Locality Planning – The Key Elements

A locality plan is a fundamental and dynamic management tool which will state a list of targets to be met within a given locality. It will be based on local needs analysis and will be used to prioritise resource allocation whilst at the same time encouraging involvement and enhancing accountability. There are many factors which will determine how such a plan might develop, some of which are the consultation processes, inter-agency and inter-service co-operation, availability of resources, service quality, monitoring and feedback procedures as well as meeting the corporate aims, values and policies of Fife Council. Consultation will need to be participative and all who may be affected by the plan would need to be actively encouraged to participate. This would involve amongst others, local community groups, elected members, voluntary organisations, residents, businesses, council services and officials. This consultation ‘phase† would have to examine what other plans, initiatives, programmes and policies may be in place and any resultant impact on existing service provision and resources. Inter-agency and intra-agency co-operation is essential if information is to be collated and processed in any meaningful fashion and to ensure that any plan once in place will be properly supported. Barriers to co-operation need to be removed through consultation, participation, negotiation, and improved communication channels. Resource provision has to be assessed along with any plan. Existing resources, whether personnel, equipment or financial can only cater for so many needs. The targeting of these resources would need to be negotiated and agreed by all parties involved as part of the process of encouraging ownership of and participation in a locality plan. To provide a plan which meets local needs and has the necessary resources is pointless if the quality of implementation does not meet the expectations of the community. Recognition therefore of the service delivery processes are vital. Personnel need to be properly trained, highly motivated and committed to the aims of the plan. Equipment needs to be suitable for its intended purpose and utilised as effectively as possible. Monitoring and feedback are an essential part of the process if the locality plan is to remain dynamic. Monitoring allows the progress of the plan to be measured and any fine tuning can be implemented where needed. Monitoring assesses and measures the success of any plan whilst feedback allows information to be fed to, and received from, those involved at all stages of the plan from strategic policy development, to the officers implementing the plan, to the people, groups and communities receiving the benefits. The aims, policies and corporate values of Fife Council should underpin any plan. Plans should encourage openness and accountability, improve participation and involvement, provide quality and equality, promote devolved decision making and enhance learning and development.

Japanese Readings

Japanese I, 3rd Edition Notes on Japanese Culture and Communication The objective of Pimsleur's Japanese I, Third Edition is to introduce you to the language and culture of Japan primarily through your ears, and only secondarily through your eyes. This approach is based upon the fact that more than 95 percent of our lives is spent in listening and talking, and less than 5 percent in reading and writing. The most effective and productive way to begin acquiring these necessary communication skills is by actually working with the â€Å"language in use,† as demonstrated by native speakers of the language being learned.Efficiency is greatly increased when what you learn first are the most-frequently-used structures and daily life vocabulary, so that you practice with the practical tools you require every day. This carefully selected â€Å"core-language† allows the tutor to keep you focused entirely on essential language. This is self-motivating because you will begin to use it immediately and successfully. Language and culture are so closely intertwined that learning them separately can make you literally â€Å"culturally-deprived,† that is, unable to produce appropriate and meaningful language.For this reason you must carefully notice the different ways the Japanese â€Å"act† in the various situations you will experience as you proceed through the units of this course. Being sensitive to â€Å"who is doing what to whom, and why,† is what you have learned to do almost unconsciously in your native tongue – you will attain this same sense of â€Å"awareness† as you gain proficiency in your new language. This implicit instruction will come from the lessons, as you learn to identify the intonation and melody of the speakers.This Booklet will provide additional explicit instruction to further confirm what you have learned. The Notes have also been recorded on the last CD? cassette. Acquiring the culture, â€Å"the map of the territory,† is like acquiring the terminology of a subject: it enables you to operate as a fellow member in that society. Your success in working with native speakers of Japanese will depend to some extent upon how sensitive you become to the accumulated heritage that is Japanese. Unit 1 umimasen In this unit, you have learned sumimasen for â€Å"Excuse me. † You will find yourself using and hearing this expression quite often in your interactions with the Japanese. sumimasen is used for several purposes. It is often used to express the speaker's sincere and polite attitude toward others. However, Japanese people use this expression to convey not only â€Å"Excuse me,† but also â€Å"I'm sorry,† and even â€Å"Thank you. † You will hear them say sumimasen to attract someone's attention when initiating a conversation, as was demonstrated in the Unit.You might also hear this expression from someone who mistakenly steps on your foot in a crowded t rain and wishes to apologize. It is a very useful expression in a wide range of social contexts. Word Order You noticed in this unit that the Japanese word order is very different from what you are accustomed to in English. Such words as masu, masen, and masu ka – which determine whether the speaker is making a statement, negating or asking something – come at the end of a sentence. You need to, therefore, listen to the speaker all the way through to the end of the sentence to find out the speaker's intention.This may be confusing to you at first, but as you become skillful, you will be able to use this sentence structure to your advantage, as you can carefully sense the listener's feeling while you speak. You can then decide on the overall tone of your message by modifying the ending accordingly. Unit 2 Expressions of Modesty and Deference in Japanese Communication In this unit you heard a person expressing modesty when receiving a compliment from another person on hi s ability to speak Japanese.When someone compliments the Japanese on good work, nice clothes, a beautiful house, a wonderful dinner, etc. , it is customary for them to downplay their abilities, possessions, etc. While negating a compliment may be considered a sign of lack of confidence or even insincerity in some cultures, the Japanese frequently use it as an expression of modesty and deference in daily communication. As a case in point, consider this conversation: â€Å"That was a wonderful meal! You are a great cook, suzuki san. † â€Å"Oh, no. I only followed a recipe. Anybody can cook. † â€Å"I certainly can't.Could you teach me? † â€Å"Can I teach? Oh, no. You cook far better than I can. I'm the one who needs to take lessons from you. Suzuki may be seen as too modest by American standards, but this is socially acceptable behavior in Japan. This humility is only seen as avoiding appearing to be arrogant or conceited. ~ ne In this unit you also heard ne at the end of sentences, as in nihongo ga wakarimasu ne. It is roughly equivalent to the English â€Å"isn't it? † â€Å"aren't you? † â€Å"don't you? † etc. The use of ne shows that the speaker expects the listener to agree with him or her.You will hear this used frequently in Japanese; in fact, some people may end virtually every sentence with ne. Living in a more collectivistic society than the U. S. , the Japanese value being aligned with and maintaining harmonious relationships with others. The frequent use of ne illustrates their desire to avoid creating any potential for conflict or disagreement with one another. Unit 3 Omission of Subjects Japanese speakers often rely on the listener's ability to understand their real intention from what appears to be subtle and evasive verbal and nonverbal signals.Being able to leave some things unsaid so that the other can read between the lines is an important skill in Japanese communication. A person who explains thin gs in great detail is considered legalistic and is often frowned upon. The frequent omission of subjects is one example of this ambiguous and seemingly incomplete form of Japanese communication. This style of speech may frustrate foreign learners of Japanese at first. but after a while it will become natural. The Japanese language has several words for â€Å"you. † The one to use depends upon the speaker's relationship with the person being spoken to.Among these are the common anata, which was introduced in this unit, the informal anta, the formal kimi (often used by a superior to address his or her junior), and omae, used only by male speakers. However, you will often hear people address one another without using any of these, simply leaving â€Å"you† to be understood. Domo domo is used to emphasize your politeness, as in domo arigato gozaimasu. It is used for a variety of purposes: to indicate â€Å"indeed† and â€Å"very much† as in this unit, to show the speaker's suspicious feeling as in domo okashii, â€Å"I have a doubt about it,† or to mean â€Å"by any means. Japanese speakers are very fond of using domo in many contexts. Although in formal, â€Å"correct† speech, domo should be followed by a word that it modifies, Japanese speakers often use it alone. You will often hear them say domo, domo when they greet each other. Unit 4 Questions Phrased with a Negative When speaking to Japanese speakers and phrasing a question with a negative such as â€Å"Aren't you tired? † or â€Å"Isn't it hot today? † you will find that they will sometimes reverse â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no. † For example, when asked â€Å"Aren't you Japanese? they will answer â€Å"No,† meaning â€Å"I am Japanese. † Since being able to read another person's implications and behaving accordingly is an important social skill in Japan, when asked â€Å"Aren't you Japanese? † mane Japanese people will assume that you must be thinking he or she is not Japanese. In response to this assumption, they will deny, by saying â€Å"No. † meaning, â€Å"No, you are wrong, I am indeed Japanese. † That is why, in the conversation the person said iie, yoku hanasemasu (â€Å"No, you can speak well†) in response to demo, mada jozu ja arimasen (â€Å"But I can't speak well yet†).In this unit, you heard the names of two places in Tokyo: Ueno and Shinjuku. These are both very busy districts, since they are the hubs of major railroad and subway lines, serving millions of people every day who travel to, from, and around the Tokyo metropolitan area. There are numerous national and private railroad companies and some fifteen subway lines in Tokyo, and they are still being further developed. The complex subway lines make it quite challenging for international travelers, and sometimes the local residents as well, to figure out the best way to travel to their destinations.You may sometimes get an uncertain response or no response at all when you ask passers-by in downtown Tokyo for directions. The public transportation system in Japan is generally well developed, but in order to take full advantage of it, you need to first memorize the names of major- cities and towns that will help orient you to the right directions and the best method of transportation. Unit 5 Language of Social Levels, Age, Position, and Deference The complex rules governing status in Japan play an important role in the expressions used in various social situations.In this unit, you have learned how to ask a person whether he or she wants to eat or drink: tabemasu ka? and nomimasu ka? These expressions are used when there is no need for the speaker to show deference, that is, between friends, family members, and colleagues. If. however, a native Japanese speaker is in a lower position than the hearer, he or she must carefully choose the most appropriate level of politeness. O tabe ni nari masu ka? is more polite than tabemasu ka? and o meshiagari ni nari masu ka? is far more polite.A great variety of expressions are available. depending on the degree of courtesy needed. As a non-native speaker of Japanese, however, you are seldom, if ever, expected to be able to use these expressions, but you will hear them used, so it is good to be aware of them. nanika In this unit you heard nanika, a very commonly used word and a convenient expression. It is equivalent to â€Å"something† in English. You can use it for a variety of purposes: seeking a person's opinion, stating yours, and making your statement evasive.It can be followed by an adjective and an infinitive: for example, nanika tsumetai nomimono (something cold to drink). Or it can be used alone as in the expression you heard in this unit; hai nanika? (Yes, something you wish to ask'? ) You will hear many native Japanese speakers pronounce it nanka which is informal and casual, often used between friends an d people of an equal status. Unit 6 Particles When speaking English with non-native speakers, you can usually guess their fluency by their familiarity with idiomatic expressions.For example, when someone says, â€Å"John is engaged with Beth† instead of â€Å"engaged to† you can guess that the person is not a native speaker of English. The same is true of the Japanese language. There are many one-syllable words or particles that you need to be able to use properly in order to convey your ideas accurately to the listener. wa, ga, de, ni, mo, ka, no, and to are some examples of these particles. wa is often used to indicate that the preceding words are the main topic of a sentence: for example, watashi wa nihonjin desu. ga is often used the same way, as in, nihongo ga jozu desu. e indicates a place, as in anata no tokoro de. ni is equivalent to the English â€Å"at† when accompanied by a word indicating time, as in ni ji ni, â€Å"at two o'clock. † mo is â⠂¬Å"also,† as in anata mo – â€Å"you too. † ka is put at the end of a sentence to make it a question. no is possessive, as in anata no nihongo (your Japanese). to is approximately equivalent to â€Å"with† in English, as in anato to tabetai desu – â€Å"(1) want to eat with you. † Though they may he confusing at times, learning to use these particles properly will greatly contribute to your fluency in Japanese. Unit 7Cognates and â€Å"Borrowed English Loan Words† No language is free from words borrowed from other languages, and Japanese is no exception. Many English words have been adopted in Japanese, although the Japanese often pronounce them so differently that English speakers can hardly recognize that they were originally English. resutoran and biiru illustrate this point. You need to pronounce these and other words with English origins as the Japanese do, so that you can make yourself understood. Often, the Japanese have change d not only the pronunciation, but also the form and meanings of these originally English words.Japanese speakers often prefer to shorten or abbreviate loan words: for example, waapuro for â€Å"word processor,† pasokon for â€Å"personal computer,† and terebi for â€Å"television. † There are as well some English words used in Japanese whose meanings have changed to a greater or lesser extent. For example, there are many apartment complexes that are called â€Å"mansions† in Japan, usually referring to condominiums. You may find a pair of socks marked â€Å"free size,† which really means â€Å"one size fits all. † In a restaurant, you may be served mikkusu sando, or â€Å"mixed sandwiches. â€Å"Mixed† in this context means â€Å"assorted,† and you will find various kinds of sandwiches on one plate. Unit 8 Addressing People You may have noticed in the units that the Japanese people use family names to address each other. The u se of first names is usually limited to family members and close friends. The polite san is added to a family name and this can be used to address virtually anyone: male and female, young and old, strangers and acquaintances alike. Occasionally it may be attached to one's first name.Japanese rarely address one another without attaching some kind of title to the end of the person's name, and san is by far the most common. If they feel close to you, they may call you, for instance, â€Å"Mary san,† or â€Å"Dave san,† equivalent to â€Å"Miss Mary† or â€Å"Mr. Dave,† as a sign of friendly courtesy. When referring to yourself, however. you would never use san. This is a polite title, used only when referring to others. Counting Things You have learned ni for the number â€Å"two† in this unit. By the time you complete the course, you will have learned many more numbers.You will find counting in Japanese is easy, no matter how large the number may be. You will need to know large numbers, as 1,000, 20,000, 100,000 and maybe more. The value of one American dollar has fluctuated between 80 and 140 yen in the last ten years, and thus prices will usually appear as large numbers. For example, it costs 700 to 1,000 yen to buy lunch, 330 yen to buy a bottle of beer, 600 yen to take a cab for the first mile, and 2,000 to 3,000 yen to take a bus from the New Tokyo International Airport to downtown Tokyo.Another important thing to remember when counting things in Japanese is that there are a wide variety of words used as â€Å"counters† that must accompany the numbers. The â€Å"counter† you use will vary, depending largely on the shape of the material you are counting. In this unit, for example, you have learned ni hon for â€Å"two bottles. † hon is the â€Å"counter† for long things, such as bottles, trees, poles, pencils, hair, etc. â€Å"One bottle,† however, is not ichi hon, but ippon. â€Å"Three bottles† is san bon, and â€Å"six bottles† is roppon.Although the pronunciation of hon may appear to change without any logical consistency, it has simply been adjusted for easier pronunciation. Several other â€Å"counters† you may find useful are mai, used for flat material such as paper, cloth, and plates, and dai, used for many kinds of machinery including computers, cars, and heavy industrial equipment. ken is used to count houses and shops. People are counted as nin, though one person and two persons are exceptions and counted as hitori and futari, respectively. Starting with three people you can say san nin, yo nin, go nin, etc. Unit 9 Meals of a DayJapanese does not have unique names for each meal such as â€Å"breakfast,† â€Å"lunch,† and â€Å"dinner. † The word gohan is used for every meal preceded by asa or â€Å"morning† for breakfast, hiru or â€Å"day† for lunch, and yoru ? yuu or â€Å"evening† for dinne r. Gohan alone means rice, so it is used to refer to a meal or rice, depending upon the context. You will find that many Japanese people these days do not eat rice with every meal. They often have coffee and toast with butter, margarine, and various kinds of jelly for breakfast, while the traditional Japanese style breakfast consists of a bowl of rice, fish, eggs, sea weed, and miso (soy bean paste) soup.For lunch noodles made from buckwheat (soba), and flour (udon) or spaghetti are popular. Many American fast food chains are also popular, especially among young people. The Japanese dinner consists of rice, fish, meat, and vegetables. As is commonly known, the Japanese consume more fish than average Americans. Circumlocution In this unit, you heard a man and a woman trying to agree on the time to meet for a drink, and making alternative suggestions. This provides useful practice.In reality, however, you will find the Japanese people to be much more subtle when they must express a ne gative response. Concerned with saving face, the Japanese resort to a variety of verbal and nonverbal communication strategies, and avoid directly saying â€Å"no† whenever they can. One common way to turn down a proposal is to remain silent. When you do not receive an immediate response to an offer, then the chances are that the person does not want to accept it, but at the same time does not want to offend you or make you feel had. A long delay in responding may be another form of refusal.In Japan, unless you are speaking with someone you know very well and a mutual trust exists, you will rarely hear a straight answer given to a difficult question, especially when that answer involves some kind of refusal. How do you reach that level? It will take some time, but if you are sensitive to another culture quite different from yours, and have a positive attitude toward adapting to it, you will be able to acquire the communication skills necessary to establish, maintain, and deve lop trusting relationships with the local people. Unit 10Levels of Politeness The Japanese language has complex rules concerning the levels of politeness and deference necessary in different social situations. Throughout the course, you have learned how to speak on the â€Å"polite† level appropriate in virtually any situation you are likely to encounter in Japan. As you listen to conversations between Japanese friends, you may hear more informal expressions. For example, instead of asking nan ji desu ka? for â€Å"What time is it? † they might simply ask, nan ji? â€Å"What time? † Another example is wakatta for â€Å"understood† rather than wakarimashita.The Japanese language has many ways for the speakers to differentiate between formal and informal expressions in daily conversations. When you visit Japan and listen to a conversation between two friends, you may be discouraged at first as you find many unfamiliar expressions exchanged, but this happens when you learn any foreign language. The expressions that you have learned in this course will serve as a strong basis for understanding the Japanese people, and given that basis, you will be able to develop your listening comprehension as well as the ability to select the appropriate words for each different situation.The level of politeness used throughout the course is suitable in conversation with any Japanese speaker. Unit 11 chotto†¦ In this unit you heard Ms. Tanaka say ichi ji wa chotto†¦ and konban wa chotto†¦ in response to suggestions to have lunch at one o'clock and to have dinner tonight. chotto means â€Å"a little† and therefore these responses can only be translated as â€Å"One o'clock is a little,† and â€Å"Tonight is a little,† respectively. Even though the expressions may be regarded as unfinished in English, Japanese speakers often use chotto when they wish to indicate their hesitation, refusal, and confusion.Japanese in gen eral are tentative and indirect in their communication, and the word chotto is very convenient in helping them express their modesty. Even when a proposal submitted by a subordinate needs substantial improvement, for example, the superior may say â€Å"mo chotto† (a little more), indicating that the subordinate needs to work on it before the proposal can be accepted. When you hear this word, be aware that it can cover various degrees, and it may not literally mean just â€Å"a little. † masen ka? When inviting a person to do something, you have a range of forms in English to express various degrees of politeness.The Japanese show their deference toward the listener by changing how they end a sentence. In this unit you learned how you can invite a person to have lunch and dinner with you. You could directly ask the person whether he or she will have lunch with you by saying, watashi to hirugohan o tabemasu ka? For native Japanese speakers, however, this expression, lite rally translated as â€Å"Do you have lunch with me? † is far too direct and even offensive and would not be used in actual conversations. The â€Å"request† is more than likely to be turned down. Asking the same question in a negative form, watashi to hirugohan o tabemasen ka? onsiderably softens the tone, and it will probably make the listener feel more comfortable either accepting or declining the offer. This is equivalent to â€Å"Why don't you †¦? † and â€Å"Won't you †¦? † in English. Unit 12 Yen: Japanese Currency The yen is the unit of Japanese currency, and its value against the U. S. dollar has appreciated in the last few decades. Until the early 1970's the exchange rate was fixed at one US dollar to 360 yen, but it has been fluctuating and one US dollar is now worth about 120 to 140 yen. Although in writing it is symbolized as â€Å"yen,† its pronunciation is more like en.There are four notes: 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, 2,000 yen, and 1,000 yen that are of different sizes and colors. The 2,000 yen notes were issued in commemoration of the year 2000 but they have not been circulated very widely. Also there are six kinds of coins: 500 yen, 100 yen, 50 yen, 10 yen, 5 yen, and l yen. While Americans in general carry little cash and use credit cards and checks instead, the Japanese tend to pay cash when they go shopping. You will find many kinds of vending machines that sell a wide range of things, from soft drinks to train tickets. Some of he machines accept 10,000 yen notes and give change in both paper money and coins. Using a Telephone in Japan Communicating on the phone in a foreign country is always a challenge. You now know that â€Å"hello† is moshi moshi in Japanese, literally meaning â€Å"I speak, I speak. † You can say moshi moshi both when you answer the phone and make a call to someone. It has been used ever since the telephone was introduced in Japan. It costs 10 yen to make a local c all. You will seldom see people in Japan using coins when they use public telephones. Instead they use pre-paid telephone cards that can be purchased from vending machines.The pre-paid cards cost either 500 yen or 1,000 yen, worth 50 and 100 local calls, respectively, and they can be used for any local, as well as long distance and overseas calls. A great majority of the Japanese people own cellular phones today, which has largely replaced the need for public phones altogether. Many Japanese use their mobile phones as a primary means of communication to send and receive e-mails, check the weather, make plane reservations, purchase tickets, etc. , since a great amount of information is made available through mobile phone network systems.You will notice many Japanese busy talking on their individual phones, checking e-mail on small display screens, and punching in information on hand-held Palm Pilots ®. Unit 13 Counting in Japanese Knowing how to count is important in order to funct ion properly in any language. You must be able to count so that you can understand the prices of goods you want to buy, services that you wish to use, make plane reservations, and so on. Now that you have learned to count from one to ten and started to work on numbers above ten, the rest will be quite easy.Just as long as you know the first ten numbers, you can make any number up to 99, simply by combining them. In this unit you have learned 14, 15, and 16. They were simply made up of ten and four, ten and five, ten and six, respectively. You can continue to count in the same way up to 19. Then 20 is a combination of two and ten, that is, ni ju. You may guess that the same rule is applied to every number after 20. 21 is ni ju ichi, or â€Å"two ten one. † Though you will only be introduced to a few new numbers in any unit, when you understand the rule you will be eady for large numbers, and you will indeed encounter them on your initial entry to Japan. Good-bye sayonara has b ecome widely known as â€Å"goodbye forever† through the movies, TV dramas, and other media. It may indeed imply in some contexts that the person using this expression has no intention of seeing the other person ever again. It can, however, be readily used to say â€Å"good-bye† when you will be seeing the person in the near future. jaa mata is an expression equivalent to â€Å"See you. † It is a fairly informal way of ending a conversation, and of expressing your intention to see the person again. aa, atode, literally meaning â€Å"then later,† implies to Japanese speakers that the speaker is expecting to see the other person again on the same day, whereas English speakers may not when they say, â€Å"See you later. † You may want to be careful of this difference. Unit 14 takusan, sukoshi There is no clear and explicit difference between singular and plural forms of nouns in Japanese. In English, most words need an â€Å"s† or â€Å"esâ₠¬  at the end to indicate plurals, but most Japanese words do not change. Whether the nouns are countable or uncountable, you can use takusan for â€Å"a lot of† and sukoshi for â€Å"a little† or â€Å"a few. For example, â€Å"one beer† is biiru ippon, â€Å"two beers† is biiru nihon, and `'many beers† is biiru takusan. â€Å"I have a lot of money† is watashi wa okane o takusan motte imasu, and â€Å"I have a little money† is watashi wa okane o sukoshi motte imasu. The word sukoshi has a variety of functions in daily conversations. It not only stands alone to mean a small quantity, but you can also say watashi wa nihongo o sukoshi hanashimasu, meaning â€Å"I speak a little Japanese,† sukoshi hoshii desu, â€Å"I want a little,† or even, sukoshi ososugimas, â€Å"It's a little too late. Drinks Japanese, just like Americans and Europeans, enjoy drinking when they dine. Many business meetings are followed by or even co nducted during dinners and drinking parties. In these social occasions, people establish personal relationships with one another as they discuss more casually their individual feelings. Beer is by far the most popular alcoholic drink, but most alcoholic drinks such as wine, whiskey, bourbon, brandy, gin, vodka, and rum are also available. Japanese sake, made from rice, is also popular, and it is served either cold or warm.Shochu, or distilled liquor made from a variety of grains such as wheat, rice, and sometimes potatoes, is also a popular drink among Japanese. If you do not care for an alcoholic drink, you can of course ask for any soft drink you are used to. In addition to most soft drinks available in America and Europe, cold oolong tea (Chinese tea) is served in most places. In general, hot Japanese green tea is served free of charge in most restaurants. Unit 15 itte kimasu The conversation in this unit began with a lady saying itte kimasu. It literally means, â€Å"I am going † or â€Å"I am leaving. When Japanese go somewhere, they usually say it to those they are leaving behind. In response, the person who is staying usually says itte rasshai, literally meaning, â€Å"Please go. † Of course they use this expression to wish the person a good trip. When people come home they say tadaima, or â€Å"I've just come home,† to which others respond by saying okaerinasai, meaning, â€Å"Welcome back. † These sets of greetings are exchanged when people go in and out of the house and are very common among the Japanese; you are sure to hear them when staying in a Japanese home.As a short-term visitor from a foreign country you are not expected to say these greetings, but if you do, your efforts will surely be appreciated. Unit 16 desu ga In this unit you learned that in order to make hoshii desu, â€Å"I want,† more polite, you can say hoshii n desu ga, â€Å"I would like. † The last particle, ga, means â€Å"but† an d when added at the end of a request, it helps the speaker express his or her reservation. The person who ends a request with ga indicates that â€Å"While I wish it could be done, I would understand even if it cannot be done. This is just another instance that demonstrates the Japanese value on modesty. It is also a sign of their desire to depend upon others' benevolence, which is known as amae. One's ability to depend on others as well as respond to others' call for dependence is an important social ability. You will also hear desu kedo, essentially the same as and even more polite than desu ga. Unit 17 kyo wa nani o shimasu ka? You learned earlier that wa is used for emphasis or comparison. In Unit 14 and the present unit you have practiced using several words that indicate time, such as today and this evening, followed by wa.Here, this means â€Å"as for. † You will also notice that in Japanese the words or phrases that indicate time are usually placed in the beginning o f a sentence, unlike in English where these words are normally at the end. You may notice when a Japanese person speaks to you in English, she or he may habitually begin a sentence with time, such as, â€Å"Yesterday, I went to see my friend. † â€Å"Today, what would you like to do? † When you speak Japanese, it is often desirable to begin a sentence with a word or phrase indicating time. Unit 18 shujin, goshujin ? anai, okusan When Japanese people introduce their spouses, they do not introduce them by their names. While English-speaking people will introduce their spouses, saying, â€Å"This is my wife, Mary† or â€Å"This is my husband, Bill,† when Mr. Sato introduces his wife to you, he will say simply kanai desu, or kore wa watashi no kanai (tsuma) desu, â€Å"This is my wife. † When Mrs. Sato wants to introduce her husband to you, she will probably say shujin desu, or kore wa watashi no shujin (otto) desu, â€Å"This is my husband. † Y ou may be surprised when you find the meanings of kanai and shujin. anai literally means â€Å"inside the house,† and shujin means â€Å"master. † Since kanai and shujin refer to one's spouse in a modest manner, you will never use them for another person's spouse. For â€Å"your husband† you simply add go for politeness to shujin, and say goshujin, or anata no goshujin. â€Å"Your wife† is anata no okusan, or simply, okusan. Here we have a different word, okusan, which means â€Å"a person deep inside (the house). † Coming from the North American culture where equality between the two sexes is a serious concern, you may be astonished to see that Japanese women are still treated as a minority or a weaker sex.Role differentiation with regard to sex is more distinct in Japan than in the United States. The society is changing, however, influenced by the global concern for racial, sexual, and religious equality and is importing and incorporating some ne w policies. You will find many men now referring to their wives as tsuma, and women to their husbands as otto, much more neutral terms than kanai and shujin. Interestingly, however, there is no word to replace okusan when referring to your conversational partner's wife.The original meanings of these terms however, are being lost, and they are only titles that people continue to use without any derogatory connotation. Unit 19 hajimemashite ? dozo yoroshiku When you meet someone for the first time, you greet that person by saying, â€Å"How do you do? † â€Å"Pleased to meet you,† or something similar. Many Japanese people say hajimemashite, or dozo yoroshiku. Literally, hajimemashite means â€Å"(I am meeting you) for the first time,† and it has come to be used as an initial greeting remark. dozo yoroshiku is a more implicit expression with a wide latitude of ossible interpretations, depending on the context, the nature of the relationship that is about to develo p, etc. It literally means â€Å"Please be good to me† and it symbolizes the value that many Japanese people place on mutual dependency known as amae. Just as with many other expressions used as social lubricants such as, â€Å"Let's get together sometime,† â€Å"Drop in when you are in the neighborhood,† the real function of dozo yoroshiku is to make the initial encounter between people go smoothly. Unit 20 hitori, futari, san nin When you count a number of people in Japanese, you use regular numbers except for â€Å"one† and â€Å"two. As you've learned, â€Å"one† is ichi, â€Å"two† is ni, and the word that shows you are counting people is nin. The Japanese perceive that it would be awkward to say ichi nin, and ni nin, so they use an old way of counting instead. â€Å"One person† is hitori, â€Å"two persons,† futari. The rest is easy and regular: san nin, yo nin, go nin, roku nin, shichi nin, and so on. Also notice that w hen you want to say â€Å"eleven persons† and â€Å"twelve persons,† you say ju ichi nin and ju ni nin instead of ju hitori and ju futari. otoko no ko, onna no ko You have learned otoko no ko and onna no ko for a boy and a girl.Notice that in Japanese there are no special words such as â€Å"boys† and â€Å"girls. † Rather, you say literally, â€Å"a male child,† and a â€Å"female child. † You can use these words for all ages from newborn babies to children in high school and sometimes even in college. An important cultural difference you may notice if you spend some time living in Japan is that Japanese children are generally more dependent on their parents than their U. S. counterparts are, and that they frequently appear to be less mature. Parental support for children is usually continued through, and often beyond, college.You would not find it awkward, therefore, to call a twenty-two-year-old male college graduate otoko no ko. You may often hear Japanese refer to their children as ookii otoko no ko, chiisai onnna no ko, etc. They literally mean â€Å"a big boy† and â€Å"a small girl,† respectively, and the Japanese may be actually talking about the size of their children, or they may be calling a grown-up boy ookii otoko no ko and a very young girl chiisai onna no ko. The context will determine the meaning. In this unit you heard â€Å"watashitachi wa otoko no ko ga hoshii n desu ga† for â€Å"We would like a boy. Japanese, like many other Asians, are more particular about the sex of their children than people in many Western countries. While it has become legally accepted for a married couple to use two separate last names, both the husband's and the wife's, it is still predominantly the husband's last name that is kept. Family business has been traditionally handed down to the oldest male child in the family. Many parents, therefore, would like to have at least one boy when they have chil dren. Unit 21 otearai, toire Just as you can find many words in English that indicate a lavatory, you will come across a variety of expressions in Japanese.In this unit you have learned two of them: otearai and toire. otearai literally means â€Å"a place to wash hands† and is equivalent to â€Å"washroom† or â€Å"bathroom† in English. toire is an imported version of â€Å"toilet,† and it is very commonly used. Japanese also use keshoushitu, roughly equivalent to â€Å"powder room. † The most direct and straight expression of benjo, equivalent to lavatory, is rarely used in daily conversations. An interesting discovery you may make in a Japanese home is that the toilet and the bath are in separate rooms, unlike in the U. S. where you most often find both in one room.In Japan, a toilet and a bath are regarded as facilities that perform very different functions. a, so desu ka? â€Å"Ah so† is an expression stereotypically associated with Japa nese in many old U. S. films, and it is commonly known to Americans as an utterance that Japanese make frequently. While the Japanese may not use it as often as it is depicted in the films, it is indeed an appropriate expression to show your surprise at an unexpected finding or to confirm the response to your inquiry. Remember to make it into a polite form by adding desu ka at the end when you say it to a person to whom you need to show respect. Ah, so† without desu ka is perfectly appropriate between friends. Unit 22 kodomo, kodomo san In the conversation the woman asked, nan nin kodomo san ga imasu ka? and the man said, futari kodomo ga imasu. When you talk about someone else's family members, you show your respect by adding san at the end. The san is equivalent to Mr. , Mrs. , and Miss. When you talk about your own family members, on the other hand, you never use san. This is an example of Japanese humanrelationship-centered communication, and it serves to maintain smooth a nd harmonious personal ties in Japanese society.The Japanese manner of expressing politeness is complicated by their notion of modesty. They show their deference to others by not only symbolically heightening the other's status, but also by lowering their own. You may often hear the Japanese speak ill of their own family members. A mother may say, for example, â€Å"My son is dumb, and he's doing so poorly in school. Your son seems really smart and you have nothing to worry about. I am embarrassed. † The other person will, of course, respond by saying something like, â€Å"Please stop joking.My son only spends a lot of time in his room, pretending to study so hard. But I have no idea what he is doing. Maybe he's listening to his stereo, or reading comic books. † The two mothers clearly do not mean what they say to each other. While such an interaction may appear to be overly condescending and insincere to people from the U. S. culture, it is an important aspect of soci al interaction in Japan. You, as a non-native speaker, are not expected to play the complex social game, but an awareness will contribute greatly to your comfort in and appreciation of the culture.Unit 23 Weights and Measures You have learned to ask for some gas for your car and also to talk about distance. Whenever you travel to a foreign country, you are likely to come across different perceptions of weights, distances, heights, volumes, etc. If you are visiting Japan for a short period of time as a tourist, these differences may not affect you very much, but if you are to stay there for an extensive period of time, engaging in business as well as social conversations, you will find some knowledge concerning the Japanese system quite useful.Even when the Japanese speak to you in English, they will still use the system to which they are accustomed. Here are some examples to show you how the U. S. weights translate to their Japanese counterparts. One foot is about 30 centimeters, an d an inch is about 2. 5 centimeters. If you are 6 feet tall, then you are 180 centimeters tall, and if you are 5 feet 6 inches, then you are about 165 centimeters. One pound is about 0. 45 kilograms, which means that if you weigh 100 pounds, that is about 45 kilograms, and 150 pounds translates into 67. 5 kilograms.When you visit a grocery store, you will find various things priced by 100 grams. A steak, for instance, may be 600 yen for 100 grams, which is roughly equivalent to $22 to $27 per pound, depending on the exchange rate. One gallon of gas, another expensive item in Japan, is roughly equal to 3. 8 liters. One liter ranges from 90 yen to 110 yen depending on the kind and place where you get it, and it translates into $2. 70 to $3. 35 per gallon. Finally, the road signs that tell you the distance to your destination and also the traffic signs indicating speed limits are all in kilometers.One mile is approximately 1. 6 kilometers, and thus 40 kilometers per hour, which is a co mmon city speed limit, is 25 miles per hour. Again, as a foreign visitor you may not need to know all of these, but if you can get used to them, it will facilitate your daily activities. Unit 24 Getting Around in Japan The high price of gas in Japan has been mentioned. If you drive while in Japan, it could be quite challenging for you, as well as it is for local residents. The Japanese must go to a special driving school to obtain a driver's license and the average fee is over $2,000.The number of skills that are necessary to get around in crowded cities accounts for the high fee. You should apply for an international driver's license prior to your departure for Japan. You must remember that the Japanese drive on the left side of the road, as the British do. Because of the limited space, parking is a problem in big cities and it is also quite expensive, so you may want to think twice before driving in Japan. Public transportation, on the other hand, is well developed and very conven ient for both local trips and long distance traveling.You may enjoy a Shinkansen bullet train ride across the country from Aomori, the northern tip of Honshu (the largest island) all the way through Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, to Fukuoka, the largest city on the island of Kyushu, the southernmost major island. Air traffic has been developed quite extensively, and as a result air fares have become reasonable in recent years. The major airports are located in Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa. Unit 25 Oo kei As you have learned, the Japanese have borrowed many words from English: gasorin for â€Å"gasoline,† depaato for a â€Å"department store,† etc.O. K. has become a universally recognized expression, and it is no exception in Japan. You will hear many Japanese use oo kei to indicate that everything is all right, or to ask you whether something is all right with you. You will also notice that they may accompany the verbal utterance of oo kei with a n onverbal sign, index finger bent to touch the thumb to form a â€Å"zero. † That same sign is also used to indicate money in Japan. Store Hours In the conversation in this unit, the man said that the department store may be closed because it is late.While he may have said it so the lady would not go shopping, it is important to know when the Japanese department stores are open as they do not always keep the same store hours as those in the U. S. They usually open at 10:00 AM and close around 6:30 PM on regular business days, including weekends. Unlike some stores in the U. S. , many Japanese department stores and small shops are open on Sundays. In fact, the stores are most crowded on Sundays. Each department store, however, has designated one weekday as a day off, usually Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.You will find the Japanese stores extremely crowded with people during two main giftgiving seasons every year: mid to late July and December. During these seasons, most store s stay open till 8:00 or 9:00 PM. Unit 26 ni, san In this unit you learned ni, san nichi for â€Å"a few days. † The ni, san, literally meaning â€Å"two (or) three,† can be used in combination with many other words: ni, san nin (â€Å"a few people†), biiru ni, san bon (â€Å"a few beers†), and ni, san shukan (â€Å"a few weeks†). We have repeatedly stressed ambiguity and indirectness as features of Japanese communication, and ni, san is just another example.Even when the speaker knows precisely how many people he or she is talking about, the expression ni, san nin may be used. Although the expression literally indicates only two or three as possibilities, four or even five are not completely excluded. To respond to the question, â€Å"How many beers did you have last night? † a Japanese person may say ni, san bon, while he might, in fact, have had five or six. The range of possibilities included in ni, san is wider than that of â€Å"a few . † Taxis in Japan You have learned another English word that is commonly used in Japanese: takushii.Taxis are readily available in most cities, and even in fairly small towns. You can flag one down on the street or phone for a pick-up. Most taxis, both company-owned and privately-operated, are connected by radio. They are clean, safe, and convenient. The fares vary, depending on the city you are in. They are slightly more expensive in large cities such as Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka than in smaller places such as Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Sapporo. You do not need to tip the driver, but simply pay the fare displayed on the machine by the driver's seat.An interesting discovery you will make is that the rear passenger door opens and closes automatically. Just as long as you can clearly tell the driver where you wish to go, or show a map and point to your destination, you will get there safely and rapidly by taxi. Unit 27 hyaku Now that you have learned hyaku, one hundred, you can g o all the way up to 999 by simply combining the numbers you already know. One hundred is hyaku, so one hundred five is hyaku go. One hundred ten is hyaku ju. You can guess that two hundred is made up of ni for â€Å"two† and hyaku for a hundred: ni hyaku.The rest is easy except that the pronunciation of hyaku varies slightly depending on what number it follows. Three hundred is san byaku, six hundred is roppyaku, and eight hundred is happyaku. It is quite easy to count in Japanese, and it is also important that you know how to say large numbers, as they are frequently used in daily interchange. Unit 28 jaa In any spoken language you can find interjections which are used frequently, but which have no specific meanings. Some examples in English are â€Å"well, ah, uh, um. † jaa is a good Japanese example.It can be used in a variety of situations and gives the speaker a chance to think carefully about what he or she is about to say, to take a turn to speak, etc. In the pr esent unit, it was introduced as being equivalent to â€Å"well then. † You can use it when you wish to say â€Å"See you later† to a friend. You can also say jaa when you ask a series of questions. For example. â€Å"biiru o nomimasu ka? † â€Å"iie, nomimasen. † â€Å"jaa, osake o nomimasu ka? † How naturally you use these interjections may be a good indicator of your mastery of the language you are learning.Unit 29 masu, mashita, masen As stated before, Japanese word order is quite different from English. In English, the general meaning of a sentence is made clear early in the sentence. You can figure out whether something is happening now, will happen in the future, has already happened, or did not happen at all, by listening to the first part of a sentence. The Japanese language, on the other hand, places the important words toward the end of a sentence. The difference among masu, mashita, and masen is very small, and they come in the very end of a sentence.Such an attribute of the Japanese language may require your extra attention, and you need to be careful not to jump to conclusions until you hear the entire sentence. Unit 30 Continuing Success Throughout Japanese I, Third Edition you have learned many essential elements of the Japanese language. Practicing what you have learned in the thirty units will assure you successful initial encounters with the Japanese people. We hope you will keep up with your daily practice and further build upon your vocabulary.One additional aspect of competency that you will find useful and important is your sensitivity to cross-cultural differences in values, thought patterns, space and time orientations, mannerisms, etc. You can also continue to build on your communication skills by proceeding on to Japanese II. Introduction to Reading Japanese When you visit a foreign country such as Japan, where the language sounds very different, and the appearance of the written language does not e ven remotely resemble what you are used to, you may naturally find yourself somewhat intimidated.Just imagining the difficulty you may face in learning how to read and write can be discouraging. Mastering reading and writing Japanese is indeed an extremely long and complex process, and even many native speakers have not completed the learning process. In this course you are learning spoken Japanese. While a knowledge of the orthographic form of Japanese will be useful when visiting Japan, it is not necessary to acquire speech. In the following notes, however, some basic and important knowledge of written Japanese will be introduced.Once you understand the essentials that underlie written Japanese, you will find that reading in the language is much easier and less intimidating than you may have anticipated. Kanji, the Chinese Characters Kanji is the â€Å"pictorial† writing the Japanese borrowed from the Chinese. Each Kanji character represents an object or idea, and in writte n Japanese these objects and ideas combine in various ways to form new words and phrases. The pronunciation of each character varies depending on the context, and some Kanji have up to four or five different ways to be pronounced.One is required to be able to recognize and understand some 3,000 Kanji characters to achieve functional literacy in the Japanese language. It won't be necessary, however, to be able to pronounce the Kanji characters, and you will certainly not need 3,000, but it will be rather convenient to get the general meaning of a basic core of some 50 characters which you will see in such public places as airports, train stations. on street signs, and on restaurant menus. As an example of Kanji, we will introduce you here to a few that are typical of the pictorial Kanji characters.To get you started with reading Japanese, here is the character for â€Å"up† or â€Å"on. † Notice that it looks as if the whole character points upward: This character point ing down means â€Å"down† or ‘†under. † When put together, these two characters form a Japanese word, meaning up and down. The word is used to indicate not only the physical upward and downward directions, but also a social relationship with a status difference. Here is another character, which means a â€Å"tree. Can you see how the image of a tree was transformed into the Kanji character? And here is the character for a â€Å"mountain. † Many characters are made up of two or more parts: hen (or the left-hand radical) and tsukuri (or the right-hand radical). The Kanji for â€Å"tree† can serve as a hen, and it may be used to form such words? characters as â€Å"woods,† or a â€Å"forest. † woods forest Here is a more complex character combining three parts: mountain, up, and down. Put together as one word, â€Å"mountain,† â€Å"up,† and â€Å"down† mean a â€Å"mountain pass† or a â€Å"peak. †Å"When you can recognize some 50 basic Japanese Kanji characters, the rest will be fairly easy, as you will probably be able to guess what a new character may mean just by looking at it and identifying the component parts. The first step is to get rid of your anxiety about reading Japanese: take the time to become familiar with the fundamental patterns used to make up the Japanese Kanji characters. Katakana and Hiragana The Kanji system adopted from Chinese is the basic Japanese written system, but whereas the Chinese language uses only pictorial characters, Japanese uses two other types of writing systems in addition to Kanji.They are Katakana and Hiragana. These are two different sets of â€Å"letters† representing Japanese sounds. Each letter represents either a vowel sound or a consonant plus a vowel, for example, ka, ki, ku, ke, ko, etc. The Japanese Hiragana and Katakana are both lined up in the same way. The vowels go: a, i, u, e, o. The consonants k, s, t, n, h, m, y, r, w are placed before the vowels. You can memorize the order of Hiragana and Katakana in much the same way you memorized how the alphabet goes from A to Z. There are 46 Hiragana and Katakana symbols, as shown on the chart on the next page.Each block contains the transliterated phonetic representation of the character, followed by the Hiragana and then by the Katakana (in parentheses). Katakana is the writing system used for Japanese ? English cognates, i. e. , for words adopted from English into Japanese. You will find it particularly useful to learn Katakana, as you may need to read and write your name from time to time. Foreign and new words are spelled using Katakana, so you will see words such as â€Å"restaurant,† â€Å"hotel,† â€Å"golf,† â€Å"gasoline,† and many others in Katakana. Here is what they look like in combination: estaurant hotel golf gasoline Hiragana is the writing system comprised of letters used to represent grammatical endings a nd features that Chinese does not have. Unlike Kanji, in which a symbol represents a concept or an idea, in both the Hiragana and Katakana systems of Japanese, there is a connection between the symbol on the paper and the spoken word, and each letter is pronounced in only one way regardless of the context. Before Japanese children learn how to write the complex Kanji characters, they learn how to write Hiragana and they use it for every word.To illustrate, yama or â€Å"mountain† can be written in three different ways, in Kanji, Katakana, or Hiragana. However, since it is not a foreign word, it would rarely, if ever, be written in Katakana. mountain Kanji mountain Katakana mountain Hiragana While it is possible to use the phonetic Hiragana and Katakana scripts to represent almost any Japanese word, it is usually considered more appropriate to use the Kanji characters whenever possible, using the phonetic scripts only to represent foreign words (Katakana) or features unique to Japanese (Hiragana).Books and Signs Most westerners are accustomed to reading books starting from the front and reading each line left to right, starting from the top of the page. In books and traditional writing, however, Japanese is written in columns, top to bottom starting on the right side of a page. The books appear to open â€Å"backwards† to English speakers, as the â€Å"front† of a Japanese book is the â€Å"back† of an English text. However, in signs, menus, and books in which some English words are used, such as academic papers, Japanese is now often written from left to right. Visitors to Japan are fortunate in that

Romeo & Juliet Alternate Scene

Creative Writing Project Scene Writing BY: Timothy Stevenson Romeo has just arrived in Mantua after being banished permanently by the Prince because of the death of Tybalt. Tybalt was slain as revenge for the murder of his cousin Mercutio, who Tybalt killed earlier. The earlier events of the play included Romeo falling in love at first sight and Juliet reciprocating his love. The two cannot got public which such love, as they are from rivaling houses that hate each other dearly. Romeo is extremely depressed. CHARACTERS Romeo Montague- son of Sir and Lady Montague, falls in love with Juliet and is banished for the murder of Tybalt Mercellio- lesser known servant of Romeo, seeks him out to give him information Rosaline- unseen character in the first 2 Acts makes her first, verbal appearance MANTUA – DAY Romeo has just settled in Mantua after his night with Juliet, and is sitting on a bench outside of a park, depressed. A bird lands next to him and he studies it. Romeo Fair bird, thou not wary of me? Thou not know who I am? I am Romeo, murderer of kin and Verona exile! I’m a cruel murderer and I long for my own destruction. As the pearl of light has been stripped from me because of these fatal events, you bird should not be around me. You may be slain as well! You’ve ne’er experienced the destruction that occurs around me. Everything beautiful is stripped and dies slowly in my presence like I am intertwined with the eerie death that takes everything wondrous away and makes everything sad. To be near me is to be near everything evil and undesirable. Fallen Tybalt, my kin, eliminated because of the end of the story of great Mercucio. To exact revenge was to be stripped of the illustrious Juliet. Fear me, bird. Fear my very presence. The bird pecks him on the hand and it begins to bleed. The bird flies away while Romeo stares at the wound the bird has caused. Romeo Thank you bird! I deserve it and more. To walk into war without a weapon to be slain of such heart gripping pain! How about the apothecary gives me 20 gallons of their finest poison, sweet poison that I can engorge myself to be stripped of my love and the light of this cold world. The world is a dark void without her glow to illuminate even the darkest of caverns. The blackest kettle would be turned white by her presence. Her gleam’s name is Juliet, oh full Juliet, your beauty encompasses everything and more. And as fate plays such a cruel game, your shameless game†¦show your face! Show it so that I can slay you most beautifully! The banishment from sweet Verona is most undesirable. I’d appreciate the sweet vengeance of death than the nagging fault of banishment. To know that admirable Juliet is sealed behind the walls of Verona away from me without me able to anything about it†¦is agony. This is true agony of a tireless heart. Romeo interrupts briefly to look at the cloudy sky. Enter Mercellio, servant of Romeo] Mercellio Romeo, oh fair Romeo! I have most remarkable news! News that’ll alleviate your gloom! Your mood of Juliet has made you an evil character, made you feel less than a man shall ever feel and you continue to drown yourself face first into the waters of sorrow. Art thou is Romeo! Romeo must not tirelessly wane and moan and cry to skies that aren’t li stening†¦ ROMEO To alleviate anything means that you must mean death! Nothing can revive me from the mood that I’m in. Nothing can wash the pain of not seeing sweet Juliet ever again†¦nothing foolish servant! What simple boast do you plan to tell me? The only news of Juliet with me will bring me happiest, imprudent one. That’s an impossible task that not even the bravest of men can succeed in. To fall in love and to be stripped of it so cleanly is the inferior destiny of my dismal life. Life is nothing without her. News means nil unless it’s new of my return to Verona. I imagine killing myself just so I wouldn’t have to deal with such crushing pain and now as I drown in it I cannot cut my ties to this world as to cut my ties would end with truly never being with her again. MERcellio You cannot continue life like this forever, brave Romeo. To let this consume you is to give up life itself and starve for the affections of a single woman is absolutely ludicrous. You cannot continue like this sir. ROMEO You know nothing of the pain I’m feeling. You could never experience something so agonizing as such; to hinder the ability of sleep is the pain I’m feeling. Worse than the death of the most important thing to you is the realization that you can never be with the one that means the most to you. You are a complete fool to call me ludicrous†¦ludicrous! Thou is ludicrous for not being able to experience this with me, ludicrous for thinking I can just let such emotions waver. The attempt of capturing Juliet and simply vanishing from all eyes keeps me here, keep me from revealing my sheathed sword and slaying you with your foolish words. MERCELLIO Slaying me because of a female is absolutely ludicrous! I have known you for quite some time, good Romeo and you again and again looked for women to reciprocate your love to and asked for the hearts of many women, only to see your heart wrung mercilessly by such. You find this lifestyle un and continue, hoping to find such a woman to return it to you! Because young Juliet arrival of emotion upon you is enough to lay in distraught, thinking about what could and could not have been. Is life that closed of a circle, dear Romeo? ROMEO What is life with a Juliet? There is no life to think of without such a creature, unrealistic until I found her waiting for me in the chains of the Capulet’ s. Why have you ventured out for me, dim Mercellio? What have you to tell me? MERCELLIO Ah, yes! To argue with you is to forget my true intentions of seeking you out. To find you to reveal to you news that may be pleasing to ones ear, though ones mood may completely destroy it as another beautiful beacon searches for Romeo to talk†¦ Romeo interrupts Marcellio in mid-speech, effective cutting him off. ROMEO What woman do you speak of, servant? What is she called? Where is her place of? Lastly, if she isn’t Juliet, I do not desire this information in the least bit. No woman can compare to the excruciating emotion that will overcome me when I see her fairness once again. Oh, Juliet. MERCELLIO This girl isn’t the much desired Juliet you long for†¦ ROMEO Then what need do I need such information. Go, Mercellio before you regret coming as your life will be stripped from you with my blade. MERCELLIO Please, kind Romeo. This woman states that she knows you and she’s waiting for you†¦she was timid in meeting you again but she longs to meet you once again. She has nagged to me in the journey how she longs for you once again and is ready to begin with you†¦ romeo Who Marcellio? Speak before I slay you with my sword. This is the last time I will say such a thing before I do it! Your very next word shall be her name! Romeo quickly stands up and unsheathes his sword. Mercellio quickly leaps to his feet. MARCELLIO Rosaline! Sweet Rosaline has longed to see you again! Romeo drops his sword in shock at Mercellio’s words. ROMEO Astonishing Rosaline? Where art thou? [Enter Rosaline, sullen] Rosaline Romeo, oh Romeo. My heart aches for your sun. You evaded and left your efforts with me to be with the wondrous Juliet, fair beautiful Juliet and left me distraught. Your attempts at me have been refuted and your eye gazed at a younger beauty. Have you forgotten me Romeo? You no longer desire me, and instead desire youthful Juliet? ROMEO Oh, how fate tests me! Banishment from Verona has caused the most unlikely of meetings! I meet you, here, in the streets of Mantua asking for me! Through me finding love in a beautiful flower races the devil’s cry to change me into nothing! Temptation is at its highest peak than it had ever been and I still find the strength to resist it! You’ve long for me, elegant Rosaline? Ha! How art thou found me? ROSALINE I have longed for you, fair Romeo. I have asked ones, ones that knew of your location, through this I have located you and finally find you in remarkable Mantua. Can you not see how I long for Romeo, my Romeo? The Romeo that has lust for me with the purest of loves? My fair Romeo? ROMEO Your Romeo! Ah, alas you tempt to woe me into submission with your cries of longing? Thou wrote you poems of love and I have gone unnoticed by your beautiful eye! Thank you! For looking for you I found a much better flower, a sweet innocent flower waiting for me, locked waiting for her lover! The loves I’ve harnessed with tight straps have completely drawn my blood blue with pain and suffocation, as you couldn’t see the blue! You couldn’t see anything in those appealing eyes, cold as the fiercest of winters and the snow that assists them! Thou trick with in incantations! ROSALINE You no longer see me as a beautiful sun? The sweet essence which you said you wanted, you breathed, the attention you’ve given, the feelings you’ve told me have now disappeared into the dark halls of time? Instead of greeting me with the passion that you’ve always have, you shun me like a common whore, embarrassing me like some common mistress. You seem to not care that I’m here, asking for my Romeo! ROMEO Why art thou here! ROSALINE I long for my Romeo! The Romeo that made my heart glow with passion and intensity! ROMEO The Romeo you seek is gone, hidden in the shadows, and forever departed. I no longer lust for you Rosaline. You were once a beautiful rose that quickly wilted and the dust has been removed from your vision you want to come to me? I’m lost at sea thirsting for a sweet whiff of Juliet. You have expired like the curds floating atop of milk. MERCELLIO Rosaline has been longing for you a while, good Romeo. Your attempts at you have not gone unnoticed like a wolf’s cry in the woods, but young Rosaline has been tried many times and has seen many failures in her life, aiding in her wary to appeal to you as well. As a troubled soul now she seek me out, throughout the danger to come and see you Romeo. Have you truly no emotion residing inside of you but the emotion of fair Juliet? Thou doesn’t care that Rosaline left Verona to come and meet with you? Thou are truly dark? Sworn to chastity, poor Romeo is depressed an ignorant to see the feelings of one Capulet that defied all in seeing you? ROMEO Thou has not wanted me until thou seen me with Juliet! Thou are selfish in her desire to try and steal me! As her cousin, you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself! ROSALINE I have no such desire! You have desire to still be with I! You still want I! As you refute and deny it, you cannot forget about me as you claim you have! I will never be erased from your mind! ROMEO What did you plan to do, beautiful Rosaline, when you came here? Woe me back into my love for you like a foolish kid who has nothing else to do? Because I will not slip into a fatal trap! I have undying love for Juliet†¦Juliet†¦ ROSELINE I didn’t come to woe you of anything Romeo and as we speak, I myself am risking banishment and exile from Verona and from my kin! I wanted to admit to you†¦ ROMEO Admit what? What is there to admit? You have nothing viable to say! You’re risking everything for nothing! Aren’t you? ROSALINE Risking everything for nothing is not how I felt, dear Romeo. I felt a different way. I felt I had to tell you how I felt, if you long to hear it. [Romeo looks at Rosaline and as he is about to open his mouth, curtain close]

The topic is in details Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The topic is in details - Essay Example During disputes, each party has specific needs and wants. Conflict ensues because both differing parties do not agree about whose wants and needs takes precedence over the others’. Negotiation strives to create an environment where prioritization of interests can be achieved. In case prioritization fails, negotiation will help conflicting parties reach an agreement through balanced compromise of their respective interests. According to Smith (2000), such balanced compromise of interests creates fairness. However, conflicting parties may fail to agree because both sides may hold substantially different understanding and perspectives of fairness. An example of such a situation is seen in the ancient Melian-Athens conflict features in the Melian Dialogue by Thucydides. Prior to engaging in any negotiation or in understanding why two conflicting parties are engaging in a negotiation, it is appropriate to appraise the causative aspects of an underlying conflict. In addition, it is advisable to acknowledge the social, political and economic context in which conflicts and subsequent negotiations are taking place. Melian Dialogue by Thucydides covers events surrounding tribal conflicts in ancient Greece. Despite being a single empire, Greece was divided along its ethnic lines. Buckley (2010) said that there were two major divisions, the Athenians deriving its roots from the Ionians and the Spartans from the Dorian heritage. Sparta adopted an oligarchic political structure characterized by a few wealthy members of the society commanding and ruling the rest of the citizens. On the contrary, Athens was democratic and the wealthiest nation in Greece. In this case, both parties held contrary political, economic and social opinions which lead to growing tens ion between them. Sparta had allies, including Melos while Athens also had its allies. Increasing tension sparked a 10-year conflict marking the first phase of Peloponnesian war between Sparta and its allies

International Logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Logistics - Essay Example The grocery retail chain market in UK has become mature enough due to the presence of several potential organizations. The distribution strategy of Morrison is quite unique among the other retail players within the UK market. It is the only largest retail chain supermarket that owns and operates healthy and fresh food production and processing facilities. The organization has implemented vertical integrated distribution operation in the food category. This vertically integrated operation has helped Morrison to produce, distribute and retail enormous bulk of its fresh and unsullied meat and dairy requirements (Doole and Lowe, 2005, p.131). Moreover, this distribution structure helps the organization to process and package the fresh vegetables and fruits effectively. The organization has expanded and strengthens its manufacturing and distribution infrastructure in the fiscal year 2006 (Ruddick, 2013, p.1). In terms of manufacturing, Morison has expanded its in-house baking effectively and capacity by acquiring Rathbone’s 80% stake. The abattoir operation of Morrison was started to expand in the year 2005 by acquiring second facility in Scotland. The organization also has extended fruit processing and packing facility in Northamptonshire. Moreover, the organization has introduced a new warehouse in Rushden in order to package the vegetables. The organization has opened a fresh and new regional dedicated distribution centre at Kettering in the year 2005 (Furrer, 2010, p.233). It was estimated that this centre may save almost 70 nearby stores in UK. The global recession and European financial crisis in 2008 has affected international distribution and logistics structure of Morrison. Moreover several unfavourable reasons have resulted the fall in sales (plunkett, 2009, p.49). Despite of an extra trading date in the year 2011, the organization has reported 2.5pc sales drop. It is feasible that, the organization has implemented vertical integration strategy in t heir distribution channel (Mangan, Lalwani and Butcher, 2008, p.130). The major concern for Morrison is that, the sales figure has declined since the Christmas, whereas the other competitors, such as Sainsbury and Tesco have performed relatively well comparing to Morrison. According to Philips, limited numbers of convenience stores is affecting the business performance of Morrison. The organization has only 12 convenience stores. On the other hand, the other large competitors of Morrison have strong presence in the UK grocery retail market with numerous existing convenience stores. It is indicating that, the organization has limited access to growing division of the international grocery retail market. It is expected that, the organization may face several difficulties if they try to introduce new convenience stores in near future. According to Morrison, selling the grocery food products and vegetables through convenience store will be costly comparing to the selling food products i n traditional supermarket. Therefore, it is feasible that, the limited number of convenience store is hurting the sales of the organization. On the other hand it is affecting less to the business profit margins of Morrison. Moreover, the shareholders of Morrison are backing this particular old traditional sales strategy. The declined Christmas sales figure may create huge threat for the future perspective of Morrison. The organization is still utilizing supermarket chain model in order to sell their products. It is discussed earlier that, this

Letter to Colombian Government (Writing to Argue) Assignment

Letter to Colombian Government (Writing to Argue) - Assignment Example The situation is further exacerbated by the displacement of children due to the armed conflict and the forced recruitment of minors by armed groups, such as the FARC (IACH Report). The commission’s conclusion is clearly a clarion call for government action. Unfortunately, the Colombian government’s enactment of the 1989 Minor’s Code facilitates the exploitation of the very children it aims to protect. In Medellin, the Minor’s Code encourages contempt of the law, engenders child assassins, brings children under the control of exploitative bosses, pushes children into guerilla forces, and prevents the reintegration of children into society. The Minor’s Code’s position that those who are under the age of 18 will not go to jail on committing a crime, only gives carte blanche to children to break the law with impunity. While its provisions may superficially claim to protect the child, the ground-reality is markedly different: the Code, designed to protect kids from adult prisons, actually puts them above the law. It effectively absolves children from taking responsibility for their actions. This makes them effective instruments of crime, as they can easily evade the long arm of the law. Just as civilians are used as shields in unfair wars, the Minor’s Code is responsible for children being used as shields for crime on the streets of Medellin. There is widespread contempt of the law and crimes are delegated to children. The Code is as good as a license to kill.   As the Minor's Code allows kids under 18 to kill without being held responsible, the streets of Medellin teem with child assassins. Contract killings, which are common here, are largely executed by minors. The client contacts a boss, identifies the victim and pays the contract price. The boss then executes the contract using child assassins. Capt. Luis Francisco Marino Florez, a homicide detective in Medellin, perceives child assassins to be more dangerous t han adult ones. He says, â€Å"They're less predictable, and they know they can't be touched.† Minors literally thumb their noses at him. â€Å"In the cases of 12- and 13-year-olds, we have kids who we know have murdered 10 to 15 people, but nothing happens to them† (Griswold, New York Times). Secure behind the walls of the Minor’s Code, Medellin’s adolescent sicarios, or assassins, are the gang bosses’ preferred instruments of execution. The Minor’s Code puts children under the exploitative control of gang bosses, who keep their young charges on a tight leash. The gang leaders of Medellin are often affiliated with the paramilitary forces from whom they receive cash and weapons. The immunity conferred on children by the Minor’s Code makes them ideal as the bosses’ underlings. The bosses hire child assassins and equip them with weapons. The children are provided with drugs, as another way in which the bosses can retain control o ver them. They depend on the gang bosses for drugs, approval and money. In the frequent absence of fathers, these children even see the bosses as their role models. They get paid at the bosses’ whim. Once they are caught in this vicious circle, children cannot break out. They have to continue killing, or be killed. As the minor reaches the age of eighteen, which places him outside the protective umbrella of the Minor’

Explaining Sustainable Agriculture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Explaining Sustainable Agriculture - Term Paper Example (Feenstra 530) The term ''sustainable agriculture'' (U.S. Code Title 7, Section 3103) means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will over the long-term: Satisfy human food and fiber needs. Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends. Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls. Sustain the economic viability of farm operations. Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.(Hedburg 1) Therefore Sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food healthy for consumers and animals, respects animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities. ... Soil is protected by natural ways Soil is protected from erosion by cover crops and organic matter is continually used Conserve water and quality Water is polluted by dropping Aquifers also the agricultural chemicals degrade water supplies and threaten aquatic life Farming methods conserve water and soil moisture and protect surface and ground water from pollutants and sediment Managing Organic Wastes By using Industrial agriculture methodology large amounts of animal wastes are transferred from one place to another which increases the chances of spills and water pollution Animal wastes provide nutrients for growing crops without polluting the water Encourage biodiversity Monoculture is the norm: farms are plowed fence row to fence row, wild â€Å"unused† areas are put into production, only the most productive few crop varieties or livestock breeds are raised Diversity is the norm: of habitats, livestock, crops, wild plant and animal species, and of genetics within crop and li vestock species Select plants and animals adapted to the environment farmers raise non-adapted crops also Genetic engineering narrows genetic diversity Farmers raise such animals and plants adapted to the existing environment also genetic diversity is preserved Conserve non-renewable resources Use of fossil fuels isencouraged Food production is centralized in a few regions Conservation of fossil fuels is encouraged and Renewable energy resources are used Food production is decentralized to encourage local, biodiverse, environmentally-adapted food systems which save fossil fuels Increase profitability and reduce risk farmers are pressurized to increase the size of their operations Short term profit is in focus farmers are

Childhood Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Childhood Depression - Essay Example Depression also occurs in children; the diagnosis criterion is the presence of symptoms over a fortnight. The symptoms could include sadness, low enjoyment of previously enjoyable activities, and loss of appetite or feelings of low moods. Accompanying these feelings is low self-esteem, which can alter behavioral changes in an individual. In addition, this mental illness has detrimental effects on the body functions. Clinical depression can be classified into manic (bipolar), major depression and dysthymia. All of these types of clinical depression affect children at varying rates and severity (Lack & Green, 2009). Between 2- 6% of children and teenagers experience depression. Suicide, which may be caused by depression, is the third leading cause of death in individuals between 10-19 years old (Whittington et al, 2004). This paper delves into the often maligned issue of childhood depression, its causes and management. Childhood Depression Diagnosis of clinical depression in childhood is not a clear-cut issue as it elicits several debates. Firstly, it is a relatively new phenomenon while there is no agreement on the legitimacy of its diagnosis. One view holds that definitions of major depression in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM IV) do not adequately distinguish between emotions in response to loss from emotions in depression (Clarke, 2011). Another view holds that children may outgrow depression. In addition, children may be diagnosed with other mental illnesses; thus, diagnosis of childhood depression is a difficult task. People get distressed at various stages of their life. Sadness may wane over time, however, and depression may persist over longer periods of time. For children, the experiences of depression may be difficult to detect. Most therapists, health workers and clinical psychologists assumed that children were immature to undergo depression. With time, healthcare practitioners and therapists recognized the presence and nature of the illness as an identifiable mental illness. The difficulty in diagnosing depression in children is harder since adults may assume that certain behaviors are normal or are simply development stages. Additionally, children may not be able to communicate their feelings. Children may exhibit irritability; thus, their actions may be misinterpreted as naughtiness. Depression occurs across all races, social classes, and economic settings. A proper diagnosis of depression is crucial since less than 30% of adults and children receive the appropriate treatment (Bhatia & Bhatia, 2007).  

Econ 212 G sangkeun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Econ 212 G sangkeun - Essay Example But Brooks is of the opinion that the haphazard growth of suburban outskirts is now becoming the kind of 'improvement' with people from different nationalities residing there. On the other hand, Katz finds that the suburban growth is a compulsion for the people of mainland as well as the immigrant population. Comparing the views of both the writers, I feel that the views expressed by Katz reflect the situation more realistically the Brooks. Katz calls upon the respective governments to become more responsive towards the growth of suburban areas. He terms the apparent practice of viewing it as the concentration of poorer people in the suburbs not a good policy on the part of the government. While sympathizing with the people settling in the outskirts, Katz finds out that the state laws are also responsible for compounding the problems. Katz states that if the suburbs will continue to be ignored by the governments, then the patterns of metropolitan growth would not only become fiscally, socially, and environmentally unsustainable, but it will also become damaging for our society as well. ii. As we are moving in the 21st century, we are indeed way ahead of the industrial revolution set off by our ancestors in the early 18th century. The world has indeed reaped rich benefits from this industrialization.

Business Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Business - Research Proposal Example This understanding will not only help in developing more sustainable strategies but will also facilitate in maintaining effectiveness throughout the business channel, ensuring greater degree of responsible attitude among the participants. In this study, a quantitative research approach has been proposed that would help in obtaining adequate and appropriate information in relation to consumer boycotts in the recent era and the factors contributing to the same. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Problem Statement 6 Research Objectives 7 Hypotheses 8 Rationale of the Study 9 Literature Review 10 Social Pressure 12 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Customer Attitude 12 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Brand Image 14 Motivation for Boycott Participation 15 Consequences of Consumer Boycotts 17 Research Design 18 Research Approach 18 Data Collection 19 Sampling 19 Ethical Issues 20 Measurement 20 Data Analysis Plan 21 References 22 Appendix: Questionnaire 25 Introduction Conceptually, boycotts are referred as particular techniques that can be used by stakeholders against those corporate entities those are responsible for executing unethical operations, inhibiting the interests of its internal or external stakeholder group. These techniques can be used by consumers or workers or any other stakeholder, having in interest in the company’s ethical performance (Murtagh & Lukehart, 2012). It is usually identified as a process on the basis of which, consumers decipher their voluntary and determined refusal or disapproval to buy, use or participate in any event of company on the grounds of unethical practices that may include fraudulent business, discriminatory practices, lack of transparency and integrity in the functioning or engagement of the company in illegal activities. Boycotts are significant when undertaken in groups as the strength tends to intensify with increased number of consumers willingly abandoning the product or serv ice. Boycotts are commonly executed by racial minorities, women’s rights activists, labour unions, religious groups and consumers. Commonly, boycotts are organised in groups with the intention to bind the corporate entities towards performing ethically sound functions and avoid or discontinue practicing malpractices and unethical tactics rendering due significance to customers’ interests. In this context, any consumer can be recognised as a boycotter (Murtagh & Lukehart, 2012). Boycotts are organised by dedicated as well as energetic activists who are willing to stand forward for any issue that is witnessed to be hampering the social, ethical and environmental factors of the region. Moreover, the reasons which are accountable for organising boycotts should be definite and accurate so that adequate supports as well as assistances are obtained from others activists. The objectives of boycotts should also be measurable, precise and realistic. In this regard, shareholder r esolutions are also identified to be an effective technique for influencing companies to change in accordance with the determined objectives of boycotts. It is worth mentioning in this context that shareholder resolutions are effective as shareholders can force the management of a company to change certain policies, which are inappropriate and unethical company as per the legal norms and thus, fail to work for the interest of the society at large. Furthermore,

Blackfish Movie Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Blackfish Movie Review - Essay Example In the main, I look for ingenuity and real-life issues in a good documentary film. I expect to see and learn more about nature and understand different societies. Blackfish is one such documentary, which exposes the unkindness man imposes on animals and the plight of wildlife in marine parks as they undergo domestication and training to amuse humans and generate profits. Gabriela Cowperthwaite directs Blackfish, an insightful documentary  that runs for an hour and twenty minutes. The documentary, released in 2013, has a PG-13 rating because it has a mature theme, and distressing and sadistic images.  Eli Despres,  Gabriela Cowperthwaite, and Tim Zimmermann wrote the documentary, which has triggered varied opinions among its viewers. The film is all about the relationship of humans and nature, exemplifying a performing whale Tilikum, which undergoes spiteful treatment in captivity for the sake of human entertainment. The film shows a painful footage of a trainer crushed between two gigantic beasts while a whale drags a trainer repeatedly to the bottom of a pool as he struggles to break out of its grip. More to that, there are scenes of bleeding whales as they are captured and undergo training. In the documentary, there are interviews of a group of former SeaWorld trainers. Their role is to offer a firsthand account of what happens in the marine park. This is beneficial as firsthand information from separate interviewees always provides truthful information. The interviewees detail the capturing process, which is horrendous and bound to set a bad feeling on a person’s gut. Seeing the tight detention and complete darkness the orcas stay in is also heartbreaking. Even so, one has to watch the wrongful separation of mother and child, to understand the level of cruelty in the film. Tilikum killed Dawn Brancheau, one of the trainers and a main person in the film. This betrays the statistic widely held in the society that there are no deaths resulting from

Christmas carol Essay Example for Free

Christmas carol Essay In a Christmas carol by Charles Dickens, scrooge becomes a reformed character by the end of the story. Explain how effectively Dickens shows the extent of these character changes. The story tells of scrooge who is transported through time to the Christmas of his childhood, the present and the future. The following essay will take you through these time periods. At the beginning of the story scrooge is portrayed as a dull, bleak character. On the front cover for example we can see scrooge in a dark room on his own. The only light is from the small candle on his mantle piece. He has grey hair and a long pointy nose. Scrooges personality was very negative and dull. We know that his attitude is bad as when his nephew wishes him a merry Christmas he replies bah, humbug. scrooges nephew then again wishes scrooge a merry Christmas but again only gets a response of what reason have you to be merry, youre poor enough when scrooges nephew replies youre rich enough what reason have you to be dismissal scrooge has no answer to that question. As well as showing us scrooges negative personality it also shows us his attitude towards Christmas. Scrooge also has a negative attitude towards the poor. We learn about this as when the charity collectors come, one says at this time of year it is usually more than desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor. Are there no prisons replied scrooge At hearing this, the inspector says yes plenty, but many cant go there and many would rather die. A cold hearted scrooge then replies well then they had better do it quick and decrease the surplus population. The collectors were astonished and after this they realised there would be no point in pursuing there point. The gentlemen left. After this incident a couple of carol singers called at scrooges house. As soon as scrooge opened the door he raised a large stick and the small boys fled. At the end of the story scrooge became a completely reformed character. He walked the streets with a smile on his face; he then also went to church and watched the people hurrying to and fro. He looked into kitchens of houses and found that anything could yield him pleasure. Earlier on in the story scrooge was invited to his nephews Christmas dinner. He rejected the invite. Later that afternoon he turned his steps towards the party. He walked in and said where is my love Hes in the dining room said the servant. Scrooge made his way to the dining room and when he walked in everyone looked at him bemused. Why bless my soul cried Fred whos that Its I, your uncle scrooge, I have come to dinner. Will you let me in Fred? Of course replied Fred. After the party instead of scrooges usual party pooper image he cried wonderful party, wonderful games, wonderful unanimity, wonderful happiness. Scrooge was completely reformed. Another thing that proved scrooges reformation was when Bob Cratchit turned up late for work. He was pleading with scrooge not to fire him. Instead scrooge said a very merry Christmas and offered him a pay rise. The reader is kept interested by the ghosts that challenge scrooge each time. Once scrooge has past the first challenge the reader wants to stay and see if he passes the next one. Once he passes the second challenge the level of tension rises. After passing the third challenge scrooge remembers what he was like at the start of the story. Some of the words he used come back to haunt him. The overall message is that you dont have to be a scrooge if you consider others misfortunes and try to help out as much as possible. You will lead a much happier life if you are thoughtful and considerate. The story makes you wonder which side of scrooge you are most similar to. It leaves a clear question in your head. how could I change?

The Performance Measurement In Business Logistics Commerce Essay

The Performance Measurement In Business Logistics Commerce Essay Performance measurement can be defined as the process of quantifying effectiveness and the efficiency of an action (Neely, Mills, Platts, Gregory, Richards, 1994). Given the lack of any universally definition for performance in the organizational literature, it should not be surprising that extant literature offers many ideas about the dimension that ought to be incorporated into a conceptualization of logistics performance. One of the best examples is the framework where physical distribution effectiveness is defined as the extent to which distribution programmes satisfy customers [Rhea Shrock, International Journal of Logistics Management, 5, p. 3. supply chain management encompasses the logistics management which plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customers requirements(Anonymous 2002). Performance measurement in the logistics functions, like starts at the individual metric level. Because of the great abundance of metrics already in existence there is forceful need for a method with which to evaluate the existing metrics. Quantitative and Qualitative measures are the two basic categories of Logistics indicators. Qualitative measures include such as product quality, customer satisfaction etc. and quantitative measures include such as order-to-delivery lead time, cycle time, flexibility, resource utilization, delivery performance, etc. Non-financial and financial are two broad categories of Quantitative metrics of supply chain performance. In fact, in the late 1880s return on investment (as a financial measure) was the main emphasis. (Schermerhorn et al.,, 2000). However as the second progressed during 1980s, the world market changed and overseas competitors began to take market share from the domestic and national companies who were unable to provide higher-quality products with lower costs and more diversity. National companies shifted their strategic focus from cost production to quality, flexibility and short lead time, as non-financial measures to gain the competitive edge in the market (Stewart, 1995). Business logistics performance metrics could also be classified as Operational Day to day technical representation developed schedule adherence avoiding complaints defect free delivery Inventory carrying cost(Levy (1997); Lee Billington (1992) Information carrying cost (Steward (1995) Tactical purchasing order efficiency Cycle time procedures booking Cash flow, Quality assurance flexibility transportation cost Capacity Strategic Rate of return on Investment Total cash flow time lead time comparison Quality level and quality assurance cost saving supplier pricing measuring against market(Gunasekaran et al. (2004) query time The critical elements that form the basis of logistics management are time, distance and money. Some utilization, productivity and effectiveness metrics used in the logistics management are: Dimension Metric Example Utilization Actual input/norm input Area of warehouse occupied/ total area Productivity Actual output/actual input Ton-miles delivered/cost incurred No of orders processed/ no of hours of labor Effectiveness Actual output/norm output No of shipment on-time/no of shipment sent Utilization measures: They are used to track the use of input resources in process. In logistics, input could be characterized as financial, physical assets or inventory. Utilization metrics include the following: Spending measures Purchase price variance Distribution cost as percentage of sales Variance of transportation cost from budget Non financial resources measures Usage ratios Amortized costs Inventory measures Static metrics (capture level of inventory expressed in physical, financial or other terms) Flow metrics (capture speed of inventory as it flows through the system over a period of time) productivity measures Partial productivity measures (SFP-single factor productivity ratios ) Total factor productivity measurement Financial productivity measurement (ROI-return on investment )( (Frameworx, 2005) Effectiveness metrics Order fill rates( order filled /orders requested Line item fill rates( total line items not filled / shipped in time per period Damage rates (line items damaged per order) Order cycle time (elapsed time between receiving request and delivering order) Delivery or transit time (elapsed time between readying order for shipment and delivery order)( DfT, 2004) On-time ( orders shipped on time or orders received by customer on time ) Perfect deliveries (orders received by customers with no logistics service fullness) Importance of performance Measurement The importance of measurement is everywhere as you get what you inspect, not what you expect. Hence, the importance of performance measurement cannot be denied. Therefore, to evaluate work done and to direct the activities metrics are required ((Melnyk et al. 2004). . Pressures (globalization, severe competition, and changing customers needs) are significantly driving force in the present era requiring the organizations to re-focus on utilizing of people and resources based on organizational objectives. A performance measurement system is needed to evaluate the resource utilization so that the organizations can strategically manage and properly control. It has been pointed out that in order to take action for ensuring desired results a performance measurement system is essential tool of controlling process. (Schermerhorn and Chappell, 2000) Measuring performance is necessary, because of the following reasons (which vary from organization to organization) are 🙠 Parker (2000) Success identification Measuring whether they are fulfilling the customer requirements; Help them understand their processes: Problems bottlenecks waste, etc. Identification Making sure that decisions are based on fact, not on supposition, emotion or intuition; and Disclose improvement planned, actually happened. Case Example To fully utilize the performance measurement system of logistics a firm has to implement latest technological infrastructure so efficient logistics operations could work flawlessly. Here we examine the case of Transcom Inc. that is a known to be the one of the leading edge a distributor of seals and bearings in Burnsville, Minn. it has successfully enhanced its performance measurements in its supply chain operations through implementing and incorporating latest technological measurement tools in its supply chain operations. Transcom was able to find numerous ways to speed up the order-to-ship process and reduce costs through this strategy that is through effectively measuring the performance of the logistics operation with the help of appropriate technology. Analysis of performance data resulted in improved inventory control, increased product turns, increased shipment volumes and reduced line-item labor costs. Implementation of technological performance measurement tools increased the not only efficiencies of Logistics such as efficiencies in our distribution center but also created efficiencies purchasing, inventory control and customer-service departments. (Dennis Bollinger 2006) Conclusion: The a firms approach in establishing logistics measurements system does not matters a lot as the real value come when the information is acted upon to align the effectiveness and efficiency of the logistics process performance to value the customers. The role 3PL can have in your success is dependent on when you start measuring your logistics performance (james S. Keebler and David A. Durtsche 2007). One of the logistics challenges is that organizations have to be more responsive, with high levels of flexibility in delivery. The emphasis should be on processes and performance rather than on functions and profit. The competitive battleground will be in the fields of quality, productivity, speed and innovation. Progress towards performance excellence will be aided greatly by relevant and integrated measurement frameworks and models (Christopher (1994).