Leave This Chanting

Gitanjali is a collection of 103 English poems, largely translations, by the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. ‘Leave this chanting’ is the 11th poem in the collection. The poet advises the priests to give up their counting of beads and their singing and chanting of mantras. He also urges them stop the worship of God in a secluded corner of the temple, with their eyes half shut. He sharply states, ‘Open your eyes and see God is not there before you. ’ God is not to be found in this way.God lives with the humble and down-trodden like the tillers of the land and path-makers who work hard at breaking stones. He lives with those who toil in sun and shower and whose clothes are soiled with dust. If the priest wants God he must come out of his temple, give up his holy robes and work with the humble tillers of the soil in rain and sun. Tagore thus glorifies the life of the humble labourers and rejects the ascetic way of life. The ultimate spiritual goal of the asce tic is to seek deliverance.This is the liberation of the soul from the cycle of birth and death. But God Himself is bound to all of us in chains of love. He himself is not free and He has joyfully bound Himself to the work of creation and to the objects He has created. How can then man ever hope to be free from bondage? He urges the ascetics to leave the ritualistic flowers and incense which does not serve any purpose. According to the poet one can find God not in the temple but with the workers who are working whole day in the dirt and under the hot sun.He asks us what harm is there if you work under the sun and if your clothes become dirt. Even when your clothes are turn out or stained there is no harm because one is going to see the creator. Thus Tagore conveys that participation in the activity of life is essential for the realization of God. This poem ‘Leave This Chanting’ is equally important in World Literature due to his exposing the pseudo-zeal of worshippers e verywhere.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 3. BIG DAY

My own eyes flew open. I lay shivering and gasping in my warm bed for several minutes, trying to break free of the dream. The sky outside my window turned gray and then pale pink while I waited for my heart to slow. When I was fully back to the reality of my messy, familiar room, I was a little annoyed with myself. What a dream to have the night before my wedding! That's what I got for obsessing over disturbing stories in the middle of the night. Eager to shake off the nightmare, I got dressed and headed down to the kitchen long before I needed to. First I cleaned the already tidy rooms, and then when Charlie was up I made him pancakes. I was much too keyed up to have any interest in eating breakfast myself – I sat bouncing in my seat while he ate. â€Å"You're picking up Mr. Weber at three o'clock,† I reminded him. â€Å"I don't have that much to do today besides bring the minister, Bells. I'm not likely to forget my only job.† Charlie had taken the entire day off for the wedding, and he was definitely at loose ends. Now and then, his eyes flickered furtively to the closet under the stairs, where he kept his fishing gear. â€Å"That's not your only job. You also have to be dressed and presentable.† He scowled into his cereal bowl and muttered the words â€Å"monkey suit† under his breath. There was a brisk tapping on the front door. â€Å"You think you have it bad,† I said, grimacing as I rose. â€Å"Alice will be working on me all day long.† Charlie nodded thoughtfully, conceding that he did have the lesser ordeal. I ducked in to kiss the top of his head as I passed – he blushed and harrumphed – and then continued on to get the door for my best girlfriend and soon-to-be sister. Alice's short black hair was not in its usual spiky do – it was smoothed into sleek pin curls around her pixie face, which wore a contrastingly businesslike expression. She dragged me from the house with barely a â€Å"Hey, Charlie† called over her shoulder. Alice appraised me as I got into her Porsche. â€Å"Oh, hell, look at your eyes!† She tsked in reproach. â€Å"What did you do? Stay up all night?† â€Å"Almost.† She glowered. â€Å"I've only allotted so much time to make you stunning, Bella – you might have taken better care of my raw material.† â€Å"No one expects me to be stunning. I think the bigger problem is that I might fall asleep during the ceremony and not be able to say 1 do' at the right part, and then Edward will make his escape.† She laughed. â€Å"I'll throw my bouquet at you when it gets close.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"At least you'll have plenty of time to sleep on the plane tomorrow.† I raised one eyebrow. Tomorrow, I mused. If we were heading out tonight after the reception, and we would still be on a plane tomorrow†¦ well, we weren't going to Boise, Idaho. Edward hadn't dropped a single hint. I wasn't too stressed about the mystery, but it was strange not knowing where I would be sleeping tomorrow night. Or hopefully not sleeping †¦ Alice realized that she'd given something away, and she frowned. â€Å"You're all packed and ready,† she said to distract me. It worked. â€Å"Alice, I wish you would let me pack my own things!† â€Å"It would have given too much away.† â€Å"And denied you an opportunity to shop.† â€Å"You'll be my sister officially in ten short hours†¦ it's about time to get over this aversion to new clothes.† I glowered groggily out the windshield until we were almost to the house. â€Å"Is he back yet?† I asked. â€Å"Don't worry, he'll be there before the music starts. But you don't get to see him, no matter when he gets back. We're doing this the traditional way.† I snorted. â€Å"Traditional!† â€Å"Okay, aside from the bride and groom.† â€Å"You know he's already peeked.† â€Å"Oh no – that's why I'm the only one who's seen you in the dress. I've been very careful to not think about it when he's around.† â€Å"Well,† I said as we turned into the drive, â€Å"I see you got to reuse your graduation decorations.† Three miles of drive were once again wrapped in hundreds of thousands of twinkle lights. This time, she'd added white satin bows. â€Å"Waste not, want not. Enjoy this, because you don't get to see the inside decorations until it's time.† She pulled into the cavernous garage north of the main house; Emmett's big Jeep was still gone. â€Å"Since when is the bride not allowed to see the decorations?† I protested. â€Å"Since she put me in charge. I want you to get the full impact coming down the stairs.† She clapped her hand over my eyes before she let me inside the kitchen. I was immediately assailed by the scent. â€Å"What is that?† I wondered as she guided me into the house. â€Å"Is it too much?† Alice's voice was abruptly worried. â€Å"You're the first human in here; I hope I got it right.† â€Å"it smells wonderful!† I assured her – almost intoxicating, but not at all overwhelming, the balance of the different fragrances was subtle and flawless. â€Å"Orange blossoms†¦ lilac†¦ and something else – am I right?† â€Å"Very good, Bella. You only missed the freesia and the roses.† She didn't uncover my eyes until we were in her oversized bathroom. I stared at the long counter, covered in all the paraphernalia of a beauty salon, and began to feel my sleepless night. â€Å"Is this really necessary? I'm going to look plain next to him no matter what.† She pushed me down into a low pink chair. â€Å"No one will dare to call you plain when I'm through with you.† â€Å"Only because they're afraid you'll suck their blood,† I muttered. I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes, hoping I'd be able to nap through it. I did drift in and out a little bit while she masked, buffed, and polished every surface of my body. It was after lunchtime when Rosalie glided past the bathroom door in a shimmery silver gown with her golden hair piled up in a soft crown on top of her head. She was so beautiful it made me want to cry. What was even the point of dressing up with Rosalie around? â€Å"They're back,† Rosalie said, and immediately my childish fit of despair passed. Edward was home. â€Å"Keep him out of here!† â€Å"He won't cross you today,† Rosalie reassured her. â€Å"He values his life too much. Esme's got them finishing things up out back. Do you want some help? I could do her hair.† My jaw fell open. I floundered around in my head, trying to remember how to close it. I had never been Rosalie's favorite person in the world. Then, making things even more strained between us, she was personally offended by the choice I was making now. Though she had her impossible beauty, her loving family, and her soul mate in Emmett, she would have traded it all to be human. And here I was, callously throwing away everything she wanted in life like it was garbage. It didn't exactly warm her to me. â€Å"Sure,† Alice said easily. â€Å"You can start braiding. I want it intricate. The veil goes here, underneath.† Her hands started combing through my hair, hefting it, twisting it, illustrating in detail what she wanted. When she was done, Rosalie's hands replaced hers, shaping my hair with a feather-light touch. Alice moved back to my face. Once Rosalie received Alice's commendation on my hair, she was sent off to retrieve my dress and then to locate Jasper, who had been dispatched to pick up my mother and her husband, Phil, from their hotel. Downstairs, I could faintly hear the door opening and closing over and over. Voices began to float up to us. Alice made me stand so that she could ease the dress over my hair and makeup. My knees shook so badly as she fastened the long line of pearl buttons up my back that the satin quivered in little wavelets down to the floor. â€Å"Deep breaths, Bella/7Alice said. â€Å"And try to lower your heart rate. You're going to sweat off your new face.† I gave her the best sarcastic expression I could manage. â€Å"I'll get right on that.† â€Å"I have to get dressed now. Can you hold yourself together for two minutes?† â€Å"Urn†¦ maybe?† She rolled her eyes and darted out the door. I concentrated on my breathing, counting each movement of my lungs, and stared at the patterns that the bathroom light made on the shiny fabric of my skirt. I was afraid to look in the mirror – afraid the image of myself in the wedding dress would send me over the edge into a full-scale panic attack. Alice was back before I had taken two hundred breaths, in a dress that flowed down her slender body like a silvery waterfall. â€Å"Alice – wow.† â€Å"It's nothing. No one will be looking at me today. Not while you're in the room.† â€Å"Har har.† â€Å"Now, are you in control of yourself, or do I have to bring Jasper up here?† â€Å"They're back? Is my mom here?† â€Å"She just walked in the door. She's on her way up.† Renee had flown in two days ago, and I'd spent every minute I could with her – every minute that I could pry her away from Esme and the decorations, in other words. As far as I could tell, she was having more fun with this than a kid locked inside Disneyland overnight. In a way, I felt almost as cheated as Charlie. All that wasted terror over her reaction†¦ â€Å"Oh, Bella!† she squealed now, gushing before she was all the way through the door. â€Å"Oh, honey, you're so beautiful! Oh, I'm going to cry! Alice, you're amazing! You and Esme should go into business as wedding planners. Where did you find this dress? It's gorgeous! So graceful, so elegant. Bella, you look like you just stepped out of an Austen movie.† My mother's voice sounded a little distance away, and everything in the room was slightly blurry. â€Å"Such a creative idea, designing the theme around Bella's ring. So romantic! To think it's been in Edward's family since the eighteen hundreds!† Alice and I exchanged a brief conspiratorial look. My mom was off on the dress style by more than a hundred years. The wedding wasn't actually centered around the ring, but around Edward himself. There was a loud, gruff throat-clearing in the doorway. â€Å"Renee, Esme said it's time you got settled down there,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, Charlie, don't you look dashing!† Renee said in a tone that was almost shocked. That might have explained the crustiness of Charlie's answer. â€Å"Alice got to me.† â€Å"Is it really time already?† Renee said to herself, sounding almost as nervous as I felt. â€Å"This has all gone so fast. I feel dizzy.† That made two of us. â€Å"Give me a hug before I go down/7Renee insisted. â€Å"Carefully now, don't tear anything.† My mother squeezed me gently around the waist, then wheeled for the door, only to complete the spin and face me again. â€Å"Oh goodness, I almost forgot! Charlie, Where's the box?† My dad rummaged in his pockets for a minute and then produced a small white box, which he handed to Renee. Renee lifted the lid and held it out to me. â€Å"Something blue,† she said. â€Å"Something old, too. They were your Grandma Swan's,† Charlie added. â€Å"We had a jeweler replace the paste stones with sapphires.† Inside the box were two heavy silver hair combs. Dark blue sapphires were clustered into intricate floral shapes atop the teeth. My throat got all thick. â€Å"Mom, Dad†¦ you shouldn't have.† â€Å"Alice wouldn't let us do anything else,† Renee said. â€Å"Every time we tried, she all but ripped our throats out.† A hysterical giggle burst through my lips. Alice stepped up and quickly slid both combs into my hair under the edge of the thick braids. â€Å"That's something old and something blue,† Alice mused, taking a few steps back to admire me. â€Å"And your dress is new†¦ so here – â€Å" She flicked something at me. I held my hands out automatically, and the filmy white garter landed in my palms. â€Å"That's mine and I want it back,† Alice told me. I blushed. â€Å"There,† Alice said with satisfaction. â€Å"A little color – that's all you needed. You are officially perfect.† With a little self-congratulatory smile, she turned to my parents. â€Å"Renee, you need to get downstairs.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† Renee blew me a kiss and hurried out the door. â€Å"Charlie, would you grab the flowers, please?† While Charlie was out of the room, Alice hooked the garter out of my hands and then ducked under my skirt. I gasped and tottered as her cold hand caught my ankle; she yanked the garter into place. She was back on her feet before Charlie returned with the two frothy white bouquets. The scent of roses and orange blossom and freesia enveloped me in a soft mist. Rosalie – the best musician in the family next to Edward – began playing the piano downstairs. Pachelbel's Canon. I began hyperventilating. â€Å"Easy, Bells,† Charlie said. He turned to Alice nervously. â€Å"She looks a little sick. Do you think she's going to make it?† His voice sounded far away. I couldn't feel my legs. â€Å"She'd better.† Alice stood right in front of me, on her tiptoes to better stare me in the eye, and gripped my wrists in her hard hands. â€Å"Focus, Bella. Edward is waiting for you down there.† 1 took a deep breath, willing myself into composure. The music slowly morphed into a new song. Charlie nudged me. â€Å"Bells, we're up to bat.† â€Å"Bella?† Alice asked, still holding my gaze. â€Å"Yes,† I squeaked. â€Å"Edward. Okay.† I let her pull me from the room, with Charlie tagging along at my elbow. The music was louder in the hall. It floated up the stairs along with the fragrance of a million flowers. I concentrated on the idea of Edward waiting below to get my feet to shuffle forward. The music was familiar, Wagner's traditional march surrounded by a flood of embellishments. â€Å"It's my turn,† Alice chimed. â€Å"Count to five and follow me.† She began a slow, graceful dance down the staircase. I should have realized that having Alice as my only bridesmaid was a mistake. I would look that much more uncoordinated coming behind her. A sudden fanfare trilled through the soaring music. I recognized my cue. â€Å"Don't let me fall, Dad,† I whispered. Charlie pulled my hand through his arm and then grasped it tightly. One step ata time, I told myself as we began to descend to the slow tempo of the march. I didn't lift my eyes until my feet were safely on the flat ground, though I could hear the murmurs and rustling of the audience as I came into view. Blood flooded my cheeks at the sound; of course I could be counted on to be the blushing bride. As soon as my feet were past the treacherous stairs, I was looking for him. For a brief second, I was distracted by the profusion of white blossoms that hung in garlands from everything in the room that wasn't alive, dripping with long lines of white gossamer ribbons. But I tore my eyes from the bowery canopy and searched across the rows of satin-draped chairs – blushing more deeply as I took in the crowd of faces all focused on me – until I found him at last, standing before an arch overflowing with more flowers, more gossamer. I was barely conscious that Carlisle stood by his side, and Angela's father behind them both. I didn't see my mother where she must have been sitting in the front row, or my new family, or any of the guests – they would have to wait till later. All I really saw was Edward's face; it filled my vision and overwhelmed my mind. His eyes were a buttery, burning gold; his perfect face was almost severe with the depth of his emotion. And then, as he met my awed gaze, he broke into a breathtaking smile of exultation. Suddenly, it was only the pressure of Charlie's hand on mine that kept me from sprinting headlong down the aisle. The march was too slow as I struggled to pace my steps to its rhythm. Mercifully, the aisle was very short. And then, at last, at last, I was there. Edward held out his hand. Charlie took my hand and, in a symbol as old as the world, placed it in Edward's. I touched the cool miracle of his skin, and I was home. Our vows were the simple, traditional words that had been spoken a million times, though never by a couple quite like us. We'd asked Mr. Weber to make only one small change. He obligingly traded the line â€Å"till death do us part† for the more appropriate â€Å"as long as we both shall live.† In that moment, as the minister said his part, my world, which had been upside down for so long now, seemed to settle into its proper position. I saw just how silly I'd been for fearing this – as if it were an unwanted birthday gift or an embarrassing exhibition, like the prom. I looked into Edward's shining, triumphant eyes and knew that I was winning, too. Because nothing else mattered but that I could stay withhim. I didn't realize I was crying until it was time to say the binding words. â€Å"I do,† I managed to choke out in a nearly unintelligible whisper, blinking my eyes clear so I could see his face. When it was his turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious. â€Å"I do,† he vowed. Mr. Weber declared us husband and wife, and then Edward's hands reached up to cradle my face, carefully, as if it were as delicate as the white petals swaying above our heads. I tried to comprehend, through the film of tears blinding me, the surreal fact that this amazing person was mine. His golden eyes looked as if they would have tears, too, if such a thing were not impossible. He bent his head toward mine, and I stretched up on the tips of my toes, throwing my arms – bouquet and all – around his neck. He kissed me tenderly, adoringly; I forgot the crowd, the place, the time, the reason†¦ only remembering that he loved me, that he wanted me, that I was his. He began the kiss, and he had to end it; I clung to him, ignoring the titters and the throat-clearing in the audience. Finally, his hands restrained my face and he pulled back – too soon – to look at me. On the surface his sudden smile was amused, almost a smirk. But underneath his momentary entertainment at my public exhibition was a deep joy that echoed my own. The crowd erupted into applause, and he turned our bodies to face our friends and family. I couldn't look away from his face to see them. My mother's arms were the first to find me, her tear-streaked face the first thing I saw when I finally tore my eyes unwillingly from Edward. And then I was handed through the crowd, passed from embrace to embrace, only vaguely aware of who held me, my attention centered on Edward's hand clutched tightly in my own. I did recognize the difference between the soft, warm hugs of my human friends and the gentle, cool embraces of my new family. One scorching hug stood out from all the others – Seth Clearwater had braved the throng of vampires to stand in for my lost werewolf friend.

Red Record

Ida B. Wells-Barnett wrote a Red Record in 1895. This remarkable woman wrote this article during a critical time in American History, a time when blacks had civil rights, yet they could not exercise those rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was passed 20 years earlier and slavery was abolished 10 years prior to the Civil Rights Act, still blacks could not exercise their rights. Despite the death threats on her life, Ida B. Wells-Barnett insisted on writing this information to inform the world of the injustices that African-Americans faced in America during this era. In this article, the writer states that southern white people, in essence, butchered blacks for what they (whites) interpreted as â€Å"rape†. White southern men, as the article states, believed that it was impossible for a voluntary alliance to exist between a white woman and a colored man; therefore, the fact of an alliance is proof of force. Ida B. Wells-Barnett put her life and livelihood in danger when she decided to write an editorial in her paper, the Free Speech. Surprisingly, this paper was printed in my hometown, Memphis, Tennessee, on May 21, 1892. The one thing that disturbs me is the way in which southern white men treated blacks in the south. It appalls me to learn that white men, in that era, would go to the extent of breaking into a penitentiary, steal a black man, and then hang him for their definition of rape. The law was established so that every citizen in America could have the right to a fair trial. However, in the South, the law undoubtedly meant nothing to the white man, especially when it came to dealing with matters that involved blacks. The white man felt as if he was â€Å"The Law†. Blacks were freed from slavery in 1865 by the 13th amendment, yet they were still oppressed. Through the accomplishments of the 14th amendment, blacks were given citizenship and the 15th amendment gave black males the right to vote. Blacks, in spite of all their governmental rights, still were not seen as an equal race, but an inferior one by most southern whites. One of the few groups of people that showed compassion towards blacks was northern white women. These women were not seen as aiding the situation to the white man, but as â€Å"nigger teachers†. I feel that the southern white men knew the potential that the blacks had within them; therefore, in an attempt to keep them oppressed, the white man tried to intimidate the northern white women and allege that some black men were raping white women, when in fact the white women may have been attracted to the black man after discovering the intelligence and love he possessed. I am sure race mixing at that time was shunned; however, I do know that it could have taken place. It grieves me to learn that more people died unjustly and without a trial than people who were tried and convicted in a court of law in the United States during this era. Wells-Barnett states that she did not write her paper in the spirit of vindictiveness; nevertheless, it is hard to believe that a person of her status would not want to be vindictive. Plessy v. Ferguson These are excerpts from the trial Plessy vs. Ferguson. Throughout the course of my studies, I have learned that whites and blacks often participated in everyday activities during the 1870's and 1880's. By 1883, this ended after the Supreme Court encouraged racial segregation by overturning the Reconstruction legislation. Plessy was seven-eighths white and one-eighth black. In some southern states if a person had any black blood, they were considered black. Therefore, a group of prominent Lawyers sought to test the constitutionality of a segregation law that was passed in Louisiana in 1890. In my opinion, the judge in this case was racially discriminatory and biased. I agree that this case does not conflict with the 13th amendment; however, it does conflict with the 14th amendment. The following statement was taken from this article, and I believe the judgment was faulty. â€Å"The object of the 14th amendment was undoubtedly to enforce the absolute equality of the two races before the law, but in the nature of things it could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color, or to enforce social, as distinguished from political, equality, or a commingling of the two races upon terms unsatisfactory to either. Laws permitting, and even requiring their separation in places where they are liable to be brought into contact do not necessarily imply the inferiority of either race to the other, and have been generally, if not universally, recognized as within the competency of the state legislatures in the exercise of their police power †¦. † This statement is, as far as I can tell, a statement that condones racial inequality. There is no doubt that the 14th amendment guarantees all men equality before the law. On the surface, it may not imply racial inferiority; nevertheless, it indicates that the law has no jurisdiction when it comes to social equality as opposed to legal equality. Due to the outcome of this case, racial segregation was condoned by the Supreme Court, a decision that stood for the next fifty years. Report on Wounded Knee Massacre and the Decrease in Indian Acreage (1891) This article contains excerpts from an annual message written in December 1891. It is not clear to me who the author of this message is; nevertheless, what is clear is that there were some major hostilities between the Sioux Indians and the white settlers of this era. The Sioux were upset about the reduction of the appropriation for rations and the delays attending the enactment of laws to enable the Department of the Interior to perform the engagements entered into with them. From this article and what I understand from the text, the Wounded Knee Massacre is one of the most merciless events that our history holds in its deep dark past. I understand why the Sioux warriors were excited by the teachings of their medicine men and chiefs. Hearing of an Indian messiah that would endower them with power to destroy the white man was more than enough to excite the Sioux. The Sioux expressed their excitement in a set of dances and rites known as the Ghost Dances. These dances made the white settlers who lived near the reservation uneasy; therefore, the Army was called in to protect the settlers. I believe if the white man had not begun to take land from the Native Americans, then this massacre would have not happened. The article states that from March 4, 1889 to December 9, 1891, about 23,000,000 acres of Indian reservations was taken and added to the public domain, this is a harsh fact. The white man caused many Indians to leave their way of life and assimilate into the white man's society. It appalls me that the writer of this article had the audacity to call the Indian reservation â€Å"waste land†. I hope the interpretation of this statement means that the land was being wasted because it was not being used to the capacity in which the white man envisioned. In closing, I believe the damage that was done to the Indians is irreversible. Tragedy at Wounded Knee (1890) This article tells of the horrifying story, the tragedy at Wounded Knee. The trouble, as stated by Red Cloud, started when the Indians first made treaties with Government. The signing of those treaties marked the end of the Indian's old way of life and customs; the white man was settling on their land and pushing the Indians out. Red Cloud states that the only way left for the Indians was to adopt the white man's way of life. The Government promised them all the means necessary for them to live on their land, yet the government never made good on all of the promises. On the other hand, the Indians were given tools and means to work their land; nevertheless, the few things they did receive helped a little but not enough to make a difference in their lives. The Government did make an Indian Department; however, the Agents were more interested in self-gain, than helping the Indians. This made a bad situation worse. The Government took their (Indians) ponies under the promise that oxen and large horses would replace the ponies. It seems to me that the Government did everything within its power to disrupt the Indian's way of life and culture. The Government did everything from taking the Indian's land to removing the â€Å"real chief†. Throughout history the United States government has done what ever it took for them to stay economically stable. No matter what the situation was, be it taking land and starving Indians or oppressing and enslaving African-Americans, this behavior has been a routine practice of our Government. I thought African-Americans had it bad during this era, however, it seems that the Indians had it just as bad or worse. I cannot imagine the way the Indians felt when their land, traditions, customs, the way they hunted for food, their rituals, and all the things that they cherished was taken; and to add to the sorrow, they were forced to assimilate into a white mans world. This had to be an awful feeling. From what I understand from the text, the Wounded Knee Massacre is one of the most tragic events that our history holds in its past. The picture this article paints during this horrific event is one that I cannot fathom in my mind. The sound of machine gun fire and seeing dead bodies in the snow paid its toll on the Indian. This event along with others like it has caused the Indian to question the very existence of his God. A Sharecrop Contract (1882) A sharecrop contract, in my opinion, contained many passive forms of slavery. Although the croppers had basic freedoms, they were still controlled by the landowner. This contract's tone seems to be a demanding one. The croppers had no choice other than to agree with this contract. Disagreeing could have cost the cropper jail time. It seems that they had no other options, because all of them were former slaves and the only trade that the majority of them had was fieldwork; therefore, there was no better way to make a living than this. Nevertheless, this was not, by any means, a â€Å"great† way of life. The croppers were allowed to keep half of their crop, only if they complied with every demand in the contract. If they did not comply, then they only received two-fifths of their crop. Crops in which they worked and sweated so hard to plant, cultivate, and harvest. The rest went to the landowner. After reading such a contract, I believe that most croppers were discouraged, yet they knew that was the only way for them to survive. In this particular contract, the landowner had a policy that not only included him receiving half of the crop, but the cropper had to feed his workers three times a day. Many other things in this contract disgust me. One such thing is that the croppers could not sell anything until the landowner was paid, yet before a cropper could bring home his net gain; the landowner had taken an eighteenth of the croppers fifty percent. The reason for this is the landowner charged the cropper to gin and pack all of his (cropper) cotton. In addition, the cropper had to haul, plow in cotton and corn stalks, clean out ditches, and repair fences. Above all the freedoms the sharecropper had, nothing could be more discouraging than the contracts that they were forced to sign. When I speak of force, I do not mean physical force. These people had no other choice in the matter; this is why I say it is passive slavery. Instead of being beaten, these croppers could now be thrown into jail for not complying with the sharecropper's contract. The life of a sharecropper can be best described as a person trapped in a revolving door; trapped in a system that was never designed for the sharecropper to become economically stable, but to keep them economically unstable and needy. They were trapped in a continuous effort to pay off their debts. Consequently, most sharecroppers never became wealthy.

Toyotas Efficiency and the Management System of the Organization Essay

Toyotas Efficiency and the Management System of the Organization - Essay Example The company’s production has been rising significantly with the economy and by 2012 it reached a level when it was the only company to produce ten million vehicles over twelve month period (Piotrowski and Guyette, 2010). The company was known for its quality products in the economy. The managers and the employees within the firm are efficient enough in running the business successfully. According to the researcher, it is considered as the world’s largest multinational automobile producing company. The company has been highly successful in gaining brand loyalty from the customers in the automobile market. It has gained competitiveness in the fuel efficiency as well as the designs that are highly favorable to the customers. Researchers say that Toyota’s efficiency has been due to the efficient production process applied by the company (Choi, Dooley and Rungtusanatham, 2001). The continuous improvement in the company’s technological process has been due to the horizontal and vertical integration in the production process. The researcher says that unlike the other multinational companies, Toyota’s focus has been on the quality of the vehicles that it produces and whether the company is efficient in producing as per the demands of the customers (Rajasekera, 2013). The company follows certain principles in order to carry out its business as the company launched a new program known as the ‘Toyota Way’ that depicts the culture within the economy (Rajasekera, 2013). The company follows the

The Rock Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Rock Cycle - Essay Example The rock cycle is a way of representing the relationship among the three main types of rocks namely sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. The rocks undergo a constant gradual transition from one form to another. The transitions depend on the physical conditions around them. This paper discusses the cycle and the way in which the rocks change from one form to the other.  The rock cycle is a way of representing the relationship among the three main types of rocks namely sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. The rocks undergo a constant gradual transition from one form to another. The transitions depend on the physical conditions around them. This paper discusses the cycle and the way in which the rocks change from one form to the other.  Under the earth surface, the conditions available do not allow the rocks to exist in their solid state. Instead, they exist as magma that is a hot liquid. As the magma moves upwards, cooling takes place, and it finally solidifies to for m the igneous rocks. Some of the magma under pressure during the process of volcanicity moves out as lava on the earth surface. The result is volcanic rocks, which are of fine grains (Mattern, 2005).   On the earth surface, igneous rocks undergo the process of weathering since their components do not stabilize at the surface conditions. Moving water and wind are the main factors of weathering. The rocks are broken down to pieces or sediments and carried away mixing up with other components. After quite a long duration of time, the sediments are finally glued together to form sedimentary rocks (Mattern, 2005). Exposing the rocks to high temperature and pressure on the earth surface causes a physical change on them. The high temperature cause hardening of large masses of rocks called metamorphic rocks. The metamorphic rocks are responsible for forming Mountains. Both the metamorphic and sedimentary rocks can melt again to form magma under high temperature. Weathering occurs again on metamorphic rocks, resulting to the formation of sedimentary rocks. The rock cycle starts over continuously (Mattern, 2005).

Poems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Poems - Essay Example Here is a boy, surrounded by the beauty of Vermont, and he does not have the time to enjoy his youth. Then comes a greater shock, the injury to his hand. His subsequent death, however, does not surprise as much as the reaction to his death. The people simply turn to their affairs. This seems a cold reaction. There is no expression of mourning. Perhaps these people do not have time to mourn. Perhaps they are poor and don't have the energy to exert on matters which they cannot change. I finish this poem feeling somewhat cold-hearted. This poem is about the shortness of life. This poem strikes me as almost whimsical, and yet it leaves me feeling more concerned about loss. By whimsical, I mean that I almost feel as if I am reading a nursery rhyme or listening to a children's song. There is a great deal of repetition, and an almost indifferent attitude to losses. The things that are lost begin small and become larger as the poem develops. Despite this, there is no disaster. I am curious as to the almost cheerful tone of the poem and the reality of losses. The poem seems to be preparing us for a greater type of loss. In the end, the cheerfulness is shattered. The loss is too substantial to minimize the nature of the disaster. This is not a mother's watch. This is not a set of keys. The loss is a person, and I wonder how far the poet will extend her indifference to loss.

Consumer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consumer - Essay Example The financial system performs the overall function of moving money between savers and borrowers and this allows people to transfer their ability to use money to transform the world through time and space. (Shavinina 2003, p. 530) The financial system interacts with real economic activity through its various functions by which it facilitates economic exchange. What is the significance of this system for consumers, one may ask. The financial system plays an important role in mobilizing funds in such a way that they are transformed into assets that better meet the needs of individuals as investors and as consumers. A specific example is when financial intermediaries facilitate portfolio diversification. Here, resources are transferred across time and space, allowing investors and consumers to borrow against future income and meet current needs. Financial systems also have existing mechanisms that are pivotal in developing pricing information. This information such as the appraisal of the value of companies allows investors to make informed decisions in regard to how they allocate their money. A market that is plagued by information imperfection will result to an imbalance in the quantity and quality of investment hurting an economy’s potential. In regard to financial institutions such as banks, they perform various functions within the financial system, including the use of technological infrastructure to profitably and reliably deliver services and so extend the institutional trust upon which the financial system depends. A particularly important role played by financial institution is how they ease the tension between a saver’s preference for liquidity and the entrepreneurs’ requirement for long-term financing. Because of this, wrote Nnadozie, at any given level of saving, an efficient financial system will allow for a higher level of investment by maximizing the proportion of saving that actually finances investment. (p.

Development and environment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Development and environment - Research Paper Example Development and environment are related. The world is developing rapidly. More buildings and industries are coming up. Modern technologies are also being developed each passing day. All these have an effect on the environment. Lack of proper planning during development ventures can lead to environmental degradation. Disasters have been a major setback to development. Disasters are natural and cannot be prevented but their effects can be reduced through disaster risk reduction approach in coming up with development policies. If this is done, more vulnerable people will be empowered to develop and more resources will be availed for development projects rather than providing relief during disasters. This paper deals with two issues, first is the impact of development on environment and second is the importance of disaster risk reduction in developmental policies. Impact of development on environment Deforestation Development has greatly resulted in reduction of forest cover. As more res idential and industrial buildings are developed forests are cut so as to give room for these buildings. Technological development has also led to invention of tools that can bring down forests very fast. One such example is the power saw that can easily be used to cut trees. Warfare has also been the cause of deforestation. There have been developments of weapons of mass destruction such as bombs. Chemicals also used during war time can greatly reduce the forest cover. These chemicals can impair the physiological functioning of trees leading to their drying. When these technologies are harnessed in warfare they can lead to massive reduction of forest cover. It is approximated that in Vietnam, bombing caused a destruction of about 22,000 square kilometres of forests (Mai and Nguyen 2). The investment in shrimp aquaculture has also led to destruction of mangrove forests in several countries. Over the years, forest cover has inversely been related to development. As more buildings and more advanced technologies are invented, the forest cover has come under great threat. Water Pollution Development has led to many industries that discharge their effluents into rivers, canals, rice fields and lakes. These untreated effluents from industrial and municipal discharges have caused degradation of water sources. The discharge of organic and nutrient wastes into the rivers has led to an increase of (biological oxygen demand) BOD in rivers. This is because these wastes are decomposable and require oxygen during disintegration. Lack of sufficient oxygen would lead to anaerobic decomposition accompanied by foul smells. Waste water also contains chemicals such as PCBs and Organochlorine pesticides. Agriculture and flood control activities have also led to water pollution. With technological development, almost all farming is done using fertilizers. These fertilizers are washed away into rivers, lakes, and ocean. The fertilizers contain chemicals that if they accumulate into w ater bodies, they are harmful to human, animal, and aquatic life. The advance in flood mitigation methods has also led to accumulation of arsenic in ground water in India and Bangladesh. Chemical pollution Failure to properly use pesticides, chemicals for agricultural, industrial, and fighting diseases has led to chemical pollution across the globe. These chemicals may contain organic compounds that are persistent such as PCBs, DDT, furans, hexachlorobenzene and dioxins. Polychlorinated biphenyls are used in some capacitors and transformers, paint additives, hydraulic and heat transfer fluids and lubrication oil. A portion of the contaminated oil may be released into the environment resulting into pollution. DDT was extensively used to combat malaria before its ban in 1992. This chemical was sprayed in homesteads in order to eradicate mosquitoes. The technology was very efficient in eradicating mosquitoes but it had long term side effect. DDT is a persistent chemical and when

Music Recording Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music Recording Industry - Essay Example Music file sharing on the Internet via websites and networks such as the notorious Napster has become an extremely controversial topic in recent years. Since May 1999, when Napster began introducing millions of Internet users to the pleasures of trading music via a peer-to-peer network, music file-sharing has become ubiquitous online. 42% of the respondents in a June 2001 study of online behavior among American Internet users conducted by Jupiter Media Metrix indicated that they had downloaded music from the Internet. Jupiter Media Metrix is a company that helps other companies develop, extend and integrate business strategies across online and emerging channels. Backed by proprietary data, Jupiter Research's industry-specific analysis, competitive insight and strategic advice give businesses the tools they need to exploit new technologies and business processes. With the rise of Internet use amongst the growing population around the world it has been easier then ever for individuals of all ages to download their favorite songs from the Internet. ... The recording industry views Napster-style file-sharing unambiguously as stealing and have tried to enforce its view by filing lawsuits against Napster and other similar online services. Napster itself has been effectively put out of business by legal action since July 2001, and a number of other lawsuits against most of the other major file-sharing services are currently pending. Among listeners, however, there is little agreement on whether or not file-sharing is the equivalent of theft, with many contending that they are actually led to purchase more music in physical form such as CDs because of their music downloading. Although the research taken in part by the record industry is very appealing, there are others who believe that the era of music file swapping across the Internet did not cause the acclaimed 5% drop in sales in recorded music. According to a research done in part by a company called Ipsos-Reid concluded that there exist a direct relation between downloading music from the Internet and the purchasing of recoding music. Those who download more music from the Internet are more likely to go out and buy recorded music from the stores. Another study conducted by Jupiter Media Metrix concluded similar results, as did the research done by Ipsos-Reid. The report which was released in May of 2002 surveyed 3,319 people contradicts the claims make by the record industry that file sharing and CD burning have been key contributors to the drop in record sales for the fiscal year of 2001. The report concluded that a considerable amount of people who download music frequently over the Internet are actually spending more on music than they did before they started downloading files. Only about 14% of heavy file traders have reported that they now spend less

How to get benifit & cost saving for marketing planning Essay

How to get benifit & cost saving for marketing planning - Essay Example This can be great cost saver with benefits of achieving better business profits. The marketing plan should be organized in such a manner that it specifically demonstrates the benefit of cost saving to the customer or the distributor. This again requires innovation to find the cost benefit that can be available to a large segment of consumers. Once the benefits are recognized, the target market has to be identified This will create a situation by which the consumers of that particular target group are benefited and the volume and profits thus generated, for the business, due to non-occurrence of further marketing expenses. Therefore, it is important to locate the right kind of target group that needs such benefits. Market research in this direction always helps. Once the target is identified, it is necessary to address in the marketing plan, a message that clearly and aggressively tackles the requirements of such customers, while highlighting the benefits and savings offered. This in marketing jargon can be called as target marketing or segmentation of prospects. The media of message and the message itself in a marketing plan is important, as it may not be same for different target groups. While email marketing may result in cost savings to the business, with increase in sales figure as well; it may not be the preferred way to market a product that requires physical demonstration. Marketing through other channels may be the requirement, in such cases. Every step in a marketing plan involves market research. Even after the identification of a targeted consumer group, the exact method to be adopted to address your marketing plan to that particular group needs further research. If we are using new technologies to address our target, then there is a need to find their adaptability with our targeted audience. We cannot afford to address our marketing plan to a group that is

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Response - Essay Example A few pages into it and I realized how engrossing it is for me. I could totally relate myself to the writer’s description about the non serious and lax attitude the students hold towards college education. Their fears and trepidations about the whole experience, their eagerness to skip college on the whole and pursue their careers immediately after graduation so that they can instill in themselves a sense of independence. His approach to my attitude was so evident, it felt as if he is actually pointing at me and talking to me. I am already half way through my book. I feel I have a lot to learn from the writer’s example. He reflects upon the methods of teaching the college adapts and the kind of learning process the students go through. College education not only imparts higher education but it gives the students the ideal opportunity to prepare themselves for the lifelong career they are planning to pursue. For me, I feel college education will not only give me the facility and time to imbue in myself the professionalism and confidence required ahead but to explore my career options as well. Today I finished the book, going tentatively through its last pages, reflecting on my college experience on the whole and how can I make a difference that will allow me to make the most of it. I review my subjects again, this time with much greater foresight and interest. For the first time, I bothered to attend my career counseling appointment. I discussed in detail with the counselor, of my ambitions and aspiration and if I am taking the best measures to ensure its achievements. I decided that I will take up an internship at my college so that I can further build up on my resume. In fact, I left my book at the career counselor’s desk deliberately so that he can recommend it to other students going through the same transformation as me.

The Last of the Mohicans - Accuracy Report Essay Example for Free

The Last of the Mohicans Accuracy Report Essay Question: To what extent is the film The Last of the Mohicans an accurate portrayal of historical events? The last of the Mohicans, the film, was based on a novel by James Fenemore Cooper. It is a fictional story set in an historical time. The movie is based on The French and Indian War also known as The 7 Year War. The war started in 1756 and ended in 1763. The French and English were fighting each other for the land between their two settlements and the possession of America. At the start of the movie, it tells you that the year is 1757, the third year of the war. But in fact 1757 was the second year of the war because the war started in 1756. This means that the third year of the war would have to have been 1758. The countries involved in the war were England and France plus the Native Americans (Huron, Ohawa and Mohawks). This was accurately portrayed in the film. The cause of conflict between the two countries was the fact that the English started to setting up farms in French Territory and the French werent to happy. There had been conflict before the war but this was the strew that broke the camels back. Some Native American tribes decided to side with the countries fighting by making deals with them. The Mohawks decided to side with England but the Huron and the Ohawa tribes decided to fight with the French because the French had always been better to the Native Americans then the English had been. The locations and their names were accurate in the film. The three forts were Fort William Henry, Fort Edward and Alburney. They were all placed inside the fought over land between the French and English settlement. In the film there were three Military Leaders. These were General Webb (British), Colonel Munro (British) and General Montcalm (French). It is a historical fact that these three men did exist during this time. The movies terrain was accurate to what it was like back then. They were situated in the mountains with lots of tree cover which made it hard too fight because it gave the troops more places to hide and made it easy to ambush a moving party. The Costumes of the actors and actress were accurate to what they wear back in those times. The Military wore the red coats with their black hats, black boots and black pants. The colonists were wearing everyday farming clothes that were worn and old and the Native Americans were wearing animal skins, feathers and strange hair styles as they did back then. The Native Americans used knives and spears as weapons, which were all hand made by their people like they would have been back then. The Troops and colonists used shoot guns, swords and those guns with the swords on the end, which would have been shipped over from England and France. The weapons were accurate to those that would have been used back then. The Native Americans and France used a different style of fighting to what the English used. The English would just stand in line and fire, making it easy for them to be shot because they were not protected. Where as the French and Native Americans would hide behind trees, bushes, etc, and fire from were they where. This way the English wouldnt know where they were and they had protection. We get to see in the movie that the Native Americans were very brutal in the way they killed people and they way they scalped their victims. The English  and French killed people as easily and quickly as possible. The Native Americans liked to make people suffer. But the Native Americans were more caring when it came to the way they respected the environment. Because they lived off the land, they respected the land and I tried to give back to the land. A good example of this in the film was at the start when they killed the dear. Once they had killed it, they prayed for it and thank it for giving them food to keep them alive. They called it brother like it was part of their family. The British Army didnt care much for the colonists. For all they were concerned, the colonists were there for their convenience. They were there to help them fight and win the war. Thats all they cared about. The colonists werent happy by this. They were promised by Munro that they could go help their families if they were under attack. But when this happened, Munro would not let them go. The colonists were extremely mad. They hated the British Army for this. But the British Army and the colonists needed to stick together to fight the war. Otherwise they would not win. If they went their separate ways, they would not have enough power to defeat the French. The French were nice to the Native Americans when they first settled but when it came to the war, all they wanted was for them to fight for the French and they didnt care about the rest of the deal they made with them. The English were the same but they had treated the Native Americans worse when they had settled, so not many Native Americans liked them. At Fort William Henry, the English didnt have enough man power to beat the French. With some of the colonist sneaking out to help their familles and no back up from Fort Edward, they had to surrender because they could not win. The French promised the English that they would become prisoners of war and would be safely lead back to Fort Edward were they could stay with their families and not be harmed. But the Native Americans didnt like this. They were promised that they could kill the English and scalp them but the French went back on their word. The Native Americans were extremely mad and ambushed the English Party while they were being escorted to Fort Edward. The Native Americans killed the English and the French and scalped them. Even though the movie was historical correct in most ways, there was still some fiction in it. It is true that there was an existence of a tribe called the Mohicans (later to disappear due to European settlement) but there is no proof that there was an existence of the three heroes (Nathaniel/Hawkeye, Uncas and Chingachcook) said to be the last of the Mohicans. Munro didnt send for his daughters in the middle of the war so they couldnt have been any romance between the eldest daughter and Nathaniel. And finally, they portrayed the English to be the heroes and the French to be the villains, when really both of the countries were in the wrong so none of them were heroes. The film is an accurate portrayal of historical events, as long as you take out the main characters, the love story and the hero and villains aspect. Everything else is historically correct, from what they wore, to what the terrain was like, to the countries involved, to what weapons they used.

Lockes Criterion Of Personal Identity

Lockes Criterion Of Personal Identity Who am I? What makes me, me? The theory of personal identity has been considered one of the most complicated questions that philosophy has taken a deeper look into. The theory of personal identity tries to deal with the questions about how an individual at one time and place is the same individual at another time and place. When we look at personal identity, we are trying to figure out what sets us apart from other pieces of matter, species and individuals. In this essay I will discuss John Lockes criterion of sameness of consciousness for the theory of personal identity and why he does not think that other physical or psychological criteria fit, a challenge to Lockes criterion posed by Thomas Reid using the logic of transitivity analogy, and lastly how the suggested idea of overlapping chains of memory that Derek Parfit poses to reform Lockes view so that it may meet the challenge posed by Thomas Reid is a good solution to the challenge because it keeps Lockes theory intact and also adds the transitivity property that Reid challenges Lockes theory on. When discussing personal identity, the criterion of identity will strongly depend on the object that you are talking about. There have been many viewpoints as to what the criterion of personal identity of the self or a person is. Some viewpoints suggest that the criterion for the self is organic; that our body is what identifies us over time. Locke states that this criterion is not applicable for personal identity of a person because of situations like body switch (Freaky Friday situation). If the consciousness of two people were to switch, everyone would think that you are the same person because you look like the same person. However, it is not actually you in your body and because there is a different consciousness in your body, and your body is no longer you; your body cannot define your personal identity. Other views describe the criterion as being substance that makes us the same over time. Substance includes both non-physical (soul) and physical substances. According to Locke, substance as a criterion is not applicable for personal identity of a person because of situations like death. When you die, you may be made of the same substance, but if you cease to think (thinking is connected to being a person) then you cease to exist and have no personal identity. Locke looks towards a psychological criterion to define personal identity of a person. According to Locke, a person or the self is different than just matter and just a living thing. A person is a thinking intelligent being that has reason and reflection and can consider itself as itself, the same thinking thing in different times and places; which it does only by that consciousness which is inseparable from thinking. This describes what is known as sameness of consciousness. We are the same person to the point where we are conscious of our past and future memory or mental state in the same way that we are conscious of our current memory or mental state. This criterion can also be broken down into an analogy said by Locke: person x is the same as person y if person y is consciously connected to x in the sense that person y can remember the thoughts and actions of person x. According to Locke, the necessary criterion of personal identity is sameness of consciousness. This sameness of consciousness comes directly from memory and experience. Locke believes that the sameness of consciousness is the ideal criterion of personal identity for a person because since consciousness is always connected to thinking, and being able to think is what makes a person a person and allows that person to distinguish its own thoughts from anothers, as far back as our consciousness can be extended to any past thought, so far back will our identity extend. As far back as the person can repeat or reflect on a past thought or action with its current consciousness, so far back is the personal identity of the person. Thomas Reid, as well as many other philosophers and critics who oppose the idea of sameness of consciousness criterion, otherwise known as memory theory, have a very hard time agreeing that sameness of consciousness is a necessary criterion for personal identity. They understand that the sufficient condition that the view of sameness of consciousness criterion is trying to state is achievable; if I remember eating a triple chocolate fudge bar, then I must have been the one that really ate the triple chocolate fudge bar. However, they dont understand how sameness of consciousness is a necessary condition for personal identity; that if I cannot remember eating the triple chocolate fudge bar, then it is impossible that I was the one who ate the triple chocolate fudge bar. The fact that it is impossible for you to have the same personal identity if you cannot remember that past thought or action is where Reids challenge arises. Reids challenge towards Lockes theory is presented in the form of the logic of transitivity analogy that states that if x is related to y, and y is related to z, then x is related to z. Using a modern example, Reids theory follows that the little girl who played in the sand(x) is the same person who was a student at the University of Toronto(y) and the person who was a student at the University of Toronto(y) is the same as the woman who is CEO of a banking firm(z), and therefore using the logic of transitivity, the little girl who played in the sand(x) is therefore the same person as the woman who is CEO of a banking firm(z). Reid successfully shows that transitivity allows the little girl who played in the sand and the woman who is CEO of a banking firm to have the same personal identity despite the fact that the woman who is CEO of a banking firm may not remember ever being the little girl who played in the sand. Due to the fact that Reids challenge is successful in showing that th e CEO and the little girl who played in the sand can be the same person and share the same personal identity, it shows that Lockes theory denies the fact that the CEO and the little girl who played in the sand are the same person which ignores the logic of transitivity and is therefore false. Lockes criterion does not take into consideration the transitivity property and Reids challenge points out this clear and big flaw. Reids challenge explains that Lockes criterion of personal identity completely ignores the logic of transitivity. His challenge proves that Lockes criterion, without any changes applied, fails because it cannot just ignore the transivity property. However, Derek Parfit, a British philosopher who also explored the topic of personal identity, suggested a possible solution to slightly change Lockes criterion to make it so that it meets this challenge. Parfits suggested solution is to make the criterion of personal identity overlapping chains of memory. Going back to the modern example of the little girl who played in the sand and the CEO, Parfits suggested solution would state that if the student at the University of Toronto could remember being the little girl who played in the sand, and the CEO remembered being the student at the University of Toronto, then this overlapping chain of memories would allow the CEO to be the same person as the little girl who played in the sand. This solution helps Lockes theory overcome Reids challenge while still defending the core parts of Lockes theory. Parfits overlapping memory theory allows for the CEO and the little girl to be the same person, which covers the transitivity property. It allows x to be the same person as z. It also still allows for sameness of consciousness or memory theory to be the necessary criterion of personal identity. It fulfills the sufficient condition of the criterion: if I remember eating a triple chocolate fudge bar, then I must have been the one that really ate the triple chocolate fudge bar, and fulfills the necessary condition of the criterion: If I dont remember eating a triple chocolate fudge bar, as long as I remember buying the chocolate fudge bar to eat than I am the same person who later ate the triple fudge chocolate bar because I have overlapping chains of memory that allow me to be the same person. The necessary condition is fulfilled because it shows that through the overlappin g chains of memory I may not remember everything but as long as I remember enough to continue the chain of memories, I will be the same person. Although this solution is a sound response to Reids challenge, it does not give a specific conclusion for what the criterion of identity truly is. It states that instead of the criterion being one specific definition, it is more like a group of experience, memories and thoughts that make us the same person at time one and time two. However, Parfits argument is a sound response to Reids challenge and therefore does successfully transform Lockes view so that it will meet the transitivity property as well as the necessary condition of consciousness. Overall, Lockes view on personal identity is just one of many and there will be many more to come on this complicated and deep topic.

An analysis of aldis strategy

An analysis of aldis strategy Introduction In 1948, the brothers Theo and Karl Albrecht opened the grocery store ‘Albrecht Discounts (Aldi) in Essen (Ruhr Valley), Germany. The store had a simple layout and provided a great deal of products at a low price. The company grew rapidly, owning 13 stores in 1950 and about 300 stores in 1961 across Germany. In 1961, Theo and Karl divided the company into Aldi North (run by Theo) and Aldi South (run by Karl). The reasons for this division, according to Dieter Brandes, a former managing director of Aldi in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, were different views about how to develop the business. However, the brothers normally exchanged information about a range of issues such as performance and cost figures, current and potential suppliers and they also conducted joint negotiations with suppliers. In 2003, Theo and Karl resigned as CEOs. Theos son, Theo Albrecht Jr, now runs Aldi North, and Juergen Kroll and Norbert Podschlapp run Aldi South. Since the ‘Spend a little Live a lot message is being known by more and more people, and Aldi has been obtained ‘Best Supermarket 2009 Award in 2009, Aldi has become one of most reputable retailer in the international business, and it operates over 7,000 stores worldwide. Considering of this situation, it would be interesting to understand and analyse the management strategies of Aldi. Therefore, my project will analyse management strategies of Aldi which operates a discount supermarket chain in the retail industry. The paper begins by using PEST analysis, Porters 5 forces analysis and Competitors analysis to analyse the environment of supermarket industry. The next section is to analyse the strategic capability of Aldi. The following section discusses purpose of Aldi, and the final section draws recommendations for improvement of Aldis strategy. Section 1: Environmental Analysis PEST analysis Based on using a PEST analysis, it is likely to recognize the core environmental influences on Aldi. Firstly, it is well-known that the major economic factor is the global recession which originally caused by the United States housing bubble during the period from 2005 to 2008. This financial event has been to strongly motivate customers who begin to purchase inexpensive products with high quality. This means that Aldi will attract a great deal of customers without advertising and doing activities of sales promotion. Because of this situation, it is not necessary to conduct new strategies for the growth of customers. On the other hand, global recession possibly result in the increase of products cost, thus there is a doubt of whether Aldi could sale low-price products with good quality. Therefore, Aldi should consider this problem in order to ensure future growth. Furthermore, social factors impact on Aldi includes the change in consumer taste, some of lifestyle changes and health concerns. It is clear that in recent years more and more consumers start changing their taste, for instance, an increasing demand for organic foods and ban of GM foods. Aldi should consider this factor because it may impacts on the future products development of strategy. Moreover, there is not doubt that some of lifestyle changes such as home shopping and interest usage might increase online shopping, thus according to this factor, Aldi possibly invest more funds to enhance their online service and deliverys service. Recently, health concern has become a key issue around the world, so consumers tend to purchase health products without worrying about the price. For example, BSE outbreak precipitated ban of British beef (Elliott, 2005). There do not seem to any main political and technological factors in the environment that Aldi needs to consider. Porters five forces In order to effectively analyse the competitive environment of Aldi, it is better to use Porters five forces to analyse (Porter, 1985). According to the analysis, the threat of new entrants into the supermarket industry in the UK is not high. It is clear that Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and other supermarket chains may set up considerable barriers to entry for new entrants. For instance, the new supermarket will not be able to access inexpensive and reliable suppliers because Tesco may have cornered the market for certain goods. However, there is evidence of size and power of large supermarket unable to retaliate on price, value and quality. For example, Aldi successfully obtain more market share in the UK in recent years, because it has applied the strategy of low-price products with high quality. Furthermore, it is not doubt that buying power of consumers was high because they had so much choice, and their actions can force prices decline. For example, if beans are too expensive in Aldi, buyers will move to another supermarket to purchase, thus a price was will happen immediately among supermarkets. Moreover, it is believed that suppliers power was low because of low cost of switching suppliers and alternative source of supply. However, sometimes suppliers may stand a high power. For instance, normally suppliers signed a contract with retailers about paying a certain price for their products, but if retailers do not pay the price, suppliers will delay the products delivery or do not send goods to them. Competitive rivalry is very high in the supermarket industry. The core reason for competition is strong in the supermarket industry because price wars always happen among supermarkets. Based on price wars, winner can gain more market share. For instance Aldi gave the highest discount to gain a part of market share while it enters the UK supermarket industry. Product for product substitution within supermarket industry is the main threat, thus it is believed that the threat of substitutes is strong. For instance, Aldi has competition from companies like Asda or Tesco that can provide substitutes for their goods. This may drives a low-price of groceries in both companies. Competitors analysis Aldi not only faces the competition of strong supermarkets such as Tesco, but also faces the threat of Lidl as the discount store. In 2008, Tesco launched a new strategy that setting 34 discount brands across 350 categories and reduce its price to attract more customers to purchase products in Tesco in order to defend the price war of Aldi (Reuters, 2008). After that, the sales of Tesco has increased by 6.7 percent according to researchers TNS World panel reported (Reuters, 2008). Furthermore, Tesco possible offers great range of discount brands in the future, and negotiates with more suppliers to decrease the price of goods in order to gain more market share. Tesco has applied another strategy that it has opened 24 hours Tesco express to service for consumers to buy products in the evening, which also increase the sales of products in Tesco. Considering this situation, Tesco will be the core competitor for Aldi. Therefore, Aldi should pay more attention to Tescos development. Beside the competition of Tesco, Aldi also faces the strong competition from Lidl as one of the largest grocery retailers in Europe, because Lidl has almost the same target customers and similar sales strategy with Aldi. Moreover, possibly Lidl may enter into tourism in order to increase its competitiveness. Therefore, Lidl is the most powerful enemy for Aldi in the supermarket industry. Section 2: Capability Analysis Strategic capability Firstly, Aldi successfully saves the cost of hiring employees. In each shop, Aldi only employs less than six employees to work per day. Although few people work for Aldi, services for customers have never been later, for example, if there is a long queue waiting for checking out, a special ring is used to call other colleagues to open the other line. Furthermore, Aldi efficiently saves the cost of building up stores. Kumar (2006) states that â€Å"Another efficiency stems from the fact that Aldi sets up outlets on side streets in downtown areas and in suburbs, where real estate is relatively inexpensive. Since it uses small spaces, the companys start-up costs are low, which enables it to blanket markets: Aldi now owns 4,100 stores in Germany and 7,500 worldwide†. Aldi also presents other strategic capabilities which help it to successfully reach its goal. According to Kumar (2006), â€Å"Aldis stores display products on pallets rather than shelves in order to cut restocking time and save money†. In addition, consumers need to bring their bags or purchase bags while they are shopping in Aldis shops (Kumar, 2006). Section 3: Purpose The mission of Alid is to make prefect quality products available to its customers at the lowest possible price, and make its customers to enjoy the best for less. Furthermore, the objective of Aldi is to sell products that are popular with customers, made from the best possible ingredients and represent brilliant value for money. All of these are key considerations when deciding on the products that we offer. Corporate Social Responsibility Aldi is a responsible business, and they value both the trust and satisfaction of their customers. Aldi promise to delivering high quality products; not just in terms of safety and value, but also in terms of the social and ecological criteria involved in their production. Moreover, Aldi (2009) presents that â€Å"Aldi take their responsibilities as an international retailer seriously and they are active members of the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI)†. Human Rights, Labour Standards, Environmental Protection and Fighting Corruption As a member of BSCI, all of the European operations of the Aldi South Group, including their suppliers, are committed to complete the principles of the BSCI code of conduct. According to Aldi (2009), â€Å"This code of conduct promotes compliance with local and national legislation and specifically prohibits: Child labour Forced labour and unlawful disciplinary measures Discrimination of any kind Excessive working hours Poor health and safety provisions Non-payment of minimum wage Infringements on freedom of association and collective bargaining rights Poor environmental protection practices Bribery and corruption.† Aldis membership of BSCI also promises it and its suppliers to the execution of an independent social auditing programme, set to international criteria. It aims to use this programme to normally examine its social performance and, together with its suppliers, it also aims to identify that the social conditions in its supply chain adhere to the highest possible standards. In addition to Aldi (2009) states that â€Å"Aldis membership of BSCI, Aldi is also committed to the following international standards: The fundamental principles, rights and working standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) The UN Declaration of Human Rights and the principles of the UN Global Compact†. Organisational Culture Aldis founders have strongly impacted on its culture, and its cultural rules and values reflect Aldis philosophy, guiding principles and business strategy. Furthermore, it is easy and clear for employees, managers and customers to understand the Aldi model that is the provision of low-price products with high quality. It is well-known that the aim of Aldi is to avoid unnecessary cost wherever possible, and urge employees and managers at all levels of the company are very cost conscious and greatly focus on to economic efficiency, because Aldi is not allowed to waste. For example, one of typical rules is that all of employees have to switch off lights in offices when there was enough daylight from outside. Therefore, the concept of ‘cost-watching extends into all areas of the value chain, including the development of new techniques for warehouse management or for the transport of goods. Beside pay more attention on economic efficiency, Aldi also aim to find small improvements in all aspects and to develop pleasure in achieving small successes. This culture of continual improvement is accompanied by a strong focus on the development and implementation of solutions. Aldi will try new ideas and solutions, rather than revealing detailed analysis, for example, new products are not subjected to detail market analyses, but are tested in three shops. If they are successful, meaning that they achieve a fast, pre-determined minimum turnover, they are introduced in all other shops. The organisational culture is strengthened by Aldis selection and recruitment approach. Managerial talent from inside the Aldi is carefully selected, developed and enhanced. Moreover, significant qualities for potential managers are a high attention on economic efficiency, fairness towards others, including suppliers, modesty, and reservation towards the public and the press. These behavioural characteristics are strengthened by job descriptions outlining clear goals and competencies. Aldi managers have always been employed in different parts of the organisation, including the shops and the warehouse. They have to understand how Aldi operates and have ingested the organisational culture. For example, area managers need to understand the structural and procedural factors of retail management, including store operations and trading rights, administration, logistics and property management when they go through a 12-month training project. The program is described as follows (Area Managers, 2005): â€Å"An important part of this program centres on Aldis management system, including its focus on economic efficiency. The first part of the training takes place in a store where future area managers take over the role of a store manager for several months. This ‘hands on approach aims to acquaint them with Aldis operations, but also its business philosophy and core values. During the second part of the training, future area managers work alongside experienced colleagues and learn about their role and responsibilities. This includes the tasks of recruitment, planning and organisation of the stores.† Section 4: Recommendations Since global economy in recession, the sales of Aldi in the UK have been dramatically increasing, because Aldi is selling the low-price products with high quality to customers who would like to spend little money for goods in order to safely spend this period. Although the sales of Aldi in the UK have been slightly grown, comparing with Tesco, the market shares of Aldi still not match. Firstly, Aldi need to invest in new product development. The core reason for that is Tesco has developed some of discount products for new target market in order to capture more market shares from Aldi. Therefore, Aldi need to develop more new discount products in order to against new strategy of Tesco, and also keep its competition in the UK market. In addition, it is highly possible to launch its private label to open new segment market. Based on this idea, Aldi may enhance its brand and increase its market shares in the UK. Otherwise, Aldi may directly sell its products to some of small retailers which like canteen in University campus or in the street of city centre. This possibly motivates the growth of sales of Aldis products. Aldis website also needs to be improved in order to attract more people to shop in Aldi. Reference Aldi, (2009), Available from: http://www.aldi.co.uk/index.htm [Accessed 1st July 2009] Area Managers, (2005), Available from: http://uk.aldi.com/recruitment/recruitment_2.html [Accessed 1st July 2009] Elliott, V. (2005) Nine-year BSE ban on older beef lifted http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article567064.ece [Accessed 20th July 2009] Kumar, N. (2006) Strategies to Fight Low-Cost Rivals, http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2006/12/strategies-to-fight-low-cost-rivals/ar/1 [Accessed 11th July 2009] Porter, M.E. (1985) Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Free Press. REUTERS, (2008) Tesco takes on discounters with new low-cost range, http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLH54179620080917 [Accessed 3rd July 2009]

sure :: essays research papers

George W. Bush’s decision to make his first overseas trip to Mexico, in mid-February, has generated a great deal of speculation about what this could possibly mean for changes in U.S. policy toward Latin America over the next four years. It is clear that Mexico is vastly more familiar and comfortable for Bush than any other foreign country. In light of the questions raised about the former Texas governor’s foreign policy experience and competence during the campaign, it is hardly surprising that he would look first to the country immediately south of the Rio Grande to show he is up to the job. Bush could be tempted to explore some initiative that would symbolize the â€Å"special relationship† he is seeking with Mexico. This would naturally mean responding in some fashion to Mexican President Vicente Fox’s bold proposals on the two most contentious issues in the bilateral relationship: drugs and immigration. During the U.S. presidential campaign, both Bush and Gore seemed to be caught off guard by Fox’s audacity. They had presumably wanted greater democracy in Mexico, but were not prepared to deal with such an independent leader who defied all of the conventions in U.S.-Mexico relations. The triumph of the first opposition figure to defeat what Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa had once described as â€Å"the perfect dictatorship† gave the initiative to Mexico in forging a more constructive partnership with the United States. It will not be easy to take full advantage of the opportunity afforded by the beginning of both the Mexican and U.S. administrations. Fox is likely to encounter some resistance within Mexico to the notion of deepening ties with the United States even further. In trying to serve as an interlocutor for the rest of Latin America with the United States, he will face a tough balancing act. How will Mexico retain its Latin American identity—and its credibility on an array of hemispheric questions—as it moves closer to the United States? Mexico, after all, played a key role in facilitating political settlements to the Central American conflicts in the 1980s and 1990s. Particularly in view of Fox’s rather bold and promising gestures aimed at resolving the conflict between the Mexican government and the Zapatistas in Chiapas, the Mexican leader may well want to become active in trying to find a peaceful settlement to the decades-long conflict in Colombia. Mexico’s heightened visibility on Colombia and other hemispheric questions could put some strain on its â€Å"special relationship† with the United States, whose $1.

Telecommuting :: Essays Papers

Telecommuting I found this article to be of great interest to myself because my work and life has revolved around telecommuting for the past several years. As the article indicates, â€Å"a telecommuter is anyone who works at least part of the time at home, in their cars, from clients’ offices, and/or in hotel rooms and telephone booths.† Although the article is somewhat dated (1995 to be exact), I feel that what Robert Moskowitz wrote about telecommuting back in 1995 still applies today. When I chose to go to work for ADP-Automatic Data Processing several years ago, I already had some previous work experience as a telecommuter. At the time, I had no idea that my current position would actually transition itself to a telecommuting position or as I would like to call it now, â€Å"a virtual office position.† As a Software Implementation Consultant, I feel that a telecommuting position has been a viable solution for my employer, for my work responsibilities, and for my overall job satisfaction. With the help of hardware devices such as my laptop computer, pager, cellular phone, voicemail, etc., and software applications such as pcANYWHERE, MS-NetMeeting, MS-Project, MS-Internet Explorer, MS-Office, MS-Outlook, etc., I can accomplish everything from home-or anywhere else for that matter-than being in an actual home office. Because I can be reached during the workweek, virtually anyplace at anytime, and I can work pretty much anywhere at anytime, this requires a lot of responsibility, organization, and dedication to my company and it’s clients. Although it appears that I do have this flexibility in my current position, I do tend to be in my home office one or two times a week for meetings, personal contacts, etc. I feel this is still necessary, so that I don’t loose touch with the company and associates I work with at ADP. Finally, telecommuting has allowed me the independence without the direct supervision to become more productive in my position. I feel most people, including myself, would tend to be more productive if they didn’t have someone looking over their shoulder everyday. But I do realize it takes a special person with a good combination of a strong discipline and a strong work ethic to be an effective telecommuter. My Future: I am sure as technology advances, my current position as a telecommuter will become more efficient in the ways of doing business with my company and with my clients.

14 a day keeps the depression away :: essays research papers

Fourteen a Day Keeps the Depression Away What is Bi- Polar disorder? It is a condition formerly known as Manic Depressive Disorder that involves depressive episodes along with periods of elevated moods known as mania. Symptoms of mania include an abnormally elevated mood, irritability, an overly inflated sense of self-esteem, and distractibility. Persons experiencing an episode of mania are generally talkative, have a decreased need for sleep, and may engage in reckless or risk-taking behaviors. What is it like for a child that is diagnosed with Bi- Polar disorder? One of the many challenges a child with this disease faces is attending school. I have a young person in my life that was diagnosed with this disorder at the age of four and has been on medication since. He is now thirteen and is in the 7th grade. A characteristic of his particular disorder is that his IQ is considered that of a genius and last year in the 6th grade he was even accepted into the Mensa Society. Every morning, afternoon, and evening he is expected to ingest a handful of various mood-stabilizers. He talks to everyone, but more often his self, and stays up all night watching cartoons. He does not have any friends and his medications have caused him to become overweight. Should young children take so much medicine that they need uppers and downers? He has never been removed from them all at once but every few months they take him off one thing and then he starts some new miracle drug. There is no incli nation what kind of person this child would be without medication in his system that alters his emotions and personality. This child has been diagnosed with Bi- Polar disease, ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Oppostional Defiance Disorder. I ask myself if he really has all these conditions or if all young children get hyper sometimes. He cries because he can’t figure out how to use his vocabulary word in a sentence. He throws a conniption fit when the loops of his shoelaces aren’t tied exactly symmetrical. I have gone back and forth for years trying to determine what he needs. Up to the age of four he would get so frustrated that he would lash out. A cat scan revealed that he has seizures in the frontal lobe of his brain that cause him to become aggravated and sometimes violent.

Standard Costing

Introduction to Management Accounting Lecture: Albert De Jonge Student: John Alejandro Eusse Agudelo Submission date: 20/04/12 Contentpage Introduction3 Standard Cost3 History of Standard Costing4 Disadvantage of Standard Cost4 Advantage and benefits of Standard Costing 5 & 6 The relevance of standard in Brittan and rest of the world6 Overhead 7 Conclusion8 Reference and Bibliography9 IntroductionThis report is based on the relevance of standard costing in Modern Britain, the report will include so fact and evidence that standard costing is relevant or not relevant for a 21st century Britain. To clarify more on this topic and to support my argument and discussion it will be necessary to use empirical evidence such as case studies from social scientist and scholars specialised in the subject. The assignment will focus on how standard costing is relevant in the UK compare to Germany and Japan.The aim of this report will be to present an argument for and against standard -costing. My fi ndings will determine what evidence to use so that, the report will be unbiased and well presented according to the assessment task. Lastly there will be difference between standard price and standard cost, this will be made clear and explain further. My research will be done through Internet source textbooks. Standard Cost â€Å"Standard cost is usually associated with a Manufacturing Company’s cost of material and direct labour and manufacturing overhead†.Standard cost is different from Actual cost because standard cost is an estimate put together, Standard costing is a reliable technique used to manage and improve the performance of an organisation, standard costing can be seen to the same or similar to Activity based costing (ABC) but has often been criticized to be outdates and lost relevance but it was also suggested that the best techniques for controlling cost and performance management is to use ABC and standard costingStandard costing is a management tool use d to estimate the over cost of production assume normal operations in other words, the estimate cost of material, labour overheads and other cost for each unit of production or purchase in a given accounts period. The basic concept of standard costing should be discuss clearly because it form the bases of the argument s to weather standing is relevant or not in the recent times. The charted institute of management Accounting, London, defines standard costing as â€Å"the preparation of standard cost and analysing cost the causes of variation with a view to maintain maximum efficiency in production.From the above definition, there are some key words that needs to be noted and explain for clarity of this report, one of which is standard cost – which is defined by the institute of cost and work Accountants as standard cost are prepared and used to clarify the final result of a business particularly by measurement of variations of actual cost from standard cost and the analysis of causes of variation for the purpose of maintaining efficiency of executive action. History of Standard CostingFor over 100 years, standard costing has been used for valuing stock and work in progress â€Å"some historians say the origins of costing go back even further and have found evidence it was used in American Civil war by quarter master as a means of controlling cost. It doesn’t really matter when the technique was invented what is more important is that it is still in use today† â€Å"In 1989 a survey showed that standard costing was being used by more than 75% of British Industries e. g. brewing, textile, electronics and Pharmaceuticals. Disadvantage of Standard CostThere are many article and books that criticise standard costing as a technique that’s in appropriate as capital intensive industries with high level of fixed overheads. Some Journals articles from the US in recent years indicate in use and although a 100 years old has definitely survive d the test of time. It can be used effectively to those industries which are producing standardised product and are repetitive in nature , examples are transport for London, Salt industries etc. Standard costing is not suitable in situations where a variety of different ind of tasks are being done e. g. this is one of the weakness of standard costing it does not include overheads Standard cost variance report is usually prepared on monthly bases and often is released days even week after the end of month. As a consequence the information in the report may be so stale that it is almost useless. Timely frequent report that are very precise but out of date by the time they are release some companies are now reporting variances and other key operating data daily or even more frequently.If managers are intensive and use variances report as a club, morale may suffer, employees should receive positive reinforcement for work well. Increase in Labour doesn’t necessarily mean productio n will increase because output is depended on processing speed of machine. â€Å"(George Brown 2000) mentions that they can be improvements and changes which may be aided though the monitoring of variance trends though time. Trends may be monitored in order to establish whether the situation is deemed to be in control with variance fluctuating within acceptable limits.Alternatively, the variance trend may indicate an out of control situation which must be investigated with a view to improving and changing product design, production methods. Etc† â€Å"Many candidates are unable to carry out necessary computational aspects of an examination question. This is likely caused, at least in part because of a lack of understanding of physical situation which the data is intended to represent. A further problem is lack of ability to relate the physical information that has been calculated and the discussion about it relevance as a business tool in planning, control etc. Advantage and benefits of Standard Costing The benefits of using standard costing is that it can be used by management and managers as marks against which the performance of an organisation or of a department can be measured, it’s a good control tool for every activity it is not only a cost control tool but also help in help in production planning and decision making policy formulation and allows management by exception. â€Å"(George Brown,2000 ) states that it’s a useful part in management accounting tool kit which has also been increasingly questioned.The extent to which standards have a role to play in modern business is linked to the adaptation of progress, market and policies in changing business environment. â€Å" The rate of change in product type and design due to technological improvements, customer requirements and increased competition has led rapid to change in how business operate. The need to respond to customer demands for speedy availability of products, shorten ing product life cycles and higher quality standards has contributed to a number of changes in the way in which business operate.These include: Just in time system allied to flexible manufacturing systems aimed to ensure that customers demand may be satisfied on a pull though basis. Stock and work in progress Will be minimised and the business operating cycle tailored to cater for the specific customer requirements. Total quality programmes aim at continuous improvement, with the identification and elimination of non value added activities and the effective provision of added activities.Great emphasis on the value chain, from close link with suppliers of input materials and services to identification of customer needs in respect of quality, deliver and changing requirements though time. cost control standard costing system help to improve cost control and cost reduction, This involve the whole process of setting the standards second is a routine comparison and analysis of performanc e and expenditure against these standards and lastly is the ability to express and study the variations in monetary terms and implement corrective measure. (George Brow, 2000) asks what of standards in modern business? Can planning and decision making be accomplished in an effective manner without reference to some standard or based and without recourse to some measurement though time of achievements of, progress towards or variation from such standard or base? What elements of traditional stand cost will still have some relevance?This question has been raised and discussed in a number of areas in which standards may feature:† Right decision making – It provides information to the operational staff, accountant and the management about the expected utilisation of production lines, machines, vehicles, cost, of all activities and raw material & standard processing time. Performance management the target of different individuals, are fixed if the performance is according to predetermined standards.This standard can be used by managers as yardstick against which the performance of an organisation or department can be measured with this the management has no worries, the responsibilities are fixed and everybody tries to achieve his or her target and with hoe the are appraised Benchmarking standard costs are good yard stick for comparison between different plants at different locations standard develop for a production line in manufacturing company A can be compare with standard develop in another manufacturing company of the same production line.Budgeting and planning It helps the management to prepare forecast for the rest of the year and sometimes more year’s e. g 5 years etc. The relevance of standard in Brittan and rest of the world Standard costing is arguably less relevant according to authors and professional in the accounting world this method is out dated and should be replace with more up to date method such as JIT TQM and ABC. The use of standard costing is relevant to an extends however the more current method are prefer and are widely used in most manufacturing company’s. Dr. Reef Lawson, IMA vice president of research and Professor-in-Residence; Jiliang Yang, retired professor from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; and Pinzhun Ding, IMA senior China advisor, formerly of the PRC Ministry of Finance and the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA). These are the researchers that worked on the evolution of the finance and accounting (F&A) function in Chinese companies and management accounting technique (costing practice) they use.The study found significant differences between the costing practices followed by most Western companies and those followed by Chinese companies. † â€Å"It has been claimed that the use of standard costing is less expensive than an actual or normal costing system (Hilton et al. , 2003). Accordingly, standard costing has been widely used for both cost control and product costing purposes as well as to evaluate performance. Overhead Standard costing techniques do not include any overheads because standard costing always include elements for fixed overhead due to a larger percentage or the total cost of a product in manufacturing plants.In this case, there are two ways of approaching overheads treatment when using standard costing in management reporting. â€Å"Whelden (1932) in the first edition of cost Accounting and actual overhead costing methods, simply record the over or under applied overhead as the difference between actual overhead cost and a standard charge to work in progress. † In 1950 W Coutts Donald (CA,FCWA) used the innovation of calendar variance as part of the overhead volume variance.The calendar variance was a self adjusting variance that allowed for the under or over absorption of fixed overhead cost due to the varying number of working hours or days in any given accounting period. Where the bu dgeted fixed overhead was broken down into twelve equal parts, the calendar variance was in effect and used to flex the fixed overhead budget. In this case on a later date it was analysed into expenditure and volume variance. The volume variance was then subdivided into capacity and efficiency or productivity variance.Separate sets of overheads variances for fixed and variable overheads were also calculated. As mentioned earlier, the calculation of a calendar as part of fixed overhead capacity variance was probably the least understood of all variance. The Puxty and Lyall and Drury surveys show that 60% and 89% of respondents respectively, reported an overhead expenditure variance. Much lower numbers (28% and 41 %) reported an overhead volume variance. This could indicate a high level of use of a contribution approach in reporting system. 1) Overhead can be completely I ignoredOr (2) assumed to be fully absorbed by some cost drivers, these are the activities that consumes resources such as machine labour hours the mileage or the truck fleet etc. Conclusion The evidence showed that standard costing is less relevant in Britain because the country is more relying on service rather than manufacturing, The way standard costing as lasted over time also suggest how useful it has been and the alternative option such as TQM,JITand ABC could not replace the standard costing in the near at the moment.It is well known among the social scientist that this process is less common and even less in the United Kingdom because of the lack of manufacturing output in all the sectors compare to other countries such as USA, China, Japan and Germany. The way the report set out it support the argument that standard costing is relevant but the threat of it being extinct is something that need to be considered, even though it as survived many years, it is inevitable that the other method will come into practice more often for the newer generation.