Race and Ethnicity Paper Essay

I was born and raised in China. I would come to self – identify with the Chinese people. My roots allow me to be classified as Asian. Mandarin and Cantonese are languages I have learned to speak and read. These languages also help to identify me as Chinese. What is race? Race defines who we are. We look at people and experiences through race and culture. Both of my parents are introverted in personalities. They are soft spoken because they once lived under the fears of Communism. They taught me not to speak inappropriate things to other people. This prevented much trouble from occurring. I have been taught by the spoken and unspoken ways of my parents and teachers to utilize my race as the social lens through which I can value people and experiences. My parents shaped me early on life to not speak out about Chinese Politics. They taught me that Chinese plays a role in my cultural identification. Through generations of racial modeling, my parents passed on these oppressive limitations. What make me Chinese? What are the characteristic of a Chinese person? I really don’t know. Other identifying me as a Chinese by my skin color, hair, eyes, height, other appearance features, and the language I speak, and where I come from. I’m a quiet person in school, and when I have questions or I need help on my subjects, I hesitate to raise my hand. Since my freshman year I have been like this. I’m represented as a workaholic Chinese. I turn in every assignment and on time, for this reason, they identified me as an Asian, because of the stereotypes placed on Asians my behavior and attitude contributed to people’s reasoning. My ethnic identification exposed me to a cultural clash. For example, we had a critical thinking class last year, for summer camp. We read an article in our class, part of the paragraph described a Chinese person taking a sample food. He liked it because it was free. Therefore, the rest of the class considered Chinese people to be greedy. People always judge us by our conversations, actions and jokes. We do not need such a race consciousness in order to know who we are. It is hard to identify one’s self. It shouldn’t be based on where you were born, where you come from or the color of your skin. I don’t want to be a Chinese nor any other ethnic background. If an American gave birth to her offspring in China, and her baby was raised there they may face the same cultural biases as I have. The baby would probably speak Chinese, use chopsticks, and dress like a Chinese person, but that does not make them Chinese. Racism will never end unless the word race is not used any more. We must stop separating Chinese, American, and Mexican groups.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Eleven

Elena stumbled down the dim corridor, trying to visualize what was around her. Then the world suddenly flickered to brightness and she found herself surrounded by familiar rows of lockers. Her relief was so great that she almost cried out. She'd never have thought she would be so glad just to see. She stood for a minute looking around gratefully. â€Å"Elena! What are you doing out here?† It was Meredith and Bonnie, hurrying down the hall toward her. â€Å"Where have you been?† she said fiercely. Meredith grimaced. â€Å"We couldn't find Shelby. And when we finally did find him, he was asleep. I'm serious,† she added at Elena's incredulous look. â€Å"Asleep. And then we couldn't get him to wake up. It wasn't until the lights went back on that he opened his eyes. Then we started back to you. But what are you doinghere ?† Elena hesitated. â€Å"I got tired of waiting,† she said as lightly as she could. â€Å"I think we've done enough work for one day, anyway.† â€Å"Now you tell us,† said Bonnie. Meredith said nothing, but she gave Elena a keen, searching look. Elena had the uncomfortable feeling that those dark eyes saw beneath the surface. All that weekend and throughout the following week, Elena worked on plans for the Haunted House. There was never enough time to be with Stefan, and that was frustrating, but even more frustrating was Stefan himself. She could sense his passion for her, but she could also sense that he was fighting it, still refusing to be completely alone with her. And in many ways he was just as much a mystery to her as he had been when she first saw him. He never spoke about his family or his life before coming to Fell's Church, and if she asked any questions he turned them aside. Once she had asked him if he missed Italy, if he was sorry he'd come here. And for an instant his eyes had lightened, the green sparkling like oak leaves reflected in a running stream. â€Å"How could I be sorry, whenyou are here?† he said, and kissed her in a way that put all inquiries out of her mind. In that moment, Elena had known what it was like to be completely happy. She'd felt his joy, too, and when he pulled back she had seen that his face was alight, as if the sun shone through it. â€Å"Oh, Elena,† he'd whispered. The good times were like that. But he had kissed her less and less frequently of late, and she felt the distance between them widening. That Friday, she and Bonnie and Meredith decided to sleep over at the McCulloughs'. The sky was gray and threatening to drizzle as she and Meredith walked to Bonnie's house. It was unusually chilly for mid-October, and the trees lining the quiet street had already felt the nip of cold winds. The maples were a blaze of scarlet, while the ginkgoes were radiant yellow. Bonnie greeted them at the door with: â€Å"Everybody's gone! We'll have the whole house to ourselves until tomorrow afternoon, when my family gets back from Leesburg.† She beckoned them inside, grabbing for the overfed Pekingese that was trying to get out. â€Å"No, Yangtze, stay in. Yangtze, no, don't! No!† But it was too late. Yangtze had escaped and was dashing through the front yard up to the single birch tree, where he yapped shrilly up into the branches, rolls of fat on his back jiggling. â€Å"Oh, what's he afternow ?† said Bonnie, putting her hands over her ears. â€Å"It looks like a crow,† said Meredith. Elena stiffened. She took a few steps toward the tree, looking up into the golden leaves. And there it was. The same crow she had seen twice before. Perhaps three times before, she thought, remembering the dark shape winging up from the oak trees in the cemetery. As she looked at it she felt her stomach clench in fear and her hands grow cold. It was staring at her again with its bright black eye, an almost human stare. That eye†¦ where had she seen an eye like that before? Suddenly all three girls jumped back as the crow gave a harsh croak and thrashed its wings, bursting out of the tree toward them. At the last moment it swooped down instead on the little dog, which was now barking hysterically. It came within inches of canine teeth and then soared back up again, flying over the house to disappear into the black walnut trees beyond. The three girls stood frozen in astonishment. Then Bonnie and Meredith looked at each other, and the tension shattered in nervous laughter. â€Å"For a moment I thought he was coming for us,† said Bonnie, going over to the outraged Pekingese and dragging him, still barking, back into the house. â€Å"So did I,† said Elena quietly. And as she followed her friends inside, she did not join in the laughter. Once she and Meredith had put their things away, however, the evening fell into a familiar pattern. It was hard to keep hold of her uneasiness sitting in Bonnie's cluttered living room beside a roaring fire, with a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. Soon the three of them were discussing the final plans for the Haunted House, and she relaxed. â€Å"We're in pretty good shape,† said Meredith at last. â€Å"Of course, we've spent so much time figuring out everyone else's costumes that we haven't even thought about our own.† â€Å"Mine's easy,† said Bonnie. â€Å"I'm going to be a druid priestess, and I only need a garland of oak leaves in my hair and some white robes. Mary and I can sew it in one night.† â€Å"I think I'll be a witch,† said Meredith thoughtfully. â€Å"All that takes is a long black dress. What about you, Elena?† Elena smiled. â€Å"Well, it was supposed to be a secret, but†¦ Aunt Judith let me go to a dressmaker. I found a picture of a Renaissance gown in one of the books I used for my oral report, and we're having it copied. It's Venetian silk, ice blue, and it's absolutely beautiful.† â€Å"It sounds beautiful,† Bonnie said. â€Å"And expensive.† â€Å"I'm using my own money from my parents' trust. I just hope Stefan likes it. It's a surprise for him, and†¦ well, I just hope he likes it.† â€Å"What's Stefan going to be? Is he helping with the Haunted House?† said Bonnie curiously. â€Å"I don't know,† Elena said after a moment. â€Å"He doesn't seem too thrilled with the whole Halloween thing.† â€Å"It's hard to see him all wrapped up in torn sheets and covered with fake blood like the other guys,† agreed Meredith. â€Å"He seems†¦ well, too dignified for that.† â€Å"I know!† said Bonnie. â€Å"I know exactly what he can be, and he'll hardly have to dress up at all. Look, he's foreign, he's sort of pale, he has that wonderful brooding look†¦ Put him in tails and you've got a perfect Count Dracula!† Elena smiled in spite of herself. â€Å"Well, I'll ask him,† she said. â€Å"Speaking of Stefan,† said Meredith, her dark eyes on Elena's, â€Å"how are things going?† Elena sighed, looking away into the fire. â€Å"I'm†¦ not sure,† she said at last, slowly. â€Å"There are times when everything is wonderful, and then there are other times when†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Meredith and Bonnie exchanged a glance, and then Meredith spoke gently. â€Å"Other times when what?† Elena hesitated, debating. Then she came to a decision. â€Å"Just a sec,† she said, and got up and hurried up the stairs. She came back down with a small blue velvet book in her hands. â€Å"I wrote some of it down last night when I couldn't sleep,† she said. â€Å"This says it better than I could now.† She found the page, took a deep breath, and began: â€Å"October 17 â€Å"Dear Diary, â€Å"I feel awful tonight. AndIhave to share it with someone . â€Å"Something is going wrong with Stefan and me. There is this terrible sadness inside him that I can't reach, and it's driving us apart. I don't know what to do. â€Å"I can't bear the thought of losing him. But he's so very unhappy about something, and if he won't tell me what it is, if he won't trust me that much, I don't see any hope for us. â€Å"Yesterday when he was holding me I felt something smooth and round underneath his shirt, something on a chain. I asked him, teasingly, if it was a gift from Caroline. And he just froze and wouldn't talk anymore. It was as if he were suddenly a thousand miles away, and his eyes†¦ there was so much pain in his eyes that I could hardly stand it.† Elena stopped reading and traced the last lines written in the journal silently with her eyes. I feel as if someone has hurt him terribly in the past and he's never got over it. But I also think there's something he's afraid of, some secret he's afraid I'll find out. If I only knew what that was, I could prove to him that he can trust me. That he can trust me no matter what happens, to the end . â€Å"If only I knew,† she whispered. â€Å"If only you knew what?† said Meredith, and Elena looked up, startled. â€Å"Oh-if only I knew what was going to happen,† she said quickly, closing the diary. â€Å"I mean, if I knew we were going to break up eventually, I suppose I'd just want to get it over with. And if I knew it was going to turn out all right in the end, I wouldn't mind anything that happens now. But just going day after day without being sure is awful.† Bonnie bit her lip, then sat up, eyes sparkling. â€Å"I can show you a way to find out, Elena,† she said. â€Å"My grandmother told me the way to find out who you're going to marry. It's called a dumb supper.† â€Å"Let me guess, an old druid trick,† said Meredith. â€Å"I don't know how old it is,† said Bonnie. â€Å"My grandmother says there have always been dumb suppers. Anyway, it works. My mother saw my father's image when she tried it, and a month later they were married. It's easy, Elena; and what have you got to lose?† Elena looked from Bonnie to Meredith. â€Å"I don't know,† she said. â€Å"But, look, you don't really believe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie drew herself up with affronted dignity. â€Å"Are you calling my mother a liar? Oh, come on, Elena, there's no harm in trying. Why not?† â€Å"What would I have to do?† said Elena doubtfully. She felt strangely intrigued, but at the same time rather frightened. â€Å"It's simple. We have to get everything ready before the stroke of midnight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Five minutes before midnight, Elena stood in the McCulloughs' dining room, feeling more foolish than anything else. From the backyard, she could hear Yangtze's frantic barking, but inside the house there was no sound except the unhurried tick of the grandfather clock. Following Bonnie's instructions, she had set the big black walnut table with one plate, one glass, and one set of silverware, all the time not saying a word. Then she had lit a single candle in a candleholder in the center of the table, and positioned herself behind the chair with the place setting. According to Bonnie, on the stroke of midnight she was supposed to pull the chair back and invite her future husband in. At that point, the candle would blow out and she would see a ghostly figure in the chair. Earlier, she'd been a little uneasy about this, uncertain that she wanted to see any ghostly figures, even of her husband-to-be. But just now the whole thing seemed silly and harmless. As the clock began to chime, she straightened up and got a better grip on the chair back. Bonnie had told her not to let go until the ceremony was over. Oh, thiswas silly. Maybe she wouldn't say the words†¦ but when the clock started to toll out the hour, she heard herself speaking. â€Å"Come in,† she said self-consciously to the empty room, drawing out the chair. â€Å"Come in, come in†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The candle went out. Elena started in the sudden darkness. She'd felt the wind, a cold gust that had blown out the candle. It came from the French doors behind her, and she turned quickly, one hand still on the chair. She would have sworn those doors were shut. Something moved in the darkness. Terror washed through Elena, sweeping away her self-consciousness and any trace of amusement. Oh, God, what had she done, what had she brought on herself? Her heart contracted and she felt as if she had been plunged, without warning, into her most dreadful nightmare. It was not only dark but utterly silent; there was nothing to see and nothing to hear, and she was falling†¦ â€Å"Allow me,† said a voice, and a bright flame sputtered in the darkness. For a terrible, sickening instant she thought it was Tyler, remembering his lighter in the ruined church on the hill. But as the candle on the table sprang to life, she saw the pale, long-fingered hand that held it. Not Tyler's beefy red fist. She thought for an instant it was Stefan's, and then her eyes lifted to the face. â€Å"You!† she said, astounded. â€Å"What do you think you're doing here?† She looked from him to the French doors, which were indeed open, showing the side lawn. â€Å"Do you always just walk into other people's houses uninvited?† â€Å"But you asked me to come in.† His voice was as she remembered it, quiet, ironical and amused. She remembered the smile, too. â€Å"Thank you,† he added, and gracefully sat down in the chair she had drawn out. She snatched her hand off the back. â€Å"I wasn't invitingyou ,† she said helplessly, caught between indignation and embarrassment. â€Å"What were you doing hanging around outside Bonnie's house?† He smiled. In the candlelight, his black hair shone almost like liquid, too soft and fine for human hair. His face was very pale, but at the same time utterly compelling. And his eyes caught her own and held them. † ‘Helen, thy beauty is to me/Like those Nicean barks of yore/That gently, over a perfumed sea†¦' † â€Å"I think you'd better leave now.† She didn't want him to talk anymore. His voice did strange things to her, made her feel oddly weak, started a melting in her stomach. â€Å"You shouldn't be here. Please.† She reached for the candle, meaning to take it and leave him, fighting off the dizziness that threatened to overcome her. But before she could grasp it, he did something extraordinary. He caught her reaching hand, not roughly but gently, and held it in his cool slender fingers. Then he turned her hand over, bent his dark head, and kissed her palm. â€Å"Don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  whispered Elena, stunned. â€Å"Come with me,† he said, and looked up into her eyes. â€Å"Please don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she whispered again, the world swimming around her. He was mad; what was he talking about? Come with him where? But she felt so dizzy, so faint. He was standing, supporting her. She leaned against him, felt those cool fingers on the first button of the shirt at her throat, â€Å"Please, no†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's all right. You'll see.† He pulled the shirt away from her neck, his other hand behind her head. â€Å"No.† Suddenly, strength returned to her, and she jerked away from him, stumbling against the chair. â€Å"I told you to leave, and I meant it. Get out-now!† For an instant, pure fury surged in his eyes, a dark wave of menace. Then they went calm and cold and he smiled, a swift, brilliant smile that he turned off again instantly. â€Å"I'll leave,† he said. â€Å"For the moment.† She shook her head and watched him go out the French doors without speaking. When they had shut behind him, she stood in the silence, trying to get her breath. The silence†¦ but it shouldn't be silent. She turned toward the grandfather clock in bewilderment and saw that it had stopped. But before she could examine it closely, she heard Meredith's and Bonnie's raised voices. She hurried out into the hall, feeling the unaccustomed weakness in her legs, pulling her shirt back up and buttoning it. The back door was open, and she could see two figures outside, stooping over something on the lawn. â€Å"Bonnie? Meredith? What's wrong?† Bonnie looked up as Elena reached them. Her eyes were filled with tears. â€Å"Oh, Elena, he's dead.† With a chill of horror, Elena stared down at the little bundle at Bonnie's feet. It was the Pekingese, lying very stiffly on his side, eyes open. â€Å"Oh, Bonnie,† she said. â€Å"He was old,† said Bonnie, â€Å"but I never expected him to go this quickly. Just a little while ago, he was barking.† â€Å"I think we'd better go inside,† said Meredith, and Elena looked up at her and nodded. Tonight was not a night to be out in the dark. It was not a night to invite things inside, either. She knew that now, although she still didn't understand what had happened. It was when they got back in the living room that she found her diary was missing. Stefan lifted his head from the velvet-soft neck of the doe. The woods were filled with night noises, and he couldn't be sure which had disturbed him. With the Power of his mind distracted, the deer roused from its trance. He felt muscles quiver as she tried to get her feet under her. Go, then, he thought, sitting back and releasing her entirely. With a twist and a heave, she was up and running. He'd had enough. Fastidious, he licked at the corners of his mouth, feeling his canine teeth retract and blunt, oversensitive as always after a prolonged feed. It was hard to know what enough was anymore. There had been no spells of dizziness since the one beside the church, but he lived in fear of their return. He lived in one specific fear: that he would come to his senses one day, his mind reeling with confusion, to find Elena's graceful body limp in his arms, her slim throat marked with two red wounds, her heart stilled forever. That was what he had to look forward to. The blood lust, with all its myriad terrors and pleasures, was a mystery to him even now. Although he had lived with it every day for centuries, he still did not understand it. As a living human, he would no doubt have been disgusted, sickened, by the thought of drinking the rich warm stuff directly from a breathing body. That is, if someone had proposed such a thing to him in so many words. But no words had been used that night, the night Katherine had changed him. Even after all these years, the memory was clear. He had been asleep when she appeared in his chamber, moving as softly as a vision or a ghost. He had been asleep, alone†¦ She was wearing a fine linen shift when she came to him. It was the night before the day she had named, the day when she would announce her choice. And she came to him. A white hand parted the curtains around his bed, and Stefan woke from sleep, sitting up in alarm. When he saw her, pale golden hair gleaming about her shoulders, blue eyes lost in shadow, he was struck silent with amazement. And with love. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. He trembled and tried to speak, but she put two cool fingers over his lips. â€Å"Hush,† she whispered, and the bed sank under new weight as she got in. His face flamed, his heart was thundering with embarrassment and with excitement. There had never been a woman in his bed before. And this was Katherine, Katherine whose beauty seemed to come from heaven, Katherine whom he loved more than his own soul. And because he loved her, he made a great effort. As she slipped under the sheets, drawing so near to him that he could feel the cool freshness of night air in her thin shift, he managed to speak. â€Å"Katherine,† he whispered. â€Å"We-I can wait. Until we are married in the church. I will have my father arrange it next week. It-it will not be long†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hush,† she whispered again, and he felt that coolness on his skin. He couldn't help himself; he put his arms around her, holding her to him. â€Å"What we do now has nothing to do with that,† she said, and reached out her slim fingers to stroke his throat. He understood. And felt a flash of fear, which disappeared as her fingers went on stroking. He wanted this, wanted anything that would let him be with Katherine. â€Å"Lie back, my love,† she whispered. My love. The words sang through him as he lay back on the pillow, tilting his chin back so that his throat was exposed. His fear was gone, replaced by a happiness so great that he thought it would shatter him. He felt the soft brush of her hair on his chest, and tried to calm his breathing. He felt her breath on his throat, and then her lips. And then her teeth. There was a stinging pain, but he held himself still and made no sound, thinking only of Katherine, of how he wished to give to her. And almost at once the pain eased, and he felt the blood being drawn from his body. It was not terrible, as he had feared. It was a feeling of giving, of nurturing. Then it was as if their minds were merging, becoming one. He could feel Katherine's joy in drinking from him, her delight in taking the warm blood that gave her life. And he knew she could feel his delight in giving. But reality was receding, the boundaries between dreams and waking becoming blurred. He could not think clearly; he could not think at all. He could onlyfeel , and his feelings were spiraling up and up, carrying him higher and higher, breaking his last ties with earth. Sometime later, without knowing how he had gotten there, he found himself in her arms. She was cradling him like a mother holding an infant child, guiding his mouth to rest on the bare flesh just above the low neck of her night shift. There was a tiny wound there, a cut showing dark against the pale skin. He felt no fear or hesitation, and when she stroked his hair encouragingly, he began to suck. Cold and precise, Stefan brushed dirt off his knees. The human world was asleep, lost in stupor, but his own senses were knife-keen. He should have been sated, but he was hungry again; the memory had wakened his appetite. Nostrils flaring wide to catch the musky scent of fox, he began to hunt.

Case Study 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

2 - Case Study Example Segregation of tasks is required to evade obvious prospects for fraud and quality control (Zhang, 2012). First, for ideal internal control, the purchasing representative or agent should approve the payment nor receive the goods. If these tasks are not separated, an agent can purchase goods and have them transported to their home. Or a purchasing representative can spend so much on purchases, accept the payment, and divide the surplus with the supplier. To evade these issues, companies divide the following tasks among various workers: receiving goods, purchasing goods, and accepting and recompensing for goods (Zhang, 2012). In addition, no transaction should be administered without the specific or general approval of the management. The larger the transaction or deal, the more particular the approval it must have. After all, we are dealing with diamonds, not bolt and nuts. Companies effect most payments by EFT (electronic funds transfer) or check (Zhang, 2012). As we have witnessed, a company requires proper separation of tasks between operations and authorizing EFTs or writing checks for payment of cash. Payment by EFT or check is a crucial internal control, as below: Possible problem: The problem emerges in the absence of a chosen interim supervisor while Rachael is away. The senior executives are taking it on themselves to control while she is away, this seems to be creating performance problems at the architectural company (Fieldmann, 2014). Rachael should assign a high-ranking architect as the interim boss while she is out. The supervisor would be in charge of all the activities that take place in the firm till the return of Rachael. Equally, the other senior architects need to focus on generating architectural drawings. It is proven that the company does not operate well because two architects have self-assigned themselves as â€Å"in control,† but they neglect

McDonalds and Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

McDonalds and Globalization - Essay Example McDonalds is a chain of restaurants working in collaboration to deliver their customers with the best product. It also follows the concepts of globalization. This essay would discuss an ethnographic study in McDonalds as it affirms or refutes the claims made about globalization. Ethnographic Study McDonald’s is one of the biggest fast food restaurant chains around the globe. Franchising is the key success factor behind the international success of McDonald’s. The global strategy of franchising McDonald’s is to involve local people and translate the US brand culture to the local culture and values of products and services offered. The integration of local values and cultural elements into the flexible working environment and structure of McDonald’s, help in developing the standards of the food chain with reference to customer’s loyalty and satisfaction.... McDonald’s values, hence, comprise of strategies which uphold the customers’ values. Their advertisements and marketing campaigns include slogans like ‘our community’, ‘our commitment’ etc. and symbols like a smile, happy and fresh look and so on. The idea of community greatly influences the customers at McDonald’s as this word provides them with a feeling of care and trust. Cleanliness, quality and timeliness are some other key values that were emphasized by the management every now and then. The claim of McDonalds to support charities also make a good impression on the customers, however, the quality and value of food along with comfortable environment of the franchise were the key components of success of the business. The division of labour as I observed comprised of more female staff than male. The reason behind such distribution of labour may be the timings that I chose to work in. The day timings may be more of comfort for the fem ale staff and the night shifts might have more male members than female. Around 14 workers worked at a time excluding the managers who were responsible for the operational and strategic decisions related to the franchise. The jobs were distributed in various categories as per the skills, competence level and qualification of each employee. Cashiers, food packing staff, food making staff, cleaning staff, employees dealing with drive-through customers, cashiers and supervisors were all working to avoid any mishaps and quality compromising act (McDonald's goes ethnic 2010; Whats Eating McDonalds 2009). The customers included different age groups, genders, ethnic classes, social classes and cultural backgrounds. Children were more likely to opt for kids’ meals like happy meals which include toys for the children that

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Personal Statement Example ing my goals; however, at the same time, I believe that academic understanding is very important, and thus, amalgamation of my strengths and academic achievements have turned me into an ambitious and successful person that dreams to contribute constructively in the future. Academically, I completed my undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Taibah University, Saudi Arabia in the year 2007 that provided me a basis to understand the foundations of business world. Subsequently, to continue my process of lifelong learning, I acquired my Masters degree in E-Commerce from Dalhousie University, Canada in the year 2010 that enhanced my knowledge regarding the business society and that will be very beneficial in playing a pivotal role in the contemporary business world. As a follower of lifelong learning process, my fervor, and aspiration for education and learning does not stops here that have enabled me to apply for a PhD in E-Commerce that will facilitate me in acquiring a challenging position to make some constructive alterations in the business society on global level. Moreover, I have carried out detailed research regarding the business profession & I enormously admire it due to the way the field is making positive changes in so many live globally. In addition, I consider your academic institution as one of the most reputable institutions after acquiring information about faculty and highly academic environment that will facilitate me in achieving my goals effectively. Finally, with the much success and pledge to achieve more, it is my belief that this PhD degree will be my own way of contributing to the development of my society and the whole

Financial Status and Policy of ConocoPhillips Case Study

Financial Status and Policy of ConocoPhillips - Case Study Example Its refinement technology focuses on upgrading high-grade petroleum coke and removing sulfur. With approximately 32,700 employees in 40 countries, it has assets of $171 billion with core competencies in petroleum exploration, production, refining, supply, marketing and transportation as well as natural gas gathering and processing and chemicals and plastics production. The company has a 50 percent interest in Colorado-based natural gas liquid producer DCP Midstream, LLC and Texas-based petrochemical company Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC. This paper will provide an assessment of the existing company in terms of its current status, including stock trading and financial standing, and the issues that have significant effect on its performance. ConocoPhillips is actually the recent marriage between two pioneer oil companies in the US, Conoco Inc. and Phillips Petroleum Company. The two companies merged on August 30, 2002 amidst some speculation that the $15.5 Billion deal was a necessary move for the two contenders to avoid being out-competed by bigger petroleum companies. At the time of the merger, oil prices had taken a disastrous turn downward that threatened the survival of smaller gas companies. The merger was expected to save about $750 million in overhead costs, mostly based on planned downsizing of some of the combined roster of 58,000 employees. ("Analysts: Phillips-Conoco merge to survive," 2001) Isaac Elder Blake founded Conoco in November 25, 1875 as the Continental Oil and Transportation Co. that would bring in petroleum in bulk to the pioneers of Ogden, Utah, making it more affordable and convenient for individual use. In the course of operations, Blake developed new uses for petroleum including benzene, ready mixed paints, birthday candles and paraffin chewing wax, but the focus was more on gasoline for use in automobiles. Continental built the first filling station in the West in 1909. By 1913, Continental was the top petroleum marketer in the Rocky Mountain region and an attempt by Standard Oil to take over the company was rebuffed by order of the Supreme Court. In 1929, Continental Oil merged with Oklahoma-based Marland Oil because each company could benefit from each other's strengths, marketing know how from the former and supply of crude oil for the latter and was named Continental Oil Company, assets including 3,000 wells and retail outlets in 30 states. Conoco st ock began trading in the New York Stock Exchange in September 15, 1929, just in time for the stock market crash. The company survived only by drastically cutting overhead costs and expanding refinery capacity under the direction of Dan Moran. He was succeeded by Leonard F. McCollum who led Conoco overseas, acquiring oil fields in Dubai and retail acquisitions in Europe. He diversified the company to such an extent that by 1972 Conoco was worth more that $2.3 Billion in assets. On September 30, 1981, in the midst of political and economic ups and downs and a threatened hostile takeover, Conoco merged with DuPont, which resulted in the former becoming a wholly owned-subsidiary of the latter, until Conoco separated from Dupont in 1997 to become an independent oil company. ("Conoco History," 2005) It was in 1905 that the Philips brothers hit their first oil well, eventually

Twitter Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Twitter - Research Paper Example The very first thing that must be considered within the topic is how Twitter has modified our communication. The issue is very important as Twitter plays a crucial role in society, because people usually rely on the information they read there and carefully select the information they post on twitter themselves. As far as more and more portable technological devices like smartphones and tablets are getting released almost every single day, availability of communication has the biggest rates than it has ever had. Personally I use my smartphone most of my time no matter where I am, because the device is always with me and I have a constant access to the Internet. The Twitter application allows me to stay in touch with the rest of the world any time I want, because I always can open my Twitter account and read what’s new happens, and not only in my friends’ lives but in the world in general. I also use tablet, because it is convenient to share news with my friends by posti ng links to my news feed through it. The availability of technological gadgets in fact impacts the way me and all the rest of people perceive communication nowadays. In the article â€Å"Evolution of Communication: From Email to Twitter and Beyond† Alex Iskold points on the fact that Twitter is not only a simple communicational tool but it is a service that is both a messenger and a blog (n.pag). Thus it turns out that Twitter users can post any information that concerns their lives without any requirement to get any response to it. This nuance makes Twitter a kind of social networking that has notifying character. For instance, when I want to interact with a particular person I may send a message on Twitter, which the person is supposed to read; although I do it publically and I get the person’s response that everybody in my news feed can also read. This kind of communication destroys the boundaries of privacy in relationships and in fact even

Dissertation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Dissertation - Essay Example There are several ways by which such developments are undertaken and one such technique is merger and acquisition. Merger and acquisition is a concept in which two or more companies’ works together in the market. This study seeks to scrutinize the impact of merger and acquisition on a company. The company chosen is PTT Global Chemical Company based on Thailand. The study revealed that the company has been both positively as well as negatively affected by the merger and acquisition activity. However, in order to deal with the negative impacts the study recommended strategies by which the company can overcome the same. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Chapter I – INTRODUCTION 6 1.1 Background of the Study 6 1.2 Introduction to Merger and Acquisition 7 1.3 Background of PTT Global Chemical Company 8 1.4 Relevance and Importance of the Study 9 1.5 Aim of the Study 9 1.6 Research Objectives and Research Questions 9 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 10 2.1 Introduction 10 2.2 Definition of merger and acquisition 10 2.3 Classification of merger & acquisition 12 2.4 Global M&A activity levels and Regional trends 14 2.5 The impact of Economic Climate against M&A activities 15 2.6 Rationale for M&A and motivations 17 2.7 The impact of M&A on companies 18 2.8 Benefits & Drawbacks of M&A 19 2.9 Types of strategies for M&A 22 CHAPTER 3 – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 23 3.1 Introduction 23 3.2 Research Philosophy 23 3.3 Research Approach 24 3.4 Type of Research 24 3.4.1 Quantitative Research 24 3.4.2 Qualitative Research 25 3.5 Data Collection Method 26 3.5.1 Sampling 27 3.5.2 Data Collection Instruments 27 3.6 Data Analysis 28 3.7 Ethics in Research 28 3.8 Justification 28 CHAPTER 4 – FINDINGS & ANALYSIS 29 4.1 Findings and Analysis of Primary Research 29 4.2 Findings and Analysis of Secondary Research 31 Chapter 5 – Discussion 32 Chapter 6 – Conclusion and Recommendations 33 6.1 Conclusion 33 6.2 Recommendations 34 Reference List 36 Append ix 44 Chapter I – INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study Once upon a time, the subject of merger and acquisition was especially the area of experts in the industrial origination. However, following the two upheavals, this territory was lost. The first change took place in the form of shift towards diversifying mergers and move away from the traditional combined competing or vertically relating the companies (â€Å"in the United States; less in other industrial countries†). The second change occurred in the form of development of â€Å"event studies† (â€Å"a method of inferring the profitability of mergers ex ante from changes in stock-market values at the time when the transaction is announced†) (Caves, 1987, p.150). Hence, from the above discussion it is evident that the concept of merger and acquisition underwent a drastic shift since these two upheavals took place. Earlier studies have shown that merger and acquisition have been responsible for incr easing the social welfare, augmenting the value of the assets of the firms involved into merger or acquisition (Agrawal, Jaffe and Mandelker, 1992; Augustine, 1995). The notion of merger coincided with history long back during the year 1708 (Caves, 1989; Franks, Harris and Titman, 1991; Franks and Harris, 1989). For example, during this period the East India Company merged with one of its erstwhile competitors for the principal purpose of restoring its monopoly in the Indian trade environment. In the similar way, the year 1784 experienced the two Italian giant banks Monte Pio and Monte dei Paschi united to form

Consumer Decision-Making Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Consumer Decision-Making Process - Essay Example This necessity or want could be triggered by wanting to satisfy a need which arises due to internal stimuli, such as thirst, hunger, etc. (Anonymous). This need can also be sparked by external stimuli such as advertisements, or when your friend buys a new car or a new pair of shoes. At this stage, online marketers should make effective use of the internet to stimulate recognition of this need (Philip Kotler, 2009). They generally start off by collecting information from consumers, about their lifestyles, the products they use, important events in their lives, through online surveys and questionnaires. In the internet world, customers tend to search for pages that they want to browse through. Marketers use the traditional method of using banners and ads to attract customers. Some even use pop-up sites to get the consumer’s attention. A study conducted by IIfeld and Winer showed that about 88 internet companies got frequent hits online due to banner advertising (Limbada, 2006). Online Companies such as amazon.com and easyjet.com use this technique effectively. Not only does it use animated banners and images, Amazon displays links such as â€Å"what customers are looking for† and â€Å"best-sellers†, which could arouse a certain need in the customer. Another need recognition technique could include responding to keywords on search engines. When a customer types a keyword such as ‘airline’ on google.com, Emirates or Air Canada are usually the first two options that appear on the search list. This search list order could be a vital technique for marketing. If the customer initially wanted to travel via Qatar Airways, but the search list brought Emirates on the top, the customer could decide to Emirates instead. Discussion blogs in newsgroups etc. could also help catch the eye of the consumer. Information Search begins once a consumer has identified his need. There are various ways to search for information regarding the product tha t the consumer wants to purchase. By searching, he can find out all his options, the various brands that are available, the different prices, design, etc. (Krishnamurthy, 2006).The extensiveness of this search depends upon how valuable this product is. If, for example, the customer wants a camera, he will research more rigorously about the various alternatives that are available. This way the customer gathers a whole bank of information and companies such as auto trader help direct the customer towards the choice the suits him the most.

European Terrorism in the 1970’s and 1980’s Essay Example for Free

European Terrorism in the 1970’s and 1980’s Essay In a post World War II era, terrorism and covert terrorist actions became a major weapon against the governments of many European nations. In most cases, terrorism â€Å"had two purposes: to make life unendurable for the [country], and to ensure the active support of the population by executing traitors and collaborators . † Even more, â€Å"a great number [of terrorist incidents] are directed against American targets or are related to a spillover from the problems in the Middle East . † With that said, a close look will be taken to answer three questions regarding European terrorism in the 1970’s and 1980’s which include how the European governments confronted the threat, what methods the European governments took to deal with these terrorist groups, concluding with an analysis of what motivated the terrorists. To begin with, a look will first be taken into how the European governments confronted the threat of terrorism in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The terrorist violence â€Å"during the postwar era in Europe has been characterized primarily by a combination of attacks by terrorist cells and hate crimes by individuals or small gangs of people—many of them racist skin heads . † In order to confront the terrorist actions, the European governments, for the most part, sought to compromise with a form of â€Å"conflict resolution † instead of direct action and retaliation that the United States has become so fond of employing. At first, the ideaology was to react on the defensive, without direct reaction, as it was believed that the terrorists would soon become tired of their actions and protest and the nation could move on. However, by the early 1970’s public â€Å"outrage at terrorist attacks † fueled the need for governments to act decisively in order to remove and dissemble the threat. For the first time in history, pressure was placed upon the nations that harbored and supported the terrorists . Essentially, the methods in dealing with the terrorist groups were, in the beginning, to simply let the terrorists have their say, and to attempt to negotiate, if possible. However, as the public began to find out that the heinous crimes committed on their front yards was related to terrorist actions, the European governments were forced to take direct and decisive action against the terrorists. Their methods included allocating more funds for defense and counter-terrorist measures and intelligence and to â€Å"delegitimize terrorists, to get society to see them for what they are—criminals—and to use one of [their] most important tools, the rule of law, against them . † The main defense against terrorism became the effectiveness of counter-intelligence measures and an enlightened society who no longer viewed terrorists with the pity they once deserved. The motivations of the terrorists were, at one time, honorable—as they were fighting against oppression and they didn’t employ any violent acts. However, â€Å"it will be sufficient to define political terrorism as a tactic employed by non-state actors involving the threat or use of fear-inducing forms of violence in an attempt to attain certain political objectives . † This, essentially, is terrorism in its most basic form—violence to get a fear-based reaction. However, terrorism breaks down into a much deeper psychological philosophy in which â€Å"the label of ‘terrorists’ [applies] to certain peoples struggling, by the only means within their power, to win or regain the fundamental rights recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Charter . † By this definition, a terrorist can be any human being facing oppression of their basic, most fundamental human rights, and is not necessarily the racially profiled stereotype that modern society has been taught to believe. Even more, throughout â€Å"history there [have] been political, social and economic situations in which endlessly and unjustly oppressed groups or races had to exercise their right to violence, their right to resist oppression by every means available . † In seeking truth and justice in their nation or culture, many terrorists choose the violent way of expressing their need for honored human rights. Moreover, â€Å"the question was not one of defending crime and violence but rather one of accepting the fact that such behavior, no matter how repugnant it appeared, had a motivation that all lovers of justice, freedom and human dignity could understand, even if they disapproved of it . † Essentially, terrorism is, as the United States public has been led to believe after the events of 9/11, the most heinous action that a human being can take in order to harm another person or nation. However, in order to understand the motivations of the terrorist, it must be recalled, and inherently understood, that they are humans too. They might be facing oppression, or they might be members of a religious cult who believe that nations who flaunt their materialism need to be punished, but the essence of the terrorist is that they are motivated by the need to fight and stand up against oppression against any odds. Overall, terrorism and covert terrorist actions have become a major weapon against the governments of many European and Western nations. Terrorism was meant to highlight the oppression that a people felt against their country, however, in many cases, terrorism evolved into brutal murders and heinous crimes. From the analysis of the three questions regarding European terrorism in the 1970’s and 1980’s, which included how the European governments confronted the threat, what methods the European governments took to deal with these terrorist groups, followed by an analysis of what motivated the terrorists, a conclusion can be drawn as to the insidious motivations of the terrorists and the evolving methods that the European governments were forced to employ to keep pace with the evolving nature of the terrorist crimes. Bibliography. Aston, Clive C. A Contemporary Crisis: Political Hostage-Taking and the Experience ofWestern Europe. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1982. Crozier, Brian. The Rebels: A Study of Post-War Insurrections. Boston: Beacon Press, 1960. Martin, Gus. Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues. New York: Sage Publications, 2006. Oliverio, Annamarie. â€Å"US versus European Approaches to Terrorism: Size Really Does Matter. † Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice. 2008. http://policing. oxfordjournals. org/ cgi/content/abstract/2/4/452 Schmid, Alex Peter and Ronald D. Crelinsten. Western Responses to Terrorism. London: Routledge, 1993.

pillbugs and their preferred habitat conditions

pillbugs and their preferred habitat conditions Introduction To sufficiently grasp and understand the experiment on animal behavior, it is crucial to be knowledgeable of the organisms being observed, as well as the various types of animal behaviors present in nature. In this experiment the observed organism was the pillbug. Pillbugs, are also known as sowbugs or woodlice. They are classified as terrestrial isopods as they belong to the phylum Arthropoda, subphylum Crustacea, class Malacostraca, and order Isopoda. Morphologically they consist of three body parts which include the head, thorax, and abdomen. They have one prominent pair of antennae and one inconspicuous pair, simple eyes and seven pairs of legs. The thorax consists of seven separate segments and there are paired appendages, called uropods, that are located at the end of the pillbugs abdomen. The color of the pillbugs can vary from dark gray to white and they could have a pattern or not have one. With female pillbugs, leaf-like growths appear on the underside of the bugs at the ba se of some of the legs. These pouches are where the developing eggs and embryos are held. On the male pillbug, the copulatory organs are the result of modification in the form of elongation of the first two appendages on the abdomen. An immature isopod will molt four to five times. These young isopods resemble the mature form of the isopod, with the exception of their small size in comparison to that of the adults. The juveniles molt in two stages. The back half molts first and then two or three days later the front half molts. This different molting can cause the coloration between the two halves of the isopod to differ. Nutritionally isopods are omnivores or scavengers who feed on decaying or dead plants and animals. Because Isopods breathe with gills, they can only live in areas that have high humidity, such as under rocks and logs, in leaf litter or in crevices. Some species are nocturnal. Their predators consist of both vertebrates and invertebrates. Like other animals, isopods such as pillbugs exhibit their own interesting behaviors. When disturbed, some species will roll up into a ball. They walk fairly quickly, even walking over one another. Environmentally, isopods have both positive and negative effects. The positive impacts of isopods include, within their immediate surroundings, a minimal amount of soil improvements. Unfortunately, large populations of these isopods can eat and damage the plants in greenhouses and southern states. Some of these interactions and descriptions of these isopods is clear from just observing them. These isopods, as well as other animals, exhibit many types of response to sensory input, a response that is known as behavior. The study of an animals behavior is called ethology. Two simple categories for behaviors are learned and innate (inherited). The behaviors that an animal uses to place itself in its most favorable environment are known as orientation behaviors. When the animal is stimulated by such things as light, heat, moisture, sound, or chemicals, they often exhibit taxis, with is the animals movement toward or away from a stimulus. In contrast to this is kinesis, which is a random movement that does not lead to orientation with respect to a certain stimulus. Another type of animal behavior is called agnostic behavior. This type of behavior is exhibited when animals respond to one another with aggressive or submissive response. It is often the case that these agnostic behavioral displays are a method of asserting dominance. Animals also have specific rituals and sets of activities that are involved in finding, courting and mating with another member of its species. Such activities are known as mating behaviors. Pillbugs exhibit, even just when being observed, many of these behaviors. One, the agnostic behaviors, involves the larger isopods appearing to fight. Soil conditions have various pHs. Some plants grow best in acidic conditions, whereas some grow best in basic conditions. Most, however, grow best in areas where the pH ranges from 6.5 to 7.2, 7 being neutral. Hydrochloric acid, HCl, (0.1 M) has a pH of about 1.1 and Potassium Hydroxide, KOH, (0.1 M) has a pH of about 13.5. These two chemicals exhibit pHs at the extremes of the pH scale. Detritus, on which isopods feed, has a more acidic pH. When organic matter decays, H+ ions are produced, thus adding acid to the soil. The acidity limit for plants tends to be no lower than about 4.5 to 5.6 on the pH scale. The vapor pressure of a liquid refers to the concept that the process of evaporation, in a closed container, will proceed until the number of molecules returning to the liquid is equal to the number of molecules that are escaping. When this equilibrium, the vapor is called saturated and the pressure of that vapor, which is normally expressed in mmHg, is referred to as the saturate d vapor pressure. The vapor pressure of HCl is the about the same as water, which is approximately 20 mmHg at room temperature, 22 C. The vapor pressure of KOH is about 2 mmHg for a 45% KOH solution.5 The purpose of this experiment was to use pillbugs to examine animal behaviors, such as taxis, to examine habitat preferences, and determine whether these isopods prefer moist or dry habitats, dark or light habitats, and acidic or caustic environments. It is hypothesized that, given that pillbugs posses gills, for which moisture is needed to help function properly, the pillbugs would prefer moist over dry environments. In addition, it can be hypothesized that, given that the pillbugs live under rocks and feed on decaying organic material, which releases acid into the soil, they would prefer the dark rather than light conditions and the acidic over the caustic environment. Materials and Methods Water Pipet Filter Paper (2 pieces) Choice Chamber Scissors Soft Brush 10 Pillbugs Stopwatch To observe pill bugs and their preference for moist versus dry conditions, a choice chamber, consisting of two petri dishes connected to one another, was obtained and lined with filter paper. Two pieces of filter paper were cut to fit the chambers. One was then moistened, using a pipette, with a few drops of water. The second piece of circular filter paper was left dry. The moistened filter paper was placed at the bottom of one chamber, chamber 1, and the dry filter paper was placed at the bottom of the other, chamber 2. Then, using a soft brush, ten pillbugs were obtained from the stock of pillbugs, and then placed into the chambers. Also using a soft brush, five pill bugs were placed in the dry chamber while the remaining five were placed in the moist chamber and the chambers were closed. This pillbug count for each chamber was then recorded for time zero minutes. Using the stopwatch to track time, the count of pill bugs on each side of the choice chamber was then recorded every 30 seconds for ten minutes, and continued even when some may no longer have been moving or were all on one side. Notes were taken on the actions and interactions of the pill bugs throughout the ten minute period. Once ten minutes had elapsed, the pillbugs were returned to the stock culture. Black Paper White Filter Paper Choice Chamber 10 Pillbugs Soft Brush Scissors Stopwatch To determine the preference of pillbugs between light and dark habitats and conditions, a choice chamber with two connecting petri dishes was lined with two different types of paper. One piece of normal filter paper and one piece of black paper were both cut to fit the chambers. Next, the bottom of the inside of one dish, chamber 1, was covered with the unaltered, white filter paper and the other dish, chamber 2, was lined with the black paper. Then, using a soft brush, ten pillbugs were obtained from the pill bug stock culture, five of which were placed in the black-paper lined chamber and the remaining five were placed in the white paper lined chamber. The choice chamber was then closed. The initial pill bug count, 5 in each chamber was then recorded in the table. For a period of ten minutes, using a stopwatch to track time, the count of the pillbugs on each side of the choice chamber was recorded every thirty seconds. In addition, notes about the interactions of the pill bugs were taken throughout the ten minute period. The count continued to be taken, regardless of the lack of movement from the pillbugs or the concentration of all ten in one chamber. After the ten minutes had elapsed, the pillbugs were returned to the stock culture. White Filter Paper (2 pieces) 0.1 M HCl (Hydrochloric Acid) 0.1 M KOH (Potassium Hydroxide) Pipettes (1 or 2) Filter Paper (3 Pieces) 3 Choice Chamber 10 Pillbugs Scissors Stopwatch To determine the preference of pillbugs in terms of basic versus acidic conditions, a 3-choice chamber was set up. Three pieces of filter paper were cut to fit the chambers. Using a pipette, about four drops of 0.1 M HCl were placed in a circular pattern about the paper. Another piece of filter paper was sprinkled with 0.1 M KOH in the same manner as was done with the hydrochloric acid. The HCl and KOH were applied to the filter paper in such a way that the paper was not drenched in the chemical. One chamber, the one connected to two other chambers was lined with an unaltered piece of filter paper. One of the two remaining chambers, chamber 1, was lined at the bottom (inside bottom) with the acidic filter paper and the remaining chamber, chamber 3, was lined at the bottom with the basic filter paper. Using a soft brush, the ten pill bugs were all removed from the stock culture and placed in chamber 2, the middle chamber consisting of the unaltered paper. The chambers were then covere d and the pillbug count was recorded in the table for the initial time of 0 minutes. For the next ten minutes, the count of pillbugs in each of the three chambers was recorded every thirty minutes. The data continued to be collected even when they were no longer moving between sides or were all on one side. After the ten minutes had elapsed, the ten pillbugs were returned to the stock culture. Results Table 1: Number of Pillbugs in Wet vs. Dry Chambers at Various Times Time (min.) Number in Wet Chamber Number in Dry Chamber Other Notes 0 5 5 Begin moving instantly 0.5 2 8 Large number shifts together to one side 1 1 9 One more baby follows 1.5 3 7 Fighting between two larger isopods 2 5 5 Even out again 2.5 5 5 Move about but come back to even; one not moving 3 6 4 More to wet chamber 3.5 4 6 Back to Dry Chamber 4 5 5 Crawling on underside of paper 4.5 4 6 Fighting to get from one side to another 5 3 7 Large pillbug still not moving 5.5 6 4 Other pillbugs begin gathering around non-moving pillbug 6 7 3 Pillbugs piled on top of one another 6.5 5 5 Pillbug begins to move again 7 4 6 More to Dry Chamber 7.5 5 5 Back at even 8 6 4 Continual switch from chamber to chamber 8.5 7 3 Begin gathering at wet chamber 9 9 1 More join wet chamber 9.5 7 3 Crowded, a few go to dry chamber 10 9 1 Return to wet chamber Table 2: Number of Pillbugs in Lighter vs. Darker Colored Chambers at Various Times Time (min.) Number in Light Chamber Number in Dark Chamber Other Notes 0 5 5 Begin moving instantly 0.5 3 7 Move to dark side 1 2 8 More to dark side 1.5 2 8 Remain, no overall movement 2 2 8 No overall movement 2.5 3 7 Begin going to white side 3 3 7 No overall movement 3.5 4 6 Moving to lighter side 4 2 8 Move to dark side 4.5 5 5 Equalize again 5 3 7 Fighting to get to dark side 5.5 5 5 Equalize again 6 4 6 More to Dark side 6.5 7 3 Piling up to get to lighter side 7 7 3 No overall movement 7.5 8 2 More in lighter side 8 9 1 More in lighter side 8.5 7 3 Move to dark side 9 5 5 Equalize again 9.5 3 7 Move to darker side 10 4 6 Young follows adult to other side Table 3: Number of Pillbugs in Neutral, Acidic and Basic Chambers at Various Times Time (min.) Number in Neutral Chamber (Control) Number in Acidic Chamber Number in Basic Chamber Other Notes 0 10 0 0 Immediate Movement 0.5 2 5 3 Move to acidic 1 3 5 2 Stay around outside of chamber 1.5 6 2 2 Quickly out of acidic and into neutral area 2 4 3 3 More to basic area 2.5 5 2 3 Away from acidic area 3 2 3 5 More slowly moving to basic area 3.5 2 1 7 Movement to basic chamber 4 4 0 6 Pillbugs all out of Acidic area 4.5 1 1 8 Most in Basic area 5 1 4 5 Some return to acidic chamber 5.5 3 1 6 Slowly moving out of Acidic chamber and into neutral and basic chambers 6 4 1 5 Out of basic and into neutral 6.5 3 1 6 Back into basic area, around outside of filter paper 7 3 1 6 No overall movement 7.5 4 0 6 All gone from acidic area 8 3 0 7 More to basic area 8.5 4 0 6 Small shift 9 3 0 7 Reverse of shift 9.5 2 0 8 More to basic area more slowly than before test 10 1 0 9 More to basic area Figure 1: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Wet and Dry Chambers Figure 2: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Lighter and Darker Colored Chambers Figure 3: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Acidic, Neutral and Basic Chambers Discussion Table 4: Average Number of Pillbugs in Wet vs. in Dry Chambers Time (min.) Number in Wet Chamber Number in Dry Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in Wet Average # of Pillbugs in Dry 0 5 5 0.5 2 8 1 1 9 1.5 3 7 2 5 5 2.5 5 5 3 6 4 3.5 4 6 4 5 5 4.5 4 6 5 3 7 5.5 6 4 6 7 3 6.5 5 5 7 4 6 7.5 5 5 8 6 4 8.5 7 3 9 9 1 9.5 7 3 10 9 1 Total # of Pillbugs 108 102 5.143 4.857 Table 5: Average Number of Pillbugs in Lighter vs. Darker-Colored Chambers Time (min.) Number in Light Chamber Number in Dark Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in White (Light) Average # of Pillbugs in Dark 0 5 5 0.5 3 7 1 2 8 1.5 2 8 2 2 8 2.5 3 7 3 3 7 3.5 4 6 4 2 8 4.5 5 5 5 3 7 5.5 5 5 6 4 6 6.5 7 3 7 7 3 7.5 8 2 8 9 1 8.5 7 3 9 5 5 9.5 3 7 10 4 6 Total # of Pillbugs 93 117 4.429 5.571 Table 6: Average Number of Pillbugs in Neutral, Acidic and Basic Chambers Time (min.) Number in Neutral Chamber Number in Acidic Chamber Number in Basic Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in Neutral Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in Acidic Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in Basic Chamber 0 10 0 0 0.5 2 5 3 1 3 5 2 1.5 6 2 2 2 4 3 3 2.5 5 2 3 3 2 3 5 3.5 2 1 7 4 4 0 6 4.5 1 1 8 5 1 4 5 5.5 3 1 6 6 4 1 5 6.5 3 1 6 7 3 1 6 7.5 4 0 6 8 3 0 7 8.5 4 0 6 9 3 0 7 9.5 2 0 8 10 1 0 9 Total # of Pillbugs 70 30 110 3.33 1.429 5.238 Figure 4: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Wet Chamber vs. in Dry Chamber Figure 5: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Lighter-colored and Dark-colored Paper Figure 6: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Acidic, Neutral and Basic Chambers It was hypothesized that the isopods (pillbugs), given their possession of gills for respiration and that they live underneath rocks and logs, places where light is not in abundance, would prefer the wet chamber over the dry chamber and the dark chamber over the light chamber. It was also hypothesized that, considering that the pillbugs feed off of decaying organic material, which in the process of decaying increases the acidity of the soil, these isopods would prefer the acidic chamber (the one with HCl), over the caustic (with KOH) and neutral chambers. The data collected from preforming the experiment partially supports the hypothesis. The average number of pill bugs in each chamber, was calculated by summing the pillbug count for all twenty-one times in one chamber and then doing so for the next and then dividing these totals by the total number of pillbugs counted. In each case this number was 210. The results show, as seen in Table 4 and Figure 4, that the average number of pil lbugs in the moist chamber over ten minutes was about 5.143 while the average number in the dry chamber was about 4.857. This higher average for the moist chamber illustrates taxis with a movement toward the stimulus of moisture. The second portion of the hypothesis was also supported by the data collected. Table 5 and Figure 5 both show that the average number of pillbugs in the chamber with white filter paper was about 4.429, in comparison to the average number in the chamber with dark paper, which was about 5.571. These results are consistent with the known habitat of isopods such as pillbugs. The hypothesis for third portion the experiment, however, was not supported by the data collected. Table 6 and Figure 6 both show that the pillbugs actually prefer a basic environment, one with drops of KOH, over an environment with no chemical additives and the environment with the addition of drops of the strong acid HCl. The average for the number of pillbugs in the neutral environment w as about 3.33, for the acidic environment the average was 1.429 and for the caustic environment the average was about 5.238. These results could possibly be explained by the higher vapor pressure of HCl in comparison to that of the KOH. With a higher vapor pressure, the HCl would have vaporized more easily and quickly, thus getting into the gills of the pillbugs and causing them irritation. This irritation would explain their clear lack of fondness for the HCl permeated filter paper. The lack of pillbugs accumulating on the plain filter paper can possibly be explained by its complete lack of moisture, and that the antennae on the pillbugs would not sense any chemical or something of that nature, that would attract the pillbugs to that chamber. The interaction of the pillbugs inside the choice chambers is indicative of agnostic behavior, as seen in the fighting of the pillbugs. Human error, such as counting, would not play any, or any significant role, in the results of the experimen t. This experiment and the results obtained from it support most of the hypothesis, but conflict with and not support another portion. The results support the preference that pillbugs have for moist and dark environments, but suggests that pillbugs prefer more caustic environments to neutral and acidic environments. Citations