Vaquita Facts and Conservation Information

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus), also known as the Gulf of California harbor porpoise, cochito or Marsopa vaquita is the smallest cetacean. It is also one of the most endangered, with only about 250 remaining. The word vaquita means small cow in Spanish. Its species name, sinus is Latin for gulf or bay, referring to the vaquitas small range, which is restricted to coastal waters off the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Vaquitas were discovered fairly recently - the species was first identified based on skulls in 1958 and live specimens were not observed until 1985. You can read more about the vaquitas discovery here. Description Vaquitas are about 4-5 feet long, and weigh about 65-120 pounds. Vaquitas are gray, with darker gray on their back and lighter gray on their underside. They have a black eye ring, lips and chin, and pale face. Vaquitas lighten in color as they age. They also have a recognizable triangular-shaped dorsal fin. Vaquitas are shy around vessels, and typically are found singly, in pairs or in small groups of 7-10 animals. They may stay underwater for a long time. The combination of these characteristics can make vaquitas difficult to find in the wild. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: VertebrataSuperclass: Gnathostomata, TetrapodaClass: MammaliaSubclass: TheriaOrder: CetartiodactylaSuborder: CetancodontaSuborder: OdontocetiInfraorder: CetaceaSuperfamily: OdontocetiFamily: PhocoenidaeGenus: PhocoenaSpecies: sinus    Habitat and Distribution Vaquitas have one of the most limited home ranges of all cetaceans. They live in the northern end of the Gulf of California, off the Baja Peninsula in Mexico, in murky, shallow waters within about 13.5 miles of shore. Click here for a sightings map. Feeding Vaquitas feed on schooling fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. Like other odontocetes, they find their prey using echolocation, which is similar to sonar. The vaquita emits high frequency sound pulses from an organ (the melon) in its head. The sound waves bounce off objects around them and are received back into the dolphins lower jaw, transmitted to the inner ear and interpreted to determine the size, shape, location and distance of prey. Vaquitas are toothed whales, and use their spade-shaped teeth to capture their prey. They have 16-22 pairs of teeth in their upper jaw and 17-20 pairs in their lower jaw. Reproduction Vaquitas are sexually mature at about 3-6 years of age. Vaquitas mate in April-May and calves are born in the months of February-April after a 10-11 month gestation period. Calves are about 2.5 feet long and weigh about 16.5 pounds at birth. The maximum known lifespan of an individual vaquita was a female who lived 21 years. Conservation There are an estimated 245 vaquitas remaining (according to a 2008 study), and the population may be declining by as much as 15% each year. They are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. One of the biggest threats to vaquitas is entanglement or being caught as bycatch in fishing gear, with an estimated 30-85 vaquitas taken incidentally by fisheries each year (Source: NOAA). The Mexican government began developing a Vaquita Recovery Plan in 2007, putting efforts into place to protect the vaquita, although they continue to be affected by fishing. Click here to learn how you can help vaquitas. References and Further Information Gerrodette, T., Taylor, B.L., Swift, R., Rankin, S., Jaramillo-Legorreta, A.M., and L. Rojas-Bracho. 2011. TI - A combined visual and acoustic estimate of 2008 abundance, and change in abundance since 1997, for the vaquita, Phocoena sinus. Marine Mammal Science, 27:2, E79-E100.Marine Mammal Commission. Vaquita (Phocoena sinus). Accessed May 31, 2012.NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources. 2011. Gulf of California Harbor Porpoise/Vaquita/Cochito (Phocoena sinus). Accessed May 31, 2012.OBIS-SEAMAP. Gulf of California Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena sinus). Accessed May 31, 2012.Perrin, W. (2010). Phocoena sinus Norris McFarland, 1958. In: Perrin, W.F. World Cetacea Database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?ptaxdetailsid343897. Accessed May 31, 2012.Phocoena sinus, In Palomares, M.L.D. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2012. SeaLifeBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.sealifebase.org, version (04/2012). Accessed May 31, 2012 .Rojas-Bracho, L., Reeves, R.R., Jaramillo-Legorreta, A. Taylor, B.L. 2008. Phocoena sinus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Accessed May 29, 2012.Rojas-Bracho, L. P. sinus. Accessed May 31, 2012.Vaquita: Last Chance for the Desert Porpoise. Accessed May 31, 2012.Viva Vaquita. Accessed May 31, 2012.

Civil Rights For African Americans - 1001 Words

Civil Rights for African Americans Marciano Castillo Government 3P May 5, 2015 For centuries African Americans have been treated differently because of the color of their skin. They’ve been slaves, segregated, and discriminated, and been forced to fight for equality. Till this day African Americans are discriminated but yet have accomplished a lot from changing laws to changing the way they are viewed. The first slaves arrived in Virginia around the 1600’s and was the jumpstart to what was to come in the united states and so began with the purchase of a human being no better than the caucasian person only differing of the color of their skin.In the late 1700’s slaves bean running awa starting a some kind of movenment in a sense that he is running away because he didn’t agree to being a slave. In the 1800’s a slave named Gabriel Poster planned a march to revolt against slavery but was stopped. This is evidence in history showing that african americans have been fighting for equality since before your’s and my time. On 1820 the Missouri compromise happened which banned slavery in the north of the southern missouri boundary. On 1831 a slave named Nat Turner lead the most important uprising in history against slavery Just these few events showed the civil rights movement already happening which would last till this day and will into the future. During the days of slavery people saw african americans as lesser beings who would be treated like an animal or someoneShow MoreRelatedThe Civil Rights Of African Americans2645 Words   |  11 PagesThe term civil rights is very broad when it is to be defined. It has many different aspects as in to what it can mean, from integration all the way to voting rights of African Americans. My main point is to focus on the Selma Marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama, but also to dig deeper into it to find the significance of a certain day, the day was called â€Å"Bloody Sunday.† I want to find out the historical situation behind the marchers who were beat and killed on that day and also lookRead MoreThe African-American Civil Rights Movement1295 Words   |  5 Pages The African-American Civil Rights Movement is arguably the largest and most successful push towards toward change in American history. The movement was influenced by some of the biggest figures in America n history as well, led by Martin Luther King Jr. and influenced by others such as president Kennedy and Johnson. Amongst the numerous protests and powerful speeches during the Civil Rights Movement perhaps the most prominent is the series of three marches in 1965 known today as the â€Å"Selma to Montgomery†Read MoreAfrican American Women During The Civil Rights Era942 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil Rights Era, which took place during the years of 1955 till 1968, was indeed the movement that gave African Americans the push to achieve their first major accomplishments of the decade. The Civil Rights Movements goals were to break down the walls of legal segregation in public places, achieve equality and justice for African Americans, and to help make African Americans become more self-conscious when standing for all their interest. This movement not only benefited men, but it also benefitedRead MorePersonal Experience with The African American Civil Rights Era1546 Words   |à ‚  6 PagesEmancipation Proclamation, African Americans in the south were still faced with innumerable injustices, including disenfranchisement, segregation, and violence. Jim Crow laws infringed on African Americans’ fundamental rights to a basic education, to suffrage, to serve on a jury, to enter certain shops, and even to use a public restroom. Throughout this time period, activists, African American and white alike, rallied for change using all methods possible: nonviolent protest, civil disobedience, and evenRead MoreAfrican American civil rights has been one of the biggest domestic issues ever in the Unites700 Words   |  3 Pages African American civil rights has been one of the biggest domestic issues ever in the Unites States. The early civil rights stage of 1945-1954 was the start of the biggest civil rights movement in American history. African Americans had to fight against segregation and racial discrimination. This era sparked the start of a massive movement lead by the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X. One of the earliest cases of African Americans was when Jackie Robinson was the first African AmericanRead MoreThe Civil Rights Of African Americans891 Words   |  4 Pagespay reparations to African Americans. My partner and I stand in affirmative of the following resolution. Resolved:The united states government ought to pay reparations to African Americans. African Americans have had roughly 300 years of legalized oppression. If that doesn’t entitle a group to reparations, I’m not sure what does. This would benefit ALL Americans by providing the environment in which African-American talent can rise to its potential that is why we as Americans have the duty to payRead MoreThe Civil Rights Of African Americans2436 Words   |  10 Pages The term civil rights is very broad when it comes a definition. It has many different aspects as in to what it can mean, from integration all the way to voting rights of African Americans. My main point is to focus on the Selma Marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama, but also to dig deeper in to it to find the significance of a certain day, the day was called â€Å"Bloody Sunday.† I want to find out the historical situation behind the marchers who were beat and killed on that day. RacismRead MoreThe Civil Rights Of African Americans2740 Words   |  11 Pages As the United States put an end to slavery, and oppression of African Americans, the country needed aggressive policies to really end discrimination, and segregation. In several part of the country, African Americans were still considered as second class citizen. In the south, the social climate did not change. Many companies did not hire black at all. White southerners did not want integration in school or equal opportunity for black people. The federal government wanted to change the situationRead MoreThe African American Civil Rights Movement1450 Words   |  6 PagesThe African American civil rights movement was a long journey for African American nationwide. The success involved many people, hardships and time in order to advance the African American community in America. The purpose of the movement was to achieve their rights, cease discrimination, and racial segregation. During the start of the African American civil rights movement, Africans Americans still were faced with Jim Crow laws which segregated them from whites. Under the Jim Crow laws AfricanRead MoreThe African American Civil Right Movement1040 Words   |  5 PagesThe African American Civil right movement in the late 1950’s and throughout the 1960’s was a powerful fight for equal opportunities to the basic rights and privileges outlined by the US government. During this movement thousands of African American individuals and those who believed in the power of the movement, battled against the piercing white supremacy through various tactics including grass root movements. The grass root movements in the 60’s was characterized by organizations of individuals

The Secret Circle The Initiation Chapter Ten Free Essays

string(22) " Faye would let stay\." That Friday, Kori came to the back room for lunch. She seemed in awe of the older girls and was even absently respectful of Cassie, which was nice. Certainly Suzan and Deborah had no such respect. We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret Circle: The Initiation Chapter Ten or any similar topic only for you Order Now The strawberry blond seemed unaware of Cassie’s existence unless she wanted something passed to her or picked up, and the biker fixed Cassie with a surly glare whenever they passed in the hall. Deborah and Doug – the other Henderson brother – had appeared in the back room only once since Cassie started eating there, and they had spent the entire time arguing furiously about some heavy-metal band. Neither Faye nor Nick, the dark, coldly handsome boy who’d rescued Cassie’s backpack, showed up at all that week. But Kori Henderson was nice. Now that Cassie knew, she could see the resemblance to Chris and Doug – the blond hair and the blue-green eyes that Kori emphasized by wearing a turquoise necklace and ring all the time. Kori wasn’t as wild as her brothers, though. She seemed just an ordinary, friendly, going-on-fifteen girl. â€Å"I’ve been waiting so long for it, I can’t believe it’s finally here,† she was saying at the end of lunch. â€Å"I mean, just think, next Tuesday’s the day! And Dad says we can have the party down on the beach – or at least he didn’t say we couldn’t – and I want to make it really special, because of it being a holiday, too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She trailed off suddenly. Cassie, following her gaze, saw that Diana had her lip caught between her teeth and was almost imperceptibly shaking her head. What was Kori saying wrong? Cassie wondered. And then it struck her: this was the first she’d heard about a party, although it clearly wasn’t news to the others. Was she not invited? â€Å"So, uh, do you think Adam will be back in time for- – for – I mean, when do you think Adam will be back?† Kori stuttered. â€Å"I don’t really know. I hope it’s soon, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Diana gave a little shrug. â€Å"Who can tell? Who can ever tell?† â€Å"Who’s Adam?† Cassie said, determined to show she didn’t care about the party. â€Å"You mean she hasn’t told you about Adam yet? Diana, there’s such a thing as carrying modesty too far,† Melanie said, her cool gray eyes disbelieving. The color had come to Diana’s cheeks. â€Å"There just hasn’t been time – † she began, and Laurel and Melanie hooted. Cassie was surprised. She’d never seen Diana react this way. â€Å"No, but really,† she said. â€Å"Who is he? Is he your boyfriend?† â€Å"Only since childhood,† Laurel said. â€Å"They’ve been together forever.† â€Å"But where is he? Is he in college? What’s he like?† â€Å"No, he’s just – visiting some people,† Diana said. â€Å"He’s a senior, but he’s been away so far this year. And as for what he’s like†¦ well, he’s nice. I think you’ll like him.† She smiled. Cassie looked toward Laurel for more information. Laurel waved a zucchini stick in the air. â€Å"Adam’s†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kori said, â€Å"Yes, he’s†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Even Melanie couldn’t seem to find the right words. â€Å"You’ll have to meet him,† she said. Cassie was intrigued. â€Å"Do you have a picture of him?† she asked Diana. â€Å"As a matter of fact, I don’t,† Diana said. Seeing Cassie’s disappointment, she went on, â€Å"You see, around here people have a sort of silly superstition about photographs – they don’t like them. So lots of us don’t get pictures taken.† Cassie tried to pretend this wasn’t as bizarre as she thought it was. Like aboriginals, she thought in amazement. Thinking the camera will steal their souls. How can anybody in the twentieth century think that? â€Å"He’s cute, though,† Kori was saying fervently. Suzan, who had been absorbed in eating, looked up from her lunch to proclaim in feeling tones: â€Å"That bod.† â€Å"Those eyes,† Laurel said. â€Å"You’d better go easy,† Melanie said, smiling. â€Å"You’re going to drive Diana crazy before he gets back.† â€Å"Crazy enough to give somebody else a chance, maybe?† Sean piped up. Looks of forbearance passed between the girls. â€Å"Maybe, Sean – sometime in the next millennium,† Laurel said. But being a kind girl, she didn’t say it very loudly. Looking amused, Melanie explained to Cassie, â€Å"Adam and Diana don’t even see anyone of the opposite sex except each other. For years Adam thought the rest of us were boys.† â€Å"Which in Suzan’s case took quite a lot of imagination,† Laurel put in. Suzan sniffed and glanced at Laurel’s flat chest. â€Å"And in some people’s case took no imagination at all.† â€Å"What about you, Cassie?† Diana interrupted before an argument could begin. â€Å"Did you leave a boyfriend back home?† â€Å"Not really,† Cassie said. â€Å"There was one guy, though, this summer. He was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stopped. She didn’t want to tell the story in front of Suzan. â€Å"He was sort of†¦ all right. So, anyway, how did Faye’s date with Jeffrey go?† she asked Suzan abruptly. Suzan’s look said she wasn’t fooled by the sudden change of subject, but she couldn’t resist answering. â€Å"The fish got hooked,† she said with a smirk. â€Å"Now all she has to do is reel him in.† The bell rang then, and there was no further conversation about boyfriends or dates. But Cassie noticed a look about Diana’s eyes – a tender, wistful dreaminess – that lingered for the rest of the day. After school, Diana and Cassie drove back to Crowhaven Road together. As they drove by the Henderson house – one of those in the worst repair – Cassie noticed Diana biting her lip. It was a sure sign the older girl was worried about something. Cassie thought she knew what. â€Å"I don’t mind about Kori’s party,† she offered quietly, and Diana looked at her, surprised. â€Å"I don’t,† Cassie insisted. â€Å"I don’t even know Kori, really. The only time I saw her before was when she was out with Faye on the steps. What’s wrong?† she added as Diana looked even more surprised. â€Å"Kori was eating with Faye and the others that day you overheard them talking?† â€Å"Yes – well, she came when they were almost finished eating. There was a whole group of kids, but she was the only one Faye would let stay. You read "The Secret Circle: The Initiation Chapter Ten" in category "Essay examples" Faye said†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Faye said what?† Diana sounded resigned. â€Å"She said, ‘I thought you’d be eating in the cafeteria with the rest of the goody-goodies.'† Cassie left out the Princess of Purity part. â€Å"Hm. And what did Kori say to that?† Cassie felt uncomfortable. â€Å"She said something about too much goodness being boring. She didn’t stay with them long, though. I think Faye and Suzan were trying to embarrass her.† â€Å"Mm,† said Diana. She was biting her lip again. â€Å"Anyway,† Cassie went on, â€Å"I don’t mind not being invited to her party, but do you think†¦ well, do you think there’s a chance that someday I could be in the Club too?† Diana’s green eyes had widened fractionally. â€Å"Oh, Cassie. But you don’t want to,† she said. â€Å"I know I said things last week that sounded that way. But you told me not to judge the Club by Faye, and I’m not, now. And I like you and Melanie and Laurel and Kori – and Suzan’s sort of okay. Even Chris Henderson is. So I thought, maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She let her sentence trail off delicately. She could feel her heart beating faster. â€Å"That’s not what I meant,† Diana replied. â€Å"I meant you don’t want to because you want to go back home, to California, whenever you can. That’s the truth, isn’t it? You said you were planning to go to college there.† â€Å"Well, yes, eventually, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cassie had said that, that first night at Diana’s house. Now she was no longer so sure, but she didn’t quite know how to explain this. â€Å"What has that got to do with it?† she said. â€Å"I mean, joining doesn’t mean staying here the rest of your life, does it?† Diana’s eyes were on the road. â€Å"It’s hard to explain.† Then she said softly, â€Å"And in any case – well, I’m afraid membership is sort of limited.† Abruptly Cassie remembered Deborah’s words after Kori had left that day. One empty space, one candidate, you know? And Kori was part of the neighborhood. She’d grown up here. Chris and Doug were her brothers. She wasn’t a stranger taken in just because Diana insisted, a puppy picked up off the street. â€Å"I understand,† Cassie said. She tried to sound as if it were all okay, as if it didn’t matter. But it did. It did, terribly. â€Å"No, you don’t,† Diana murmured. â€Å"But I think that’s better. It really is, Cassie, believe me.† â€Å"Oh, no,† Diana said. â€Å"I don’t have the Scotch tape. It must have rolled under the car seat. You stay here; there’s no reason for us both to go back.† She turned and hurried toward the parking lot. They were early that morning. Diana had a banner that she and Laurel had painted, saying â€Å"Happy Birthday, Kori.† She was going to hang it above the main entrance of the school, and Cassie had offered to help. Cassie thought that was a particularly noble and unselfish gesture, considering she still wasn’t invited to Kori’s party. It also showed how much she didn’t really mind. Now she looked up at the main entrance of the school building that had scared her to death two weeks ago. Two weeks. The first week she had spent as a pariah, an outcast, someone too dangerous to speak to because it might bring down the wrath of Faye on the speaker’s head. But the second week†¦ Diana, she mused, didn’t influence people by frightening them. She did it much more subtly, with love. It sounded impossibly stupid and Hallmark card-ish, but it was true. Everyone loved Diana – girls as well as boys – and most of them would walk over hot coals for her. As Diana’s adopted â€Å"little sister† Cassie had instantly gained status far beyond anything she could have ever achieved on her own. She now went around with the coolest crowd in school – and if she wasn’t completely a part of it, only the real insiders knew. You’re almost one of us. She heard Faye’s words to Kori in her mind again. Well, today was Kori’s birthday, and today Kori would be one of them. Today Kori would join the Club. And Cassie never would. Cassie hunched her shoulders, trying to shrug the thought off, but a shiver caught her midway through. She wrapped her arms around herself, clasping her elbows. It was colder than she was used to for late September. Laurel and Melanie had been talking over the weekend about the fall equinox, which was today too. Melanie had explained that it was the day when the hours of daylight and darkness were of equal length, which meant the start of fall. Cassie supposed it had a right to be cold. Everyone said the leaves would be turning soon. Melanie and Laurel had really gotten into that discussion of the equinox. It had seemed terribly important to them, although Cassie couldn’t exactly see why. It was another of the little mysteries about New Salemers that were starting to drive Cassie crazy. She shivered again and began to pace, rubbing her arms. The hill spread out beneath her. She walked to the top of the stairs and stood bouncing on her toes. It was a clear, crisp day, and mixed in with the luxuriant green all around her she could see a tinge of fall colors here and there. The shrubs across the road – what had Laurel called them? Sumac. The sumac across the road was already red. And some of the sugar maples were turning golden yellow, and there was more red at the bottom of the hill†¦ Cassie frowned and forgot to rub her arms. She took a step or two down and leaned forward, looking again. The red at the bottom of the hill was almost too red, too bright. She’d never known foliage could turn that color. It wasn’t natural. A violent shiver went through her. God, it was cold. Whatever was down there was half hidden by the underbrush, but it wasn’t a bush itself, she decided. It looked more like a sweater somebody had discarded. It’ll get ruined, lying on the damp ground like that, Cassie thought. Whoever owns it is going to be unhappy. She took another step down. Of course, it’s probably ruined already – or maybe it’s just a scrap somebody’s thrown out. But it didn’t look like a scrap. It had a shape – she could see what looked like the sweater’s arm. In fact, it looked like a whole bundle of clothes. See, there was something like jeans lying below it†¦ Suddenly Cassie couldn’t breathe. That’s funny – that’s really funny, because it looks almost like a person. But that would be so stupid – it’s cold and wet on the ground. Anybody lying down there would freeze – She was moving down the steps quickly now. Stupid – but it really does look a lot like somebody. See, there’s legs. That yellow could be hair. They must be asleep – but who would go to sleep like that? Right beside the road. Of course, the weeds and stuff screen them – She was very close now, and everything had gone into slow motion – everything but her whirling, reeling thoughts. Oh, thank God – it isn’t a person after all; it’s just a dummy. Like one of those stuffed scarecrow things they put out at Halloween to scare people. See, it’s all floppy in the middle†¦ no person could bend that way†¦ the neck looks like the neck of that doll in my locker. Like somebody pulled the head out†¦ Cassie’s own body was reacting strangely. Her chest was heaving and her muscles were shaking. Her knees were trembling so hard she could scarcely remain standing. And her vision was sparkling at the edges as if she were going to faint. Thank God, it’s not a person – but oh, my God, is that a hand? Dummies don’t have hands like that†¦ not hands with little pink fingers†¦ and dummies don’t wear rings, turquoise rings†¦ Where had she seen a ring like that before? Look at it closer; no, don’t look, don’t look – But she had seen. The hand, stiff as a claw, was human. And the ring was Kori’s. Cassie didn’t realize that she was screaming until she was halfway up the hill. Her legs, which had been trembling so badly, were taking her up in leaps and surges. And she was screaming over and over again: â€Å"Help, help, help.† Only they were such thin, pathetic little shrieks – it was no wonder no one heard her. It was like one of those nightmares where your vocal cords are paralyzed. But someone had heard. As she reached the top of the hill Diana appeared, running. She caught Cassie by the shoulders. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"Kori!† Cassie gasped in a strangled voice. She could hardly speak. â€Å"Diana – help Kori! She’s hurt. Something’s wrong – † She knew it was more than something wrong, but she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. â€Å"Help her, please – â€Å" â€Å"Where?† Diana cut in sharply. â€Å"The bottom. Bottom of the hill. But don’t go down there,† Cassie gasped illogically. Oh, God, she was completely falling apart. She couldn’t cope – but she couldn’t let Diana go down there alone, either. Diana was flying down the stairs. Stiff-legged, Cassie followed. She saw Diana reach the bottom and hesitate, then swiftly kneel and bend forward. â€Å"Is she – ?† Cassie’s hands were clenched. Diana straightened up. Cassie saw the answer in the set of her shoulders. â€Å"She’s cold. She’s dead.† Then Diana turned around. Her face was white, her green eyes burning. Something in her expression gave Cassie strength, and she stumbled down the last two steps and flung her arms around her. She could feel Diana shaking, clinging to her. Kori had been Diana’s friend, not hers. â€Å"It’ll be okay. It’ll be okay,† she gasped, illogical again. There was no way for this to be okay, ever. And over and over in Cassie’s mind other words were echoing. Someday they may find you at the bottom of those stairs with a broken neck. Someday they may find you†¦ Kori’s neck was broken. That was what the police doctor said. After Cassie and Diana went back up the stairs, everything that day seemed like a dream. Adults came and took over. School officials, the police, the doctor. They asked questions. They made notes in their notebooks. Throughout it all the kids in the school stood aside and watched. They weren’t part of the adults’ process. They had questions of their own. â€Å"What are we waiting for? Why don’t we just get her?† Deborah was saying as Cassie came into the back room. It wasn’t her lunch period, but all the rules seemed to have been suspended that day. â€Å"We all heard her say it,† Deborah was continuing. â€Å"Suzan, Faye, and me – even she heard it.† She gestured at Cassie, who was numbly trying to get a can of juice out of the machine. â€Å"That bitch said she was going to do it, and she did it. So what are we waiting for?† â€Å"For the truth,† Melanie said quietly and coldly. â€Å"From them? Outsiders? You can’t be serious. They’ll never admit Sally did it. The police are saying it was an accident. An accident! No sign of a struggle, they’re saying. She slipped on a wet step. And you know what the kids are saying? They’re saying it was one of us!† Laurel looked up from the hot water she was pouring over some dried leaves in a mug. The end of her nose was pink. â€Å"Maybe it was one of us,† she said. â€Å"Like who?† Deborah blazed back. â€Å"Like somebody who didn’t want her in the Club. Somebody who was afraid she’d come in on the wrong side,† said Laurel. â€Å"And we all know which side would be afraid,† said a new voice, and Cassie jerked around, nearly dropping her juice. It was Faye. Cassie had never seen her in the back room before, but she was here now, her honey-colored eyes hooded and smoldering. â€Å"Well, Diana’s side certainly had nothing to be afraid of,† Laurel said. â€Å"Kori idolized Diana.† â€Å"Did she? Then why did she spend the last week having lunch with me?† Faye said in her slow, husky voice. Laurel stared, looking uncertain. Then her face cleared and she shook her head. â€Å"I don’t care what you say; you’re never going to make me believe Diana would hurt Kori.† â€Å"She’s right,† Suzan put in, to Cassie’s surprise. â€Å"Diana wouldn’t.† â€Å"Besides, we already know who would,† Deborah said sharply. â€Å"It was Sally – or maybe that moron boyfriend of hers. I say we get them – now!† â€Å"She’s right,† said Sean. Laurel looked at him, then at Deborah, then at Faye. â€Å"What do you think, Melanie?† she said finally. Melanie’s voice was still quiet, detached. â€Å"I think we need to have a meeting,† she said. Sean bobbed his head. â€Å"She’s right,† he said. Just then Diana came in. The Henderson brothers were behind her. They both looked ravaged – and bewildered. As if they couldn’t understand how this could happen to them. Chris’s eyes were red-rimmed. Everyone sobered at the sight of the brothers. There was silence as they sat down at the table. Then Faye turned to Diana. Her golden eyes were like two golden flames. â€Å"Sit down,† she said flatly. â€Å"We need to talk.† â€Å"Yes,† said Diana. She sat down, and so did Faye. Laurel, after putting two cups of hot liquid in front of the Henderson brothers, did the same. Deborah jerked out a chair and threw herself into it. Suzan and Melanie had already been seated. Everyone turned to look at Cassie. Their faces were strange. Alien. Laurel’s normally elfin face was closed. Melanie’s cool gray eyes were more remote than ever; Suzan’s pouting lips were compressed tightly; Deborah’s fierceness was barely kept in check. Even Sean’s usually furtive expression had an unprecedented dignity. Diana was pale and stern. The glass door swung open and Nick came in. His face was like a cold and handsome stone, revealing nothing, but he sat down at the table beside Doug. Cassie was the only one in the room left standing. She looked at them, the members of the Club, and they looked at her. No one needed to say anything. She turned around and left the room. How to cite The Secret Circle: The Initiation Chapter Ten, Essay examples

Porters Five Forces Starbucks - Solution is Just a Click Away - Free

Question: Discuss about theStarbucks for Marketer of Coffee. Answer: Introduction The company Starbucks is running as a marketer of coffee in 68 countries all over the world. The corporation sells coffee, tea and other food stuff via its various outlets. The sale of its tea and coffee is also through its various licensed stores. Apart from the Starbucks brand the sale is done through other brands also like Teavana, Tazo, Seattles Best Coffee, Evolution Fresh, La Boulange and Ethos. Starbucks operates via varied channels. It operates in America, which includes US, Canada and Latin America. The second segment is of China and Asia Pacific the third segment is of Europe and Middle East and the fourth is of Africa there is also a channel development segment. The channel development includes ground coffees and other ready to drink beverages. The stores of the company are located in populous locations. The company is regularly expanding its store formats by including Drive thru outlets for the ease of the customers. Apart from tea, coffee and beverages the company also p rovides food items of nutritional value. Starbucks also offers its equipment and accessories like coffee brewers and espresso for sale. In various locations like Teavana and Seattle and other places the company goes for traditional franchising. As far as the consumer packaged goods are concerned the company sells packaged coffee and tea in both its domestic and international markets. It also provides ready to drink beverages to grocery, clubs and retail outlets (Team, 2016). Pestel Analysis of Starbucks This tool is used to analyze the impact of external factors on the performance of the business. It includes 6 factors that have a direct impact on the business- Political, Economic, social, Technological, Legal and Environmental Impact of Economic Factor on the company: The overall economy has dented the purchasing power of the customers. According to the market survey, the customers have not cut down on their coffee consumption and rather they have moved to options with lesser prices. This would imply that the companies can still influence its customers by providing them the products at lower priced options. Starbucks has the challenge of rising costs, both operational and labor. Apart from this local currency exchange rate is also posing a threat (Makos, 2015). Impact of Legal Factor on the company: The customers of US are getting more alienated towards ethical business which means that the brand they opt should be in accordance with the social and environmental norms. The growing consumer awareness is posing a challenge to the company. The company has to make sure that it does not violate the rules and regulations of both the home country as well as the buyer countries. Starbucks has also to pay heed on caffeine production and other policies in accordance to the health authorities. Other legal factors that can have an impact on the company are: Strict trade regulation Licensing regulation Impact of Political factor on the company: The main concern is of sourcing of the raw materials. The politicians of the west and the source country are paying a lot of heed to this factor, because of which the company is going in accordance with the social and environmental issues. The activism and enhanced knowledge in the developing countries from where the company buys its raw material are putting pressure. The same pressure is also felt in home country (Ukessays Team, 2015). The MNCs of US are being checked strictly for their business processes. The company complies with all the fair trade practices. Impact of Social Factor on the company: As discussed above in order to counter the economic factor the company can lower down the prices of its products but then it will have to compromise on the quality. This is one of the big social cultural impacts that the company will have to face. The company will have to enlarge its consumer base to accommodate lower and middle income group people. The consumer base that is more concerned about ethics is also to be kept in mind. The older generation is on the decline; therefore Gen X and Millennial are now the customers that the company has to focus. Other factors which have to be focused on are: Change in family style in developed countries Changing preferences of the clients Change in working style Change in standard of living of people Education level of consumers Impact of technological factor on the company: Starbucks is exploring the benefits of Smartphone technology. It has partnered with Apple to make an app which provides discount coupons to its customers. The company has also incorporated Wi-Fi facility in its stores. The consumers can now work and have coffee at the same time. This has increased the brand value of the company as well as the consumer experience of the customer. Starbucks has also initiated for mobile payments. Other Technological Factors to be Focused on are: Evolving innovative technology Biotechnological advancement Agricultural development Impact of environmental factors on the company: There have been environmental disasters in many countries which are the producer of coffee beans. Global warming and other such environmental challenges at a global level have a huge impact on the company. Starbucks Porters Five Forces Analyses Michael Porters five forces analysis helps stakeholders a basic analysis angle based on effect of market forces and targets to provide analysis of the companys strength, weakness within its industry. It is helpful to analyze the market with respect to investors and stakeholders (Oakley, 2014). Starbucks is one of the leading companies in coffee and snack industry globally. It operates in 20,000 retail stores across 50 countries. One of its huge strength is its brand and success globally. The company sells coffee, Bakery items, snacks both in retail stores as well as grocery shops and online stores. Currently, the company has strong financial and profitable position. The company is slowly entering into emerging market of China and expanding its operations and products in beverage list (Maverick, 2015). Porters five forces model will analyze following points: Market Competition Threat of Substitute Products Bargaining power of buyers Threat of new Entrants Bargaining Power of Suppliers (Dudovskiy, 2015). Market Competition Market competition is the strongest force, although Starbucks holds a strong position in the market, it has to face severe competition from its competitors like Dunkin Group and McDonalds. Starbucks marketing strategy has focused on improving its brand image and loyalty of customers to induce people to pay more. Starbuck has a strong brand identity in coffee, whereas these Dunkin and McDonalds are identified for other food items, hence Starbucks in a market leader. Starbucks is also facing competition in grocery items from Caribou, Folgers and Maxwell House which are coffee brands. Starbuck strategy includes coffee with other products like Tazo, Teas and its own Verismo brewing machine (Bloomberg L.P., 2016). Threat of Substitute Products There is a threat that customer can go for substitute product and this is another significant market force. There is a huge list of alternate food and beverage items that customers can substitute with Starbucks products. The markets get strengthened when there is no switching over other food items and selecting alternative products. Bars and restaurants are easily available options for coffee house. However, there is no threat for Starbucks as its customers going for substitute is less and Starbuck has been established as a premium brand. Starbuck will encounter the substitute by selling its home-brewing coffee maker Verismo. Bargaining Power of Buyers Bargaining power of buyer is a moderately effected market forcing i.e. Starbucks customers have little bargaining power as individual purchases are very less in number that companys total sales. Also the customer varies from coffee buyers, snacks buyers to grocery items customers. Thus, no single customer can affect the market pricing of Starbucks (Larson, 2009). Threat of New Entrants to the Industry/Marketplace The threat to market entrants is moderate to weak market force. The market is open for new potential entrants since entry is open and there are fewer prohibitions. However, in order to become a serious potential competitor of Starbuck, the entrant needs to be really strong and has to face many obstacles. Starbuck is a strong brand and its coffee shop market is very mature, its stores are placed at secure and prime locations so it has no problems with new entrants in the market or any other market share threat (Geereddy, 2012). However, the threat of new entrants in the retail store market is high as it does not hold a strong position currently. Bargaining Power of Suppliers This is the weakest force of Porters five forces. Starbuck is free to select any supplier amongst the ample of suppliers available in the market. Starbuck is an important customer for most of its suppliers which decreases the bargaining power of supplier. While Starbuck being at strong position, it doesnt misuse its position and take advantage of its suppliers so it operates a set fair trade practices under CAF program. Recommendations After analyzing the economic factor, it is recommended that Starbuck needs to reduce the costs and increase the value, in order to retain its customers and gain their loyalty Brand Recognition: Starbucks should continue to increase its brand recognition and brand identity. Preserving brand recognition and identity will help Starbuck to face competition from Dunkin Group and McDonalds. Customer loyalty will also help Starbuck to excel in the retail sector and compete Maxwell House Folgers. Product Portfolio: Starbucks should continue to increase products in its product portfolio. Increase in variety of snacks and beverages will help them to reach a variety of customers with different preferences (Kuuta, 2012). Retail Sector: Starbucks is weak in its retail sector this is why it can get affected by the threat of new entrants, fierce competition and bargaining power of buyer. So the company should continue to focus its attention on this area. Conclusion The company Starbucks is running as a marketer of coffee in 68 countries all over the world. The corporation sells coffee, tea and other food stuff via its various outlets. The above analysis demonstrates that Starbucks enjoys stable external environment. The main reason of this is that the company is into Food and beverage industry because of which consumers can reduce partial consumption but will not put an end completely. Michael Porters five forces analysis helps stakeholders a basic analysis angle based on effect of market forces and targets to provide analysis of the companys strength, weakness within its industry. It is helpful to analyze the market with respect to investors and stakeholders. Market competition is the strongest force, although Starbucks holds a strong position in the market, it has to face severe competition from its competitors like Dunkin Group and McDonalds. Starbucks marketing strategy has focused on improving its brand image and loyalty of customers to in duce people to pay more. There is a threat that customer can go for substitute product and this is another significant market force. There is a huge list of alternate food and beverage items that customers can substitute with Starbucks products. The markets gets strengthens when there is no switching over other food items and selecting alternative products. Bars and restaurants are easily available options for coffee house. Bargaining power of buyer is a moderately effected market forcing. Starbucks customers have little bargaining power as individual purchases are very less in number that companys total sales. References Bloomberg L.P. (2016). starbucks corp . Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/: https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot_article.asp?ticker=SBUX Dudovskiy, J. (2015, October 23). Starbucks Porters Five Forces Analysis. Starbucks Porters Five Forces Analysis. Retrieved from https://research-methodology.net/starbucks-porters-five-forces-analysis/ Geereddy, N. (2012). Strategic Analysis Of Starbucks Corporation. Retrieved from https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/nithingeereddy/files/starbucks_case_analysis.pdf Kuuta, H. (2012). Recommendations for starbucks. Recommendations for starbucks. Retrieved from https://thecoffeeteam.blogspot.in/2012/02/its-time-for-my-final-blog-post-sniff.html Marketing Strategy and Alliances Analysis of Starbucks Corporation. NorthCentral University. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005context=busi_fac_pubssei-redir=1referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DRecommendations%2Bfor%2Bstarbucks%26src%3DIE-TopResult%26FORM%3DIETR02%26conversationid%3D#search=%22Reco Makos, J. (2015). PESTLE Analysis of Starbucks. PESTLE Analysis of Starbucks. Retrieved from https://pestleanalysis.com/pestle-analysis-of-starbucks/ Maverick, J. (2015, December 08). Analyzing Porter's 5 Forces on Starbucks (SBUX) . Analyzing Porter's 5 Forces on Starbucks (SBUX) . Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/120815/analyzing-porters-5-forces-starbucks.asp Oakley, T. (2014, June 02). Starbucks: Porters Five Forces. Starbucks: Porters Five Forces. Retrieved from https://themarketingagenda.com/2014/06/02/starbucks-power-of-the-brand/ Team, S. (2016). Starbucks official website. Retrieved from https://www.starbucks.com/: https://www.starbucks.com/ Ukessays Team. (2015, March 23). A SWOT and PESTEL analysis of Starbucks. A SWOT and PESTEL analysis of Starbucks. Retrieved from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/a-swot-and-pestel-analysis-of-starbucks-marketing-essay.php