The Law of Conservation of Mass

To identify the parts of a chemical equation. Students need to identify subscribe pets, coefficients, reactants, products, chemical formulas, and chemical symbols 2. To appreciate that scientific discoveries are often the result of inquiry. 3. To distinguish between an element, a compound, and a mixture (and between heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures) 4. To balance a chemical equation in order to prove that the Law of Conservation n of Mass works quantitatively as well as conceptually 5.To respect that chemicals can be both helpful and harmful safety must be a p rarity and the intention of scientists can play a large role in determining if chemicals do ended hurt or help humanity 6. To prove experimentally the Law of Conservation of Mass that matter is not car dated or destroyed in a chemical reaction Standards NJ CORE CURRICULUM (SCIENCE) STANDARD 5. 2 (science and society) All stud .NET will develop an understanding of how people of various cultures have control etude to the ad vancement of science and technology', and how major discoveries and even TTS have advanced science and technology.You can either print o t the story or tell the story in your own words. This lesson corresponds with slides 14 on the pop written presentation. Slide 4 contains a short video (approximately 5 minutes) in which h the work of Lavisher is discussed. Be sure to mention the connection between his scientist fix work and the necessity of the work for Paris at this time in history. Why did he begin this pr Eject? And similar questions can be used to place this work in its proper historical context. B. Introduce the law of conservation of mass experiment.Be sure to emphasis zee the purpose of the experiment, mainly, to serve as a comparison to the work of Lavisher. C. Students should perform the activity. You may want to have students perform ram part A in day 1 ND save part B for day 2 unless you have a nice block of time. D. Following the conclusion of parts A and B, as well as the conclusion queue's ins, discuss the conclusion questions. Specifically, spend time on number 7 and 8. Number 7 asks students to draw connections between Lavaliere's work and what they have done.Number r 8 asks students to brainstorm ideas for other law of conservation of mass experiments. This is is unification because students will be choosing one of these ideas and designing an experiment lat err on. Lesson 2 Instructions for Teachers: Tell the story of Lavaliere's work with combustion. Make the connection bet en science and mathematics. Precise measurements were not common until Lavisher m dad them so. Observations, estimations, and generalizations were commonly found in ice once investigations.If you are planning on handing out the story rather than tell it be sure to explain what is meant by call. Powering slides 57 pertain to the connection between the law of conservation of mass and math, namely balancing equations. Slide 7 is a short video (approximately 5 minutes) in w hich balancing is explained as well as a short e explanation on naming compounds. Math teachers can teach balancing equations. This ca n be done in edition to the time that we spend balancing equations in science or the mat h teacher may take full responsibility for the balancing of equations. To further explain call a demonstration may be valuable. You can burn magma enemies and allow students to make observations, qualitatively and quantitatively. 2. First, introduce coefficients and subscripts and explain how they can help to s how us how the law of conservation of mass is present in every chemical reaction. Balance a simple equation, the formation of water is a good one to start with since most studs ants are familiar with the chemical formula for water.After 1 or more examples have students attempt to balance equations based on level of comfort with balancing. Have an answer key posted in the room so that students can see that they have correctly balanced the aqua actions. Ther e are many websites dedicated to balancing equations. I usually have my more am obvious students Google search a good site and write it on the whiteboard so that pee people who need extra practice or more of a challenge know where to go. 3. The selfsameness rubric can be completed by students at the end of this less son or at the end of this minutia. Suggest completing it at the end of the unit since you m y introduce more equations within the context of the lessons thus allowing students audit IANAL opportunities to improve their understanding. Lesson 3 Instructions for Teachers Begin this lesson by telling the story of Lavaliere's role in discovering oxygen. Be sure to mention the role played by Joseph Priestley. This is a good opportunity to disc us how technology, or the lack of technology played a role in the dispute regarding car edit for the discovery.Language barriers, difficulty in traveling far distances, and slow communication definitely played a role. Slides 810 should a ccompany this less son. Slide 10 contains a short video narrated by Bill Nee in which he discusses, with a m ember of the Chemical Heritage Foundation, the story of the work of Lavisher and his role discovering oxygen. Joseph Priestley role in this discovery is also mentioned. Have students refer back to our first law of conservation of mass experiment, specifically conclusion question number 8.Students will now decide on a scientific quests on that relates to the law of conservation of mass and design a controlled experiment in which they attempt to explain data and confirm or refute a hypothesis on the basis of this data. I live that students should be encouraged to choose a question that allows for a lengthy study, requiring multiple measurements. This will reinforce the concepts pert air-ling to the law of conservation of mass and allow you, the teacher, to draw connections between the law and your other chemistry topics. The final activity is a reflection pertaining to a scienc e demonstration.The bur inning of paper ties in nicely with many aspects of Lavaliere's work. See the attachment and ask students to discuss, in words, the similarities, or differences that they notice. This can be completed in class or it can be a homework assignment. A homework assign meet may be more appropriate if you feel that students need time to review the story of the e law of conservation of mass that you have told. Towards this end it is also useful to post your notes of the story on your aboard or whatever form of communication you ha eve with students.While I have dedicated the story of Lavatories work to some of his experiment s there is another story that can be told. Lavisher, who founded a business whose prim responsibility was collection of taxes, was beheaded during the French Revolt Zion. This sad story can be told in science of course, or it can take place in humanities (h story) or in language arts (English). The stow of Lavisher can tie in to the American and F ranch Revolutions for history class. In English class it can be told within the scope of excerpts or entire books that tell stories relating to revolutions.An example might be while e reading Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. The language arts connections offers the teacher an opportunity to focus on the irony that with the beheading of Lavisher the Free inch people removed a person who had arguably helped them a great deal and who wool d most likely have made many more significant contributions to the life of Parisian. Background Information A: the Antoine Lavisher lived and worked in the 18 century, during the time of the French revolution (Grey, 1982).Lavisher is often referred to as the father of modern chemistry (Discovery Education, 2005). Lavaliere's first experiment to lead him toward the e discovery of the law of conservation of mass was part of an experiment to study the CLC manliness of the drinking water in Paris (Culled, 2005). Lavisher boiled drinking water. Acc ording to Culled (2005) the first part of this experiment involved cleaning a glass flask, drying it, and then carefully weighing it. Next, a precisely assured sample of water was poured into the flask and for 101 straight day s heated.The water was heated so that it just reached the point of boiling. Eventually, solid sediment formed on the glass walls of the flask. Culled adds that after weighing the flash k Lavisher concluded that the weight of the flask, the water, and the solid sediment was exactly the same as the mass of the flask and the water with which he started this experiment. If anally, Lavisher removed the water and found that the mass of the water had not chi engaged. However, the mass of the flask and the solid sediment was equal to the mass of the origin anal clean flask.At this point in the experiment Culled (2005) tells us that Lavisher concluded t hat due to the longer exposure to high temperatures the flask some part of the flask muss t have turned into a new su bstance, although mass had not been lost. It is worth noting that in his time, many, if not all scientists believed that the e earth was comprised of the four elements of earth, fire, air, and water (Culled, 2005). Du ring the aforementioned experiment Lavisher wondered if water could be converted t o earth, which at the time, Culled states, included any solid substance.Because the mass oft he water in the experiment did not change Lavisher concluded that the answer was that no, water was not converted into earth. A less perceptive scientist would have concluded others sis due to the presence of the particulate. It was his attention to the mass and to exactness in measurement that allow De him to conclude that contrary to what others were espousing, the water did not Chain GE. Grey (1982) adds that the mass of the particulate was exactly equal to the mass that was missing when Lavisher measured the weight of the dried flask at the end of the 101 days.L bolster included that part of the glass flask had undergone a change due to constant t exposure to high temperatures. Grey adds that this experiment was also significant because SE it lead Lavisher to conclude that â€Å"just looking at an experiment wasn't enough to fin d out what was really going on† (p. 40). This experiment, notes Culled (2005) was significant n tot only because it lead Lavisher toward the law of conservation of mass but also beck cause lead Lavisher to the realization that precise measurements are critical in experiment notation, something that most scientists did not deem a necessity at the time.Many of Lavaliere's experiments, including the water experiment, involved co marring the weight of reactants to the weight of products. In other words, comparing the mass Of the substances he was experimenting with before a reaction to what he had after a reaction. Due to his emphasis on precise measurements Lavisher was able to show that the difference in weight between reactants and product s was always small (Culled, 2005).Whew n he initially started these experiments Lavisher was not certain if these tiny differences in mass were due to his inability to make more exact measurements or if matter was indeed bee g created or destroyed, a view that many scientists of the time thought was possible (Grey, 1982). Read about the science of alchemy if you are interested in how and why scientists o f the time believed that this was possible. It's worth noting that Lavisher was eventually able to conclude that matter is not able to be created or destroyed in part because he asked the question, a simple queue's n actually, concerning the missing mass.Grey, (1982) notes that â€Å"He believed there were lots of questions about the world all around him that needed answers. He wanted to look for things no one else had ever found† (p. 26). As we learn more regarding the stories be hind science discoveries, large and simple, we will notice that almost every one involves in acq uisitiveness on the part of the scientist followed by an experimental procedure designed t o answer the question, but it all starts with the question. Background Information B: Lavaliere's next area of interest was combustion.By the time Lavisher turned to the question of combustion he was well known for his emphasis on precise mess ornaments (Culled, 2005). This was helpful in experiments in which he was attempting to determine if mass had indeed been created, destroyed, or remained the same. Lavaliere's combustion experiments consisted of burning metals and compared weights of the metal s before and after heating (Mechanical, 2004). When Lavisher burned sulfur, tin, lead, and phosphorus he found that the m ass of the metal actually increased.However, he also found that when burned in a closed flask the mass of the air inside the flask decreased by the exact amount that the metal increased (G ere, 1982). When Lavisher heated the scales, metal bonded with air due to combustion) he f ound that air was given off as the mass of the metal decreased while the mass of the air in t e container increased by the same amount. Mathematics, which provides quantitative data, allowed Lavisher and later, tot her scientists, to prove that matter was not created or destroyed (Tab, 2004). The word co inspiration means that nothing has been lost.After Lavisher, scientists began to conclude e that in an isolated system (for example, a closed flask) mass is a constant (Johnson, 200 8). We know that a constant does not change. If we are able to find the mass of the â€Å"system m† before anything reacts we can compare it to the mass Of the System after the reaction and the difference should be zero, according to Lavisher. Johnson (2008) notes that Lavisher was the first to conclude that the total ma as of a system must be equal to the mass obtained in the beginning of the experiment, regard idles of changes in states of matter.Johnson adds that in France, the law of conservat ion of m ass is still known as Lavaliere's law. We will attempt to prove experiment with chemical r actions in an open system as well as a closed system and yes, we will use mathematics to a assist us in doing so! As scientists learned more about elements and compounds (again, thanks to Lavisher) they ere able to further explain, in more detail, what is indeed happening in chew magical reactions in terms of elements and compounds being rearranged. Today we know that this accounting is done through balanced equations.Balancing chemical equations is a techno queue employed by scientists in which simple, and sometimes complicated, mathematics IS use d to demonstrate the specific ratios of the substances involved in a chemical aqua Zion. We will also partake in the balancing Of equations and I think that you will find it inter sting to see that what Lavisher, the pioneer, first hypothesized over 200 years ago, because e he dared to ask a question, is now being analyzed and proven in our middle school science e class.Background Information C: Lavisher is credited with discovering the element oxygen. He arrived at the co inclusion that oxygen must exist as a result of his interest in combustion. Prior to Lavisher, scientists such as Joseph Priestly who was based in London, had found that when something burned, like metal, the weight of the metal call would be greater than the mass of the origin IANAL substance (Mechanical, 2004). This Priestley explained, was due to the presence of a most absence that was thought to be found in any substance that burns, called p Hollister (Grey, 1982).Scientists reasoned that the added mass (to the call') after something b runner was attributed to phlogiston. Grey notes that at this time scientists were aware that t the mass of the original piece of metal also decreased, which lead them to the conclusion, alb tit falsely, that phlogiston was transferred when something burns. While most scientists were satisfied with the explanation, others such as Olivia sire found a problem. When metals were burned the mass of the burned metal (called call ) actually increased (Mechanical, 2004).

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Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Ability to survive on a wide range of fo ods found in different environments| | | | | * Question 4 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 1 & 2 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein.Question: Matt is following a  Paleolithic Diet  consisting of fish, grass-fed meats, vegetables, fruits, fungi, roots and nuts. Is Matt an  omnivore? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Yes| | | | | * Question 5 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 1 & 2 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: Which of the following food groups is missing in Matt’s Paleolithic diet that consists of fish, grass-fed meats, vegetables, fruits, fungi, roots and nuts? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Grains| | | | | * Question 6 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | Prepare: Read pages 1 & 2 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: What is the evolutionary advantage of an omnivore approach to eating? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Ability to survive on a wide range of foods found i n different environments| | | | | * Question 7 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 1 & 2 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: Which of the following best describes the â€Å"omnivore dilemma? †Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  A diet consisting of many different foods coupled with a natural anxiety about safety| | | | * Question 8 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 1 & 2 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: Why is concern about food safety a natural outgrowth of an omnivore’s diet? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Wariness about unfamiliar foods reduces the risk of accidental poisoning| | | | | * Question 9 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 1 & 2 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: In a market economy the consumer is removed from the food producer. Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  True| | | | | * Question 10 0. out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Rea d pages 1 & 2 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: Which of the following statements best describes how an industrialized food supply causes worry about what happens to food before it reaches the consumer? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Consumers have no direct contact with food producers and must rely on middlemen| | | | | * Question 11 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 1 & 2 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: The author is most concerned about this particular type of â€Å"food fear. Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Fears fostered by trusted scientific, medical, and governmental authorities| | | | | * Question 12 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 2 & 3 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: How did the decline in home food production and preparation foster food fear? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  It eroded the trust relationship between the food producer and the cons umer| | | | | * Question 13 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 2 & 3 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein.Question: According to the author, how did industrialization of the food supply increase opportunities for altering foods in ways that were detrimental to health? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  It increased the number of intermediaries between the food producer and consumer| | | | | * Question 14 0 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 2 & 3 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: What did nutrition scientists do that set the stage for modern anxiety about food? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Declared food dangerous to your health| | | | * Question 15 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 3 & 4 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: The author suggests that to make profits the food industry sometimes fosters food fears. Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  True| | | | | * Question 16 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 3 & 4 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: The author criticizes these authorities for enhancing their importance by provoking food fears. Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Public health officials| | | | | * Question 17 . 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Read pages 3 & 4 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: According to the author, as people become more urbanized they increasingly rely on this source for information about food. Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Media| | | | | * Question 18 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Review pages 1-4 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: Would the author agree with this statement: â€Å"Good taste is the worst guide to healthy eating? â€Å"Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  No| | | | | * Question 19 0. out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Review pages 1-4 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: Does t he author believe that scientists stoked food fears by placing greater importance on nutrients than on food itself? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Yes| | | | | * Question 20 0. 5 out of 0. 5 points | | | Prepare: Review pages 1-4 in  Fear of Food  by Harvey Levenstein. Question: Would the author agree that greater self-indulgence in terms of enjoying food without fear is a healthy approach to eating? Answer| | | | | Selected Answer:|   Ã‚  Yes| | | | |

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Vaccination - Assignment Example On the contrary, in West Virginia and Mississippi there are no laws that mandate vaccination. To that effect, some parents choose not to vaccinate their children because they believe that it may result in autism. Advocates of immunization claim that the government should not intervene in personal medical choices. The opponents of vaccination claim that the immune system of the children can deal naturally with the majority of the infections. The Mayo Clinic pointed out that natural immunity is more complete than a series of vaccines. Some guardians usually do not want their children to be vaccinated because the process of vaccination introduces foreign particles in the children’s immune system resulting in side effects like autism (Plotkin, 2006). More to the point, the flu vaccine have been found to contain thimerosal that is packaged in multi-dose vials. When the health workers draw individual doses, they leave the vaccine susceptible for to contamination each time the rubber is punctured. The presence of this preservative in the vaccine was found by (Andrew & McCarthy, 2010) to cause autism. An introduction of mercury in the body affects the nervous system resulting in autistic like symptoms. It causes the dysregulation of the immune system of the child affecting neurodevelopment. Autism signs are evidenced (Mesmere, 2007). Even with introduction of the pre-filled syringes, certain medical that find it expensive still the thimerosal as a preservative. The 1998 Lancet paper reported that immunization is not safe. Parents of the 8 out of 12 whose children were studies asserted that 14 months after receiving the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine the kids exhibited symptoms of autism. Moreover, Plotkin, Gerber, and Offit (2009) argue that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine allows the entry of encelophalopathic causes autism by damaging the intestinal lining. The

Piracy Off the Horn of Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Piracy Off the Horn of Africa - Essay Example d adventurous quest for so many young men, making prospective legal intricacies for provincial and international governments searching to try pirate group’s doubts for supposed crimes. The absence of stable functioning government is an existing challenge and it offers freedom of action for those people participated in piracy along the African region Lauren Ploch et al remark; â€Å"The apparent motive of many active Somali pirate groups is profit; and piracy has proven to be a lucrative activity for many thus far† (Ploch, et al, 2009). Studies prove that Somalis give political and economic motivation to some one occupied in piracy. Today most of the pirates groups in Somalia region have emerged complicated operational facilities and they have eared advanced weaponry, transporting, financial stability that make them more efficient than local forces. Paradoxically, if only a group of pirates in Somalia region have followed piracy attacking as their means of income, the re gional fishing industry in Somalia cost has been deteriorated gradually by the hazard of piracy attacking. Economical distractions and sufferings are the major reasons for piracy in Somalia region. Environmental hardships, poverty lack of employment, low income, diminishing of regional food production, and poor maritime resources contribute piracy in Somalia region. Non functioning government promotes insecurity and financial inequality among the people who live in Somalia. International support networks and their financial helps are another important reason behind piracy. Financial profitability and defective judiciary system are the encouraging factors for many young men in Somalia. Illegal shipping is the primary stage of all kinds of illegal activities and piracy. Piracy tightened its hold on Africa especially Somalia in 1990s when Siad Barre, who tried his best to unite and better the people of Somalia, ruled the nation. As part of his mission Barre tried to bring the people of Somalia under

Is Qatar Economy Favorable for Capital Investment Essay

Is Qatar Economy Favorable for Capital Investment - Essay Example Oil and Gas are potential products and the two products cover half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The country earns substantial revenues from exporting oil and gas to many countries of the world. The country is progressing for many years due to increasing prices of oil and gas in the international market. Oil and gas are the tools that have provided high per capita income in the country. The country has a low rate of unemployment that indicates the strong economic position of the country. The country has nearly 25 billion barrels of oil and around 25 trillion cubic meters gas reserves that could be utilized by the country for more than 57 years in future. Qatar economy is represented as a stable economy due to its cautious macroeconomic management and natural resources (Qatar Economy Profile 2014, 2014). The country has practiced tight fiscal policy in the period of 2002-2008 when revenues were mainly generated from oil and gas products. The new projects of Qatar are indicating high growth in the economy such as Qatar’s metro system, light rail system and changing the infrastructure of the country in near future. The country has inflation so to control it the country adopts tight monetary and fiscal policy. The country has an advantage of a low unemployment rate that indicates that tight economic policies are preferred by the country to reduce inflation and retain its economic growth. It is expected that the budget of 2014-2015 will be surplus of 24 billion dollars because of high prices of oil. The monetary and fiscal management is practiced by the government on account of the country’s current economic position (Nafi, 2014). Oil and gas cover approximately half of the GDP of the economy. The energy resources that contribute over 50 percent of the total GDP are potential resources of the economy that will p0rovid much revenue in future.  

The Road Not Taken and An Unknown Girl Essay Example for Free

The Road Not Taken and An Unknown Girl Essay The Road Not Taken and An Unknown Girl both are written by authors with a peculiar background. An Unknown Girl is by Moniza Alvi who resides in England but was born in Pakistan reflects her ethnic background in An Unknown Girl, where she goes to India to search for her identity. The Road Not Taken was written by Robert Frost who had many professions, a teacher, mill worker, newspaper reporter, farmer and then finally a poet. His life background is reflected in the poem because the poem is about making a choice between different paths. The Road Not Taken is a conceit because the poet is telling us about how he faced two decisions in his life and a decision at this crossroad he encountered. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, Yellow usually represents cowardice, but by saying yellow wood he tells us that it is Autumn and it could be that Autumn represents his later years in life or that he is just around the corner from death. However in An Unknown Girl right from the beginning we learn that the poet is confused about her identity when she says, an An Unknown Girl is hennaing my hand. Literally, she is saying she does not know the girl who is hennaing her hands but more closely, it relates to how the poet still has no identified herself and is also unknown. Another clue the reader sees is there are no stanzas or structure to the poem, which emphasises that she that she is bewildered and confused as to how she is feeling. In The Road Not Taken the poet tries to delay his decision in which way he should go in life, and also literally the path he should take, when he says, Long I stood and looked down one as far as I could. The assonance of the oo sound he uses concludes that he wants to prolong his decision, and when he is looking down as far as he could, he is literally looking down the paths but also looking to his future. In An Unknown Girl, the poet experiences Many Indian images such as, henna, bazaar, rupees, kameez. However, the mix of the Indian and Western images (balloons, perms, neon lights) reflects on her confusion of identity, this is also backed up when she says, I have new brown veins. She is literally talking about the henna she has now on her hand but also that she has found some of her roots, blood and heritage from being in India. But sooner or later this will all be scraped off, It will fade in a week, this literally refers to the henna on her hand but also in a week she will be back in England where her roots and heritage will go back to being English and her Indian culture will fade away like the henna no her hand. A significant moment of the poets identity in The Road Not Taken is when he says, because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same. This part of the second stanza is saying the poet wants to be challenged and does not want to follow the crowd in taking the worn away path, which everyone else did, but wants to take the path that seemed fresh and untouched because it may have been more difficult to pass. This literally refers to the choice in path, but also his choice in a life career because he doesnt want to be something regular like a teacher or doctor, but wants to have a different life than the rest of society. In An Unknown Girl the poet also experiences a moment where she wants to be that something special, or different when she says, I am clinging to these peacock lines like people who cling to the sides of a train. She is literally talking about not loosing the henna lines on her hand but actually, she is showings how she is struggling to grasp onto the new culture and she is in danger of losing touch with it. This shows that she is unsure of her Indian roots and she feels that she should be physically marked so she can identify herself with Indian culture. On the third stanza in The Road Not Taken the poet seems to have a slight change in mind and regrets taking the path he took: Oh, I kept the first for another day, and: I shall be telling this with a sigh. The reader realizes that he regrets it because he uses negative vocabulary and phrases, for instance, sigh, doubted and if I should ever come back. These words and phrases show he is a pessimist, he uses a sarcastic tone even though he could have done something good. He is literally talking about how he regrets taking the path he chose at the crossroads but actually, he is saying that he regrets taking the path in life he chose and wants to turn back and start from the beginning where he had the choices. There is also a large decision in An Unknown Girl where near to the end of the poem and her trip to India she feels she will now lose all her Indian identity, When Indian appears and reappears, Ill lean across a country with my hands outstretched. Literally, she is on her last day in India and is reaching out in tiredness, but she is actually attempting to join the two cultures together like a bridge from England to India with her arms. By outstretching her arms, she is longing to stay Indian but she must make a decision and her decision is to go back to England. She feels as if she will never belong in India: Longing for that An Unknown Girl in the neon bazaar, she is saying that she just wants to be both cultures but it wont happen. At the end of The Road Not Takenthe poet has made his once in a lifetime decision and the reader has already realized that he regrets it, but now he had put the full blame on himself, Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less travelled by, and that has all the difference. The caesura after by emphasises his disbelief that he caused the problem for himself. The repetition of I, shows he regrets the choice and wants to go back, but cannot. He shows frustration and bitterness at his once in a lifetime decision that he has ruined by taking the one path he thought was a challenge, but the challenge beat him. Both, The Road Not Taken and An Unknown Girl deal with the pressures of finding ones true identity, in The Road Not Taken the poet has to chose a path on a crossroad, which reflects how he needs to come to a decision in real life as to what he really wants to do or be. In An Unknown Girl, the poet wants to find out who she really is and is in search of her true roots in India. In both there is an ultimate ending where everything goes back to how it was or back to a normal lifestyle without the other identity or life they could have had.

Effect of Microsofts Monopolistic Approach

Effect of Microsofts Monopolistic Approach The Effect of Microsofts Monopolistic Approach to Software Bundling on Innovation and Competition.   Contents (Jump to) Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 – Literature Review 2.1 Monopolist or Fierce Competitor 2.2 Bundling, Innovative or Stifling Competition 2.2.1   Bundling Examples in Other Industries 2.3 The Case Against Microsoft Chapter 3 – Analysis 3.1 Bundling, Competitive or Market Restrictive? 3.2 Strategies to Gain Market Share 3.3 Microsoft and The European Union Chapter 4 – Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 1 Introduction When mentioning Microsoft, one’s thoughts naturally turn to computers, as the two are inexorably tied together. And while they both need each other, software was the latter development in this marriage of needs. Based upon digits, computers utilize this foundation as the basis for their computations (Berdayes, 2000, p. 76). A digit is a â€Å"†¦ numeral †¦ that represents an integer †¦Ã¢â‚¬  and includes †¦ any one of the decimal characters ‘0’ through ‘9’ †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as well as â€Å"†¦ either of the binary characters ‘0’ or ‘1’ †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Atis, 2005). Computers utilize digits under the ‘base-2 number system’, which is also termed as the ‘binary number system’ (Berdayes, 2000, p. 3). The base-2 system is utilized in computers as it implements easier with present day technology. A base-10 system could be used, however its cost in terms of technology innovation woul d make computers prohibitively expensive (Berdayes, 2000, pp. 53-56). Via the utilization of binary digits as opposed to decimal digits, bits thus have only two values, ‘0 and 1’ (Barfield and Caudell, 2001, p. 344, 368). The preceding is important in understanding the relationship of numbers to computers as well as Microsoft’s later entrance into this world. The following provides a visual understanding of how this works: Table 1 – Decimal Numbers in the Binary System (Swarthmore University, 2005) Decimal Number Binary Number 0 = 0 1 = 1 2 = 10 3 = 11 4 = 100 5 = 101 6 = 110 7 = 111 8 = 1000 9 = 1001 10 = 1010 11 = 1011 12 = 1100 13 = 1101 14 = 1110 In computers, bits are utilized in conjunction with bytes, which are represented as ‘8-bit bytes’ that work as follows: Table 2 – 8 Bit Bytes (Barfield and Caudell, 2001. pp. 50-54) Decimal Number Bytes 0 = 0000000000000000 1 = 0000000000000001 2 = 0000000000000010 65534 = 1111111111111110 65535 = 1111111111111111 The earliest computer has been traced back to the ‘abax’, which is the Greek word that describes ‘calculating board’ as well as ‘calculating table’ which as invented in China and called the abacus, it was also used in ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Russia, Japan, and is still in use by the blind (qi-journal.com, 2005). Operating much as the bits and bytes in the modern computer, the abacus has a vertical row of beads that represent multiples of 10, 1, 10, 100, 1,00 and so forth (qi-journal.com, 2005). The basic principle of the abacus operates in much the same manner as the modern computer, through numerical representation. The first generations of modern computers were huge in comparison with today’s small, powerful and fast machines, and needed air-conditioned rooms to dissipate the heat. Programming on the first commercial computer in 1951, the UNIVAC, was a group of related mechanisms driven my mathematical equations that had to be written in order for the UNIVAC to work on problems (hagar.up.ac.za, 2006). It would take another 6 years for the first personal computer to be developed, the IBM 610 Auto-Point, which was termed as a ‘personal computer’ because it only took one individual to operate it, however, the cost in 1957 termed at $55,000 translates in to well over $100,000 in today’s value (maximon.com, 2006). In 1975 saw the introduction of the Altair 8800, which sold for $439, with 256 bytes of RAM, which also represented the year that Bill Gates, along with Paul Allen founded Microsoft (maximon.com, 2006). Altair was seeking a computer language, which Gates and Allen delivered via a program called BASIC on 23 July 1975, which they gave the company â€Å"†¦ exclusive worldwide rights to †¦ for 10 years† (Rich, 2003, p. 34). Sold as an add-on with the Altair 8800 for $75, the preceding provided the revenue underpinnings for Microsoft (Rich, 2003, p. 35). Generating just $381,715 in 1977, Microsoft was upstaged by Apple Computers that made machines as well as their own operating system (Rich, 2003, p. 36). Apple’s success caught the attention of IBM, which was not in the personal computer market, the foregoing was the means via which Gates entered the picture with IBM based upon DOS, program it secured from Seattle Computer for just $50,000 that heralded the beginni ngs of the industry giant (Rich, 2003, p. 51). Microsoft MS-DOS represented the foundation for the beginning financial strength of the company, which would enable it to develop Windows 95 and successive versions leading to Vista in 2007. Along the way, Microsoft has been accused, rightly or wrongly, of a monopolistic approach to software bundling that has stifled competition and innovation. This paper will seek to examine this facet, its effects, how it happened and the ramifications of the statement. Chapter 2 – Literature Review 2.1 Monopolist or Fierce Competitor In â€Å"Trust on Trial: How the Microsoft Case is Reframing the Rules of Competition†, by Richard McKenzie (2000, p. 1), reflects that Microsoft in the last 25 years has become â€Å"†¦ the worlds premier software company, dominating many of the markets it has entered and developed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and also finds itself â€Å"†¦under legal assault †¦Ã¢â‚¬  for monopolist behaviour. McKenzie (2000, p. 2) indicates that in the United States â€Å"†¦its the Justice Department against Microsoft, but behind the courtroom scenes there has been a good deal of political maneuvering by other major American corporate high-tech combatants -Sun Microsystems, Oracle, Netscape, IBM, and America Online, to name just a few who would like nothing better than to see their market rival, Microsoft, get its comeuppance in the court of law†. In this instance it is the â€Å"†¦efficacy of antitrust law enforcement has been on trial† as the Microsoft case repr esents â€Å"†¦the first large-scale antitrust proceedings of the digital age;† (McKenzie, 2000. p. 2). McKenzie (2000, p. x) reflects upon the government case against Microsoft as a monopolist, indicating that while its operating system comes â€Å" †¦ preloaded on at least nine of every ten computers containing Intel microprocessors sold in the country, if not the world† was it this that made the company a monopolist? The market dominance that Microsoft has in the fact that its operating system comes preloaded in over 90% of the computers sold was expressed by the former United States Republican candidate Robert Dole, who stated â€Å"Microsoft’s goal appears to be to extend the monopoly it has enjoyed in the PC operating system marketplace to the Internet as a whole, and to control the direction of innovation. (McKenzie, 2000, p. 28). This view was also repeated by the media as well as New York Attorney General Dennis Vacco who see Microsoft’s â€Å"†¦product development strategies are evidence of monopoly power: †¦Ã¢â‚¬  in that the â€Å" †¦ Windows operating system has become almost the sole entry point to cyberspace† (McKenzie, 2000, p. 29). It is without question that Microsoft’s dominance resulting from preloaded operating software provides it with an advantage in introducing other forms of software. But, is that simply good business practices o r predatory behaviour? For consideration, McKenzie (2000, p. 47) points to the book written by Judge Bork â€Å"The Antitrust Paradox† where he stated repeatedly †¦ antitrust should not interfere with any firm size created by internal growth †¦. And like it or not, that is how Microsoft got into the position it now enjoys. But, in all the rhetoric, there is another facet to Microsoft’s dominance, the PC manufacturers themselves. As stated by the manufacturers themselves, there simply is no other choice! (McKenzie, 2000, p. 29). Eric Browning, the chief executive of PC manufacturer Micron has said I am not aware of any other non-Microsoft operating system product to which Micron could or would turn as a substitute for Windows 95 at this time† (McKenzie, 2000, p. 30). This sentiment was also echoed by John Romano, an executive at Hewlett-Packard who advised †¦ we dont have a choice †¦ (McKenzie, 2000, p. 30). The tie-in between monopoly power and market dominance has been explained by Franklin Fisher, the chief economist for the Justice Department as Monopoly power is a substantial degree of market power, or the ability of a firm (a) to charge a price significantly in excess of competitive levels and (b) to do so over a significant period of time (McKenzie, 2000, p. 30). Fisher further asserts that Microsoft’s dominance in the market â€Å"†¦ is protected by barriers to entry in the form of economies of scale in production, network effects, and switching costs †¦ (McKenzie, 2 000, p. 30). Fisher adds that â€Å"There are no reasonable substitutes for Microsoft’s Windows operating system for Intel-compatible desktop PCs. Operating systems for non-Intel-compatible computers are not a reasonable substitute for Microsoft’s Windows operating system because there would be high costs to switching to non-Intel-compatible computers like Mac and Unix† (McKenzie, 2000, p. 30). However, the monopolistic tendencies of Microsoft have not resulted in the company charging higher prices as a result of its dominant position. This view was put forth by the chief economic consultant for the state attorneys general in that â€Å"†¦the absence of viable competitors in Intel-compatible operating systems means that Microsoft doesnt have to worry about raising its price or using its economic weight in other ways †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (McKenzie, 2000, p. 30). He asserts that â€Å" †¦ a monopolist would continue to raise its price so long as its profits rose. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (McKenzie, 2000, p. 31). Something that Microsoft has not done. Such is inconsistent with the manner in which monopolists behave. The line of reasoning for the preceding is that â€Å"†¦the cost of the operating system represents on average 2.5 percent of the price of personal computers (and at most 10 percent for very inexpensive personal computers), so even a 10 percent increase in the pr ice of the OS [operating system] would result at most in a 1 percent increase in the price of even inexpensive PCs †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (McKenzie, 2000, p. 31). Warren-Boulton thus concludes â€Å"†¦that Microsofts price for Windows is very likely far below the monopoly price †¦Ã¢â‚¬  which is a result of â€Å"†¦the so-called coefficient of the price elasticity of demand facing any firm (the ratio of the percentage change in the quantity to the percentage change in the price †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (McKenzie, 2000, p. 31). Therefore, argues McKenzie (2000, p. 32) a monopolist would not price its product in the very low range, â€Å"†¦because a very low elasticity implies that a price increase will increase profits †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , thus the government’s case has opposing views of Microsoft’s monopolist position, a telling facet in considering the overall implications of the company. The foregoing direct contradicts Franklin Fisher’s, the chief economist for the Justice Department, claims that Microsoft earns â€Å" †¦ superhigh profits †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , which its low prices does not support (McKenzie, 2000, p. 32). Thus, in being a so-called monopolist, Microsoft’s pricing policies do not reflect the behaviour of one. The complicated market, competitive, product and business realities of Microsoft in a competitive market must also be viewed as the company taking actions to protect its position through new product introductions as well as making it difficult for compe titors to gain an edge, the manner in which all firms operate if they intend to remain in business and continue as market leaders. The fact that Microsoft provides its Internet browser free along with its operating system, serves the interest of customers in that they have this feature already available in the purchase of their computers. It also represents a competitive action that limits other browsers from gaining an edge in the market. McKenzie (2000, p. 32) aptly points our that â€Å" †¦ Any firm that is dominant in a software market isnt likely to want to give up its dominance, especially if there are substantial economies of scale in production and network effects in demand †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , something with both Fisher as well as Warren-Boulton indicate is true in the software industry. McKenzie (2000, p. 32) adds that if Microsoft where to start losing market share for its operating system â€Å"†¦it could anticipate problems in keeping its applications network intact, which could mean its market share could spiral downward as a new market entrant makes sales and those sales lead to more and more applications being written for the new operating system †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The flaw in the monopolist argue, as pointed out by McKenzie (2000. p. 34) is that even if a company had a 100% share of the market â€Å"†¦it must price and develop its product as though it actually had market rivals because the fi rm has to fear the entry of potential competitors †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . To make his point, McKenzie (2000, p. 34) points to classic microeconomics textbooks that teach that a monopolist represents a ‘single producer’ â€Å"†¦that is capable of restricting output, raising its prices above competitive levels, and imposing its will on buyers †¦Ã¢â‚¬  therefore in the position of the U.S. Justice Department, Microsoft’s high, 90%, market share is a near or almost monopoly, that McKenzie (2000, p. 34) aptly states is like almost being pregnant, you either are or you aren’t. To illustrate his point, McKenzie (2000, p. 34) points to the company called Signature Software, which at the time had â€Å"†¦100 percent of the market for a program that allows computer users to type their letters and e-mails in a font that is derived from their own handwriting†. He adds that despite it being the singular producer in the market, the company â€Å"†¦prices its software very modestly, simply because the program can be duplicated with relative ease.† McKenzie (2000, p. 34) also points out that Netscape at one time almost completely dominated the browser market, yet did not price its advantage in monopolist fashion. In protecting its position, Microsoft developed and introduced new products, all of which any other firm had the opportunity to do and thus innovate, yet such did not happen. McKenzie (2000, p. 137) asserts that the aggressive development of new products by Microsoft was in defense of its market position as well as being good marketi ng and customer satisfaction practices. He points to the following innovations by Microsoft that helped to cement is market dominance and stave off competitive inroads, all of which could have been created by other firms (McKenzie, 2000, p. 137): 1975 Microsoft develops BASIC as the first programming language written for the PC. A feat that could have been accomplished by anther firm had they innovated and gotten the initial contract with Altair for the 8800. 1983 Microsoft developed the first mouse based PC word processing program, Word. 1985 The company develops the first PC based word processing system to support the use of a laser printer. 1987 Microsoft’s Windows/386 became the first operating system to utilize the new Intel 32-bit 80386 processor. 1987 Microsoft’s introduces Excel, the first spreadsheet that was designed for Windows. 1989 Word became the first word processing system to offer tables. 1989 Microsoft Office becomes the first business productivity application offering a full suite of office tools. 1991 Word becomes the first productivity program to incorporate multimedia into its operation. 1991 Word version 2.0 becomes the first word processing program to provide drag and drop capability. 1995 Internet Explorer becomes the first browser to support multimedia and 3D graphics 1996 Microsoft’s Intellimouse is the first pointing device to utilize a wheel to aid in navigation. 1996 Microsoft introduces Picture It, the first program to permit consumers to create, enhance and share photo quality images over their PC’s. 1997 DirectX becomes the first multimedia architecture to integrate Internet ready services. 1998 Microsoft’s WebTV in conjunction with the hit television show Baywatch becomes the first internationally syndicated Internet-enhanced season finale. 1999 Windows 2000, which later becomes Windows NT adds the following innovations as firsts to a PC operating system, Text to speech engine, Multicast protocol algorithms that are reliable, Improvements in the performance registry, Inclusion of DirectX, Vision based user interfaces, Handwriting recognition, and a number of other innovations to enhance its operating system, and maintain as well as increase its market position. The preceding represents examples of innovation spurred by Microsoft that could have been introduced by its competitors in various fields first, but where not. Thus, Microsoft in these instances, as well as others introduce consumer enhancing innovations to further its market dominance through aggressive new product development, a path that was open to others as well. 2.2 Bundling, Innovative or Stifling Competition Rosenbaum’s (1998) book â€Å"Market Dominance: How Firms Gain, Hold, or Lose it and the impact on Economic Performance† provides a perspective on the means via which companies gain as well as lose market share, and the tactics they employ to best their competition. Few people remember that when Microsoft introduced Microsoft Word and Excel, the dominant software programs for word processing and spreadsheets were Lotus 1-2-3- and WordPerfect (Rosenbaum, 1998, p. 168). In fact, WordPerfect was the application found in all businesses, period (Rosenbaum, 1998, p. 168). Each of the preceding applications cost approximately $300, which Microsoft bested by selling his Office Suite program for $250. Through providing limited use Word programs in Windows, consumer had the chance to test Word before buying it (Rosenbaum, 1998, p. 168). More importantly, Microsoft’s spreadsheet, word processing, presentation programs were simply better and easier to use that the competitio n. By innovatively offering a free limited version of Word with the operating system, Microsoft induced trial, to which it had to follow up on with a better product. In looking at competitive practices and competition analysis, there is a relationship that exists between the structure of the market and innovation, to which Hope (2000, p. 35) poses the question as to â€Å"†¦whether monopoly is more conducive to innovation than competition †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Hope (29000, p. 35) indicates that in response to the foregoing, there is no â€Å"†¦clear-cut answer, probably because there is none †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Hope (2000, p. 35 puts forth the theory that â€Å"†¦Most economists, and virtually all designers of competition policy, take market structure as their starting point as something which is somehow, almost exogenously, given (although it may be affected by competition policy), and which produces results in terms of costs, prices, innovations, etc †¦Ã¢â‚¬  However, Hope (2000, p. 35) tells us that this is wrong, based upon elementary microeconomics, as â€Å"†¦Market structure is inherently endogenous†¦ (and is) â⠂¬ ¦ determined by the behaviour of existing firms and by entry of new ones, simultaneously with costs, prices, product ranges, and investments in RD and marketing†. Exogenous variables, if they in fact exist in a particular situation, represent facets such as product fundamentals such as â€Å"†¦production processes, entry conditions, the initial preferences of the consumers, variables determined in other markets, and government policy †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hope, 2000, p. 35). As a result, Hope (2000, p. 35) advises that the questions as to whether â€Å"†¦there will be more innovation with monopoly than with competition is no more meaningful than to ask whether price-cost margins will be higher if costs are high than if they are low †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . 2.2.1 Bundling Examples in Other Industries Aron and Wildman (1999, p. 2) make the analogy of Microsoft’s bundling methodology with that of cable television whereby a broadcaster how owns a â€Å"†¦ marquee channel can preclude competition in thematic channels (such as comedy or science fiction channels) by bundling their own thematic channels with the †¦Ã¢â‚¬  marquee channel. The preceding illustrates the idea that consumers tend to value channels such as HBO, Cinemax and Showtime that their reputation helps to cause consumers to consider other program platforms they offer. These channels advertise their other channels on their marquee stations and vise versa, offering bundling of channels at reduced prices to encourage purchase. Aron and Wildman (1999, p. 2) offer the logic that â€Å"†¦a provider that attempts to compete by offering a thematic channel on a stand-alone basis, without an anchor channel, would not be able to survive the competitive pressure of a rival with an anchor.† The argume nt that having a marquee channel, or anchor, is key to the viability of broadcasters is supported by the development of pay television in the United Kingdom. Aron and Wildman (1999, p. 2). The dominant pay television supplier is BSkyB which controls â€Å"†¦most of the critical programming rights in Britain, enabling it to use bundled pricing to execute a price squeeze against rivals †¦Ã¢â‚¬  which as in the case of Microsoft â€Å"†¦the pay television industry is that a firm that monopolizes one product (here, an anchor channel) can effectively leverage that monopoly to preclude competition in another product market by using bundled pricing† (Aron and Wildman, 1999, p. 2). Aron and Wildman (1999, p. 3) provide another example of how firms utilize bundling to inhibit their competition, through the example of Abbott and Ortho laboratories, which produce blood-screening tests utilized to test blood that is donated for viruses. Interestingly Abbott produced all five of the test utilized to check for viruses, whereas Ortho only produced three, thus Abbott bundled the five tests in a manner that Ortho was unable to compete, thus effectively making it a monopolist (Aron and Wildman (1999, p. 3). Were these good business practices that this enabled Abbott to increase its market share at the expense of another company that did not innovate in producing all five tests to complete? Ortho claimed that â€Å"†¦Abbott was effectively a monopolist in two of the tests, Ortho claimed that Abbott could and did use a bundled pricing strategy to leverage its monopoly into the other non-monopolized tests and preclude competition there† (Aron and Wildman, 1999, p. 3). The preceding examples show â€Å"†¦that a monopolist can preclude competition using a bundled pricing strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Aron and Wildman, 1999, p. 3) and that in so doing can accomplish such without charging prices in excess of what is reasonable for their customers, which makes sound business sense in that capturing the market thus eliminates the need for such, and also provides the business condition that prevents competitors from re-entering the market at lower prices. Thus it is rational for a monopolist to behave as if competitors exist, which in fact they will if it provides such an opportunity through increased pricing. The examples indicated show that â€Å" †¦ it is indeed possible in equilibrium for a provider who monopolizes one product (or set of products) to profitably execute a fatal price squeeze against a rival in another product by using a bundled pricing strategy† (Aron and Wildman, 1999, p. 3). 2.3 The Case Against Microsoft Spinello (2002, p. 83) in his work â€Å"Regulating Cyberspace: The Policies and Technologies of Control† inform us that there are four distinct aspects of the United States government case which is based upon violations of the Sherman Act, which are as follows: The company’s monopolization of the PC operating systems market was achieved via anticompetitive means, specially in the instance of the utilization of its browser, in violation of â€Å"Section 2 of the Sherman Act, which declares that it is unlawful for a person or firm to â€Å"monopolize†¦any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations† (Spinello, 2002, p. 83). That Microsoft engaged in â€Å"†¦Unlawful exclusive dealing arrangements in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act (this category includes Microsoft’s exclusive deal with America Online)† (Spinello, 2002, p. 83). That Microsoft in its attempt to maintain it competitive edge in browser software â€Å"†¦attempted to illegally amass monopoly power in the browser market) in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Spinello, 2002, p. 83). And that the bundling of its browser along with the operating system was in violation of â€Å"†¦Section 1 of the Sherman Act (Section 1 of this act prohibits contracts, combinations, and conspiracies in restraint of trade, and this includes tying arrangements) †¦Ã¢â‚¬  †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Spinello, 2002, p. 83). Spinello (2002, p. 89) provides an analysis of the Department of Justice case against the company utilizing a distinct example as represented by Netscape. He contends that the option for consumer choice was never inhibited by Microsoft, and that Netscape’s own practices contributed to the decline in popularity of its browser. Chapter 3 –Analysis 3.1 Bundling, Competitive or Market Restrictive? The Concise Dictionary of Business Management (Statt, 1999, p. 109) defines a monopoly as â€Å"A situation in which a market is under the control or domination of a single organization †. The Dictionary continues that â€Å"This condition is generally considered to be met at one-quarter to one-third of the market in question (and that) †¦ A monopoly is contrary to the ideal of the free market and is therefore subject to legal sanctions in all industrialized countries with a capitalist or mixed economy†. In addressing this facet of the Microsoft case, McKenzie (2000, p. 27) elaborates that Microsoft’s market position as a ‘single seller’ in the market as a result of its dominance represents â€Å"†¦ latent, if not kinetic, monopoly power† and in the opinion of the judge presiding over the case, the company is â€Å"†¦illegally exploiting its market power in various ways to its own advantage and to the detriment of existing and potential market rivals and, more important, consumers†. This goes to the heart of the matter concerning the assertion that Microsoft’s monopolist approach is stifling competition and innovation as its bundling practices effectively eliminates software such as Netscape and others from becoming an option for other companies as the Internet browser Explorer comes preloaded with Windows and Vista operating software. This view was publicly asserted by the United States Attorney General at the time, Janet Reno in a 1997 press conference where she stated on behalf of the Justice Department that Microsoft is unlawfully taking advantage of its Windows monopoly to protect and extend that monopoly (McKenzie, 2000, p. 27). Gillett and Vogelsang (1999, p. xiv) in â€Å"Competition, Regulation, and Convergence: Current Trends in Telecommunications Policy Research† advise that â€Å"†¦Bundling is a contentious element of software competition that has been at the heart of the Microsoft antitrust litigation, and represents an integral aspect in the examination of how and if Microsoft’s monopolistic approach to software bundling has an effect on innovation and competition. They state that â€Å" †¦ through bundling, can profitably extend this monopoly to another product, for which it faces competition from a firm offering a superior product (in the sense that it would generate more surplus than the product offered by the monopolist) (Gillett and Vogelsang, 1999, p. xiv). They continue that â€Å"†¦Bundling the two products turns out to be an equilibrium outcome that makes society in general and consumers in particular worse off than they would be with competition without bundl ing †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Gillett and Vogelsang (1999, p. xiv) offer the idea that â€Å"†¦bundling is likely to be welfare reducing and that unbundling would not be a suitable remedy †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Aron and Wildman (1999, p. 1) advise us that through the use of bundling a company can exclude its rivals through the combined pricing, thus successfully leveraging its monopoly power. They continue that the preceding represents part of an equilibrium strategy by which the monop

Hereditary Component Analysis for MS

Hereditary Component Analysis for MS The family and twin studies provide evidence of the presence of an important hereditary component in the etiology of MS, with percentages of heritability ranging from 24% to 31.6% (Bellia et al., 2009; Lin et al. ., 2005; Oneill et al., 2015). Among the etiopathogenic models to explain the origin of MS, partial lipodystrophy, which results from mutations in the LAMINA A / C (LMNA) genes or the peroxisomal proliferator activated receptor (PPARg) gene, is a paradigm of genetic processes Involved (Hegele and Pollex, 2005). The PPARg gene, which is involved in the processes of differentiation and functioning of adipocytes, is believed to be related to the etiopathogenesis of obesity (Ristow et al., 1998; Moustafa and Froguel, 2013). Specifically, the ÃŽ ±-form of PPAR is believed to play an essential role in the origin of MS, since it regulates the oxidation and transport of fatty acids and the generation of lipoproteins (Guan and Breyer 2001, Tan, Zhuang and Wahli, 2017). PPARÃŽ ³ is a key regulator in the process of adipogenesis and its increased function results in increased body mass, whereas decreased activity induces weight loss and the development of IR ( Deeb et al., 1998, Majid et al., 2016). The adiponectin regulatory gene (APN gene), a hormone involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis, and glucose and lipid metabolism, could induce IR by reducing the synthesis of this hormone (Maeda et al. , 2002; Yamauchi et al., 2003). Plasma adiponectin levels are inversely related to body mass and may have an important protective role against MS because of its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiatherogenic effects (Esfahani et al., 2015). In addition, certain genetic polymorphisms have been identified for this gene that are related to the synthesis of insulin, IR and DM (Filippi et al., 2004). The CD36 receptor gene for thrombospondin, whose function is to bind and capture fatty acids to be used by other tissues, is also a candidate in the etiopathogenesis of MS (Love-Gregory et al., 2008; Zhou et al., 2016 ), Since we know that fatty acids induce IR, obesity and inflammation (Roden, 2007). It is described that CD36 deficiency causes an imbalance in glucose levels in response to insulin, as well as higher levels of fatty acids, TR, fasting glucose and blood pressure (MA) (Ma et al., 2004: Pioltine et al. Al., 2017). The enzyme 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11ÃŽ ²-HSD1), whose function is to interconvert 11-inert ketosteroids, cortisone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone (11-DHC), to its 11-hydroxy active forms, cortisol and corticosterone. 11ÃŽ ²-HSD1 is considered to have an important etiological factor in obesity. Although circulating concentrations of glucocorticoids are not elevated in prevalent forms of human obesity, locally enhanced glucocorticoid response in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue has been implicated in MS (Walker, 2007; Cai et al., 2016) . Clinically, RI and HT are associated with increased messenger RNA alpha glucocorticoid receptors (GRÃŽ ±) and the number of receptors in skeletal muscle, and a positive association between messenger RNA levels for both GR Such as 11ÃŽ ²-HSD1 in skeletal muscle for the condition of insulin resistance (Seckl, Morton and Chapman 2004; Freude et al., 2016). Î’-adrenergic receptors regulate the lipolysis and metabolism of free fatty acids. The ÃŽ ²3-adrenergic receptor (ÃŽ ²3AR) is a candidate gene for abdominal obesity and is related to visceral fat (Krief et al., 1993; Chen et al., 2015). Increased ÃŽ ²3AR function leads to increased catecholamine-induced lipolysis in the visceral fat of subjects with abdominal obesity, as well as to a lower metabolic rate and a lower activity of the resting sympathetic nervous system, all of them characteristics of MS (Shihara et al. Groop and Orho-Melander, 2001, Luglio, Sulistyoningrum and Susilowati, 2015) The Calpain-10 gene (CAPN10), which encodes the corresponding protein, has been associated with an increased risk of DM and RI becoming a strong candidate in the pathogenesis of MS (Orho-Melander et al., 2002; Loya Mà ©ndez Et al., 2014). It is also related to hypertension (Chen et al., 2007), overweight and obesity (Orozco et al., 2014), high cholesterol (Wu et al., 2005) and elevated triglyceride levels (Carlsson, Fredriksson et al. Groop, 2004), all components of the syndrome being analyzed. Another scientific work found in a haplotype of the polymorphism of this gene a risk factor for MS in patients with DM (Kang et al., 2006). It also establishes association with two indicators of the presence of IR, such as high glucose levels after a tolerance test and with HOMA values of RI (Saez et al., 2008). Other genes possibly implicated are those that encode the C-reactive protein, the best inflammatory biomarker, a characteristic of MS and also a predictor of CVR (Devaraj, Singh and Jialal, 2009), as well as the encoder of substrate 1 Of the insulin receptor (IRS1), whose mutations are associated with DM and IR (Kubota et al., 2000). In any case, the genetic ethiopatology leaves unresolved the controversy regarding the predisposing causative factor of MS, since in the scientific community there are defenders of the IR as the main factor involved, while others are inclined to obesity and metabolic dysfunction Of lipids as the most important agent (Alberti et al., 2009; Dragsbà ¦k et al., 2016; Gluvic et al., 2017).

Ecological Role of Termites in Dry Environments :: Environmental Ecology Research Papers

Ecological Role of Termites in Dry Environments Termites are predominantly thought of as destructive and menacing creatures that serve only a small part in Earth’s ecology. The contrary, however, is a more accurate description of the incredible niche that this animal fulfills, particularly amid arid and infertile environments. The inhospitable outback of Australia receives a minute amount of annual precipitation. The shortage of moisture has led to an astounding adaption of the few animals that continue living there, notably the termites. Water is required by all living things to stay alive; this fact is not lost on termites. Several species of termites have evolved to such a degree that entire colonies are able to exist entirely within their self-manufactured environments, sometimes even entirely within a piece of dead wood. Recycling everything they use, the termites construct ingenious mounds with their waste materials and prevent moisture from escaping by packing everything together, forming water proof pavements. The t ermites’ ability to metabolize cellulose with a mutualistic symbiotic relationship allows them to decompose dead plant material and recycle the nutrients back to the environment. Overall, termites are the most important decomposers in dry environments because of their ability to recycle nutrients, form soil, and retain moisture. Introduction It seems natural to dislike termites. Most of them are very small, off-white, alien-looking insects, they live in the darkness, and they have a reputation for being â€Å"pests† by causing millions of dollars in damage to wooden structures and vegetation all around the world. Thomas Snyder exhibits this widespread negative view of termites in the title of his 1948 book, Our Enemy The Termite. Nevertheless, recent studies and discoveries have begun to correct the downbeat view of the termite. Surely a creature that exists (or has existed) on every continent in a wide range of environments has a greater ecological niche than a â€Å"pest†. Recent studies into the evolution of this order of insects suggests a much more accurate relationship of their contribution to the environment now and in the millions of years they have existed. The termites’ ability to adapt to arid environments has led them to fill the important role of decomposition where common decomposers su ch as bacteria and fungi cannot function. Australia is an ideal place to study the effects of dry environments on termites because of the low precipitation and elevated heat levels of the desert and savanna. Background Taxonomically, all termites can be placed into Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta, and Order Isoptera.

The Return of Depression Economics :: essays papers

The Return of Depression Economics From the many economy-related books available I read The Return of Depression Economics by Paul Krugman. This book was written during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990’s. Many say that Krugman wrote this book much too quickly to be fully correct on every issue that he wrote about in this book. Krugman mainly focuses on financial crises of the 1990’s and mostly on the Asian financial crisis. This book was very interesting to read even though I did not fully understand every issue he covered. In this book Krugman laid out the basic fundamentals of global economy and the choices we had to get ourselves out of the Asian financial crisis. With the Asian financial crisis done and over with, many of Krugman’s thoughts and choices are now out-of-date. Even though there were an option at the time but now dated, they were interesting and I agreed on many of his points. Krugman believes that Mexico’s crisis was a three-act play with Mexico as act one , Asia as number two and us finishing off as act three. During the 1990’s there have been many currency crises around the world. For example, Britain and Sweden in 1992 to Mexico and Argentina in 1995 to East Asia's rim in 1997 to Brazil in 1998-1999. These crises are better known as financial â€Å"panics†. There are many different things that can trigger a financial crisis but I will explain Krugman’s classic example of the â€Å"panic†. International investors in New York, Frankfurt, London, and Tokyo are known as main investors. These main investors invest their huge amounts of money in countries that they think are doing well. From this â€Å"hunch† they flood their billions of dollars, about $70 billion into Asia, into a country’s economy. If they feel that they have made a poor financial investment they quickly pull their money out of the market at huge losses. These main investors cause a stampede of smaller investors to also pull their money out of the economy at sale prices. Th is causes a panic and seems to have a snowball effect. So in effect the country that once was flooded with billions of dollars is left off worse and soon is facing economic troubles. This panic has a tendency to effect surrounding countries.

Asian Culture and Healthcare Essay -- Healthcare

Culture is a very important factor to the Asian community. Their whole lives, from their religion, to how they interact with one another, to how they view health care is all dependent on tradition and beliefs. At the third largest majority group, there are almost 12 million Asian or Asian American people living in the United States (Spector, 2009, p 232). Of them, 10.2 million are just Asian, and 1.7 million are Asian mixed with one or more other races. Being Asian refers to having origins to the people from the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. This area uses over 30 different languages and cultures, and has many different religions. One thing that they have in common is their belief in the religion and philosophy, Taoism. Taoism originated in ancient China from a man named Lao-Tzu. Tao has many meanings, including way, path or discourse. Spiritually, it is the way to ultimate reality, or the way of all nature that regulates heavenly and earthly matters. The Chinese believe that the universe is a vast entity, and everything has a definite function. Nothing can exist without the existence of another because everything is linked together, and is kept in harmonious balance. Health is the state of spiritual and physical harmony with nature. When this balance is violated, the result is illness. To remain healthy, those following Taoism believe that they must conform their actions to the â€Å"mobile cycle of the correspondences† (Spector, 2009, p 235). There are two main components to the important idea of traditional Chinese medicine. First is that the human body is regarded as a complete organism that needs to remain in harmony with itself. During sickness, the whole body is regarded, instead of just the affected ... ...r patients with different cultural beliefs, attitudes and health care practices. Knowing a patient's culture can dramatically improve patient compliance, care and earn patient respect. Works Cited Gupta, V. (2010). Impact of culture on healthcare seeking behavior of Asian Indians. Journal Of Cultural Diversity, 17(1), 13-19. Joswick, D. (2012). What acupuncture can treat. Retrieved from https://www.acufinder.com/ Acupuncture+Information/Detail/What+can+acupuncture+treat+ Spector, R. E. (2009). Cultural diversity in health and illness (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Zhao, M., Esposito, N., & Wang, K. (2010). Cultural beliefs and attitudes toward health and health care among Asian-born women in the United States. JOGNN: Journal Of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 39(4), 370-385. doi:10.1111/j.1552-6909.2010.01151.x

Individual Learning Essay

Work-study Enterprise (WSE), founded in 1994 in Matteson, Illinois offers childcare and early childhood education. WSE believes in developing the whole child and strives to show God’s love to all entering its doors. WSE enrollment is open to kid’s age 2 through 15 and offers a safe and positive environment for all. In addition, the organization offers before and after school programs, to include summer camps. A for-profit organization, WSE seeks to keep enrollment high in order to make child care cost affordable for all in the Chicago land area (Mitchell & Mitchell, Work-study Enterprise, April 4, 2013). SWOT Analysis Balanced Scorecard According to Blocher (2010), the balanced scorecard (BSC) is an accounting report that includes the firm’s critical success factors in four areas: (1) financial performance, (2) customer satisfaction, (3) internal processes, and (4) learning and growth (p.11). The following is a balanced scorecard for Work-study Enterprise Inc. Critical Success Factor Objective Measure Target Initiative Financial performance Increase Income Annual growth of income from specific courses +5% by end of fiscal year 20141 Offer more specific topics of tutoring (algebra, statistics, etc.) Reduce overhead expenses Annual Expenses -10% by end of fiscal year 20142 Explore tax benefits, give philanthropic contributions, and apply for government subsidies Customer satisfaction Retain Current Enrollees Enrollee turnover -10% by end of fiscal year 20143 Improve communication between staff and parents Enroll New Clientele Clientele enrollment count 25 additional contracts by end of fiscal year 20144 Improve marketing campaigns and courses offered to attract new clients Internal Process Increase GPA Number of grading periods to raise letter grade in a particular subject < 6 weeks Implement strict policy and procedure for increasing letter grade/GPA Learning and Growth Improve Tutorial Service through training classes Number of tutors lacking new tutorial training Increase by 50% by end of 2014 Implement a tutorial training program, providing training opportunities each month Discussion of Critical Success Factors (CFSs) CFSs are defined as â€Å"the limited number of areas in which results, if they are satisfactory, will ensure competitive performance for the organization† (Ram & Corkindale, 2014, p.152). Work-study Enterprise (WSE) will be able to deliver quality tutorial services for affordable prices, when the costs and quality of its services are addressed. The implementation of critical success factors will allow WSE to process each success factor into a particular category. Work-study Enterprise, Inc., can accomplish this by focusing on financial and tutorial goals that are in sync  with one another. Work-study Enterprise can achieve this by changing the way in which the company hires tutors. Financial The first CSF is financial performance. Financial performance is important because it measures the profitability and market value which are good indicators of how well the firm satisfies its owners and shareholders (Blocher, 2010, p.11). If a company can increase profits while decreasing its overhead, it will be in a better position to maintain positive profits. Profitability is gained strictly on how well WSE choose each critical success factor. The bottom line is to satisfy the owners. This critical success factor is not mutually exclusive, and depends on the other CFSs to keep Work-study Enterprise Inc doors open for business. Customer Satisfaction The second CSF is customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is important because satisfied customers tend to be loyal and repeat buyers. Measures of quality, service, and low cost, are three good indicators of how well a company satisfies its customer (Blocher, 2010, p.11). The objective here is for WSE to retain current enrollees and enroll new clientele. Current enrollees are the ones that continue to pay the bills (operating expenses), and enrolling new clientele helps increase profits thus assisting the financial CSF. Work-study Enterprise is looking to add online learning because it will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of it program (Cheawjindakarn, Suwannatthachote, & Theeraroungchaisri, 2012, p.61). This can be accomplished by hiring online tutors. A case study found that in order for online-course resources to be used effectively, the CFSs that need to be considered are: human factors pertaining to the instructors; the instructors’ and students’ tec hnical competency; the instructors’ and students’ mindset (about learning); the level of collaboration intrinsic in the course; and the level of perceived IT infrastructure and technical support (Soong, Chan, Chua, & Loh, 2000, p.102). These same CFSs align with WSE success factors. The human factors pertaining to the instructors can be found under financial CSF. The instructors and students technical competency is important in the learning and growth CSF. The instructors and students mindset about learning can be found in the internal process of improving the letter grade or increasing a  student’s GPA in less than 6 weeks. The level of collaboration intrinsic in the course and the level of perceived IT infrastructure and technical support can be found in customer satisfaction critical success factor. Internal Process The third CSF is internal process. WSE internal process is important because it measures efficiency and effectiveness of its services (Blocher, 2010, p.11). Greater efficiency and effectiveness can result in satisfied clients and more business. Raising GPAs and/or letter grades in tutorial services are very important. If a student is failing in a subject or is having a hard time comprehending the way his or teacher instructs, parents generally seek tutorial services. If WSE are able to help students by raising their GPA or letter grade, clients will want to continue with their services. This is why the choice to raise a letter grade in less than 6 weeks is a critical success factor. Learning and Growth The fourth CSF is learning and growth. Learning and growth is important because it can help develop and utilize human resources and strategic goals (Blocher, 2010, p.11). By increasing the learning of the tutors, not only do the tutors become better and more efficient in their services, the parents/students become more satisfied. The addition of a tutorial training program will help with the growth of the tutors and the enterprise (Cherryl Mitchell, Work-study Enterprise, April 4, 2014). Tutoring has become an increasingly effective tool for academic support in the last 25 to 30 years (Holliday, 2012, p.21). This is why many universities and colleges offer tutorial services, however, outcomes may vary depending on the tutor to student interaction. Evaluation of Work-study Enterprise Inc. Financial Reducing the overhead expenses in order to increase higher revenues is the objective for any rationale organization, if not all. This is because every company would like to maximize its profits in the most efficient way while still providing an effective service to its clientele. Work-study’s goal is to increase its profits by 5 percent, and by offering more specific  topics of tutoring such as algebra, statistics, chemistry, etc, the tutorial service is on track. Offering a wider range of courses to tutor will target new customers and offer more services to existing clients thus bringing in more profits for the company. By exploring tax benefits, giving philanthropic contributions, and applying for government subsidies, the company can help reduce overhead. In addition, if the company increases its efficiency in the internal process CSF, a decrease of 10 percent of its overhead can be obtained by year end 2014. The financial CSF appears to be on target at Work-study Enterpr ise, Inc. It may be impossible to eliminate all overhead; however, taking advantage of the aforementioned can minimize some overhead expenses. Customer Satisfaction One objective under the customer satisfaction CFS is to retain current enrollees. A growing body of empirical work supports the fundamental logic that customer satisfaction should positively influence customer retention (Anderson, Fornell, & Mazvancheryl, 2004, p.173). Work-study Enterprise realizes that their customers are the key to their success thus stressing the importance of great communication. Furthermore, satisfied customers are able to make positive recommendations to others. Since its inception in 1995, communication between staff and parents is of the utmost importance to Work-study Enterprise. Through great communication WSE have been able to reiterate special incentives to existing customers, receive feedback about the services rather good or bad, and settle disputes in a prompt manner. Implementing good lines of communication between its staff and parents has allowed WSE to keep clients for as long as the program will permit the child’s age. In 2010, Work-study Enterprises signed a contract with District 162, which allowed WSE to offer its services to all the schools in its district. By securing a contract with District 162, WSE is on track for meeting the objective of adding 25 more contracts. Furthermore, as a result of signing with the district, WSE marketing campaign has opened opportunities for securing more districts. Internal Process Work-study Enterprises Inc. seeks to increase the letter grade or GPA of a student less than 6 weeks. This time starts on the first day a student  meets with a tutor and ends 6 weeks after. Though students receive report cards 4 times a year or every 9 weeks, WSE likes to guarantee 6 weeks to increase a child’s letter grade. If the grade is not increased, the tutors will have an additional 3 weeks to spend more time with the student (s). The implementation of strict policies and procedures for increasing letter grades/GPAs has allowed WSE clients to pass their courses, as well as retain satisfied customers. Learning and Growth In the past, clients of Work-study Enterprise have committed on the disparity in training of its tutors. The majority of the tutors at WSE are high-school and current college students. However, the disparity in training will be rectified by offering a tutorial training each month. The critical success factor seeks to increase to their goal of 50 percent by the end of 2014. The addition of this tutorial program each month has allowed tutors to provide a greater learning opportunity for the students. In addition, WSE is in the process of hiring a new trainer to focus specifically on training tutors. Overall Work-study Enterprise Inc. is on track of achieving each of its critical success factors by the end of 2014. As previously mentioned, critical success factors are interdependent. In other words, all critical success factors must work in tandem in order for Work-study Enterprise Inc. to achieve its strategic goals. The bible tells us â€Å"Faith without works is dead† (James 2 :26 KJV). Just because one prays does not mean that his business will be successful. Business owners must develop a strategy and work that strategy. Work-study Enterprise Inc have been working their strategy for nearly a decade and this is why their company is still going strong. Reference Anderson, E.W., Fornell, C. & Mazvancheryl, S.K. (2004). Customer satisfaction and shareholder value. Journal of Marketing, 68(4). p. 172-185 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/30162024 Blocher, E. J., Stout, D. E., Juras, P.E., & Cokins, G. (2010). Cost Management: A Strategic Emphasis (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin Publishing. Cheawjindakarn, B., Suwannatthachote, P., & Theeraroungchaisri, A. (2012). Critical success factors for online distance learning in higher education: A review of the literature. Creative Education, 3, p.61-66. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1353565510?accountid=12085 Holliday, T. (2012). Evaluating the effectiveness of tutoring: an easier way. The Learning Assistance Review17(2). p. 21-32. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA308883380&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=a5e72816293a40e9cba7076990429c51 Ram, J., & Corkindale, D. (2014). How â€Å"critical† are the critical success factors (CFSs)?: Examining the role of CFSs for ERP. Business Process Management Journal, 20(1). p.151-174. Retrieved from 10.1108/BPMJ-11-2012-0127 Soong, M.H., Chan, H.C., Chua, B.C., & Loh, K.F. (2001). Critical success factors for on-line course resources. Computer & Education, 36, p.101-120. 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