Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 114

Case Study Example It specializes in the manufacturing of new glass products. This has contributed to the company’s outstanding reputation in the glass and ceramics markets over the years. This corporation has eight line divisions one of them being the Electronic Product Division (EPD) which focuses on the production of electronic resistors and capacitors. Under the leadership of Don Rogers, who is the Vice President and general manager of the division, EPD’s performance has steadily improved despite its decline in 1991 and 1992. One significant achievement of this unit is that it successfully managed to distribute its products to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) due to its research and development strength. This factor opened new opportunities for the division that contributed to its growth. The growing market of the telecommunications industry is another factor that has led to the division’s growth because it has provided a ready market for products. EPD has been able to maintain competitive advantage because of its ability to respond to customers’ needs by introducing new products that are of high quality. There are various risks the division has been forced to take due to the uncertain business environment (Robertson & Caldart, 2009). The division’s leadership has further steered it to a higher level. Joe Bennett, for instance, used his management style to influence positively organizational behavior. His leadership led to group effectiveness and inter-functional coordination. Rogers, on the other hand, made sure the organization employed professional employees. The company’s success has however not gone without challenges. For example, it reached a point when EPD experienced a lack of growth. Their dollar volume dropped because of price cuts. This forced the management to reduce costs so as to maintain the gross margin. Despite these efforts the gross margin still reduced. As a result, the sales and marketing departments were blamed. The

Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Macbeth Essay Since the Mesopotamian era of 3000 B. C. numbers have been an essential part of life and are easily found throughout society, imbedded in religion, intertwined in mythology and commonly related with superstitions. Even in the twenty-first century people still believe in ancient numerical superstitions, such as the lucky number seven, or the unlucky number thirteen. During the seventeenth century William Shakespeare uses societal superstitions in his famous tragedy, â€Å"Macbeth†, by writing in a threefold literary pattern. Shakespeare reinvents the number three by relating in to evil and darkness throughout the play, providing it with a new superstitious meaning. â€Å"Macbeth† follows the transformation of the title character from thane to king, sane to evil. After putting down two rebellions against the King of Scotland, Macbeth is awarded title and favor with the gracious King Duncan. When greeted by three mysterious witches, they prophesy that Macbeth will be made Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. They also prophesize that Banquo will beget a long line of Scottish kings but will never be king himself. Macbeth and Banquo treat their prophecies sceptically until some of King Duncan’s men come to thank the two generals for their victories in battle and to tell Macbeth that he has indeed been named thane of Cawdor. In attempt to aid the prophecy, Macbeth murders the good Duncan and is crowned King of Scotland, but once his great goal to be king is achieved he begins to fear the prophecy brought forth to Banquo. In fear of being overthrown from the throne Macbeth goes on a psychotic rampage attempting to protect his future while ruining his sanity and brings upon himself his own demise. While entangling the threefold literary pattern into a tragic plot, William Shakespeare presents the appearance of three apparitions, the three murders, and the character choice of three witches to precipitate evil at the presence of the number three. Shakespeare turns the conventional and traditional meaning of three’s upside down in act one, scene one when he begins to relate the number to evil. Threes are commonly related to stability and completeness; in religion there is God omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, in time there are three divisions, past, present and future, and three grammatical persons- me, myself and I. In a dark and ominous meeting, Shakespeare introduces his audience to three women who will continue to haunt Macbeth throughout the play: the three weird sisters. As the first characters the audience has the pleasure of meeting, the witches set the mood for the entire play with a sense supernatural as â€Å"instruments of darkness† (I. iii. 136). In the opening scene of the play each witch speaks three times within the first eleven lines, the first two being â€Å"When shall we three meet again / In thunder, lightning, or in rain? coupling three undesirable and threatening circumstances, suggesting constrictions and limitations as these three things generally happen at the same time. The triplet pattern begins with this, giving a false sense of stability until to the audience until the witches state that what is â€Å"fair is foul, and foul is fair† (I. i. 12). This suggests that the stability of threes is actually a farce and will bring instability and chaos. Before t heir meeting with Macbeth, the fist witch informs her sisters that she has planned revenge against a sailor whose wife refused to share her chestnuts. Through her description of her plan, Shakespeare reveals to his audience that they posses great power but with limits unlike an instrument of fate would have. She plans to transport through a â€Å"sieve† (I. iii. 9) to curse him but she is not powerful enough to have him shipwrecked, only to have his ship â€Å"tempest-tossed† (I. iii. 26), showing their limits. As the first witch explains her plan she speaks in triplets, â€Å"I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do† (I. iii. 11), to emphasize her evil intentions. When Macbeth and Banquo present themselves to the witches just moments later, they greet Macbeth â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! / All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! / All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter! † (I. iii. 51-53). Three greetings that seem so fair â€Å"of noble having and of royal hope† (I. iii. 59) are sure to turn foul. The greetings mimic the common greeting of the New Testament, â€Å"All Hail† (Matthew 28. 9). In Matthew 26. 49, Judas prepares to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin and Roman soldiers. His plan is to identify Jesus by greeting him with a kiss so that the soldiers will know which man to arrest. Judas approaches Jesus, saying, Hail Master. The witches greet Macbeth in a similar fashion, and, as Judas betrayed Jesus, so do the witches betray Macbeth. This mirroring comparison shows Shakespeare cutting all biblical and holy beliefs in the number three, using religious evidence to eliminate the idea that three is a number of stability. Shakespeare even has his three witches speak in contradictions to create moral confusion and increase the presence of evil, such as when the witches characterize Banquo as â€Å"lesser than Macbeth, and greater† (I. iii. 68). After stirring up quite a bit of trouble, the witches vanquish, not to be seen again until the first scene of the fourth act. The signal to begin their evil incantations is brought to the witches by three meows of a â€Å"brinded cat† (IV. i. 1). Again, the witches take turns, speaking in a threefold pattern, taking their turns and presenting a rhyming, triple statement to open the act; â€Å"Thrice the brinded cat hath mewd. / Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whined. / Harpier cries â€Å"‘Tis time, ‘tis time† (IV. i. 1-3). While working on concocting brew the witches chant around a cauldron, throwing in various items, taking turns to add their contributions, dividing the ingredients into three separate groups. When Macbeth arrives to the cavern he greets the witches as â€Å"secret, black, and midnight hags† (IV. i. 48), three negative descriptions dripping with evil connotations. The â€Å"weird sisters† (III. iv. 165) conclude the evil presence within triplet patterns by presenting three mysterious visions or apparitions to Macbeth, in order to provide him with the same sense of false security that the audience had felt initially. With thunder roaring in the background, Shakespeare thrusts his main character into various situations that would terrify any person â€Å"milk of human kindness† (I. v. 7). When Macbeth is faced with the three apparitions they bring him fair sounding news that is doomed to be destructive and â€Å"foul† (IV. iii. 28) because of the threefold predictable pattern. When the first of the three mystical spirits appears to Macbeth in the form of a floating warhead, warning him to â€Å"beware Macduff† (IV. i. 81), Macbeth shrugs it off, already knowing this. When the second apparition appears as a bloody child, it tells Macbeth that no man born of a woman can do him harm. This gives Macbeth great confidence: Then live Macduff: what need I fear of thee (IV. . 93). Finally, the third ghost appears as a child wearing a crown with holding a tree in hand. This phantom is the one to stir Macbeth’s blood and spook him and has him demanding to know the meaning of the final vision. The child tells Macbeth that he â€Å"shall never be vanquished [†¦] until/ Great Birnam Wood [comes] to high Dunsinane Hill† (IV. i. 105-106), a seemingly impossible task, but in the Shakespearean world of three’s, things are not as they seem. This, giving Macbeth false security, is followed by a procession of eight crowned kings all similar to the one before. The final king carries a mirror, showing a seemingly endless lineage of kings, frightening Macbeth into overbold, unthinking irrationality, contrary to his previous semi-thoughtful behaviour. The three apparitions all in still a false sense of self-assurance in Macbeth but after Shakespeare’s triplet patterns have caused nothing but grief during the play, the audience is able to see through the prophetic ghouls that act as symbols, foreshadowing the way the prophecies will be fulfilled. The warhead suggests a third rebellion, the first two put down by Macbeth while the third is caused by his treacherous ways in a turn of events that can only suggest that if Macbeth hasn’t died the first two times, then the third time’s the charm. The bloody child of the second vision is the image of Macduff as a babe â€Å"from his mother’s womb / untimely rippd† (V. viii. 19-20), delivered through caesarean section. This minor technicality that evades Macbeth is the key to his downfall, and thanks to his ignorance he believes he is invincible. The line of kings, thrust in Macbeth’s face is his last hope, the finishing blow. With the knowledge that there will be men who â€Å"are too like the spirit of Banquo† (IV. i. 127) Macbeth subconsciously knows that all hope is lost to him, but he clings to the second apparitions speech, claiming that he cannot be harmed by any person born of a woman. The terrible three’s that Shakespeare entangles into the apparition’s doom-filled messages not only anticipate the death of Macbeth, but also lead him to it. It is by his self-assurance, pride and ambition that Macbeth believes he will survive, hearing only what he wishes from the prophecies. Since the prophecies suggest he will be fine, Macbeth takes it to heart and believes so without watching out for himself; he does not attempt to prevent the rebellion, nor does he stay in the castle when he knows he is a target because â€Å"none of woman born [can] harm Macbeth† (IV. i. 91-92). By presenting these ghoulish visions, the witches lead Macbeth to his death by power of suggestion and lack of a complete digestion of the situation on the title characters part. The witches’ prophetic ways also lead Macbeth to far worse things than pride. Macbeth is urged by the third prophecy of being king to kill Duncan, King of Scotland. Although his wife is the â€Å"spur† (I. vi. 25) who pricks the horse of intent, the intent is spawn from the prospect of his hopes coming true. The third prophecy leads him to murder, using trickery to make the fair prospect of being King derive from such a foul act as unjust murder against the â€Å"gracious Duncan† (III. vi. 3-4). If Macbeth had stayed content with the first murder he could have lived a happier life, but troubled by the prophecy presented to Banquo, Macbeth fears for his throne and sets out to murder his best friend in a foolish attempt to disprove the prophecy. Macbeth performs his second murder. While this time, instead of doing it himself, Macbeth hires two murders, but as the fates have it a third joins the informal party. With the third murderer present, a seemingly easy kill has become a challenge and struggle because three is a crowd. If the third murderer was Macbeth, unable to stay away from the murder of his self-sworn enemy, it is no doubt that he tagged along to fulfill the destruction of a prophecy, only intensifying its after effects. Macbeth becomes miserable and his mind is unclear; the second murder had haunted him and caused him great fear. If not for the prophecies and initial trickery, Macbeth would have not stopped to rage against a friend that had been so dear to him and would have not killed Banquo in an attempt to save his own life, that was previously not in danger. The first two murders written by Shakespeare mainly show cause, but the third and final brings a big effect. With Macbeth murdering the innocent wife and children of Macduff, just because he fears Macduff knows the truth about Duncan’s murderer, the intent of murder changes. The first two were intended to attain and keep a powerful position, but when his pride and fear get the better of him, Macbeth hires men to commit the third murder with no sense of regret, as he had after murdering Duncan (â€Å"I am afraid to think what I have done† (II. ii. 66)). Nor is Macbeth mentally disturbed, as he had been after murdering Banquo, seeing ghosts. After the third murder, Macbeth is a well-seasoned professional and becomes emotionally detached from his victims as they become but another dead. The third murder backfires and works against Macbeth, only spurring the intent of Macduff to slaughter him more savagely than before. Shakespeare pushes the idea that there needs to be a third murder in order for symmetry and regulation, but by adding in a third murder, Shakespeare is able to, again, shatter all former pretences about the stability of the number three, changing its relationship to represent evil. While using triplet speaking patterns, triplet events and groups of three people, Shakespeare uses three savage murders, three frightening apparitions and three ugly, diabolical and manipulative witches to present the number three as a superstition, dragging along evil wherever it goes. While Shakespeare uses the number three to predict and present evil throughout the tragedy â€Å"Macbeth†, he strives toward changing societal views of the number. With a simple beheading, Macbeth’s tragic downfall is complete and caused entirely by the three prophecies foretold by the three witches who showed Macbeth the three apparitions and encouraged him to commit three murders. By introducing the three witches first, Shakespeare relates the number three to the hags immediately and through their chaotic destruction of people’s lives by influencing their sins, the witches represent all the evil of the prophecy.

Molieres Tartuffe Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Moliere’s description of a satire, he was very direct as to the function and objectives of ones are. The function is to correct men’s problems, using satire to ridicule them and expose them to the public opinion. Although the satire is making fun of many things, things in the church and organized religion. Tartuffe has many themes that reoccur throughout the play. The time period which this piece was written, was know as The Age Of Reason. One of the main ideas and attitudes during this period was, reason must always control passion. Due this attitude, one theme that constantly appears through out the play is the battle between reason and passion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Act II, Scene 4 one of the major conflicts between reason and passion is played out. Valere confronts Mariane with the rumors he has heard about her marrying Tartuffe. Throughout this entire confrontation, they are letting their passions stop them from getting what they truly want, each other. Then Dorine brings about the reason that is needed for their dilemma. Dorine says to Volere and Mariane, if you ask me, both of you are mad as mad can be. Do stop this nonsense, now. I’ve only let you squabble long enough to let you see where it would get you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C...

Interpersonal Communication Application Paper

â€Å"I have never been the same person alone that I am with people. † (Phillip Roth) I can directly relate with this quote, I’m sure quite a few people can. So often, we act differently in private than we do with others. Of course, it’s all dependent upon who the ‘others’ are. For example, we may feel more comfortable being our true selves with our friends and become more reserved with colleagues. This is not necessarily how all humans behave, some folks have no problem being exactly who they are at all times no matter whose company they are in.I admire this quality when it is not coming from someone I perceive as obnoxious. Certainly, factors such as perception, culture, and the people we are communicating with will influence how we behave in public as opposed to private. Most immediately, I think how we perceive ourselves and how we think other people perceive us will influence our behavior in given situations. We’re all so different and ou r experiences tend to shape our personalities. Some of us are naturally outgoing and social, while others are more introverted and feel best without the company of others.Both scenarios present their own challenges and behaviors will be influenced by these tendencies. It’s generally very easy and preferred for the introverted personality to go through their day without the company of another, while a more extroverted individual might feel very lonely without another’s company. How these two behave in group functions will also vary. The outgoing individual will be very much in his element, and more likely to be cheerful and positive. An introverted person will be more shy and standoffish within the group.These are merely characteristics that go together, as presented in the book under the implicit personality theory. In either case, the behavior of the individual will vary whether they are alone or with people. And this scenario is a more natural occurrence. Sometimes s ituations arise where we want others to see us as something we are not and we’ll present ourselves in a certain manner that is not true to who we are, just to fit in or gain the trust of that particular group. When alone, we may let ourselves behave more naturally and feel less obliged to pretend.Cultures also influence how we behave in public and alone. Some cultures do not allow women to be in public without a headdress, while at home they are allowed to be more relaxed. In our American culture, Christianity teaches that women should be submissive to their husbands, so behaviors will exemplify this in a church setting or when out with church friends. At home, the wife may be the one who makes the final decisions, and the family will behave as such in that particular setting. Finally, the people with which we are communicating will impact what we say and how we say it.We communicate very differently when alone with our romantic partner, as opposed to being with him or her in public. The same is true for our relationships with parents, siblings, neighbors, casual friends or close friends. The words we choose and the tone that we use with any of these communications will vary from person to person and in private or amongst others. Every situation is completely unique. As a novelist, Phillip Roth presented many fine quotes with regard to communication. It was a good exercise to apply what I’ve learned from the text and be able to expand upon this particular quotation. Interpersonal Communication Application Paper â€Å"I have never been the same person alone that I am with people. † (Phillip Roth) I can directly relate with this quote, I’m sure quite a few people can. So often, we act differently in private than we do with others. Of course, it’s all dependent upon who the ‘others’ are. For example, we may feel more comfortable being our true selves with our friends and become more reserved with colleagues. This is not necessarily how all humans behave, some folks have no problem being exactly who they are at all times no matter whose company they are in.I admire this quality when it is not coming from someone I perceive as obnoxious. Certainly, factors such as perception, culture, and the people we are communicating with will influence how we behave in public as opposed to private. Most immediately, I think how we perceive ourselves and how we think other people perceive us will influence our behavior in given situations. We’re all so different and ou r experiences tend to shape our personalities. Some of us are naturally outgoing and social, while others are more introverted and feel best without the company of others.Both scenarios present their own challenges and behaviors will be influenced by these tendencies. It’s generally very easy and preferred for the introverted personality to go through their day without the company of another, while a more extroverted individual might feel very lonely without another’s company. How these two behave in group functions will also vary. The outgoing individual will be very much in his element, and more likely to be cheerful and positive. An introverted person will be more shy and standoffish within the group.These are merely characteristics that go together, as presented in the book under the implicit personality theory. In either case, the behavior of the individual will vary whether they are alone or with people. And this scenario is a more natural occurrence. Sometimes s ituations arise where we want others to see us as something we are not and we’ll present ourselves in a certain manner that is not true to who we are, just to fit in or gain the trust of that particular group. When alone, we may let ourselves behave more naturally and feel less obliged to pretend.Cultures also influence how we behave in public and alone. Some cultures do not allow women to be in public without a headdress, while at home they are allowed to be more relaxed. In our American culture, Christianity teaches that women should be submissive to their husbands, so behaviors will exemplify this in a church setting or when out with church friends. At home, the wife may be the one who makes the final decisions, and the family will behave as such in that particular setting. Finally, the people with which we are communicating will impact what we say and how we say it.We communicate very differently when alone with our romantic partner, as opposed to being with him or her in public. The same is true for our relationships with parents, siblings, neighbors, casual friends or close friends. The words we choose and the tone that we use with any of these communications will vary from person to person and in private or amongst others. Every situation is completely unique. As a novelist, Phillip Roth presented many fine quotes with regard to communication. It was a good exercise to apply what I’ve learned from the text and be able to expand upon this particular quotation.

De Stijl and Bauhaus Movements: Modernism in the Soviet

Formed in Holland in 1917, De Stijl (The Style) or Neoplasticism is a movement constructed by artists whose concepts are in line with utopian approach to art. Its founders were painters Theo van Doesburg, who is also an architect, and Piet Mondrian, a painter. The group which composed of other painters, and published the paper called De Stijl. Recognizing the need to remerge art and design, the De Stijl movement promoted functionalism. The basics of their design include rectilinear shapes sliding across one another.Opposed to surface decoration and free space, De Stijl explored the use of cubic or 3-D shapes to fill in space. With a tendency to be aesthetically simple, it applies only pure primary hues, black and white (Matthews, n. d. ). From functionality, one can derive that the proponents favor the use of space for abstract function and style. Arts produced in this movement had their own way of expression, which opposes pure art and natural design, but promotes other possibilitie s with the constructivist’s use of plastic art.Artists of De Stijl movement include Le Corbusier, who constructed designs using bold 3-D geometrical shapes set on the exterior. For example, in his House at Weissenhof, the designer used a massive horizontal block for the upper structure to attain highlight. Windows are designed similarly to avoid irregularity, thus suggesting order and functionality. Such design with the geometrical boxes set on the exteriors is most commonly used nowadays in office buildings, condominiums, and malls. The square boxes are used either as terraces or box plants, and each is designed with uniformity.In some schools nowadays, this design takes the form of extended ledges, which serve as safety structures to prevent falling. The United Nations Headquarters designed by Le Corbusier is another example of De Stijl art. As one can see, the building which towers high above has a similar structure to the office buildings nowadays. This 39-storey building accommodates 3,400 employees. The side walls are made of tinted glass, while the narrow end walls are of white marble. Considerably, buildings made subsequently take on this example, with tinted glass windows as walls, which combine high aspects of functionality with aesthetics.Although short-lived, the influence of De Stijl has been very prominent in the modern era. For instance, the concept of the toy Lego, which uses plastic art to construct structures, has been very popular among children. Also, many buildings and houses have been constructed based on the philosophy of this movement. Influenced by De Stijl, the Bauhaus movement followed, with a philosophy of turning away from old structures, and employing modern or international art with a higher sense of functionality for social and political purposes.Led by Walter Groupis, the artists focused on urban planning, housing, and development for the common people or the masses. Included in the teaching of Bauhaus arts is industrial production. Unlike De Stijl which supports plastic art, students under Bauhaus are taught to work on handicrafts to gain understanding of theoretical principles. One Bauhaus artist well-famed for designing multi functional buildings is Walter Gropius. Designed in 1911, Fagus Works boasts of modern art and style.The exterior is a combination of glass and brick walls, which allows passersby to view the interiors. Steel staircases adorn the corridors and add to the eclectic impression when viewed outside. Influenced by De Stijl, this building employs elucidative design but limited colors of beige and grey, thus striking a balance between simplicity and grandiose. Moreover, the use of bricks and glass, steel and wood for staircases also sets a balance between smooth and rough surfaces, or hard and soft, which further suggests both permanence and impermanence—a universal theme in the modern world.References Jirousek, Charlotte. (1995). De stijl. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from ht tp://char. txa. cornell. edu/art/decart/destijl/decstijl. htm Matthews, Kevin. Le Corbusier. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from http://www. greatbuildings. com/architects/Le_Corbusier. html Matthews, Kevin. Walter Gropius. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from http://www. greatbuildings. com/buildings/Fagus_Works. htmlhttp://www. google. com. ph/search? sourceid=navclient&hl=tl&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLJ_tlPH259PH259&q=soviet+de+stijl+artists

Camera Lucida essays

Camera Lucida essays The book Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography was written by Roland Barthes and is 119 pages long. Camera Lucida was the final book written Barthes and is actually part of a trilogy which also includes the books, Roland Barthes and A Lovers Discourse. Camera Lucida discusses several aspects of the art of photography according to Barthes. The topics discussed in the book include; Emotion as Departure, Photography as Adventure, and photography as a casual Phenomenology. Barthes also explores the responsibility that photography has to inform, to surprise, to signify, to paint and to waken desire. Barthes begins the book by explaining his amazement with photography from an early age. The author describes a photograph of Napoleon's youngest brother saying that he was immediately intrigued by the eyes of the young men. This particular photograph actually caused Barthes to desire to know more about the art of photography. In the book Barthes mentions that he was "overcome by an ontological desire; I wanted to learn at all costs to what Photography was in itself" (Barthes) Barthes spent the rest of his life in pursuit of the definition of photography. Barthes also explains that the motivation behind writing the book was the death of his mother. Barthes asserts that he had a difficult time finding a photograph of his mother that really captured her personality. After search through hundreds of pictures Barthes actually chooses a photograph that was taken of his mother when she was five years old. The author refers to the picture, which also features her seven year old brother, as the Winter Garden Photograph. Barthes explains that this picture helped him to uncover who his mother truly was. He seemed to believe that this photo captured a time in his mother life when she was being her authentic self. Barthes also suggests that the picture is so pure becaus...

American Lobster Facts

American Lobster Facts Some think of lobster as a bright red delicacy served up with a side of butter. The American lobster (often called the Maine lobster), while a popular seafood, is also a fascinating animal with a complex life. Lobsters have been described as aggressive, territorial, and cannibalistic, but you may be surprised to know theyve also been referred to as tender lovers. The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is one of about 75 species of lobsters worldwide. The American lobster is a clawed lobster, versus the spiny, clawless lobster that is common in warmer waters. The American lobster is a well-known marine species and is easily recognizable from its two hefty claws down to its fan-like tail. Appearance: American lobsters are generally a reddish-brown or greenish color, although there are occasionally unusual colors, including blue, yellow, orange or even white. American lobsters can be up to 3 feet long and weigh up to 40 pounds. Lobsters have a hard carapace. The shell does not grow, so the only way the lobster can increase its size is by molting, a vulnerable time in which it hides, shrinks and withdraws from its shell, and then its new shell hardens over a couple months. One very noticeable feature of the lobster is its very strong tail, which it can use to propel itself backwards. Lobsters can be very aggressive animals, and fight with other lobsters for shelter, food and mates. Lobsters are highly territorial and establish a hierarchy of dominance within the community of lobsters that live around them. Classification: Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda SuperClass: Crustacea Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Family: Nephropidae Genus: Homarus Species: americanus American lobsters are in the phylum Arthropoda, which means they are related to insects, shrimp, crabs and barnacles. Arthropods have jointed appendages and a hard exoskeleton (outer shell). Feeding: Lobsters were once thought to be scavengers, but recent studies have revealed a preference for live prey, including fish, crustaceans and mollusks. Lobsters have two claws - a larger crusher claw, and a smaller ripper claw (also known as the cutter, pincher, or seizer claw). Males have larger claws than females of the same size. Reproduction and Life Cycle: Mating occurs after the female molts. Lobsters display a complex courtship/mating ritual, in which the female picks a male to mate with and approaches his cave-like shelter, where she produces a pheromone and wafts it in his direction. The male and female then engage in a boxing ritual, and the female enters the males den, where she eventually molts and they mate before the females new shell hardens. For detailed descriptions of a lobsters mating ritual, see the Lobster Conservancy or the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. The female carries 7,000-80,000 eggs under her abdomen for 9-11 months before larvae are hatched. The larvae have three planktonic stages during which they are found at the waters surface, and then they settle to the bottom where they remain for the rest of their lives. Lobsters reach adulthood after 5-8 years, but it takes about 6-7 years for a lobster to reach the edible size of 1 pound. It is thought that American lobsters can live for 50-100 years or more. Habitat and Distribution: The American lobster is found in the North Atlantic Ocean from Labrador, Canada, to North Carolina. Lobsters can be found both in coastal areas and offshore along the continental shelf. Some lobsters may migrate from offshore areas during the winter and spring to inshore areas during the summer and fall, while others are long-shore migrants, traveling up and down the coast. According to the University of New Hampshire, one of these migrants traveled 398 nautical miles (458 miles) over 3 1/2 years. Lobster In the Colonies: Some accounts, such as that in Mark Kurlanskys book say that early New Englanders did not want to eat lobsters, even though the waters were so rich in lobsters that they were literally crawling out of the sea and piling up inhospitably on the beaches. (p. 69) It was said that lobsters were considered a food fit only for poor. Evidently New Englanders eventually developed a taste for it. In addition to harvesting, lobsters are threatened by pollutants in the water, which can accumulate in their tissues. Lobsters in highly-populated coastal areas are also prone to shell rot or shell burn disease, which results in dark holes burned into the shell. Coastal areas are important nursery areas for young lobsters, and young lobsters could be affected as the coast is developed more heavily and population, pollution and sewage runoff increases. Lobsters Today and Conservation: The lobsters biggest predator is humans, who have seen lobster as a luxury food item for years. Lobstering has increased greatly over the last 50 years. According to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, lobster landings increased from 25 million pounds in the 1940s and 1950s to 88 million pounds in 2005. Lobster populations are considered stable throughout much of New England, but there has been a decrease in catch in Southern New England. References and Further Information ASMFC. 2009. American Lobster. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Accessed June 21, 2009.Ely, Eleanor. 1998. American Lobster.  Rhode Island Sea Grant Fact Sheet. Accessed June 15, 2009.Idoine, Josef. 2006.The Maine Lobster. Maine Department of Marine Resources. Accessed June 21, 2009.New England Aquarium. 2009. American Lobster. New England Aquarium. Accessed June 15, 2009.The Lobster Conservancy. 2009. The Lobster Conservancy Web Site. Accessed June 21, 2009.University of New Hampshire. 2009. Lobster Research at UNH: Frequently Asked Questions. University of New Hampshire. Accessed June 21, 2009.