Mars Essay -- essays papers

Mars In today's world, there exist many problems that affect the way human beings live their life. Human beings struggle through life, with a dream of high standards, which they try to pursue, but can not obtain. This form of hopefulness is called Utopia which the dictionary defines as: "having impossibly ideal conditions especially social organization; a place of ideal perfection in laws, government, and social conditions." Every person has their own idea of an ideal community of perfection, but one that I believe could be and ideal community would be life on Mars. This perfect world can be achieved through societal values, living conditions, and the limitations on governmental control. In a large community, Societal values are very important in that they create the moral values in which the human race bases all their decisions on. In a utopian society on Mars, everyone would treat each other equally. There would be no human greed which in majority, cause most of all world suffering. Everyone would care for each other and there would be no titles among the people. The community would act as one family, helping each other out during difficult times, situations and problems among the community. This utopian society would be like a true family, know who everyone is, help each other out and teach them new ideas and concepts never heard of. This in effect would generate and give them all true moral values that would only generate the good in all of them and not the evil side of humanity. The goal would be to eliminate all human suffering due to human greed. Besides having a good conscience, living conditions would also play a very important role in creating this unthinkable life. Although Mars is a hazardous planet now, due to technological advances, scientists have created a way to make the planet livable. By pumping carbon into the air, it clashes with the nitrogen in the atmosphere causing a chemical reaction producing the one item all life needs. Water. By creating a habitat on the surface of Mars, protected by a polarized electronic field, like in the movies of Star Trek, and force fields, it can make Mars livable for a certain amount of people, the utopian community. Although variety is needed to create a diverse community, all families would have a home, each different to their taste. My home would be a two-story house with four rooms,... ...would include, being a leader in the community, having successfully accomplished a good education, relate to the people very well, money means nothing to them, and etc. Ten elected officials would be chosen to run these positions out of voluntary service and would run for five years. These people would not get paid. Thus this eliminates the need for a president. There would be no taxes also, because in the community, everything that society needed would be self manufactured. The community itself would be the police and if one speculates the greediness and finds a person disobeying law, they report to the community and that individual would be dealt with. Thus law and order would be present to assure the outlaw of human greed. In conclusion, although Martian society sounds like a great place to live, human greed would always be present because that is how human nature is. But if selected individuals were chosen to obey to these laws, a society with pure goodness and no human suffering can be achieved from the impossible. But a utopian society can not be accomplished with out societal values, a good set of living conditions and a restricted government among circle of the tribe.

The Host Chapter 48: Detained

The red and blue lights swirled in time with the siren's cry. Before the souls had come to this place, these lights and sounds had had only one meaning. The law, the keepers of the peace, the punishers of offenders. Now, again, the flashing colors and angry noise had only one meaning. A very similar meaning. Still the keepers of the peace. Still the punishers. Seekers. It wasn't as common a sight or sound as it had been before. The police force was only needed to help in cases of accidents or other emergencies, not to enforce laws. Most civil servants didn't have vehicles with sirens, unless the vehicle was an ambulance or a fire truck. This low, sleek car behind us was not for any accident. This was a vehicle made for pursuit. I'd never seen anything quite like it before, but I knew exactly what it meant. Jared was frozen, his foot still pushing down on the gas pedal. I could see that he was trying to find a solution, a way to outrun them in this decrepit van or a way to evade them-to hide our wide white profile in the low, gaunt brush of the desert-without leading them back to the rest. Without giving everyone away. We were so close to the others now. They slumbered, unaware†¦ When he gave up after two seconds of frantic thought, he exhaled. â€Å"I'm so sorry, Wanda,† he whispered. â€Å"I blew it.† â€Å"Jared?† He reached for my hand and eased up on the gas. The car started to slow. â€Å"Got your pill?† he choked. â€Å"Yes,† I whispered. â€Å"Can Mel hear me?† Yes. The thought was a sob. â€Å"Yes.† My voice only barely escaped being a sob, too. â€Å"I love you, Mel. Sorry.† â€Å"She loves you. More than anything.† A short, aching silence. â€Å"Wanda, I†¦ I care about you, too. You're a good person, Wanda. You deserve better than what I've given you. Better than this.† He had something small, much too small to be so deadly, between his fingers. â€Å"Wait,† I gasped. He could not die. â€Å"Wanda, we can't take the chance. We can't outrun them, not in this. If we try to run, a thousand of them will swarm after us. Think of Jamie.† The van was slowing, drifting to the shoulder. â€Å"Give me one try,† I begged. I fumbled quickly for the pill in my pocket. I pinched it between my thumb and forefinger and held it up. â€Å"Let me try to lie us out of this. I'll swallow it right away if anything goes wrong.† â€Å"You'll never lie your way past a Seeker!† â€Å"Let me try. Quick!† I pulled off my seat belt and crouched be-side him, unfastening his. â€Å"Switch with me. Fast, before they're close enough to see.† â€Å"Wanda -â€Å" â€Å"One try. Hurry!† He was the best at split-second decisions. Smooth and fast, he was out of the driver's seat and over my crouched body. I rolled up into his seat while he took mine. â€Å"Seat belt,† I ordered tersely. â€Å"Close your eyes. Turn your head away.† He did as I said. It was too dark to see it, but his new soft pink scar would be visible from this angle. I strapped my seat belt on and then leaned my head back. Lying with my body, that was the key. It was simply a matter of the right movements. Imitation. Like the actors on the TV program, only better. Like a human. â€Å"Help me, Mel,† I murmured. I can't help you be a better soul, Wanda. But you can do this. Save him. I know you can. A better soul. I only had to be myself. It was late. I was tired. I wouldn't have to act that part. I let my eyelids droop, let my body sag against the seat. Chagrin. I could do chagrin. I could feel it now. My mouth turned down into a sheepish grimace. The Seekers' car did not park behind us, the way I could feel Mel expected. It stopped across the road, on the shoulder, facing the wrong way for that lane's traffic flow. A dazzling light exploded through the window of the other car. I blinked into it, raising my hand to shade my face with deliberate slowness. Faintly, past the glare of the spotlight, I saw the gleam of my eyes bounce against the road as I looked down. A car door slammed. One set of footsteps made a pattern of low thuds as someone crossed the pavement. There was no sound of dirt or rocks, so the Seeker had emerged from the passenger side. Two of them, at least, but only one coming to interrogate me. This was a good sign, a sign of comfort and confidence. My glowing eyes were a talisman. A compass that could not fail-like the North Star, undoubtable. Lying with my body was not the key. Telling the truth with it was enough. I had something in common with the human baby in the park: nothing like me had ever existed before. The Seeker's body blocked the light, and I could see again. It was a man. Probably middle-aged-his features conflicted with one another, making it hard to tell; his hair was all white, but his face was smooth and unwrinkled. He wore a T-shirt and shorts, a blocky gun clearly visible on his hip. One hand rested on the butt of the weapon. In his other hand was a dark flashlight. He didn't turn it on. â€Å"Having a problem, miss?† he said when he was a few feet away. â€Å"You were going much too fast for safety.† His eyes were restless. They swiftly appraised my expression-which was, hopefully, sleepy-and then ran along the length of the van, darted into the darkness behind us, flashed forward to the stretch of highway ahead, lit by our headlights, and came back to my face. They repeated the course another time. He was anxious. This knowledge made my palms sweaty, but I tried to keep the panic from my voice. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† I apologized in a loud whisper. I glanced at Jared, as if checking to see whether our words had woken him. â€Å"I think†¦ well, I think I might have fallen asleep. I didn't realize I was so tired.† I tried to smile remorsefully. I could tell I sounded stiff, like the too-careful actors on the television. The Seeker's eyes traced their route again, this time lingering on Jared. My heart jumped painfully against the inside of my ribs. I pinched the pill tighter. â€Å"It was irresponsible for me to drive for so long without sleep,† I said quickly, trying again to smile a little. â€Å"I thought we could make it to Phoenix before I would need rest. I'm very sorry.† â€Å"What's your name, miss?† His voice was not harsh, but neither was it warm. He kept it low, though, following my cue. â€Å"Leaves Above,† I said, using the name from the last hotel. Would he want to check my story? I might need someplace to refer him to. â€Å"Upside-down Flower?† he guessed. His eyes flickered around their course. â€Å"Yes, I was.† â€Å"My partner, too. Were you on the island?† â€Å"No,† I said quickly. â€Å"The mainland. Between the great rivers.† He nodded, perhaps a little disappointed. â€Å"Should I go back to Tucson?† I asked. â€Å"I think I'm quite awake now. Or maybe I should take a nap right here first -â€Å" â€Å"No!† he interrupted me in a louder voice. I jumped, startled, and the little pill slipped from my fingers. It dropped to the metal floor with a faintly audible clink. I felt the blood drain from my face as though a plug had been pulled. â€Å"Didn't mean to startle you,† he apologized quickly, his eyes repeating their restless circle. â€Å"But you shouldn't linger here.† â€Å"Why?† I managed to whisper. My fingers twitched anxiously at the empty air. â€Å"There was a†¦ disappearance recently.† â€Å"I don't understand. A disappearance?† â€Å"It could have been an accident†¦ but there might be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated, unwilling to say the word. â€Å"Humans may be in this area.† â€Å"Humans?† I squeaked, too loud. He heard the fear in my voice and interpreted it the only way he could. â€Å"There's no proof of that, Leaves Above. No sightings or anything. Don't be anxious. But you should proceed on to Phoenix without unnecessary delay.† â€Å"Of course. Or maybe Tucson? That would be closer.† â€Å"There's no danger. You can continue with your plans.† â€Å"If you're sure, Seeker†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'm quite sure. Just don't go wandering off into the desert, Flower.† He smiled. The expression warmed his face, making it kind. Just like all the other souls I'd dealt with. He wasn't anxious about me, but for me. He wasn't listening for lies. And he probably wouldn't recognize them if he was. Just another soul. â€Å"I wasn't planning on it.† I smiled back at him. â€Å"I'll be more careful. I know I couldn't fall asleep now.† I glanced at the desert out Jared's window with a wary expression, so the Seeker would think that fear was making me alert. My expression tensed into a taut mask as I caught sight of a pair of lights reflected in the side mirror. Jared's spine stiffened at the same time, but he held his pose. It looked too tight. My eyes darted back to the Seeker's face. â€Å"I can help with that,† he said, still smiling but looking down now as he fumbled to remove something from his pocket. He hadn't seen the change in my face. I tried to control the muscles in my cheeks, to make them relax, but I couldn't concentrate hard enough to make it happen. In the rearview mirror, the headlights got closer. â€Å"You should not use this often,† the Seeker went on, searching the other pocket now. â€Å"It's not harmful, of course, or the Healers wouldn't have us give it out. But if you use it frequently, it will alter your sleep cycles†¦ Ah, here it is. Awake.† The lights slowed as they approached. Just drive by, I begged in my head. Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop. Let it be Kyle at the wheel, Melanie added, thinking the words like a prayer. Don't stop. Just drive. Don't stop. Just drive. â€Å"Miss?† I blinked, trying to focus. â€Å"Um, Awake?† â€Å"Just inhale this, Leaves Above.† He had a thin white aerosol can in his hand. He sprayed a puff of mist into the air in front of my face. I leaned forward obediently and took a sniff, my eyes darting to the mirror at the same time. â€Å"It's grapefruit scented,† the Seeker said. â€Å"Nice, don't you think?† â€Å"Very nice.† My brain was suddenly sharp, focused. The big moving truck slowed and then idled on the road be-hind us. No! Mel and I shouted together. I searched the dark floor for one half second, hoping against hope that the little pill would be visible. I couldn't even make out my feet. The Seeker glanced absently at the truck and then waved it forward. I looked back at the truck, too, a forced smile on my face. I couldn't see who was driving. My eyes reflected the headlights, shot out faint beams of their own. The truck hesitated. The Seeker waved again, more broadly this time. â€Å"Go ahead,† he muttered to himself. Drive! Drive! Drive! Beside me, Jared's hand was clenched in a fist. Slowly, the big truck shuddered into first gear and then inched forward through the space between the Seeker's vehicle and ours. The Seeker's spotlight outlined two silhouettes, two black profiles, both facing straight forward. The one in the driver's seat had a crooked nose. Mel and I both exhaled in relief. â€Å"How do you feel?† â€Å"Alert,† I told the Seeker. â€Å"It will wear off in about four hours.† â€Å"Thank you.† The Seeker chuckled. â€Å"Thank you, Leaves Above. When we saw you racing down the road, we thought we might have humans on our hands. I was sweating, but not from the heat!† I shuddered. â€Å"Don't worry. You'll be perfectly fine. If you'd like, we can follow you to Phoenix.† â€Å"I'm just fine. You don't need to trouble yourself.† â€Å"It was nice to meet you. I'll be pleased when my shift is over, so that I can go home and tell my partner I met another green-first Flower. She'll be so excited.† â€Å"Um†¦ tell her, Brightest sun, longest day' for me,† I said, giving him the Earthly translation of the common greeting and farewell on the Flower Planet. â€Å"Certainly. Have a pleasant journey.† â€Å"And you have a pleasant night.† He stepped back, and the spotlight hit my eyes again. I blinked furiously. â€Å"Cut it, Hank,† the Seeker said, shading his eyes as he turned to walk toward the car. The night turned black again, and I forced another smile toward the invisible Seeker named Hank. I started the engine with shaking hands. The Seekers were faster. The little black car with the incongruous light bar atop it purred to life. It executed a sharp U-turn, and then the taillights were all I could see. They disappeared quickly into the night. I pulled back onto the road. My heart pumped the blood through my veins in hard little bursts. I could feel the fierce pulse throbbing through to my fingertips. â€Å"They're gone,† I whispered through my suddenly chattering teeth. I heard Jared swallow. â€Å"That was†¦ close,† he said. â€Å"I thought Kyle was going to stop.† â€Å"Me, too.† Neither of us could speak above a whisper. â€Å"The Seeker bought it.† His teeth were still clenched in anxiety. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I wouldn't have. Your acting hasn't improved much.† I shrugged. My body was so rigid, it all moved together. â€Å"They can't not believe me. What I am†¦ well, it's something impossible. Something that shouldn't exist.† â€Å"Something unbelievable,† he agreed. â€Å"Something wonderful.† His praise thawed some of the ice in my stomach, in my veins. â€Å"Seekers aren't all that different from the rest of them,† I murmured to myself. â€Å"Nothing to be especially afraid of.† He shook his head back and forth slowly. â€Å"There really isn't anything you can't do, is there?† I wasn't sure how to respond to that. â€Å"Having you with us is going to change everything,† he continued under his breath, talking to himself now. I could feel how his words made Melanie sad, but she was not angry this time. She was resigned. You can help them. You can protect them better than I could. She sighed. The slow-moving taillights did not frighten me when they appeared on the road ahead. They were familiar, a relief. I sped up-just a little, still a few miles below the limit-to pass them. Jared pulled a flashlight out of the glove compartment. I understood what he was doing: reassurance. He held the light to his own eyes as we passed the cab of the truck. I looked past him, through the other window. Kyle nodded once at Jared and took a deep breath. Ian was leaning anxiously around him, his eyes focused on me. I waved once, and he grimaced. We were getting close to our hidden exit. â€Å"Should I go all the way to Phoenix?† Jared thought about it. â€Å"No. They might see us on the way back and stop us again. I don't think they're following. They're focused on the road.† â€Å"No, they won't follow.† I was sure of this. â€Å"Let's go home, then.† â€Å"Home,† I agreed wholeheartedly. We killed the lights, and so did Kyle behind us. We would take both vehicles right to the caves and unload quickly so they could be hidden before morning. The little overhang by the entrance would not hide them from view. I rolled my eyes as I thought of the way into and out of the caves. The big mystery I hadn't been able to solve for myself. Jeb was so tricky. Tricky-just like the directions he'd given Mel, the lines he'd carved onto the back of her photo album. They didn't lead to his cave hideout at all. No, instead they made the person following them parade back and forth in front of his secret place, giving him ample opportunity to decide whether or not to extend an invitation inside. â€Å"What do you think happened?† Jared asked, interrupting my thoughts. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"The recent disappearance the Seeker mentioned.† I stared ahead blankly. â€Å"Wouldn't that be me?† â€Å"I don't think you would count as recent, Wanda. Besides, they weren't watching the freeway before we left. That's new. They're looking for us. Here.† His eyes narrowed, while mine widened. â€Å"What have they been doing?† Jared suddenly exploded, slapping his hand loudly against the dashboard. I jumped. â€Å"You think Jeb and the others did something?† He didn't answer me; he just stared out across the star-bright desert with furious eyes. I didn't understand. Why would the Seekers be looking for humans just because someone had disappeared in the desert? Accidents did happen. Why would they jump to that particular conclusion? And why was Jared angry? Our family in the caves wouldn't do anything to draw attention to themselves. They knew better than that. They wouldn't go outside unless there was an emergency of some kind. Or something they felt was urgent. Necessary. Had Doc and Jeb been taking advantage of my absence? Jeb had only agreed to stop slaughtering people and souls while I was under the same roof. Was this their compromise? â€Å"You okay?† Jared asked. My throat was too thick to answer. I shook my head. Tears streamed down my cheeks and fell from my chin to my lap. â€Å"Maybe I'd better drive.† I shook my head again. I could see well enough. He didn't argue with me. I was still crying silently when we got to the little mountain that hid our vast cave system. It was actually just a hill-an insignificant outcropping of volcanic rock, like so many others, sparsely decorated with spindly creosote and flat-bladed prickly pears. The thousands of tiny vents were invisible, lost in the jumble of loose purple rocks. Somewhere, smoke would be rising, black on black. I got out of the van and leaned against the door, wiping my eyes. Jared came to stand beside me. He hesitated, then put a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Sorry. I didn't know they were planning this. I had no idea. They shouldn't have†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But he only thought that because they'd somehow gotten caught. The moving truck rumbled to a stop behind us. Two doors slammed shut, and then feet were running toward us. â€Å"What happened?† Kyle demanded, there first. Ian was right behind him. He took one look at my expression, at the tears still running down my cheeks, at Jared's hand on my shoulder, and then rushed forward and threw his arms around me. He pulled me into his chest. I didn't know why this made me cry harder. I clung to him while my tears leaked onto his shirt. â€Å"It's okay. You did great. It's over.† â€Å"Seeker's not the problem, Ian,† Jared said, voice strained, his hand still touching me, though he had to lean forward to preserve that point of contact. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"They were watching the road for a reason. Sounds like Doc's been†¦ working in our absence.† I shuddered, and for a moment, it seemed like I could taste silver blood in the back of my throat. â€Å"Why, those -!† Ian's fury robbed him of speech. He couldn't finish his sentence. â€Å"Nice,† Kyle said in a disgusted tone. â€Å"Idiots. We're gone for a few weeks, and they've got the Seekers on patrol. They could have just asked us to -â€Å" â€Å"Shut up, Kyle,† Jared said harshly. â€Å"That's neither here nor there at the moment. We've got to get this all unloaded fast. Who knows how many are watching for us? Let's grab a load and then get some more hands.† I shook Ian off so that I could help. The tears did not stop running. Ian stayed close to my side, taking the heavy flat of canned soup I picked up and replacing it with a big but light box of pasta. We started down the steep pathway in, Jared leading. The utter blackness did not bother me. I still didn't know this path well, but it wasn't difficult. Straight down, then straight up. We were halfway there when a familiar voice called out from a distance. It echoed down the tunnel, fracturing. â€Å"They're back†¦ ack†¦ back!† Jamie was shouting. I tried to dry my tears on my shoulder, but I couldn't get them all. A blue light approached, bouncing as the carrier ran. Then Jamie bounded into view. His face threw me. I was trying to compose myself to greet him, assuming he would be joyful and not wanting to upset him. But Jamie was already upset. His face was white and tense, his eyes rimmed in red. His dirty cheeks had rivulets through the dust there, tracks made by tears. â€Å"Jamie?† Jared and I said together, dropping our boxes to the floor. Jamie ran straight for me and threw his arms around my waist. â€Å"Oh, Wanda! Oh, Jared!† he sobbed. â€Å"Wes is dead! He's dead! The Seeker killed him!†

Aspects of Life in Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Trifles...

Aspects of Life in Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Trifles In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, the protagonist, Hamlet, has arrived â€Å"from his university studies to find Claudius, his uncle, ruling Denmark and married to his mother, Gertrude. Her remarriage within two months of his father’s death has left Hamlet disillusioned, confused, and suspicious about Claudius† (DiYanni 1394). These types of crimes do not only happen in a person’s imagination, or in a made-up play, but also in our society today. Our society is just as immoral as Claudius and Gertrude. On the other hand, in Susan Gaspell’s contemporary play, Trifles, women are strong in character, protective of one another, and in charge of the situation,†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing†¦they shall be childless† (Holy Bible, Leviticus 20.21). â€Å"And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter†¦it is a wicked thin g; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people†¦he shall bear his iniquity† (Holy Bible, Leviticus 20.17). Consequently, marriage within one’s family shall and will be punished. An online article written by Nick O’Dell states, â€Å"Allen and Patty Muth were sentenced to eight and five years in prison, †¦for choosing each other as lovers†¦They are also brother and sister, whose sexual relationship began as adults - he is now 46 and she 31. They were convicted of felony incest.† Their immorality is the same, if not worse than Gertrude and Claudius’s immorality; however, Gertrude and Claudius are not punished by the law but by Hamlet, himself, which is the only difference. In addition, his mother is not the only one who is weak, in Hamlet’s eyes; he considers all females weak-minded and corruptible. He thinks if an adult woman like his mother has behaved in such a way under the influence of her desires, then, a young woman could not be trusted by her husband, and perhaps, this is why he later declines Ophelia’s love, because Hamlet considers all women the same. Ophelia is also a character who is depicted as frail, compliant, and emotional. She automatically does what the males in the play, her father, Polonius, and her brother, Laertes tell her, andShow MoreRelatedEssay about Treatment of Women in Hamlet and Trifles2666 Words   |  11 PagesTreatment of Women in Hamlet and Trifles Of all Shakespeare’s thirty-seven plays, perhaps the best known and loved is Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Many people think that it is unforgettable because of its poetic language and style. But, while these are factors that mark the play as a classic, it remains timeless because it explores many of the issues that are still important to people today. These issues, including loyalty to family and country, protecting loved ones, and deception are stillRead More Timeless Aspects of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Trifles Essay1895 Words   |  8 PagesTimeless Aspects of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Trifles William Shakespeare is considered the greatest playwright, if not the greatest writer in the history of literature. His criticisms of society in his works have passed the â€Å"test of time,† and still are as significant today as they were when they were first written. There are many similarities in Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, and Trifles by Susan Glaspell, written in the early 20th century, that further supportRead More Hamlet and Trifles: Aspects of the Past Relevant to the Present1966 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet and Trifles: Aspects of the Past Relevant to the Present The Elizabethan Era under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I in England not only produced an expansion of growth in the suburbs and a more unified nation, but also introduced the world’s most famous playwright of all times, William Shakespeare. During this period of greatest artistic achievement, Shakespeare, who produced about thirty- seven plays as well as many other great works, created what is considered his greatest achievementRead More Shakespeares Hamlet - The Importance of the Ghost Essay2768 Words   |  12 PagesHamlet and the Non-expendable Ghost   Ã‚   All literary critics agree that the Ghost in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet is not an expendable character. Without the Ghost the show could not go on. He is absolutely essential to the plot, to ever aspect of the drama.    W.H. Clemen in â€Å"Imagery in Hamlet Reveals Character and Theme† describes the pervasive influence which the Ghost’s words have on the entire play:    Perusing the description which the ghost of Hamlet’s father gives of his poisoning

Annual Report for Skull Candy Inc Free Essay Example, 1750 words

The credit facility provides their lenders with a first-priority lien against all assets and consists of financial obligations and other requirements on actions, which in turn, could limit the operational flexibility. If the internal controls over financial reporting are not of considerate, the business and stock price could attract negative impact. The executive office is at Utah on a 28000sq foot and another 11000 sq feet at California that is set for space expansion plus another 7500 sq feet for gaming purposes. In China, there are a total of 20000 sq feet for other future development purposes and lastly, another 1000 sq feet in Tokyo, Japan, which serves as a marketing office site. Anybody is free to sue the business at his or her own will just as the way the company also has the authority to sue any individual or person for any legal matters arising in a court of law. Skull Candy s registration trade symbol is SKUL that was registered on 20 July 2010.The chief basic earnings of the company are from headphones and audio accessories sales under the Skull Candy, Astros Gamming and 2XL who operate under the company s brand names. The net sales include the amounts billed to retailers for shipping and handling of cargos too. The product costs, packaging, freight, duties and warehousing all have an influence on the cost of goods sold. Due to high labor costs and other related costs incurred in China, the company, therefore, experiences higher production costs. If the distributors could have elimination from the supply chain, the gross margin, therefore, could have decreased. Marketing and advertising expenses, wages, payroll and employees beneficiaries form part of the general and administrative expenses incurred by the business. We will write a custom essay sample on Annual Report for Skull Candy Inc or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now They include the advertising costs, brand building fixtures, trade sponsorships, product promotions and sponsorship of athletes. The net sales of the company have a basis from the sale of the headphones and audio accessories under the Skull Candy, Astor Gamming and the Skull Candy brand names.

Aristotle s Contributions Of Western Philosophy - 1124 Words

One of the greatest classical Greek philosophers still known is Aristotle. His contributions to Western philosophy are in the areas of nature, nature, logic, metaphysics, the soul, morality, and politics. He was one of Plato’s students and studied under him for twenty years in the academy in Athens. He started to lecture about his on top of rhetoric. Aristotle became well known for his philosophies he began to tutor Phillip of Macedon son Alexander. After the death of Phillip’s, the school of platonic was a dominant and flourishing philosophy of Platonism. Aristotle was inspired to start a school called the Lyceum where he began lecturing on his philosophies. For thirteen years Aristotle begun to focus on teaching and forming his own philosophies till the death of Alexander and the government was overthrown in Athens. Aristotle fled to Euboea where mother’s house in Chalcis. The reason why he also fled was because â€Å"He had also been charged with impiety (as ebeia), the same accusation that had brought about Socrates’ death† (Hà ¶ffe 8). During his time in Euboea, he had a stomach illness which led to his death. Aristotle curiosity on human existence and the fundamentals of the nature of being itself which changed the view on metaphysics. his view of reality is the relationship mathematics has to existence regarding lines and angles and not to the nature of just being. His primary involvement with metaphysics was his cross-examination into the nature of substance. AristotleShow MoreRelatedCultural, Economical, Religious, And Political Contributions847 Words   |  4 PagesCultural, economical, religious, and political contributions made by both Ancient Greece, 800 B.C - 500 B.C , and Ancient Rome, 31 BCE – 476 CE, assisted in the development of western culture. 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What drives you up the wall †Strikes on Transport Free Essays

There are many things that drive me up the wall one of the main things is when there are strikes on transport. There are strikes on transport on important days like Boxing Day when people will want to go to shops for the sales, why do they have strikes? The employees think that they don’t get enough wages when there is beyond enough. Why should they get an increase in wages when there is bad service, bad manners, bad facial expressions towards customers and a lot more bad things I could go on about?! Whenever there is a strike on transport it causes chaos for many people’s lives such as works that have to travel by train or students or other people who have to go somewhere important. We will write a custom essay sample on What drives you up the wall? – Strikes on Transport or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is all just caused because worker s want a raise. Why can’t they just appeal without being oblivious and ruining other people’s lives? However, it is not only bad for us but for the London Transport company as they are losing millions of pounds which is not admirable. Even if strikes were the only way, the negative effect will be listened to better. Workers right should be allowed but not effecting innocent people (the society) as they have done nothing wrong. There have been many strikes around the world one of the latest, Greek strikes caused disruption to places like hospitals. Another reason is that when there is a strike, tourists cannot travel freely, this is harmful for the city or countries reputation and no one wants that. Here is an ultimatum would you rather lose your job and have no money or go to work and have money even though it is not up to your satisfaction? This is what you have to bear in mind. You have to be happy with amount of money you get paid as some workers get paid less than ?10. 00 a week. In addition to this why are they striking when they get paid ?15, 000 just for working 35hours this is more than what many workers get paid, this drives me up the wall insanely, There are many individuals who will actually appreciate the amount they got. However we are lucky that some of the transport drives weren’t stupid enough to go on strike and continue their work and if they didn’t they are probably going to lose their job. As well as that thanks to the people that came to work because then the company would millions of pounds which could be used on cleaning the transport as it is unhygienic. Transport for London is so bad compared to the trains in china as in china they have clean, fast transport and good service. What could be better than that! However in London we sit on dirty seats which are not cleaned on a daily basis, we are sitting on hundred germs. Having strikes will cause financial problems for many transport companies such as Transport for London, in the Greek Economy there has been severe damage caused by the strikes. As well as that in July 2010 the Greek Railway has been trying to raise over ?400million of loans from the public management. On the same day in Athens people walked off the job shutting down the tubes. These are things that cause damage economically. However, strikes are only allowed if asked permission if not it is illegal and they will be punished with fines and sentences. If the strikes don’t work the strikers will have to go to this person who will make negotiations of how much they should be paid and they will definitely loose. In addition to this the Transport Industry is too important to the society to be having a wage negotiation, when there are many well being who have places to go and people to see. I would not mind if there was strikes if transport was clean and the service was impeccable but no there is rubbish service and very bad conditions. The strikers get paid a fair wage but just don’t appreciate it; I’ll bet there are many people who will be dying for this job. In addition to this there have been many accidents caused by the employer’s exhaustion which causes accidents, so the person who got hurt can sue leaving the company to lose a lot of money. Another reason in which I wouldn’t mind if there was a strike if the transport was safe and strikes for reasonable concessions and not ask unfair and unsustainable benefits. Another fact is that strikes are just to put pressure on Government to change policies. Whatever is the end result, the strike harms the nation, the community, the community and the management. Some people think that people who work on transport have freedom to express themselves and yes this true but what is the point of all of it when it will just cause chaos and havoc. I don’t understand why people feel that they express their selves causing trouble and trying to prove a point. In my opinion I think that strikes on transport should be banned as it is chaotic and unfair. I think it is unfair as the amount of money employees get in transport is so much already it will just make employees lose their job and will have no money. As well as that many people have to travel by transport to get to work and they are losing money too by not going to work. However there are different ways to get your word through to without having a strike which is disruptive. I don’t understand why whenever there is a strike Boris Johnson tells us† get on your bikes and cycle help save the environment. † For example if I wanted to go to the city and I live in Stanmore I would have to cycle for about 3 hours and how are elderly supposed to cycle anyways they will just run out of breath. However instead of taking the bus to a short distance we should save the environment instead of ruining it and you could either walk or cycle. As well as this how are we supposed to manage when there is a sudden strike without no notice- this has happened a few times. If we didn’t have strikes we could save money to have internet connection it the tube/trains or wifi despite this there is always strikes on the most important day for example The Royal Wedding- this is a time when the Transport Company can earn a lot of money in just under an hour. The most agitating thing about public transport is when you can stereotypical, rowdy teens come on and shout in there disruptive, loud voice like they own their transport or listening to music so loud that you could hear from out on the streets. As well as that when you get on the bus and the driver gives you creepy looks while groaning under their breath waiting for you to get your oyster out or your money. When the bus driver sees you running they just slam the door shut and drive off making you wait like another half an hour for another bus, has this ever happened to you? Don’t you feel annoyed and angry that you want to get a rock and just throw it at the drivers face? To conclude I think that there should only be strikes if necessary not for things that are unnecessary or unbeneficial and there shouldn’t be a strike on important days which is very silly as the underground have an advantage of earning money. In addition to this whenever we get on a train we have never actually got good service; instead of being cranky when they got a raise in their wages which is so unfair and causing financial problems in the company risking their jobs. In my opinion I think strikes are the most stupid, aggravating thing to do for resolving things. Public Transport is agitating, hectic and contaminated; they should be trying to fix it not making it worse. How to cite What drives you up the wall? – Strikes on Transport, Papers

Bestbuys Strategy free essay sample

According to the case, BestBuy is trying to create a competitive advantage in three areas: customer-centricity, employment policies, and exclusive branding. After studying the VRIO framework, I have found that BestBuy’s three areas of strategy do fit into the VRIO framework. BestBuy believes that an effective strategy is a commitment to customer-centricity. A business that implements customer-centricity caters to specific customer needs and behaviors. According to the book, BestBuy wants to steer away from a product-centered marketing approach to a more customer-oriented marketing approach which will have them asking what problems its customers are facing, and then providing solutions. Furthermore, BestBuy wants to segment its customers into four different profiles: Upscale Suburban, Urban Trendsetter, Empty Nesters, and Middle America. In different regions around the U. S. you will find these diverse groups. BestBuy has been able to utilize the rare attribute of the VRIO framework with its ability to serve the needs of the predominant customer segment in a given region. BestBuy is unlike any company in the consumer electronic industry because as the book mentions, â€Å"Nearly all companies claim to be customer oriented, but being customer centric required a radical reorganization and shift in employee mindset. † BestBuy has reformatted the physical space in its stores and related products have been bundled together to meet the needs of certain segments. Store teams have also been trying to answer the following questions: What kind of traffic do we have coming in our stores today, how effectively are we selling to the people in the stores, what does our customer information look like, what segments do we have coming in, and what kind of market share do we have for those segments? To answer those questions BestBuy has been investing in the right tools so that the field knows what to focus on. BestBuy has taken customer interest a step further, and so far it has given them a rare advantage. BestBuy has also done a good job of organizing its employment policies to capture value. According to the book, BestBuy has set up an employee listening program that uses open communication to better understand the needs of its workers. This program has done a great job of exploiting the company’s capabilities because it is implementing tools such as annual company-wide surveys, a virtual discussion board, and one-on-one dialogue sessions. BestBuy is capturing value because they are listening to their employees and discerning information that was previously unknown to management. The final area that BestBuy is focusing its strategy on is exclusive brands. This last area is very important to BestBuy because it is valuable, rare, and costly to imitate. BestBuy currently owns these private labels: Insignia, Dynex, Init, Rocketfish, and Geek Squad. As far as background goes, Insignia produces TVs, monitors, home-theater systems, and portable video/ audio players. Dynex produces storage media, data and power cables, webcams, and office supplies. Init produces media storage, equipment bags, totes and furniture for home theaters. Rocketfish is a top notch producer of cables that are mostly used for TVs. And most famously, Geek Squad provides computer repair and installation services. BestBuy realizes that they cannot solely rely on these small private labels to create, on their own, enough revenue to stay in business. But nevertheless, these private labels are valuable because they add attractive features to the company. Most of the products offered by these small labels are accessories that add value to the more expensive products which in turn increase the profitability of BestBuy. In particular, I think Geek Squad is valuable because a lot of older people do not know how to set up the more complex electronics and often run into problems. Easy-to-setup installation and troubleshooting is a very attractive feature to most consumers. Along those same lines, these small labels are rare because their products are only being sold in BestBuy stores. If you’re a huge fan of Rocketfish cables or really appreciate the helpfulness of Geek Squad then you have to come to BestBuy to get you want. These private labels are also costly to imitate I imagine because it could be costly to implement and staff a repair and installation service in all of your stores like BestBuy has done with Geek Squad. Also, these private labels have a few unique products that could be hard to replicate. I know that Init has created some nice, high quality equipment bags and furniture for home theaters. I believe that after weighing the benefits of all three of these areas that BestBuy has indeed created a competitive advantage. In one way or another they have valuable, rare, costly to imitate, or are organized to capture value with their products and services. BestBuy’s business level strategy is to focus on its people through customer centricity and employment policies. The managers in both areas want to listen to the people and discern how to best appeal to them. Managers have planned to become customer centric by profiling its customers and then design the stores and provide products according to the profiles in the region. The cost driver associated is the cost of input factors because it requires a radical reorganization and shift in employee mindset. Stores need to be reformatted and related products need to be bundled. The main value driver for this focus has been customer service. BestBuy has excelled at customer service because they are able to identify customer needs and appeal to their wants because of the unique profiles that have been created. The main cost driver for employment policies has also been cost of input factors because I imagine it has been costly to implement the new annual company-wide surveys, a virtual discussion board, and one-on-one dialogue sessions. The main value driver for the employment policies is customer service. BestBuy has created distinctive techniques for company-wide communication that in turn provide better customer support. Managers now know what the consumers are thinking because the employees are able to share information with their superiors in an efficient way. The competition between BestBuy, Amazon, Apple, and Wal-Mart has been fierce over the last several years. BestBuy has found itself to still be at the top of consumer electronics in the minds of its customers with 40% of the votes. However, BestBuy comes in 11th place in the Top 15 most valuable retail brands. Furthermore, Apple has recently made a large push in the race by reaching $2. 8 billion in sales in 2010 which puts them in third place behind BestBuy and Amazon. However, BestBuy is in last place according to share performance in 2010 and 2011. After looking at all of the different results and surveys I would say that BestBuy is right in the thick of things and battling for the top spot. Amazon may be more a valuable company but the consumers still view BestBuy as the leading consumer electronic company. One of the critical problems facing BestBuy is people coming into the store and testing the products and then leaving and buying the product elsewhere. I think that BestBuy’s strategy to become customer centered is a good strategy. Many of the same products are sold by multiple companies, but if BestBuy can appeal to the segments and profiles of people coming into their stores then they can get people to buy the products in their stores. Identifying the profiles of people coming in is the first step and then being able to bundle products and arrange displays in an appealing way is a good strategy. If BestBuy continues to value its consumers I think they will find a way to sustain a competitive. After all, people want to feel important and be given what they need and desire.