The Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease - 2327 Words

Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD) a neurodegenerative disease that affects memory, thinking and behavior and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 1 in 4 people that reach the age 80-84 are expected to develop Alzheimer’s, and it is expected to affect 30-40 million people worldwide by the year 2050 (Steele, et. al, 2006). This disease is not a normal part of aging. However, the risk of onset increases with age, as well as underlying inflammatory processes. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease with the most common reported system being difficulty recalling newly learned information. As the disease progresses, an affected individual may experience disorientation, mood changes, behavior changes, confusion, memory loss, suspicion about family and friends, walking difficulty and an inability to carry on a conversation. Simultaneously, the brain of the affected individual develops increasing amounts of plaque (deposits of the protein beta-amylo id that form between neurons) and tangles (twisted fibers called tau that build inside neurons). These deposits interfere with neuron conduction and may lead to neuronal apoptosis. It is widely accepted that omega-3 fatty acids and brain health have a positive relationship. Therefore, we wanted to analyze a diet that was high in this essential nutrient to determine its’ relationship with Alzheimer’s disease prevention. One diet in particular, the Mediterranean diet (characteristic of Greek cuisine), isShow MoreRelatedThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease1421 Words   |  6 Pagesengulfed by a mysterious disease. The neurons being cut off and destroyed by two abnormal structures. First memory is affected gradually getting worse. Then one is unable to think properly, reason, and lacks of self control. Gaps are formed in the brain s ventricles, due to the amount of dead tissue. In the end, it will lead to death. All of this may sound like something from a science fiction movie but infact its very real. These are all known possible symptoms of a common disease that affects aboutRead MoreThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease1677 Words   |  7 Pagesone th ing Alzheimer s cannot take away, and that is love. Love is not a memory - it s a feeling that resides in your heart and soul.† (Fade to Blank). The human brain is a remarkably complex organ that processes, stores, and recalls information. â€Å"Alzheimer s disease (AD) is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that is characterized by impairment of memory and eventually by disturbances in reasoning, planning, language, and perception. Many scientists believe that Alzheimer s disease resultsRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Disease935 Words   |  4 Pageswith Alzheimer’s disease. This disease is commonly found in the elderly. This explains why people assume older people have a bad memory. Alzheimer’s does not occur in a short period of time, it typically takes months to develop. It involves gradual memory loss due to two specific protein fragments that spread to different parts of the brain killing brain cells as they go. As mentioned in the article Alzheim er’s Disease Fact Sheet (2015), Dr. Alois Alzheimer first discovered the disease by noticing somethingRead MoreThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease1304 Words   |  6 Pagesperson knows well, or asking questions continuously can be signs of a more serious problem. It is a disease of the brain that started slowly and gets worse as the time progresses. Alzheimer’s is a progressive destroying of brain tissue that primarily strikes people over the age of 65. Brain functions such as memory, comprehension, and speech deteriorate. The term first introduced by Dr. Alois Alzheimers in 1906. Memory is lost first. As days passes, attention tends to distracted, simple calculationsRead MoreThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease Essay1482 Words   |  6 PagesAlzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease that is seen in the elderly. It is the most common form of dementia, which is a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere w ith daily life (Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia). Alzheimer’s is one of the leading causes of death in America. Dementia and Alzheimer’s have been around for centuries, but Alzheimer’s disease wasn’t first described until 1906 by Dr. Aloysius Alzheimer. In the past, there was aRead MoreThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease1172 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in America. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Alzheimer’s accounts for 70-80% of dementia cases. By the age of 65, 1 in 9 people are diagnosed and by the age of 85, 1 in 3 people will have the disease. According to the Alzheimer Association, 5 million people in American have Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s starts to form 20 years prior to being diagnosed. Learning about Alzheimer’s can help familiesRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : Disease1759 Words   |  8 Pages Alzheimer’s Disease Madison Lollar Psychology 1030-C62 Volstate Community College Word Count: 1,589 Alzheimer’s Disease: When it comes to Alzheimer’s, I know firsthand how it affects individuals and their families. My great grandfather had Alzheimer’s for many years before his passing late last year, at age 92. Alzheimer’s is a disease that many individuals suffer with each year, but yet with all the advancements in modern medicine we still have no cure for it. There are differentRead MoreThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease1385 Words   |  6 PagesThe disease stem cells could fix is called Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The reason I chose this topic is because I have seen first hand how badly someone who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease is affected in their daily lives. This disease completely takes over their lives and they turn into a completely different person who can hardly function. AD is very tough on the loved ones of the person suffering from it because that person, most of the time has no idea what is going on or who their loved onesRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Disease1304 Words   |  6 Pages10, 2015 Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s is a disease in the brain that affects a person’s memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common form of dementia and is common in adults older than 65. More than five million Americans are being affected by Alzheimer’s at this moment. Alzheimer’s comes in three stages; early, middle, and advanced. The disease is caused by the shrinking of the brain due to many risk factors and genetics. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are often confused becauseRead MoreThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease2364 Words   |  10 Pages1. Introduction Alzheimer’s disease is a prominent brain disease that effects a massive amount of individuals in the United States. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases, with no chance of being cured, prevented or decelerating over time (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014). AD is the most well-known form of dementia, causing complications in brain function in the areas of memory, thinking, and behavior (Alzheimer’s

Engage in Personal Development in Children and Young People’s Settings free essay sample

Engage in personal development in children and young people’s settings Being a Nursery worker involves a lot of hard work and dedication. We have many roles and responsibilities to follow to help provide a safe and careering environment for the children. They are as followed: * Welcoming the children and liaising with parents * Providing a safe and caring environment by doing safety checks, risk assessments * Weekly planning which is taken from a midterm plan to meet each child’s needs * Observations, Key-persons plans, 5 minute observations which all link with the plan to help each child’s development individually. Talking to and interacting with the children to stimulate their development * Providing meals and snacks and assisting them to eat, and also encouraging personal hygiene * Completing paperwork, children’s files and keeping records (storing them away safely) * Maintain the cleanliness amp; hygiene of the rooms, toilet facilities and toys (sterilizing weekly) * Working and communicating closely with other staff at the nursery showing good team work. We will write a custom essay sample on Engage in Personal Development in Children and Young People’s Settings or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page All staff are required to follow policies and procedures to make sure we comply with the various standards which help us provide the right care for the children. In our nursery we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). We use this to help when recording children observations in their own personal folders, we also use this to monitor how the child’s development is progressing and whether they are on target for their age group or if they may need support in certain areas, we also use the EYFS to help when doing midterm plans and weekly plans. All childcare providers caring for children from birth to 5 must register with Ofsted on the Early Years Register (EYR). All providers on this register must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which sets the standards for early learning, development and care. We are also expected to support children with learning or behavior disabilities and support children who are bilingual. Reflecting on our practices enables us to recognise where we are doing well and areas where improvement may be needed. This is important as it ensures we are performing to our best ability and also to ensure that we are meeting all standards and expectations within the nursery’s policies and procedures. We must reflect on our practices because every child is different, they have different needs, expectations and interests. When looking back over the week, staff can discuss where they feel there is room for improvement and this can help each child reach his/her maximum potential and goals. It also helps staff improve their practices as they update their knowledge and skills, they can do this by attending different training courses, talking with parents/carers and other colleagues. In our setting we demonstrate many ways of reflective practice. Once the weekly plan is done each day we closely observe the children to see the areas they did and didn’t enjoy, we do this by writing observations, observing a child for at least 5 minutes. At the end of the day staff are expected to evaluate the day and speak about things they felt could have been done better such as the layout of the room or how staff did a certain activity, all these things help improve staffs abilities. Weekly learning intentions are also set; staff should look back and discuss whether they felt the learning intentions were met. Staff can * question why things are done * be ready to look at ideas and then adapt them in work contrasting ways * observe and learn from the children * Be aware of and focus on issues. All these things can help a setting progress in many ways and help the development of the children. Having our own values, belief systems and experiences can affect our working practices. Everybody was brought up differently and follow different religions. This can show in the way staffs do daily things such as meal times, settling in and dealing with the children’s behaviour. If a person is brought up in a loving and affectionate environment its more likely that, that person is going to be the same way towards other, where as if a person was neglected as a child and not shown much affection they as a person may find it hard to show the feelings and be a caring person. Peoples religions may affect the way they behave in a work environment for example Muslim people do not eat pork so this may mean Muslim staff may not be able to serve children pork as it is against their religion. This is where staff work together to help each other out. If you have only worked in one child care setting you may not have a lot of experience and only know one way of working with children, this is why it is good to visit other settings to see different approaches and speak with different practitioners this helps us to avoid being narrow minded.

A Brief History of the Pledge of Allegiance

A Brief History of the Pledge of Allegiance The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was written in 1892 by then 37-year-old minister Francis Bellamy. The original version of Bellamy’s pledge read, â€Å"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic, for which it stands,- one nation, indivisible- with liberty and justice for all.† By not specifying to which flag or which republic allegiance was being pledged, Bellamy suggested that his pledge could be used by any country, as well as the United States. Bellamy wrote his pledge for inclusion in the Boston-published Youths Companion magazine – â€Å"The Best of American Life in Fiction Fact and Comment.† The pledge was also printed on leaflets and sent to schools throughout the United States at the time. The first recorded organized recital of the original Pledge of Allegiance took place on Oct. 12, 1892, when some 12 million American school children recited it to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus. Despite its widespread public acceptance at the time, important changes to the Pledge of Allegiance as written by Bellamy were on the way. Change In Consideration of Immigrants By the early 1920s, the first National Flag Conference (source of the U.S. Flag Code), the American Legion, and the Daughters of the American Revolution all recommended changes to the Pledge of Allegiance intended to clarify its meaning when recited by immigrants. These changes addressed concerns that since the pledge as then written failed to mention the flag of any specific country, immigrants to the United States might feel that they were pledging allegiance to their native country, rather than the U.S., when reciting the Pledge. So in 1923, the pronoun â€Å"my† was dropped from the pledge and the phrase â€Å"the Flag† was added, resulting in, â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the Flag and Republic, for which it stands,- one nation, indivisible- with liberty and justice for all.† A year later, the National Flag Conference, in order to completely clarify issue, added the words â€Å"of America,† resulting in, â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,- one nation, indivisible- with liberty and justice for all.† Change in Consideration of God In 1954, the Pledge of Allegiance underwent its most controversial change to date. With the threat of Communism looming, President Dwight Eisenhower pressed Congress to add the words â€Å"under God† to the pledge.   In advocating for the change, Eisenhower declared it would â€Å"reaffirm the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future† and â€Å"strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.† On June 14, 1954, in a Joint Resolution amending a section of the Flag Code, Congress created the Pledge of Allegiance recited by most Americans today: â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.† What About Church and State? Over the decades since 1954, there have been legal challenges to the constitutionality of the inclusion of â€Å"under God† in the pledge. Most notably, in 2004, when an avowed atheist sued the Elk Grove (California) Unified School District claiming that its pledge recital requirement violated his daughter’s rights under the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses. In deciding the case of Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, the U.S.  Supreme Court failed to rule on the question of the words â€Å"under God† violating the First Amendment. Instead, the Court ruled that the plaintiff, Mr. Newdow, did not have legal standing to file the suit because he lacked sufficient custody of his daughter. However, Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Clarence Thomas wrote separate opinions on the case, stating that requiring teachers to lead the Pledge was constitutional. In 2010, two federal appeals courts ruled in a similar challenge that â€Å"the Pledge of Allegiance does not violate the Establishment Clause because Congress’ ostensible and predominant purpose was to inspire patriotism† and â€Å"both the choice to engage in the recitation of the Pledge and the choice not to do so are entirely voluntary.†Ã‚   Pledge of Allegiance Timeline September 18, 1892: Francis Bellamy’s pledge is published in â€Å"The Youths Companion† magazine to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. October 12, 1892: The pledge is first recited in American schools.  Ã‚   1923: The original wording â€Å"my Flag† is replaced by â€Å"the flag of the United States of America.† 1942: The pledge is officially recognized by the U.S. government. 1943: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that requiring a person to say the pledge is a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution.   June 14, 1954: At the request of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Congress adds â€Å"under God† to the pledge. 1998: Atheist Michael Newdow files suit against the school board of Broward County, Florida to get the phrase under God removed from the pledge. The suit is dismissed. 2000: Newdow files a lawsuit against Elk Grove Unified School District in California arguing that forcing students to listen to the words under God† is a violation of the First Amendment. The case reaches the Supreme Court in 2004, where it is dismissed. 2005: Joined by parents in the Sacramento, California, area, Newdow files a new lawsuit seeking to have the phrase under God from the Pledge of Allegiance. In 2010, the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals denies Newdow’s appeal finding that the pledge does not represent a government endorsement of religion, as prohibited by the Constitution. May 9, 2014: The Massachusetts Supreme Court rules that because reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is a patriotic, rather than a religious, exercise, saying the words â€Å"under God† does not discriminate against atheists.

German Battleship Bismarck in World War II

German Battleship Bismarck in World War II Bismarck was the first of two Bismarck-class battleships that were ordered for the Kriegsmarine in the years prior to World War II. Built by Blohm and Voss, the battleship mounted a main battery of eight 15 guns and was capable of a top speed of over 30 knots. Quickly identified as a threat by the Royal Navy, efforts to track Bismarck were underway after its commissioning in August 1940. Ordered on its first mission into the Atlantic the following year, Bismarck won a victory over HMS Hood at the Battle of the Denmark Strait, but soon came under a combined attack by British ships and aircraft. Damaged by an aerial torpedo, Bismarck was sunk by British surface ships on May 27, 1941. Design In 1932, German naval leaders requested a series of battleship designs intended to fit within the 35,000 ton limit imposed on leading maritime nations by the Washington Naval Treaty.  Initial work began on what became the Bismarck-class the following year and initially centered around an armament of eight 13 guns and a top speed of 30 knots. In 1935, the signing of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement accelerated German efforts as it allowed the Kriegsmarine to build up to 35% of the total tonnage of the Royal Navy. Additionally, it bound the Kriegsmarine to the Washington Naval Treaty tonnage restrictions. Increasingly concerned about Frances naval expansion, German designers sought to create a new type of battleship that would out-class the newer French vessels. Design work moved forward with debates ensuing over the caliber of the main battery, type of propulsion system, and thickness of the armor.  These were further complicated in 1937 with the departure of Japan from the treaty system and implementation of an escalator clause that increased the tonnage limit to 45,000 tons. When German designers learned that the new French Richelieu-class would mount 15 guns, the decision was made use similar weapons in four two-gun turrets. This battery was supplemented by a secondary battery of twelve 5.9 (150 mm) guns. Several means of propulsion were considered including turbo-electric, diesel geared, and steam drives. After assessing each, turbo-electric drive was initially favored as it had proven effective aboard the American Lexington-class aircraft carriers. Construction As construction moved forward, the new class propulsion came to be  geared turbine engines turning three propellers. For protection, the new class mounted an armor belt ranging in thickness from 8.7 to 12.6. This area of the ship was further protected by 8.7 armored, transverse bulkheads. Elsewhere, armor for the conning tower was 14 on the sides and 7.9 on the roof. The armor scheme reflected the German approach of maximizing protection while maintaining stability. Ordered under the name  Ersatz Hannover, the lead ship of the new class, Bismarck, was laid down at Blohm Voss in Hamburg on July 1, 1936. The first name served as an indication that the new vessel was replacing the old pre-dreadnought Hannover. Sliding down the ways on February 14, 1939, the new battleship was sponsored by  Dorothee von Là ¶wenfeld, granddaughter of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck would be followed a second battleship of its class, Tirpitz, in 1941. Fast Facts: Battleship Bismarck General Nation: Nazi GermanyType: BattleshipShipyard: Blohm Voss, HamburgLaid Down: July 1, 1936Launched: February 14, 1939Commissioned: August 24, 1940Fate: Sunk in action, May 27, 1941 Specifications Displacement: 45,451 tonnesLength: 450.5mBeam (Width): 36mDraft:: 9.3-10.2mPropulsion: 12 High-pressure Wagner boilers powering 3 Blohm Voss geared turbines at 150,170 horsepowerSpeed: 30.8 knotsRange: 8,525 nautical miles at 19 knots, 4,500 nautical miles at 28 knotsComplement: 2,092: 103 officers, 1,989 enlisted Armament Guns 8Ãâ€"380 mm/L48.5 SK-C/34 (4 turrets with 2 guns each)12Ãâ€"150 mm/L55 SK-C/2816Ãâ€"105 mm/L65 SK-C/37 / SK-C/3316Ãâ€"37 mm/L83 SK-C/3012Ãâ€"20 mm/L65 MG C/30 (Single)8Ãâ€"20 mm/L65 MG C/38 (Quadruple) Aircraft 4Ãâ€" Arado Ar 196 A-3 seaplanes, using 1 double-ended catapult Early Career Commissioned in August 1940, with Captain  Ernst Lindemann in command, Bismarck departed Hamburg to conduct sea trials in Kiel Bay.  Testing of the ships armament, power plant, and seakeeping abilities continued through the fall in the relative safety of the Baltic Sea. Arriving at Hamburg in December, the battleship entered the yard for repairs and alterations. Though scheduled to return to Kiel in January, a wreck in the Kiel Canal prevented this from occurring until March. Finally reaching the Baltic, Bismarck resumed training operations. With World War II underway, the German Kriegsmarine envisioned using Bismarck as a raider to attack British convoys in the North Atlantic. With its 15 guns, the battleship would be able to strike from a distance, inflicting maximum damage while placing itself at minimal risk. Bismarck, photographed from Prinz Eugen, in the Baltic at the outset of Operation Rheinà ¼bung, May 1941. Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1989-012-03 / Lagemann / CC-BY-SA 3.0 The battleships first mission in this role was dubbed Operation Rheinà ¼bung (Exercise Rhine) and proceeded under the command of  Vice Admiral Gà ¼nter Là ¼tjens. Sailing in tandem with the cruiser Prinz Eugen, Bismarck departed Norway on May 22, 1941, and headed towards the shipping lanes. Aware of Bismarcks departure, the Royal Navy had begun moving ships to intercept. Steering north and west, Bismarck headed for the Denmark Strait between Greenland and Iceland. Battle of the Denmark Straight Entering the strait, Bismarck was detected by the cruisers HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk which called for reinforcements. Responding were the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser HMS Hood. The two intercepted the Germans at the south end of the strait on the morning of May 24. Less than 10 minutes after the ships opened fire, Hood was struck in one of its magazines causing an explosion that blew the ship in half. Unable to take on both German ships alone, Prince of Wales broke off the fight. During the battle, Bismarck was hit in a fuel tank, causing a leak and forcing a reduction in speed (Map). Bismarck fires on HMS Prince of Wales during the Battle of the Denmark Strait. Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1984-055-13 Sink the Bismarck! Unable to continue with his mission, Là ¼tjens ordered Prinz Eugen to continue on while he turned the leaking Bismarck toward France. On the night of May 24, aircraft from the carrier HMS Victorious attacked with little effect. Two days later aircraft from HMS Ark Royal scored a hit, jamming Bismarcks rudder. Unable to maneuver, the ship was forced to steam in a slow circle while awaiting the arrival of the British battleships HMS King George V and HMS Rodney. They were sighted the following morning and Bismarcks final battle commenced. Bismarck burning in the distance as HMS Rodney (right) fires, May 27, 1941. Public Domain Assisted by the heavy cruisers HMS Dorsetshire and Norfolk, the two British battleships pummeled the stricken Bismarck, knocking its guns out of action and killing most of the senior officers on board. After 30 minutes, the cruisers attacked with torpedoes. Unable to resist further, Bismarcks crew scuttled the ship to prevent its capture. British ships raced in to pick up the survivors and rescued 110 before a U-boat alarm forced them to leave the area. Close to 2,000 German sailors were lost.

Ethical issues with the artificial intelligence of computers Research Paper

Ethical issues with the artificial intelligence of computers - Research Paper Example Additionally, to the level that ethics is a rational recreation, the artificial intelligence could easily outstrip human beings in the value of its ethical thinking. Therefore, it is the role of the AI designer to cite its initial motivation. Since the artificial intelligence may turn out to be inevitably influential due to its intellectual power and the technologies it could invent, it is should be provided with people friendly motivations. Discussion Artificial intelligence of the computer is a computer science field responsible for inventing machines that can participate in intelligent attributes. The capacity to invent intelligent devices has intrigued people since the traditional times, and currently with the creation of the computer, and several decades of study in the artificial intelligence programming techniques, the vision of intelligent devices are becoming a reality, (Poole & Mackworth, 2010). Additionally, researchers are inventing intelligent systems that can impersonat e human thought, comprehend speech, outstrip the most intelligent human chess player and various other innovations never before possible. With these significant creations of artificial intelligence computers or machines, fascinating concerns have emerged. For instance, computer scientists, sociologists, psychologists and anthropologists are concerned about the future and ethical implications of these advanced creations. Emerging concerns includes, first, will the value of human life advance with development of artificial intelligence or not? What are possible ethical implications of artificial intelligence of computers? Finally, what beneficial types of artificial intelligence should be invented and how they are applied? This paper seeks to investigate and provide solutions to these concerns. Artificial intelligence of computers seeks to enhance and promote the value of human life. Various positive results in the modern society can emanate with the utilization of artificial intellig ence. For instance, intensive production and indirect reduced costs of production are evident in factories, industries and production lines. Operations better suited for machines have reduced errors and enhanced efficiency, for instance, the capacity to detect fraud and credit, (Berlatsky, 2011). Additionally, American Express and other institutions have invented an authoritarian assistant, which utilizes artificial intelligence to assess whether; a transaction is short of character for a card code. The authority assistant system is highly accurate compared to manual system, and it saves more time. Also, this and various, infinite other opportunities exist for employing artificial intelligence of devices to enhance efficiency. Artificial intelligence systems are being utilized to substitute human efforts in dangerous conditions. Artificial intelligence can withstand radioactive aspects and operate efficiently in conditions where there is restricted space and inadequate oxygen to inh ale. This alternative will alleviate unwarranted life losses because of possible accidents and unsecure conditions. In addition, artificial intelligence seeks to enhance the lives of old people. Experts agree that due to human demand to participate in their work, the attention and care for old people at home has declined, and the percentage requiring nursing attention has

A lawsuit involving one or more tort claims Case Study

A lawsuit involving one or more tort claims - Case Study Example Brody Green’s mother who sued Blitz for liability for the death of Mr. Green from an explosion of Blitz manufactured can when he poured gasoline into fire. Blitz won this case but was later ordered by the court to pay $250,000 to Mr. Green’s mother for failing to provide documents related to flame arresters. The other case involved a father, Mr. Calder, of a 2-year old girl in Utah, who sued Blitz in 2010 for damages resulting from the death of his daughter when a can exploded after he, David Calder, was pouring gasoline on the flame. In this case, the court ordered Blitz to pay David Calder $4 million. The article also mentions one case among 36 other cases against Blitz that are still open; the case involves Chad Funchess, a volunteer fire fighter, from South Carolina whose half body was seriously burned when a can exploded in 2007, South Carolina when filling up a chain saw. Generally, these suits claim that the Blitz manufactured cans were predisposed to flashback explosions resulting from gasoline vapors followed the trail of the vapor into the container and ignited. Therefore, they argue that, Blitz ought to have installed flame arrester shields at the containers mouth in order to prevent flashback explosions. This is a case of tort-liability lawsuit, in which plaintiffs are suing the defendant for damages, asking the court to award the compensation on the grounds that the defendant’s negligence resulted on injuries to them. These cases are under the state court although some of the cases-the case of Mr. Green’s mother v. Blitz and that of David Calder v. Blitz-were heard a United States District Court, which are federal courts. As for the cases, Mr. Green’s mother v. Blitz and that of David Calder v. Blitz, Chad Funchess v. Blitz were heard in federal courts because the courts had jurisdiction over the subject matter of the cases as the plaintiffs in the said two cases did not share state of

MyAlert Essay Example for Free

MyAlert Essay Come 1999, the international mobile data services market was ever so expanding and changing rapidly. Jorge Mata was able to hop on the bandwagon early enough to profit from this business venture as this industry was just at the beginning of a new era that would revolutionize how consumers and businesses communicated with each other. More simply stated, MyAlert was a great business idea, developing a more personalized mobile industry. Mata could not actually believe that such a business model had never been thought of in the past, but did not have to think twice before investing in the MyAlert project, becoming the first company to appear and succeed in the mobile services market in Spain. Flash forwarding to a year after its creation, figures are only representative of the huge success MyAlert was facing in terms of the service and content the company offered its customers. Figures were in the black, and more than 200.000 users were registered to the ‘Alert portal’ without even any substantial advertising expense. Another indicator of a good business idea is whether the creator of the company is able to find any potential investors ready to sponsor his project. In this case, Mata is the first to find enough capital (half a million euros) to launch his project. His ex-CEO at BroadVision also wanted to invest in the project, showing us just how serious and well thought of this business plan actually was. Although the initial funds were clearly insufficient to bring MyAlert at the top of the ladder both domestically and internationally, Mata’s strategy is clear-cut in the sense that the first priority was developing a project with â€Å"a top-tier management and technical team and a sound technological platform to make alerts work at the targeted scale† (p. 2). The company could effectively y use its technological platform to provide a personalized service, that at the time, was crucially needed by customers and companies who wished to stay at the top of the information chain. This was the booming time in terms of new technologies and how they could be adapted to the internet and the mobile phone. MyAlert’s business idea was once again great because it could actually provide this ever so needed information to its end users. By valuing the customer and focusing on what the market needed and will need in the future, MyAlert is a perfect example of how they were able to carry out the latter and grasp a changing environment before it was too late. The main competitive advantages that MyAlert benefit from are seen through their timing and their strong technological platform. In effect, the company benefits from a first mover advantage into the mobile data service industry. With this advantage under their belt, it is essential in for MyAlert to develop an on-going demand for their service. The customer base is large and potentially profitable and the company understood this. As I stated previously, instead of focusing itself on the product/service they deliver to the customer, MyAlert’s strategy is to focus on what the customer really wants from the company. The emotional factors that the customers face are very important because they act as an experience on each individual when they decide to sign up for daily alerts on football, or stock quotes for example. My Alert knows that by focusing on the customer base, by offering them a service that is affordable and useful, positive recommendations will then follow placing them at an advantage vis-à  -vis their competitors. While focusing on the demand aspects are vital, it is also crucial for the company to concentrate on the supply scale for the competitive advantage to be sustainable. Basic services such as alerts on business headlines are interesting but MyAlert’s main wish is to expand their supply with a â€Å"†¦ number of services thanks to agreements with other content and service providers† (p. 2). By growing a significant supply scale, a broader demand from not only individual end-users will arise, but also from sources like corporations and large advertising companies. With all the information above, a value chain of MyAlert’s business model is shown through this diagram: A perfect example of this model at work is when MyAlert enters the European major markets. While replicating the entry strategy that had already worked in Spain, the company broadens its supply scale by offering free advertising services to international companies and then pursuing on to develop tight relationships with these companies so that they can offer them business services. This is a clear example of how the company intentionally expands its supply scale to attain an even larger demand (customer) base. After the dotcom bubble crisis, companies focused on new technologies such as MyAlert, take the hardest hit. Their competitive advantage based on a strong  technology is now under threat and the company has to reevaluate its strategy. I believe the merge with Buongiorno is not only positive for both companies, but a must if MyAlert wishes to stay competitive in the long run. Mauro del Rio basically says it all in his statement as he declares that the â€Å"†¦ two absolute imperatives for ambitious European high tech companies [are]: critical mass and positive PL† (p.4). MyAlert could no longer expand through organic growth and so this merger is a fantastic idea in terms of bringing new qualified staff, technology assets and know-how. On the flip side, the position the two companies now hold as a whole, allows them to penetrate new markets and develop synergies. The two companies complemented each other very well in terms of My Alert bringing a strong technological platform to the table and powerful ASP services versus Buongiorno being more present in terms of marketing and advertising services. The strengths of one, replaced the weaknesses of the other. A good example of how the two companies complemented themselves really well is by analyzing the services they sold through various business models. In terms of business services, Buongiorno would lead the way offering companies other marketing services such as brand building and customer loyalty. The product range allowed a higher diversification and greatly benefited the company. The above would not have been possible to realize if MyAlert wouldn’t have merged with Buongiorno because of a poorer marketing penetration. When it came to consumer services however, MyAlert would lead the way by actively investing and developing new apps carefully adapted to their customer base thanks to t heir strong technology. Consumer services were the new hit at the beginning of the years 2000’s and Buongiorno! MyAlert was able to establish itself as a clear industry leader. At first, intensively focusing on consumer services was not a clear target for the newly merged companies. The SMS market was in full evolution but many competitors were focusing on the benefits of developing WAP. The portal worked similarly to the WWW navigation, except it was adapted to cell phones. The main point here is that MyAlert had the necessary technology to develop this project and become a global leader but the management team made a wise decision when they decided to focus more on what the consumer actually wanted. WAP-enabled phones had huge potential, increasing to 23% in  2000, but the alarming factor was that only 3% of those users were actually using the new mobile portal. In effect, the company realized that they were found in a value added service market and that their business would mainly depend on what share they could capture from mobile operators when end-users download a song or a logo via SMS, and which marketing budget their customers could channel throu gh them. More simply stated, the company shifted its competitive advantage from a strong technological base to a market driven, consumer targeted base. This business model change allowed the company to develop its own kind of virtual network, linking them to diverse mobile operators’ message centers. As Nomura correctly states, the company could now benefit from its new position and operate its new value chain by having higher punctuality and lower messaging costs. This diversified network the company had built with all the operators, and the flexible strategy they had put into place to be able to adapt to a changing environment, gave them a â€Å"competitive advantage and barrier to entry for any competitors trying† (p.15) to penetrate the market. The evolvement of the business model was a crucial point for the company as they correctly analyzed the market and customer appreciation instead of focusing on a strong service (WAP) that they could’ve developed. If they had chosen this route, maybe things would’ve not been as smooth and successful for them. In this case though, the company was showing positive results and was in a continued search for new businesses and markets to enter while diversifying both in terms of their products and services. This model can only be sustainable, because as Darwin says it best â€Å"if a being wants to survive in a shifting environment, it must evolve at least as fast as the medium itself.† BuonGiorno!MyAlert is perfectly equipped to do so.