Jerusalem Crickets, Family Stenopelmatidae

Jerusalem Crickets, Family Stenopelmatidae Seeing a Jerusalem cricket for the first time can be an unsettling experience, even to those who arent prone to entomophobia. They look somewhat like giant, muscular ants with humanoid heads and dark, beady eyes. Although Jerusalem crickets (family Stenopelmatidae) are indeed quite large, theyre generally harmless. We know relatively little about their life history, and many species remain unnamed and undescribed. What Jerusalem Crickets Look Like Did you ever play the board game Cootie as a child? Imagine turning over a rock, and finding a Cootie come to life, staring up at you with a menacing expression! Thats how people often discover their first Jerusalem cricket, so its no surprise that these insects have earned many nicknames, none of them particularly endearing. In the 19th century, people used the expression Jerusalem! as an expletive, and thats believed to be the origin of the common name. People also believed (incorrectly) that these odd insects with human faces were highly venomous and potentially lethal, so they were given nicknames rife with superstition and fear: skull insects, bone neck beetles, old bald-headed man, face of a child, and child of the Earth (Nià ±o de la Tierra in Spanish-speaking cultures). In California, theyre most often called potato bugs, for their habit of nibbling on potato plants. In entomology circles, theyre also called sand crickets or stone crickets. Jerusalem crickets range in length from a respectable 2 cm to an impressive 7.5 cm (about 3 inches) and can weigh as much as 13 g. Most of these flightless crickets are brown or tan in color but have a striped abdomen with alternating bands of black and light brown. Theyre quite plump, with robust abdomens and large, round heads. Jerusalem crickets lack venom glands, but they do have powerful jaws and can inflict a painful bite if mishandled. Some species in Central America and Mexico can jump to flee from danger. When they reach sexual maturity (adulthood), males can be differentiated by females by the presence of a pair of black hooks at the tip of the abdomen, between the cerci. On an adult female, youll find the ovipositor, which is darker on the underside and located below the cerci. How Jerusalem Crickets Are Classified Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum – ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – OrthopteraFamily - Stenopelmatidae What Jerusalem Crickets Eat Jerusalem crickets feed on organic matter in the soil, both living and dead. Some may scavenge, while others are thought to hunt other arthropods. Jerusalem crickets also practice cannibalism on occasion, particularly when confined together in captivity. Females will often eat their male partners after consummating the relationship (much like the sexual cannibalism of female praying mantids, which is better known). The Life Cycle of  Jerusalem Crickets   Like all of the Orthoptera, Jerusalem crickets undergo incomplete or simple metamorphosis. The mated female oviposits eggs a few inches deep in the soil. Young nymphs usually appear in the fall, less often in the spring. After molting, the nymph eats the cast skin to recycle its precious minerals. Jerusalem crickets require perhaps a dozen molts, and almost two full years to reach adulthood. In some species or climates, they may need up to three years to complete the life cycle. Special Behaviors of  Jerusalem Crickets   Jerusalem crickets will wave their spiny hind legs in the air to repel any perceived threats. Their concern is not without merit, because most predators cant resist such a fat, easy-to-catch insect. They are an important source of nutrition for bats, skunks, foxes, coyotes, and other animals. Should a predator manage to yank its leg loose, the Jerusalem cricket nymph can regenerate the missing limb over successive molts. During courtship, both male and female Jerusalem crickets drum their abdomens to call receptive mates. The sound travels through the soil and can be heard via special auditory organs on the crickets legs. Where Jerusalem Crickets  Live In the U.S., Jerusalem crickets inhabit western states, especially those along the Pacific Coast. Members of the family Stenopelmatidae are also well established in Mexico and Central America and are sometimes found as far north as British Columbia. They seem to prefer habitats with damp, sandy soils, but can be found from coastal dunes to cloud forests. Some species are restricted to such limited dune systems that they may warrant special protection, lest their habitat be adversely impacted by human activities. Sources: Jerusalem Crickets (Orthoptera, Stenopelmatidae), by David B. Weissman, Amy G. Vandergast, and Norihimo Ueshima. From Encyclopedia of Entomology, edited by John L. Capinera.Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.BACKYARD MONSTERS? NOPE, JERUSALEM CRICKETS!, by Arthur V. Evans, Whats Bugging You?. Accessed March 4, 2013.Family Stenopelmatidae - Jerusalem Crickets, Bugguide.net. Accessed March 4, 2013.Jerusalem Crickets, California Academy of Sciences. Accessed March 4, 2013.Jerusalem Cricket, San Diego Museum of Natural History. Accessed March 4, 2013.

Annotated Bibliography on Thoreaus essay Resistance to Civil Government †English Literature Essay

Annotated Bibliography on Thoreaus essay Resistance to Civil Government – English Literature Essay Free Online Research Papers The idea that I am pursuing in this annotated bibliography is whether or not the ideas suggested by Henry David Thoreau in his essay â€Å"Resistance to Civil Government† are actually anarchy. To do this, I first found a definition of anarchy in Webster’s Dictionary. It defines anarchy as a lack of government in a state; lawlessness; confusion. Upon beginning research, I found that Thoreau’s essay was also published under the title â€Å"Civil Disobedience† and that most critics call it that. Eulau, Heinz â€Å"Wayside Challenger: Some Remarks on the Politics of Henry David Thoreau.† Thoreau: A Collection of Critical Essays. (1959): 117-130 Heinz Eulau writes that Thoreau â€Å"refused to vote because he considered the democratic ballet an ineffective political instrument† (119). Eulau says that Thoreau called for a better government at once, not for government to end at once. Eulau also says that â€Å"Such a government would anticipate and provide for reform, cherish its â€Å"wise minority† and encourage its citizens to be on the alert to point out its faults.† Thoreau is demanding a government that protects and serves its people, not itself. He probably saw the government not wanting to abolish slavery as one of the many ways that government works for government and not for the people it governs, because slavery kept a lot of money in the right places for the government. Eulau also says that Thoreau’s politics could not be brought into literal use because they were ambiguous. He says that Thoreau could not recognize why his ideas could not work â€Å"because he fell back, again and again, on the principle of individual conscience as the sole valid guide in the political action† (120). This, according to Eulau, is in conflict with the democratic principle of majority rule. I think that if the people were of the high conscience Thoreau assumed, then their majority would be of the same high conscience and thus they would make moral and just decisions for everyone. It’s too bad that the level of conscience Thoreau believed in does not exist for the majority of people today. Edel, Leon. Henry David Thoreau. (1970): 47p Leon Edel says that the essay â€Å"Civil Disobedience† is written to set up Thoreau’s argument for â€Å"men to offer noncompliance when their conscience dictates it† (38). He says that this idea in practice â€Å"has proved to be a passive way of making revolution† (38). Edel is focusing on Thoreau’s essay as a way of making changes, rather than a call for government to end. He argues that â€Å"passive resistance† does not work in all situations, saying that Nazis in tanks would surely run over people sitting in the road to protest them. He also says, â€Å"Thoreau’s civil disobedience presupposes a high state of conscience† (38). While I don’t share the same faith in man that Thoreau did, I do believe that if the high state of conscience he believed in could be achieved that his ideas would work. Edel also says, â€Å"Whether the personal anarchism Thoreau preached is possible in every age remains to be seenâ⠂¬  (39). I think that he is saying that by living the way he did, Thoreau achieved his own personal anarchy, while still being under the United States government. To use anarchy in this way would imply that it means freedom on an individual level, which is in some ways obtainable today, but everyone still must abide by laws. Glick, Wendell. â€Å"Civil Disobedience’: Thoreau’s Attack upon Relativism.† Western Humanities Review, Vol. VII No. 1 (1952): 35-42. Wendell Glick writes that Thoreau is calling only for a government that governs not at all when men are prepared for it. Glick says that Thoreau is addressing those no-government men the anarchists and extremists. According to Glick, Thoreau believed that these men fail to take into consideration the imperfection of the human species. So if Thoreau is calling for anarchy, he is not calling for anarchy as we think of it today. His anarchy is more like a utopian society, which can only exist when men become enlightened enough to govern themselves. Glick says that Thoreau considered governments only temporary arrangements whose purpose are to keep order until â€Å"the development of the individual should make them no longer necessary† (38). Glick adds â€Å"Thoreau did not object to government per se† (38). According to Glick, Thoreau was so angry at the tendency of government to â€Å"substitute the principal of social utility for the principle of absolute rightà ¢â‚¬  (38). I agree with Glick’s arguments that Thoreau did not totally write off government all together. Thoreau realized that the situation he wanted was not possible at his time, but he was very optimistic about the possibility of it occurring in the future. Kazin, Alfrid. Henry David Thoreau: Studies and Commentaries. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. (1972): 34-52. Alfrid Kazin says that Thoreau knew no Negroes and had never been oppressed; yet he claimed strong opposition to slavery. Kazin uses this to argue that Thoreau was an idealist whose ideas existed only in principle and not reality. He also says that Thoreau â€Å"proposed to teach others to be as free of society as himself† (44). Being free of society is hardly a synonym for anarchy. Kazin states that Thoreau â€Å"affirms the absolute right of the individual to obey his own conscience in defiance of an unknown law† (44). Disobeying a law is hardly anarchy, but could an argument not be made that obeying an unjust law is closer to anarchy? Democracy is based on government by the people, and not governing oneself by obeying an unjust law would then fit the definition of lawlessness (for oneself) in anarchy. Kazin quotes Thoreau as saying, â€Å"Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is in prison† (44). Thoreau is obvio usly making a reference to himself here, but I think that he cannot expect a perfect society in any shape or form, which is implied when he says that no one should be unjustly imprisoned. If imprisonment is to be used as punishment at all, human error will ensure that there will always be wrongfully imprisoned persons. Krutch, Joseph Wood. Henry David Thoreau. (1948): 298p Joseph Krutch writes that Thoreau â€Å"calls upon all honest men to do what he has done and to refuse active or even symbolical support to the state which countenances the nefarious institution of slavery† (134). Krutch also says that Thoreau is angry with those that feel they have done their part by just voting for the right person. I think Thoreau felt that no one was capable of leading everyone in the right way all the time and so all authority should be challenged. Krutch says that â€Å"Thoreau was not unaware of the fact that he assumed the existence of these conditions, and it certainly did not seem to him, as it seemed to certain of his critics, that the assumptions invalidated the argument† (136). Here he is referring to Thoreau’s assumption that man is in a high enough state of conscience to govern himself. This would suggest that Thoreau knew his ideas could not work in his time, and maybe not at any time. However, he still wanted to express wha t might be the best way to do things under ideal conditions, in hopes that they might drive man farther towards them. This I agree with, as I think Thoreau knew the limitations of man then and was writing idealistically about a better way to live. Madison, Charles A. â€Å"Henry David Thoreau: Transcendental Individualist.† Ethics, Vol. IV No. 2 (1944): 110-123. Charles Madison says that Thoreau â€Å"gravitated toward the principles of philosophical anarchism† (114). This would suggest that Thoreau wasn’t demanding exactly what he wrote about, but instead trying to get people to think and to resist that which they feel is wrong. He says that Thoreau’s reasoning is that the individual and not the state is the best judge of right and wrong. I think Thoreau assumes that all people can differentiate between right and wrong. I slightly disagree with him here because some people cannot see right and wrong. That being said, Thoreau also seems to think that all people will use their judgement of right and wrong to make good moral decisions. This does not work at all in today’s society, as many people can make the distinction but won’t follow through with the right action. I don’t see how society could have been that much different in Thoreau’s day. Madison says that Thoreau knew that men need ed government as long as greed and passion overtook them. This would again reiterate the idea of â€Å"philosophical anarchism,† which may be of better use as a teacher than it would be in practice. Nelson, William Stuart. â€Å"Thoreau and American Non-Violent Resistance.† Thoreau in Our Season. (1967): 14-18. William Nelson writes â€Å"It is yet to dawn fully upon the participants in sit-ins, freedom rides and other recent forms of non-violent resistance in the United States how deeply indebted they are to Henry David Thoreau† (14). He says that Thoreau â€Å"conceded that government is a present necessity but held that governments by their very nature are prone to err† (14). Thoreau would then not be calling for anarchy, but for a check to the errors of government by the people of a nation. Nelson says that what Thoreau really wants is â€Å"the assertion of the right of conscience in the presence of the rule of law† (15). I agree with this, as I think Thoreau was fine with law as long as it was just and moral. If the law is not just and moral, then man should resist until it is changed. Nelson says, â€Å"Civil resistance is not necessarily invoked against every law which is regarded as bad† (15). This reiterates that Thoreau did not mind all laws, ju st those that his conscience deemed unjust. Nichols, Charles H. â€Å"Thoreau on the Citizen and His Government.† PHYLON: The Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture, Vol. XIII No. 1 (1952): 19-24. Charles Nichols writes that Thoreau refused the government at his time any cooperation, while he stated his allegiance to a higher law. He says that the higher law Thoreau was looking for can be found in nature. Looking for any law at all would suggest that anarchy is not what Thoreau wanted. Anarchy by definition is the absence of laws. Thoreau did say, however, â€Å"he who lives by the highest law is in one sense lawless.† Thoreau meant that by living under the law of nature, a person is free. Nichols says â€Å"to vote thus for a man or measure with no consideration of what is morally right is to participate in a series of crimes against humanity (20). I think that voting for politicians or laws without morally judging them would bring about a state far worse than anarchy. Nichols says that the individuals Thoreau speaks of, the ones, who could and should govern themselves, would surely support a government that sought to establish and maintain justice. This would suggest that Thoreau just wants a better government, not anarchy. Saalbach, Robert Palmer. â€Å"Thoreau and Civil Disobedience.† Ball State University Forum Vol. XIII No. 4 (1972): 18-24. Robert Saalbach gives a definition of society, which to him is â€Å"a system of mutually accepted rules of conduct limiting the behavior of individuals† (19). He argues that without these rules there is not a society, but a collection of individuals that do not know how to act in reference to others. He also says that society is a game and cannot be played without rules. I think that rules are needed for society today, only because there are those that cannot and will not think for themselves, as well as those that are purely evil. Saalbach says, â€Å"Thoreau assumes that the law always follows expediency while conscience always follows the right† (20). I agree that Thoreau assumed that every person’s conscience always follows the right, but I think he realized that people don’t always follow their conscience. He felt that is what every person should strive for, realizing that some people do not follow a strict morality. Saalbach also argues that law and right cannot be distinguished from each other. I do not agree with this, as law can be something just to further the wants of those in power, which is not necessarily right. Vivas, Eliso. â€Å"Thoreau: The Paradox of Youth.† The New Student Vol. 7 No. 23 (1928): 5-8 Eliso Vivas says of Thoreau â€Å"He was an anarchist because he saw the essential uselessness of government† (5). I don’t think seeing government as useless necessarily labels a person an anarchist. Vivas says that Thoreau suggests that men only keep government around because they are afraid to do without its protection. Vivas says that Thoreau never felt a need for government because he was willing to share anything he owned with anyone. A society without government, but with people sharing everything they own does not sound like anarchy to me, although by definition it would be. Vivas uses the term â€Å"self-sufficient† to describe Thoreau and his ideas for a non-government. A society of self-sufficient individuals doesn’t sound like anarchy to me either. However, Thoreau was the exception and not the rule. Most people in my opinion could not deal with that kind of society. All of this information points to one thing and that is that Thoreau contradicts himself in his essay Civil Disobedience.† If he really wants no government at all, then he is calling for anarchy, but if he is only calling for this when man has a high enough conscience level, then it would not be the anarchy that I have defined. I think his main intention was to have people question the government, not to just take whatever it gives them. By saying that no government would be best, he drew attention to his essay because people are drawn to extremes. By just looking at it on the surface, I might call it anarchy, but I think Thoreau was calling for a kind of society that we don’t even have a word for, because we can’t see how it could exist. Research Papers on Annotated Bibliography on Thoreau's essay "Resistance to Civil Government" - English Literature EssayQuebec and CanadaBringing Democracy to AfricaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePETSTEL analysis of IndiaCapital PunishmentThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Islamic Empires Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Islamic Empires - Assignment Example This displays the compactness and discipline of the ancient sultan community. The Topkapi palace Harem also captured my attention. Harem displays the secrecy of the Sultans. The creation of the harem is done with the consideration of secrecy and privacy. For the sultan housed in the harem, they are provided with all hospitable requirements such as kitchens and bathrooms (The Topkapi Palace Museum). As one enters the Topkapi Palace the harem captures one view as it differentiation from other building makes it beautiful. A view of the palace attires and garments is also captivating. In this section, the costumes and attires by the Sultans are displayed. The costumes portray the original picture of fashion. The attires are exceptionally woven to depict both superiority and sacredness of the sultans. In the Palace, the Chambers of the Sacred Relics is also captivating. The chambers consist of all relics since 1517 (The Topkapi Palace Museum). All relics presented are of great value to the ancient community that resided in the palace. The most significant relic in the chambers is the Prophet Bamboo bow. In addition, the chamber has all the swords used religious leaders and the first four Caliphs. The chambers display the massive history of the era leading to the creation and development of the Palace. In addition, the chambers provide a person with an understanding of the role relics used by leaders in the ancient community. The imperial treasury also bears great significance in the palace. The treasury is divided into four areas, the treasury salon I, II, III and IV. Each treasure salon housed different relics and gifts. One major treasure in the chambers is the gifts presented to Prophet Mohammed (The Topkapi Palace Museum). The collection in the treasure is vast and captivating. All the important relics in the palace were conserved in the treasury which provides a visit understand the community of the

Roots of Constructivist Education Traced to Piagetian Theories Coursework

Roots of Constructivist Education Traced to Piagetian Theories - Coursework Example This project declares that the field of Education has much to be thankful for and that includes Jean Piaget. He has come up with complex theories that he was able to dissect for educators to understand and apply to their learners. His theories have great implications in curriculum design and understanding how children learn best. His work with Vygotsky in formulating the foundations of constructivism is now benefitting thousands of classrooms all over the world. It has been successful in gaining respect for children’s learning. A child learns best when he finds enjoyment in what he is doing, thus learning should be fun. This essay makes a conclusion that Piaget was someone who thought ahead of his time and present-day educators and learners are enjoying the fruits of his labor. His theories have opened a variety of alternatives in educational strategies. The effective teacher can discern which learning strategy would be most appropriate on a case-to-case basis. Imbedded in her are hidden agendas for making her students reach their optimum learning potentials and in effect, the development of a healthy self-esteem. She is aware that she is just an instrument in assisting the students to gain knowledge, and not the source of knowledge herself. She is on hand to ignite the spark of interest and motivation of her students. It is now up to the students themselves to turn that spark into a burning flame that would keep them fired up for more learning.

In a Dark Time by Theodore Roethke Essay Example for Free

In a Dark Time by Theodore Roethke Essay In the first stanza of the poem â€Å"In a Dark Time†, the reader gets the sense that not only is the author describing himself using â€Å"dark† visuals including â€Å"shadow† and â€Å"shade†, but that he is using natural scenery as well in order to set the audience up for the rest of the poem. The same line that contains those visuals also would seem to impart a certain time of day, dusk. This could also be thought of as a way for the reader to get a sense of where the author is at, reflecting on his own mind. This idea is furthered by the statements of â€Å"meeting his (own) shadow†, and when he hears his own shadow. The second stanza really goes into a faster pace, as the author begins to describe to the reader his inner feelings. By questioning his own definition of madness, and going into despair, he shows the reader that part of his mind is very confused, yet he knows that he is in the middle of whatever is going on. Again he questions, is his place in the â€Å"rocks† a cave or path, and he states that â€Å"The edge is what I have. † which seems like a way for him to again be in the middle of his situation. The third stanza continues with the natural descriptions of being outside in a natural setting during the night, or perhaps during an eclipse. Again, this could be just another way for the author to let his audience know what frame of mind his is in. Referring to the title of the poem, â€Å"In a Dark Time†, it would make sense that this writing is coming from the author during a time in his life in which he was questioning himself. This line of thinking continues to be the main point as he goes on to say, â€Å"A man goes far to find out what he is -, Death of the self in a long, tearless night,†. Whatever has happened to the author, he is unsure of himself and the changes that are occurring in his life at that moment. In the fourth stanza, he still proclaims how confused he his with himself, by the statement â€Å"Which I is I? † The reader is left to contemplate where the authors sense of self lies. The last three lines seem to show that the author has decided to have his mind come together and be one with itself, which leaves the author to be â€Å"free in the tearing wind. †

History the is fake! :: essays research papers

WAR IMMINENT: Spain and America to Fight After a recent publication in our sister publication, the New York Journal, a letter from the Spanish Minister de Lome to President McKinley, tensions rose to a point of combustion. Citizens all over the United States have complained about the insulting message contained within the letter from the Minister. This letter ridiculed McKinley, and lead to the eventual resignation of this Spanish Minister de Lome. Another catalyst that added to growing American distaste for the Spanish was the destruction of the battleship, the USS Maine. Although the source remains unknown for sure, we’re positive here at The Chronicle that the dastardly Spaniards committed this heinous crime. Many valuable American lives, as well as other less valuable foreign lives, were lost due to the explosion onboard the gunship. This blatant attack   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  on an American Naval vessel is definite grounds for a war with the Spaniards. In response to the att ack on the Maine, the United States Congress has raised an emergency fund of $50 million for President McKinley to do with as he pleases in order to fight the war that they declared also following the destruction of the Maine. Congress, through this declaration of war, desired to repay the indignation bestowed upon the US by Spain and to also help free the Spanish colonies of Guam, Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. The main catalyst that escalated this war was very much to the â€Å"Yellow Journalism† produced by such newspapers such this one, but also by others such as the New York Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, and even by very reputable newspapers like the New York Times.

Langston Hughes Poems Analysis Essay

Langston Hughes purpose of these sets of poems was to outline the current condition for African Americans at that time, and also to display his desires and present the ideal conditions for African Americans. Below are several of his poems that has symbology and reflects and demonstrates his desires and ideals. In my opinion, Dream Variations demonstrates Hughes desire for African Americans to be able to enjoy the pleasures of life as white people did. When he says â€Å"to whirl and to dance till the white day is done† he is speaking of being able to be free, dancing and â€Å"flinging your arms† is demonstrative of freedom and an open expression of freedom. Then be able to rest at night and have a sense of peace of mind, knowing that African Americans have the same opportunities that White Americans experienced. In Hughes’s poem Prayer Meeting, he displays a sense of hope and longing for improvement in African Americans lives and wanted African Americans to be free from oppression. â€Å"Glory! Hallelujah! The dawn’s a-comin† demonstrates that freedom from oppression is on the horizon and that African Americans should rejoice. The setting of this poem in religion also demonstrates a sense of hope since religion is often sought after to achieve a sense of hope. In Song of the Revolution, this poem uses the symbology of the American Revolution as another call for freedom from oppression, however this is freedom from the oppression of White America. â€Å"Marching like fire over the world, weaving from the earth its bright red banner† uses fire as a symbol for hope and courage and the use of a red banner as conviction and steadfastness. In the third stanza, which states â€Å"Breaking the bond of the darker races, breaking the chains that have held for years, breaking the barriers dividing the people, smashing the gods of terror and tears† This stanza serves as a call to arms for African Americans. This stanza is less symbolic and cryptic than the others. â€Å"smashing the gods of terror and tears† is the freedom from rulers and the establishment which has wronged and oppressed them. He wants a unity of the races and a freedom and lack of oppression. In Let America Be America Again, hughes is using America’s calling as a beacon of hope to the world to demonstrates his ideal for America to truly be free and not simply as a saying. This is evident in the first stanza, which states â€Å"Let America be America again, Let it be the dream in used to be, let it be the pioneer on the plain, seeking a home where he himself is free. † The parenthesis between the stanzas is what is important, because it displays Hughes’s real opinion of America at that time, which was he doesn’t believe in America, and to him was never a beacon of hope or a land of liberty. He believes that America is tyrannical, oppressive, and discriminatory to him and his people. In the last stanza he also uses divisions of class and other races that are oppressed as reinforcement for his opinions of America. In the third stanza which states, â€Å"O, let my land be a land where Liberty is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, but opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breath. † It’s demonstrating Hughes’s desire for America to really be as it’s envisioned and not simply as it is portrayed (in the eyes of Hughes); equality should be as prevalent and available as air.

Best Buy Essay

The key factors that lead to Best Buy’s success include: Growth in the consumer electronics retail sector and the internet boom: Constant growth in the demand for consumer electronics has grown over the previous decades which has supported Best Buy’s successful turnout into the top consumer electronics store. The internet also played a significant role in increasing the sales of Best Buy as it had already ramped up its computer product offerings prior to 1995. The internet boom positively affected the consumer electronics industry in general. Knowledgeable sales staff: Best Buy’s salespeople did not work on commission which helped creating a low pressure shopping experience for the customers and built a consumer friendly environment. This also lead Best Buy to attract a well read sales force which would guide the customers to make the choices more customized to themselves and helped the buyers in decision making. Also merchandise was arranged by brand name instead of by price range. Both of these were unusual practices in the superstore industry but worked well for Best Buy. Focus on customer service (Geek Squad): Best Buy’s belief in offering outstanding customer service through product warranties, personal services and at-home delivery helped Best Buy to differentiate itself from other competitors in the space. This also helped Best Buy in gaining trust and building a strong customer base. Acquisition of the Geek Squad to service computers 24Ãâ€"7 differentiated Best Buy as an excellent product and service provider. Customer-Centricity: Target market segmentation by Best Buy’s Customer-Centric approach and extensive research and analysis of its customer base helps Best Buy in configuring its stores and training its work force to cater to the individual needs of its market segments which encourages customers to revisit for multiple purchases. Also the approach to customize the store at times in terms of some local requirements helps Best Buy in increasing its sales significantly. Risks going forward include increased competition from other retailers and wholesalers like Wal-Mart , Costco, Target etc who also have a very strong distribution network and customer base. Best Buy has to decide whether to spend money on its sales force and customization strategies or to compete in terms of price with these other retailers especially in this low margin growing industry. Best Buy also has to decide to enhance its online sales and product offerings in order to compete with the like of Amazon and Ebay in the online electronic sales market which is growing rapidly. Stores like Wal-Mart are growing tremendously fast in the retail segment and Best Buy has to compete with them in terms of opening new retail outlets as well. Another important risk Best Buy faces is investing in the international markets looking at the current economic scenario or to maintain strong hold in the local US market. . Looking forward Best Buy can compete against Wal-Mart and online companies in the following ways: Continuing to differentiate itself as an excellent customer oriented business Best Buy offers the latest technologies at its stores and to attract and hold customers who are technology savvy it is essential for Best Buy to dwell on its approach of customer service because in the space of advanced technology, nothing can replace the in store experience of actually intera cting with knowledgeable salespersons. Developing the online product offerings: Best Buy must also focus a little more on its online business in order to avoid being overtaken by Amazon and Ebay which are growing their business extensively. In order to keep up to its customer oriented approach, Best Buy must offer more detailed view of its product offerings than any other online competitor. It must increase its online product offering to a wider range and variety of products to grow in the online segment. Increase international presence: At the moment, Best Buy is majorly dependent on the local US market. The international markets are growing fast and competitors like Wal-Mart are growing their business wide, therefore Best Buy must increase its international presence quickly to avoid losing out to its competitors in the international markets and also in order to hedge the risk of being completely dependent on the US market. Also labor expenses being less in a number of international markets, Best Buy can afford to maintain its excellent customer service and enhance its brand value. SWOT Analysis for reference: Internal| Strengths| Weaknesses| 1. Strong market presence 2. Knowledgeable workforce 3. High quality technical support service 4. Strong financial performance 5. Financial resources to spend money on advertising ;amp; promotion, introducing new products. 6. Increased market share and strong brand presence. | 1. Low margins 2. High dependence on local (U. S) market. 3. High costs of maintaining stores and employees. | External| Opportunities| Threats| . Growing global computer and electronics retail sector 2. Customer centric operating model 3. Expansion in the international consumer electronics retail market. 4. Strong private brand potential. 5. Failure of competitors like Circuit City ;amp; CompUSA has opened gates to improve market share. 6. Online sales| 1. Rising competition from lower price outlets like Wal-Mart and Costco. 2. Online competitors like Amazon, Ebay. 3. Economic slowdown 4. Rising labor wages|

The social stability Essay Example

The social stability Essay Example The social stability Essay The social stability Essay Another scientific invention that has led to an outrage of violation of human values and morals is the concept of designer babies. The improvements in science have allowed us to change certain features of ours that we are unhappy with through plastic surgery. Since plastic surgery is allowed in most countries, we should take a step further and allow us to choose the features we want from the very start of life. It is ever parents dream to see their child grow up to be a charming, good-looking and smart person. The list of characteristics we wish the next generation to have is endless. Designer babies are able to fulfill every parents dream of choosing the gender, features and traits in their children. This would also lessen the occurrence of over-production of children for women in less developed countries due to the traditional mindset that having a son is better than a daughter. However, I believe that this is an atrocious claim to make. We are only encouraging the mindset of gender inequality and all sorts of discrimination by approving the notion of parents choosing the lives they want for their child instead of accepting them for who they are. As adults, those who want to alter their appearance through plastic surgery have made their individual decisions about it. A newborn does not have the chance to choose the features they want for themselves. Moreover, the concept of designer babies is similar to World War 1, when Adolf Hitler ordered the killing of those who are deemed inferior and encouraging elites of a society to reproduce. If we can disprove Hitlers actions as immoral, then designer babies are equally unethical as well. Hence, we can see yet again that science cannot be separated from ethical concerns. Ethics maintains the order in a society and keeps the social stability. With new scientific inventions and discoveries, ethical concerns are raised to prevent society from exploiting science at the expense of those who are unable to benefit from it. Euthanasia, for one, goes against the religious beliefs of those whose religion disagree with taking the life of another human being under any circumstances as they believe it is morally wrong to commit such an act, hence, ethical concerns are raised by these people regarding the usage of euthanasia brought about by science. Organ transplant places the poor at a disadvantage, going against the social responsibility of a society to take care of the disadvantaged, and hence, ethical concerns are brought up to question the morality of this science. Lastly, a designer baby is another scientific discovery that goes against our moral values as it promotes rejection of those deemed imperfect. Hence, science cannot be separated from ethical concerns.

Learn About Anaïs Nin, Novelist, Diarist

Learn About Anaà ¯s Nin, Novelist, Diarist Anais Nin was born Angela Anais Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell in France on February 21, 1903 and died on January 14, 1977​. Her father was the composer Joaquin Nin, who grew up in Spain but was born in and returned to Cuba. Her mother, Rosa Culmell y Vigaraud, was of Cuban, French, and Danish ancestry. Anais Nin moved to the United States in 1914 after her father deserted the family. In the United States she attended Catholic schools, dropped out of school, worked as a model and dancer, and returned to Europe in 1923. Anais Nin studied psychoanalysis with Otto Rank and briefly practiced as a lay therapist in New York. She studied the theories of Carl Jung for a time as well. Finding it difficult to get her erotic stories published, Anais Nin helped found Siana Editions in France in 1935. By 1939 and the outbreak of World War II she returned to New York, where she became a figure in the Greenwich Village crowd. An obscure literary figure for most of her life, when her journals kept since 1931 began to be published in 1966, Anais Nin entered the public eye. The ten volumes of The Diary of Anaà ¯s Nin have remained popular. These are more than simple diaries; each volume has a theme, and were likely written with the intent that they later be published. Letters she exchanged with intimate friends, including Henry Miller, have also been published. The popularity of the diaries brought interest in her previously-published novels. The Delta of Venus and Little Birds, originally written in the 1940s, were published after her death (1977, 1979). Anais Nin is known, as well, for her lovers, who included Henry Miller, Edmund Wilson, Gore Vidal and Otto Rank. She was married to Hugh Guiler of New York who tolerated her affairs. She also entered into a second, bigamous marriage to Rupert Pole in California. She had the marriage annulled about the time she was achieving more widespread fame. She was living with Pole at the time of her death, and he saw to the publication of a new edition of her diaries, unexpurgated. The ideas of Anais Nin about masculine and feminine natures have influenced that part of the feminist movement known as difference feminism. She disassociated herself late in her life from the more political forms of feminism, believing that self-knowledge through journaling was the source of personal liberation. Partial Bibliography - By Anais Nin Celebration! with Anais Nin.Cities of the Interior.  Paperback. 1975.Collages.  Jean Varda, illustrator. Paperback. 1964.Delta of Love: Erotica.  Paperback. 1989.Fire: From a Journal of Love, the Unexpurgated Diary of Anais Nin, 1934-1937.  Paperback. 1996.The Four-Chambered Heart.  Paperback. 1974.Henry and June. Paperback. 199

Essay 1 com 3010 media analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1 com 3010 media analysis - Essay Example stand that the main focus is the international news and in this case it is about the US soldiers who had been held captive in Afghanistan being received by their families back home. President Obama is on the forefront in receiving the soldiers who had been held captive together with their families. It is easy to identify this story as the main story under attention due to the visuals. The picture of a Taliban sergeant is the most attractive and outstanding visual in both websites. The websites have managed to attract the audience’s attention by asking questions like, â€Å"who is Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl? This is for the case of CNN news (Hume). On the other hand, Fox news drops the bombshell and posts their top story as, â€Å"Taliban exchange POW for five Gitmo detainees† (OReilly). It is evident that these two posts are attractive and also synonymous by the fact of the picture of the Taliban Sgt. For the audience the main aim of reading this story would be to find out why this sergeant is so important that he is traded with five US soldiers? In addition to this, both websites have provided video links where audiences are able to watch the news live and follow it also on other social media like Facebook, Twitter and the rest. Besides that it is also important to note that both websites have all the other news ranging from sports, weather, market, and even entertainment. For example, both websites have their top focus in sport news related to the preparation of the FIFA World cup that is just about to start in Brazil. Most importantly to note is that these websites have got very little space to report on the local news. Most of the focus has been directed to international news happening all over the world. It is also worth noting that these websites have provided the audience with a chance to choose different languages which they feel suits them well. In addition to this, other links such as the radio live options have also been made available. Despite so many

Literature. Black American Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Literature. Black American - Essay Example In "I, Too" he makes it clear that the black man will sell or surrender his birthright to no one, for "I, too, sing America. . . .I, too, am America." The poem thus asserts the right of the black man to be heard, as it does the right of the black man to be given the respect due to a race that has known "ancient, dusky rivers", for, the soul of the black man is no shallow sieve but "has grown deep like the rivers." "Ballad of the Landlord" reminds the reader of Wole Soyinka's "Telephone Conversation", but Hughes' 'ballad' is somewhat darker in tone and manner than Soyinka's poem. In a rhythm that echoes black American speech rhythm as well as ballad meter, he sings: Although we do not hear the landlord's voice, we gather that the landlord reminds the tenant that he owes him ten bucks; and the tenant forcefully refuses to pay the amount "till you fix this house up new." We are given to understand that the landlord then threatens the tenant with eviction orders, telling him that he would turn off the heating and throw his furniture in the street. When the tenant then shakes his fist in the landlord's face, all hell breaks loose, and we are treated to the landlord's shrieks: Cle Police! Police! Come and get this man! He's trying to ruin the government And overturn the land! Clearly, things have got out of hand and we hear the "Copper's whistle", the "patrol bell" and the terse report, "Arrest. /Precinct Station./ Iron cell." The next day's newspapers complete the picture: "MAN THREATENS LANDLORD/ TENANT HELD NO BAIL/ JUDGE GIVES 90 DAYS IN COUNTY JAIL." The 'ballad' ends with absolutely no need to underscore the injustice of what was surely a routine affair not that long ago. This kind of discrimination was equally routinely doled out to others on the fringes of society, like gays and lesbians, and Hughes highlights their plight in "Cafe: 3 A.M." The poem is short enough to quote in full: Detectives from the vice squad with weary sadistic eyes spotting fairies. Degenerates, some folks say. But God, Nature, or somebody made them that way. Police lady or Lesbian over there Where The vice squad may appear weary, all right, but their defining streak is the combination of sadism and voyeurism in their makeup, which makes them prick their ears at the