Birthstones - 9275 Words

Birth Stones The first association of a special gem with each month was recorded in the Bible, in Exodus 28 and 39. An original breastplate of the High Priest of the Hebrews was said to be made by Moses in 1250 BC, according to instructions he received during 40 days in the mountains. The 12 gems in the breastplate were later linked with the signs of the zodiac, and later still associated with the months in the year. Different cultures have different lists. Jewelers’ lists are often inconsistent. Unless you’re a geologist, the terminology of birthstones may be a bit confusing. So here’s a quick primer on birthstone terms. Minerals are made of inorganic materials (substances that were never alive), whose atoms are arranged in a regular†¦show more content†¦When heated to 400 or 500 degrees Celsius, an amethyst’s color changes to a brownish-yellow or red. Under some circumstances, the stones can turn green when heated. Heat may even transform an amethyst into a naturally-rare mineral called citrine. And even without heating, the violet color of an amethyst may fade over time. Commercial sources of amethyst are Brazil and Uruguay; while in the U.S., most amethyst is found in Arizona and North Carolina. The amethyst has a rich history of lore and legend. It can be traced back as far as 25,000 years ago in France, where it was used as a decorative stone by prehistoric humans. It has also been found among the remains of Neolithic man. It’s said that the signet ring worn by Cleopatra was an amethyst, engraved with the figure of Mithras, a Persian deity symbolizing the Divine Idea, Source of Light and Life. It is also said to be the stone of Saint Valentine, who wore an amethyst engraved with the figure of his assistant, Cupid. Saint Valentine’s Day is still observed in February. The word amethyst comes from the Greek word â€Å"amethystos† meaning â€Å"not drunk,† and was believed to prevent its wearers from intoxication. The following is a story from Greco-Roman mythology, as quoted from Birthstones by Willard Heaps: â€Å"Bacchus, the god of wine in classical mythology, was offended by Diana the huntress. Determined on revenge, he declared that the first person he met as he went through the forest wouldShow MoreRelatedEssay about Birthstones Have Been Around Since Prehistoric Times1024 Words   |  5 PagesBirthstones have been around since prehistoric times.birthstone and in those days were believed to have some magical force that could prevent the owner or wearer of the gemstone. These birthstones were traditionally related to the Zodiac. However, current birthstones are linked to calendar months, and every month has its proprietary unique birthstone, with its own story properties. Many people like to wear jewelry set with their birthstone, as the prehistoric meanings and relations with these gemstonesRead MoreMy Favorite Gemstone783 Words   |  4 Pagesyears old I remember looking through a birthstone chart in a magazine and seeing that my birthday stone was an Opal. I told my grandmother that I wanted a birthstone necklace for my birthday, but I didnt want the plain old white one, I want the beautiful ruby one in the picture, after all red is my favorite color and I loved how pretty it sparkled even in the picture. My grandmother said if I wanted a birthstone necklace that she would get me my actual birthstone which is Opal, and that I should beRead MoreEssay on The Unique Characteristics of Rubies1048 Words   |  5 PagesBeing born in the month of July means that one’s birthstone happens to be the pink t o blood-red colored gemstone called the Ruby. The word â€Å"ruby† comes from yet another word, â€Å"ruber† which translates in to red from the dead language of latin, even though this stone is not necessarily always red. Rubies are used most used modernly in jewelry, but are valued by the scientific world through the use of lasers. But July’s birthstone, ruby, has a lot more to what you see physically. From it is chemicalRead MoreThe Ideal Weight Of The Stone Essay1654 Words   |  7 Pagesbusiness and fortune. Therefore a person whose birth planet is mercury must wear this gemstone. This planet is acknowledged being â€Å"planet of love† or â€Å"prince of planets†. Emerald: Usually, the green color emerald stone is contemplated being the birthstone of mercury planet. The green color stone aid an individual to perceive all the enrich properties of emerald stone in short span of time. Minimum weight of the stone the minimum weight of the emerald stone is 4.25 carat. Metal: The green color emeraldRead More Christmas - An Extraordinary Holiday Essay797 Words   |  4 Pagesfavorite compact disc or perfume. I believe that this is our daughters favorite part, although they would never admit it. Santa also brings one gift for everyone. It always amazes me how he always knows just what to bring. Whether it is the beautiful birthstone necklaces for our daughters, or the brown leather rodeo equipment for my husband or the most awesome mothers ring for me, Santas gifts are always the most thoughtful. After all the bright, cheerful paper has been torn off the last of the giftsRead MoreWhat I Have Learned About Hypothetical Syllogism Essay807 Words   |  4 Pagesthe conclusion without doubt, or all is true (which is a deductive argument). not with a possibility. (Which is inductive argument).The two premise are true but the conclusion is false. (Inductive argument). I wear a ring on my finger, it is my birthstone, but I am not married any more. Just because a women wears a ring on her finger, does not always mean she is married. This may be sound, but has an invalid conclusion. I feel we need more information to come up with a valid and sound argument.Read MoreEssay On A Diamond799 Words   |  4 Pagesd=1keywords=oval+cut+engagement+ringsrefinements=p_72%3A2661618011 Sterling Silver Natural Green Amethyst Diamond Halo Ring While we do include a diamond on this list, were a huge fan of unusual colors for engagement rings. Amethyst is the birthstone of February, which makes this gemstone a great choice for an engagement ring. Shell know that you chose it deliberately, personally for her. The green is incredibly subtle in this amethyst, so keep that in mind when ordering. Its a natural gemstoneRead MoreMy Life As A Civilian995 Words   |  4 Pagesmilitary has granted me. But I no longer want to be confined to this lifestyle. I aspire to explore different cultures while being free to make my own choices. Some time ago I received the gift of a necklace: a gold cross studded twice with my birthstone, opal. It came in a little velveteen box that I remember clearly. Though I’ve long since lost the box (and the necklace, probably), the words that were printed on the inside are still etched into my mind. It listed a few traits of October babiesRead MoreAn Essay About My Own Mind1032 Words   |  5 Pageshappen. I need to fix this. I know leaving isn t an option anymore. I just need to get it together. Breathe. I need to infiltrate my own mind. He took my memories and I need to find them. I need to find out where he is. I placed my hands on my birthstone. I feel it get warmer and warmer as I delve into my own mind. Deeper and deeper. Until I am completely enveloped in my own flames. The stone melts into my hands and swirls up across my arms in intricate spirals, up my neck as it comes together onceRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1574 Words   |  7 Pages in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom† (41). It is worth noting that June’s birthstones consist of alexandrite and pearl, and its birth flowers are honeysuckle and rose, which suggests the meaning to why Pearl is named the way she is, as well as why the rose is a prominent theme throughout the story. By stating that the rose-bush is

Fahrenheit 451 in Today’s World Essay - 1351 Words

Fahrenheit 451 in Today’s World In the novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the author creates a picture of a society that resembles our present-day society in a variety of ways. Although a society in which government has total control over its citizens seems to be a little extreme, there are definitely clues that can be seen today that suggest that we are headed in the same direction. Some of the resemblances between the society in Fahrenheit 451 and our society today are the governments’ hypocrisy, the gullibility of the citizens who fully support the government, and the fact that books are becoming rather extinct due to advances in modern technology.†¦show more content†¦But Bin Laden, the object of the military campaign in Afghanistan, remained at large.† Many promises were made by the government that this terrorist would be found in no time. However, instead of finding their enemy, the government ended up killing several civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq just to make it look like as if they were working hard on their mission. What is even harder to believe is the fact that nearly seven years after the World Trade Center attacks, millions of civilians have been killed, but Osama has yet to be found. Yet another instance whereby the government’s hypocrisy has been displayed is when the Bush Administration declared war on Iraq, about five years ago. Matt Matusek, in an article entitled Purpose of Iraq war murky to Americans, wrote: â€Å"The plan was to invade Iraq and capture Saddam Hussein so he couldnt use his weapons of mass destruction on any other nation. The United States also wanted to sever Husseins ties to Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. Then, we were to get our troops back home as soon as possible.† However, five years into the war, it can clearly be seen that the government’s initial goal was to get oil from Iraq, but used Saddam as an excuse to engage in war (Matusek). Today, more and more people, just like Montag, are starting to analyze the government’s actions and take a strong stand against them. In the novel, majority of theShow MoreRelatedThe Frightening Future: Farenheit 451 Essay856 Words   |  4 Pagesrelated to this idea of ethics in that people in today’s society who are wrong are trapped in the cave while the people living in â€Å"reality† are the people that are right. However, this can go both ways, the people that are â€Å"right† in today’s society and are up to date with technology can be the ones considered trapped in a cave because they are missing out on the real world and are living in the virtual world, while the people who are â€Å"wrong† in today’s society are the ones that are actually livingRead MoreEssay on Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury972 Words   |  4 PagesIn Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, irony is used to convey information and i t contributes to the overall theme of the novel. Written during the era of McCarthyism, Fahrenheit 451 is about a society where books are illegal. This society believes that being intellectual is bad and that a lot of things that are easily accessible today should be censored. The overall message of the book is that censorship is not beneficial to society, and that it could cause great harm to one’s intelligence and socialRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1487 Words   |  6 Pages Society can become dangerous when the government is in control of our lives. No one reads books, technology is minimizing relationships, and people don’t appreciate the outdoors as much anymore, the main character in Fahrenheit 451 begins to disregard the rules that the society has made. One person is able to change the way of a society by being willing to change and think for themselves. Bradbury is trying to predict and warn us on the dangers that are ahead if we keep continuing to rely on technologyRead MoreFahrenheit 451 Technology Essay1611 Words   |  7 Pagesconversation dies, dragging intelligent thoughts into the ground with it. From â€Å"Seashell Radio† sets and Spotify on Bluetooth to the story-telling power that television strips away from literature, Bradbury looks more than 64 years into the future in Fahrenheit 451 to predict the fatal outcome of the technology-infested intelligence, or the lack thereof. The invention of TV, Radio, headphones, iPods, and much more, along with a rapidly increasing gain of access to technology has created a civilization thatRead MoreFahrenheit 451 Comparison Essay1185 Words   |  5 PagesFahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury’s Prediction of the Future TREVOR YOUNG Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel written by Ray Bradbury that depicts a futuristic American society where books are banned and independent thought is persecuted. Bradbury uses his imagination to take a hard look at a world consumed by technology, and he presents predictions about pleasure, violence and anti-intellectualism that are alarmingly similar to the modern American society. Notably, in both societies people findRead MoreThemes of Mental, Emotional and Genealogical Equality in Fahrenheit 451932 Words   |  4 Pageslikeness presented in different ways. In The Giver, it presents a world without color or choices: mental equality. In the movie Equilibrium, it ponders a world where people cannot feel: emotional equality. Lastly, in the graphic novel V for Vendetta, it reflects an England without racial diversity: genealogical equality. In Fahrenheit 451, all of the above equalities have come to be but not through government control. No, in Fahrenheit, the people have disint egrated down to this level of complete mentalRead MoreTechnology And Technology In Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451884 Words   |  4 PagesFahrenheit 451 was written almost 50 years ago in 1953 by Ray Bradbury and yet it has still caused a great debate in our society today, two of these major discussion is very well used in our society the twenty century. One of these debates is Technology, technology was one of the major causes of the burning of books in 451 and how people in the society start depending on technology to survive. The second is violence, violence has played so much role in 451 and yet the society was clueless about what’sRead MoreRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 451: A World Without Books1095 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches† (Wikiquote, â€Å"Ray Bradbury†). Author Ray Bradbury made this observation in 1979 and his thought has only become more true as tim e has gone on. Bradbury warns of the possibility of this happening in his novel, Fahrenheit 451. The message of Fahrenheit 451 is more important than ever because today’s book editors, movie critics, and plays have intentionally and unintentionally removed Bradbury’sRead MoreThe Dystopian Themes Of Fahrenheit 4511372 Words   |  6 PagesEven though Fahrenheit 451 was written over 50 years ago many of the dystopian elements Bradbury applied to his story also apply to our current society. A large portion of today’s world is in a dystopian state such as North Korea, Sierra Leone, Chad and even Disneyland shows dystopian characteristics. The citizens that live in North Korea believe that they are in a utopian state, they worship their leader as a God, have a bureaucratic control and also propaganda control. Four dystopian themes inRead MoreThe Wave And Fahrenheit 451972 Words   |  4 PagesPower can be a hazardous undertaking. The Wave and Fahrenheit 451 are bo th books that also shows that when you give one person the authority over everyone and everyone else is seen as equal, then no one will have their own thoughts. Fahrenheit 451 also shows just how dangerous power can be. The two books may seem improbable of ever happening in today’s world but, they might be closer than you thought. The instability of social dominance is abundantly clear in both these books. The Wave clearly shows

Music and why it should be used in schools Free Essays

Music is a form of art. It is used daily in many parts of the world, different kinds for everyone. It improves focus, gives students a better mood and it helps pass the time. We will write a custom essay sample on Music and why it should be used in schools or any similar topic only for you Order Now Even though it may create an antisocial environment listening to music with headphones in classes has more good outcomes then bad. Students minds wander, No matter what. But personally when I am listening to music and working I’m more concentrated and I work faster. A wandering mind is unhappy, most of that time it is spent focusing on the inadequacy of life; music brings you back to the present. In your classes you need to focus. And what better way to do that then when listening to music? Though it has been proven that â€Å"some students can study effectively with music playing, while others are distracted by any outside stimulus†. You would find that more students can listen and study at the same time then people that cannot study with music playing in the background. â€Å"It breaks you out of Just thinking one way,† said Dry. Teresa Leslie, an assistant professor in the music therapy program at the University of Miami. In biological terms melodious sounds help encourage the release of dopamine in the reward area of the brain, as would eating a delicacy, looking at something appealing or smelling a pleasant aroma† said Dry. Amid Sod. That being said listening to music in the classrooms would bring a positive vibe to students as dopamine releases â€Å"good† feelings. Students who are in a better mood give the teachers they are with a better attitude, meaning that they do not deal with kids who are in a bad mood due to the fact that the dopamine did not release Into he reward section of the brain. When students have a good attitude they are more than likely to learn better. And If students learn better they will get a better grade. When students listen to music In class It passes time faster and then they will not be rushing to finish before the bell rings to go to their next class. Cons of listening to music with headphones In class are equally Important to the pros of using headphones In class. One of the cons being that It may create an antisocial classroom environment with everyone listening to their music and not participating tit their peers as often as they would If they did not use headphones. Another con would be subliminal messages In songs that the kids are unaware of, changing their way of thoughts about certain things. Also If an alarm or announcement were to go off the students would not be able to hear It as their music may be up to loud. As you can see listening to music with headphones In can benefit the students and teachers In their classroom environment, In both good and bad ways. Even If It’s for certain days of the week students should be given the chance to prove how they learn with USIA. I’m not saying that they need to listen to the music constantly because they still need to pay attention to lectures or presentations from others. And It should be Individually discussed between the student and teacher. So If It makes the loudest and most difficult student to teach be able to learn, why not try It? Music and why it should be used in schools By skeletally headphones in classes has more good outcomes then bad. Student’s minds wander, kids who are in a bad mood due to the fact that the dopamine did not release into than likely to learn better. And if students learn better they will get a better grade. When students listen to music in class it passes time faster and then they will not be music with headphones in class are equally important to the pros of using headphones in class. One of the cons being that it may create an antisocial classroom environment with everyone listening to their music and not participating with their peers as often as they would if they did not use headphones. Another con would be subliminal messages in songs that the kids are unaware of, changing their ay of thoughts about certain things. Also if an alarm or announcement were to go off the students would not be able to hear it as their music may be up to loud. As you can see listening to music with headphones in can benefit the students and teachers in their classroom environment, in both good and bad ways. Even if it’s for certain still need to pay attention to lectures or presentations from others. And it should be individually discussed between the student and teacher. So if it makes the loudest and most difficult student to teach be able to learn, why not try it? How to cite Music and why it should be used in schools, Papers

Marge Piercy Essay Example For Students

Marge Piercy Essay Young versus old. Death versus eternal life. The positive effects of societyspressure versus the negative. Marge Piercys Barbie Doll and DickSchneiders Youths Progress are a study in the themes mentionedabove. There are many obvious similarities in the chronological structure andirony of the two works. However, the reader will find that there are morethought-provoking contrasts than initially meet the eye. Not surprisingly, thepoems follow the natural course of chronological time: beginning to end, youngto old. Both poems unfold with birth, continue through the growing upyears, but do not surpass adulthood. The separation of stanzas in both worksindicates a new stage of life, though Piercy leaves the reader to guess theactual age of the girlchild in Barbie Doll. The reader will notethat a major theme of both poems is the long-term effect of outside pressure onthe subjects from birth. Piercy employs the stylistic device of irony throughoutthe entirety of her poem. It required the magic of puberty for a child topoint out the negative aspects of a physical body. A healthy, intelligent andstrong woman is compelled by society to bustle to and fro apologizing,apologizing for failing to mirror the image of the Barbie-like woman the worldseems to want. Though she attempts to defy these expectations by cutting off hergreat big nose and fat legs, in her death the woman is displayed inher casket, cosmetics painted on and a beautiful turned-up putty nose. Finally,she fits the mold cut for her by society. Our way of life has hardly changedsince a wheel first whetted a knife. While Youths Progresschronicles the growth of the subject with specific years and ages, BarbieDoll simply accounts for the passing of time in a story-tellers fashion ofmemories. Barbie Doll ends with the tragedy of a woman who, because shedidnt live up to the unrealistic standard created for her, resorts tosuicide. Youths Progress concludes with the exhortation of publicapproval and the sense of eternal life in exchange for submitting to theunofficial rules of social acceptance, eager to fit the mold. To some, theimmortalized life of Schneider is preferable to the tragic death of Piercysgirlchild Young versus old. Death versus eternal life. The positive effects ofsocietys pressure versus the negative. The course a life will take isultimately decided by the individual, the sum of his choices and reactions tothe cards dealt to him by Life. The choice is yours.BibliographyBowland, Eavan. Its a Womans World, 1982.

We Do Feet Essay Example

We Do Feet Essay We Do Feet is a specialist foot massage boutique aimed at offering its customers a chance to put their feet up, relax and be pampered, all at affordable prices. The warm, relaxing ambience of the boutiques is created through a combination of soothing music, calming aromas and serene natural surroundings. The company name and logo has been carefully considered, as this will become a major element for the branding of the boutiques and supplementary products. We will write a custom essay sample on We Do Feet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on We Do Feet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on We Do Feet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer (This introduction will be on the leaflet.) Idea During the summer holidays I spent four weeks travelling Thailand with my family. There I noticed hundreds of foot reflexology shops full of European, American and Australian tourists. I had many foot massages myself when I was there and thoroughly enjoyed them. I thought to myself, what a great idea and opportunity it could be for me to open a chain of these in the UK, as I have never seen these before. But I knew I would have to act quickly to establish my business and brand first. Naturally the concept would have to be adapted to suit the UK lifestyle but the basic principle would be the same. Market research There are two main methods of market research: * Desk research/secondary research (uses data, or information, which already exists in printed form or computer files) * Primary research/field research (obtains original data or information, which did not exist before, from customers and other people) The primary data gained by field research is significant, because it is not available to any other businesses, unless they do their own research. Though, it is much more expensive than desk research and much more time consuming. When the information has been gathered, it has to be collated, and then analysed before any trends or information become evident. Secondary research is much easier and cheaper than primary research, because the data is already available and does not have to be gathered or analysed. But it is less valuable because it is often out of date and does not always cover the specific theme of study. This is mainly obtained using the Internet. For my coursework I believe it would be best to use a collaboration of the two types of market research available to me. With both types of market research I would almost definitely get the best indications to whether setting up a reflexology boutique would be successful. For my secondary research I used the Internet to find out where my competition was located, to do this I used the Yellow Pages web site (yell.com) to find out the name and addresses of the various treatment spas in postcode W1, as this is where I plan to open my first We Do Feet branch on Oxford Street. I used this information so I could visit my competitors and gather individual information about them. However I did not use secondary research to find out population counts as such, because Oxford Street, in Central London is swarmed with people throughout the year. This fact gives me no doubt that the business will be successful in this area. Competition There are many spa treatments that involve foot massage and reflexology. Even though there are already many, there is huge difference between these and mine. This means they are not direct competition as such but still include similar treatments. Because there is no walk in, float out concepts already, the spas are my closest competitors. My first chosen location of Oxford Street, is surrounded by many fitness and Spa treatment centres. I have done thorough research into the spas and have found many in this area. These include: Hypno 1st 305, Great Portland St Tel: 020 7255 1567 Champneys Piccadilly 21a, Piccadilly Tel: 020 7255 8000 Fitness First 15, Great Marlborough St Tel: 020 7287 8911 The Pilates Studio Ltd 116, Great Portland St Tel: 020 7636 2636 Alan Herdman Studios 17, Homer Row Tel: 020 7723 9953 Relax 65-67, Brewer St Tel: 020 7494 3333 Spa 2 88 ,Holles St Tel: 0207 409 0423 Location is very important for my business because if I was in an area, which already has many treatment centres there will be greater competition. I am going to geographically map these so you can see where your competitors are. I have done this in the appendix. When I visited my competitors I found you had to make an appointment sometimes days in advance. Then pay a high price of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½45-à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½60, which is the average for a similar treatment. This is a waste of time and money. The idea of We Do Feet is the opposite. Most people would love the idea of a relaxing foot massage and we are offering exactly that. But instead of booking you just show up on impulse, you dont have to spend an hour or two it only takes 20 minutes and then you (float out) and pay a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.50 treatment charge and any other purchases to the receptionist. Whilst not having the same concept as my competitors I will still use many of their better ideas. Whilst visiting them I noticed that many of them had aromatherapy burners to give off scents like lavender and lemon grass. This is an idea, which I am using also. They also had very serene surroundings using soothing music; I thought this was also appropriate. Selfridges Location Location of my competitors These are whom I consider as my competitors around Oxford Street. All of these competitors are in their own ways different, with varying prices, treatments and ambiences. I have rated these by using the process of brand mapping. This process can help describe a segment of the market, identify the product strengths and weaknesses, evaluate new concepts and identify your competition. I have prepared one to show this and rate where I will be on the map. Expensive Plain Environment Good Atmosphere Less Expensive KEY TO MAP Hypno 1st Yellow Champneys Piccadilly Orange Fitness First White The Pilates Studio Ltd Violet Alan Herdman Studios Green Relax Black Spa 2 Blue We Do Feet is the pink circle, which is the only company in the Southwest of the graph. This shows that we are different than the competitors. Hopefully the potential customers will recognise this and then take the quick, inexpensive, and most convenient experience, which is us. In order to understand how my foot massage concept could be best adapted for the UK I prepared a questionnaire, which would be primary research. From this I can rephrase and change certain questions to make my questionnaire work usefully and efficiently. My questionnaire will include Qualitative research. Qualitative research involves interviewing people to find out their views and opinions. Quantitative research involves carrying out numerical information. Qualitative research tends to be more time consuming and the answers are usually very individualistic. This is good to find out exactly what the demand could be but it is also bad in the sense it is far too time consuming and time is money. I wrote a questionnaire, which looked like this 1. Which Gender Are You? m f 2. What Is Your Age? 3. What Is Your Occupation? 4. What is your current income bracket per annum? 5. Do You Know What Reflexology Is? y n 6. Have You Ever Experienced A Foot Massage? y n 7. If Available Would You Like One? y n 8. Would You Be Prepared To Pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 for 20 mins? y n 9. Who Would You Prefer To Massage Your Feet? m f 10. If Drinks Were Offered During Your Massage Would You Like One? y n 11. Would You Be Interested In purchasing Some Foot Care Products? y n 12. Do You Live In London y n 13. What Magazines Do You Read Market Segment I went to the chosen location of Oxford Street and approached people who were in the market segment in which I am targeting. This is the part of the market in which groups of people with similar characteristics are linked and in this case the busy shoppers and businessmen and women in London. Most of these people in the market segment are of either social grade A, B or C1 that are the grades in which the socio-economic groupings are divided. By looking at the socio-economic groups you can see that most of the customers will be well off and would most likely be prepared to pay the price of ten pounds. Results / Analysis After two long days and 65 sets of results I headed home to analyse my results. I have found that the people that were shopping and walking through Oxford Street were mostly between the ages of 19 and 45. This gave me a very good indication of the particular market segment I am targeting. I already had a good idea of this however this was broader than I expected. I also calculated that 67% of these people were female. Looking at Question 3 I found that nearly more than half of these women were not working but were shopping. However most of the men I interviewed were working in London. Question 4 gave me an idea of the socio-economic group which I was targeting , they were of class A, B and C1. Surprisingly all of them had a good idea of what reflexology was, but sadly 54 percent of them had never experienced it. Question 7 was the most important, it indicated if the concept was to be successful or not. Not to my surprise they all loved the idea and would love to put their feet up for a relaxing break. 92 % of the people I approached were interested in having a foot massage and 8% hated the idea of their feet being touched. Question 8 was also very important because I was going to find out if they would be willing to pay my price, 82% of the people said that they would pay the ten pounds. Question 9 would be crucial for the employment of staff. Everyone bar six people wanted a female masseuse and the other six ticked both because they did not mind. Question 10 was answered by everyone as a yes, because they thought it would be nice to have a hot drink whilst having their treatment. The results of Question 11 showed that very few people were interested in supplementary products, however with more information and good marketing stragergys I believe that these products would sell. Question 12 asked whether the interviewed people were resident in London. I found that this was the case for 60% of the people. This tells me that there are a fair amount of tourists and they would most likely enjoy the luxury. Question 13 was important for the promotion of the company because I need to know which magazines to advertise in if I decide to advertise my service above the line of promotion. The results showed that 32% were the fashion magazines like FHM and GQ. 55% were the celebrity gossip magazines like Hello, OK and Heat. Other magazines mentioned were specilised such as sport, home ; garden and electronic magazines. Graphs To Show The Results In The Questionnaire Question 1: Gender Question 2: Age Because there were a wide variety of ages I can not plot them on the pie chart. Question 3: Occupation Question 4: Income per Annum Question 5: Reflexology (know what it is) Question 6: Ever experienced it? Question 7: Would they like it? Question 8: Price? Question 9: Male workers of female? Question 10: 100% of the people thought it would be nice to have a drink during the massage. Question 11: Supplementary products Question 12: Living in London Question 13: Magazines Marketing Mix The Marketing Mix is the combination of factors, which help the business sell a product Usually summarized as the 4Ps, which are Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Promotion Promotion is the communication between businesses and customers, making the customers aware that the product is for sale, telling or explaining to them what the product is and how the product will service their needs and persuading the customer to buy the product for the first time. I am considering this because if I want to sell my product, the public has to know about it. I am going to promote my business by advertising below the line of promotion. I will begin this by passing out leaflets to my potential customers on Oxford Street to tell them the details of the company and the services we provide. This is a coloured A4 leaflet. It may be found in my appendix. I am also launching a website on the worldwide web. This will be supplied by Millsites. I will be buying a basic website package consisting of homepage with two hyperlinks. I will also arrange a special promotion with Selfridges whereby a spend of over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 in the shop will be rewarded with a complimentary We Do Feet treatment. Another promotion that I am planning is a benefit to regular customers. A loyalty card will be given after the first treatment and then stamped after each additional treatment. After five treatments the customer will be entitled to a free treatment. This promotional stragegy is also used by Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Nero see appendix.I will not use media advertising as they are much more costly and as I am a business just starting up, it would be hard to budget this. My promotion strategies are simple, effective and do not exceed my budget. Premises and Location As a new business I felt it would be best to start with one small unit in a department store in London. This would enable me to fine tune my concept at a low start up cost. I chose Selfridges as my ideal location for a lease of space and approached them.with my cancept. I estimate that I will need enough space for 14 lazy-boy chairs, a water feature, a drinks area, a reception area, storage cupboards and 3 waiting room chairs. I have drawn a plan of how much space will be needed with my idea of the shops layout. Future expansion into more department stores would be ideal for further growth. Here there would be a constant stream of tired shoppers happy for an opportunity to re-energize themselves. For my shop design, I am going to use a natural modern look, with different woods and bamboo straws. This will enhance relaxation. The soothing background music will add to the tranquil atmosphere as will the sound of a water feature. The lights will be subtle and scented candles will be lit to encourage a relaxing atmosphere. Price Pricing is one of the 4Ps of the marketing mix. Businesses have to decide what price they will charge for their products, the higher the price is, the lower the demand for the product will be. I have decided to use penetration pricing because if I set an initial low price it will appeal to more customers. In the future I may decide to raise the prices depending on the demand. I have chosen this pricing strategy over all of the others because I want to make my product and price appealing to the customers whilst maintaining the luxurious image of the service when I launch my business. I have decided to charge each customer à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.50, I have chosen this price because I do not want my customers just giving the reception a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 note or à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20 note because they may not have change, and if they have access to it, they may give the masseuse a tip of some sort. If my concept were similar to others. I would have used the technique of Competition based pricing which is when I would charge a price based on my competitors. My hot and cold beverages will be available to you while you are having your massage, in your chair. The menu will consist of the following drinks and prices. Tea à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.20 Coffee à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.00 Cappuchino à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3.00 Mint Herbal Tea à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.20 Hot Chocolate à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3.00 Evian Water à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.50 Volvic Water à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.50 Perrier Water à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.60 Soft Drinks à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.50 (Coke, Diet Coke, Lemonade, Tango) I have chosen these prices because I want the drinks on the menu to be more expensive because my set price for the foot massage is fairly cheap. This will be to increase the overall amount spent by the customer. Product My product is a service; the key to success in a service is to have good, well-trained staff. We do feet will have fourteen massage chairs in each location and so we will need at least sixteen masseurs. This accounts for any absence of staff . The staff will o do a basic reflexology course, which should last for roughly three weeks. This course takes place in a massage school in Central London. The company will pay for the course and during this three-week period they will not be getting paid. The trainees have to accept that if they do not pass the course they will not have the opportunity to work for We Do Feet. But the trainees can re-take the course again but not at the cost of the company. Other staff needed will include a receptionist. The receptionist will have to have had experience in customer relations and be very friendly and warm. They will also be responsible for serving refreshments. There will be a We Do Feet uniform that all of the workers will have to wear. This consists of white linen trousers and a white linen shirt with the company emblem on the left breas t pocket. Depending on how good the business is, in the future we will introduce a range of supplementary foot products, including creams, lotions, balms, aromatherapy oils, relaxation baths, anti-fungal solutions, exfoliation kits, pain relief gel, night renewal cream and athletes foot remedies etc. These products will all have the company name and logo. Marketing Mix Conclusion All of the four Ps included in the Marketing Mix contribute together to allow me to target my market. Some parts of the Marketing Mix are more important than others, I think that the most important factor is the Unique Selling Point, which is my concept. I also think the promotion is the next important because if no one knows about it, there will never be any customers. The position is extremely important because if the shop is in a bad location, or in a particularly rough area, most people wouldnt go out of their way to get a twenty minute massage. My business especially will need to be on a busy street because most of my customers will be coming from the street on impulse. Price is also something I need to consider because there are many strategies that I can use, I chose penetrating pricing. This is perfect for my service. Conclusions and Evaluation My secondary research showed me that there was no other specialist foot massage boutiques in England. This is good because I will be the only one at the start until people may see my idea and copy my concept. For my primary research I have done questionnaires and have approached my location and asked as many random people as I could, who were willing to give up some time to fill them in. 92% of the people I asked liked the idea and 82% of people were willing to pay the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.50 for a treatment. I have designed my marketing mix well to suit my business idea, my service is very professional and relaxed and that is what people want. I am promoting the idea using the cheapest methods available, and the just stop site is ideal because it is the busiest shop in England and on the busiest street in London. I think that my business will be successful because looking at the questionnaire people loved the idea. If I was to start this coursework again I would like more time because I would like to do more primary research, and question people throughout the year to see when business would be most busy. This is one thing I regret the most, I did not do as much research as I could have and this was very important to finding out what will bring success into the business. I went to Oxford Street on a Wednesday and a Saturday so that got a weekly variation and to no surprise it was busier on the weekend. I would have liked to do a seasonal variation because it would give a better idea of when business is best, without doing this I can assume that in the summer and for Christmas shopping it would be very busy. I think that the most important thing about success is the USP of the product and the low price of my product. I think that this business idea is going to be easier than others because if I was to open up a new supermarket, I would be immediately be pushed out by the bigger ones already in the market with all of the customers, like Marks and Spencers and Tesco. If I could in the future I would like to open up a chain of these throughout London, Manchester, Bath and all of the other big cities. Naturally this will take years of hard work and effort.

The History and Domestication of Goats

The History and Domestication of Goats Goats (Capra hircus) were among the first domesticated animals, adapted from the wild bezoar ibex Capra aegargus in western Asia. Bezoar ibexes are native to the southern slopes of the Zagros and Taurus mountains, and evidence shows that the goat descendants spread globally, playing an important role in the advancement of Neolithic agricultural technology where they were taken. Beginning between 10,000-11,000 years ago, Neolithic farmers in the Near East starting keeping small herds of ibexes for their milk and meat, and for their dung for fuel, as well as for materials for clothing and building: hair, bone, skin, and sinew. Today over 300 breeds of goats exist on our planet, living on every continent except Antarctica and in a quite astonishing range of environments, from human tropical rain forests to dry hot desert regions and cold, hypoxic high altitude regions. Because of this variety, the domestication history was a bit obscure until the development of DNA research. Where Goats Originated Domestication in goats has been recognized archaeologically by the presence and abundance of the animal into regions that were well beyond western Asia, by perceived changes in their body size and shape (called morphology), by differences in demographic profiles in wild and domestic groups, and by stable isotope recognition of their dependence on year-round fodders. Archaeological data suggested two distinct places of domestication: the Euphrates river valley at Nevali Çori, Turkey (11,000 years ago [bp], and the Zagros Mountains of Iran at Ganj Dareh (10,000 bp). Other possible sites of domestication posed by archaeologists included the Indus Basin in Pakistan at (Mehrgarh, 9,000 bp), central Anatolia the southern Levant, and China. Divergent Goat Lineages Studies on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences (Luikart et al) indicate there are four highly divergent goat lineages today. Luikart and colleagues suggested that means either there were four domestication events, or there is a broad level of diversity that was always there in the bezoar ibex. A study by Gerbault and colleagues supported Luikarts findings, suggesting the extraordinary variety of genes in modern goats arose from one or more domestication events from the Zagros and Taurus mountains and the southern Levant, followed by interbreeding and continued development in other places. A study on the frequency of genetic haplotypes (basically gene variation packages) in goats by Nomura and colleagues suggests that it is possible there may have been a southeast Asian domestication event as well, but its also possible that during the transport to southeast Asia via the steppe region of central Asia, goat groups developed extreme bottlenecks, resulting in fewer variations. Goat Domestication Processes Makarewicz and Tuross looked at stable isotopes in goat and gazelle bones from two sites on either side of the Dead Sea in Israel: Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) site of Abu Ghosh and the Late PPNB site of Basta. They showed that gazelles (used as a control group) eaten by the occupants of the two sites maintained a consistently wild diet, but goats from the later Basta site had a significantly different diet than goats from the earlier site. The main difference in the oxygen and nitrogen stable isotopes of the goats suggests that Basta goats had access to plants that were from a wetter environment than that near where they were eaten. That was likely the result of either the goats being herded to a wetter environment during some part of the year  or that they were provisioned by fodder from those locations. That indicates that people were managing goats in so far as moving them from pasture to pasture and/or providing fodder by as early as 8000 cal BC; and that was likely part of a process that began earlier still, perhaps during the early PPNB (8500-8100 cal BC), coinciding with reliance on plant cultivars. Important Goat Sites Important archaeological sites with evidence for the initial process of goat domestication include Cayà ¶nà ¼, Turkey (8500-8000 BC), Tell Abu Hureyra, Syria (8000-7400 BC), Jericho, Israel (7500 BC), and Ain Ghazal, Jordan (7600-7500 BC). Sources Fernndez H, Hughes S, Vigne J-D, Helmer D, Hodgins G, Miquel C, Hnni C, Luikart G, and Taberlet P. 2006. Divergent mtDNA lineages of goats in an Early Neolithic site, far from the initial domestication areas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103(42):15375-15379.Gerbault P, Powell A, and Thomas MG. 2012. Evaluating demographic models for goat domestication using mtDNA sequences. Anthropozoologica 47(2):64-76.Luikart G, Gielly L, Excoffier L, Vigne J-D, Bouvet J, and Taberlet P. 2001. Multiple maternal origins and weak phylogeographic structure in domestic goats. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 98:5927-5932.Makarewicz C, and Tuross N. 2012. Finding Fodder and Tracking Transhumance: Isotopic Detection of Goat Domestication Processes in the Near East. Current Anthropology 53(4):495-505.Naderi S, Rezaei H-R, Pompanon F, Blum MGB, Negrini R, Naghash H-R, Balkiz Ãâ€", Mashkour M, Gaggiotti OE, Ajmone-Marsan P et al. 2008. The goat domestication process inferr ed from large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis of wild and domestic individuals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105(46):17659-17664. Naderi S, Rezaei H-R, Taberlet P, Zundel S, Rafat S-A, Naghash H-R, El-Barody MAA, Ertugrul O, Pompanon F, and for the Econogene C. 2007. Large-Scale Mitochondrial DNA Analysis of the Domestic Goat Reveals Six Haplogroups with High Diversity. PLoS ONE 2(10):e1012.Nomura K, Yonezawa T, Mano S, Kawakami S, Shedlock AM, Hasegawa M, and Amano T. 2013. Domestication Process of the Goat Revealed by an Analysis of the Nearly Complete Mitochondrial Protein-Encoding Genes. PLoS ONE 8(8):e67775.Vahidi SMF, Tarang AR, Naqvi A-u-N, Falahati Anbaran M, Boettcher P, Joost S, Colli L, Garcia JF, and Ajmone-Marsan P. 2014. Investigation of the genetic diversity of domestic Capra hircus breeds reared within an early goat domestication area in Iran. Genetics Selection Evolution 46(1):27.Zeder MA. 2001. A Metrical Analysis of a Collection of Modern Goats (Capra hircus aegargus and C. h. hircus) from Iran and Iraq: Implications for the Study of Caprine Domestication. Journal of Archaeological Science 28 (1):61-79. Zeder MA, and Hesse B. 2000. The Initial Domestication of Goats (Capra hircus) in the Zagros Mountains 10,000 Years Ago.Science 287:2254-2257.

Future Trends of AviaitionEarospace Education Essay

Future Trends of AviaitionEarospace Education - Essay Example Now, however, there are factors that mitigate against this once-abundant pool of available talent, creating a need for more trained pilots to take to the skies. First, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the federal governing body for all commercial air flight, has a strict retirement rule. All pilots must leave the cockpit at the age of 60. While this has not yet created any dramatic shortages, writer Denver Beaulieu-Hains (2000) said that situation will change very soon. "Over the next 10 years, [the retirement] requirement may put a crunch on airline work forces, as baby boomers reach their golden years. And, with military cutbacks resulting in fewer trained pilots, the strain is hitting the industry from both ends of the runway." Beaulieu-Hains (2000) further stated that the baby-boomer pilots now approaching the retirement age represent fully one-third of the commercial aviation industry's pilot and mechanic work force. When they are forced to retire, the growing shortage will exacerbate considerably. To no one's surprise, the Professional Pilots Federation is trying to get the 60-and-out rule overturned. In April 2000, it petitioned the FAA for exemptions for 69 members of its organization, at the same time requesting strenuous testing - both physical and neuropsychological - to see if older pilots are indeed more likely to suffer from incapacitation than younger pilots (Beaulieu-Hains, 2000). (The age 60 retirement rule was set by the FAA in the 1950s, based on the belief that the ability to process and act on information slows as one gets older.) Stringent Qualifications Required Becoming a commercial pilot is not easy, even for someone who is fit physically and emotionally. All candidates for any cockpit flight position must meet strict FAA medical requirements and receive what the governing body calls an FAA Class 1 Medical Certificate. This assures the prospective employer that the person applying for a pilot's job is free from any physical or emotional conditions or disorders that would prevent him or her from performing the complex duties required of today's modern aircraft (Faa.org, 2001). And, the airlines themselves are no less strict. Anyone involved in an aircraft's flight, of course, has the lives of as many as 300 people in his or her hands. Particularly at the major airlines, standards not only meet FAA requirements, but usually exceed them. Southwest Airlines is a case in point. Before a candidate is even interviewed for a flight position, the airline requires the following: Resume, Airman Certificate (required by the FAA, as well), U.S. Type Rating on a B-737, the First Class Medical Certificate, ad at least three letters of recommendation. Those letters cannot be simply from friends or relatives; they must be from individuals who can attest to the pilot's flying skills, and who have observed them in flight over a sustained period of time (Southwest, 2000). As for flight experience, Southwest requires 2,500 total hours for jet aircraft or 1,500 hours for turbine aircraft. Beyond that, the airline also requires 1,000 hours as "pilot in command" on a turbine plane. The airline specifically excludes simulator, helicopter, and other non-turbine or jet aircraft and prefers candidates who have a four-year college degree (Southwest, 2000). Other airlines are not so stringent, especially smaller one,