system for those ex-Google’s partners to adopt. So what will happen in short-long run for the market? In the short run it will not change much because the majority of the mobile phone relies on Android OS. Breaking off partnership with the OS they rely on is really not a good idea in the short run. Also since by law after closing the deal that Android will still remain free for another five years (Waugh, 2011). In the long run the story may be entirely different. It is expected that mobile phone manufacturers may start thinking about an alternative plan according to Google’s moves. If Google still keeps its promise that buying Motorola is just for its own defense, then it is still a great idea to have such a big company as your support (Wortham, 2012). How does Google create revenue? To scrutinize the business model of Google Inc, one impressive feature in this model is that Google offers free resource to the end user. Analyzing the reasons behind it, Google’s philosophy is to share information universally and make it accessible globally (Google, 2012). Thus, the characteristic of free is a necessary catalyst which accelerates Google to become the largest search engine company around the world. By doing this, advertisers have become the main income rather than the end users.

Essay on Line poems essays

Essay on Line poems essays A senator and his family are killed by a two engine monster Ten a.m. in a storm filled sky, freezing rain falling in sheets The airport so close seems so far away Veering off course, ground rushing upward Colliding with the pine tree sentinels of a desolate swamp Grievance is extreme, friends and foes alike Cold church in the rain, thousands stand to pay their respects To honor the patriots who fought for our freedom With the help of the French we fought the British Eight years of fighting for one united cause At last we move to the last stronghold We go to beat the British at Yorktown Superior strategy decides the victor We surrounded the 8,000 left of the British Cornwallis surrendered after watching his men die Fear is the quiet, dark man sitting in the back of the bus. He is that black shadow lurking around every corner. He waits for unsuspecting victims, and leaps into their minds. Fear is not tangible, nor will he ever be. He has to be fought from the inside. And if you are determined to fight he will leave. For he is terrified of the fire that lives deep inside of each of us. We all know that shadows are vanquished by fire. He is always around when tragedy occurs. He tries to break us down by forcing painful memories of tragedy upon us. This when he partners up with sadness, and they work together to hurt anything and everything they can. He is the one thing at the back of our mind that terrifies us. He gives you that terror when you are most vulnerable, trying to hurt even more. With that terror he leaves a part of himself, this is ...

Free sample - British Petroleum History. translation missing

British Petroleum History. British Petroleum HistoryBP’s (British Petroleum) origins can be traced back to 1901 when William Know tried to explore oil in Persia. The first commercial oil discovery was made in the Middle East by BP in 1908. In 1935, the company prospered and was renamed the Anglo- Iranian Oil Company. Its exploration operations expanded into North America (mainly Alaska), South America, Africa, and Europe. Â  The oil crisis in the 1970s led to a renewed expansion in oil exploration into the North Sea and Alaska, and the diversification of energy sources into coal, gas, and solar sources. This led to acquisition of Standard Oil in 1987, formation of BP America and the acquisition of Britoil in 1988. In 1998, BP and Amoco merged to create BP Amoco, an international energy and petrochemicals group with global operations. At the time, it was the largest ever industrial merger. In 2000, BP Amoco acquired Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) and Burmah Castrol, and changed its name to BP in 2001. BP acquired Veba Oel’s retail and refining assets in Germany and central Europe in 2001. This made BP the market leader in Germany and Austria and substantially strengthened its position in Poland and several other central European countries. BP also signed a number of agreements covering investments totaling around $1 billion to strengthen its presence in the growing Chinese energy market. The company also transferred the Mardi gas pipeline system in the Gulf of Mexico from exploration and production to refining and marketing, and a small US operation supplying petrochemicals feedstock from gas, power, and renewable (GPR) to olefins and derivatives. Subsequently in 2007, BP and its Libyan partner, the Libya Investment Corporation (LIC), signed a major exploration and production agreement with Libya’s National Oil Company (NOC). BP, on behalf of the Shah Deniz partnership, announced a major new gas-condensate discovery in the Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Sea, in the same year. BP Egypt made a significant gas discovery at record depths in the Nile Delta, in early 2008. Subsequently, BP and its partner, Marathon Petroleum West of Shetlands, announced new oil discovery in Block 204/23, following drilling on the South-West Foinaven prospect. In 2008, BP and ConocoPhillips formed of a joint venture company called Denali – The Alaska Gas Pipeline. Later on, BP and Verenium (a company engaged in producing alternative energy fuels), created a strategic partnership to accelerate the development and commercialization of celluloses ethanol. In June 2009, BP announced the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary, BP West Java (BPWJ), to Indonesian state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina (Persero). In the same month, BP announced the sale of its ground fuels marketing business in Greece to Hellenic Petroleum for E359 million (approximately $500 million). Bp also made a giant oil discovery at its Tiber Prospect in the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico, in September 2009. The well, was drilled to a total depth of approximately 35,055 feet (10,685 Meters) making it one of the deepest wells ever drilled by the oil and gas industry. In August 2010, BP agreed to sell its oil and gas exploration, production, and transportation business in Colombia to a consortium of Ecopetrol, Colombia's national oil company (51%), and Talisman of Canada (49%).

Financial Management Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Management Principles - Essay Example Net profit margin of the company further reveals that the company is remained with only about 7% of the total sales revenue after meeting cost of sales, operating expenses, interest expense, taxes and dividends etc. The difference between the company’s gross and net profit margin indicate the amount of profit foregone in the course of meeting various expenses. This means that the company has lost about 93% of its revenue in meeting all the various expenses. The return on assets ratio for the company in consideration is 4.88%, which connote that the company has utilized all of its various fixed and current assets to generate a return of 4.88% after meeting all the expenses. Strident Marks Inc.’s return on equity ratio reveals that the company has been able to generate a profit of 8.49% after engaging the total funds invested by its investors and shareholders for the year ended 2005. The current ratio for Strident Marks Inc. reflects that the company has a pretty healthy state of liquidity, i.e., it keeps about $2.57 worth of current assets to pay off $1 worth of current liabilities. The company’s working capital position is highly satisfactory and its current assets are greatly sufficient to meet its current liabilities. However, having such a high current ratio also reveals that some of the company’s fund is lying idle without being invested into the business. The quick ratio for the company shows that after keeping aside inventory from the current assets, the company is left with $2.48 worth of assets per $1 worth of liabilities. It also shows that not much of the company’s cash is tied up into inventory and the company’s short-term position is highly liquid. This ratio reveals that 34.68% of the company’s total assets are financed with borrowed capital, while rest of the assets are financed with equity funds supposedly. Hence the company currently banks on less external debts

Why Has Strike Activity Increased Recently Compared With The Past Essay

Why Has Strike Activity Increased Recently Compared With The Past - Essay Example As Cohn (1993, p. 8)states, ‘employers usually raise wages as a result of economic pressure’. Such power of strike comes from its paralysing effect, which is detrimental to the interest of capital and to the economy, because lost hours means lost profits and lost profits could mean lost revenue to the government. Aside from its adverse economic effect is its adverse political effect, which cannot be ignored, because of its possible ripple effect [loss of confidence of foreign investment]. Thus unsurprisingly, employers and governments had vehemently refused to recognise strike as workers’ legal course of action in airing their demands/grievances. And even when strike was finally recognised as among the right of workers, it was loaded with requirements. For example, for a strike to be protected [legal] the workers’ issue must be strikable and the strike conducted should follow the prescribed procedures (Jordan et al. 2009, p. 72). Contrary to employersâ€⠄¢ desire, this has further strengthened the labour movement. As defined, ‘strike is an organized collective work stoppage undertaken by employees to pressure their employer or employers into meeting their demands’ (Dictionary of American History 2003, par. 1). ... For example, student strikes, which are generally characterised by the refusal of organised students to attend their classes, have left their indelible marks in history –Among the most notable are the student strike of 1970, which had successfully mobilised universities against US aggression in Vietnam and Cambodia and had also successfully transformed the institutional structure of the academy (Katsiaficas 1987, p. 127); the Athens Polytechnic uprising in 1973 which led to the successful downfall of the Greek military junta of 1967-1974 (Panourgia 1995, p. 32); the 2005 Quebec student strike, which opposed the Charest government’s policies of tuition fee deregulation and reduction in student grant funding (Lawrence 2006, p. 10). In the past, especially during the industrial revolution when workers were much needed and much exploited en mass, strikes had been the best found weapon of workers to fighting for their rights to be recognised, such as the right to be unionise d, the right for humane working conditions, the right for decent wage, and more. Thus incidences of strike activity were unsurprisingly high. To bring their employers to the negotiating table, workers have to be unionised; to be recognised as union, workers have to hold a strike; for their strike to be successful, workers union has to be strong. As such, the improved conditions of labour have been largely attributed to the rising power of organised labour, Cornwall (1994, p. 31) says. Following the historical evolution of the labour movement and the recognition of its right to strike with its corresponding improved labour condition, two assumptions can be reached: first, that strike activity is more likely to increase when the economy is in downturn and that strike activity is less

Hubble space telescope Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hubble space telescope - Research Paper Example this brief analysis will consider the initial need and desire for such an instrument, development of the telescope, launch and operation use, breakthroughs in astrophysics and astronomy that have since been able to be uncovered by means of the Hubble Space Telescope, and future outlook for the Hubble as well as other planned space telescopes. Although certainly not the first astronomer to note the need for a space based telescope, Hermann Olberth formerly iterated his desire to see such a plan put into implementation as early as 1923. The ultimate reason behind such a bold and technologically challenging plan was the need to get beyond earth’s inner atmosphere as a means to reduce the level of light and environmental pollutants and/or dust that so strongly influenced the quality of astronomical work that could be performed with traditional earth based telescopes. Recognizing these limitations, astronomers such as Hubble began to lobby funding entities for the means to design and build a non-earth based telescope (O’Dell 265). Unfortunately however, as is often the case with scientific visionaries, the work of actually building the space telescope was not completed until long after Olberth and many others instrumental in the formulation and development of such an idea were dead. After years of delays, a near continual struggle for available resources and review and oversight by nearly every imaginable entity, the Hubble Space telescope was finally launched in 1990. It should be noted that regardless of the delays or the budgetary overruns and issues that have herein been discussed, the Hubble Space Telescope represented the very cutting edge of optical technology; so much so that it has continued to be relevant over 20 years after being in service. This is a seemingly impossible feat of engineering and design due to the fact that the computer revolution, the age of the internet, fiber optics, and a litany of other technology breakthroughs have occurred

Demonstrated in sports Essay Example for Free

Demonstrated in sports Essay Sportsmanship can not only be seen and demonstrated in sports, but also in our daily lives in many ways. I believe that the values learned in sports are also applicable to everyday life. Interaction with my siblings is one example. We should not fight over small things like who shall have what or who shall lead who. Everyone should have a part and each of us should enjoy the activities we are doing. I won’t tease them and won’t lose my temper with them. I will put them before myself. In school, even if I am not the star, I should still enjoy and have fun with my classmates. I will not cheat during quizzes and exams just to be on top. I will just try my best in getting good grades. I will also acknowledge my classmates’ good performances, congratulate them for getting an A when tests are handed back to us. When my friends have goals, I won’t tell them that it’s impossible to reach. Instead, I will help them achieve their goals by supporting them. Although the high levels of competition and the pressures from family and school can put a strain on maintaining sportsmanship, it is still the more important characteristic. Winning is not everything. Sportsmanship is more important than winning. It is treating people with respect. It includes small gestures like shaking hands and acknowledging good works. A child like me who practices good sportsmanship is likely to carry the respect and appreciation of other people into every other aspect of life. Through this, I am also gaining new skills, new friends, and attitudes that can help all through life. Everyday many opportunities occur that one can put into practice sportsmanship.

Deep Sea Vents: Origin of Life Theory

Deep Sea Vents: Origin of Life Theory Assess one hypothesis of the origin of life:  Life may have emerged from deep sea vents Introduction Fossil evidence confirms that life on Earth existed at least 3.5 billion years ago (Orgel 1998). This rapid appearance of life is considered to be a remarkable event after the late heavy bombardment 100 million years before, which had the potential to destroy any possible habitats suited to living organisms (Abramov Mojzsis 2009). All life today can be phylogenetically linked to a last universal common ancestor (LUCA) whose closest known relatives are present day hyperthermophiles (Abramov Mojzsis 2009, Glansdorff Labedan 2008). This suggests that the earliest form of life on Earth may have originated from a single cell which emerged spontaneously in a high temperature environment. It is assumed that the development of the first living protocell occurred through a stepwise accumulation of necessary components (Mirazo et al. 2014). Experiments have shown that the simple prebiotic molecules required can be made under various conditions independent of a biological system (Orgel 1998, Mirazo et al. 2014) and it is often hypothesised that these reactions could have occurred near hydrothermal vents (Huber Wachtershauser 2006, Dai 2012, Budin et al. 2009). The ways in which these prebiotic molecules assembled into a self-sustaining cell have not yet been elucidated. This has led to some ambiguity regarding which prebiotic materials and chemical processes are required for the initiation of life (Mirazo et al. 2014). Assessing the ways in which life may have originated could provide insight into the possible locations of extraterrestrial life in our solar system (Spiegel Turner 2011). While current research aims to identify a single origin of life, it is important to observe multiple possibilities to ensure continued progress. Defining life – the cell To determine the point at which life first emerged, it is important to identify the features which separate living biological entities from non-living chemical building blocks. This paper will therefore conform to the assumptions that the universal unit of life is the cell (Palmer 2013) and that all living organisms are autonomous and self-replicating (Bich Damiano 2012). With these definitions in mind, it can be seen that all life on Earth shares three major cellular properties: a genetic code for information storage and replication, metabolism for the acquisition of energy and nutrients, as well as selectively permeable membranes that separate them from the surrounding environment (Mirazo et al. 2014). These components are made up of complex organic molecules that are commonly synthesised from within the cell itself. Life today uses nucleic acids for their genetic code, amino acids make up metabolic proteins and lipids form cell membranes (Mirazo et al. 2014). If we assume that th e first living cell from which all life ascended also consisted of these types of molecules, we must consider how they formed independently under early Earth conditions. Starting materials and chemical evolution Similar to how multicellular organisms emerged through increasing complexity and natural selection from the environment, the building blocks for life are thought to have developed through a process of chemical evolution. The Miller-Urey experiment in 1953 showed that amino acids can be formed quite readily from simple materials such as hydrogen, methane and ammonia when subject to an electric charge (Orgel 1998, Mirazo et al. 2014). While is it commonly suggested that the strongly reducing conditions used in the experiment may not have been analogous to the true early Earth conditions, it was the first of its kind to prove that complex organic molecules can be made without the help of a living system (Mirazo et al. 2014). Many experiments since then have shown similar abilities of simple molecules to reach prebiotic complexity under a variety of different conditions (Keller et al. 2014, Longo et al. 2012, Novikov Copley 2013). Research in 2006 showed the possibility of producing ÃŽ ±-hydroxy and ÃŽ ±-amino acids from simple molecules under high pressure and temperature with nickel and iron catalysis (Huber Wachtershauser 2006). These conditions and reactants were likely to be present in concentration and temperature gradients at volcanoes or hydrothermal vents in the early acidic ocean (Huber Wachtershauser 2006). Later simulation experiments have also shown that polynucleotides have the potential to be produced near alkaline deep sea vents and that protocell-like vesicles can form in thermal diffusion columns (Dai 2012, Budin et al. 2009). The typical materials used in these experiments are likely to have been present on Earth before the emergence of life and are listed by Mirazo, Briones and Escosura (2014): The main starting materials in prebiotic chemistry are one-, two-, and three-carbon atom molecules, such as hydrogen cyanide, cyanate, cyanogen, formaldehyde, formamide, formic acid, ammonium formate, ammonium cyanide, urea, acetaldehyde, cyanoacetylene, and cyanoacetaldehyde (p. 289). These molecules can be produced from gaseous mixtures of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, nitrogen, ammonia and water through UV radiation, shock waves or spark discharge (Mirazo et al. 2014). Given appropriate conditions, the resulting materials can then combine further through redox, photochemical or hydrolytic reactions (Mirazo et al. 2014). The origins of prebiotic monomers are often debated (Orgel 1998, Mirazo et al. 2014). It is proposed that the required quantities of starting materials were not being produced in the vast oceans of the early Earth. It is therefore speculated that they were unable to achieve sufficient concentrations for further synthesis (Mirazo et al. 2014). An alternative source of starting materials to their formation on the early Earth is their possible delivery from space during the late heavy bombardment (Mirazo et al. 2014, Orgel 1998). Meteorite analyses show that they can contain a wide variety of organic materials, including those which are used by living organisms (see table 1). The amount of organic matter deposited during this period is estimated to be two to four orders of magnitude higher than the current mass of the biosphere. It is therefore possible that a significant portion of the staring materials on Earth were of extraterrestrial origin (Mirazo et al. 2014, Orgel 1998). This als o suggests that organic synthesis is a universal process (Longo et al. 2012). Source: Mirazo, Briones and Escosura 2014 p. 289. Genes, metabolism and membranes The origin of more complex prebiotic structures such as membranes, polypeptides and genes are significantly less distinct. The agreement that living organisms require the ability to replicate imposes that the first form of life probably emerged from an RNA world (Vasas et al. 2009). However, the abiotic production of RNA has been shown to be remarkably difficult. While a metabolism first model addresses this issue (Novikov Copley 2013), it is uncertain if the process adheres to the definition of life (Vasas et al. 2009). Huber and Wà ¤chtershà ¤user (2006) theorise that life emerged stepwise from a â€Å"pioneer metabolism† to a fully functioning organism. Whereas Budin et al. (2009) suggest that the spontaneous formation of amphiphilic membranes in rock microchannels of deep sea vents may have provided suitable housings for the initial polymerisation of nucleotides. An all-encompassing view is held by Mirazo, Briones and Escosura (2014), stating that: When these various difficulties are considered, it is unlikely that scientists will ever know which exact synthetic itinerary led to the first forms of life. A nonhistorical point of view might be more fruitful, the target of research turning to be the general physicochemical processes that could trigger the transition from a nonliving chemical system into a protoliving one and, finally, into a living organism (p. 287). Nonetheless, there is a significant absence of evidence suggesting that any collection of chemical processes will lead to a living entity (Spiegel Turner 2012). To reject the discrete steps that may have led to the emergence of a cell could limit our understanding of how life is formed. Why hydrothermal vents? Hydrothermal vents currently support dense and diverse communities of organisms, indicating that their wide-ranging chemical and physical gradients have a remarkable capacity for supporting life (Novikov Copley 2013) (see figure 1). Their internal and nearby structures have the potential to provide microenvironments for concentrating organic materials and catalytic minerals. They can provide both high and low temperatures which can assist in the production of high activation energy and low thermal stability materials, respectively (Novikov Copley 2013). Hyperthermophilic microorganisms have been reported to exist in temperatures between 80 °C and 100 °C and many species are the closest living relatives to the last universal common ancestor (Glansdorff Labedan 2008). It is speculated that the thermotolerance of the early descendants of LUCA was an adaptive deviation from the original protocell (Glansdorff Labedan 2008). Nonetheless, evidence suggests that LUCA was moderate the rmophilic (40 °C to 80 °C) to mesophilic (20 °C to 45 °C), possibly signifying a broad preferred temperature range (Glansdorff Labedan 2008). If life originally emerged from a hydrothermal environment, it can be expected that it would require a potential for adaptability to survive in such varying conditions. Figure 1. Diagram of the chemical and physical interactions that occur in and around hydrothermal vents. A wide variety of temperatures and chemical products exist in the vicinity of a deep sea vent. Source: Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory 2013. Issues and important considerations As previously mentioned, there is currently no experimental evidence of a transition from prebiotic organic material to a fully replicating autonomous system. It is therefore possible that the conditions applied in simulation experiments still do not replicate those of the early Earth. The first life on Earth may have been introduced from elsewhere during the late heavy bombardment (Abramov Mojzsis 2009) and may therefore have been in conditions that are completely unlike those considered in the literature. Additionally, the earliest organisms may have been incomparable to the life that exists today. Alternatively, the models which are applied to define life may be inhibitory to our understanding of its origin. Vlaardingerbroek (2012) suggests that the separation between biological and chemical evolution and a specific origin of life is problematic, advising instead to observe the emergence of life as a gradual and detailed process absent of a single impartial event. Conclusions and future possibilities Although the theory of life emerging from hydrothermal vents is convincing, we should maintain a broad perspective on the possibilities of the origin of life until more information is acquired. Many of the current hypotheses are plausible – the abiotic production of building blocks has been proven in a multitude of different instances. However, evidence that can confirm the possibility of making a cell abiotically from these building blocks is needed to reinforce this idea. If abiogenesis is found to be common and rapid given appropriate conditions, it is likely that it is occurring on many other locations in space (Spiegel Turner 2011). Such possibilities would lead to a plethora of exciting research opportunities into the discovery of extraterrestrial life. References Abramov, O., Mojzsis, S. J. (2009) Microbial habitability of the Hadean Earth during the late heavy bombardment, Nature, 459(7245): 419–422. Bich, L., Damiano, L. (2012) Life, Autonomy and Cognition: An Organizational Approach to the Definition of the Universal Properties of Life, Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres, 42(5): 389–397. Budin, I., Bruckner, R. J., Szostak, J. W. (2009) Formation of Protocell-like Vesicles in a Thermal Diffusion Column, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131(28): 9628–9629. Dai, J. (2012) Novel molecular fossils of bacteria: Insights into hydrothermal origin of life, Journal of Theoretical Biology, 310: 249–256. Glansdorff, N., Xu, Y., Labedan, B. (2008) The Last Universal Common Ancestor: emergence, constitution and genetic legacy of an elusive forerunner, Biology Direct, 3(1): 29. Huber, C., Wachtershauser, G. (2006) ÃŽ ±-Hydroxy and ÃŽ ±-Amino Acids Under Possible Hadean, Volcanic Origin-of-Life Conditions, Science, 314(5799): 630–632. Keller, M. A., Turchyn, A. V., Ralser, M. (2014) Non-enzymatic glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway-like reactions in a plausible Archean ocean, Molecular Systems Biology, 10(725): 1–12. Lal, A. K. (2008) Origin of Life, Astrophysics and Space Science, 317(3-4): 267–278. Longo, L. M., Lee, J., Blaber, M. (2013) Simplified protein design biased for prebiotic amino acids yields a foldable, halophilic protein, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(6): 2135–2139. Novikov, Y., Copley, S. D. (2013) Reactivity landscape of pyruvate under simulated hydrothermal vent conditions, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(33): 13283–13288. Orgel, L. E. (1998) The origin of life – a review of facts and speculations, Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 4(98): 491–495. Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (2013) Vent Fluid Chemistry. Retrieved from http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/eoi/chemistry/fluid.html Palmer, B. S. (2012) A review on the spontaneous formation of the building blocks of life and the generation of a set of hypotheses governing universal abiogenesis, International Journal of Astrobiology, 12(01): 39–44. Ruiz-Mirazo, K., Briones, C., de la Escosura, A. (2014) Prebiotic Systems Chemistry: New Perspectives for the Origins of Life, Chemical Reviews, 114(1): 285–366. Spiegel, D. S., Turner, E. L. (2011) Bayesian analysis of the astrobiological implications of life’s early emergence on Earth, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(2): 395–400. Vasas, V., Szathmary, E., Santos, M. (2010) Lack of evolvability in self-sustaining autocatalytic networks constraints metabolism-first scenarios for the origin of life, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(4): 1470–1475. Vlaardingerbroek, B. (2012) The Sorites Paradox, ‘Life,’ and Abiogenesis, Evolution: Education and Outreach, 5(3): 399–401. Barco NV Analysis: SWOT, Position and Product Life Cycle Barco NV Analysis: SWOT, Position and Product Life Cycle Barco NV is one of the top three global manufacturer, focused on expensive, high-quality products in a niche market. It focuses on the graphic projector, projector market has the greatest growth and income. Barcos market share of 4%, a video projector, 23% and 55% of the data projector graphics projector. Barcos main competitors, Sony, Electrohome and NEC. In my opinion, scrap the BD700 and star new high-end projector is the smarter choice. His strongest competitor, Sony develops a new product 1270 super data projector and trade show in the Boston. It is a high-performance graphics applications and low price. From the Table A Product Segment Growth, 1988, we can find that Graphics predicted annual growth, 1989-1994 were 40.2% from 1988 4% units. Data only grows 12.3% from 1988 33% units. Its mean graphics market growth is more than Datas market growth. The BD700 is BarcoData700. Datas market is growing slowly. That means new product BD700 is fail product and fail in the market. Thats why I agree scrap the BD700. I will show more analyze in my product life cycle. And BG400 (BarcoGraphics400) is old model. If 1270 go in the market, BG400 will be kick-off from the market, because BG400 is the high price and low benefit product when 1270 come in. To star new high-end projector it is the smarter choice. Barco can develop new-product like as BG800 or upgrading BG700. In the Niche marketing, Barco need to keep pursuing top of the line in the high-end niche market and declining the prices, and Barco can win back the competitive edgy. Mission Statement High quality, high technology, popular, and five stars customers service, are all in ours product. Three levels of product Projector is popular in the world, especially graphics projector. Projector is used in the class by the professors and very important in multimedia instruction. Thats the core customer value. Its customers needs. And in these customers, when they chose the projectors they are care about the brand name, features, quality level, packaging, and design, its customers wants, these are actual product. And most customers are actually care about the band name, features, quality level, packaging, and design, and these are actual product. The features are the points Barcos new high-end projectors positioning, and also it is customer wants. In the Actual product, I will focus on the features, Barcos BG800 projector is new scanning frequency and new tubes than the 1270 the BG800 with at least 90kHz of scanning frequency and new tubes (p 249). Barco is famous brand name in the worldwide. Sony, it is not a profession projector brand. Customers will choose the professional brand-Barco. However, in the augmented product, customers want a good after-sale service and product support. In that part, Sony has good after-sale service and product support. That also is a good point for Barcos customer future cost, and collect customers information for the new-products. Also, it will become the point that customers care about when they chose the company. Barco need to improve that part, because thats customer wants. And its customer future cost, and researcher can collect customer information and wants from the new-products in the test marketing. Barco and Sonys strengths and weaknesses. First, Barcos products have a better scan speed is higher than the Sony. Barco dealer for 20% of the box distributors and 80% of the dealers and the dealer of Sony were 50%, tank dealers, and 50% of the system dealer. And we clearly can see customer needs and wants of three levels of product. Positioning is important part of customer wants. Positioning New high-end products are very important for Barco, its positioning on the high-performance graphics applications and middle high price like as BG800. Because Barcos strong competitor, Sonys 1270 is high-performance graphics applications and low price. Keeping high technology, appropriate price cut, and doing market research are the good way for the new-products. The BG800 in type of consumer product is classified the shopping products. Customer would like to compare these product, features, design, brand name, quality level, and packaging. The BG800 is the one Barco develop and position for the high-end products. Product life cycle In the product life cycle, BD700 are almost developed. But BD700 is the fail product like what I said in the beginning. But Barco already paid for the BD700 development fee and that was the sink cost. And Barco cannot take this money back. In the product life cycle, if BD700 is the right product, it can run like the curve, keeping to spent money for introduction. But the problem is BD700 is the fail product, its wrong product. In the development, its the sink cost. Sony is in the product development area, and they can stop and decline the loss, but Barco. Right now Sonys product 1270 is passed the product development area and they will keep to following the product life cycle curve, introduction, growth, maturity, and Decline. The profits will between the end of introduction and the end of decline. Barco can start to develop BG800 and also follow the curve, because BG800 is the right product right now. Possible Value Propositions From the upper, we can find that BG400 is in the more prices and more benefits area. But when 1270 are come in the market. BG400 will go down to the more prices and less benefits. And the 1270 will go to the less prices and more benefits area. Its very bad for BG400. Because no one want to buy a expensive and less benefits product. Barco will lose that market. From the positioning, BG800 will go in to the more prices and more benefits area. Thats good to fight with 1270 in the market. Customers really need the less prices and more benefits product, but some customers want more of the product, like they want and compare different brand name, features, and after-sale service. So they will choose BG800. The New-Product Development Process In the idea generation, Barco has many ideas. I will talk about three ideas from Barco; finish the BD700, scrap the BD700 and start new high-end projector, and improve BD700. In the idea screening, I suggest Barco scrap the BD700 and start new high-end projector. If that idea is passed, Barco will continue the next part-concept development and testing. BG800 is show up in the concept development and testing of the new-product development process. And then, Barco can do the marketing strategy development and business analysis. In the marketing strategy development, Barco can follow the Niche market to find what they fit. Following the Niche marketing, Barco can position the BG800 to the high-performance graphics applications and middle high price. So their marketing strategy will fit at high-performance and high price or middle high price. In the Business analysis, Barco need to do more market research and collect more information from the customers, price, needs, and wants. The third step will go in to the product development like as the graph of product life cycle, beginning the product development and products introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. The test marketing is beginning on the products growth. That means in the test marketing, it is beginning on the products growth and test the new product whether or not fit in the market growth and market share. And the last part, it will star the commercialization. SWOT Analyzing the Barcos superiority from the case, its show that Barco has two big markets: the United States and Western Europe. From the Table B Geographic Segment Growth, Barco has 50% units in the United States and 36% units in the Western Europe 1988 and the predicted annual growth of each are 9% and 11.5% from 1989 to 1994. And the weakness part is the relationship with dealer. Barco hasnt the system dealer who know-how of integrate and install equipment packages. From the Table D BPSs Pricing Index, BPS has 41% direct cost and 59% gross margin, and this is the high margin. Existing dealers liked to sell BPSs products. But BPSs product is complexity. In 1989, few dealers could survive without the Sony volume; an estimated 80% to 90% of professional audiovisual dealers worldwide Sony products because of reliability and low price among dealers (p. 244). Sony has a lot of dealers and good for his product selling. The opportunity of Barcos products are high technology and famous brand in the worldwide of projectors. Barco can develop high-end product BG800 or upgrading BG700. The threat is Barco need to scrap BD700 production. It means they lose a lot of money and need more time for the new high-end product development. And they will lose a lot of market share from their competitors. If the BG800 are not fit in the market, Barco will lose and never come back. Line stretching and Line filling Barco need to fill in the gap of Sony. Keeping the high quality and dropping the price, its the good way to fill the line of product line decisions. Right now Barco is in the high quality and high prices. And Sony is in the low prices and low quality. Sony keeps the low price and develops high quality product, 1270. If Barco develops BD700, the low price and low quality, will lose the market. If Barco scarp the BD700 and develops the high-end product BG800, it would be keep their high quality. Barco havent low price product, so he has no line filling. Barco have high price and high quality product. Barco will have line filling when he drop the price and keep high quality. Finding the gap of Sony is the good way to win the battle. Summary Surviving in the competitive market is not easy. To scrap BD700 and start a new high-end product, BG800, is the smarter choice. From the analysis, Barco need to find their new product whether or not fit in the market. Finding the customers needs and wants, its very important. Barco need to redefine its target market from collecting customers feedback and competitors strategic. To position new-product, its still important for Barcos line filling. Positioning also use to the Possible Value Propositions, to find where the area is and where is the competitors. Understanding the product life cycle is good for losing money and scraping the fail products. The right product will follow the product life cycle curves. Understanding the SWOT, Barco has two big markets: the United States and Western Europe. the weakness part is the relationship with dealer. The opportunity of Barcos products are high technology and famous brand in the worldwide of projectors. Barco can develop high-end product B G800 or upgrading BG700. The threat is Barco need to scrap BD700 production. In the line stretching and line filling part, Barco need to find his line, high prices and high quality, dropping the prices and keeping high quality are go way to filling the line of product line decisions.