Dusicyon (Warrah) - Facts and Figures

Name: Dusicyon (Greek for foolish dog); pronounced DOO-sih-SIGH-on; also known as the Warrah Habitat: Falkland Islands Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (2 million-100 years ago) Size and Weight: About three feet long and 25 pounds Diet: Birds, insects and shellfish Distinguishing Characteristics: Small size; strange diet About Dusicyon (Warrah) Dusicyon, also known as the Warrah, is one of the most fascinating (and most obscure) animals to have gone extinct in modern times, certainly not anywhere as well-known as the Dodo Bird. Not only was Dusicyon the only prehistoric dog to live on the Falkland Islands (a few hundred miles off the coast of Argentina), but it was the only mammal, period--meaning it preyed not on cats, rats or pigs, but birds, insects, and possibly even shellfish that washed up along the shore. Exactly how Dusicyon wound up on the Falklands is a bit of a mystery; the most likely scenario is that it hitched a ride with early human visitors from South America thousands of years ago. Dusicyon earned its amusing name--Greek for foolish dog--because, like many animals restricted to island habitats, it didnt know enough to be afraid of the second wave of human settlers to the Falklands during the 17th century. The problem was, these settlers arrived with the intention of herding sheep, and thus felt compelled to hunt Dusicyon to extinction (the usual method: luring it near with a tasty piece of meat, and then clubbing it to death when it took the bait). The last Dusicyon individuals expired in 1876, only a few years after Charles Darwin had the opportunity to learn about--and be puzzled by--their existence.

Violence On The Rise Of Contemporary Society - 1275 Words

Violence on the Rise Contemporary society has evolved around materialism due to an incessant rise of scientific and technological innovations. While some may argue man is living in the most peaceful era in American history, the incline of man’s tendency to value material possessions above spiritualism has effectively caused an erosion of general morality, a revision of social normalization, and an increase in violent actions. Children are the leading advocates in this societal evolution. Patently, their breeding is exposed to more distinguished violent content in films and in video games. Equally, a fixation on their cellular device and its uncensored social media have become the sources of man’s elevating violence. Certainly the upbringing of twenty-first century children does not emulate the upbringing of twentieth century children. Culture’s newfound embracement of technology has left violent material predisposed to the underdeveloped brain of a child. Movies and video games labeled as PG-13 now are beginning to resemble the content of rated R movies in a previous generation. Much of the violence is â€Å"cartoonishly sterilized and bloodless† to ensure a rating that attracts the youthful population (Bozdech). Surely, children are viewing irresponsible projections of conflicts that undermine the austerity and ramifications of sincere violence. They grow to become desensitized by violence, understanding it to be an ordinary occurrence and often the solution to a problem.Show MoreRelatedThe Middle East, And America s Imperial Ambitions1177 Words   |  5 Pagesterrorist, particularly ISIS. Considering America’s involvement in the construction of the modern Middle East, and its continued involvement in the region. This research question is significant because it interlinks post-colonial studies with contemporary security studies. 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How fitting is the title for the novella, A Christmas Carol Essay Example For Students

How fitting is the title for the novella, A Christmas Carol Essay The novella written by the renowned author Charles Dickens centralises around the theme of Christmas, as a pivotal motif for not only the celebration of Christ, but for its analogous time of unification of people of different social classes. It also possesses a metaphorical meaning of ‘rebirth’ as the underpinning story is about the physiological rebirth of the allegorical Ebenezer Scrooge from a callous misanthropist – the rich gentry into a benevolent being willing to recognise the plight of the working class. This therefore calls for a celebration: Christmas. A time of bestowing material and emotional wealth, which Scrooge has unearthed, and become a part of in the festivity. The theme of Christmas and generosity is exemplified throughout the novella by characters such as Fred, Fezziwig, the Ghost of Christmas past and present and Scrooge as he changes into someone who believes in Christmas and its spirit of generosity. In the novella, Dickens asks, in effect, for people to recognise the plight of those whom the Industrial Revolution has displaced and driven into poverty, and the obligation of society to provide for them humanely. In the exposition of the novella we are told that ‘it was Christmas Eve’, and are shown that this is a time when society is perhaps more divided than any time of the year. This is shown when the ‘portly gentlemen’ visit Scrooge, and declare: ‘This is the time of the year where want is felt most keenly†¦many are in need of common necessities’. The phrase ‘common necessities’ implies that some people in society do not even have enough to provide materially to feed their families, let alone be able to celebrate Christmas. The fact that these ‘necessities’ are considered a ‘want’ rather than a desperation is rather ambiguous, and could infer that this deprivation has manifested into a desire, rather than a genuine need, as they have become so adapted to the ill treatment received, especially under the Poor Laws. Dickens reminds us of the inequality between Rich and Poor in the Victorian London, shown in the juxtaposition of Scrooge (representing the class of rich industrialists) and the Cratchit family (representing the Working Poor), and how individuals like Scrooge have the power to change this dynamic, should they choose to distribute their wealth. This links directly to the novella, and especially the word ‘carol’, which suggests a vocal and therefore public expression, something the portly gentlemen try to convey to Scrooge. Dickens could be arguing through this that we should all be vocal in our acknowledgement of Christmas, spreading the word of God through humanitarian action and reducing the misery of poverty. Fred, Scrooges’ nephew also embodies the spirit of Christmas generosity, kindness and forgiveness. He defends the spirit of Christmas saying it is a ‘kind, forgiving and charitable time’. He embraces the warmth of humanity by the ‘glow’ in his face, and the ‘sparkle’ in his eyes. His warmth emphasises the compassion that we should show each other. Scrooge is invited by his nephew Fred, to join him at his Christmas party, to which he replies ‘what’s Christmas time to you but a time to pay the bills without money’ which shows how Scrooge is more interested in his own wealth than being generous and sharing with Fred, whom has ‘not profited’ from Christmas financially, but has profited spiritually from the generosity of Christmas spirit. Scrooge abrasively refuses: â€Å"keep Christmas in your own way† showing him as the antithesis of the Christmas spirit. Fred’s tenacious persistence to urge Scrooge to join their party, â€Å"Uncle, come† shows his belief in Scrooges ability to become a more family orientated person, as he obviously sees something in Scrooge. This alludes to how it is possible for Scrooge become a reborn person spiritually and bring the spirit of happiness to others if they are willing to invest themselves in others. Awakening By Kate Chopin EssayNext, we are taken to visit Fezziwig, Scrooge’s apprentice, whom displayed good charisma and business ethics. Yet, like Scrooge, he had the ability to â€Å"render us happy or unhappy† which Scrooge can do over Bob. The word â€Å"render† suggests that Scrooge is the imminent power to dictate whether Bob has a future or not. This is so, as in the Elizabethan era, as many Irish immigrants fled to Britain to escape the potato famine, thus meaning wages became rock bottom, and Scrooge could easily find a replacement accepting even lower wages. Scrooge recognises the emotional privilege of those who were around Fezziwig, and even though he was not as wealthy as Scrooge, he was more wealthy in terms of emotional wealth. He therefore wishes to treat Bob better, ‘I would like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now’ which demonstrates that Scrooge would to redeem himself for the stress he causes the family. Dickens uses this moral message to illustrate that the upper class, despite holding the power to do so, should not victimise those lower in the social hierarchy, but treat them with compassion, as we associate with Christmas. In stave 3, the Ghost of Christmas Present personifies generosity, ‘sparkling eye, its open hand’. This is an omnibenevolent gesture, ‘open hand’ implying that he provides the spirit of Christmas generosity, as a hand is often referred to as being symbolic of provision. The ghost then takes Scrooge to the Cratchit’s house where they are always positive despite their destitution, ‘brave in ribbons’ showing how Mrs Cratchit dismisses her pain of being displaced into the workhouses, and to be ‘brave’ in the sense that she wants to maximise her situation to maintain her pride and self-respect. This relays the message of Christmas spirit because they celebrate despite their lack of fortune. We as the reader find out about the crippled Tiny Tim, and his exuberance despite his unlikeliness to survive. He had said that he wanted other people to see his situation: â€Å"hoped the people saw him in the church†¦to remember†¦who made lame beggars walk†. The use of â€Å"hoped† suggests that the likelihood of people recognising him is marginal, as it is more an intangible dream than a realistic wish. This quote also alludes to the many miracles Jesus performed, such as allowing people to â€Å"walk† again, which Dickens may use to suggest that the rich aristocrats have the ability to do; they can cure Tiny Tim’s illness, which is as much a miracle to them, as what Jesus performed. Tiny Tim’s illness was likely the result of the inadequate sanitation of sewage, contaminating drinking water. Tuberculosis and cholera caused an endemic especially across large cities. Therefore, Tiny Tim â€Å"hoped† that people would notice his illness, to become proactive, especially the upper-class, whom were complacent with the endemic, as they did not share the same facilities. Dickens uses Tiny Tim as a face for the poor, as they had little political say, as a symbol of hope. He does this through his dire need, and benevolent and courteous attitude. By showing how Christmas is celebrated through the bleakest of places, like a ‘solitary lighthouse’ it shows that the locations are the last delivery of hope and how even though the most dreadful times, Christmas is still what brings people together. Therefore, our generosity of spirit at Christmas time should be spread across the whole of humanity, even to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. In stave 5, when Scrooge wakes up and realises he must change, it shows his transformation and how he has been reborn to the generosity of Christmas. When he awakes, he euphorically says ‘I am here, the shadows of the things that would have been, may be dispelled’. The ‘shadows’ imply that his true meaning of life was obscured, and that his conscience has now been uncloaked to the spirit of generosity.

Swot Analysis of the External Environment of Asda Wal-Mart Essay Example

Swot Analysis of the External Environment of Asda Wal-Mart Paper Use the stakeholder model of business environments to critically examine the external environment of USDA Wall-Mart as outlined in the case study. No business can operate in isolation. All businesses operate in the wider business environment, which is described as the external context in which organizations find themselves undertaking their activities [ (Capon, 2000, p. 8) J. This essay will use the stakeholder model to examine the external factors effecting USDA Wall-Mart. It is recognized that there are many internal stakeholders this essay will concentrate on the external stakeholders. Wall-Mart is the largest retail chain in the world, and the second biggest parakeet chain in the UK. The retail industry is heavily customer focused and as such USDA Wall-Mart should closely consider the needs of its customers. This is shown by the fall in market share in 2005 when competitors will have offered customers a better reason to shop with them rather than USDA. Low Power / High Interest Competitors while unable to exert much power over Wall-Mart have a high degree of interest in them. The case study indicates that USDA concentrates on building market share on the back of low prices, any competitor in the low rice segment of the market would have a high degree of interest in USDA. The rise in sales growth in non-food lines of 25% also shows that other retailers, not just supermarkets should also be interested in USDA Wall-Mart. Competitors could use their buying power to influence Sodas suppliers but there is little evidence Of this in the case study. Competitors should also be interested in Wall-Mart due to history of buy-outs and joint ventures as well as the claim of USDA being the most affordable supermarket in the KICK. We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of the External Environment of Asda Wal-Mart specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of the External Environment of Asda Wal-Mart specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of the External Environment of Asda Wal-Mart specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The items USDA Wall-Mart sells can be sourced from many different suppliers, which would indicate that suppliers compete with themselves and as such are not in a high influence position. The case study shows that USDA is able to leverage the huge buying power of Wall-Mart to source items as prices not matched in the UK market. This is also shown in the fact that Wall-Marts trade with China outstrips that of the KICK. Low Power / Low Interest Communities are not immune to the USDA Wall-Mart effect. The case study highlights that while welcomed by some, they heavily affect others in a community. This has lead to smaller competitors being driven out of equines causing some communities to have to travel greater distances to shop. Conclusion The case study shows that while there are many external stakeholders customers have the highest power and interest out of the external stakeholders.