The History of Toy Inventions

The History of Toy Inventions Toy manufacturers and toy inventors use both utility and design patents, along with trademarks and copyrights. In fact, many toys especially video games take advantage of all three types of intellectual property protection. Toys as big business did not begin until after the 1830s, when steamboats and steam trains improved the transportation and distribution of manufactured goods. Early toymakers used wood, tin, or cast iron to fashion horses, soldiers, wagons, and other simple toys. Charles Goodyears method for vulcanizing rubber created another medium for manufacturing balls, dolls, and squeeze toys. Toy Manufacturers One example of a contemporary toy manufacturer is Mattel, an international company. Toy manufacturers produce and distribute most of our toys. They also research and develop new toys and buy or license toy inventions from inventors. Mattel began in 1945 as a garage workshop belonging to Harold Matson and Elliot Handler. Their business name Mattel was a combination of the letters of their last and first names, respectively. Mattels first products were picture frames. However, Elliot started making dollhouse furniture from picture frame scraps. That proved to be such a success that Mattel switched to making nothing but toys. Electronic Toys In the early 1970s, Pong, the first patented video game was a great hit.  Nolan Bushnell  created Pong along with a company named Atari. Pong debuted in  arcades and was soon ported to home units. The games Space Invaders,  Pac-Man, and Tron followed. As technology advanced, the dedicated single game machine was replaced by programmable machines that allowed different games to be played simply by exchanging a cartridge. Inventions in circuitry and miniaturization in the early 1980s produced handheld games. Nintendo, a Japanese electronics company, along with many others, moved into the video game market. Home computers created a market for games that were versatile, action-packed, challenging, and diverse. As our technology progresses, so does the complexity and diversity of our amusements. Once, toys simply reflected everyday life and activities. Today, toys create new ways of living and teach us to adapt to changing  technologies and inspire us to follow our dreams. The History of Specific Toys From Barbie to the yo-yo, learn more about how your favorite toy was invented Barbie DollCrayonsEtch-A-SketchFrisbeeHacky SackHula HoopLEGOMr. Potato HeadPlay-DohPuzzles, Board and Card GamesSilly PuttyTeddy BearsComputer and Video GamesYo-Yo

5 School Signs That Earn an F

5 School Signs That Earn an F 5 School Signs That Earn an F 5 School Signs That Earn an F By Mark Nichol Everyone has an eye-rolling story about a teacher who misspelled words on the chalkboard or on printed assignment sheets, but a school’s marquee is too often is the scene of the crime when it comes to high-profile errors, too. The following photos document such transgressions. Sometimes, these letter kits lack enough letters to go around, or some get lost, and ingenuity prompts the letterer to improvise with a letter that looks similar to one that’s missing. This isn’t one of those times or it shouldn’t have been. The person who posted this sign obviously didn’t heed the advice. The statement reads awkwardly, too; I would have written, â€Å"Exercise your mind: Read.† Maybe the letter set lacked a colon, but they could have used a dash instead. (But they probably would have mistakenly used a hyphen, resulting in â€Å"Use your mind-read.†) Too bad the person responsible for posting this sign didn’t take a â€Å"seconnd† look at the negating note. And using hyphens as a decorative motif was ill advised. What HDJ has a â€Å"nacke† for is not paying attention to the little things like how to spell knack. I’d like to give HDJ the benefit of the doubt and assume that this photo was taken immediately after the sign was posted, and that it was immediately corrected. But how many of you have seen errors like this go uncorrected day after day? Imagine the blushes ’n’ chuckles at this event. The people responsible for posting these signs are administrative staff or, in the case of a sign like this, which requires a ladder for access, likely a custodian who are often less well educated than principals and teachers, but aren’t they provided with a memo or at least a handwritten note showing the exact wording (and lettering)? Guess not. Question: What’s worse than misspelling a word on a school sign? Answer: Misspelling the word spelling on a school sign. Done. The images above are coming from the Writers Keep and English Fail Blog. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:5 Uses of InfinitivesTaser or Tazer? Tazing or Tasering?20 Ways to Cry

Ethics of Public Health Policies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethics of Public Health Policies - Essay Example According Resnik (2015), ethical principles include but are not limited to the following: human subjects protection, integrity, fairness, non discrimination as well as honesty among others. Thus a public health policy should be designed to fulfill the abovementioned ethical principles. A public health policy should be non discriminatory so that it can fulfill the needs of all employees in particular regardless of their race, color or creed. In public health policies, efforts should be made to ensure that least harm is caused to other people. The deontology theory states that people should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing dilemma (Rainbow, 2002). In as far as public health policy is concerned, it can be seen that the state should adhere to its duties and obligations to ensure that the employees are not harmed at work. This theory also proposes that measures should be implemented in order to minimize the chances of incidents at workplaces. On the other hand, the utilitarian theory posits to the effect that â€Å"the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the most people is the choice that is ethically correct,† (Rainbow, 2002). In this particular case, it seems that the promulgation of a public health policy will benefit the majority of the people hence it is ethically correct to implement it within the workplace. The other theory that is applicable to the above mentioned case is the rights theory. According to Rainbow (2002), the rights set by a society are protected and given priority and this is considered ethically correct with regard to implementation of a public health policy since it is every person’s health to be protected within the workplace. By using both ethical principles and theories, it can be seen that one is in a better position to analyse the situation so as to be able to reach the most correct ethical decision. The decisions

To what extent are outcomes determined by current public health policy Essay

To what extent are outcomes determined by current public health policy for children affected by parental substances abuse satisfactory in the UK - Essay Example Likewise, people who have been casualties of kid misuse or who have been brought up in neediness are more at danger (Sora, 1997). Despondency and low respect toward oneself additionally can prompt substance ill-use. At the point when individuals, kids and teenagers particularly, start to have companions who use medications or acknowledge medication use as the "standard", they are more inclined to create substance ill-use issues themselves (Magill, 2011). Children are affected badly when their parents are involved in substance abuse. Many of the researches have shown that the kids go into depression and even they become victims of substance abuse (Straussner & Fewell, 2006). Another issue which can be highlighted in this case is that, when their parents are involved in substance abuse, the children are unable to enjoy their childhood days and tend to lose on it as they have to take up to early responsibilities of supporting themselves or even their family for that matter (Barlow, 2010). There are various organizations in various countries such Children 1st in Scotland. There have been various approach improvements lately planned to endeavour to handle the issue of parental substance misuse, and the issues brought on by medications and liquor all the more by and large (Kar, 1999). Archives, for example, the Scottish Officials direction, Getting Our Necessities Right, and the Activity Anticipate Liquor Abuse (2002) have attempted to recommend system to working with individuals who abuse substances. More exertion is required to concentrate on keeping individuals from getting to be entangled in this society, and helping the individuals who are at danger of substance misuse refocus on supporting their families (Fisher & Roget, 2009). Making decisions about the best interests and future well-being of a child is complex. Every youngster and their

Soft Drink Industry Essay Example for Free

Soft Drink Industry Essay The global soft drink industry is currently expanding quite rapidly. This is due to two major factors. First, markets are expanding rapidly in developing countries and second people are turning toward natural, healthy, and low-calorie drinks. This so called â€Å"new-age† beverages, such as tea-based beverages, is considerably stimulating the development of the soft drink industry and also creating a major challenge to the carbonated beverage market. In part to address this trend, big soft drink companies, like Pepsi and Coke, are striving to become a â€Å"total beverage company† (Seet and Yoffie 95), in which they will serve the comprehensive soft drink market. Generally speaking, the soft drink off-trade value worldwide is gradually rising ever year, from $231,401 in 2001 to $323,031 in 2006 (Global Market Information Database 2007). The biggest market for soft drinks is still North America and Western Europe, which together consumed 43% of gross soft drink volume worldwide in 2006 (Global Market Information Database ‘07). However, the general developing trend for the North America and Western European market is now shrinking in terms of the global market while the Asian market is expanding very rapidly in recent years to now account for 22% of the global market (Global Market Information Database ‘07). The market volumes of Africa, the Middle East, and Australia are comparatively smaller. However, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia-pacific markets are â€Å"emerging markets† and attract many companies, ranging from multinationals to niche specialists, who continue to see volume growth well in excess of the market average (Robinson ‘04). With the growth in volume, the average level of profitability of the soft drink industry remains quite high. First, the concentrate producers (CP’s) have become integrated with bottling companies, thereby reducing production costs. The CP’s and bottlers remain profitable through interdependence, sharing promotional and advertising and marketing costs (Seet and Yoffie 95). For example, Coca-Cola has many bottlers in different regions; therefore, their distribution cost is not as high. Furthermore, the CP’s directly negotiate with the suppliers to efficiently manage qualities for their products. In addition, their product line and distribution chain is now more systemic and integrated. Big soft drink producers increasingly franchise bottlers or buy a share from them rather than controlling bottling totally by themselves. This has activated and developed the capital-intensive bottling business. In spite of these trends competition remains intense, such as between distributors and also between new local labels and international drink corporations. Thirdly, the soft drink industry has several channels to sell to consumers such as vending machines, convenience stores, food stores (supermarkets), and national warehouses. For example after a long work-out, one quenches one’s thirst by going to a soft drink vending machine for a Cola. With this distribution channel, soft drinks are sold directly to consumers without bargaining. In 1993, Coca-Cola sold approximately 45% of their soft drinks through vending machine in the Japanese market (Seet and Yoffie 95). Another reason for the level of profitability of the soft drink industry remaining quite high is because this industry has a nearly 47% market share of the non-alcoholic beverages industry (Deichert ‘06). It is also to be noted that some of the soft drink vendors like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have gotten their logos printed on cups at fast food restaurants so that customers are readily reminded of their brands. Big name soft drinks also promote their brands by getting them placed in the middle shelves of stores to attract customers. With the constant expansion of Pepsi products into foreign countries, it may seem challenging for Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) to sustain their status in the soft drink industry. The soft drink industry is one of the industries that we consider mild on the degree spectrum of Michael Porter’s five competitive forces. As we look at the first competitive force, the threats of new entrants, we cannot help but consider the high capital investment in building simply a minimum bottling plant – a good amount of $20 million to $30 million is needed (Seet and Yoffie 95). This means that in the category of the threats of new entrants, bottling plant yields a low to medium degree of intensiveness. Also, a Seet and Yoffie states that in 1980, government policy intervened and established the Soft Drink Inter-brand Competition Act to help preserve the right of CP’s to include certain geographical territories (95). Meanwhile, concentrate businesses, a medium to high intensive business, involve very little capital of machinery, overhead and labor (Seet and Yoffie 95). However, it does required some advertising, promotion, market research and advertising (Seet and Yoffie 95) Another factor is that the bargaining power of suppliers of concentrate business is low. When asked, â€Å"Are they easy to be replaced? † The answer is, â€Å"Yes. † The bottling business, on the other hand, has a high bargaining power of suppliers because it is difficult to replace these businesses since they are one of a kind. There is only one Coca-Cola brand, or one Pepsi or one Seven-Up in this world. It would take years to replace these well known and well established products. On the contrary, the bargaining power of buyers of concentrate business is high while for bottling business is medium. For instance, when a concentrate company bargains with a Seven-Up company regarding their supply of recipe, Seven-Up can decide who they choose to supply their recipe to since currently there is only one Seven-Up recipe in the soft drink market. Therefore, the concentrate business has a low bargaining power of buyers. In terms of fear of threat of substitute products, the bottling business is medium. Coke and Pepsi’s franchise agreement â€Å"allowed bottlers to handle the non-cola brands of other concentrate producers (CP’s)† (Seet and Yoffie 95). The bottling companies seem to be submissive to Coke and Pepsi. Lastly, rivalry among competing firms for concentrate business seems to be quite high. There seems to exist quite a few international brands such as RC Cola, Dr. Pepper/Seven-Up, and Cadburry Schweppes, who produce only concentrate. As for the bottling business, the rivalry among competing firms is low because of certain franchise agreement such as one Coca-Cola and Pepsi presented. Seet and Yoffie reports that with the agreement a coke bottler cannot sell RC Cola, but they can distribute Seven-Up as long as they do not carry Sprite (95) Nevertheless the concentrate producers (CP’s) want to vertically integrate into bottling for two main reasons: to make their operation system more efficiency and to cut costs. These factors are interrelated. First, CP’s can make their operating system more efficient through vertical integration. For instance, if two different sectors, such as bottling business or concentration business, are following the same rules, having the same operating system then it is easier for them to work together. Second, CP’s can reduce some costs by vertically integrating. One example is transaction costs. According to Seet and Yoffie, concentrate producers’ most significant costs include advertising, promotion, market research, and bottler relations (95). For example, if CP’s were to cut down their costs from one of these significant costs, they would earn more profits. Moreover, CP’s are usually in charge of market research, product planning and advertising while bottlers play an important role in developing trade and consumer promotions. In order to have a reliable supply, CP’s have to be in direct contact with the bottlers and monitor them, therefore, CP’s need to employ more staff to work on this part. If CP’s can vertically integrate into bottling, they could save more money and in the same time provide quality with quantity. In recent years, the CCE’s sales volume in China has been growing with rates of averaging at 16 to 17 percent annually. At the same time, China’s retail environment has been changing rapidly. According to president of CCE China division, Paul Etchells, although small retail outlets are still prevalent in China, the number of hyper-marts (larger retail outlets) and supermarkets is rocketing. In China, CCE has to keep up with the rising demand for their brands. They have to continuously increase their production plants, employees, and distribution channels. CCE’s market in the US, however, has been slowing down because US consumers are becoming more health-conscious (Stanford ‘07). They are now consuming less carbonated beverages preferring diet sodas (but these are carbonated), coffee, teas, bottled water, and energy drinks. This is a problem for CCE because the majority of CCE’s products are carbonated drinks (Stanford ‘07). Another factor that slows CCE is the rising commodity cost in the US. This cost then will be passed to US consumers. Historically, the Chinese government wanted to protect the domestic soft drink industry by setting up strict regulations on foreign soft drinks companies (Seet and Yoffie 95). Today, the government is more lenient to foreign businesses (Stanford ‘07). Building new manufacturing plants and selling CCE’s products to Chinese consumers is not as hard as it was in the past. However, doing business in China requires CCE to build a relationship with the government. The concept of Guanxi is an important factor that determines the success of a company (Seet and Yoffie 95). CCE’s managers in China spent a lot of time building relationships with the Chinese officials. Since corruption is common in China and CCE is a US based company, the CCE has a disadvantage doing business in China. In the US, on the other hand, business is done more formally. There is not an urgent need to build a relationship with the government. However, an increasing number of consumers in US is concerned with issues relating to sustainability. Therefore, CCE needs to address issues such as water scarcity and pollution. In other words, China’s growing demand and US’ decreasing demand for Coca-Cola products accounted for CCE’s heavy investment in the Chinese market. Coca-cola was introduced to China in the early 1920s and came back after the declaration of the People Republic of China in 1949 through stiff negotiation with the Chinese officials (Seet and Yoffie 95). Since the 1940s, Coca-Cola dominated the U. S. market, which provided the company with financial leverage to expand into internationally and set the tone and the pricing strategy for Pepsi. At that time Pepsi did not have the matching financial power and resources to face any challenges Coca-Cola could introduce in the beverage market (Seet and Yoffie 95). Therefore, Coca-Cola and Pepsi have been fierce rivals in both domestic and international markets. Each company is using a different strategy to remain in control while increasing their net revenue. Coca-Cola entered China before Pepsi did. However, the soft drink market in China can absorb both products due to the fact that China has one fourth of the world’s population, which provides a great deal of demand for both companies to generate profit. Looking at both company’s strategies, one can see that both companies are aiming to become established in the beverage market in China. Moreover, Pepsi seems to be making better acquisition decisions than Coca-Cola; however, the financial figures reveal the victor. The purchases that Pepsi has recently made will take their toll in the form of long term debt, while Coke can concentrate more on increasing market share, as they are much less leveraged than their largest competitor. Coca-cola and Pepsi control 19% and 9% of the Chinese soft-drink market respectively. Coca-Cola operates in 23 bottling plants with total investment of $500 million, while Pepsi operates on 18 plants with total investment of $ 600 million (Seet and Yoffie 95). Coca-Cola is buying their own assets or entering in a joint venture with the Chinese government. For example in China the government owns plants and distribution centers, while Pepsi is pursuing joint ventures and mergers with local companies. The battle for the soft drink industry in China will require a great deal of financial and marketing resources to cover all aspects of competition in local industry. For example, Coca-cola officials are heavily involved with the government, where they spend almost 50% of their time catering and entertaining the government officials to gain more influence in their operation (since the corruption rate in China is high) (Seet and Yoffie 95). Doing so will provide an advantage over Pepsi because the distribution plants need to be close to the local market to be able to provide the market with competitive products that are cheap and of high quality. In comparison with Coke, Pepsi’s strategy of joint ventures with local industry helps them cut costs and pass the savings to the Chinese consumers (Seet and Yoffie 95). Finally, both companies are investing heavily and using their equity to expand and generate revenue in China, which financial figures show that they will not have any financial liquidity in the near future if they continue at the same rate of investment.

How Are Suspense and Tension Created in The Red Room? Essay -- English

How Are Suspense and Tension Created in The Red Room? In The Red Room by H.G. Wells a lot of suspense and tension is created. The Red Room fits into the gothic genre because it has some of the requirements for a gothic story in it, like, being set in a castle, an atmosphere of mystery and suspense, a prophecy, the supernatural and high levels of emotion. The story creates tension in lots of ways such as, shadows, noises, charcters and general mystery surrounding the red room. At the beginning of The Red Room the author creates tension by having the narrator straight away in a scene which is unusual to him, he is in a dark old room with old people who are mostly disfigured and slightly other worldly in the way they look and behave. â€Å"†¦ I had scarce expected these grotesque custodians.† He sees them not as ordinary people but as being grotesque so is clearly unhappy being with them. The author also immediately creates tension by talking of ghosts and the supernatural straightaway. â€Å"†¦ It will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me.† So we already have talk of ghosts in only the first line! As the narrator begins his journey to the red room more tension is created. â€Å"†¦ and my candle flared and made the shadows cower a quiver, the echoes rang up and down the spiral staircase†¦Ã¢â‚¬  so we have shadows cowering and quivering which is exactly what people do when they are frightend, the shadows are also being personified which could be a representation of the narrator’s fear. The author uses shadows again to create tension when he is on his way to the red room. â€Å"†¦ and as a shadow came sweeping up after me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  so we feel that the narrator is being chased up the staircase by something perhaps not of this worl... ...king him and this could result in something happening to him. The description also enables him to understand how the rumours in the red room could have started which makes him very nervous. Light and dark are obviously very symbolic, dark represents danger and the unknown whereas light means we are safe because we can see everything around us and it is harder to be fooled by noises or shadows in the light. Tension and suspense were constantly created in The Red Room by H.G. Well’s using various techniques, the writer uses a lot of different techniques to keep the reader wondering and to make sure that tension and suspense are always present in the story. In my opinion there is no one technique which is used to greater effect than any other one. I think that they are all used in equally effective amounts and they all help to create suspense and tension.

Genre and artist case study

Most Post-Punk music tends to keep that British essence about it, bands use their accents to help shape their music, and this is very much the case with the Arctic Monkeys. Now a days Post-Punk incorporates electronic sounds or dance music instead of the dated ass's disco. The original Post-Punk movement was influenced by Crackpot, Dub and Disco Of the sass's. But now Post-Punk revivalists like Interpol, Editors, and White Lies tend to edge toward a more atmospheric Post-Punk sound optimized by Echo and the Funnymen and Joy Division. Issues which commonly affect this genre are typically mild.I don't think that Post-Punk Revival has a major problem, unlike Hip-Hop or Dance genres. Post-Punk Revival is more of an artistic genre, where artists are more unconcerned with re-creating music from the past and so forth. Although I think that the more recent bands Post-Punk Revival bands such as The Bravery, Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand tend to have more problems with attitude. This laid back uncaring attitude comes across and the dress styles they bring with them affects people in our everyday lives, fashion is based around these types of music, and at the moment in particular.Shops like River Island and Tops all portray the music sound. And with the style comes the attitude which I personally think a lot of people are adopting. It's ore of a culture thing, as with all types of music, Indies has become a lifestyle. ‘The Indies spirit has been commodities and re-envisioned as a marketable lifestyle just like punk, Alternative, and Grunge before it†¦ ‘ Sean McCabe www. Edition. CNN. Com Post-punk is appealing to people because of the straight forward lyrics and catchy melodies.The lyrics are often about everyday life, and is seen as something that a lot of people can link to, this is another reason that it is part of our lifestyle, it talks about our lifestyle. When is comes to working relationships in the genre the key issues are cackles and unprof essional artists. One great example of an artist like this is Pete Doherty, who at one point was arrested twice in a matter of days. His manager was involved in a hit and run incident where he was using Doherty car. The singer being charged with supplying illegal drugs and other events such as rehab. Drug problem like his can also mean gig's being cancelled or ruined.And these sort of people can be hard to work with in this industry. ‘The best relationships are nurtured over the years and have been built on mutual trust and respect for different gifts we have as musicians and music equines professionals. ‘ Christopher Knap. Independent Music Consultant. Agree with this and think that this IS a common mistake in this genre, artist's come to the music industry thinking that they are in once their name gets big, but really they need to build a working relationship with colleagues. And the working relationship means that, now that they are in the spotlight they can't just do whatever they like.A history about the Arctic Monkeys The band the Arctic Monkeys are a Post-Punk Revivalist band from Sheffield, England. The Band is made up of front man Alex Turner, fellow guitarist's Cook, Bassist Nick Anomaly and Drummer Matt Holders. Bassist Andy Nicholson was the bassist of the band when the band shot to fame in 2006. Incision's reason for leaving the band was that he was suffering from fatigue. But it is now known that Nicholson was paid off by the band after they had found themselves being more of a band with Nick Maloney.We sorts found ourselves in a situation where we wanted to move forward† Alex Turner – Arctic Monkeys on Split NAME Interview The Arctic Monkeys shoot to fame – The Arctic Monkeys where one of the Auk's biggest bands in the New Millennium. Their rise began in 2005, when hey started getting offers from major labels. However the band were sticking to the Post-Punk/linden attitude of a smaller independent music label, as they tended to give the artist creative freedom with their music. â€Å"l like you, but I'm not sure about this bit, and that song could do with this changing†¦ And we never listened† – Alex Turner Arctic Monkeys Biography 2006 Seam's Craig think that this was a housewives for the Arctic Monkeys, as if they has of been signed up by a major up fading out. Also their music wouldn't have been original. ‘The market tempts bands to follow the record industry money. Those that adopt the success formula may well make it but, whatever the returns, it will be in the knowledge that they sold out their talent Seam's Craig Arctic Monkeys Biography 2006 As the Arctic Monkeys had declined offers from major labels, you would think why didn't etc remain an underground band.