10 Fascinating Facts About Titanium

10 Fascinating Facts About Titanium Titanium is found in surgical implants, sunscreen, aircraft, and eyeglass frames. Here are 10 titanium facts you may find interesting and helpful. Titanium is named for the Titans in mythology. In Greek mythology, the Titans were the gods of Earth. The ruler of the Titans, Cronus, was overthrown by the younger gods, led by  his son, Zeus (ruler of the Olympian gods).The original name for titanium was  manaccanite. The metal was discovered in 1791 by  William Gregor, who  was a pastor in a village in South Cornwall of the United Kingdom called  Manaccan. Gregor reported his finding to the  Royal Geological Society of Cornwall  and published it in the German science journal  Crells Annalen. Usually, the discoverer of an element names it, so what happened? In 1795,  German  chemist  Martin Heinrich Klaproth independently discovered the metal and named it titanium, for the Greek Titans. Klaproth found out about Gregors earlier discovery and confirmed the two elements were one and the same. He credited Gregor with the elements discovery. However, the metal  was not isolated in pure form until 1910, by  meta llurgist Matthew Hunter of  Schenectady, New York, who went with the name titanium for the element. Titanium is an abundant element. It is the 9th most abundant element in the Earths crust. It occurs naturally in the human body, in plants, in seawater, on the Moon, in meteors, and in the Sun and other stars. The element is only found bonded with other elements, not free in nature in its pure state. Most titanium on Earth is found in igneous (volcanic) rocks. Nearly every igneous rock contains titanium.Although titanium is used in many products, nearly 95% of the metal that is purified is used to make titanium dioxide, TiO2. Titanium dioxide is a white pigment used in paint, sunscreen, cosmetics, paper, toothpaste, and many other products.One of titaniums characteristics is extremely high strength to weight ratio. Although it is 60% more dense than aluminum, it is more than twice as strong. Its strength is comparable to that of steel, but titanium is 45% lighter.Another notable characteristic of titanium is its high corrosion resistance. The resistance is so high, it is estimated ti tanium would only corrode to the thickness of a sheet of paper after 4,000 years in seawater! Titanium is used in medical implants and for jewelry because it is considered non-toxic and non-reactive. However, titanium actually is reactive and fine titanium shavings or dust are a fire hazard. The non-reactivity is associated with the passivation of titanium, which is where the metal forms an oxide layer on its outer surface, so the titanium  does not continue to react or degrade. Titanium can ossointegrate, meaning bone can grow into an implant. This makes the implant much stronger than it would be otherwise.Titanium containers may have application for the long term storage of nuclear waste. Because of high corrosion resistance, titanium containers may last up to 100,000 years.Some 24k gold isnt actually pure gold, but rather, an alloy of gold and titanium. The 1% titanium is not enough to change the karat of the gold, yet produces a metal that is much more durable than pure gold.Titanium is a transition metal. It has some properties commonly seen in other metals, such as hi gh strength and melting point (3,034  °F or  1,668  °C). Unlike most other metals it is not a particularly good conductor of heat or electricity and is not very dense. Titanium is non-magnetic.

How to Write a Great TOEFL or TOEIC Essay

How to Write a Great TOEFL or TOEIC Essay Writing an essay can be a difficult enough task as it is; writing it a language that is your first language is even harder. If youre taking the TOEFL or the TOEIC and have to complete a writing assessment, then read these instructions for organizing a great five-paragraph essay in English. Paragraph One: The Introduction This first paragraph, made up of 3-5 sentences, has two purposes: grabbing the readers attention, and providing the main point (thesis) of the whole essay. To get the readers attention, your first few sentences are key. Use descriptive words, an anecdote, a striking question or an interesting fact related to your topic to draw the reader in. To state your main point, your last sentence in the first paragraph is key. Your first few sentences of the introduction basically introduce the topic and grab the readers attention. The last sentence of the introduction tells the reader what you think about the assigned topic and lists the points that youre going to write about in the essay.Heres an example of a good introductory paragraph given the topic, Do you think teenagers should have jobs while they are still students?: Ive worked ever since I was twelve. As a teenager, I cleaned houses for my family members, made banana splits at an ice cream parlor, and waited tables at various restaurants. I did it all while carrying a pretty good grade point average in school, too! I definitely believe that teenagers should have jobs while they are still students because a job teaches discipline, earns them cash for school, and keeps them out of trouble. Paragraphs Two - Four: Explaining Your Points Once youve stated your thesis, you have to explain yourself! The thesis in the example introduction was I definitely believe that teenagers should have jobs while they are still students because a job teaches discipline, earns them cash for school, and keeps them out of trouble. The job of the next three paragraphs is to explain the points of your thesis using statistics, examples from your life, literature, the news or other places, facts, examples, and anecdotes. Paragraph Two: Explains the first point from your thesis: Teenagers should have jobs while they are still students because a job teaches discipline. Paragraph Three: Explains the second point from your thesis: Teenagers should have jobs while they are still students because a job earns them cash for school. Paragraph Four: Explains the third point from your thesis: Teenagers should have jobs while they are still students because a job keeps them out of trouble. In each of the three paragraphs, your first sentence, called the topic sentence, will be the point youre explaining from your thesis. After the topic sentence, youll write 3-4 more sentences explaining why this fact is true. The last sentence should transition you to the next topic. Heres an example of what paragraph two would look like: First, teenagers should have jobs while they are still students because a job teaches discipline. When I was working at the ice cream store, I had to show up every day on time or I would have gotten fired. That taught me how to keep a schedule, which is a big part of learning discipline. As I cleaned the floors and washed the windows of my family members homes, I knew they would be checking up on me, so I worked hard to do my best, which taught me an important facet of discipline, which is thoroughness. But being disciplined isnt the only reason its a good idea for teenagers to work during school; it can also bring in the money! Paragraph Five: Concluding the Essay Once youve written the introduction, explained your main points in the body of the essay, transitioning nicely between them all, your final step is to conclude the essay. The conclusion, made up of 3-5 sentences, has two purposes: to recap what youve stated in the essay, and leave a lasting impression on the reader. To recap, your first few sentences are key. Restate the three major points of your essay in different words, so you know the reader has understood where you stand. To leave a lasting impression, your last sentences are key. Leave the reader with something to think about before ending the paragraph. You could try a quote, a question, an anecdote, or simply a descriptive sentence. Heres an example of a conclusion: I cant speak for anyone else, but my experience has taught me that having a job while being a student is a very good idea. Not only does it teach people to have character in their lives, it can give them the tools they need to succeed like money for college tuition or a good reputation. Sure, its hard to be a teenager without the added pressure of a job, but with all the benefits of having one, its too important not to make the sacrifice. Like Mike would say, Just do it.

See the attach file Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

See the attach file - Essay Example From this latter perspective, a woman with no children and based on her religious beliefs does not seek medical care for herself, her family, or friends is causing harm by not seeking medical advice, although her act of not having children should be allowed. Mill offers several reasons why experiments of living should be allowed. He offers the infallibility argument, in which he contends that society, as it is, is not perfect and the only manner in which society can move forward is by allowing for experiments of life (Gray 52). Natural selection and the forces that drive it need change to occur if they are to work. The selective process would only allow the production of happiness. Whereby, if there is a greater population of people living happily under a particular method, this method will spread to other areas. Since a specific way of life could be an improvement on the way people live; no way of life should be forbidden or suppressed (Gray 52). In the case of a woman with no child ren refusing medical help for anyone, her life cannot bring any happiness and, as such, cannot spread. This way of life will not improve anyone’s life, including hers. ... Ways of life that are flawed, rendering them undesirable as the common rule, rather than being the exception, do possess merits and valuable ideas. Ideas that can benefit society can only be achieved when society allows practical testing and trial of these ways of life (Gray 54). Therefore, even disagreeable living experiments like that of this woman should be allowed in the case of not bearing children. This partly true argument can be furthered through the contention that even a way of life that has no tangible benefits for anyone involved must be allowed. This is because it will act as a highlight to the benefits of other ways of life (Gray 55). Only when society tries out a way of life in reality that it can be judged to have no merit. Hence, it acts as evidence of the manner in which its guiding principles work practically. For example, the woman who refuses medical care for everyone may be suggestive of life that is permanently full of divine grace and hope, which is a perfect aim to work for. An experiment of living like this one offers vivid evidence that the goal it aims for is flawed. John Mill also argues that the fact that the human race is made of diverse groups and cultures, is proof that society should encourage diverse modes of living. All persons possess different characters and, therefore, all persons have diverse ways of life, which are best for them. In John Mill’s words, â€Å"The same mode of life is a healthy excitement to one, keeping all his faculties of action and enjoyment in their best order, while to another it is a distracting burden which suspends or crushes all internal life† (Mill 44). Where there is an attempt to

Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma - Essay Example It will further establish the relationship between company ethics and ethical dilemma. The paper concludes that, though the company has its business strategy and goals, it is faced with ethical challenges within the stakeholders and shareholders. Therefore, the group should not only focus on growth, but also put into consideration the ethical impact of its operations on employees, the government, customers, suppliers, and the community. Ethical dilemma Business ethic is vital for any business entity to gain a competitive edge and attain its goals. Ethics ensure observation of morals and code of conduct within an organization as well as its operation with its stakeholders. Business ethics disciplines employees and other stakeholders as it defines what is wrong and what is right. At times, organizations experience conflict of interests with its employees, society, the business environment as well as the government policies. When such differences arise, the management decision-making or gan has to decide, harmonize, and reconcile the conflicting interests. For an organization to avoid and solve ethical dilemmas, it should be able to have a sound decision-making body. The body should be able to collect as many information and material facts as the situation permits. It should then identify the relevant and key ethical issue and consider alternative viewpoints. When dealing with ethical issues, it is crucial to identify, measure, and prioritize the effects on different stakeholders. This is because the effect may vary from one stakeholder to another due to their diverse interests and concerns. The decision makers should then consider what effort it has put towards the issue and how committed it is to solve the issue. This will enable the management to understand its failure and evaluate its commitment to the organization. In order to establish a well serving solution to the issue, the management should identify the available options for the issue. A variety of course of action will allow it choose the best action since they will be able in a position to analyze the consequences attached to each option. These consequences may be either long term or short term to the business. Positive results will be of much importance and the option with such results should be emulated while negative results will harm the business therefore, should be avoided. The practicality of benefitting options should be identified and the impacts upon ones character and integrity. The management should then pick most beneficial and practical course of action as it fits the situation better. Causes of ethical dilemma In a perfect business environment, employees and employers would always do the right and perfect thing while conducting business. However, ethical dilemmas are present in every workplace, as people have to make a very difficult choice between moral and immoral (Touchstone, 2008). Employees should handle work related pressure to perform well and facilitate comp any goals and objectives achievement. At times, employees experience temptations to apply the shortest route possible; to achieve targets or even handle the pressure. The shortcuts may be immoral or against the company policies. Therefore, pressure from management regarding profits and results can push employees to act immoral and witnesses not whistle blow for fear of victimization. Ambitions and discrimination also causes ethical dilemma especially when some employees are under hunger for

Comparing Classic Folktales Essay Example for Free

Comparing Classic Folktales Essay Before reading and writing were common practice; history was told in the form of legend; fiction was told in the form of myth; and lessons about life were taught to children through folktales and fables. Folktales not only served a role in teaching children, but often helped define the common themes of life in general for that particular culture. Most folktales have a specific message which they try to portray through symbolism, writing style, and plot. Many folktales from different cultures are very similar and present the same main ideas and messages. Today folktales are popular mostly as a way of teaching morals and life lessons. They are often compilations, or illustrated books made for children. Two popular folktales that are very similar are, Frans Timmerman’s, â€Å"The Frog and the Fox† and a story we all know, originally from the book, Aesop’s Fables, â€Å"The Tortoise and the Hare†. In the folktale, â€Å"The Tortoise and the Hare† Aesop masterfully demonstrates what we all consider to be a classic folktale. The story begins with a hare who makes boastful claims about how swift he is, and how no animals could run faster than he could. The hare teases a tortoise for his slowness; the tortoise, annoyed by the hare’s claims, agrees to a race that they plan the next day. The next morning the hare comes to the race half asleep and unprepared. Hare sees how slow tortoise is and decides to take a nap. When he awakes, he notices tortoise is only one third of the way through the course, and decides to have a quick breakfast. The meal made hare sleepy and seeing tortoise was not yet half done with the course, hare decided to take another quick nap. The hare oversleeps and tortoise wins the race against the boastful, overconfident hare. Aesop’s story can be related to by people all over the world and many cultures have adopted the story. Today it is pu blished in over thirty languages, and sells in bookstores worldwide. A lesser known American writer named Frans Timmerman has a remarkably similar story that was published in 1911. The story is about a frog, he is in the jungle minding his own business when a fox passes by. The fox makes fun of the frog because he is such a strange specimen; she asks how frog is able to move about with one long pair of legs, and one short one. The fox is very amused when frog tells her that he is the fastest frog in the whole jungle. The fox is almost insulted when frog thinks he can beat her in a race, and begins to boast about her speed and running skills. They plan to have the race the next day, and set up a course through the jungle. The next day the frog and the fox meet with a friend, duck, and get ready to race. When the race begins frog jumps onto the tail of fox and holds on while fox sprints as fast as she can. Fox does not notice the small frog on her tail and already believes she has won the race. As fox approaches the finish line, frog makes a mighty leap onto her back, and then across the finish line, just before fox makes it across. Fox says frog didn’t win but duck, as the referee, claims frog to be the winner as he had barely passed the finish line first. At the end fox accepts that she was outsmarted and realizes that her overconfidence was the root of her downfall. This story is not identical to the story in Aesop’s Fables, but has many of the same characteristics, as well as a similar overall message and symbolic meaning. Historians agree that Aesop’s Fables was written around 500 B.C. by a slave living in Greece. It was originally written in Greek; European versions were not printed until the early 1800’s. English versions were printed in the 1900’s, and it is likely this book was at least one inspiration to Frans Timmerman’s work. Timmerman’s book was released in 1911 just a few short years after English prints of Aesop’s Fables were available in the United States. Each story shares similar characteristics in plot, style, technique, and symbolism, but there are also more superficial similarities and differences. In both stories the authors choose to use animals as a form of symbolism to tell their story. Animals are commonly used as characters in folktale; however, the animals each author decides to use are very specific. Each author chooses animals that have traits and characteristics that are familiar to most people, regardless of age or education level. In Aesop’s folktale the animals used are a tortoise and a hare. In Timmerman’s story the animals used are a frog and a fox. When people think of a tortoise they generally have images of a very slow moving land creature. Similarly Timmerman’s character frog brings thoughts of a water dwelling species, clumsy and slow on land. The same idea spreads to the fox and the hare; both are considered to be quick and cunning species and the authors use them in this light. It is likely these animals were common where each story was written. These animals also share similar more transparent symbolic meaning. Although time, and simple cultural differences likely led to the different characters and context of the stories, they still share many similar traits in there symbolism and morals. Because the symbolism is easily identified, and the message is easily related to, nearly all people can apply this story to life. It is easy to see how nearly every culture has embraced a version of this story, or come up with a similar version of their own. Today Aesop’s Fables is printed in 31 languages. The tortoise is symbolic in Aesop’s story for a wise, slow moving, dedicated creature. He uses the tortoise to help portray the message that â€Å"slow and steady† can persevere over an overconfident, boastful opponent. Likewise, Timmerman chooses to use a frog, which sometimes symbolizes the same things as the tortoise in folktales and fables. A frog additionally represents transformation. The frog is shown in his story to be very intelligent and the message is that you can overcome a problem even when the odds are against you if you use your head. By using his intelligence he defeats the overconfident, boastful opponent. Timmerman decides to use a fox in his story as a quick, overconfident, somewhat ignorant character. He portrays the fox in this way as a symbol for this type of person, whom everyone has encountered at some point in their lives. Aesop similarly chooses a hare and uses the same technique of making the hare somewhat ignorant and cocky. Using this writing style effectively makes the fox and the hare the antagonist in the story without specifically portraying them as a â€Å"bad guy†. They further this technique by having these characters use condescending dialogue in the beginning of the story. Despite the two authors cultural differences, the human qualities of the characters are nearly portrayed identically. The writing style, and technique used by the authors helps us to identify with the characters. It also helps us identify personally with the plot. Both stories have plots that follow the same basic ideas. One animal is different physically from another, so naturally that animal thinks that he is superior the superior creature. They use animals that everyone would consider to be the obvious winners and losers in a race. They portray the animals in a unique way that gives them human qualities that we are familiar with. The underdog is considered the protagonist in these fables and both authors portray them as likely losers in a physical challenge. However, as the story unfolds the obvious winners change due to the negative human qualities the antagonists possess. The messages of the stories are both related to perseverance, and that sometimes being conceded and boastful about your skills can end in disaster. There is also the message that one should not judge others simply by how they look. There are many other interpretations of this story as well, and this just scratches the surface of the symbolism in the two folktales. The messages of the two stories are values that everyone can apply to their daily lives. When the stories reach their conclusions the readers are left with many options on how they choose to interpret the message. The theme of both stories are the same, however the differences allow them to be interpreted many ways. It is mostly agreed upon by literature experts that the message in â€Å"The Tortoise and the Hare† is that slow and steady wins the race, and taking your time to do things right the first time is worth it. The message in â€Å"The Fox and the Frog† the message is that it is sometimes better to work smarter, not harder. Both stories share the message that judging others by their appearance is not an intelligent thing to do. They also share the idea that being boastful and conceded can end in embarrassment.

Home sweet home Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Home Sweet Home†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are hundreds of people, young and old that live in my apartment complex and each of them have a different and unique story to share. My story is that I come from the typical middle-of -nowhere suburbia, where the grass is always green, and all of the houses look the same. In that community it is easy to become too comfortable, and forget that things aren’t so â€Å"perfect† in the rest of the world. When my step-dad past away, we sold the house and moved into town changing the way I lived my life. The city feels like a different community and it seems to have a different atmosphere than the one where I came from. While writing this paper, it is my objective to become comfortable with my surroundings, and accept this community as mine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The typical stereotype for apartment complexes is the children are constantly running around causing trouble and the walls are so paper thin that everyone knows every aspect your life. Here at Village at Van Mall, that couldn’t be any further from the truth. The children are confined to one area and the only time you hear from your neighbors is if you happen to run into them on your way out. The quiet community is tucked away in a hollowed out forest just off of Van Mall Drive. The towering evergreen trees provide a pleasing shade and from time to time a () rejuvenating breeze sweeps through the complex. The individual apartments are stacked two high and two across...

A Case Study About Google Essay

DECLARATION The work contained in this assignment is my own and that all materials and sources used have been acknowledged. I/We have not copied or colluded in part or in whole, or otherwise plagiarised the work of other students. This assignment has not been submitted for previous assessment in any other subject or to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other unit, module, degree or diploma of a university or any other institute, except where due acknowledgement is made in the text. I/We confirm that I/we have read, understood and followed the guidelines for assignment submission and presentation provided by the lecturer. I/We understand that this assignment may be retained on the database and used to make comparisons with other assignments in future. I/We have made a copy of my assignment This work may be photocopied and/or communicated for the purpose of identifying plagiarism. I/We give permission for a copy of this marked assignment to be retained by the faculty of Business Management for the purpose of course reviews by external examiners and to be used as a resource by Majan College. I/We understand that unauthorized late submission without a valid written extension will be marked as per the college policy mentioned in the students handbook page 18 section 18.5. Introduction Google was founded in 1995 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin and it was the first popular search engine in the world. They created this search engine so that users can find any website or document on the web based on keyword or exact searches. Google provides free services for their users. Other than the search engine, they can also search books on Google Book Search, news on Google News, videos on Google Video (YouTube) and maps on Google Maps Google has changed the way people look at and share information. This has made them a leading search engine on the web and a global technology leader. Back in the mid 90’s Brin and Page, Stanford University graduates, worked on developing this unique technology. Since then, Google has grown to become one of the most recognized brands in the world as well as one of the top Internet destinations. As of 2013, Google has 16800 employees working in more than 70 offices in more than 40 countries around the globe. Their headquarters is located in Mountain View, California, USA. Strategic management has many benefits to an organization. A company’s vision, mission and future goals are set from the strategic process. In addition, strategic management gives managers an advantage in allocating resources efficiently. Moreover, these strategies help give the firm a competitive advantage in the market. Statistics show that, on average, companies using strategic management are more successful. This assignment will aim to clarify the concept of strategic management in the global sense as well as focus on Google’s strategic management. In addition, the report will identify and explain the internal and external environmental analysis of Google. This means, PEST analysis, SWOT analysis and Porters Five Forces will be  explained in details. Literature Review Strategic management is defined as the process by which managers of the firm analyze the internal and external environments for the purpose of formulating strategies and allocating resources to develop a competitive advantage in an industry that allows for the successful achievement of organizational goals. Strategic management has an impact on initial goals, actions and recourses. Goals are set by managers to be completed within a certain period of time. Action plans must be clear to the group and they should start working on their targets accordingly. Recourses cannot be managed and allocated without proper understanding of goals and actions. Strategic decisions are taken by managers to help an organization reach its goals in the short term and long term development and future direction of the company. There are two processes that help the organization in evaluating their position in the market. Internal environment i.e. SWOT analysis (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threa ts) is used to analyze the internal processes and structures of a business. Its implemented after the external environment (PEST analysis) are analyzed and clarified. External environment processes include the porter’s five forces that analyze the nature and extent of the competition within the industry. Macro environment are the changes in the industry in regards to political-legal, economic, technological, and social systems. Google’s business strategy has been proven to show that they follow the strategic management process and they are extremely successful at it. High brand value, high market share and complete control over the market show that Google’s business strategy should be a role model to all other companies. PEST Analysis of Google Inc. PEST analysis is used to determine the political, economical, social and technological factors in an external environment of an organization. These factors affect an organizations activities and performances. After researching Google’s macro economical factors using the PEST analysis model, the following was concluded: 1. Political Factors: Government stability is one of the major aspects in Google’s strategy. If the  market is stable, governments help businesses and so these businesses advertise more on Google, hence, benefitting Google. In addition, most of the governments do not have identified laws for online information sharing, thus, giving Google the opportunity to manipulate laws. However, China has created a barrier for Google by adding regulations that forbid Google from operating on their terms. For example, according to UKessays (2013), â€Å"Chinese Government launched a surveillance system called Golden Shield for monitoring civilian use of Internet.† On a positive note, most of the political factors affect Google negligibly. Some of these factors are taxation polices, employment laws and environment protection laws. 2. Economic Factors: Gross domestic products (GDP) have been on the rise since a very long time. They are increasing annually at the average rate of 3.20% reaching a high level of 17.20% at times. Countries like South Africa, India, China and United Kingdom have had increases in their GDP each year since the 70’s and this is a positive factor on Google. With the stable and continued growth of those countries, Google’s internal and external investments will always be high in numbers. Users search more; hence more advertisements are put on Google’s search engines. The amount of users around those counters can impact on Google positively and lead them to establish better services and more products for their users leading the it being a strength to Google economically. Interest rate can have a positive or negative impact on any organization. These impacts are decided depending on a company’s dealings. Google is a company that relies on investments, this means when interest rates i ncrease gradually in a country, Google benefits. In UK, the rate average is set to about 8.2%, in USA it stands at 6.1%, in South Africa at 13.3%, in India at 6.6% and in China at 6.4%. These numbers mean that companies in that region of the world will be able to take out loans and invest or support their company. The more companies have money, the more they will be willing to spend on advertisements; hence doing that through Google. This increases opportunities for Google in these markets. Inflation rate is a problem for the customers or buyers. However, companies benefit from it and it increases their overall income. In the past few years, USA, UK, India, China and South Africa have all recorded an average increase in  inflation rate of 2.5-9.5% annually. This means that raw materials in these countries are becoming more expensive every year. This causes the companies to increase the prices of their products and getting more cash out of it. This causes Google’s advertisements to increase as well as the number of clicks for each ad. The result is more profits for Google from these countries. 3. Technological Factors: In analyzing the technological factors affecting Google, the key aspects to consider are the level of basic infrastructure, rate of technological change, new discoveries and development, government spending on research, access to newest technology, technology incentives and technology legislations. Google is described as a technological company that helps innovate and improve the world with its new development. Technological factors play a major role in a company like Google and it is part of the company’s competitive strategy. Google is not only a search engine; it also provides many services, tools and products free of charge through www.google.com. Google’s IT infrastructure is a closely guarded secret because it is one of the company’s competitive advantages. Google has up to 450,000 servers spreads over at least 25 locations and it uses a customized version of Linux operating systems to give them control and flexibility in finding new discoveries. The success of Google is mainly due to its innovative concepts and technologies such as Pagerank in their search engine, Adwords as advertising system, AdSense program, Gmail, Google Spreadsheets & Docs, Google Map, Google Froogle, Google Analytics, Google Desktop, Google Earth, Google Gear, Google Page creator, Google groups, Google talk, Picasa and more. All these services and tools are proposed for free with the aim to make a users life easier, efficient, practical and entertaining. In order to remain the best in the field of technology, Google has bought a great number of start-up companies (131) that allows it to benefit from the dynamism and creativity that these companies bring. These companies range in variety of fields such as security, advertising, video, file sharing, shopping, mobile technology and many more. 4. Socio-Cultural Factors: Knowledge and information is a key factor of human development. Google is a  leader of society that is more and more global because its mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful to everyone. Socio-cultural factors for Google’s PEST analysis include traditions, values, societal trends, and society expectation of businesses. These society expectations can be grouped into: population demographic, income distribution, lifestyle change and level of education. Google is not limited to a certain demographic population; Google is a global company that offers global users with global services and global knowledge for free with only one condition of being connected to the Internet. Therefore there is no restriction on any specific demographic, culture or specific income distribution. This gives Google a very strong advantage in the market. Its tools are offered to everyone and hence anyone, anywhere in the world can advertise o n Google and increase their profits. Majority of third world countries that are prevailing with extreme poverty have access to Google through their mobile applications. Google’s culture is to offer users access to the world through a simple finger tap and this information offered by Google does not have a culture or a tradition to follow. This information can be good and helpful to one person while useless or offensive to others. This could be a negative aspect for Google. Google always strive to keep up with the social trends and lifestyle changes of its users in order to entertain and capture their attention with its services and tools while promoting customized advertisement. Google’s infrastructure is built to identifying its users’ trends and habits as well as the use of information to customize their search experiences with related results based on their habits and history. Google’s application memorizes all the data entered when searching for a something and saves personal information for 24 months. In reality, Google sells some information to advertising companies. Globalization of information has a negative impact on societies concerned about protecting their private data. Google has been highly criticized by Privacy International Association and accused of harmful acts towards people’s privacy. In the sense of politics, the preservation of information could lead to Google having better relationships with countries who do not like their privacy being violated; hence, more business and profits. In regards to social factors, Google’s tendency to sell out their customers may harm some of them. At the moment, Google is surviving, but the human race is  ever changing and if people are accepting the privacy violation now, they might not in the future. This could be a threat leading to a weakness in the future. Porters Five Forces for Google Inc. Porters five forces is a key model when trying to determine an organizations opportunities and threats. It is considered to be a tool when trying to analyze a company’s microeconomics. This is the internal affair related to an organization. The competition and power an organization has or can have in an industry. Porters’ five forces are heavily used when someone wants to buy a company and needs to understand the market in which the company operates. Supplier Power In this case, Google has an advantage as it operates regionally and has more than one supplier, if the relationship with one deteriorates the other can take its place. In addition, Google has eliminated competition by gaining the trust of Microsoft. All its tools are operated on its biggest competitor Microsoft systems. However, Microsoft and Apple could change their operating systems so that it does not support Google anymore leading to Google tools not working properly and causing a threat of forward integration. In this case, is it concluded that the supplier power is relatively low due to most of the information on the net being free. Barriers to Entry Niu, Zitong et al. (2012) defines the threats by explaining that in the search engine business, only hardware have switching costs while the service itself has absolutely no switch cost. In addition, Yahoo and Microsoft could stop using Google’s toolbars in their products and rather use their own. This and the fact that a better search engine could be developed and is not out of the question. However, all these negative aspects still do not change the high barriers to entry as all competitors in the market, especially Google, are in a very strong position financially. Competitive Rivalry In this type of rivalry, Zitong et al. (2012) mentions that brand identity can play a huge role in maximizing profits. Google has succeeded in this as their name â€Å"Google† has been added in dictionaries. Adding to advantages of Google, there are no defined government regulations as of yet and so  political environment can easily be manipulated to satisfy their wants. Yahoo and Microsoft are the only other major players and market shareholders. Hence, there is a rivalry between these three players. However, the UN or countries could start making trade restrictions to avoid having an oligarchy. Moreover, rivals in the search engine industry have similar technology and IT specialists in these companies and all around the world are always trying to improve search engine technologies in order to get ahead of the best, Google. Threat of Substitutes No switch costs and buyers preferences to the faster/more accurate search engines are two of the threats Google face. In addition, users are demanding more and better services for free to be loyal to Google. Advertisement revenues depend completely on number of clicks on a certain ad. If the number of loyal customers decreases, the total revenue decreases. Moreover, intelligent employees are rare in the market and losing one to the competition could affect Google negatively. However, these are all threats that are not able to affect Google because as of now all search engines have similar functions and are not considered a substitute product. Buyers Power According to Techwyse (2013), Google are the market shareholders. The pie chart below shows the market share as of July 2013. Graph 1: Search Engines Market Share/2011 The graph shows that Google have more than 75% of the market. In addition, Google is bringing to their users all their demands and for free. In this situation, however, the buying power is medium due to high demand on search engines and due to users relying heavily on search engines in their daily lives. SWOT Analysis of Google Inc. Strengths Google’s brand value stands at $55.317 million as of 2012 and they hold a high market share of 66% in the same year. These numbers, along with their various free services offered to customers, gives them a strong brand image that contributes to its strength. Google’s Strong financial position is shown in their yearly growth in revenues and cash flow. This strengthens  Google because it attracts investors to invest in the organization. In addition, they have many products that are also considered as an asset. The following graph shows the revenue growth of Google between 2003 and 2007: Graph 2: Google’s Revenue Growth Weaknesses On the other hand, in 2012 97% of Google’s revenues come from Advertisement. The lack of income diversification is considered as a weakness. Moreover, Google’s faces many lawsuits and the cost of dealing with those suits is a weakness. Oracle filed copyright infringement in 2010 and MastersObjects vs. Google in 2011 are some of these suits. These cause a decresase in the financial power of Google as well as reduce firm value. Opportunities Google practices forward and backward integration of companies. This means that Google buys out and adds companies to their portfolio. In 2011 alone, the added companies stand at around 25. Also, Google has a huge opportunity of taking over the mobile advertisement market and they have already started by buying out Motorola Mobility. Threats The high intensity of competition from Yahoo, Microsoft as well as traditional advertisement agencies like TV, radio and newspapers is considered as a threat to Google. In addition, Google could face the threat of being out casted by countries due to privacy issues. Conclusion All in all, Google has won countless awards, has maximized on profits, improved services, introduced new developments, eliminated most of the competition and dealt with their weaknesses. It is safe to say that Google’s business strategy is sophisticated but has come out with fruitful results. Although the world is not perfect, Google has more strengths and opportunities than threats and weaknesses. This is even proven on the Internet as someone has joked about Google by saying: â€Å"Only thing Google has failed to do, so far, is fail.† (N/A) References Blatstein, I.M. (2012). Strategic Planning: Predicting or Shaping the Future? Organization Development Journal, Vol. 30 Issues 2, pp. 32. Available at: http://www.strategicmanagementinsight.com/topics/strategic-management-planning.html#benefits (Accessed on 27 November 2013) StudyMode (2009). Business Analysis of Google Co. Available at: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Business-Analysis-Of-Google-Co-191594.htm (Accessed on 1 December 2013) Cox, M. Z., Daspit, J., McLaughlin, E. and Jones III, R.J. (2012). Strategic Management: Is It an Academic Discipline? Journal of Business Strategies, Vol. 29 Issue 1, pp. 27-28. Available at: http://www.strategicmanagementinsight.com/topics/strategic-management-planning.html#benefits (Accessed on 27 November 13) UK Essays. 2010. A SWOT and PESTEL analysis of Google. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/a-swot-and-pestel-analysis-of-google-inc-marketing-essay.php. [Accessed 29 November 13]. BBC News. 2006. Google censors itself for China. [ONLINE] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4645596.stm. [Accessed 29 November 13] Google Inc. 2013. Google Inc. Anno unces Third Quarter 2013 Results. [ONLINE] Available at: http://investor.google.com/earnings/2013/Q3_google_earnings.html. [Accessed 01 December 13] Matt Krantz. 2013. Investing: Who wins, loses with higher rates. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2013/06/15/higher-interest-rates-stocks-invest/2400513/. [Accessed 02 December 13]. Niu, Z. et al, 2012. Google Inc. Krause Fund Research, [Online]. 1/1, 1-10. Available at: http://tippie.uiowa.edu/krause/spring2012/goog_sp12.pdf [Accessed 02 December 2013]. Techwyse, (2013), Search Engine Market Share July 2013 [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.techwyse.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SEMS-pie-Juily.png [Accessed 03 December 13]. Ovidijus Jurevicius. 2013. SWOT analysis of Google. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.strategicmanagementinsight.com/swot-analyses/google-swot-analysis.html. [Accessed 28 November 13]. SquareSpace, (2007), Google Revenue Growth [ONLINE]. Available at: http://static.sq uarespace.com/static/4f35ce92cb1268ecfa7f8e07/t/4f9eb00de4b006f3923a4e25/1335799822004/google_revenue_growth.jpg?format=750w [Accessed 03 December 13].

Informative essay on obesity and weight loss surgery Essay

Weight loss surgery or ‘bariatric surgery’ are procedures which change the manner in which the digestive system functions, helping to limit the food consumed and in this way lower the weight of the individual along with lowering the risk of associated medical problems (NIDDK 2009). In certain cases, bariatric surgery also interferes with the manner in which nutrition is absorbed into the body. Individuals who undergo bariatric surgery may also have to ensure certain changes in their lifestyle such as regular exercise, dietary changes and avoiding certain other risks. One of the most frequently performed bariatric surgeries is gastric bypass in the US. Compared to other bariatric surgeries, gastric bypass is much safer, has lesser complications and can provide long-term results. However, there are also certain risks associated with the procedure, along with changes in diet, lifestyle and behavior. A lot depends on the patient for the success of the treatment (Mayo Clinic Staff 2009). Indication Gastric bypass surgery is required in obese and overweight individuals who are unable to reduce their weight through diet and physical activities. As the BMI ratio is between 35 and 39 (obesity) and above 40 (severe obesity), the health related risks are higher and the individual can be affected with diabetes, hypertension, heart disorders, etc. However, gastric bypass surgery may not only be required alone, but along with it, exercise, dietary changes and lifestyle changes to ensure that the results of the gastric bypass are satisfactory (Mayo Clinic Staff 2009). Bariatric surgery can also be performed if other methods of conservative treatment fail for obesity. The patient has to be properly informed about the details of the procedure, along with the benefits, risks and alternatives, so that an informed decision can be made (Medline Plus, 2010). The patient would have to give an informed consent for the procedure. The patient should also be committed to lifelong changes with diet, physical activity, behavior, medical monitoring and medication therapy. Insurance would be applicable for Bariatric surgery only if it has been medically indicated due to an obesity related cause, rather than cosmetic. Bariatric surgery may be indicated for adolescents only if other conventional methods have failed for about 6 months. Newer studies have demonstrated that gastric bypass may actually be ideal for adolescent obesity (NIDDK 2010). Procedure The entire procedure is done under general anesthesia, and the patient would require preparing for tests, dietary changes, X-rays (for planning the surgery), medications and hospitalization (Mayo Clinic Staff 2009). In the US, 4 types gastric bypass are performed. These include biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch (BPD-DS), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), adjustable gastric band (AGB), and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). AGB involves placing a band around the top portion of the stomach to reduce the size of the stomach pouch to ensure that the food intake is reduced. In RGYB, involves placing a gastric band and also by bypassing the food directly from the pouch to the small intestine. In BPD-DS, a large portion of the stomach is removed, bypassing the food from the stomach to the small intestine and re-routing the bile and digestive tract juices, so that food is not absorbed and digested properly. In VSG, a portion of the stomach is reduced to ensure that the quantity of food consumed is reduced (NIDDK 2009). After the procedure, the individual should not consume anything for the next 24 hours. Following this, a special diet needs to be consumed, which includes liquids, soft foods and slow progress towards solid food. Following this, the indvidiaul needs to consume reduced quantity of food. There may be certain side-effects of the procedure (Mayo Clinic Staff 2009). Results Weight loss surgeries basically work by reducing the amount of food being consumed or the amount of food being digested. Some surgeries bypass a majority of the food consumed resulting in reduced amount of absorption of nutrients. Along with dietary and lifestyle changes, loss of body weight can be achieved. However, there are also a few risks associated with weight loss surgeries. The individual may lose about 50 to 60 % of the excess body weight within 2 years of the surgery. However, exercises, lifestyle changes and diet need to be included in the plan (Mayo Clinic Staff 2009). The risk of several health disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, heart disease, infections, and cancer can be reduced (Daniel Jones, 2010). Complications In recent years with improvement in the surgical technique, there has been a reduction in the rate of complications from the year 2006, by about 21%. The rate of readmissions has also been under a decrease (NIDDK 2009). Some of the early complications related to gastric bypass include bleeding, infection, leakage of intestine, damage to the intestines, heart attacks, blood clots in the legs, emboli, etc. The other complications that can develop include malnutrition, (such as beri beri, pellagra, etc), strictures, hernias (includes internal hernias and intestinal hernias), pneumonia, nausea, vomiting, hypoglycemia, gallstones, kidney stones, dehydration, etc. If the contents from the stomach move very quickly, it can result in dumping syndrome causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In patients with poor general health and with serious medical conditions, fatal outcomes may be a risk, but very rare (Mayo Clinic Staff 2009). In some patients further surgery may be required (Daniel Jones, 2010).

Free Essays on Ego-Boundary Thinking

to explain things that displease you. But I do hear things, under cover of darkness, what our country says in grief for this girl: that no one is more innocent, no death more awful, no deeds more noble than hers†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (833-839) But King Creon is so stubborn and proud that he fails to realize what his son is saying. Instead Creon is focusing on the image he must portray to keep order in his kingdom, his is not about to allow a woman to disobey a law and get away Scot-free. This single-mindedness is what makes Exterior-Thinking so bad, people get so focused on what the outside world will think of them when the make decisions. King Creon thinks that his kingdom will think that he is weak if he doesn’t punish Antigone. What he doesn’t realize is that his people sympathize with Antigone and if Creon were to let her go the people would think more highly of him. Haimon comes back to his father to make a second plea for Antigone’s life. He reminds his father of his love ... Free Essays on Ego-Boundary Thinking Free Essays on Ego-Boundary Thinking Part 1 Ego-Boundary is a form of thought that combines an individual’s moral view with his/her view of the outside world. This combination allows the individual to make uninfluenced decisions. I believe that Ego-Boundary thinking allows you the freedom to slip back and forth from both Interior-Thinking and Exterior thinking. It is hard to limit yourself to one particular type of thinking because every situation calls for a different reaction. Using a balanced approach allows the individual the opportunity to avoid being heavily influenced by a particular way of thinking. Haimon is able to balance his personal feelings for Antigone (Interior thinking) and the voice of the people (Exterior thinking) In Antigone, Haimon uses Ego-Boundary thinking to try and convince his dad, King Creon, that he is wrong to punish Antigone. He tries to convey to Creon what the people are saying: â€Å"Because, for the common man, your gaze is terrible. He can’t find words to explain things that displease you. But I do hear things, under cover of darkness, what our country says in grief for this girl: that no one is more innocent, no death more awful, no deeds more noble than hers†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (833-839) But King Creon is so stubborn and proud that he fails to realize what his son is saying. Instead Creon is focusing on the image he must portray to keep order in his kingdom, his is not about to allow a woman to disobey a law and get away Scot-free. This single-mindedness is what makes Exterior-Thinking so bad, people get so focused on what the outside world will think of them when the make decisions. King Creon thinks that his kingdom will think that he is weak if he doesn’t punish Antigone. What he doesn’t realize is that his people sympathize with Antigone and if Creon were to let her go the people would think more highly of him. Haimon comes back to his father to make a second plea for Antigone’s life. He reminds his father of his love ...

How to Start Green Fire With a Drop of Water

How to Start Green Fire With a Drop of Water You dont need a match to start a fire. In this project, start a fire by adding a drop of water to a dry chemical mixture. The best part? The flames will be green! Fire Safety You should be able to tell from the premise that this  is an adult-only project, best performed by someone with prior pyrotechnic project experience. Follow the instructions carefully to minimize the risk of a fire. Youre using water to start a combustion reaction, so keep your materials away from moisture, soft drinks, perspiration, etc. Got it? Green Materials Instant cold pack (3 grams ammonium nitrate)7 grams zinc filings or powder1/2 gram table salt (sodium chloride)Mortar and pestle If you dont have a cold pack, you can use pure ammonium nitrate, which is available online. You can buy zinc filings or powder online or you can sand a galvanized piece of metal from a hardware store to get the element. If you have to file or sand the zinc, its a good idea to wear a mask, such as the kind used for home repair,  so you dont inhale zinc particles. Procedure for Starting the Green Flames Open the cold pack. Remove and discard the bag of water. Open the bag of ammonium nitrate. Measure out 3 grams of the granules and put them in the mortar.Add 1/2 gram of sodium chloride (salt).Use the pestle to grind together the salt and ammonium nitrate to form a powder.Carefully grind the 7 grams of zinc powder into this mixture. Water can ignite the mixture at this point, so dont spill your drink or drip sweat into the powder. Its a good idea to wear disposable plastic gloves, because you dont want the final mixture reacting with water on your hands.Transfer the mixture to a metal or otherwise fire-proof container. Take it outdoors to start the reaction. Use a pipette or other long-handled dispensing device to add a few drops of water. The reaction can be spectacular, so move back immediately. Another reaction you can do using these materials is to mix ammonium nitrate with zinc and initiate combustion by adding a few drops of hydrochloric (muriatic) acid. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

Max Weber Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Max Weber - Research Paper Example The major thesis of concern was the Protestant and the Spirit of Capitalism where he discussed economical sociology and sociology of religion. This thesis dealt with ascetic Protestantism as one of the main â€Å"elective affinities† which relates the rise of Western market which was driven by capitalism and rational-legal national-state. Weber emphasized on cultural influences as the bedrock of capitalism (Kalberg, 2002). In search for religion insight, Weber’s publication of protestant ethics, he was able to identify the non-development of capitalism in the societies: ancient Judaism, religion of China and religion of India and was able to analyze the social stratification of such societies. Weber’s methodological works were influential in launching the self-identity in modern social science as a field of inquiry. Empirical positivists and hermeneutic detractors got their inspiration from Weber. The most important of Weber’s work are the â€Å"Protestant Ethic thesis† which was about a non-Marxist genealogy of present capitalism and â€Å"Rationalization thesis† which talked about the analysis of the dominance of west in the present times. On top of these two works, his contribution to politics is only comparable to that of Machiavelli and Hobbes. Weber entered politics after the World War 1 and ran for a seat in parliament which he failed to capture. He served as an advisor to the ill-fated democratic draft of 1919 that is Weimar Constitution. His work was cut shot by the untimely death which occurred at a tender age of 56 in 1920. He contacted a Spanish flu and died of pneumonia. Weber was the eldest of the Max Weber Sr. born in 1884 in Erfurt, Thuringia. Weber sr. was a prominent civil servant and wealthy. He was the National Liberal Party member and married to Helene who was from French Huguenot and had strong ethical absolutist

Analysis of Direct Costs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis of Direct Costs - Assignment Example Direct Labor: is the labor or employees who convert materials into the company’s products. The cost of direct labor can be traced directly to the finished products.† (Horngren, Harrison, & Oliver, 2009). All other costs charged under the categories Overhead Costs and General and Administrative Costs are indirect costs. These include indirect labor, repair, maintenance, utilities, rent, insurance, property taxes and depreciations. Direct material cost is the cost of significant materials that are used in the manufacturing of a product or that are used up in providing a service. Direct material costs are specifically identifiable to the contract. FAR regulations also provide provision for trade discounts, refunds, credits for scrap, salvage, and returns to vendor, to be adjusted to the direct material costs. Priced Bill of Sales, has detailed list of all materials needed to produce the required product or service is used for estimating the direct cost. To analyze estimated costs of materials, the factors in review focus are: Are the items quantities and costs of materials correct? Are making or buying decisions are appropriate? Is the material purchased efficiently and competitively? (Murphy, 2009). Direct labor cost is cost of labor specifically identified with a particular contract that a company is doing. Following are three types of direct labor: Labor directly associated with the work being produced, labor readily identified with a particular objective such as a contract, and labor important enough to warrant identifying and measuring so we can keep up with its cost. In general approach to analyze direct labor cost is to examine each element of proposed cost. The contracting officer should usually request analysis of cost or pricing proposals by asking requirements logistics, or other appropriate personnel to review and assess the need for the number and kinds of