Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Tarkenton Essays - National Football League, American Football

Tarkenton Essays - National Football League, American Football Tarkenton Francis Asbury Tarkenton was born in Richmond, Virginia, To the Pastor Dallas Tarkenton. He grew up in Georgia, where he played played football. Although he was an all-state quarterback in high school and an All-American at the University of Georgia, he was not chosen in the professional draft of 1961 until the third round, when the Vikings, a newly established team, selected him. He won the starting quarterback position as a Rookie and with the Vikings led the team to an upset of the Chicago Bears in the team's first professional game. From the beginning of his professional career Tarkenton used his ability to elude tacklers and rush for yardage, which became his trademark. The coaches of the Vikings criticized his improvisations on the playing field, and after the 1966 season he was traded to the Giants, where he played from 1967 to 1971. In 1972 Tarkenton was traded back to the Vikings, leading them to the National Football Conference (NFC) Central Division title for six consecutive seasons (1973-1978) and to three Super Bowl games (1974, 1975, and 1977), all of which the Vikings lost. During the 1975 Super bowl Dallas Tarkenton Died of a Heart Attack while watching his son play football in his home. Dallas Tarkenton never understood or liked football but always watched his son play. Francis said this about his father, Daddy didnt know about football, so he might not understand how it could become that desperately important to a civilized person. But he did know humanity and therefore would not see it as an evil thing. Slowed by injuries, he played for a final season in 1978 and then retired. During his playing career Tarkenton developed a successful business career, which he continued after his retirement. He was American football player, a quarterback noted for his ability to run with the ball while looking for a receiver. He set numerous National Football League (NFL) passing records during his professional career with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Thorny Devil Lizard Facts

Thorny Devil Lizard Facts Thorny devil lizards are part of class Reptilia and mainly live throughout the arid parts of Australia. Their scientific name, Moloch horridus, is derived from the Latin word meaning rough/bristly (horridus). These lizards get their name from the conical spikes across their whole body, and they can camouflage themselves in their environments. Fast Facts: Thorny Devil Lizards Scientific Name: Moloch horridusCommon Names: Thorny Devil, Mountain DevilOrder: SquamataBasic Animal Group: ReptileDistinguishing Characteristics: Conical spikes on its head, body, and tail with a skin color of yellow and brownish-black.Size: Up to 8 inchesWeight: 0.1 - 0.2 pounds on averageLife Span: Up to 20 yearsDiet: AntsHabitat: Dry desert, grasslands, scrublandConservation Status: Least ConcernFun Fact: Per meal, a thorny devil can eat anywhere from 600 to 2,500 ants with their sticky tongues. Description Thorny devils have cones and shields on their bodies that serve as camouflage and as retainers of any water they come in contact with. The colors of their skin range from brown to yellow as the time of day changes to effectively blend in with their arid environments. They have long tongues that allow them to catch ants, and their teeth are specially adapted to bite through the hard, chitin-rich bodies of ants. Females are generally larger than males, and they live 6 to 20 years in the wild. Head of a Thorny Devil Lizard. Theo Allofs / Getty Images These reptiles do not travel very far from their homes. They are not territorial and have been spotted in overlapping ranges of other thorny devils. They are also active from March through May and August through December. During the hottest (January and February) and coldest parts (June and July) of the year, thorny devils hide in burrows that they dig. Habitat and Distribution Thorny devils live in most of the arid regions of Australia, including the Southern and Western parts of the country. They prefer desert areas and spinifex grasslands. Spinifex is a type of spiky grass that grows in sand dunes. Diet and Behavior Their diet is made up exclusively of ants, eating anywhere from 600 to 2,500 ants in one meal. They locate these ants by moving very slowly to find trails and then waiting for the ants to come. They use their sticky tongues, similar to an anteaters, to pick them up. Additionally, thorny devils’ skin collects water from its environment and channels the liquid to its mouth to drink. In extreme circumstances, they bury themselves in the sand to get moisture from it. Thorny Devil traveling on the sand. Luis Castaneda Inc. / Getty Images Thorny devils are non-territorial and don’t travel very far from their homes. Their daily routine consists of leaving their cover in the morning to warm themselves in the sand, moving to their defecation site, and then returning to their cover along the same path while eating ants along the way. However, they will travel further distances between August and September when in search of mates. To defend against predators, such as buzzards and Australian bustards (large land birds), thorny devils curl themselves to protect their head and expose a bony mass on their neck often referred to as a false head. This fools predators into attacking the knob instead of its real head. Reproduction and Offspring Mating season for thorny devils occurs from August to December. They travel long distances to converge at mating sites. Males attempt to attract females by bobbing their heads and waving their legs. Females fall and roll to throw off any males that meet their disapproval. Females lay 3 to 10 eggs in burrows much deeper than their normal ones and fill in the holes to cover up any signs of the burrow. The eggs incubate anywhere from 90 to 132 days and then the young emerge. Males and females grow at similar rates for the first year, but females grow at faster rates up until age five. Conservation Status Thorny devils are designated as least concern as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The organization found thorny devils to be very widespread and unlikely to be under any threat. Sources Dewey, Tanya. Moloch Horridus. Animal Diversity Web, 2019, https:// animaldiversity.org/accounts/Moloch_horridus/.Moloch Horridus Adaptations. Dancing With The Devil, 2008, http:// bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2014/palmer_tayl/adaptation.htm.Thorny Devils. Bush Heritage Australia, 2019, https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/thorny-devils.ï » ¿Thorny Devil. The IUCN Red List Of Threatened Species, 2019, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/83492011/83492039.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Gun Control Legislation (Do stricter laws correlate to lower homicide Thesis

Gun Control Legislation (Do stricter laws correlate to lower homicide rates, fewer gun related crimes and less illegal weapons) - Thesis Example This book illustrates the author’s research on crime, prevention, and the authority to have concealed weapons. He severely condemns the notion that it is unjustified to allow citizens to carry guns, as it is harmful to the society, however, concealed weapons is only dangerous to the criminals and useful to the common man. The writer provides data of 3000 U.S. countries who imposed gun laws over 18 years (Lott, 2010) and as a result, the crime rate like murder, theft went down immediately. Moreover, according to Lott, the people who benefitted were mostly women, Blacks, and individuals living in the rural areas. However, in the book some statistics is rather dull and boring especially the data tables. This book is an excellent read especially for those who believe that gun laws should be implemented. Moreover, the book offers us a variety of debates that help us argue people who are in support of gun control. This source however, does not give much emphasis on the gun laws of A merica, instead, it provides data of gun control laws of other countries. The article gives information about Colorado’s mass killing that took lives of twelve people and fifty eight were injured. Living in America is extremely threatening because a person is more likely to be killed in the US than any other country like Britain, Japan and Germany. Moreover, the article gives credible information about why the crime rate is so high in America by telling, â€Å"two- thirds of the people in America carry guns, whereas in Britain only 10% of the people carry weapons† (Colorado’s dark night). The article shed lights on Obama’s failed strategy of gun control and the condition of the country is getting worse as a result. Every politician hides behind the Second Amendment constitution, which says the people have the right to carry arms. The

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Three Original Combinations in Retail Markets Essay

Three Original Combinations in Retail Markets - Essay Example Murthi and Sarkar (2003. pp1344-1345) presented personalization framework for customers that comprises of learning matching and evaluation as per customer preferences. The combinations in retail stores should be planned carefully in such a way that they can be combined to present packages through personalization process that delight the customers given that the overall outcome fits a bigger picture in customer's mind. In the next section, three original ideas of combinations are presented. Verhoef (2003. pp32-33) proved the hypotheses that affective commitment positively affects customer retention. Personalization process effectively results in customers feeling connected to the firm and hence guarantees their long term loyalty. Combination 1: Consumer electronics, computers and furniture: This combination appears to be completely irrelevant with each other because all the three have different purposes and requires different sales skills. However, when viewed from personalization perspective now-a-days many consumers combine the computers & laptops with electronics items like televisions, cameras, handicams, surround sound systems, etc. and normally struggle with their integration aspects. If they are displayed with different integration combinations consumers can be delighted to get ready solution in one shop. Also, many consumers are concerned about the aesthetic combination of their computers, television sets and furniture - like type & look of chairs to sit & view digital cinema in flat screen TVs plugged into a laptop and surround speakers deployed around the chairs. Such aesthetics can be demonstrated by the sales people by building on the spot combinations. Combination 2: Sanitary items, Wall Paints, Furniture & Cupboards: This might appear to be irrelevant combination as well but can give lot of new ideas to consumers that are designing the interiors of their homes. A computer graphics operator can show various colour combinations of furniture, cupboards, wall & roof colors and flooring patterns. Customers can decide on the best combination quickly such that the appropriate package can be designed by selecting the right furniture/cupboard looks, wood (or metal polish), wall paints, roof paints, surface graphics, floor tiles etc. What might take weeks for customers to decide can happen in just a few hours. Such stores can also offer packaged services whereby all the items selected can be deployed at customer's home by single team of professionals having the view of the bigger picture. Combination 3: Wall paints, Art Paintings, Antiques, Carpets, and Wall Mountable clocks: Traditional customers are very particular about giving an artistic look to their homes with various tastes of matching among Wall Colors, Art Paintings, Carpets, Antiques and Wall Clocks. In this combination, the author imagines about a store where world class

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Current Police Vehicle Pursuits Policies and Procedures Essay Example for Free

Current Police Vehicle Pursuits Policies and Procedures Essay Why We Need Policy It is important to recognize that to use high speed methods in vehicle pursuit can only have risks reduced by un-holding a standardized guide as to how to proceed with the least of harm. The use of policy is an important element in any delivery of social and care service. Codes of practice provide parameters as to what needs to be recorded, how actions are to be undertaken and to realize the inherent moral obligation to ensure the rights and dignity of all stakeholders (New Jersey Police Department, 2001). Though, to provide consistency in application and resolution of dilemmas it is critical that report forms have an integrated presentation so that they can be used across situations, and across levels of staffs. Present Policy Currently there are written policies existing in every police station in North America instigated by the National Institute for Justice (NIJ). However, these differ amongst agencies, which has resulted in the indetermination of how best to deliver best practices in police vehicle pursuit (Alpert, 1997). A standardized form of pursuit policy would allow for better comparisons across agencies, and to quantify practices (Department of Public Safety, 2000). Recommended Policy Changes Develop and monitor a system to record information about pursuit driving. This will include narrative and multi-media forms, such as video, webcam and when necessary mobile camera and video. Continuous review and revision where necessary of pursuit policies. The quality and direction of these documents need to be valid and relevant and respect the rights and welfare of all stakeholders. Provide ongoing pursuit-specific training that includes ethical debating and written observation techniques Provide training and supervision across policies to ensure staffs in critical thought, inclusive decision-making and consistent deliver of services. Cultivate a culture of disclosure, reflection and critical analysis of responsibility for pursuit-actions amongst staffs. This includes having a supervisor read through and deliberates as to the appropriateness of pursuit activities in afteraction reports). Emphasize and make salient the ongoing risks and dangers of pursuit to guard against complacency of safety issues across time and experience. Establish a minimum criteria to meet a low offense as compared to a high offence to determine when a decision be made to continue or to initiate pursuit of a suspects vehicle. Train to recognize when public endangerment outweighs a decision to pursue; for example with incidents of traffic congestion Provide categories (ranking of criminal activities) and risk standards (rated from low to high) that allow staffs to easily and rapidly make distinctions during a chase Create a chase matrix from category scales to provide a set of specific standards that aid decision-making as to whether to start or continue a pursuit.   Conclusion Police pursuit is a controversial issue in social discourse, due to the inherent dangers to police, the pursued and the public. Formulation of a policy that adequately provides categories of risks and standards, and emphasizes the severity of the offence to determine if a chase is initiated or continued, appears to be the way to insure a consistent high level of best practices in pursuit. Ultimately, policy must seek to limit pursuit to only the most violent felons whilst resulting in the least risk to the public. Tragedy of road collisions due to police vehicular pursuit highlights the critical need for such policy. References Alpert, G. (1997) Police Pursuit: Policies and Training. Series: NIJ Research in Brief. Retrieved November 8, 2007 from http://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/164831.txt Department of Public Safety (2000) Uniform Statewide Pursuit Policy. Retrieved November 8,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2007 from http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?a=2151q=294336 New Jersey Police Department (2001) Police Pursuit. Retrieved November 8, 2007 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.state.nj.us/lps/dcj/agguide/vehpurs_2001.pdf

Friday, November 15, 2019

Cardinal Joseph Bernardin :: essays research papers

Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Cardinal Joseph Bernardin was born on April 2,1928, in Columbia, South Carolina. He was son of Mrs. Marie M. Simon Bernardin, and the late Joseph Bernardin. Cardinal Bernardin attended Catholic and public schools and the University of South Carolina in Columbia. He was later accepted as a candidate for the priesthood by Most Rev. John J. Russell, then Bishop of Charleston. He studied at the following Colleges: St.Mary's, St. Mary, Kentucky, St.Mary Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland, where he received the Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy. He also attended the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. where he received the Master of Arts degree in Education in 1952. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John J. Russell on April 26,1952, in St. Joseph Church, Columbia. His administrative skills were immediately recognized. During his 14 years in the Diocese of Charleston, he served under four bishops in many capacities, including the officed of chancellor, vicar general, diocesan consular, and administrator of the diocese. On March 9,1966, Pope Paul VI appointed Msgr. Bernardin Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta. In doing this he became the youngest Bishop in the county. On July 10,1982, Pope John Paul II reappointed Archbishop Bernardin to Archbishop of Chicago. His installation took at Holy Name Cathedral on August 25,1982. Later Archbishop Bernardin went to the College of Cardinals. On February 2,1983 he received his "red hat." On September 9,1996 President Clinton awarded Cardinal Bernardin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In presenting the Metal, the President cited Cardinal Bernardin's work on behalf of racial equality and arms control and noted he â€Å"has been a persistent voice for moderation.† Cardinal Bernardin was Chancellor of the Catholic Extension Society and the University of St. Mary of the Lake,Mundelein,IL. He is a founding member and Vice-Chairman of the Religious Alliance Against Pornography. In the more recent years before his death, he was a member of the Catholic Charities USA National Development Task Force and the Board of

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Biblical Foundations

Biblical Foundations Paper Many people play a part in curriculum development and design in secular and non-secular school systems. This may include society, government, church, and family. Before developing a curriculum components are considered where educational questions are asked and answered with a probable cause in order to set goals and objectives from standards to make up the curriculum. Educators in both secular and non-secular schools have to decide what content is meaningful and purposeful for students to learn. Christian philosophy and worldviewLearning takes place through experience and individual study from both a teacher and a student. From a biblical prospective teaching and learning all points to God as the Creator and Sustainer of all reality. If planning with the purpose of applying biblical principles, educators should direct principles not only at the content being taught but also to the development of a biblical worldview of the students and the way they learn. I n my opinion, God made all persons unique in their own special way so that they can contribute their special gifts, talents, experiences, and insights throughout society just as his son Jesus did.The bible makes it clear that God calls us to be a community in society which we all contribute our special gifts given to us (Van Brummelen, 2009). To teach means to take the lead in planning appropriate lessons catered to each individualized learning styles covering all contents in lessons by producing a variety of ways to capture the attention of students. Educators can use the appropriate tools to apply principles to essential questions, objectives, key learning activities, and classroom management strategies to determine whether lesson and unit plans lead towards the purpose that’s desire to achieve.Jesus captured the attention of many through his teachings because he taught like no other he was unique and reached people from their level of understanding through his teachings. A scripture that comes to mind is Proverbs 22:6 which states â€Å"train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it† (KJV). When teachers train students through modeling and through educational principles they are able to effectively train a child to grow up with morals and values as well as how to be productive members of society, and how to respond correctly to the world that surrounds them.Personal belief about truth of society The Bible explains that no one is perfect in this world, Romans 3:23 says, â€Å"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God† Romans 3:10 states â€Å"None is righteous, no, not one† (KJV). Therefore, we all have flaws and should work on doing good rather than evil teaching the way of being righteous and doing what is expected of us. Galatians 5:22-23 says, â€Å"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; again st such things there is no law† (KJV).Being effective means knowing how to recognize problems that deals with situations from multiple perspectives. Teachers can rely on their professional knowledge and judgment to take action by knowing the consequences of solved problems whether good or bad. A good teacher sets the tone and lays the foundation for students to succeed with learning by implementing great strategies to encourage and promote self discipline in a positive classroom environment. Roles of the teacher and learner Teachers play a very important role in influencing and in increasing students’ interests in an active-learning environment (Rotgans and Schmidt, 2011). Timothy 2:15 notes, â€Å"study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed† (KJV). An important part of the education process is to give students the tools needed to integrate what they learn, know, and believe in order to mature in a way that will remain with t hem for the rest of their lives. As a Christian teaching in a public school, I can most definitely explain what I teach differently from a Christian teacher due to my character principals I follow to guide me daily throughout life.I can teach students to question what they know, what they think they know, why they think they know it, and then begin to lead them to the truth about the lessons being taught. I can answer questions that might arrive based on my beliefs using logical thoughts derived from my opinion. With my teaching principles, as in Jesus’ ministry, there is a strong link between standards, objectives and outcomes. I feel that students need to know what is important and not forget. As with me, following the example ofJesus by modeling and practicing what I believe not only communicates the content but also gives students the strategies, skills, and processes they will need to apply the truth about learning. Using assessments, reinforcement, and reviews that will link declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge will also enable students to retrieve and apply knowledge gained in real-life situations. We as educators must remember that we are working with the future that students possess and that we have the unique opportunity to have a major impact on the lives of students.Roles of the society, government, church, and family in the development of curriculum Politics influence curriculum design and development because it all starts with starts funding. Public and private educational institutions both rely on politics for funding, hiring of personnel, building, and maintaining facilities, and equipment. Mainly all aspects of curriculum depend on local, state and national political standards in which affects curriculum development. According to Ganly (2007), the federal government mostly influence the range of the curriculum found in the classrooms.The state provides support materials and a guide for each subject area and grade level. The st ate also determines what students should be learning and provides a list of approved materials that can be used in the classroom. The state sets the standards on what students should be learning and forms committees holding public meetings where they listen to different interest's and opinions on curriculum form members of the community. After suggestions are considered the state sets rules for student standards. The District provides materials for teaching such as state standards and pacing guides to the curriculum.The district also reviews material that can be used in the classroom and recommends specific materials that should be purchased. The community plays a very important role in influencing curriculum in a school. Different community groups such as religious, political, and varying associations influence a school by effecting what topics may be taught. The community is also influential when deciding on things to implement and use because they are actively involved in distric t decisions about proposed materials. The community plays a role in extra curricula activities by hosting different clubs, teams, and events.Families of students also play a role in the curriculum through surveys that are established giving feedback on how they feel the curriculum is helping with student learning. Parents’ opinion matter due to their perception of education and the needs of the school system that helps in teaching learning principals of education. â€Å"When parents are involved in their children's education, both children and parents are likely to benefit† (Brown, 2000). References Brown, P. C. (2000). Involving parents in the education of their children. Retrieved from http://www. idsource. com/kidsource/content2/Involving_parents. html Ganly, S. (2007). The key players in curriculum development in United States schools. Retrieved from http://voices. yahoo. com/the-key-players-curriculum-development-united-535636. html Rotgans, J. I. , & Schmidt, H. G. (2011). The role of teachers in facilitating situational interest in an active learning classroom. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 37-42. Van Brummelen, Haro. (2009). Walking with God in the classroom: Christian Approaches to Teaching and Learning 3rd Edition

Sunday, November 10, 2019

How the Police Access Data to Obtain Criminal Information Essay

Advancement in technology has completely changed the way in which law enforcement agents obtain information, organize and make use of that information (Foster, 2005). Foster (2005) states that technology has enhanced the use of information both in strategic and tactical sense. Scientific criminal investigation is one of the earliest methods of obtaining information concerning crime and criminals. Fingerprint classification is a very good example of scientific criminal investigation. Information technology has greatly enhanced the use of fingerprints in criminal investigation (Foster, 2005). Interviewing is the other method used by law enforcement agents to obtain information. Uncle Bob was asked a few questions by the law enforcement officer in order to collect information concerning his name, address and driving license number. All information concerning criminal activities of an individual, collected by law enforcement and which law enforcement officers have access to, is taken as privileged information (Foster, 2005). This implies that this information is for official use only. Law enforcement agencies have general access to a wide range of information of the common man that is confidential and protected by law. The information retained by law enforcement agencies runs the spectrum from crime reports to personnel records (Pattavina, 2005). Police officers gather a great deal of information, which they preserve for a long time. Majority of the law enforcement agencies in the United States have computerized files and criminal records. This implies that most of the law enforcement officers in the country have access to computerized criminal histories (Pattavina, 2005). Criminal justice information systems contain all information collected in and used in the criminal justice system. This information include: state drivers’ license records, privately gathered information and personal data in addition to court transcripts of testimony. Police records on the other hand deal with information gathered, preserved as well as organized by the police (Foster, 2005). A fully integrated law enforcement record management system has the capacity to access to all other records preserved by different criminal justice organizations. The Florida police department was able to obtain information concerning the weight, height, and criminal history of uncle Bob because its record management system is fully integrated. A fully integrated record management system is made up of various smaller systems whose main role is to exchange information with a master server (Foster, 2005). Law enforcement management system, as stated by Pattavina (2005), is a comprehensive system that allows for the capture in addition to transmission of information from a wide range of sources and also allows for different types of information queries in addition to bridging law enforcement agencies to outside sources of information (Foster, 2005). Law enforcement agencies make use of the internet to exchange information on matters of national security (Pattavina, 2005). Miami Police Department obtained criminal and personal information of uncle Bob through the internet. Communication between the police officer in the field and his agency was enhanced by the fact that law enforcement officers can access a wide range of reference manuals as well as policy in searchable online databases (Foster, 2005). The internet is one of the major technology developments that supplements law enforcement communication schemes. Uncle Bob is likely to be charged with over speeding. It can therefore be concluded that advancement in technology has completely changed the way in which law enforcement agents obtain information, organize and make use of information. Interviewing is one of the major approaches employed by law enforcement agents to gather information. Communication between law enforcement officers in the field with their agencies as well as between different criminal justice organizations is enhanced by integration of Internet in communication system.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Foot Binding in China

Foot Binding in China For centuries, young girls in China were subjected to an extremely painful and debilitating procedure called foot binding.  Their feet were bound tightly with cloth strips, with the toes bent down under the sole of the foot, and the foot tied front-to-back so that the grew into an exaggerated high curve. The ideal adult female foot would be only three to four inches in length. These tiny, deformed feet were known as lotus feet. The fashion for bound feet began in the upper classes of Han Chinese society, but it spread to all but the poorest families.  Having a daughter with bound feet signified that the family was wealthy enough to forgo having her work in the fields- women with their feet bound could not walk well enough to do any sort of labor that involved standing for any length of time.  Because bound feet were considered beautiful and sensual, and because they signified relative wealth, girls with lotus feet were more likely to marry well. As a result, even some farming families that could not really afford to lose a childs labor would bind their eldest daughters feet in hopes of attracting rich husbands for the girls. Origins of Foot Binding Various myths and folktales relate to the origin of foot-binding in China. In one version, the practice goes back to the earliest documented dynasty, the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BCE–1046 BCE). Supposedly, the corrupt last emperor of the Shang, King Zhou, had a favorite concubine named Daji who was born with clubfoot. According to the legend, the sadistic Daji ordered court ladies to bind their daughters feet so that they would be tiny and beautiful like her own. Since Daji was later discredited and executed, and the Shang Dynasty soon fell, it seems unlikely that her practices would have survived her by 3,000 years. A somewhat more plausible story states that the emperor Li Yu (reign 961–976 CE) of the Southern Tang Dynasty had a concubine named Yao Niang who performed a lotus dance, similar to en pointe ballet.  She bound her feet into a crescent shape with strips of white silk before dancing, and her grace inspired other courtesans and upper-class women to follow suit. Soon, girls of six to eight years had their feet bound into permanent crescents. How Foot Binding  Spread During the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), foot-binding became an established custom and spread throughout eastern China.  Soon, every ethnic Han Chinese woman of any social standing was expected to have lotus feet.  Beautifully embroidered and jeweled shoes for bound feet became popular, and men sometimes drank wine from the dainty little footwear of their lovers. When the Mongols overthrew the Song and established the Yuan Dynasty in 1279, they adopted many Chinese traditions- but not foot-binding. The far more politically influential and independent Mongol women were completely uninterested in permanently disabling their daughters to conform with Chinese standards of beauty. Thus, womens feet became an instant marker of ethnic identity, differentiating Han Chinese from Mongol women. The same would be true when the ethnic Manchus conquered Ming China in 1644 and established the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912).  Manchu women were legally barred from binding their feet. Yet the tradition continued strong among their Han subjects.   Banning the Practice In the latter half of the nineteenth century, western missionaries and Chinese feminists began to call for an end to foot-binding.  Chinese thinkers influenced by Social Darwinism fretted that disabled women would produce feeble sons, endangering the Chinese as a people. To appease the foreigners, the Manchu Empress Dowager Cixi outlawed the practice in a 1902 edict, following the failure of the anti-foreigner Boxer Rebellion. This ban was soon repealed. When the Qing Dynasty fell in 1911 and 1912, the new Nationalist government banned foot-binding again.  The ban was reasonably effective in the coastal cities, but foot-binding continued unabated in much of the countryside. The practice wasnt more or less completely stamped out until the Communists finally won the Chinese Civil War in 1949.  Mao Zedong and his government treated women as much more equal partners in the revolution and immediately outlawed foot-binding throughout the country because it significantly diminished womens value as workers.  This was despite the fact that several women with bound feet had made the Long March with the Communist troops, walking 4,000 miles through rugged terrain and fording rivers on their deformed, 3-inch long feet. Of course, when Mao issued the ban there were already hundreds of millions of women with bound feet in China.  As the decades have passed, there are fewer and fewer. Today, there are only a handful of women living out in the countryside in their 90s or older who still have bound feet.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Distinguish Female Lobsters From Males

How to Distinguish Female Lobsters From Males Want to know the sex of a lobster you have caught or are about to eat? Here are several ways to tell: Lobster Anatomy Lobsters have feathery appendages called swimmerets, or pleopods, underneath their tails. These swimmerets help a lobster swim and are also where a female lobster  (sometimes called a hen)  carries her eggs. Swimmerets also can clue you in to the sex of a lobster. The first pair of swimmerets (the pair closest to the head) just behind the walking legs point up toward the head. They are thin, feathery, and soft on a female  but hard and bony on a male. Also, the female has a rectangular shield between her second pair of walking legs, which she uses to store sperm after mating with a male. This is where the male inserts those hard swimmerets during mating, releasing sperm that the female stores. When its time to release her eggs, they flow past the sperm and are fertilized. The female stores these eggs under her abdomen (tail) for 10 to 11 months.   Because they carry eggs, females tend to have a wider tail than males. Females carrying fertilized eggs arent usually harvested, but inside a female lobster you might find unfertilized eggs, or roe. They are green when fresh and bright red after the lobster is cooked. (They are also called coral because of the color.) These can be eaten.  Females can carry up to 80,000 eggs at one time.   Courting Ritual Despite their ferocious appearance, lobsters have a complex courtship ritual that is often described as touching.  Males and females mate after the female molts. The males live in caves or dens, and as her molting time draws near, a female visits the dens and wafts a pheromone toward the male via her urine, which is released from openings near her antennae. The male energetically beats his swimmerets. Over a few days, the female approaches the den and checks out the male. They eventually initiate a mock boxing match and the female enters the den. During molting the female is vulnerable- she is very soft and takes at least half an hour to be able to stand- so the male protects her. At this point the male rolls the female over onto her back and transfers the sperm packet, or spermatophore, to the females seminal receptacle. The female holds her eggs until she is ready to fertilize them.   Spiny Lobster Sexing Spiny lobsters (rock lobsters) are usually sold as tails, rather than live, so you might not get a chance to try out your lobster sexing skills at a market that sells spiny lobsters.  However, these lobsters also can be sexed using the swimmerets on the underside of their tails.   In females, the swimmerets on one side might overlap those on the other. You might also see a dark patch, where the spermatophore is located at the base of her last pair of walking legs. They might also have claw-shaped pincers at the end of their fifth pair of walking legs that help hold the eggs.  Roe mmight be found inside whole spiny lobsters. Sources: Lobsters, Gulf of Maine Research Institute Lobster 101: Reproduction and Life Cycle, Maine Lobstermens Community AllianceHow to Determine the Sex of Regulated Invertebrates, State of Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources Lobster Biology, The Lobster Conservancy

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Branding and Promotion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Branding and Promotion - Assignment Example It is the value a customer places on the brand which results in a long term association of the company and the customer. It generates both tangible and intangible benefits for the company that a brand adds to a product/service. A positive brand equity in traditional workstation markets such as research, engineering, and entertainment. The brand has been associated in this field with favorable qualities like innovation, vision, fun, and customer orientation. An image of being a company dealing with high end users. This image got further boost with the taking over of Cray Research Inc. another super computer company. Its target markets comprised of scientists, engineers, animators and graphics professionals. It is quite apparent that Silicon Graphics Inc. has not given due consideration so far to gain access to the mindset of existing and prospective customers a prerequisite for establishing the brand name. Advertising plays a critical role in building brand equity. It helps customers to differentiate a brand from competitors a brand from competitors on dimensions which are important to consumers. This Brand equity helps in stimulating growth in many parity products. SGI has long been associated with high end 'Hollywood like' products. That's indeed a big asset for SGI. But for long term sustenance the company will have to diversify to fulfill the requirements of other customers as well. SGI did try to enter this space as well, but without making any conscious efforts towards establishing a 'common man' user friendly image. Consistent and suitable media campaigns and visibility is required towards sustaining any brand equity. Ans 2: SGI realized the painful way in the year 1996-97 that everything is not fine with its business operations and brand imaging, when it started incurring losses. So the company started t take note and then accordingly set in a motion a number of short-term and long-term measures. The acquition of Cray also proved to be non-productive and company realized that the liabilities are on the rise after its acquisition. This led to parting of ways by SGI from most of the Cray business and the Cray brand to by handing over this business to Tera Computer Company on March 31, 2000. One of SGI's most glaring brand deficiencies was the under-leveraged master brand. For example the name Coca-Cola, is associated with cold-drinks, though there are over 400 products that the company produces in over 200 countries, yet the consumers measure up every product with Coca-Cola, the 'quality cold drink' at the back of their minds. Reason for the deficiency in SGI branding is the trend of ignoring the importan ce of brand equity, or perhaps this could be because of sheer overconfidence on the part of management. Otherwise how can we explain the absence of the Silicon Graphics typeface and its

Friday, November 1, 2019

Individual Proposal to Change or Add a Policy, or Create New Business Research Paper

Individual Proposal to Change or Add a Policy, or Create New Business - Research Paper Example The virtual system would also promise high levels of productivity for employees by digitalizing all information. There are a thousand stores and shops out there that offer lucrative brands and special offers but you need to highlight your strategy of sit back in your chair and shop for groceries concept. Background The globe is changing at a fast scale and everything is contracting into one with the advancement in science and technology. We have already seen the venture and game of mobile companies creating virtual markets for their application shoppers and brand addicts. There is a great socio and economic tornado that is sweeping the world to conform to the latest trends of technology and it. In such a scenario the business environment is becoming highly competitive and to gain competitive advantage it is necessary to go online. Now is the ear of Information and technology change and consumers has become so intelligent and market sensitive that brining innovation is essential to su rvive in the competitive landscape (Reiss, 2012 ). Problem The problem with this policy is that it requires a huge organizational change. The change of culture, operations and systems may need to be brought at massive scale. The workforce may have to be downsized and the remaining workforce needs to be prepared for the change. Special trainers need to be hired to train the existing staff. The shift from a traditional system to a virtual one may take a considerable amount of time (Reiss, 2012 ). Intro section outline Need for- Special trainers Change managers Equipment Web developers Analyst Management information system softwares Security managers High tech computer systems Benefits- Eventually lower cost of warehousing Inventory management and accountability can be easily monitored Stand as a competitive advantage in the retail industry Increase productivity Motivate young staff and potential candidates to be a part of the organization Increase sales and profits Cut down warehouses Less staff to manage and pay Less dependency on efficiency of human capital Methods First of all it is necessary to create a business plan. Hiring an MBA is very essential for that. Calculate all costs of getting into the venture and sustaining it. Set out the objectives of the change policy and start implementing the business plan. Assign the project to a project manager. Purchase a domain name for your website and also get return and overhead charges permit from the government and create a website. Establish different paying systems, get associated with renowned banks for easy payment transfers for goods. One you have developed the website, hire a set of people to maintain all systems and keep all information co ordinate. The warehouse software, recruiting, sales order, delivery softwares all should be aligned together for co-ordination of information. Monitor the content being displayed and focus heavily on advertising the new style that you are introducing. Highlight the conven ience factor and market your store like anything and hit all possible virtual markets for example social networking sites. Hire a maintenance and security team to look into the security aspect of your business. The use of digital dash boards and workforce management systems can help in monitoring and evaluating performance before and after the change (Reiss, 2012 ). Qualifications The person