Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

Of Mice and Men Essay In the book â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck, the characters felt considerable loneliness, even around other people. They feel left out, ignored, and even invisible with no one to talk concerning his own thoughts. Although a person is surrounded by others, feelings of loneliness can occur. For instance, in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† the characters ignored by other people at the farm felt lonely. One character who expressed her loneliness was Curley’s wife. At one point she said to Lennie, â€Å"I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely†¦ I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. † (Steinbeck 86) She expressed to Lennie how she is ignored and lonely. On the contrary, if a person were surrounded by friends then he would not feel lonely. A good example of this would be George and Lennie. The two men were close friends and were not lonely as they stuck together no matter what might happen. Although there were other characters in â€Å"Of Mice and Men who were lonely, if they reached out to those around them, the profound loneliness felt would disappear. On the other hand, many workers during this time period often go from one job to another to survive. Many people who lived at this time had little chance to have a asting friendship and became lonely as a result. In the book, George lost his friend Lennie would be lonely how without a friend. Another character, Crooks was an lonely person, but his loneliness was due to his race. In the end, many of the characters wanted companionship though sadly most ended up alone. All in all, in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† many characters felt loneliness in their daily lives even with other people around them. In fact a person who can be surrounded by others and have strong feelings of loneliness. In life if someone is lonely and seeking friendship he should reach out to others so as to remove the loneliness one may feel.

Patrick Geddes Revisiting Ideas Behind the Evolution of Sex :: Essays Papers

Synopsis of the Reading and Its Impact in History Patrick Geddes Revisiting Ideas Behind the Evolution of Sex During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, scientists armed with important discoveries and novel techniques began to reevaluate the theories of race and sex. One of the important thinkers of this time was the Scottish biologist Patrick Geddes. Like many other scientists of the time, Geddes applied Darwinian evolutionary theory to other non-scientific contexts. Although Geddes is more commonly associated with social ideologies such as economics, education, and urbanization, this examination will be limited to the impact of his ideologies regarding societal gender roles and sex-determination on society and the scientific community. The book entitled Sex, co-written by Patrick Geddes and J. Arthur Thomson was published in 1914 and concentrated on these issues of sex. The authors extrapolated on initial claims from their first book together, The Evolution of Sex by utilizing more â€Å"current† discoveries. The foundations for the ideas inherent in both books stem from August Weismann’s germ-plasm theory and Darwin’s evolutionary theory. Use of the latter theory is unsurprising since Geddes was the protà ©gà © of T.H. Huxley, often referred to as Darwin’s bulldog because of his infamous advocation of Darwinian theories. Nonetheless, the importance of Geddes work on societal gender roles and sex-determination is evidenced through his descriptions that allude to male superiority, while maintaining the view that women are not defective.. Geddes work described the evolution of sex to argue societal gender roles as naturally caused. The conception of roles as â€Å"naturally caused† implies fixed or invariable innate differences between the sexes which, through evolution, is made more apparent in higher organisms. This is central to the belief behind Geddes basis of gender roles. In the second chapter of his book Sex, Geddes begins by attributing significance to the microbial act of conjugation where two Vorticella connect to partially exchange genetic material before they separate. He describes these unicellular organisms as, â€Å"Analogues of males and females among multi-cellular organisms†¦ they are like ova and spermatozoa which have not formed ‘bodies’† (Geddes, 23). Here, Geddes is correlating the act of conjugation to the act of sexual intercourse by the coming together and the exchange of genetic information.

Inventory Systems Summary Essay

Abstract To be successful in today’s business environment, an organization must be able to perform certain fundamentals accurately and efficiently. One of these elements is having an effective and efficient Inventory System Management (ISM). ISM enables one to have the knowledge of where his or her inventory is at every step of the way. This allows one to better interact with consumer and make sales. Choosing the right ISM can lead and pave the ground work for future business success and profitability. Inventory System Summary The purpose of this group assignment is to collaborate as a team to compare different inventory systems and describe the advantage and disadvantages of each system in comparison to the others. Management of inventory is important to any business that wants to succeed. Companies purchase inventory systems to help manage the inventory of an organization. Team A reviewed the following companies and their inventory management programs: Best Buy, , and . This Inventory System Summary includes a description of the chosen companies and their inventory systems, and a comparison describing the advantages and disadvantages of each system. Best Buy Best Buy is the largest consumer electronics store in the world. Each year it increases its presence in the market share and distances itself from  others in the industry. Best Buy is headquartered in the Twin cities area of Minnesota, where it handles all main business functions and the leadership that manages its 180,000 employees and 4,000 stores across the globe (Best Buy, 2010). During the previous fiscal year, Best Buy accumulated nearly 50 billion in revenues and 2.2 billion in operating revenue. They also reported that they possess 18.3 billion in total assets and 6.3 billion in total equity. Best Buy has a large array of merchandise including: consumer and commercial furniture, small and major appliances, and a wide assortment of consumer electronics. They also offer an increasingly large list of services. These services include Geek Squad computer services, Best Buy for Business commercial services, and many other services designed specifically for the end user. They operate stores in many countries across the world; however they also operate their company online. From their website, Bestbuy.com, many of their products and services can be ordered and set up for delivery. The different types of products and services Best Buy offers in addition to the different options available to purchase and receive their merchandise makes Best Buy a very difficult company to maintain. They are successful because of the time and money put into their inventory systems. To maintain continuity across the board for all of their partner companies and different store brands they operate , Best Buy uses a similar inventory management system that allows them to track inventory, along with a transaction management system that directly adjusts and updates the world wide inventory both in warehouses and within each store. Most products that Best Buy sales are shipped directly from the manufacturer to the many warehouses and distribution centers across the US and the world where the stores and online sales can pull and ship directly from. One change that Best Buy has gone through the past five years is a switch to a partially vendor based management system. With this new system, Best Buy will limit the vendors and distributers that they purchase from, and will relinquish some of their inventory control over to them. The innovation created by this new system allows vendors to monitor inventory levels and to  ship and replenish product as levels get low. Some of the advantages of this system are: the advantage of directly supplying to the customer from vendor, which cuts the delivery time shorter, availability of the product, ability to offer products at a lower price compared to Best Buy’s competitors, and the flexibility to further develop other areas of their business. Some of the disadvantages are: limiting the vendors may limit the variety of products, relinquishing inventory control over to vendors and distributors may negatively impact their customer satisfaction, and the customers may decide to deal with supplier directly which could put Best Buy at risk of loosing their business. Inventory levels over the past 4 years have remained on an increasingly consistent track as their revenue has risen. According to Best Buy (2010), this rise in revenue and assets is partly due to the fact that they enter new markets and open new stores across the world. The latest opportunities that they have come across include new stores in Europe and other areas overseas. This is new territory for Best Buy but has been a successful venture based on their flexibility with their inventory systems that they have in place. The following table presents the last five year financial highlights according to the Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of Annual Report on Form 10-K. (Investor Relations, 2010) Dell Dell is clearly a giant leader in the information technology world. Dell is an American company with headquarters in Round Rock, Texas. The company develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. The company got its birth in 1984, founded by Michael Dell. Dell has become one of the most admired companies in the electronic industry. According to Fortune Magazine, Dell is listed as the 38th largest company in the United States. Based on total revenue, Dell is the 5th largest company in Texas and the 2nd largest non-oil company in Texas (Wikipedia, 2010). So, how does Dell do it? Managing its inventory base is an indication. From its early beginnings, Dell set the bar. Dell uses the just in time (JIT) approach in the manufacturing facilities. By using this technique, Dell can minimize its inventory cost. In an industry that rapidly changes, maintaining low inventory levels is one key factor to survival. According to Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch (2010), the following table provides a  snapshot portion of the financials recorded for Dell from its balance sheet. Annual Financials for Dell, Inc. According to Wikipedia (2010), just-in-time (JIT) is an inventory strategy that is designed aide in improving a business’s return on investment by reducing in-process inventory and any carrying costs associated. JIT production method is also known as the Toyota Production System. JIT works with of use of signals at different points in the manufacturing process. The signals indicate the presence or absence of a part or the need to make another part. If JIT processes are implemented correctly, it can improve an organizations return on investment, quality,  and efficiency. It is quite simple; the philosophy behind JIT is inventory is waste and Dell has tried to capture that philosophy. Wal-Mart The world’s largest and most profitable retailer, Wal-Mart continues to expand its reach in the US and worldwide. To do this, Wal-Mart has to track what is selling, what isn’t, and what products its over 3,740 stores nationwide need – whether it be their discount stores, supercenters, or neighborhood markets. The below excerpt from the 2010 annual report (2010 annual report-walmartstores.com, 2010) shows the level of inventories that Wal-Mart has maintained for the last four years: (Amounts in millions except per share and unit count data) With an average of $34m in inventory, being valued under the LIFO – last in first out- method – keeping track of it is of major importance to the retail giant. To keep track of its inventory, â€Å"Wal-mart and Sam’s Club use electronic product code (EPC) labels to make sure the products you want are available when you need them† (walmartstores.com, 2010). What is an EPC? The EPC is a lot like a bar code that most stores use. Wal-Mart uses the EPC because the information that can be tracked about the product being purchased includes: what the product are, who are the manufacturers, and other specifics like color, size, style, and more. The information provided by the EPC allows Wal-Mart to better manage the inventory on hand, making sure the store provides its customers with what they want, when they want it. How does EPC work? EPC labels consist of a unique number that can be tied back to a specific piece of merchandise. Using special readers, and through the magic of RFID’s, the EPC doesn’t have to be scanned directly for them to be read by the computers. This means that Wal-Mart â€Å"can count thousands of items in seconds and know which products are out of  stock† (walmartstores.com, 2010). The products that Wal-Mart is tracking with the EPC are easy to find. They are identified by an EPC symbol. What does EPC mean to consumers? The ability to track finite inventory information is important as it ensures that the retail giant can keep products in stock that consumers want. Amazingly, with all the information that the EPC tracks, there is no invasion of privacy to the consumer. The EPC does not collect personal information when purchased. Labels are not tracked once the actual merchandise is bought and leaves the store. Comparison The different inventory systems used by each organization share a common goal. The system tracks the inventory for each company allowing them to hopefully save money by knowing where items are and what needs to be purchased. Each organization emphasizes inventory control and recognizes the effects of inventory management on their overall profitability. To this end, many of the companies use a variation of bar coding or Radio-frequency identification (RFID) to track inventory. Each organization also ties inventory management to an awareness of demand; this allows the organization to quickly react to changing market conditions. Conclusion Because inventory is possibly the largest current asset listed on a organizations financial statement, correct inventory management is at the heart of a business’s success or failure. References 2010 Annual Report – Walmartstores.com (2010). Retrieved on January 10, 2011 from http://cdn.walmartstores.com/sites/AnnualReport/2010/PDF/WMT_2010AR_FINAL.pdf Best Buy (2010). Company Reference – Best Buy. Retrieved January 11, 2011 from http://www.answers.com/topic/best-buy-co-inc Dell. (2010). Wall Street Journal: MarketWatch. Retrieved January 12, 2011, from http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/Stock/DELL/financials/balance-sheet Hoyt, W. (2002). The basics of inventory tracking. Retrieved on January 10, 2011 from http://www.essortment.com/career/smallbusinesst_tuag.htm

What is Beauty Essay - 977 Words

The ideal of what beauty really is changes in our society from time to time. Everyone has their own opinion of what is beautiful. However the opinion that people mostly tend and heed to is that of the prominent and influential characters in today’s society. Those who claim to know what true beauty is and impel humanity to do and be what they want, as if people were their puppets. Television, magazines, and advertisements play an immense role in this. Playing with emotions and ridiculing those ‘not beautiful’ by pointing out the ideal facial structures or body types that one must have in order to be beautiful. Features of which can only be obtained by expensive, dangerous, and addicting procedures in an outpatient facility. Then some of the†¦show more content†¦The author states â€Å"studies have shown that beautiful people have an easier time in life.† Alyssa created a relationship of consciousness with her reader, attempting to make the reader re alize that surgery isnt the answer to looking better and that they could regret the procedure the rest of their lives or become addicted to surgery. No one in this world can look exactly like what they see on magazines because what their eyes are seeing is spurious. In a commission the Dove Self-Esteem Fund, conducted an online survey and presented their findings in, Real Girls, Real Pressure: A National Report on the State of Self-Esteem crisis in the United States (2008), suggested that there is a self-esteem crisis in the United States about girls looks. The survey revealed seven out of ten girls believe that they are not pretty enough. The beauty that is portrayed today is causing young girls to feel ugly and insecure about themselves. However they have yet to realize that all girls are pretty in their own way. The study also shows that â€Å"girls with low self-esteem are significantly more likely to engage in negative behaviors.|† Girls feel they don’t fit in because they are not good looking so they engage in dangerous and bad behaviors in order to feel good about themselves. Drinking or drugs may be what they chose to do in order to feel like they fit in. Teens also admit to starving themselves because they believe they are fat. Many teens today sufferShow MoreRelatedBeauty : What Are Beauty?891 Words   |  4 Pages What is Beauty? Beauty in my opinion is all about who is perceiving it, although there are many things that can be widely accepted as beautiful, whether it s a bountiful orchard of apple trees or the deep vast ocean blue with the waves cascading down with the mystery of life looming in the depths beneath. Beauty can be described as the fresh snow glistening on the pine trees with deer majestic in their natural glory and fat, fluffy hares dancing playfully in the snow or birds in song singing toRead MoreWhat is Beauty?1209 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to Oxford Dictionary, beauty is defined as â€Å"a combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form that pleases the aesthetic senses, esp. the sight†. Over a long period of time, the meaning of beauty has changed. The way beauty was seen in the past, have been slightly modified into something totally different today. For many years, there has been that one question that has not been proven, even until now. There are fe w people who have their own opinion on this issue. There have beenRead MoreWhat is Beauty? Essay716 Words   |  3 Pages The common clichà © goes â€Å"beauty is in the eye of the beholder.† Is there any real meaning to that? 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Some find beauty in cats, others in dogs, just as some favor early morning mountain ranges over a sunRead MoreWhat Does Beauty Mean?1433 Words   |  6 PagesWhat does beauty mean to you? Often times people surgically change their appearance to feel better about themselves. A Majority of the time people are unsatisfied with their bodies, so they alter their looks. These individuals look up to celebrities who have paid thousands of dollars to look a particular way. Cosmetic surgeons are being bombarded by star struck clients demanding specific features of celebrities. Some of the victims believe that getting surgery to look like a celebrity will putRead MoreWhat Is The Story Of Martins Beauty?1708 Words   |  7 Pagessmoking hot, but she couldn’t tell him that. Before she would have joked around about his good looks and how he could make a paper bag look good. But as she took in his casually striking appearance, all those j okes seemed wrong. She still wasn’t sure what had changed between them but things felt different. A sexual energy surrounded them that had never been there before. She felt flirty and feminine in her new clothes. More daring than she had when she woke up that morning. More confident too. She liftedRead MoreMedia Influence on What Is Beauty Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesEveryone has a different view of what is beautiful. Why are we never happy with how we look? Why are we so quick to compare ourselves to others? The simple answer to these questions is: Media. The media is constantly showing images of what is considered beautiful. These images greatly affect society and often impact the way people view themselves. Most of these images are unrealistic, and send unhealthy expectations to women; however most women are willing to do anything they can to achieve thisRead MoreWhat is Beauty: Unrealistic and Unobtainable Essay954 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is Beauty: Unrealistic and Unobtainable For centuries mankind has unsuccessfully attempted to define beauty. Greek philosophers, including Plato, tried to define beauty as if it were as simple as any other law in nature. However this cannot be so because the idea of what is beautiful has varied throughout cultures and the ages. In the 1800s women who were pale and rather plump were considered objects of desire; but in today’s society, desirable women are slender and tan, among other things