Respiratory Service Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Respiratory Service - Research Paper Example The proposed Respiratory Service has the following key features: The pulmonary rehabilitation programme will allow the patients with COPD to be discharged from the outpatients. "This will allow more access to the Respiratory Outpatients. Moreover by increasing the educational support to both the patients and the nursing staff the following objectives can be achieved: With this kind of a limited model of multi disciplinary working with the additional specialist respiratory practitioner and respiratory service assistant, it can be proved that with this set up and with more inputs the recommendations made by NICE can be easily achieved.3 Consequently a drop in the morbidity and reduction in the instances of hospitalization can be expected. This presentation forms the business case for a sponsorship of the Respiratory Service for a period of two years. As a part of this business case presentation an analysis of the current situation with respect to the provision of the Respiratory Service in general in Kensington and Chel... with respect to the provision of the Respiratory Service in general in Kensington and Chelsea locality as well as the situation prevailing in the Kensington and Chelsea PCT is appended to justify the increase in the number of staff for the provision of an improved service to the patients. 2.1 Diagnosis of COPD - An Overview: Present estimates indicate that in Kensington and Chelsea diagnosis of COPD is being done only in respect of only one third of the patients. It has been observed that on an average an estimated 200 people with the ailment of COPD is contained in the patients list of a GP. The following table (Table 1.1) presents the estimated and registered prevalence of COPD in the area of North West London. Table 2.1 Prevalence of COPD in NWL PCT Estimated Raw Prevalence Smoking Prevalence4 QOF Register Prevalence Est:QOF Register Ratio Lower Upper Mean Hammersmith & Fulham PCT 2,048 4,899 3,474 33.56 1,568 45.1% Hillingdon PCT 3,609 8,633 6,121 27.15 2,615 42.7% Kensington & Chelsea PCT 2,430 5,815 4,123 30.40 1,370 30.1% Westminster PCT 3,047 7,279 5,163 32.88 1,691 32.8% NW London SHA 26,038 62,248 44,143 28.16 14,820 33.6% From the above table it may be observed that in the Kensington and Chelsea area around 30 percent of the true prevalence of COPD was registered through QOF as of November 2005. 2.2 Shortcomings of the Current Care Plans in Terms of Cost Involved: On the basis of an assessment of the current level of the provision of the services it has been ascertained that the there is no integration of the care pathways which leads to lack of comprehension in the services to the patients. There is only a limited access to the Pulmonary Rehabilitation5. Since there are no ways of extending the treatment to the patients in the normal way most of the

Isoelectric Focussing Essay Example for Free

Isoelectric Focussing Essay Isoelectric Focussing The method of separating proteins according to their isoelectric points in a pH gradient is called isoelectric focusing. This technique was discovered by H.Svensson in Sweden. This method has a high resolution power because ordinary paper electrophoresis resolves plasma proteins into six bands where as isoelectric focusing resolves it into 40 bands. In conventional electrophoresis the pH between anode and cathode is constant and the positively charged ions migrate toward the cathode and the negative ions migrate toward anode. But in isoelectric focusing, a stable pH gradient is arranged. The pH gradually increases from anode to cathode. When a protein is introduced at a pH which is lower than its isoionic point, it will possess a net positive charge and will migrate in the direction of the cathode. Due to the presence of pH gradient, the net charge of the molecule changes due to ionization as it moves forward. When the protein encounters a pH where its net charge is zero, it will stop migrating. This is the isoelectric point of the protein. Every protein present in the mixture will migrate to its isoelectric point and stops its migration there itself. Thus, once a final stable focusing is reached, the resolution will be retained for a long time. Enzyme proteins resolved by IEF are then separated in a second dimension based on their molecular weight. To conduct this, IEF gel is extruded from the tube and placed lengthwise on a slab gel of polyacrylamide saturated with SDS. When an electric current is applied, the enzymeproteins migrate from the IEF gel into the SDS gel and then get separated according to their mass. This method helps in excellent separation of cellular enzyme-proteins. Uses: The two dimensional gel electrophoresis is used in developmental biochemistry to monitor the increase or decrease in the intensity of a spot representing as specific protein as a function of cell growth. It is a standard method of judging protein purity.

the origin of electoral college Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the United States of America, the presidential election takes place every four years, on the first Tuesday of November [1]. Most people believe they are directly voting for the presidential candidate, and the person with the most popular votes will win the election. However, instead of voting for the presidential candidate, people are voting for the electors, individuals who vote in the Electoral College. Moreover, the total electoral vote, not the popular vote, actually determines the winner of the United States presidential election. The election of the year 2000 is a perfect example of the Electoral College. President George W. Bush won the presidential election of the year 2000 with more electoral votes, not popular votes. Before the presidential election of year 2000, most people pay no or little attention to the electoral votes, because most people do not understand the concept of the Electoral College, or even did not know there the different between po pular votes and Electoral College.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before continue to discuss about the Electoral College, we must first understand the history of Electoral College and the concept of how does it work. The Electoral College system was established in Article II, section I, of the U.S. Constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Electoral College was established by the founding fathers as a compromise between election of the president by Congress and election by popular v... the origin of electoral college Essay -- essays research papers fc   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the United States of America, the presidential election takes place every four years, on the first Tuesday of November [1]. Most people believe they are directly voting for the presidential candidate, and the person with the most popular votes will win the election. However, instead of voting for the presidential candidate, people are voting for the electors, individuals who vote in the Electoral College. Moreover, the total electoral vote, not the popular vote, actually determines the winner of the United States presidential election. The election of the year 2000 is a perfect example of the Electoral College. President George W. Bush won the presidential election of the year 2000 with more electoral votes, not popular votes. Before the presidential election of year 2000, most people pay no or little attention to the electoral votes, because most people do not understand the concept of the Electoral College, or even did not know there the different between po pular votes and Electoral College.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before continue to discuss about the Electoral College, we must first understand the history of Electoral College and the concept of how does it work. The Electoral College system was established in Article II, section I, of the U.S. Constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Electoral College was established by the founding fathers as a compromise between election of the president by Congress and election by popular v...

Essay on planning,preparing administering test Essay

Tests are formal assessment instruments that are used to judge student cognitive ability in an academic discipline as well as to gather information about students’ psychomotor performance. Tests usually consist of series of questions, statements, or tasks that are administered to a student or group of students. In order to develop a good assessment it requires proper planning, preparation and finally administration of the test. The development of a test that accurately measures student achievement requires careful planning. Planning for tests should start with an examination of student outcomes identified in the instructional objectives. An objective is a communication device that specifies the knowledge, skills, and attitude expected of students at the end of a lesson. Objectives also include 3 components- Conditions: identify what is available to students (resource material, circumstances etc.) .Performance: specify the desired measurable and observable student outcome (what the student will be able to do).Criteria: specify standards or proficiency for satisfactory performance. Develop test items-Test items are classified as objective or subjective. Objective test items (true or false, multiple –choice, matching, and completion) are easy to write and score and can sample large amount of content; however, they are limited to facts, encourage guessing and fail to measure higher levels of cognitive learning. Subjective test items allow students to express their thoughts and require demonstration of mastery of instructional objectives. Validity is the extent to which a test measures what it was intended to measure. Reliability provides an estimate of consistency of test results. All tests must be valid and reliable to accurately measure student achievement. Everything from student illness to testing environment can affect test validity and reliability. Planning test items-Test items should be assembled by type and increasing difficulty. Test items should also be checked for inconsistencies and follow a parallel format. Experienced test developers read the test for understanding and clarity prior to administration. Clear and concise test directions must be developed so students understand how, where, and when to provide responses. Administer Test-prior to administration, teachers should also consider the physical setting of the testing environment. Finally, teachers should also consider the psychological factors like anxiety and test pressure that affect students by explaining the reason for the test and adequately  preparing students for the test. Few points a teacher needs to keep in mind before administering test are-provide students with practice test items, indicate to students that you expect them to succeed on the test and that you are available to help them. Lastly discuss the parameters of the test. The entire procedure if followed by teachers and explained to students ahead in time, it is very much likely that the students will experience success. Thus, assessment should be an effort to move education forward and an exceptional tool that would give student an advantage in the classroom.

Early Childhood Curriculum Essay

One of the goals of preschool education is to improve children’s school success. Early childhood educators need to enhance a child’s developmental skills and knowledge. We are to build upon their ever growing need of curiosity and creativity. Without knowing what, why, and how to developmentally teach preschool children in an early childhood environment teachers will not have a great impact on the knowledge children will gain and retain in this environment. Children are eager to learn and acquire new life changing skills. The text (2008) emphasizes the importance of a child-centered curriculum that encompasses the whole child- physical, social, emotional, creative, and cognitive. Teachers practical knowledge of how and what to teach children is not taught in school. Teachers receive and understand the theoretical knowledge of children learning but they are unable to blend the theories with practical applications appropriate for young children. There are many preschool classrooms with qualified teachers but they do not understand the steps needed to provide a curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate. Most teachers have the book knowledge but their hands on and one on one skills are lacking when it comes to implementing activities to stimulate and excite children in learning. Kostelnik states that, â€Å"Teachers who lack adequate knowledge in any of these areas are hampered in their attempts to create developmentally appropriate programs for young children. The areas are: the fundamental components of early literacy and numeracy; how children experience literacy and mathematical concepts in their play; what teachers can do intentionally to support literacy and numeracy in all areas of the curriculum throughout the day†. Teachers must know and understand a child’s developmental needs and how to develop ways to meet these needs. Early childhood education recommends that programs utilize Developmentally Appropriate Practices. It is vital that young children have a curriculum that provides learning goals and guidance for teachers to develop activities and interactions. The National Association for the Education of Young Children approved the Early Childhood Standards and Accreditation Performance Standards and Accreditation Performance Criteria in 2005. These standards guide programs in a variety of areas including the curriculum (pp.232-233). †¢ Children have varied opportunities to be read books and to be read to in individualized ways. †¢ Children have activities that allow them to become familiar with print. †¢ Children are given opportunities to recognize and write letters, words, and sentences as they are ready. †¢ Books are displayed and writing is encouraged in one or more areas of the classroom. Curriculum development should focus on promoting learning and development in the areas of social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive growth (NAEYC Program Standards). There should be themes that are hands on and developmentally appropriate. Activities should include: art, math, science, social, studies, reading, and creativity. Classroom s should be filled with laughter and excitement. Hands on learning should take place, stories should be told, and play encouraged. Play is child’s work and when they enjoy what they are doing, then, they are more apt to learn, discover, and investigate their surroundings and environment. So how do we know that play is child’s work? This question and many more are answered when we look at research and theories of education. Theories are the foundation for which teachers choose to teach from. Theories help guide teachers in understanding the reason why they set up their classrooms and for carrying out the lessons they teach children on a daily basis. Theories teach us that relationships are the foundation for learning. We need to have relationship with the children we teach and with families of the children we provide a program for. Theories teach us that children learn through play and that they learn when they interact with their peers and their environment. There are many theories of learning to use to decide what type of curricula to use  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Vygotsky’s Constructivist theory- puts the learner in the center and believes that teachers should provide experiences that link prior knowledge to what they are studying. The constructivist teacher organizes the classroom with children’s stages of development in mind. Children learn when they collaborate with others, discussion and talking about the how and why of things. †¢ Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development- learning is viewed as active, constructive process in which students seek organization and meaning in their worlds. †¢ Abraham Maslow focused on human potential and proposed that all persons strive to reach the highest within them. His theory also asserts that children learn best when their physical needs are met and they feel a sense of psychological safety and security. †¢ B. F. Skinner Behaviorist Theory emphasizes the roles of environmental conditions and overt behaviors in learning. Children learn through the effects of their own intentional responses. Consequences will determine whether a person will repeat a particular behavior that led to the consequences. Our theorists teach us that as children play they are learning about themselves, other people, and the world. As the text (2008) states, learning and development in the early years are critical to the child’s long term well-being. This theoretical base in early childhood education guides and provides a framework of understanding for how children learn. The text also states that, theoretically, there is widespread acceptance of the idea that play is important- that it is the serious business for the young child. Elkind reviewed a variety of theories that support the role of children’s play, including Montessori, Freud, Piaget, and Vygotsky. By taking these theories and putting them into perspective we provide ways to meet the differences and developing needs that children have. For children to excel and have success in school we have to address all areas of their development. Research has shown us that it is during these times of play that a child’s brain is affected. Connections are made as a child repeatedly does the same types of activities. If these connections are not made or used they will eventually disappear. Our text (2008) states that, â€Å"Play is a time where children needs are met. Good play experiences unite and blend all aspects of development, reaping social, emotional, physical, intellectual, moral, creative, and cultural benefits for young children. † As children engage in play in the early childhood classroom they are learning and growing developmentally. Age appropriate activities are provided for them. Vanderwater says that, â€Å"Play is simply shorthand for our capacity for curiosity, imagination, and fantasy — our creative dispositions. † In order for children benefit from play a curriculum is needed to meet their needs. It is important for young preschool children to have a curriculum that includes planned environments and activities in the classroom, such as music and creative movement, dramatic play, singing, and creative art. Planned and unplanned spontaneous learning should take place everyday. We know that children are unique and different therefore they all learn differently. With this knowledge we have to teach the whole child. This includes teaching social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development to preschoolers. Preschool curriculum models vary widely. Some may detail exactly what to teach and how to teach it with step by step instructions. Others on the other hand leave room for teacher ideas and input. Then there are some that provide guidance in developing activities and interactions that are crucial to social development. When choosing curricula, programs need to take into account children’s ages, needs, behavior, language and cultural backgrounds. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialist in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) therefore advise the following: â€Å"Curriculum is more than a collection of enjoyable activities. Curriculum is a complex idea containing multiple components such as goals, content, pedagogy, or instructional practices. Curriculum is influenced by many factors including society’s values, content standards, account ability systems, research findings, community expectations, culture and language, and individual children’s characteristics. † The early childhood (preschool) classroom has a need for a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Designing a curriculum gives teachers the opportunity to come together and brainstorm on what is needed to meet the needs of individual children. Dodge states, â€Å"When teachers build curriculum with each other and with the children and are willing to really listen to each other and to the children’s ideas, and really value them, there is a very different kind of relationship being established and a climate of mutual trust is formed. She also shares that, the nature of this relationship between teachers and children and parents would be very different in our opinion, if the teacher’s plan were already written and all the planning spaces filled in, and all the outcomes predetermined and articulated ahead of time. Relationships again are the foundation that is needed in the early childhood classroom. Society has put a lot of pressure on early childhood programs to produce results. Kostelnik states that, kindergarten teachers report that one out of three children begin formal schooling lacking the basic experiences they need to succeed. Because of this, programs make decisions each day about the type of curriculum to use. They see the importance of early learning experiences that will build a firm foundation for learning and development later on in life. There are many types of curriculum in our society today. The two most commonly used in the Unites States according to Dodge are: The Creative Curriculum and High/Scope. In addition to these many directors used a variety of models and resources to supplement their planning. These include the Project Approach, Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and what several called â€Å"emergent curriculum†. There is evidence that high quality early childhood programs can and do make a difference in children’s development. Children can develop the skills they need as they participate in child care and other early learning programs from birth to age eight. Kostelnik states that children need to know the fundamental components of early literacy and numeracy for literacy involves listening, viewing, speaking, writing, and reading. Some of the numeracy components are: understanding number, how people represent number, the relations among numbers, and number systems, using mathematical tools, and recognizing, describing, and extending patterns. Literacy and numeracy can be displayed in the classroom when the dramatic play area has been transformed into a hairdressing shop. The children can create signs that say haircuts, shampoo, curlers, and perms. The children can also include prices on the signs. The children can move in and out of this area taking turns as customers, receptionist, haircutters, and cashiers. They will pretend cutting hair, giving permanents, making appointments, writing out receipts, using the play cash register, and making change. Literacy and numeracy is also seen in the block center as children make signs and count trucks, in the writing center as children write in their journals and in the art center as children draw and create pictures of their choice. Kostelnik tells us that, skilled teachers intentionally create opportunities for children to become engaged in varied literacy and numeracy experiences every day. Developmentally appropriate activities do not happen by chance, they have to be planned out. Children are looking for direction and opportunities to investigate. Teachers are being provided with training and professional development on how to teach, what to teach and why they need to follow a curriculum. As teachers gain the skills they need they begin to understand the developmental need s of children. They create opportunities for learning through play and they advocate for the needed changes in the system. As curriculum choices are being made and teachers are trained in how to implement the curriculum children are excelling. In an early childhood classroom teachers are better equipped and have a greater impact on what, why and how to teach children in a developmentally appropriate way. References: Eliason, C. F. , Jenkins, L. (2008). A Practical Guide to Early Childhood Curriculum (8th ed. ). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Dodge, D. (2004). Early Childhood Curriculum Models Why, What and the How Programs Use Them. Retrieved from the Exchange magazine. www. ChildCareExchange. com Kostelnik. M (2008). Academics in Early Childhood. Retrieved from the Exchange magazine. www. ChildCareExchange. com. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE). (2003). Joint position statement on early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Washington, DC: NAEYC, p. 6 Vanderwater, E. A. , Rideoout, V. J. , Wartella, E. A. , Huang, X. , Lee, J. H. , Shim, M. S. (2007). â€Å"Digital Childhood: Electronic Media and Technology Use Among Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers. † Pediatrics 119(5): e1006-e1015 [pic].

The Civil War Essay Example

The Civil War Essay Example The Civil War Essay The Civil War Essay Essay Topic: Diary Of a Madman Many historians agree that the Harpers Ferry raid was to the Civil War what the Boston Massacre had been to the American Revolution. They were both incendiary events. Defenders of the union generally condemned Brown and called the raid the work of a madman. Everywhere the threat of slave insurrections fed fears, and the uproar strengthened the hand of secessionists who argued that the South needed to rid itself of northern influence. The eventual view in the living North that John Brown was a martyr, combined with the abhorrence of Brown by the masses in the South showed that a Civil War was imminent. The North and the South had an ideological difference about the practice of slavery. What the North considered incorrigibly evil, the South considered a positive good. The conflict between the North and the South sprung from the slavery issue and men like John Brown were part of the causes of the war. To his men and to Frederick Douglass, Brown made clear that he intended nothing les s than to provoke a slave insurrection. All evidence points to that motive. Brown constantly warned his conspirators that such a raid might fail; yet even in failure he hoped a sectional crisis would unfold leading to the destruction of slavery. Browns contradicting statements has provoked speculation over the man and his hidden motives. Some saw Brown as an insurrectionist, others as a self-deluded martyr, and still others as insane. (Document A) The way Brown conducted the raid was disappointing to many intellectuals in the North, as they saw that violence was not the answer to the slavery question. However, men like the transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, (Document B)s saw Browns raid as a confirmation of the living Norths commitment to the egalitarian roots of the new nation.

History of the Internet and Inventor Tim Berners-Lee

History of the Internet and Inventor Tim Berners-Lee Before there was the public internet there was the internets forerunner ARPAnet or Advanced Research Projects Agency Networks. ARPAnet was funded by the United States military after the cold war with the aim of having a military command and control center that could withstand a nuclear attack. The point was to distribute information between geographically dispersed computers. ARPAnet created the TCP/IP communications standard, which defines data transfer on the internet today. The ARPAnet opened in 1969 and was quickly usurped by civilian computer nerds who had now found a way to share the few great computers that existed at that time. Father of the Internet Tim Berners-Lee Tim Berners-Lee was the man leading the development of the World Wide Web (with help of course), the defining of HTML (hypertext markup language) used to create web pages, HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), and URLs (Universal Resource Locators). All of those developments took place between 1989 and 1991. Tim Berners-Lee was born in London, England and graduated in Physics from Oxford University in 1976. He is currently the Director of the World Wide Web Consortium, the group that sets technical standards for the web. Besides Tim Berners-Lee, Vinton Cerf is also named as an internet daddy. Ten years out of high school, Vinton Cerf began co-designing and co-developing the protocols and structure of what became the internet. History of HTML Vannevar Bush first proposed the basics of hypertext in 1945. Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, HTML (hypertext markup language), HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) and URLs (Universal Resource Locators) in 1990. Tim Berners-Lee was the primary author of html, assisted by his colleagues at CERN, an international scientific organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Origin of Email Computer engineer, Ray Tomlinson invented internet-based email in late 1971.

Introducing Phrasal Verbs to ESL Students

Introducing Phrasal Verbs to ESL Students Getting students to come to terms with phrasal verbs is a constant challenge. The fact of the matter is that phrasal verbs are just rather difficult to learn. Learning phrasal verbs out of the dictionary can help, but students really need to read and hear phrasal verbs in context for them to be able to truly understand the correct usage of phrasal verbs. This lesson takes a two-pronged approach to helping student learn phrasal verbs. It begins with a reading comprehension which can also serve to introduce some interesting student stories for discussion. This comprehension is peppered with phrasal verbs which can then be discussed as a class. The second part of the lesson includes a brainstorming session for students to create lists of phrasal verbs to share with one another. Once students have become familiar with phrasal verbs, you can refer them to these resources to continue their learning. This phrasal verbs reference list will get students started with short definitions of approximately 100 of the most common phrasal verbs. This guide in how to study phrasal verbs will help them develop a strategy to understand and learn phrasal verbs. Aim: Improve phrasal verb vocabulary Activity: Reading comprehension followed by brainstorming session and discussion Level: Intermediate to upper intermediate Outline: Have the students read the short story full of phrasal verbs.Ask them some general comprehension questions about the text. Once they have read the text, ask them to tell a story of their own from their youth.Now that you have discussed the text, ask the students to find the phrasal verbs from the list which occur in the reading selection. Once the students have found these phrasal verbs, ask the students to provide synonyms for the phrasal verbs.Tell the students a little bit about what you have done that teaching day:Example: I got up at seven this morning. After I had breakfast, I put together tonights lesson plan and came to school. I got into the bus at X square and got off at Y square...Ask students which of the verbs you used were phrasal verbs and ask them to repeat those verbs. At this point, you might want to ask them if they have ever taken a look under the heading get in a dictionary. Ask them what they discovered.Explain that phrasal verbs are very important in English - especially for native speakers of the language. You can point out that it might not be important for them to be able to use a lot of phrasal verbs if they use their English with other non-native speakers. However, it is important that they have a passive knowledge of phrasal verbs, as they will need to understand more and more phrasal verbs as they become used to reading, listening, seeing and exploring authentic materials in English. Obviously, if they are going to use their English with native speakers, they will really need to buckle down and get used to using and understanding phrasal verbs. Write a list of common verbs that combine with prepositions to make phrasal verbs. I would suggest the following list:TakeGetMakePutBringTurnBeCarryDivide students into small groups of 3-4 each, ask students to choose three of the verbs from the list and then brainstorm to come up with as many phrasal verbs using each of the three verbs that they can. They should also write example sentences for each of the phrasal verbs.As a class, ask students to take notes while you write the phrasal verbs down that each group provides. You should then give a spoken example or two for each of the phrasal verbs so that students can understand the phrasal verbs from the context of what you are saying.Once you have provided the students with examples, ask the students to read their own examples and check to make sure that they have used the phrasal verbs correctly. NOTE: Dont introduce the idea of separable and inseparable phrasal verbs at this point. The students will already be dealing with almost too much new information. Save that for a future lesson! Adventures Growing Up I was brought up in a small town in the countryside. Growing up in the countryside offered lots of advantages for young people. The only problem was that we often got into trouble as we made up stories that we acted out around town. I can remember one adventure in particular: One day as we were coming back from school, we came up with the brilliant idea to make out that we were pirates looking for treasure. My best friend Tom said that he made out an enemy ship in the distance. We all ran for cover and picked up a number of rocks to use for ammunition against the ship as we got ready to put together our plan of action. We were ready to set off on our attack, we slowly went along the path until we were face to face with our enemy - the postmans truck! The postman was dropping off a package at Mrs. Browns house, so we got into his truck. At that point, we really didnt have any idea about what we were going to do next. The radio was playing so we turned down the volume to discuss what w e would do next. Jack was all for switching on the motor and getting away with the stolen mail! Of course, we were just children, but the idea of actually making off with a truck was too much for us to believe. We all broke out in nervous laughter at the thought of us driving down the road in this stolen Postal Truck. Luckily for us, the postman came running towards us shouting, What are you kids up to?!. Of course, we all got out of that truck as quickly as we could and took off down the road. Phrasal Verbs to make outto make off withto drop offto set offto get out ofto get intoto get readyto be up toto take offto grow upto make upto set offto turn downto get intoto bring upto break out There are at least 7 other phrasal verbs in the text. Can you find them?

Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice Management Term Paper

Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice Management - Term Paper Example There has been a 605% increase in violent crimes in U.S.A alone since 1953. Americans view violence and crime as the most significant issue being witnessed in the U.S.A. A good criminal justice system helps to maintain law and order of a country under control. Even though the administration is toothed with an exhaustive power to trace and punish criminals, many procedures have been set out by the American Constitution like the right to engage a counsel, right to remain silent, right to appeal, etc. for an accused. The main intention of a criminal law is to safeguard society. One of the famous maxims about criminal law is that the punishment must fit the crime. Thus, this research study helps to evaluate what a criminal system is, a comparison between traditional and contemporary policing, legal, diversity and ethical issues associated with American Criminal Justice System and about its intricacies in detail. [Summers &Hoffman, 2002, p.173]. Criminal justice system consists of a great number of actors executing different jobs like judges, police officers, probation officers, bondsman, etc. Each player in the criminal justice system requires to gain assistance and cooperation of the other actors by assisting those players to accomplish their objectives. The federal system of the United States is founded on the substratum notion that the states administer the principal responsibility for criminal justice and hence, criminal justice is the nucleus of state and not national responsibility.[Barkow,2003,p.33]. Currently, there is no single criminal justice system in U.S.A as different states follow many systems that are identical but individually distinctive.  

Economic Injustices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic Injustices - Essay Example t involves exploitation of children as labor, also they are forced to work for longer hours, paid low wage rates, poor working conditions that endanger their health and they are denied their rights to education. (Liz Stuart (2005)) There are two factors that lead to child labor and they include the demand factor and supply factor, the demand factor refers to the demand by employers to employ children, firms will employ children given that the children are paid less wages, they are more obedient given that they are not members of any labor union and that these children can be coerced to work more hours. The supply factor refers to the supply of labor, children may want to work in order to support their families or even earn a living. An Article by Liz Stuart (2005) provides a good example of child labor, the article states that in 1996 it was discovered that some products that were being sold in Mark & Spencer shops were produced using child labor, it was discovered that the shops were importing cloths from a factory in morocco that employed children aged 12 years, when this was made public the girls were dismissed from the factory. (Liz Stuart (2005)) On going efforts to eliminate child labor include product boycotts, consumers refuse to buy products produced using child labor, in the above example of Mark Spencer the company was afraid of the consequences of a boycott and this is why they stopped employing children. Another effort to stop child labor is the implementation of laws by various organizations, example the UN declaration on children rights regarding child labor. (Katharine Johnson (2004)) Sweatshops refers a factory that employs labor for long hours and at the same time offering low wages, it is an economic injustice given that this is a form of exploitation whereby laborers are forced to work for more hours against their will and also are paid low wage rates. The firms earn large profits as a result of this form of exploitation, due to high

Module 7 Crisis Intervention Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Module 7 Crisis Intervention - Research Paper Example The reasons for not reporting sexual assaults, although those violated wanted to, also included minor punishments for those military men who would be found guilty by the military court. This was the impression kept in the military. Their superiors might not even report the incident in order to seek justice for the victim. In the military, it is said that the commanding officers serve as the judge. To initiate the investigations and change policies in the military, over a dozen complaints were filed in 2011 alone. Reflecting on these widespread cases of sexual assault in the military, one would have to consider the various possible root causes. If these were not in the military, the victims can simply file their complaint by first reporting the assault to the police force, who will in turn document the incident in preparation for a legal case against the attacker. However, the assaults taking place in the military are different. If the victims complain and their superiors do nothing about it, they can become a laughing stock in the military. There were reports about sexual assaults done not by just one man but by several men. Yet nothing might be done to bring the case to justice. One probable reason could be due to the fact that the commanding officers themselves would be found partly guilty of mismanaging the behaviour of their soldiers. If the soldiers are kept busy doing some things productive, there won’t be opportunities to be idle and tempted. What the victims can do is to avail of free consultations online in order to take full control of the emotions and anger while finding ways to bring the matter to justice. This refers to getting psychological advices as well as legal advices even while in the military, with the condition that such advices are not from outside of the United States, for the purpose of keeping military matters confidential at least to foreigners. That is if the government will eventually allow military personnel to

Limited Liability Partnership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Limited Liability Partnership - Essay Example This business entity will be registered in the US under the state laws of the country. As an entrepreneur, I have identified two other investors who have a similar objective of establishing a social communication company in the US that will link up people through a website. In order for people to communicate, they will have to register and give their personal details that will differentiate them from other persons. Under this communication platform, we will earn our income from advertisements, which are posted, on our websites. This means that the higher the number of registered social networkers, the greater the outreach of advertisements. We intend to have a global presence and a minimum of 250,000 registered people by the end of the first fiscal year. To achieve our noble idea, we have decided to form a partnership business with the two investors. We will register our partnership business under the Uniform Partnership Act of 1996 that govern partnership businesses in the US. Our b usiness will be a limited liability partnership that will strictly follow the regulations laid by the Act. Limited liability partnership has several advantages that have fascinated us to form a partnership business. Under the limited liability partnership, all the partners in the business will be limited depending with their individual contributions to the business. In the partnership agreement, we have decided that each partner will contribute equally to the business. This means that the amount of liability will be treated equally to all partners. Moreover, the profits and losses will be shared equally to the partners. Besides, all partners should participate equally in management of our partnership business in order to achieve our vision, mission, goals, and objectives. Various factors have riveted us to form a limited liability partnership. Limited liability partnerships are advantageous in that they are easy to establish and manage as compared to corporations and companies. Limi ted liability partnerships require no minimum capital to be established as compared to other forms of businesses, such as companies and corporations. The partners in the agreement decide the amount of capital in this form of business. Limited liability partnerships have few legal formalities required to establish the business. For instance, a few numbers of partners, 2, are required to form the partnerships as compared to a company’s 50 members. In management of our partnership business, designated partners, who are in charge for ensuring the compliances of all applicable laws, will manage daily operations of limited liability partnership. Limited liability partnerships are advantageous in that the partnerships are treated as separate legal entities from their owners. This means that the partners cannot be sued individually for the liabilities resulting from the partnership. This means as limited liability partners, we are obliged to take responsibility of the partnership bus iness through proper management. Furthermore, limited liability partnerships and their members are treated as distinct and separate from each other (Bouchoux 34). These depicts that a partner will be accountable for the duties bequeathed upon them by the partnership. Additionally, partners in this form of business organization are not held responsible for the acts of other partners and their personal assets are treated separately and never exposed unless there is a case of fraud. Limited liability partnerships are flexible as compared to companies. Flexibility of limited liability partnerships is brought about by the minimal legal requirements to establish the partnership. Such an example is the minimal amount of capital required to

Animal Use in Medical Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Animal Use in Medical Research - Essay Example However, the use of animals in medical research has long been a bitter debate. On one hand, use of animals is considered unethical for the benefit of the human. In contrast, if the use of animals is curbed altogether, it would lead to disruption of the understanding of health diseases, which would influence the newly developed medical treatments. This essay presents two different perspectives of medical researchers and ethics related to the use of animals on whether the animals should be used in the medical research or not. Finally, the essay ends with favoring the perspective which is most convincing. The perspective of Medical Researchers Use of animals in the medical research plays a vital role in the advancement of the medical sector. Since ages, man has been depending on animals for his survival. All over the world, people are leading a better quality of life due to the development of new medical treatments and medicines. This is made possible only by the research on animals. Me dical research includes acquirement of new knowledge and using animals for testing chemicals and compounds for ensuring safety and guarantee. According to them, no new medicine or drug can be introduced in the market or to the patients, until and unless it is tested on an animal. The new drug, medicine or treatment all over the world is confirmed effective on the basis of the tests done on animals. The techniques of transplantation of organ and open heart surgery are being supported by the surgery on animals.

Deciphering Organizational Culture through Artifacts Term Paper

Deciphering Organizational Culture through Artifacts - Term Paper Example Organisational culture is evidenced in the manner in which the business conducts its activities such as interactions with stakeholders like customers, employees and the wider society (Mukherjee, 2005). It is also manifested by extend in which creativity and individual imitativeness are tolerated in the organisation (Mukherjee, 2005). In addition, culture is evidenced in the levels of the organisational structure and the chain of command that influences the channels of information flow in the organisation. Proper organisational culture enhances employee commitment to the shared mission and objectives of the organisation (Mukherjee, 2005). The culture will also enhance or hinder the productivity and performance of each individual employee in the organisation. Shared organisational culture unites multicultural workforce thus leading to a sense of unity and appreciation of the differences in their cultural backgrounds (Brown, 1998). In this case, the culture will foster conflict resoluti on and efficient communication thus leading to perceptions of equality among the diverse workforce. Organisational culture also enables the organisation to retain and attract highly qualified skilled manpower since the right culture enables employees have a sense of higher personal accomplishment by being part of the organisational workforce (Mohanty & Rath, 72). Organisational culture enables employees increase their productivity since they expect to earn appreciation and recognition from the top management. (Brown, 1998). The culture facilitates achievement of the mission of the organisation through enabling employees take responsibility for their roles and responsibilities in the organisation (Brown, 1998). The culture affects the organisation in several ways. The culture acts as the organisational identity and contributes to brand image formation (Brown, 1998). Culture enables the organisations create energy and momentum for future success through outlining the employee attribut es and behaviours that are essential for the attainment of the mission of the organisation. The culture promotes healthy relationships in the organisation thus limiting the chances of employee grievances and go-slows that may negatively impact on the continuance of operations and productivity in the organisation (Brown, 1998). The culture influences the rate of innovation and new product development in the organisation (Brown, 1998). A culture that tolerates risk will encourage employees to experiment news ideas without fear of making mistakes thus contributing to higher chances of implementation of innovative working processes

Animal Use in Medical Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Animal Use in Medical Research - Essay Example However, the use of animals in medical research has long been a bitter debate. On one hand, use of animals is considered unethical for the benefit of the human. In contrast, if the use of animals is curbed altogether, it would lead to disruption of the understanding of health diseases, which would influence the newly developed medical treatments. This essay presents two different perspectives of medical researchers and ethics related to the use of animals on whether the animals should be used in the medical research or not. Finally, the essay ends with favoring the perspective which is most convincing. The perspective of Medical Researchers Use of animals in the medical research plays a vital role in the advancement of the medical sector. Since ages, man has been depending on animals for his survival. All over the world, people are leading a better quality of life due to the development of new medical treatments and medicines. This is made possible only by the research on animals. Me dical research includes acquirement of new knowledge and using animals for testing chemicals and compounds for ensuring safety and guarantee. According to them, no new medicine or drug can be introduced in the market or to the patients, until and unless it is tested on an animal. The new drug, medicine or treatment all over the world is confirmed effective on the basis of the tests done on animals. The techniques of transplantation of organ and open heart surgery are being supported by the surgery on animals.

Revolutions and their significance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Revolutions and their significance - Essay Example liberate forces of production .The first Russian revolution (1917-1918) was a result of public’s demand for a freer inner market and the French revolution (1789-1799) happened because public became frustrated of the ongoing aristocratic scenario. These instances show that it was a particular aspect that provoked the public to revolt. A country’s revolution does not necessarily affect another country since no two governments are alike and so are the problems of its populace. However, the fact cannot be negated that revolutions always induce an everlasting impact on the world because governments learn to mend their ways to avoid similar situation in the region. Alternately, occurrence of revolutions whether in the past or in recent times provokes another nation to stand against injustice and socio-economic imbalance in their country. Revolutions act like processes that force institutions to realize the power of public and alternately these also make public realize its own capability. â€Å"The revolutions in France and Russia liberated the enormous power of social reality of the people, creating powerful images of democratic equality to come† (Foran and Lane et al., 44). In France, not just its society underwent an epic transformation by favoring democracy over aristocracy, the world also grew fond of secularism and liberalism and a rapid rise in democracies and republics was witnessed afterwards. Similarly, 1917 Russian revolution shook the balan ce of powers during World War I and gave the world its first communist state, which as a concept was soon adopted world over and generated many other revolutions. The 1989 Russian revolution resulted in changing history by creating 14 new states and promoting abandoning of communism. Therefore, revolutions are not merely historical incidences or dates but highly impactful reflections of a group of individuals that in-turn produce everlasting impression not only within the society but globally as well. Revolutions

Description of personal warm-up Essay Example for Free

Description of personal warm-up Essay Before training or playing a match in my sport I will always follow a warm-up program. This warm-up will help prevent injury such as muscle pulls and tears. As well as being physically prepared it will also help me be mentally prepared which is especially important in a match situation. My warm-up consists of a few running drills and then into a set of stretches followed by some skilled drills. It is very important to do some running drills before stretching as muscles need to be stretched when warm to prevent injury. A simple 3 minute jog would warm the muscles enough for stretching. Stretches These are the stretches that I would go through. Each stretch has a diagram, to demonstrate how the stretch is done, and the names of the muscles being stretched. Neck muscles (Sternocleidomastoid and scalenes) Shoulder muscle (Deltoids, Trapezius and Triceps) Spine Quadriceps (Rectus temoris and Sartoius) Hamstrings Gluteus Maximas (Gluteuls) Groin (Pectinus, Odducta longas and Odducta magnus) Skilled drills The final part of my warm up consists of practicing skills with my teammates. There are many forms that we can practice skills with. Grid work Grid work will be set out with players on four corners facing each other as shown in the diagram. = players = running path The players will run to the opposite corner of the grid with a rugby ball and pass it on the player facing them. They can pass it on in number of ways; * A simple pass * A pop pass for the player to run onto * A high pass for the player to jump for * A gut pass Lateral passing Another drill that can be used is the lateral passing drill. Rather than passing forward in grid work, lateral passing consists of passing backwards down a line like a match situation. Players should be in several groups of about 3 to 6 and they should line up at two opposite ends as shown in the diagram. = players = running path = ball path Each group should run to the other end while passing the ball along the line. The distance should be enough for the ball to go down the line 3 times. Benefits of a warm up If a warm up is carried out in the right way it can give many benefits: * Loss of muscle stiffness * As haemoglobin releases oxygen easier at higher muscle temperatures there is facilitated oxygen utilization by the muscles * Speed and force of contraction is increased as the higher temperature of the muscle gives it more energy * Vascular beds dilate in the active tissues increasing blood flow * As muscles are warmed there is reduced resistance which allows a greater economy of movement * Reduces chance of injuries such as tears, pulls etc. Cool down A cool down is just important as the warm up and should always be done after training or a match. I will always cool down after a match or training with my team by simply jogging for 5-10 minutes. This will gently decrease my body temperature. I will also do a series of stretches for 5-10 minutes. Benefits of a cool down A cool down will give a number of benefits: * Reduce the chances of DOMS (Delayed-onset muscle soreness) * Decrease the level of adrenaline in the blood * Helps in the release of lactic acid in the muscles

Continuing Professional Development To Maintain Knowledge And Understanding Nursing Essay

Continuing Professional Development To Maintain Knowledge And Understanding Nursing Essay In a changing world, competence becomes more than just a level of knowledge, skills and behaviours used to improve performance. In order to achieve continuous competence, learning and development must be continued. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is incredibly important in the health care system as rules, ideas and values are being assessed and broadened, therefore the professionals should maintain the knowledge and understanding of this, in order to continue competence. The Oxford Dictionary defines competence as the ability to do something successfully or efficiently. By my understanding, professional competency is a persons values, attitudes, habits, skills and practices that are based on a theory-guided, evidenced-based discipline. To be competent is to have understanding, confidence and a level of knowledge based within a competency standard. Competencies are not only defined by a persons ability to fulfil their duties as a care giver but to have a greater understanding of every aspect that makes a nurse. A competent nurse has healthy partnerships with both patients and colleagues by understanding what makes a safe practice, showing independence, efficient time management skills, demonstrating clinical skills, italicising resources available, understanding the broad health care system and showing work ethics. Competency standards are based on the boundaries of practice, the standards set by the nurse, using a holistic approach, expectations set by the nurse, the practice and the national standard and also the nurses consistency. Standards are used as framework for testing competency. The Australian Nursing and Midwife Council (ANMC) have a National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse. Each of these standards complies with a level of competency. With the standards evolving with the change of community this shows why continuing professional development is important. The Australian Nursing and Midwife Council have decided these standards into domains. Professional practice, critical thinking and analysis, provision and coordination of care and collaborative and therapeutic practice. (ANMC, 2005) Professional practice is in relation to the professional, legal and ethical responsibilities. This includes basic knowledge of the legislation affecting nursing, health care and protecting individuals and group rights. (ANMC, 2005) This includes practicing in accordance with relevant legislation and common law, Fulfilling the duty of care and working within an ethical nursing framework. (ANMC, 2005) Critical thinking and analysis relates to professional development and evidence and research for practice in the health care system. This includes reflection on practice, feelings, beliefs and the consequences of individuals and groups. (ANMC, 2005) Provision and coordination of care is exactly that, as well as the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care. (ANMC, 2005) Collaborative and therapeutic practice is the establishing, sustaining and concluding professional relationships with individuals and groups. This also includes the nurses competencies within an interdisciplinary health care team. (ANMC, 2005) In achieving competence a health care professional must as comply with a code of Ethics. This code can be found on The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council website. This code relates to ethics and morality used in within the standards of health care. This Code outlines the nursing professions commitment to respect, promote, protect and uphold the fundamental rights of people who are both the recipients and providers of nursing and health care. (ANMC, 2005) The purpose of this code of ethics is for nurses in Australia to be able to identify the ethical standards and values in which have been incorporated within the nursing guidelines and standards of conduct. This code also helps guide ethical decision making and practice. There are eight key points within the code of ethics these are; 1. Nurses value quality nursing care for all people. 2. Nurses value respect and kindness for self and others. 3. Nurses value the diversity of people. 4. Nurses value access to quality nursing and health care for all people. 5. Nurses value informed decision making. 6. Nurses value a culture of safety in nursing and health care. 7. Nurses value ethical management of information. 8. Nurses value a socially, economically and ecologically sustainable environment promoting health and wellbeing. (ANMC, 2005) The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) revised the English language requirements in August 2010 which have been published on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australias website. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia are responsible for all Nursing applications in Australia, and have made Continuing Professional Development mandatory. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is essential for professionals to maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge and skills and develop their personal qualities required for the ever-changing field of health care. Continuing Professional Development is important for the enhancement of skills both professionally and personally. This is a career long process and it is essential as the resources grow so must the professionals knowledge. Continuing Professional Development is a design that helps promote self-learning and address any inadequacies associated with previous learning. (Justin Konkol, n.d) The purpose of Continuing Professional Development is extensive but some of the main reasons are to maintain knowledge and skills provide evidence of competency, maintain competency and adequacy. Although a boundary on how competency and Continuing Professional Development are reviewed could come down to an individuals value judgements or expert opinion, but who is to say who is rig ht and who is wrong? There is also an opportunity for independent assessment. In the past it has been a requirement of health care professionals to continue education; Continuing Professional Development is an improved replacement structure of continuation of education (CE). Competence and Continuing Professional Development are very closely linked, as you need to Continue Professional Development to continue competence. It is important that a health care professional is kept up to date in order to maintain competency. Continuing Professional Development is a key indicator of continuing competence within a practice. Competence is the ability to perform duties accurately, make correct judgments, and interact appropriately with patients and colleagues. Professional competence is characterized by good problem-solving and decision-making abilities, a strong knowledge base, and the ability to apply knowledge and experience to diverse patient care situations. (Health-Syst Pharm, 2001) CPD ensures that professions remain up to date in a changing world and that the reputation of the profession is enhanced, encouraging individuals to aspire to improve performance and ensure they are committed to learning and it is an integral part of their work. (Whittaker, 1992). This is a prime example of a professional expert explaining why continuing professional development is important. The world can not be stopped from changing, and our professionals must keep up with the standards in order to continue competency. Continuing Professional Development is broken up into five main principles. These include Reflecting on current skills and knowledge and identifying personal and organizational areas that may need improvement within a practice. Individually the professional should devise a personal plan for future strategies that will help in the identified learning and developmental needs. Broken down into five simple steps Continuing Professional Development is best achieved by: Step one: Identifying current competencies. Step two: Determine the desired and the current levels of performance. Step three: Identify the learning and development needs. Step four: Plan and action, in other words, fill the gaps. Step five: Evaluate and demonstrate. There are many barriers that stop professionals from carrying out Continuation Professional Development. Time, cost, and access are the most frequent of these barriers. Finding time between work life and home life is confronting enough, let alone balancing another aspect of furthering education. Professionals with poor time-management skills will find time as the biggest barrier. The cost of perusing Continuing Professional Development can be a costly one not only for an individual but also an organisation. For smaller profit organisations they may not have the funds to support an individual professional to further their education and therefore the cost falls back onto the individual. Also people from smaller districts may not have the facilities or the facilitators required to fulfil this continuation of learning forcing them to travel a distance which again brings in factors such as time and costs. There are also personal factors that become barriers such as differences in career stage, preferred learning style and individual ambition. For a professional that is high up in the heath care hierarchy they may feel that there is nothing left for them to expand on and dont see the reasoning behind them further their education. Also every individual has a different way they prefer to learn. Unfortunately when in a learning setting not all of these approaches can be facilitated for. For someone who is comfortable in their current position, participating in Continuing Professional Development may not be ideal for them, where as for a professional that is highly ambitious participating in Continuing Professional Development is absolutely ideal for them. Barriers for Continuing Professional Development come down to the professional individual and their drive and desire to continue their learning. As Continuing Professional Development is very much a self-learning process, there is a dist inct difference in those who are competent and participate in Continuing their Professional Development and those whose competency slips when furthering their education is not perused. In conclusion, in order to achieve continuous competence professionals need to engage in Continuing Professional Development. This is crucial for a successful heath care system and a successful practice. As research continues to grow so must the professionals knowledge, values, attitudes and behaviours. Rules and ideas continue to change and evolve and as a health care professional continuing professional development help the professional to evolve with them. The world will always continue to expand, change and evolve around us and our health care professionals must expand, change and evolve with it.

Democracy Vs Dictatorship :: essays research papers

Imagine the next time you step into the voting booth your ballot only lists one candidate to choose from. Or perhaps your ballot lists four candidates, but they are all from the Liberal party. Dictatorships are one party political systems that are ruled by one leader or an elite group of people under the principle of authoritarianism. Some feel that dictatorships are the most effective form of government because decisions are made quickly and extreme nationalism benefits the military and economy. These individuals value order, nationalism, and authority. However, these systems often result in violence, repression of the public, and few provisions for changes to the system. Democracies are multiparty political systems that rest on the principle of rule by the people. Most people that live in democracies have civil liberties1, and political rights2. Individuals who feel that multiparty systems are the best government value equality, accountability, and freedom. Nations that have multi party political systems will meet the needs of the public better through the means of political equality, a higher standard of living3, and civil liberties. Dictatorships often occur when a nation is economically and politically unstable. An example of this is Napoleon’s coup d’ etat in 1799 France. In a system of authoritarian rule decisions are made efficiently because very few people are involved in the decision making process. The leader or elite group at the head of the government decides on new policies and economic measures, then makes sure that the public abides by them by using tactics of force and indoctrination. Dictatorial systems have helped nations recover from economic turmoil many times in the past. The extreme nationalism that is born from propaganda and government sponsored youth organizations encourages people to work harder for the benefit of their country. Newly motivated work forces easily meet their production goals. If the leader of a dictatorship is capable the country can rise to hold a great amount of international power. Building up the military is an important step to gain power. A strong milita ry will discourage other countries from attacking and also discourage the citizens of the country from rebelling. The force of nationalism, and new laws that can be easily passed regarding education (such that every male of a certain age must serve time in the military) allow military strength of dictatorships to multiply. The Soviet Union experienced a dictatorial system from 1917 to 1985.

Ethan Frome: Tragic figure that function

Ethan Frome: Tragic figure that functions as an instrument of the suffering of others ay cache1897 unit Four: Ethan Frome In the novella Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, main character Ethan Frome is a man that faces many disappointments as well no self-assurance. Ethan Frome is definitely a tragic flgure that functions as an Instrument of the suffering of others In the novel. Ethan Frome overall is a very tragic tale of misery and suffering, and any of the main characters involved can be connected to that suffering.Wharton makes Ethan not only the victim, but the function of all the other characters suffering to ruly get In depth with the flaws that Ethan possesses. Zeena, Ethan FromeS wife experiences much suffering due to Ethan. Ethan spent his whole life never being able to stand up for himself. He chose to marry Zeena for the sole reason that she would end his loneliness. It could have also been the fact that he felt bad that she dedicated her life to taking care of Ethan's mom. Ne xt, Ethan decided to give Zeena a loveless relationship.Never in the text does Ethan show any sort of emotion toward his wife, nor does she show any towards him. Ethan is omewhat awful towards the one in which he personally chose to be his wife. He chooses to go to â€Å"work† rather than drive her to the doctor, he decides to pursue another woman who Is his wife's cousin, and lastly, he chooses to kill himself for the sake of his own independence and his â€Å"love† for Mattie. Zeena however, can be aggravating at times which causes Ethan to act certain ways. Zeena tragically has â€Å"hypochondria† which brings out the cold, unhappy, domineering woman who whines and complains incessantly.Ethan lets Zeena dominate him which shows his flaw of eing subordinate. These mistakes eventually lead to his fall. It Is clearly seen that Zeena uses Illness to get Ethan's attention and love he hasnt been giving. Zeena makes it hard for Ethan to show how he feels about Matti e in his heart, because when she comes around, Ethan Is blindsided by her thoughts in his head. â€Å"†¦ but there was only one thought in my mind: the fact that, for the first time since Mattie had come to live with them, Zeena was to be away for the night.He wondered if the girl were thinking of it too†¦ † (40). Another main character is Mattie Silver, who is he desired women Ethan wants to be with rather than his wife. From early descriptions of Mattie, she appears to be the silvery maiden whose arrival Into Ethan Frome's desperate life provides love and hope. Wharton describes Mattie as being a lively and happy young woman, before her suicide attempt that leaves her an invalid and a former shadow of herself. Her name, Mattie Silver, symbolizes the glistening and beauty of a piece of sterling silver.Wharton also states â€Å"The pure air, and the long summer hours In the open, gave life and elasticity to Mattie† (Wharton 60). Thls quote give Mattie the ima ge of someone with great beauty and personality. Ethan has strong feelings for Mattie and it turns out that the maiden has mutual feelings. Because she has feelings for him, and the sweetness of spirit to interest him in return, the resulting tragedies occur. She develops a catastrophic attitude. She had the mindset that if she couldnt be with Ethan, and be happy, then she doesn't want 1 OF2 sne tnen encourages Etnan to take tne slea down ana commit sulc10e wltn her.Her spontaneous and drastic emotions that are tied up with Ethan lead to much uffering. The fact that Ethan quickly agrees to commit suicide shows that he isn't really self-reliant and doesn't think for himself. Wharton shows a flaw that Ethan possesses which in turns cause much suffering for him and Mattie. Ethan Frome is definitely painted as a tragic figure in his crippled state of misery. His tragic flaw could be that he is too indebted to family, and feels too much obligation to them. This brings him home to care fo r his parents, and won't allow him to leave his wife to seek happiness.It's a good trait, loyalty, but in this case it eeps him shackled in a miserable situation, that, because he won't resolve it in a different way, leads to his tragic and spontaneous decision on the day he decides to go sledding with the women he truly desired. Although Ethan may have suffered, his suffering impacted the people around him. Ethan and his wife represent a broken relationship. It is very ironic how the pickle dish Zeena cherishes is broken. The fact that Zeena's cat breaks the pickle dish is significant. The cat is already symbolically linked with Zeena.

Dahlia Furniture Private Limited Essay

I. Time Context: Last 5 months of 1984 II. Viewpoint: Mr. Chua Boon Kang, co-owner of Dahlia Furniture Private Limited III. Major Policy Statement: Dahlia Furniture Private Limited is a local furniture manufacturer of standard and custom-made furniture known for their high quality and elegant wall units, kitchen cabinets, bedroom sets, and dining set. And aims to be one of the largest furniture manufacturer in Singapore by 1990. IV. Statement of the Problem: What can the company do to maximize profit to improve the company’s position? V. Objectives Long Range Objectives: To expand our business operation after 2 years To be the leading furniture manufacturer by 1987 Short Range Objectives: To maximize profit and minimize cost To increase sales To cater furniture for the mass market VI. SWOT Analysis Strengths a. The company is known for high quality and elegant image of their furniture b. Dahlia Furniture is a known seller of imported furniture Weaknesses a. Dahlia Furniture has a small market; only middle and upper income families could afford their furniture b. Limited product line; composes only of wall units, kitchen cabinets, bedroom sets, and dining sets Opportunities a. Growing number of families who can afford and are willing to pay higher price for a high quality furniture b. Growing demand for imported furniture Threats a. Other companies that offer furniture for a lower price b. Foreign manufacturers and retailers that are entering the Singapore market VII. Alternative Courses of Action ACA #1: Continuous importation of some furniture and start to produce quality furniture that could be sold for a lower price to expand our market in serving the mass market of low income generating families. ACA #2: Remove locally made furniture in our product line and import all our furniture to uphold the image of high quality and elegant furniture for middle and upper income families. ACA #3: Expand our product line by producing and importing other high quality and elegant furniture other than wall units, kitchen cabinets, bedroom sets and dining sets for middle and upper income families. VIII. Analysis of Alternatives ACA #1: Continuous importation of some furniture and start to produce quality furniture that could be sold for a lower price to expand our market in serving the mass market of low income generating families. Advantages: a. Expanding our market is also a means of expanding the sources of our income b. The life of the company is not solely dependent on the purchase of our small market for middle and upper income families Disadvantages: a. Great risk whether the new target market of low generating families would purchase our furniture b. Costly as we would be starting from scratch to develop, produce and sell our new affordable furniture c. Additional Labor is needed d. The image of elegance and exclusivity of our furniture might be lost ACA #2: Remove locally made furniture in our product line and import all our furniture to uphold the image of high quality and elegant furniture for middle and upper income families. Advantages: a. No overhead expense for us b. The image of the company for catering high quality, elegant and exclusive furniture would be preserved c. We could focus more on the imported products that bring us income d. No need to hire additional workers e. Less attention required by the importation of furniture for we would not be the one to create them Disadvantages: a. Costly to import furniture id it would not be sold right away b. The operations of the company is solely dependent on our foreign suppliers c. Small market only for middle and upper income families that could afford to purchase imported furniture d. In violation of the anti-foreign labor regulation of the government e. Slow rate of repurchase because we offer the same furniture ACA #3: Expand our product line by producing and importing other high quality and elegant furniture other than wall units, kitchen cabinets, bedroom sets and dining sets for middle and upper income families. Advantages: a. Creating new line of furniture is also creating a new source of income for the company b. We can maintain the image of the company as producer of high quality, elegant and exclusive furniture Disadvantages: a. Costly to develop, produce and sell new furniture line b. Requires additional workers c. Still dependent on the purchase of our small market of middle and upper income families d. Risk whether the new furniture would be bought by the market e. The company could be subjected to government observation since we are importing more furniture IX. Decision Statement After closely analysing all the alternatives, the best alternative for the company is ACA #1: Continuous importation of some furniture and start to produce quality furniture that could be sold for a lower price to expand our market in serving the mass market of low income generating families. The imported furniture is still in the growth stage and the demand for them is still high. The continuing the importation of furniture could still bring us income and can be used as capital in our plan of targeting a new market. The company is known for catering high quality, elegant, and exclusive furniture; extending this to the mass market could bring drastic increase in our sales for the company already has a prestige name in the furniture industry. The company would be catering both high-end furniture and affordable furniture but of good quality. Expanding our market is extending the coverage of our company and also the source of our income. ACA #2 and ACA #3 still focuses on serving a limi ted market only for middle and upper income families making the sources of our income also limited to them. Furniture is a durable product and repurchase of it is not made in a short span of time. If the each of these middle and upper income families has their own wall units, kitchen cabinets, bedroom sets and dining sets then they would not repurchase again and so the company might be in danger. ACA # 1 would find us another source of income as we extend our market to the lower income generating families but at the same time retaining the service for middle and upper income families. And having the prestige of high quality and elegant furniture, the new target market would be eager to purchase our furniture. X. Implementation Plan Long Range Implementation Plan a. Continuous improvement of the quality, operations, management of the company and continuous search on how we could minimize the cost of our operations Short Range Implementation Plan a. Research about the new target market The price range that they can and willing to pay for a furniture. Designs, specifications and quality of a furniture that would draw them to purchase it. b. Canvass materials of good quality but of lower price to be used in the production of the furniture c. Create a plan on how we could minimize the cost of our importation, production and operation d. Make the furniture, specially the affordable furniture, known to the market by advertisement through publication at least once a week in a local newspaper of general circulation

A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-three

Bran The Karstarks came in on a cold windy morning, bringing three hundred horsemen and near two thousand foot from their castle at Karhold. The steel points of their pikes winked in the pale sunlight as the column approached. A man went before them, pounding out a slow, deep-throated marching rhythm on a drum that was bigger than he was, boom, boom, boom. Bran watched them come from a guard turret atop the outer wall, peering through Maester Luwin's bronze far-eye while perched on Hodor's shoulders. Lord Rickard himself led them, his sons Harrion and Eddard and Torrhen riding beside him beneath night-black banners emblazoned with the white sunburst of their House. Old Nan said they had Stark blood in them, going back hundreds of years, but they did not look like Starks to Bran. They were big men, and fierce, faces covered with thick beards, hair worn loose past the shoulders. Their cloaks were made of skins, the pelts of bear and seal and wolf. They were the last, he knew. The other lords were already here, with their hosts. Bran yearned to ride out among them, to see the winter houses full to bursting, the jostling crowds in the market square every morning, the streets rutted and torn by wheel and hoof. But Robb had forbidden him to leave the castle. â€Å"We have no men to spare to guard you,† his brother had explained. â€Å"I'll take Summer,† Bran argued. â€Å"Don't act the boy with me, Bran,† Robb said. â€Å"You know better than that. Only two days ago one of Lord Bolton's men knifed one of Lord Cerwyn's at the Smoking Log. Our lady mother would skin me for a pelt if I let you put yourself at risk.† He was using the voice of Robb the Lord when he said it; Bran knew that meant there was no appeal. It was because of what had happened in the wolfswood, he knew. The memory still gave him bad dreams. He had been as helpless as a baby, no more able to defend himself than Rickon would have been. Less, even . . . Rickon would have kicked them, at the least. It shamed him. He was only a few years younger than Robb; if his brother was almost a man grown, so was he. He should have been able to protect himself. A year ago, before, he would have visited the town even if it meant climbing over the walls by himself. In those days he could run down stairs, get on and off his pony by himself, and wield a wooden sword good enough to knock Prince Tommen in the dirt. Now he could only watch, peering out through Maester Luwin's lens tube. The maester had taught him all the banners: the mailed fist of the Glovers, silver on scarlet; Lady Mormont's black bear; the hideous flayed man that went before Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort; a bull moose for the Hornwoods; a battle-axe for the Cerwyns; three sentinel trees for the Tallharts; and the fearsome sigil of House Umber, a roaring giant in shattered chains. And soon enough he learned the faces too, when the lords and their sons and knights retainer came to Winterfell to feast. Even the Great Hall was not large enough to seat all of them at once, so Robb hosted each of the principal bannermen in turn. Bran was always given the place of honor at his brother's right hand. Some of the lords bannermen gave him queer hard stares as he sat there, as if they wondered by what right a green boy should be placed above them, and him a cripple too. â€Å"How many is it now?† Bran asked Maester Luwin as Lord Karstark and his sons rode through the gates in the outer wall. â€Å"Twelve thousand men, or near enough as makes no matter.† â€Å"How many knights?† â€Å"Few enough,† the maester said with a touch of impatience. â€Å"To be a knight, you must stand your vigil in a sept, and be anointed with the seven oils to consecrate your vows. In the north, only a few of the great houses worship the Seven. The rest honor the old gods, and name no knights . . . but those lords and their sons and sworn swords are no less fierce or loyal or honorable. A man's worth is not marked by a ser before his name. As I have told you a hundred times before.† â€Å"Still,† said Bran, â€Å"how many knights?† Maester Luwin sighed. â€Å"Three hundred, perhaps four . . . among three thousand armored lances who are not knights.† â€Å"Lord Karstark is the last,† Bran said thoughtfully. â€Å"Robb will feast him tonight.† â€Å"No doubt he will.† â€Å"How long before . . . before they go?† â€Å"He must march soon, or not at all,† Maester Luwin said. â€Å"The winter town is full to bursting, and this army of his will eat the countryside clean if it camps here much longer. Others are waiting to join him all along the kingsroad, barrow knights and crannogmen and the Lords Manderly and Flint. The fighting has begun in the riverlands, and your brother has many leagues to go.† â€Å"I know.† Bran felt as miserable as he sounded. He handed the bronze tube back to the maester, and noticed how thin Luwin's hair had grown on top. He could see the pink of scalp showing through. It felt queer to look down on him this way, when he'd spent his whole life looking up at him, but when you sat on Hodor's back you looked down on everyone. â€Å"I don't want to watch anymore. Hodor, take me back to the keep.† â€Å"Hodor,† said Hodor. Maester Luwin tucked the tube up his sleeve. â€Å"Bran, your lord brother will not have time to see you now. He must greet Lord Karstark and his sons and make them welcome.† â€Å"I won't trouble Robb. I want to visit the godswood.† He put his hand on Hodor's shoulder. â€Å"Hodor.† A series of chisel-cut handholds made a ladder in the granite of the tower's inner wall. Hodor hummed tunelessly as he went down hand under hand, Bran bouncing against his back in the wicker seat that Maester Luwin had fashioned for him. Luwin had gotten the idea from the baskets the women used to carry firewood on their backs; after that it had been a simple matter of cutting legholes and attaching some new straps to spread Bran's weight more evenly. It was not as good as riding Dancer, but there were places Dancer could not go, and this did not shame Bran the way it did when Hodor carried him in his arms like a baby. Hodor seemed to like it too, though with Hodor it was hard to tell. The only tricky part was doors. Sometimes Hodor forgot that he had Bran on his back, and that could be painful when he went through a door. For near a fortnight there had been so many comings and goings that Robb ordered both portcullises kept up and the drawbridge down between them, even in the dead of night. A long column of armored lancers was crossing the moat between the walls when Bran emerged from the tower; Karstark men, following their lords into the castle. They wore black iron halfhelms and black woolen cloaks patterned with the white sunburst. Hodor trotted along beside them, smiling to himself, his boots thudding against the wood of the drawbridge. The riders gave them queer looks as they went by, and once Bran heard someone guffaw. He refused to let it trouble him. â€Å"Men will look at you,† Maester Luwin had warned him the first time they had strapped the wicker basket around Hodor's chest. â€Å"They will look, and they will talk, and some will mock you.† Let them mock, Bran thought. No one mocked him in his bedchamber, but he would not live his life in bed. As they passed beneath the gatehouse portcullis, Bran put two fingers into his mouth and whistled. Summer came loping across the yard. Suddenly the Karstark lancers were fighting for control, as their horses rolled their eyes and whickered in dismay. One stallion reared, screaming, his rider cursing and hanging on desperately. The scent of the direwolves sent horses into a frenzy of fear if they were not accustomed to it, but they'd quiet soon enough once Summer was gone. â€Å"The godswood,† Bran reminded Hodor. Even Winterfell itself was crowded. The yard rang to the sound of sword and axe, the rumble of wagons, and the barking of dogs. The armory doors were open, and Bran glimpsed Mikken at his forge, his hammer ringing as sweat dripped off his bare chest. Bran had never seen as many strangers in all his years, not even when King Robert had come to visit Father. He tried not to flinch as Hodor ducked through a low door. They walked down a long dim hallway, Summer padding easily beside them. The wolf glanced up from time to time, eyes smoldering like liquid gold. Bran would have liked to touch him, but he was riding too high for his hand to reach. The godswood was an island of peace in the sea of chaos that Winterfell had become. Hodor made his way through the dense stands of oak and ironwood and sentinels, to the still pool beside the heart tree. He stopped under the gnarled limbs of the weirwood, humming. Bran reached up over his head and pulled himself out of his seat, drawing the dead weight of his legs up through the holes in the wicker basket. He hung for a moment, dangling, the dark red leaves brushing against his face, until Hodor lifted him and lowered him to the smooth stone beside the water. â€Å"I want to be by myself for a while,† he said. â€Å"You go soak. Go to the pools.† â€Å"Hodor.† Hodor stomped through the trees and vanished. Across the godswood, beneath the windows of the Guest House, an underground hot spring fed three small ponds. Steam rose from the water day and night, and the wall that loomed above was thick with moss. Hodor hated cold water, and would fight like a treed wildcat when threatened with soap, but he would happily immerse himself in the hottest pool and sit for hours, giving a loud burp to echo the spring whenever a bubble rose from the murky green depths to break upon the surface. Summer lapped at the water and settled down at Bran's side. He rubbed the wolf under the jaw, and for a moment boy and beast both felt at peace. Bran had always liked the godswood, even before, but of late he found himself drawn to it more and more. Even the heart tree no longer scared him the way it used to. The deep red eyes carved into the pale trunk still watched him, yet somehow he took comfort from that now. The gods were looking over him, he told himself; the old gods, gods of the Starks and the First Men and the children of the forest, his father's gods. He felt safe in their sight, and the deep silence of the trees helped him think. Bran had been thinking a lot since his fall; thinking, and dreaming, and talking with the gods. â€Å"Please make it so Robb won't go away,† he prayed softly. He moved his hand through the cold water, sending ripples across the pool. â€Å"Please make him stay. Or if he has to go, bring him home safe, with Mother and Father and the girls. And make it . . . make it so Rickon understands.† His baby brother had been wild as a winter storm since he learned Robb was riding off to war, weeping and angry by turns. He'd refused to eat, cried and screamed for most of a night, even punched Old Nan when she tried to sing him to sleep, and the next day he'd vanished. Robb had set half the castle searching for him, and when at last they'd found him down in the crypts, Rickon had slashed at them with a rusted iron sword he'd snatched from a dead king's hand, and Shaggydog had come slavering out of the darkness like a green-eyed demon. The wolf was near as wild as Rickon; he'd bitten Gage on the arm and torn a chunk of flesh from Mikken's thigh. It had taken Robb himself and Grey Wind to bring him to bay. Farlen had the black wolf chained up in the kennels now, and Rickon cried all the more for being without him. Maester Luwin counseled Robb to remain at Winterfell, and Bran pleaded with him too, for his own sake as much as Rickon's, but his brother only shook his head stubbornly and said, â€Å"I don't want to go. I have to.† It was only half a lie. Someone had to go, to hold the Neck and help the Tullys against the Lannisters, Bran could understand that, but it did not have to be Robb. His brother might have given the command to Hal Mollen or Theon Greyjoy, or to one of his lords bannermen. Maester Luwin urged him to do just that, but Robb would not hear of it. â€Å"My lord father would never have sent men off to die while he huddled like a craven behind the walls of Winterfell,† he said, all Robb the Lord. Robb seemed half a stranger to Bran now, transformed, a lord in truth, though he had not yet seen his sixteenth name day. Even their father's bannermen seemed to sense it. Many tried to test him, each in his own way. Roose Bolton and Robett Glover both demanded the honor of battle command, the first brusquely, the second with a smile and a jest. Stout, grey-haired Maege Mormont, dressed in mail like a man, told Robb bluntly that he was young enough to be her grandson, and had no business giving her commands . . . but as it happened, she had a granddaughter she would be willing to have him marry. Soft-spoken Lord Cerwyn had actually brought his daughter with him, a plump, homely maid of thirty years who sat at her father's left hand and never lifted her eyes from her plate. Jovial Lord Hornwood had no daughters, but he did bring gifts, a horse one day, a haunch of venison the next, a silver-chased hunting horn the day after, and he asked nothing in return . . . nothing but a certain h oldfast taken from his grandfather, and hunting rights north of a certain ridge, and leave to dam the White Knife, if it please the lord. Robb answered each of them with cool courtesy, much as Father might have, and somehow he bent them to his will. And when Lord Umber, who was called the Greatjon by his men and stood as tall as Hodor and twice as wide, threatened to take his forces home if he was placed behind the Hornwoods or the Cerwyns in the order of march, Robb told him he was welcome to do so. â€Å"And when we are done with the Lannisters,† he promised, scratching Grey Wind behind the ear, â€Å"we will march back north, root you out of your keep, and hang you for an oathbreaker.† Cursing, the Greatjon flung a flagon of ale into the fire and bellowed that Robb was so green he must piss grass. When Hallis Mollen moved to restrain him, he knocked him to the floor, kicked over a table, and unsheathed the biggest, ugliest greatsword that Bran had ever seen. All along the benches, his sons and brothers and sworn swords leapt to their feet, grabbing for their steel. Yet Robb only said a quiet word, and in a snarl and the blink of an eye Lord Umber was on his back, his sword spinning on the floor three feet away and his hand dripping blood where Grey Wind had bitten off two fingers. â€Å"My lord father taught me that it was death to bare steel against your liege lord,† Robb said, â€Å"but doubtless you only meant to cut my meat.† Bran's bowels went to water as the Greatjon struggled to rise, sucking at the red stumps of fingers . . . but then, astonishingly, the huge man laughed. â€Å"Your meat,† he roared, â€Å"is bloody tough.† And somehow after that the Greatjon became Robb's right hand, his staunchest champion, loudly telling all and sundry that the boy lord was a Stark after all, and they'd damn well better bend their knees if they didn't fancy having them chewed off. Yet that very night, his brother came to Bran's bedchamber pale and shaken, after the fires had burned low in the Great Hall. â€Å"I thought he was going to kill me,† Robb confessed. â€Å"Did you see the way he threw down Hal, like he was no bigger than Rickon? Gods, I was so scared. And the Greatjon's not the worst of them, only the loudest. Lord Roose never says a word, he only looks at me, and all I can think of is that room they have in the Dreadfort, where the Boltons hang the skins of their enemies.† â€Å"That's just one of Old Nan's stories,† Bran said. A note of doubt crept into his voice. â€Å"Isn't it?† â€Å"I don't know.† He gave a weary shake of his head. â€Å"Lord Cerwyn means to take his daughter south with us. To cook for him, he says. Theon is certain I'll find the girl in my bedroll one night. I wish . . . I wish Father was here . . . â€Å" That was the one thing they could agree on, Bran and Rickon and Robb the Lord; they all wished Father was here. But Lord Eddard was a thousand leagues away, a captive in some dungeon, a hunted fugitive running for his life, or even dead. No one seemed to know for certain; every traveler told a different tale, each more terrifying than the last. The heads of Father's guardsmen were rotting on the walls of the Red Keep, impaled on spikes. King Robert was dead at Father's hands. The Baratheons had laid siege to King's Landing. Lord Eddard had fled south with the king's wicked brother Renly. Arya and Sansa had been murdered by the Hound. Mother had killed Tyrion the Imp and hung his body from the walls of Riverrun. Lord Tywin Lannister was marching on the Eyrie, burning and slaughtering as he went. One wine-sodden taleteller even claimed that Rhaegar Targaryen had returned from the dead and was marshaling a vast host of ancient heroes on Dragonstone to reclaim his father's throne. When the raven came, bearing a letter marked with Father's own seal and written in Sansa's hand, the cruel truth seemed no less incredible. Bran would never forget the look on Robb's face as he stared at their sister's words. â€Å"She says Father conspired at treason with the king's brothers,† he read. â€Å"King Robert is dead, and Mother and I are summoned to the Red Keep to swear fealty to Joffrey. She says we must be loyal, and when she marries Joffrey she will plead with him to spare our lord father's life.† His fingers closed into a fist, crushing Sansa's letter between them. â€Å"And she says nothing of Arya, nothing, not so much as a word. Damn her! What's wrong with the girl?† Bran felt all cold inside. â€Å"She lost her wolf,† he said, weakly, remembering the day when four of his father's guardsmen had returned from the south with Lady's bones. Summer and Grey Wind and Shaggydog had begun to howl before they crossed the drawbridge, in voices drawn and desolate. Beneath the shadow of the First Keep was an ancient lichyard, its headstones spotted with pale lichen, where the old Kings of Winter had laid their faithful servants. It was there they buried Lady, while her brothers stalked between the graves like restless shadows. She had gone south, and only her bones had returned. Their grandfather, old Lord Rickard, had gone as well, with his son Brandon who was Father's brother, and two hundred of his best men. None had ever returned. And Father had gone south, with Arya and Sansa, and Jory and Hullen and Fat Tom and the rest, and later Mother and Ser Rodrik had gone, and they hadn't come back either. And now Robb meant to go. Not to King's Landing and not to swear fealty, but to Riverrun, with a sword in his hand. And if their lord father were truly a prisoner, that could mean his death for a certainty. It frightened Bran more than he could say. â€Å"If Robb has to go, watch over him,† Bran entreated the old gods, as they watched him with the heart tree's red eyes, â€Å"and watch over his men, Hal and Quent and the rest, and Lord Umber and Lady Mormont and the other lords. And Theon too, I suppose. Watch them and keep them safe, if it please you, gods. Help them defeat the Lannisters and save Father and bring them home.† A faint wind sighed through the godswood and the red leaves stirred and whispered. Summer bared his teeth. â€Å"You hear them, boy?† a voice asked. Bran lifted his head. Osha stood across the pool, beneath an ancient oak, her face shadowed by leaves. Even in irons, the wildling moved quiet as a cat. Summer circled the pool, sniffed at her. The tall woman flinched. â€Å"Summer, to me,† Bran called. The direwolf took one final sniff, spun, and bounded back. Bran wrapped his arms around him. â€Å"What are you doing here?† He had not seen Osha since they'd taken her captive in the wolfswood, though he knew she'd been set to working in the kitchens. â€Å"They are my gods too,† Osha said. â€Å"Beyond the Wall, they are the only gods.† Her hair was growing out, brown and shaggy. It made her look more womanly, that and the simple dress of brown roughspun they'd given her when they took her mail and leather. â€Å"Gage lets me have my prayers from time to time, when I feel the need, and I let him do as he likes under my skirt, when he feels the need. It's nothing to me. I like the smell of flour on his hands, and he's gentler than Stiv.† She gave an awkward bow. â€Å"I'll leave you. There's pots that want scouring.† â€Å"No, stay,† Bran commanded her. â€Å"Tell me what you meant, about hearing the gods.† Osha studied him. â€Å"You asked them and they're answering. Open your ears, listen, you'll hear.† Bran listened. â€Å"It's only the wind,† he said after a moment, uncertain. â€Å"The leaves are rustling.† â€Å"Who do you think sends the wind, if not the gods?† She seated herself across the pool from him, clinking faintly as she moved. Mikken had fixed iron manacles to her ankles, with a heavy chain between them; she could walk, so long as she kept her strides small, but there was no way for her to run, or climb, or mount a horse. â€Å"They see you, boy. They hear you talking. That rustling, that's them talking back.† â€Å"What are they saying?† â€Å"They're sad. Your lord brother will get no help from them, not where he's going. The old gods have no power in the south. The weirwoods there were all cut down, thousands of years ago. How can they watch your brother when they have no eyes?† Bran had not thought of that. It frightened him. If even the gods could not help his brother, what hope was there? Maybe Osha wasn't hearing them right. He cocked his head and tried to listen again. He thought he could hear the sadness now, but nothing more than that. The rustling grew louder. Bran heard muffled footfalls and a low humming, and Hodor came blundering out of the trees, naked and smiling. â€Å"Hodor!† â€Å"He must have heard our voices,† Bran said. â€Å"Hodor, you forgot your clothes.† â€Å"Hodor,† Hodor agreed. He was dripping wet from the neck down, steaming in the chill air. His body was covered with brown hair, thick as a pelt. Between his legs, his manhood swung long and heavy. Osha eyed him with a sour smile. â€Å"Now there's a big man,† she said. â€Å"He has giant's blood in him, or I'm the queen.† â€Å"Maester Luwin says there are no more giants. He says they're all dead, like the children of the forest. All that's left of them are old bones in the earth that men turn up with plows from time to time.† â€Å"Let Maester Luwin ride beyond the Wall,† Osha said. â€Å"He'll find giants then, or they'll find him. My brother killed one. Ten foot tall she was, and stunted at that. They've been known to grow big as twelve and thirteen feet. Fierce things they are too, all hair and teeth, and the wives have beards like their husbands, so there's no telling them apart. The women take human men for lovers, and it's from them the half bloods come. It goes harder on the women they catch. The men are so big they'll rip a maid apart before they get her with child.† She grinned at him. â€Å"But you don't know what I mean, do you, boy?† â€Å"Yes I do,† Bran insisted. He understood about mating; he had seen dogs in the yard, and watched a stallion mount a mare. But talking about it made him uncomfortable. He looked at Hodor. â€Å"Go back and bring your clothes, Hodor,† he said. â€Å"Go dress.† â€Å"Hodor.† He walked back the way he had come, ducking under a low-hanging tree limb. He was awfully big, Bran thought as he watched him go. â€Å"Are there truly giants beyond the Wall?† he asked Osha, uncertainly. â€Å"Giants and worse than giants, Lordling. I tried to tell your brother when he asked his questions, him and your maester and that smiley boy Greyjoy. The cold winds are rising, and men go out from their fires and never come back . . . or if they do, they're not men no more, but only wights, with blue eyes and cold black hands. Why do you think I run south with Stiv and Hali and the rest of them fools? Mance thinks he'll fight, the brave sweet stubborn man, like the white walkers were no more than rangers, but what does he know? He can call himself King-beyond-the-Wall all he likes, but he's still just another old black crow who flew down from the Shadow Tower. He's never tasted winter. I was born up there, child, like my mother and her mother before her and her mother before her, born of the Free Folk. We remember.† Osha stood, her chains rattling together. â€Å"I tried to tell your lordling brother. Only yesterday, when I saw him in the yard. ‘M'lord Stark,' I cal led to him, respectful as you please, but he looked through me, and that sweaty oaf Greatjon Umber shoves me out of the path. So be it. I'll wear my irons and hold my tongue. A man who won't listen can't hear.† â€Å"Tell me. Robb will listen to me, I know he will.† â€Å"Will he now? We'll see. You tell him this, m'lord. You tell him he's bound on marching the wrong way. It's north he should be taking his swords. North, not south. You hear me?† Bran nodded. â€Å"I'll tell him.† But that night, when they feasted in the Great Hall, Robb was not with them. He took his meal in the solar instead, with Lord Rickard and the Greatjon and the other lords bannermen, to make the final plans for the long march to come. It was left to Bran to fill his place at the head of the table, and act the host to Lord Karstark's sons and honored friends. They were already at their places when Hodor carried Bran into the hall on his back, and knelt beside the high seat. Two of the serving men helped lift him from his basket. Bran could feel the eyes of every stranger in the hall. It had grown quiet. â€Å"My lords,† Hallis Mollen announced, â€Å"Brandon Stark, of Winterfell.† â€Å"I welcome you to our fires,† Bran said stiffly, â€Å"and offer you meat and mead in honor of our friendship.† Harrion Karstark, the oldest of Lord Rickard's sons, bowed, and his brothers after him, yet as they settled back in their places he heard the younger two talking in low voices, over the clatter of wine cups. † . . . sooner die than live like that,† muttered one, his father's namesake Eddard, and his brother Torrhen said likely the boy was broken inside as well as out, too craven to take his own life. Broken, Bran thought bitterly as he clutched his knife. Is that what he was now? Bran the Broken? â€Å"I don't want to be broken,† he whispered fiercely to Maester Luwin, who'd been seated to his right. â€Å"I want to be a knight.† â€Å"There are some who call my order the knights of the mind,† Luwin replied. â€Å"You are a surpassing clever boy when you work at it, Bran. Have you ever thought that you might wear a maester's chain? There is no limit to what you might learn.† â€Å"I want to learn magic,† Bran told him. â€Å"The crow promised that I would fly.† Maester Luwin sighed. â€Å"I can teach you history, healing, herblore. I can teach you the speech of ravens, and how to build a castle, and the way a sailor steers his ship by the stars. I can teach you to measure the days and mark the seasons, and at the Citadel in Oldtown they can teach you a thousand things more. But, Bran, no man can teach you magic.† â€Å"The children could,† Bran said. â€Å"The children of the forest.† That reminded him of the promise he had made to Osha in the godswood, so he told Luwin what she had said. The maester listened politely. â€Å"The wildling woman could give Old Nan lessons in telling tales, I think,† he said when Bran was done. â€Å"I will talk with her again if you like, but it would be best if you did not trouble your brother with this folly. He has more than enough to concern him without fretting over giants and dead men in the woods. It's the Lannisters who hold your lord father, Bran, not the children of the forest.† He put a gentle hand on Bran's arm. â€Å"Think on what I said, child.† And two days later, as a red dawn broke across a windswept sky, Bran found himself in the yard beneath the gatehouse, strapped atop Dancer as he said his farewells to his brother. â€Å"You are the lord in Winterfell now,† Robb told him. He was mounted on a shaggy grey stallion, his shield hung from the horse's side; wood banded with iron, white and grey, and on it the snarling face of a direwolf. His brother wore grey chainmail over bleached leathers, sword and dagger at his waist, a fur-trimmed cloak across his shoulders. â€Å"You must take my place, as I took Father's, until we come home.† â€Å"I know,† Bran replied miserably. He had never felt so little or alone or scared. He did not know how to be a lord. â€Å"Listen to Maester Luwin's counsel, and take care of Rickon. Tell him that I'll be back as soon as the fighting is done.† Rickon had refused to come down. He was up in his chamber, redeyed and defiant. â€Å"No!† he'd screamed when Bran had asked if he didn't want to say farewell to Robb. â€Å"NO farewell!† â€Å"I told him,† Bran said. â€Å"He says no one ever comes back.† â€Å"He can't be a baby forever. He's a Stark, and near four.† Robb sighed. â€Å"Well, Mother will be home soon. And I'll bring back Father, I promise.† He wheeled his courser around and trotted away. Grey Wind followed, loping beside the warhorse, lean and swift. Hallis Mollen went before them through the gate, carrying the rippling white banner of House Stark atop a high standard of grey ash. Theon Greyjoy and the Greatjon fell in on either side of Robb, and their knights formed up in a double column behind them, steel-tipped lances glinting in the sun. Uncomfortably, he remembered Osha's words. He's marching the wrong way, he thought. For an instant he wanted to gallop after him and shout a warning, but when Robb vanished beneath the portcullis, the moment was gone. Beyond the castle walls, a roar of sound went up. The foot soldiers and townsfolk were cheering Robb as he rode past, Bran knew; cheering for Lord Stark, for the Lord of Winterfell on his great stallion, with his cloak streaming and Grey Wind racing beside him. They would never cheer for him that way, he realized with a dull ache. He might be the lord in Winterfell while his brother and father were gone, but he was still Bran the Broken. He could not even get off his own horse, except to fall. When the distant cheers had faded to silence and the yard was empty at last, Winterfell seemed deserted and dead. Bran looked around at the faces of those who remained, women and children and old men . . . and Hodor. The huge stableboy had a lost and frightened look to his face. â€Å"Hodor?† he said sadly. â€Å"Hodor,† Bran agreed, wondering what it meant.