World Families At Work Child Labor Or Child Care

hird-world families at work: Child labor or child care? Many of the contractors who employ workers that are underage do it to help out and attempt to improve to quality of life by bringing in work for the population. The contractors would fire the underage kids if they were told to do so, but doing so would affect the families of these kids who are so poor that they have to send their kids to work wage jobs in the first place. Firing the young girls would cause the families to lose a major source of income. Many of these underage kids lie in order to work there because they need it. Then, this will cost the price to go up for the businesses in the United States and the contractors will need assurance that they will still continue to do business with them even though complying with their company guidelines cost the company more. Imposing the American values on Third world countries is quite simple minded- and without taking into account the culture there, it would just be the cause for many other problems. In countries all over the world, kids who are considered underage can be found trying to make money, in some ways that are very detrimental to them. It is important that companies attempt to create guidelines that would involve multicultural values, rather than just the U.S. values. It is important, too, that you protect the pricelessness of your business. Hiring contractors that employ underage workers could cause new medias to expose this and damage the company’sShow MoreRelatedChild Labor Is A Violation Of Fundamental Human Rights1553 Words   |  7 Pages 405292 Child Labor Republic of France Position Paper Part 1 History and Background of Child Labor Child labor became most prevalent during the Industrial Revolution, which took place from 1760-1840, and has become prominent throughout our world since. Children would work around 19 hours a day, having approximately a one hour break, and work for almost no pay. In the 1900’s, statistics showed that over 200 million children were involved in the act of child labor worldwide, and 73 millionRead MoreCauses and Solutions to the Problem of Child Labor922 Words   |  4 PagesEvery year on 12 June, people around the world celebrate the World Day against Child Labour, a day dedicated to the goal of creating a world in which children everywhere can grow up without the threat of being forced into child labor. An estimated 246 million children are engaged in child labor, with nearly 70 percent of them (about 171 million) working in hazardous conditions, including work in mines and quarries, work with chemicals and pesticides or with dangerous machinery. â€Å"Children as youngRead MoreResearch Paper On Child Labor1354 Words   |  6 Pages Child Labor Introduction: For centuries and years child labor has become one of the biggest problem in the world. 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Childbirth is an event that, despite its extraordinary nature, occurs daily throughout the world. But the circumstances under which this miracle occurs vary dramatically, even in places that don t seem that dramatically different. Today society, birth take place in the hospital are commonly occuring with close assistances of trainedRead Moreâ€Å"When People In The United States Think Of ChildrenS Rights1722 Words   |  7 Pagesrights they usually think of children in third world countries who are victims of abusive child labor practices or insurmountable poverty† (Wilson 1). However, in reality it is not just in third world countries, it is also in the United States. From the American colonial period till the mid nineteenth century, child labor has been an important issue. It has taken many years to come to an agreement of the definition of child labor. One way to define child labor is: â€Å"All forms of slavery or practices similarRead MoreThe Importance Of A Social Work Field1594 Words   |  7 PagesThe social work field is solely dedicated to the giving back of others. A person in the career must be willing to spend hours working to make differences in clients’ lives. Children and family social work can be a very rewarding profession bu t yet challenging at times. Employees help others in need, advocate for important causes, and all around make positive impacts in the world. Many people interested in social work have personal motivations from their own lives steering them towards the professionRead MoreThe Nature Of Child Labor1626 Words   |  7 Pagespotential to the future of any society. Many children around the world are denied the right of having a childhood. When children preform work tasks at a young age, children reduce their present welfare or future income earning capabilities (Singh, 2013). In 2014, the International Labour Organization reported that â€Å"Globally there are 168 million child laborers, over half of which, 85 million, are in hazardous work conditions† (ILO). Child labor is not a new phenomenon by any means; it has been going onRead MoreChildren And Family Social Worker1612 Words   |  7 Pages8 February 2016 Children and Family Social Worker The social work field is solely dedicated to the giving back of others. A person in the career must be willing to spend hours working to make differences in clients’ lives. Children and family social work can be a very rewarding profession but yet challenging at times. Employees help others in need, advocate for important causes, and all around make positive impacts in the world. Many people interested in social work have personal motivations from

Ebay and Business Structures - 1180 Words

1,083 Rebecca Payne ECO2023 Pray 11-19-2012 eBay amp; Weird Al Business Structures There are a variety of different business structures that comprise the market in the world today. The most common ones found in the business world today are sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. From these you will also find monopolies and oligopolies. Economists assume there are a number of different buyers and sellers in the market which leads to competition which allows prices to change in response to changes in supply and demand.(1) In many industries you there are substitutes for products, so if one type of product becomes too expensive the consumer can choose an alternative product that is cheaper, or one of better quality.†¦show more content†¦However, the goods and services sold on eBay can be considered perfectly competitive. There is a multitude of buyers, or producers, and consumers have options with substitutes. Most of the products sold within their category are similar and for the quality of the product, they are typically within the same price range of one another, and each individual seller chooses their price based on other similar goods sold on the site. Ebay, as a company itself, fits more in the category of an oligopoly, which is actually pretty common in any market. Other alternative websites include Yahoo!, Amazon, and Quibids, but there are only a small number of them, certainly not hundreds as in monopolistic competition. Also, eBay is interdependent on the few other auction website companies, competing with the fees they charge, as well as quality of customer support, and buyer/seller reliability. Another characteristic of eBay that coincides with it being considered an oligopoly is the fact that it has numerous entry barriers. It’s such a large company with many restrictions, and it would be hard for an up and coming substitute auction website to break into the market and compete with eBay or the other top companies in the industry. (6) Weird Al Yankovic, through his humor, gives a pretty accurate descr iption of how eBay works. Though obviously made as a joke, itShow MoreRelatedWhat Company Got So Big That Even Weird Al Yankovic1688 Words   |  7 Pagessong, â€Å"I want it that way†? If you guessed Amazon, you were wrong. The correct answer is eBay. Weird Al Yankovic describes in the eBay song what he bought on the famous website. EBay is a website that you can sell or buy literally anything. Weird Al says that he bought a used pink bathrobe, a rare mint snow globe, a Smurf TV tray. He then states that his house is filled with this crap that people sell on eBay (Yankovic, 2016). Weird Al really knows how to shop. E-Bay was founded in 1995, it was asRead MoreEbay Structures Its Bid for Change1183 Words   |  5 PageseBay Structures Its Bid For Change Kendra L. Brown Webster University eBay Structures Its Bid For Change Problem Statement Adoption of an improper organizational structure design that is not flexible enough to the unstable and the rapidly changing external environment in eBay’s domestic and international markets. Analysis and Evaluation A functional organizational structure with various operational areas, such as finance, operations, human resources, and legalRead MoreEbay Bids for Structured Change Essay example1300 Words   |  6 PagesEBay Bids for Structured Change. Case Study Answers EBay started out with a U form, or functional, design. What changes in that design have already occurred as a result of the company’s growth? What kind of changes seem likely for the future? †¢ One of the first things we need to look at is what the u-form design is. The U-form organization (U stands for unity), also called functional design, relies almost exclusively on the functional approach to departmentalization . The U-form design is usedRead MoreFinancial Profiles of Companies762 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿eBay is a growth company with low fixed costs associated with its business. The companys growth has been relatively stable, and it tends to track the broad economy and the development of e-commerce. With a beta of 0.92, the growth in eBays business seems fairly reliable. The company is profitable and its growth is managed slowly. Based on this assessment, eBay can handle some debt as a means to lower its cost of capital, but should not have more than the 30% range. There are a few reasons forRead MoreThe Networked Ebay Environment : Ebay1476 Words   |  6 PagesNetworked Ebay Environment Ebay is the 2nd largest e-commerce retail industry globally which offers the facility to purchase an item online based on either fixed-price or auction mechanisms. It is purely a marketplace - just a platform for sellers and buyers to come together and sell goods. It has no products of its own and hence is a humungous network of buyers and sellers. The sellers can be businesses (large merchants like Apple, Nike etc. who have their digital stores listed on Ebay) or consumersRead MoreEbay : An American Multinational E Commerce Company878 Words   |  4 PagesAbout eBay eBay Incorporated is an American multinational e-commerce company with a presence across the world. It engages in b2b as well as c2c model of business. The company rose during the dot com bubble in the mid-1990s and is now one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world along with Amazon and Alibaba. Pierre Omidyar founded the company in 1995 in San Jose, California. eBay works across three line of businesses:- †¢ eBay marketplaces: Marketplace to connect sellers to buyers †¢ Paypal:Read MoreHow Ebay Is An American Multinational Corporation And E Commerce Company1508 Words   |  7 Pagescompany: eBay.com eBay is an American multinational corporation and e-commerce company, that provides consumer-to-consumer sale-services through the Internet. eBay was initially founded as an auction web by a computer programmer called Pierre Omidyar, and during the dot-com bubble it manage to prevail and it ended up being a notable success story. In September 1997, the company officially changed its name to eBay and in 1998 it went public. Today it is a multibillion-dollar business with operationsRead MoreOverview Of Ebay Inc.854 Words   |  4 Pagesorganization eBay Inc. is am American multinational corporation and e-commerce company, providing consumer-to consumer sales services via the internet. Its head quarter is located in San Jose, California. The founder of eBay is Pierre Omidyar (1995). It is a multibillion dollar business with operations localized in over thirty countries. The company manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and business buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. eBay connectsRead MoreTui Mod 4 Case937 Words   |  4 Pagescustomers and products, what would you recommend should the capital structure (total liabilities or debt and equity proportions) be for each of the three companies? I don’t know how to even answer this question and it makes me frustrated. 2) In your report, please include the information together with other information that you think is necessary to above question: 3) ââ€" The nature of the business in brief (all three companies) Ebay – â€Å"World’s largest online marketplace† Where anyone can sell or buyRead MorePorters 5 Forces: Threat of Entry1051 Words   |  4 PagesEBay’s threat of entry is high. The business behind eBay is an Internet-driven industry. The main barriers surrounding this industry is the regulation imposed by the government. The government will hold restrictions to some products that are sold in states or countries. EBay has implemented certain restrictions, such as the Trust and Safety Department, that prevent transactions that could potentially threaten restrictions of fraud and consumer protection. Although eBay does not sell any inventory directly

My Acquaintance With Africa Essay Example For Students

My Acquaintance With Africa Essay My Acquaintance With AfricaI thought I knew enough about Africa, this wonderful and strange continent with a hot tropical climate and a wealthy nature, which is populated by many different nations and tribes. I saw many movies, mostly about African nature and often read newspapers or magazines about frequent wars and economical problems. But I never made acquaintance with people who originated from Africa. Thus, it was really interesting to talk, even if a little to my classmate Kadra, who not long ago, two years, came here from the small East African country Djibouti. I was interested in how she has lived and thought and what problems have worried this young, beautiful black woman. In the period of two years, since I came from Ukraine and have lived in Chicago, I have known six or seven Afro-Americans. Although we worked together we had never talked about their problems. Maybe, it isnt done among the black people, all the more among the Americans. So, I really know nothing about native Africans. No wonder I always thought they are very poor, not well educated and cut away from world civilization. It was a big surprise when Kadra told me that she finished high-school in her motherland and whats more in French, which is the second, after her native Arabic, official language in Djibouti. Kadra speaks English sufficiently, clearly expresses her thoughts and doesnt stop to find the suitable words as I often do. She plans to continue going to college in order to get a degree in English, find a better job and probably go back to motherland where she can teach English to her compatriots. Of course, Kadra told me about her native country Djibouti, which I know nothing about. It is a beautiful country located on the East coast of Africa, on the shore of the Red Sea. The territory, divided into a low coastal plain, with mountains behind, and an interior plateau, is arid, sandy, and desolate. The climate is generally hot and dry. Two main ethnic groups, Somali and Afar, live there and almost all people profess the Muslim faith. Its a republic and the head of state is a president. The economy is a weak development and people often go to other countries hoping to find a job. I was interested that people in Djibouti are mainly Muslim, to whom I never talked before. So I began to ask questions about this topic and discovered the huge, mysterious, and alien Islamic world. It seems to me religion has great importance for Kadra; it is her spiritual universe, its like her second ?I?. It is strange that in the USA, with its furious rate of life, with its interlacing of nations, cultures, religions and as a result- a prevailing ideology of idealism, on the top of which is ?I? and ?myself?, Kadra continues to live in her closed Muslim world. I found many new things in her world and heard about the customs and laws ascribed to respect and help older people and parents. Muslims are not allow drinking alcohol, never using drugs and are faithful in marriage. I found that Islam allows getting divorced, if a man or woman doesnt love anymore. It changed my assumption about a woman in the Islamic world as a slave who carries her own cross to the end of her life. On the o ther hand, I have understood, or to be more specific, I felt how dangerous and awful is Islam. Since childhood Kadra has followed Muslim laws, gone to the Muslim school and known only this world because she lived among people who blindly submitted to Islams canons. When I asked her how her world outlook has changed for the last two years and how she imagines her future life here, in the USA, I was shocked by her firmness to live further in the Muslim world and her confidence that nothing can change. At first it seems she, as do most of us, works, goes to college, and drives a car. From the outside she looks like everyone, nothing particular, but what acts in this young soul, as though the black darkness covers her. I had this feeling when he told me her husband, relatives and all her friends are Muslims and only among them she has found happiness. Then I noticed she talks with hardly hidden disgust to other people (I understood that for her the ?other? means the people not other rac e, nation or culture, but who dont profess her religion). She truly believes Muslim is the best religion and all people must go only this way. Also she believes she will keep her religion not only for herself but also for her future children and the American way wont change them. When I question her about the assimilation, she had no idea about that, but she was unflinching in her belief when I explained to her what it is. What godly innocence and desperate firmness!Very often I have thought about the main point of a life and long ago I made the conclusion that the main in this world is a human with her/his willingness to know a new and property to a selfimproving. How interesting it is to discover something new and how thrilling to communicate with other people from different countries, and with other races, religions and cultures. So, I think about Kadra, about her tragedy- to live in such free, interesting country as is the USA and voluntarily keep herself in the dark world of th e Muslim. But I never stop to hope that the fresh wing of change will touch her and that she will open her eyes and heart, and finally find her really happy place in the blessed Washington land. .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 , .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .postImageUrl , .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 , .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0:hover , .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0:visited , .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0:active { border:0!important; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0:active , .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0 .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufecd2ff8bdfec636aa1069d9564306c0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Cigs EssayEnglish Essays

Lateral Thinking Essay Example

Lateral Thinking Paper 1. Introduction As human beings, people have different ways of thinking. The way they think will influence their decisions. Nowadays, some people try to improve their potential to think uniquely. This type of thinking can be called Lateral thinking. This concept is very useful for people who are working in business organisation especially when they make a decision. This report will illustrate more about lateral thinking, the method to improve lateral thinking, and how to use this concept in corporate world. 2. Lateral Thinking There are three basics ways of thinking, which are logical thinking, common sense, and puzzles science. Logical thinking is where people do not over look to the reason why they consider thing as correct. For example, a car will not run without fuel and most people know it without comprehend this problem. The second basic method is common sense. In this method where people find solution for their problems based on their experience. The third method is Puzzles and science where people try to find solution for certain problem. (Mero 1990, pp. 11-36) Mero has overlooked a new method of thinking which called Lateral Thinking was first introduced by Edward de Bono. He stated that lateral thinking is the way of thinking which approach different principles and ideas (Lateral thinking 2006). An example to describe Lateral thinking: â€Å"You cannot dig a hole in a different place by digging the same hole deeper. † (de Bono 1992, p. 52) From this example, Edward de Bono emphasized that people should look at things from different alternatives and perception. Thinking of different alternatives will help people to eliminate conventional way of thinking and find new solution to their problems. (de Bono 1992, p. 53) 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Lateral Thinking specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lateral Thinking specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lateral Thinking specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Lateral Thinking in relation with creativity and Innovation Altering concepts and perception lead people to think laterally. This changing process involves creativity to generate new ideas. According to De Bono (1992, p. 55) assert â€Å"The term â€Å"lateral thinking† is very precise. Lateral thinking is based on behavior of self-organizing information system. † Even though the basic pattern of lateral thinking is focusing on searching of perception and concepts, its still considers the shifting of its process. In other words, creative thinking is a process of finding new concepts and ideas to solve a problem. (de Bono 1992, p. 5) Characteristics of creative thinkers are innovative and creative, imaginative in problem solving, arranged mind, positive thinking, and hard working (Tanner 1992). The first characteristic is creative and innovative which means creative thinkers dislike of being stagnant and they will do creative act to make changes. Their creative way of th inking may contribute to the benefit of themselves and their community. Second characteristic is imaginative in the way of searching alternatives for problem solving, â€Å"They do not grab at the first idea to solve a problem but take the time to search for alternatives†. Third characteristic is arranged mind. At this point, creative thinkers will adopt the situation and try to get the idea from that situation. Fourth characteristics of creative thinkers is positive thinking, it means they see things even problems in positive way. The last characteristics is hard working which means creative thinkers always focus and concentrate their mind and put effort on their goal. (Tanner 1992) 4. Access to Understand Lateral Thinking There are several accesses to understand lateral thinking which are â€Å"reading materials, seminars and lectures, group and individual practice. (Bono 1971, p 158-163) Reading materials is the first access to understand lateral thinking, where people can find the information from book. However, there will be misunderstanding of this subject when people only read and try to understand from books. The second access is attending seminars and lectures which only cover the background of lateral thinking theory because seminars and lec tures only concentrate to one technique (de Bono 1971, p. 158). The last accesses that people can use are group and individual practice. According to De Bono (1971, p. 58), group practice will give pictures about lateral thinking methods. Moreover, people can learn lateral thinking by individual practice. â€Å"The purpose of individual practice in lateral thinking is to acquire skill and confidence in this type of thinking. † (De Bono 1971, p. 158) 5. Methods to Improve Lateral Thinking Nowadays, people have to improve their skill to think laterally. There are many methods to develop lateral thinking that were introduced by Edward de Bono. Particularly, this report will only concentrated on six thinking hats method and the creative pause method (Bono 1992). . 1 Six thinking hats method Six thinking hats method is â€Å"a model that can be used for exploring different perspective towards a complex situation or challenge. † (Bono 1985) The purpose of this method is to h elp individuals directly accept the difference point of view of one thing. Edward de Bono uses different colors to explain this method. For example, white represents objective facts, red represents justification, black represents logical negative views, yellow represents looks for benefit, green represents new ideas and blue represents organizer. Trained employees who attend this training wear one hat to put them selves in other person’s position. From this process, employees can learn to see one subject from different point of view. The advantages of this system can develop communication skill among the employees within organisation and help decision making. (de Bono 1979 and de Bono1985) 5. 2 The Creative pause method This method is the easiest way for people to train their lateral thinking skill. However, in order to make this method effective people should give special attempt and high commitment to learn the method. de Bono 1992) â€Å"The creative pause is an interruption in the smooth flow of routine in order to pay deliberate attention at some point. † (De Bono 1992, p. 86) When using this method, people will focus to some objects or problems and many questions will come into their minds which respond intention the situation that occur. For example, â€Å"Why we eat in the restaurant? †, â€Å"Wh y we do not eat at home? †, â€Å"How about if we do not eat anything tonight†. (de Bono 1992, p. 86) Motivation plays an important role in learning the method, when people have the right motivation it will give them benefits, and that is being able to think creatively. In addition, hope also gives a significant impact since there is a new possibility for a solution. (de Bono 1992, p. 87) As mentioned above, this method is the easiest way to learn lateral thinking; therefore it does not require any special system. De Bono (1992, p. 88) stated, â€Å"the main point of the pause is to give attention to something and to place that point in your mind as being worthy of attention. † To think creatively, people should think slowly in order to concentrate on particular point. For example, when drawing it is important to take time in order to get a good inspiration to be applied on the painting. (de Bono 1992, p. 88) People should understand the difference between creative pause and selecting important parts of the problem. Essentially, creative pause only concentrate in creating new idea about the problem. (de Bono 1992, p. 89) 6. Application of lateral thinking in Business Organisation Today, many large business organisations are trying to look at creative thinking method which founded by Edward De Bono. This method becomes famous in UK and many companies send their representatives to take advantage of this method. Several companies that have been applying lateral thinking within the organization are IBM, Federal Express and British Airways. Those companies are implementing the theory of lateral thinking by establishing program of thinking creatively and systematically using six thinking hats method which already explained above. (Evans 1994) Another company that has applied Lateral thinking is NDS (Norse Dairy System) which based in Columbus, Ohio. They were applying lateral thinking method by creatively made various types of ice-cream cones in 2003. NDS was the first ice-cream cones supplier that created cones in flavors, iced oatmeal cookies, and chocolate vanilla cookies covered with chocolate. That kind of innovation in the ice-cream industry was created by thinking outside the box because at that time, there was no other competitor who had the same innovation. (Be a Trend Setter 2003, pp. 6-7) Implementation of Lateral thinking in business organisation has made many companies succeed and become more effective and efficient. More over, the most important of applying this method is making modern corporate world more innovative and creative (Evans 1994). 7. Conclusion In conclusion, lateral thinking is very important for problem solving in modern world because with lateral thinking people can observe one thing in different perspectives and try to find new solution for the problem. The founder of lateral thinking, Edward de Bono, has made significant changing in corporate world which lead many organisations to be successful by implementing lateral thinking.

The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War essays

The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War essays The end of World War Two left Europe divided. As soon as the war was over, old alliances were quickly forgotten, yet tensions still remained. The biggest tension, however, was between the Soviet Union and the United States. The conflict between these two nations was that of Communism versus "freedom", whether it be through Democracy, Nationalism, or Capitalism. Many events took place over a period of roughly forty years that were examples of Soviet communism and the United States attempt to crush it. This time period was termed the "Cold War" although it was not really a war, but merely a competition between to political powers in an attempt to be the best in the world. Some people consider the Cold War to have been a friendly war because, despite cold feelings and rivalry, there wasn't a massive battle and bloodshed. This is not true because, during the ongoing competition between the two world powers, battles against Communism were fought with raging war, and tensions were h igh. The first example of heated tensions during the Cold War was in Korea. In 1949, the United States and the Soviet Union had troops in Korea. The Soviets supplied Northern Korea with tanks, planes and money in an attempt to spread their Communist ideals. America, on the other hand, supported Nationalist South Korea. When North Korea crossed the 38th parallel to invade South Korea the United States was quick to come to the aid of the south. The United States president at the time, Truman, stood firmly by his Truman Doctrine, and saw defending South Korea as an act in the crusade against Communism. Fighting raged for months, each side taking turns at forcing the enemy's lines farther and farther back, and gaining new allies and opposition. China, frustrated on their own border encroachment, fought alongside North Korea, and the UN came to the support of the Nationalists. Finally, after three years of fighting, treaties were signed and the borders ...

3 Questions To Guide Your Marketing Program With Michael Brenner

3 Questions To Guide Your Marketing Program With Michael Brenner Successful marketing takes more than just running ads, publishing articles, and designing newsletters. With so many moving parts, running a successful marketing program can be elusive. So, use a thoughtful and simple framework to cut straight to the heart of what it means and what it looks like to get consistent results. Today, we’re talking to Michael Brenner, the CEO of Marketing Insider Group and co-author of The Content Formula. He shares his global perspective and the secret to success when it comes to content marketing. Michael discovered that he had an aptitude for helping customers at scale Counter-intuitive nature of life applies to marketing; there’s a lot more to marketing than just advertising, which we hate and tune out We perceive marketing in the wrong way; it’s a two-way communication between a company and its customers What type of marketing works? Things that are not selfish, promotional, and interruptive, but aligned to what customers are wanting and what helps them Marketing starts with culture, and growth equates to the amount of empathy a company has for its customers, employees, and world Mission Statement: What is your purpose? Meaning? What do you achieve for the people you touch? Step 1: No matter what you are working on or what role you play in the company, always ask: What’s in it for the customers? Do less promotion in advertising and more content marketing or education Identify the amount of integration and interaction that occurs across the company Step 2: What’s in it for your colleagues? Marketing goes beyond the marketing department; it’s a collaborative and magical effort Step 3: What’s in it for the company? Conversions and ROI of content marketing Culture, empathy, and performance lead to effective and successful marketing Michael tries to do 2 things every day: Be thankful and show empathy (T E) Links: Michael Brenner Michael Brenner on Twitter Marketing Insider Group The Content Formula Jim Stengel’s Grow AMP on iTunes leave a review and send screenshot to podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Michael Brenner:: â€Å"If you just help your customers, or help your buyers buy, and answer the questions that they have in that journey, then you can really succeed.† â€Å"There’s a lot more to marketing than just advertising.† â€Å"Selling is helping buyers buy, and marketing is helping buyers buy, as well, but at scale.†

Contemporary & international marketing Case Study

Contemporary & international marketing - Case Study Example Further, aspects like target segments, differentiation were also adequately addressed. The Company Tatbury Crystal Glass Ltd is a family-owned manufacturer of quality cut glass made from full lead crystal. Known as Tutbury Crystal (TC) since 1984, manufacturing on the site in the Staffordshire village went back as far as the 15th century. In the 1920-60s, the crystal had the name Thomas, Webb & Corbett, a prestigious name renowned for high-quality product. The manufactured crystals were to be seen as traditional, English, aspirational, handcrafted, exclusive and full of heritage. Luxury brands have characteristically been correlated with the essential proficiencies of originality and ingenuity, individuality, craftsmanship, accuracy and meticulousness, high quality, innovation and premium pricing. These product features provide consumers the satisfaction of not only having possession of expensive items but the added psychological benefits like esteem, prestige and a sense of "high status" that reminds them that they belong to an exclusive group of a select few who can afford these costly items. Generally, the luxury sector aims its products and services at consumers on the top-end of society's economic spectrum. These self-selected elite are more or less price-insensitive and choose to spend their time and money on objects that are plainly considered as 'opulence' rather than necessities. For these reasons, luxury and prestige brands have, for hundreds of years, commanded a stanch and often illogical customer loyalty. At present, the luxury market is taking on a new direction with exceptional demand coming from Asian countries, and hence research has centered on the cross-cultural comparison of attitudes toward the luxury concept (Dubois & Laurent, 1996; Dubois & Paternault, 1997) and the comparison of motivations between Asian and Western societies (Wong & Ahuvia, 1998). Nonetheless, these investigations have focused on only some facets of prestige-seeking consumer behavior. Although researchers concur that the inquiry of prestige goods is interesting and significant, there is currently little agreement about how best to define, and tehrefore understand, the psychology of prestige-related consumer behavior. "Status brand strategies are intuitively recognised by marketing professionals and practitioners. However, there is little literature on the topic reported in scientific journals" (Andrus, Silver & Johnson 1986). As a consequence of the remarkable growth of luxury markets over the years, the marketing arena has recently seen ample and significant interest in the study of prestige brands. Research in the UK projected important social changes by the year 2000 (Powderly & MacNulty, 1990). Their study recognised that people's needs for appearances and materialism were increasing. That is, they reported a rising demand for conspicuous and status products. In Australia, contemporary market reports seem to support this analysis. "Australians have embarked on a shopping spree for imported luxury goods, with sales of diamonds, furs, caviar and champagne jumping this year" (Rees 1997, p. 8). The United States' economic recovery and the fast growing demand in Asia, before the slowdown that started in 1997, have also boosted the growth of the

Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian - Essay Example The novel can be called a â€Å"historical novel† without the aura of historical fiction, and not an â€Å"escapist Western† as it chronicles the expeditions of Glanton’s paramilitary gang sent out by both the Mexican and Texan authorities to murder and scalp as many Apaches as possible. Further encouraged by the bounty offered by a Mexican governor for Indian scalps, the Glanton gang takes to scalp hunting Apaches with a vengeance. However, this is not just a case of bloodthirsty whites slaughtering noble savages: the Apaches themselves commit horrendous atrocities of their own. Most of the action in the novel centers around Judge Holden, a massive 7-foot albino who towers over everyone else, yet seems pre-pubescent because of his total lack of hair and small hands and feet. (â€Å"He was bald as a stone and had no trace of beard and had no brows to his eyes nor lashes to them† {McCarthy 6}). Judge Holden manages to manipulate everyone with whom he comes into contact (even Glanton), and easily turns situations to his advantage. The Judge’s physical characteristics are used as comparison with other characters such as the Kid (the Kid is not big, but he has big wrists and hands {McCarthy 4} – unlike the Judge’s small hands) and the dead babies that the Kid finds, who â€Å"stare eyeless at the naked sky. Bald and pale and bloated†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (McCarthy 57): a comparison with the Judge, who is bald and pale (being an albino). Judge Holden is a mystery from his very first appearance in the novel and remains so until the very end, when he is one of the few characters surviving. One mysterious aspect is his uncanny ability to move from place to place so swiftly and eerily that it seems he is in fact not one, but two persons (e.g. he escapes from the riot in Reverend Green’s tent to a salon where he is completely dry, even though it is heavily raining outside). His seeming â€Å"double

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Essay Example for Free

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Essay This article has deeply looked into the importances of education. The different perspectives that the author of the article has used in explaining the significance of education has made me to understand the noble part of education which I though was increased economic power. However from the article, I have realized that there are other benefits accrued to education such as improved lifestyle, and also status quo of an individual though they have not been fully exhausted in the article. The completion of tertiary education has also increase in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) members have also learnt that there is inequality in economic earning in the OECD country members with Spain, Luxembourg and Belgium having the lowest level of gender inequality. This however does not conform in all countries especially the developing countries where the level of unemployment is high. There is high level of unemployed graduates in the developing countries which deprive education of its importance. The income rate in the developing countries do not match with education level due to high level of corruption in these countries. It is possible to find a Bachelor degree holder earning less than a college diploma holder. The education in different countries vary in significance and in the developed countries the people enjoy the benefits of education more than the people in the developing countries. The articles analysis on sciences and maths score has brought the clear image of performance across different countries. Just like many people, I could not have imagined that the United States could be led by any other country in the science and technology sector. Amazingly from the articles analysis on these subjects (Science and Maths), Asian countries take a lead including Singapore, China, South Korea and Japan. It have also been noted that different countries differ significantly on the level of education and education attainment. The gender inequality in earning is very prominent in the developing countries which the article should have focused. The article did not include African states in the analysis except in the science and math performance. I feel that the article needed more of comparison on education in Africa with the first world countries which could have brought about a clear view of education in the two disparities. The article could have discussed about the future prospect of education in the world. With the improved technology, different individuals from different countries are able to acquire universal education and hence chances of employment increase. The level of competition in education is also likely to go higher as children at a lower age are being exposed to technology such as the internet. The article need therefore to address the future of education in the globe. The benefits of education are broader than the article is stating. Education plays a major role in the conservation of the environment. The level of education determines the ones level of environmental consciousness. With the threat of global warming, education through creating awareness and providing solutions to the problem can make a difference.

Ernest Hemingway and the African Safari :: Ernest Hemingway Essays

Hemingway’s Obsession with the African Safari In 1953, Ernest Hemingway and his wife, Mary, accompanied by photographer Earl Theisen, traveled to Kenya in what turned out to be the waning years of the grand African safari. Soon after, a wave of independence swept the continent, which had largely been under European domination since the end of the last century. And as people worldwide became increasingly aware of their environment and the threats to it, the notion of killing animals for sport began to be looked at in a different light. While the heyday of the African safari may be in the past, our society has legacies from that era that require knowledge of the safari. A key to understanding Hemingway is his obsession with the African safari. If hunting is the act of seeking, following and killing animals for food or for display, then the African safari is the act of doing all of those to big game, or large animals in Africa. African safaris usually used to take place on the eastern side of the African continent, but now can take part in any region of Africa. Most of Hemingway’s trips were taken in this region. The famous plane crash that he survived landed in Uganda, which is on the eastern coast. However, the trend has changed. The eastern countries that used to have safaris no longer have stable governments. Most safaris now take place in other parts of Africa, such as South Africa. South Africa, with the most stable government in the continent, provides a safer environment for hunters to enjoy their safari. The weather is an important factor in planning any safari. In South Africa, it rains a great deal during the winter months (their summer months), and very little during the rest of the year. Countries further up north have similar weather. The big difference comes in the difference in temperature. The temperature in South Africa is very temperate – during any safari season (which is from March to October) the lowest temperature will be around 35 degrees and the highest will be around 80 degrees. The rain hampers any attempt to have a safari the rest of the year. Clothing during an African safari is generally simple, layered and of a neutral color. Camouflage is generally not worn and wearing it in some areas is illegal.

Amistad: Natural Law vs. Positive Law Essay

Throughout the movie Amistad, directed by Steven Spielberg, conflict between Natural Law and Positive Law appears to be an underlying theme. The story is of a group of African slaves that effected a mutiny on their slave ship. After killing many Spaniards, the African slaves were then captured and put on trial. The story is based on a historical trial which took place in the United States during the years of 1939-1940. This trial ultimately became a very tricky political game between the North and South of the United States over the case of slavery, as well as an international issue between the U.S and Spain. The main question being posed throughout the movie is, were the slaves justified in their actions, and should they have been rewarded or punished for their actions? When referring to the two philosophers Thomas Hobbes and Plato, it is evident to see that both believed the slaves actions were in fact justified, however, and both believed they should not have been rewarded. Philosopher Thomas Hobbes, born April 5th 1588, was a strong believer in positive law. The definition of positive law is the theory that law is a body of rules formulated by the state, and that citizens are obligated to obey the law for the good of the state as a whole. (Alexandrowicz et al., 617) Thomas Hobbes believed people were naturally war-like and evil, (77) and also believed that all men were created equally; it is because of this equality that conflict would constantly occur because of the human properties of competition, diffidence, and glory. (Stanford University) These three factors are evidently found throughout the primary actions of the slaves in Amistad. Initially, Cinque, the main character of the movie, breaks lose from his slave chains and initiates fighting and chaos between the Africans and Spaniards. In Thomas Hobbes mind, he would justify Cinques actions as a man in competition with the men around him, which is one of his described war-like qualities. An example of diffidence can be seen when Cinques face reveals a sense of shock and anguish after he steps back and looks at what he had done to the Spanish man. And finally, a sense of glory is seen when Cinque slowly raises the sword out of the mans chest, leaving him with his last breath. Although Hobbes would believe that the slaves actions were in fact justified, he would also believe that they should be punished for what they have done. Again, it all goes back to positive law  Hobbes believed that since people are war-like and evil, law should be set in order to rule over evil and maintain law and order in society. Since Cinque and the slaves acted on their war-like, evil qualities, in Thomas Hobbes mind, they should be punished. Opposite to the beliefs of Thomas Hobbes, another philosopher named Plato believed very strongly in the philosophy of Natural law. Natural law is the theory that human laws are derived from eternal and unchangeable principles that regulate the natural world and that people can become aware of these laws through the use of reason. (Alexandrowicz et al., 617) Opposing Hobbes, Plato believed that people are naturally born as good people. He believed that God gave us the ability to make good decisions and gave us instincts to live our life with. All men are by nature equal, made of all the same earth by one working man (www.publicquotes.com) This famous quote by Plato is a perfect example to describe why Cinque and the slaves acted in violence, and why they are in fact justified in their actions. Cinque and the slaves recognized that all individuals are equal and therefore, no one person has control over anothers life. Once the slaves saw the treacherous pain their fellow friends were going through, they resorted to their God-given survival instincts. Although Plato, like Hobbes, would agree that what Cinque and the slaves did was in fact justified, Plato would ultimately believe the slaves should be punished for their actions. Plato, who was a student of Socrates, believed that each person is to do what is right and avoid what is wrong. Even though the slaves were in a life threatening situation, the law is still the law, and should be followed inevitably. When comparing and contrasting Thomas Hobbes and Plato, it is evident to see that both would in fact feel the slaves had a justifiable reason for their actions, however, the motives as to why are contradictory to one another. Thomas Hobbes believed that since all humans are born evil, it is simply in their nature to act out in such violence. Whereas Plato believed that all humans are born good and have God-given instincts; the slaves defended themselves using their survival instincts. On the other hand, a comparison between the two is also evident. The reasoning as to why both believed the slaves should be punished has the same underlying principle; the law. Both  believed that laws are created to maintain order in society, and refusal to obey the law would both ultimately end with consequence. Steven Spielbergs Amistad is an excellent representation of the many ways the law can be interpreted. Thomas Hobbes believed all law and justice is based on the fact that people are born evil, while Plato believed that humans are born naturally good and laws are created by the use of reason. Natural law and Positive law are two very diverse views, which in the case of Amistad contain one crucial similarity; the importance of following the law. Both philosophers Thomas Hobbes and Plato evidently believe Cinque and the slaves actions were in fact justified, however, deserved punishment. Works Cited 1) Alexandrowicz, George et al.. Dimensions of Law. Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications Ltd., 2004. 2) Stanford University. Hobbes Moral and Political Philosophy Feb 12, 2002. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral (march 29,2008). 3) Public Quotes. Quote: God is truth and light his shadow http://publicquotes.com/quote/7118/god-is-truth-and-light-his-shadow.html (March 29, 2008).

Interview with an Asian American Woman

Interview with an Asian American Woman The Long Journey Towards The American Dream The Vietnam War ended in 1975, which caused many Vietnamese people to be driven out of their homes and immigrate to America, seeking a safe life away from the affects of war and political turmoil (Ojeda-Kimbrough Lecture June 7, 2012). My family was a part of these refugees searching for a way out. I interviewed my mother, Huong Carter who was born and raised in Vietnam and came to the U. S. with the second wave of immigrants after the war had ended.The second wave of immigrants, including my family, could not speak English very well and traveled by boat, which was one of the most dangerous ways of travel during this time (Ojeda-Kimbrough Lecture June 7, 2012). With the threat of pirates, theft, illness, and drowning, my family faced these dangers in order to gain their freedom. Analysis of interview My mother felt frustrated throughout the interview, trying to get her point across but maybe couldnâ₠¬â„¢t find the right words.She wanted to make sure that I knew everything that happened was because of how brave my grandfather had been to leave absolutely everything he had worked his whole life for behind just to keep my mother and her siblings safe and provide a brighter and safer future for them. I was trying to focus on how she felt during these times, and how she felt about being Asian in a predominantly White culture in America. The issues that we had learned in lectures did come up, but she didn’t want to focus on that.She wanted to focus on how hard her father had worked, and how hard each of them had to work, in school and in their jobs so that they could succeed in America where they had freedom and were safe from war. They saw coming to America as a great escape from the dangers of the political turmoil in Vietnam and worked hard every single day to obtain better jobs, more money, and a decent and safe future for their children. The interview gave me a better ins ight of how the â€Å"boat people† traveled and what kinds of dangers they faced, as well as the challenges faced absorbing life in America without fully understanding the language and culture.Early Life For some people, life was easy and comfortable in Vietnam. Huong was brought up in a wealthy family with four other siblings and had a maid and a chauffeur. As kids they didn’t have to do too much to help around the house and usually got what they wanted. Her father was a business man, and owned his own business. They lived in a big house an hour outside of Saigon in South Vietnam. Huong and her four siblings went to a nice public school in the area, and attended private lessons in Math and English. However the war brought on hardships for everyone.The effects of the war and the bombings happening all around where Huong’s family lived made her father decide it was time to leave. With it being much safer to live in the city, Saigon was their first choice, and the whole family made the move into Saigon. The Long Journey to America After the war, the communists took over Vietnam. In my mother’s words they â€Å"brain washed† children into believing in their way of communist life. The government started recruiting children to test out the mine fields from the war for any remaining mines.Huong’s oldest sibling ended up on this list, and it was at this time when their father decided it was time to leave Vietnam. He did not believe in the communist theory and wanted his children to grow up in a safe, free environment. Of course he knew that this meant he would have to give up everything he had worked for in Vietnam, and he knew the difficulties involved in moving to America, but after the communists won the war, their normal way of living was over. Huong’s family started their travels to America with the second wave of immigrants or the â€Å"boat people† (Ojeda-Kimbrough Lecture June 7, 2012).Her father had dec ided to give up everything they had in Vietnam to move to a safer place for his family, and most of all he wanted freedom. The proper legal papers were signed and their cousins in Georgia, USA who had immigrated earlier were their sponsors. They gave all of their money to guarantee space on the boat that would take them to America, and they had to pay with gold bars. The money used was just passage out of Vietnam; they had no idea where they were headed to. They were also told that it was a passenger ship, but it was in fact a freight ship.The government had lied and misled them, took all of their money in gold bars to only send them as far as Hong Kong. The boat ride was long and treacherous. Luckily my mother’s family had paid to get onto one of the bigger boats, meaning it was less likely that they would be attacked by pirates on their journey. What they did endure was extremely cramped conditions and rough seas. For freight ship that could have held maybe 1000 people, 300 0 people were squeezed onto this ship. Their journey to Hong Kong took about one month. During this time, people would commit suicide, die from sickness, or starve.The captain of the ship ordered people to toss over their only possessions and the food they had brought in fear of capsizing the boat during storms. After this, some people would try and steal food from their neighbors. When the boat reached Hong Kong, the government there wanted to send them back to Vietnam. They were not supposed to be there, and they surely didn’t want to take them in. After a month of consideration and more waiting on the boat for the passengers, a camp was set up by the harbor for these thousands of passengers after their long travel on the sea.In this camp, my mother and her family would stay in Hong Kong for an additional 8 months before going to America. For her family of seven, they were given one bunk bed to share. Conditions at the camp were as cramped as on the ship, and very dirty. Th e refugees would be given rice and water every day for food, which they had to line up for. However, they were allowed to get small jobs outside of the camp, so my mother, all of her siblings and her parents would get these jobs so that their family could save enough money to buy a little extra food. After doing even more legal work and consulting with their relatives and sponsors in the U.S. , my mother and the rest of her family all finally got to leave Hong Kong, straight for America. The American Dream My mother arrived in Georgia, USA in 1979, at age 17. She left all her friends and family in Vietnam and the comforts of their old home. She was always so excited to go to America because everyone would talk about this rich land and when they finally got here, it was very overwhelming. At first she was confused. What my mother found in America was not what she expected. There was a lot more poverty and not at all like she had dreamed.Here they were immediately put into high school . Her father held back his children in school to allow them to catch up and make up for the year they had missed. He did this, so that his children would also have a chance to catch up on their English language skills, and do well in school. Their education was a priority and he wanted them to do their best. The language was the hardest part of coming to America, everything was new and unfamiliar. They only stayed in Georgia for two months before my grandfather contacted some of his old neighbors from Vietnam who were now living in California.He didn’t like the weather in Georgia and felt California would probably be a better fit for him. So after only a few months, my mother finally got to California. The children were put back into high school immediately; however times were tough for my mother and her siblings. Their high school consisted of mostly white American, Hispanic and African American children. Her English was not very good at this point, so it was hard communicat ing with other kids, and socializing. Everywhere she went, she had a dictionary with her. She took beginners English class, where it consisted mostly of Hispanics.This class she felt was the nicest because she was with other kids who, like herself, could not speak the main language very well, and had difficulties expressing themselves. Luckily my grandfather’s old neighbor had a daughter, Phuong, attending the same high school, who became friends with my mother and her siblings. Phuong helped make them to make friends and understand American society and culture a little easier. Phuong had been in California much longer than my mother, having come over with the first wave of immigrants. Her English was much better, and she already had a small close group of friends.Huong didn’t have a long high school career, and she often felt isolated, and alienated from other kids. She would be ignored because they knew that she didn’t speak English very well and didn’t want to bother. She was the only Asian besides her siblings and always felt different from everyone else. Going into stores, the clerks would follow her around because they thought she would steal something. Huong felt cheated from having a real high school experience. She never got to go to prom or buy a year book because their family didn’t have enough money.She also felt she didn’t accomplish as much as she could have with her grades due to the language barrier, even when she would spend most of her time studying instead of making friends. However, she still obtained A’s and B’s through her hard work and perseverance, but was disappointed as she always had straight A’s in Vietnam. So she never felt like she was achieving as much as she potentially could. She was too busy trying to understand what everything was. College Getting into college was Huong’s and her sibling’s first priority.Most of the children actually got scholarships , and financial aid to help finance their college funds. Even though, Huong was actually embarrassed to ask for financial aid and have welfare and food stamps, it was the only way to attend college, and further her education. By this point in their lives, college was much easier because they understood the English language a lot better and there were more Asians in college than there were in high school. My mother got a job in the Financial Aid office at her college to help support her family.Her family was still struggling to make ends meet, so everyone had to work. Huong felt frustrated sometimes with her life, she wanted to accomplish as much as she could, but also had to help pay the bills for her family and work. Life was easy in Vietnam with their maids and chauffeurs, and here they had to work hard for everything they had. They lived in a small apartment and took the bus to school because they couldn’t afford a car. Everyone in the family had part time jobs, and would work and study hard every day to help better their careers and education.My mother felt she would study even harder than everyone else because of the language barrier. She had no time to party or date, or to buy nice things, because their lives only consisted of work and studying. Towards the end of her college life, my mother was hired as a data entry clerk with a local Real Estate company. She always felt like she was being treated nice, but maybe not necessarily equally. Management would yell at Huong for mistakes that were not her fault. She was never trained for the job, and was expected to do things that she needed training for.She felt that she wasn’t given any respect what so ever, and had to try her hardest to learn from her mistakes when they were yelling at her. Despite the disrespect and the yelling, she managed to earn a promotion to Assistant Controller with a raise from all her hard work. Huong didn’t have a lot of friends in the work place, but was alwa ys nice to everyone and tried to get to know each colleague. When my mother met my father Jeff in college, things became easier for her. Jeff was from England, and also immigrated to California. He came from a poor family, and also had to work hard to provide for his family and help pay the bills.With all of the things they had in common, Huong felt like she could relate to someone else, and he helped her understand more about American society. He would help her with her homework and her English. With this, life became much easier for Huong, because she understood a lot more about the American way of life. With the extra help, she had more time to go out, have fun and do things that Americans do, like going to the movies, dancing, and eating out. Life Now After being here for 33 years my mother is comfortable with life in America. She never got to go back and visit Vietnam yet, but she wants to when life isn’t so busy.She still misses the food, the culture, and her family in Vietnam, but not only is she living easily, her parents and all of her siblings are also living comfortably in California now. Her parents have a small house in Garden Grove, the center of the Vietnamese community, where they have retired next to other Vietnamese people. She realizes now just how much her father had given up when bringing his family to America, but she knows it had to be done, for their safety and their freedom. She is more than grateful of her father’s decisions, because she got to live in a free country and become a citizen.The main thing is they got to come to a country where there is no war. Her entire family still keeps close to each other by calling one another often, even the relatives still in Vietnam, and they have many family gatherings throughout the year for holidays, birthdays, and also to celebrate Vietnamese traditions. They keep up with their culture, and how they prepare their food, and when they are all together they still primarily speak th e Vietnamese language. Their old customs and traditions are important to everyone in the family.

Dry Ice Science Fair Project Ideas

Dry Ice Science Fair Project Ideas There are a lot of interesting science fair projects you can do using dry ice. Here are some ideas that you can use as-is or can modify to make your own unique science fair project. Dry Ice Projects How can you store dry ice so that it lasts? Caution: Do not place dry ice in a sealed container, since the pressure build-up may cause it to burst.Does dry ice sublimate more quickly in air, water, oil, etc.? Can you explain why?If you put dry ice in water, how cold does the water need to be before the dry ice stops producing fog?Experiment with a dry ice sound lens. Sound travels more slowly in carbon dioxide than it does in air. If you fill a balloon or rubber glove with carbon dioxide by allowing dry ice to sublimate, you can hold the balloon about a foot away from your ear and listen for sounds that normally would appear very faint, such as the ticking of a clock or dropping of a pin. What is the best distance to hold the balloon from your ear? Do both of your ears hear equally well? Be safe! Do not use a balloon that still contains a piece of dry ice or one that is full where it is likely to burst. The popping of a balloon near your ear could cause injury. Just use a balloon or glove that contains a lot of carbon dioxide, but isnt in danger of popping. Can you find a way to harness the power of dry ice sublimation so that it can power a device? A Heros Engine can be made by puncturing opposite sides of a plastic film canister with a tack or pin held by pliers. Tie a loop in a piece of thread and catch the loop between the lid and the container so you can suspend the canister. When you put a piece of dry ice in the canister and close the lid, what happens? What happens if you change the pattern of the holes? What happens if you place the device in water? Not everyone has a film canister available, so you can substitute other containers, but you need to keep in mind your container can burst if too much pressure builds up. Look for containers that have plastic lids that can pop off under pressure.

The Murder of College Student Katherine Foster

The Murder of College Student Katherine Foster A 47-year-old woman living in a homeless shelter in Jackson, Mississippi has been arrested for a murder that took place in Alabama 28 years ago. Jamie Kellam Letson is being held on $500,000 bond in Mobile for the February 1980 shooting death of her longtime friend Katherine Foster, a student at the University of South Alabama when she was killed. Letson, who was 19 at the time, and the 18-year-old Katherine Foster were friends who grew up together in Pascagoula, Mississippi. On Feb. 23, 1980, Foster was a freshman at South Alabama in Mobile. When Foster went missing, a group of 50 volunteer students searched two days for her near the university and she was found in a wooded area near the campus. No Signs of Assault When she was found, there were few signs of foul play, except for the two bullet holes in her head and the blood underneath her hair. Investigators said her makeup was on, her hair brushed and her clothes neat and clean. There were no bruises on her body or any indication of sexual assault. Five days after the murder, police found a .22 caliber pistol at a nearby pond, but the gun turned out not to be the murder weapon, which has never been found. Few Clues Over the Years Three years after Fosters death, police thought they had another suspect when a university security guard committed suicide. In his home, they found an extensive collection of material related to the Foster case, including the autopsy report, news articles, and poems that the guard wrote about Foster. They also found in his garage a secure room with a mattress in which someone could have been hidden. But investigators determined that Michael Maris, the dead guard, had an alibi for the time of Fosters disappearance and he was ruled out as a suspect. Letson, who has served time for theft and bank fraud, was previously questioned by police in connection with the case  because she was a longtime friend of Foster, but the case had been cold for more than 25 years until recently. Assistant District Attorney Jo Beth Murphree would not tell reporters what evidence led to the arrest of Letson after 28 years.

Shakespeares Sonnet 18 In Comparison With Robert Brownings His Last Essay

Shakespeares Sonnet 18 In Comparison With Robert Brownings His Last Duchess - Essay Example The work of Shakespeare viewed females as pleasantries of life but that of Robert identified them as a means of gathering sexual pleasure and contentment whereas, his work did not convey respectful image of a woman. The quality of life significantly determines level of one’s artistic characteristics. The great Shakespeare struggled notably in his life. But, at the end, he experienced fame and wealth. The old man died in peace and therefore, he started to view the world as a manmade heaven. The abovementioned legend grew up in a family with rigid ethical and civic rules. The dedication towards decency and civilized behavior is quite notable in his work. He never kneeled before so-called modern poetic rules that encouraged artists of the time to add sexism in their works so that they can get more attention. The Shakespearean way of poetry is preserved for the best minds of each era and therefore, when most of the population drives towards poetry in order to fulfill their filthy sexual agendas. The pure minds kept on find the true meanings of life in the evergreen works of the great legend. The featured Robert’s work is all about considering females as machines of attaining sexual pleasure (Browning 1842) while the symbolism used by Shakespeare helped the people in taking females as their companions. The works of the legendary artist indeed guided the society towards gender-based equality (Shakepeare 1609). The poem attempted to communicate that females are like summers as they come rarely in one’s life and therefore, they should be cared about. The Shakespearean philosophy is stemmed from the idea that the inter-gender relationships should have long-term nature and people should be trained to view their wives, mothers, sisters, and... The work of Shakespeare viewed females as pleasantries of life but that of Robert identified them as a means of gathering sexual pleasure and contentment whereas, his work did not convey a respectful image of a woman. The quality of life significantly determines the level of one’s artistic characteristics. The great Shakespeare struggled notably in his life. But, at the end, he experienced fame and wealth. The old man died in peace and therefore, he started to view the world as a manmade heaven. The above-mentioned legend grew up in a family with rigid ethical and civic rules. The dedication towards decency and civilized behavior is quite notable in his work. He never kneeled before so-called modern poetic rules that encouraged artists of the time to add sexism in their works so that they can get more attention. The Shakespearean way of poetry is preserved for the best minds of each era and therefore when most of the population drives towards poetry in order to fulfill their filthy sexual agendas. The pure minds kept on find the true meanings of life in the Evergreen works of the great legend. The featured Robert’s work is all about considering females as machines of attaining sexual pleasure while the symbolism used by Shakespeare helped the people in taking females as their companions. The Shakespearean philosophy is stemmed from the idea that the inter-gender relationships should have long-term nature and people should be trained to view their wives, mothers, sisters, and girlfriends as friends and companions.

Case Study and 2 General Qustion of scope management Essay

Case Study and 2 General Qustion of scope management - Essay Example Stakeholders are those individual or group that affects the business in one way or another. These include, customers, prospective customers, suppliers, Government, community among others. In our Rolls-Royce case, the stakeholders include, Airbus, Boeing, Turkey’s national airline, Government among others. You need to develop an understanding of the needs of the stakeholders. You need to understand their view about you project and how you can best attract their participation to the project. Understanding how you can communicate with them is also very important. Objective can be defined as the goals that the organization aims at achieving in the course of their business and activities. This can be reflected through mission statements, performance metrics and in situations whereby the organization keeps on reminding the employees on how crucial their work is in the organization. Strategies on the other hand are a planned action that focuses on enabling the organization to achieve its objectives. After a strategy is established, it has to be communicated to the entire organization through the top management, in order to justify it and commit the whole organization to it. An organization can have an objective of increasing the number of customers in a given period of time. For example an organization dealing with online newsletters may have an objective of increasing the number people subscribing for e-newsletter each month by 20%. Project management is an important management tool in a broad aspect of economic activities. Project management can be viewed as an art or a science (Schmidt 144). As an art, project management is concerned with managing and relating to people with an aid of project manager who uses experience and skills in technical situation of each project. As a science, the success of the project depends on proven and repeated processes and technique. Project management is an important tool in

Creating Your Dream Job Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Creating Your Dream Job - Assignment Example With individuals with special education needs, such multidisciplinary/ multi-agency working becomes advantageous because the collaboration among professionals directly focus on the needs of the individual. To avoid conflicts between the professionals in a multidisciplinary setting, it is essential to have a key person to coordinate each one and ensure that target goals for the individual with special needs be met. In the United Kingdom, this person has the title of the Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) (SENCO, 1997). In other countries, this title is also known as a case manager or simply a social worker assigned to the case. Hughes & Rycus (1998) explain that when an individual with a learning disability avails of multi-agency services, a social worker helps him source the services he needs for his disability in the medical and educational systems. Communication and cooperation among various professionals and agencies ensue in addressing the individual’s needs. Join t work by representatives of different agencies has been proven to accelerate the progress of interventions of young people with learning disabilities and ultimately contribute much to their well-being. Educators, therapists, psychologists, speech pathologists, physicians, social workers and even government officials join hands in the care and education of these young people to ensure their optimum growth and development. The ideal SENCO worker needs to have a college degree in Special Education, Social Work or Psychology so that he or she is knowledgeable with the needs of the clients who have special education needs. The SENCO should also be adept in networking and collaboration skills, since he or she will engage in interpersonal interactions with people from various disciplines. Good communication skills is a must. The SENCO has the following job description: Contacts prospective professionals to be part of the Multidisciplinary Team Screens and hires therapists Meet with team m embers individually and as a team, if necessary Communicates and coordinates with each member about the programs they are doing with the client Organizes schedules of both the client and the various professionals working with him Collects and collates reports from each team member Evaluates performance of each team member Organizes team management conferences Furnish general report about client’s progress 2. Design a compensation and benefits package related to your dream job. Every worker dreams of having a salary that is fair and compensable for all his efforts. It is logical and acceptable to receive a salary that is commensurate to the tasks involved in one’s job. As a SENCO, salary considerations should include the skills necessary for the individual to carry out the aforementioned tasks and that would be both professional and personal skills. The salary is not the only compensation sought by workers. A good compensation and benefits package specifically for a SEN CO could include the following: Reasonable remuneration Social security Medical Insurance Travel allowance Sponsorship to Training Seminar-Workshop/ Conferences Sick and Vacation Leaves Option for flexi-time Option for tele-commuting especially with coordination and clerical tasks Provision of gadgets and other equipment for easy communication and coordination (ex. Laptop, tablet computer, mobile phone, internet connection)

My Future Goals Essay Example for Free

My Future Goals Essay The purpose of this assignment is to look into my future and come up with achievable goals to be successful in my career, personal and academic endeavors. Napoleon Hill states, â€Å"The starting point of all achievement is desire. (Think and Grow Rich, 2005). So, your first step in goal setting and achieving your dreams is that youve got to really want to achieve the goal. My personal goal is to use my time management skills to keep organized in my class assignments. As a matter of fact, keeping organized will make my leisure time much more enjoyable. To achieve this goal I will use time management to make a schedule of all my classes. I have a very busy life and setting this goal will work in all areas of my life. Read more: My future plan essay In addition, my academic goals are to finish college with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Information Technology. My future career depends on the completion of this degree. In as little as 2 years I will complete my online degree and be able to confront my ultimate challenges and have a successful career. Equally as important writing down the goal, the plan and a timeline sets events in motion that may not have happened otherwise. Furthermore, my career goal goes hand in hand with my academic goal. I have to finish my degree in order for my professional and career goal to be achievable. I want to work in the IT field. I would like to find a company that offers internship programs for students while attending college. This will be a long road but will be worth it in the end. I do have the support of my family, friends, and academic advisors. With all this support I can achieve my future goals.

Design & Architecture in Britain Essay -- Architecture in the UK

One of the essential roles that architects are trained to fulfil is taking a clients brief and developing it creatively. Developing a brief is a crucial starting point of design to achieving a clear objective, well structured and financed plan of work. When architects are involved early in the planning stage they have an opportunity to create a much more enriched brief as they will have a greater understanding of the clients needs and the nature of the project Setting out a development/design brief: Before any design work is undertaken it is important that a development/design brief is in place. A good design brief provides a platform for buildings to be used; -More Efficiently – so that space can be utilised in the best approach possible with minimum wasted space. -Effectively – in a way that allows the building to be socially sustainable. -Expressively – within the built environment to the value of society. -With Purpose –giving the building’s function and placement significant, accessible and prosperous. Good briefing provides all involved professionals with a greater understanding of the desired outcomes and the responsibilities towards achieving those. Briefing – A six step process 1. Scope Definition of breadth, focus, scope and parameters of the briefing project 2. Role Statement describing what the user organisation (public, community, city authority, etc.) is for 3. Activities -Activity statement is a description of what will go on in the building 4. Draft requirements Includes a space budget listing functional requirements, also spatial... ... Process’,Dawe.L.2014 Part B: Lecture 4 - ‘Practice Management’,Dawe.L.2014 Lecture 5 - ‘An introduction to BIM’- Past Present and future, Comiskey.D.2014 Lecture 6 - ‘Plan of Work 2013’,Dawe.L.2014 Lecture 7 - ‘Procurement&Construction process’,Dawe.L.2014 Books Greenhalgh, B (2011). Introduction to Building Procurement. London: Spon Press Ostime, N (2013). Architects Job Book. London: RIBA Publishing. Websites RIBA. RIBA Plan of Work 2013. Available: http://www.architecture.com/TheRIBA/AboutUs/Professionalsupport/RIBAOutlinePlanofWork2013.aspx#.Uz5Cm_ldUgQ. Last accessed 2nd April 2014. placeni. Summer Urban design school. Available: http://www.placeni.org/. Last accessed 2nd April 2014 The Joint Contracts Tribunal. (1998). Contracts. Available: http://www.jctltd.co.uk/home.aspx. Last accessed 2nd April 2014. Design & Architecture in Britain Essay -- Architecture in the UK One of the essential roles that architects are trained to fulfil is taking a clients brief and developing it creatively. Developing a brief is a crucial starting point of design to achieving a clear objective, well structured and financed plan of work. When architects are involved early in the planning stage they have an opportunity to create a much more enriched brief as they will have a greater understanding of the clients needs and the nature of the project Setting out a development/design brief: Before any design work is undertaken it is important that a development/design brief is in place. A good design brief provides a platform for buildings to be used; -More Efficiently – so that space can be utilised in the best approach possible with minimum wasted space. -Effectively – in a way that allows the building to be socially sustainable. -Expressively – within the built environment to the value of society. -With Purpose –giving the building’s function and placement significant, accessible and prosperous. Good briefing provides all involved professionals with a greater understanding of the desired outcomes and the responsibilities towards achieving those. Briefing – A six step process 1. Scope Definition of breadth, focus, scope and parameters of the briefing project 2. Role Statement describing what the user organisation (public, community, city authority, etc.) is for 3. Activities -Activity statement is a description of what will go on in the building 4. Draft requirements Includes a space budget listing functional requirements, also spatial... ... Process’,Dawe.L.2014 Part B: Lecture 4 - ‘Practice Management’,Dawe.L.2014 Lecture 5 - ‘An introduction to BIM’- Past Present and future, Comiskey.D.2014 Lecture 6 - ‘Plan of Work 2013’,Dawe.L.2014 Lecture 7 - ‘Procurement&Construction process’,Dawe.L.2014 Books Greenhalgh, B (2011). Introduction to Building Procurement. London: Spon Press Ostime, N (2013). Architects Job Book. London: RIBA Publishing. Websites RIBA. RIBA Plan of Work 2013. Available: http://www.architecture.com/TheRIBA/AboutUs/Professionalsupport/RIBAOutlinePlanofWork2013.aspx#.Uz5Cm_ldUgQ. Last accessed 2nd April 2014. placeni. Summer Urban design school. Available: http://www.placeni.org/. Last accessed 2nd April 2014 The Joint Contracts Tribunal. (1998). Contracts. Available: http://www.jctltd.co.uk/home.aspx. Last accessed 2nd April 2014.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Four

Eddard The visitors poured through the castle gates in a river of gold and silver and polished steel, three hundred strong, a pride of bannermen and knights, of sworn swords and freeriders. Over their heads a dozen golden banners whipped back and forth in the northern wind, emblazoned with the crowned stag of Baratheon. Ned knew many of the riders. There came Ser Jaime Lannister with hair as bright as beaten gold, and there Sandor Clegane with his terrible burned face. The tall boy beside him could only be the crown prince, and that stunted little man behind them was surely the Imp, Tyrion Lannister. Yet the huge man at the head of the column, flanked by two knights in the snow-white cloaks of the Kingsguard, seemed almost a stranger to Ned . . . until he vaulted off the back of his warhorse with a familiar roar, and crushed him in a bone-crunching hug. â€Å"Ned! Ah, but it is good to see that frozen face of yours.† The king looked him over top to bottom, and laughed. â€Å"You have not changed at all.† Would that Ned had been able to say the same. Fifteen years past, when they had ridden forth to win a throne, the Lord of Storm's End had been clean-shaven, clear-eyed, and muscled like a maiden's fantasy. Six and a half feet tall, he towered over lesser men, and when he donned his armor and the great antlered helmet of his House, he became a veritable giant. He'd had a giant's strength too, his weapon of choice a spiked iron warhammer that Ned could scarcely lift. In those days, the smell of leather and blood had clung to him like perfume. Now it was perfume that clung to him like perfume, and he had a girth to match his height. Ned had last seen the king nine years before during Balon Greyjoy's rebellion, when the stag and the direwolf had joined to end the pretensions of the self-proclaimed King of the IronIslands. Since the night they had stood side by side in Greyjoy's fallen stronghold, where Robert had accepted the rebel lord's surrender and Ned had taken his son Theon as hostage and ward, the king had gained at least eight stone. A beard as coarse and black as iron wire covered his jaw to hide his double chin and the sag of the royal jowls, but nothing could hide his stomach or the dark circles under his eyes. Yet Robert was Ned's king now, and not just a friend, so he said only, â€Å"Your Grace. Winterfell is yours.† By then the others were dismounting as well, and grooms were coming forward for their mounts. Robert's queen, Cersei Lannister, entered on foot with her younger children. The wheelhouse in which they had ridden, a huge double-decked carriage of oiled oak and gilded metal pulled by forty heavy draft horses, was too wide to pass through the castle gate. Ned knelt in the snow to kiss the queen's ring, while Robert embraced Catelyn like a long-lost sister. Then the children had been brought forward, introduced, and approved of by both sides. No sooner had those formalities of greeting been completed than the king had said to his host, â€Å"Take me down to your crypt, Eddard. I would pay my respects.† Ned loved him for that, for remembering her still after all these years. He called for a lantern. No other words were needed. The queen had begun to protest. They had been riding since dawn, everyone was tired and cold, surely they should refresh themselves first. The dead would wait. She had said no more than that; Robert had looked at her, and her twin brother Jaime had taken her quietly by the arm, and she had said no more. They went down to the crypt together, Ned and this king he scarcely recognized. The winding stone steps were narrow. Ned went first with the lantern. â€Å"I was starting to think we would never reach Winterfell,† Robert complained as they descended. â€Å"In the south, the way they talk about my Seven Kingdoms, a man forgets that your part is as big as the other six combined.† â€Å"I trust you enjoyed the journey, Your Grace?† Robert snorted. â€Å"Bogs and forests and fields, and scarcely a decent inn north of the Neck. I've never seen such a vast emptiness. Where are all your people?† â€Å"Likely they were too shy to come out,† Ned jested. He could feel the chill coming up the stairs, a cold breath from deep within the earth. â€Å"Kings are a rare sight in the north.† Robert snorted. â€Å"More likely they were hiding under the snow. Snow, Ned!† The king put one hand on the wall to steady himself as they descended. â€Å"Late summer snows are common enough,† Ned said. â€Å"I hope they did not trouble you. They are usually mild.† â€Å"The Others take your mild snows,† Robert swore. â€Å"What will this place be like in winter? I shudder to think.† â€Å"The winters are hard,† Ned admitted. â€Å"But the Starks will endure. We always have.† â€Å"You need to come south,† Robert told him. â€Å"You need a taste of summer before it flees. In Highgarden there are fields of golden roses that stretch away as far as the eye can see. The fruits are so ripe they explode in your mouth—melons, peaches, fireplums, you've never tasted such sweetness. You'll see, I brought you some. Even at Storm's End, with that good wind off the bay, the days are so hot you can barely move. And you ought to see the towns, Ned! Flowers everywhere, the markets bursting with food, the summerwines so cheap and so good that you can get drunk just breathing the air. Everyone is fat and drunk and rich.† He laughed and slapped his own ample stomach a thump. â€Å"And the girls, Ned!† he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. â€Å"I swear, women lose all modesty in the heat. They swim naked in the river, right beneath the castle. Even in the streets, it's too damn hot for wool or fur, so they go around in these short gowns, silk if th ey have the silver and cotton if not, but it's all the same when they start sweating and the cloth sticks to their skin, they might as well be naked.† The king laughed happily. Robert Baratheon had always been a man of huge appetites, a man who knew how to take his pleasures. That was not a charge anyone could lay at the door of Eddard Stark. Yet Ned could not help but notice that those pleasures were taking a toll on the king. Robert was breathing heavily by the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, his face red in the lantern light as they stepped out into the darkness of the crypt. â€Å"Your Grace,† Ned said respectfully. He swept the lantern in a wide semicircle. Shadows moved and lurched. Flickering light touched the stones underfoot and brushed against a long procession of granite pillars that marched ahead, two by two, into the dark. Between the pillars, the dead sat on their stone thrones against the walls, backs against the sepulchres that contained their mortal remains. â€Å"She is down at the end, with Father and Brandon.† He led the way between the pillars and Robert followed wordlessly, shivering in the subterranean chill. It was always cold down here. Their footsteps rang off the stones and echoed in the vault overhead as they walked among the dead of House Stark. The Lords of Winterfell watched them pass. Their likenesses were carved into the stones that sealed the tombs. In long rows they sat, blind eyes staring out into eternal darkness, while great stone direwolves curled round their feet. The shifting shadows made the stone figures seem to stir as the living passed by. By ancient custom an iron longsword had been laid across the lap of each who had been Lord of Winterfell, to keep the vengeful spirits in their crypts. The oldest had long ago rusted away to nothing, leaving only a few red stains where the metal had rested on stone. Ned wondered if that meant those ghosts were free to roam the castle now. He hoped not. The first Lords of Winterfell had been men hard as the land they ruled. In the centuries before the Dragonlords came over the sea, they had sworn allegiance to no man, styling themselves the Kings in the North. Ned stopped at last and lifted the oil lantern. The crypt continued on into darkness ahead of them, but beyond this point the tombs were empty and unsealed; black holes waiting for their dead, waiting for him and his children. Ned did not like to think on that. â€Å"Here,† he told his king. Robert nodded silently, knelt, and bowed his head. There were three tombs, side by side. Lord Rickard Stark, Ned's father, had a long, stern face. The stonemason had known him well. He sat with quiet dignity, stone fingers holding tight to the sword across his lap, but in life all swords had failed him. In two smaller sepulchres on either side were his children. Brandon had been twenty when he died, strangled by order of the Mad King Aerys Targaryen only a few short days before he was to wed Catelyn Tully of Riverrun. His father had been forced to watch him die. He was the true heir, the eldest, born to rule. Lyanna had only been sixteen, a child-woman of surpassing loveliness. Ned had loved her with all his heart. Robert had loved her even more. She was to have been his bride. â€Å"She was more beautiful than that,† the king said after a silence. His eyes lingered on Lyanna's face, as if he could will her back to life. Finally he rose, made awkward by his weight. â€Å"Ah, damn it, Ned, did you have to bury her in a place like this?† His voice was hoarse with remembered grief. â€Å"She deserved more than darkness . . . â€Å" â€Å"She was a Stark of Winterfell,† Ned said quietly. â€Å"This is her place.† â€Å"She should be on a hill somewhere, under a fruit tree, with the sun and clouds above her and the rain to wash her clean.† â€Å"I was with her when she died,† Ned reminded the king. â€Å"She wanted to come home, to rest beside Brandon and Father.† He could hear her still at times. Promise me, she had cried, in a room that smelled of blood and roses. Promise me, Ned. The fever had taken her strength and her voice had been faint as a whisper, but when he gave her his word, the fear had gone out of his sister's eyes. Ned remembered the way she had smiled then, how tightly her fingers had clutched his as she gave up her hold on life, the rose petals spilling from her palm, dead and black. After that he remembered nothing. They had found him still holding her body, silent with grief. The little crannogman, Howland Reed, had taken her hand from his. Ned could recall none of it. â€Å"I bring her flowers when I can,† he said. â€Å"Lyanna was . . . fond of flowers.† The king touched her cheek, his fingers brushing across the rough stone as gently as if it were living flesh. â€Å"I vowed to kill Rhaegar for what he did to her.† â€Å"You did,† Ned reminded him. â€Å"Only once,† Robert said bitterly. They had come together at the ford of the Trident while the battle crashed around them, Robert with his warhammer and his great antlered helm, the Targaryen prince armored all in black. On his breastplate was the three-headed dragon of his House, wrought all in rubies that flashed like fire in the sunlight. The waters of the Trident ran red around the hooves of their destriers as they circled and clashed, again and again, until at last a crushing blow from Robert's hammer stove in the dragon and the chest beneath it. When Ned had finally come on the scene, Rhaegar lay dead in the stream, while men of both armies scrabbled in the swirling waters for rubies knocked free of his armor. â€Å"In my dreams, I kill him every night,† Robert admitted. â€Å"A thousand deaths will still be less than he deserves.† There was nothing Ned could say to that. After a quiet, he said, â€Å"We should return, Your Grace. Your wife will be waiting.† â€Å"The Others take my wife,† Robert muttered sourly, but he started back the way they had come, his footsteps falling heavily. â€Å"And if I hear ‘Your Grace' once more, I'll have your head on a spike. We are more to each other than that.† â€Å"I had not forgotten,† Ned replied quietly. When the king did not answer, he said, â€Å"Tell me about Jon.† Robert shook his head. â€Å"I have never seen a man sicken so quickly. We gave a tourney on my son's name day. If you had seen Jon then, you would have sworn he would live forever. A fortnight later he was dead. The sickness was like a fire in his gut. It burned right through him.† He paused beside a pillar, before the tomb of a long-dead Stark. â€Å"I loved that old man.† â€Å"We both did.† Ned paused a moment. â€Å"Catelyn fears for her sister. How does Lysa bear her grief?† Robert's mouth gave a bitter twist. â€Å"Not well, in truth,† he admitted. â€Å"I think losing Jon has driven the woman mad, Ned. She has taken the boy back to the Eyrie. Against my wishes. I had hoped to foster him with Tywin Lannister at Casterly Rock. Jon had no brothers, no other sons. Was I supposed to leave him to be raised by women?† Ned would sooner entrust a child to a pit viper than to Lord Tywin, but he left his doubts unspoken. Some old wounds never truly heal, and bleed again at the slightest word. â€Å"The wife has lost the husband,† he said carefully. â€Å"Perhaps the mother feared to lose the son. The boy is very young.† â€Å"Six, and sickly, and Lord of the Eyrie, gods have mercy,† the king swore. â€Å"Lord Tywin had never taken a ward before. Lysa ought to have been honored. The Lannisters are a great and noble House. She refused to even hear of it. Then she left in the dead of night, without so much as a by-your-leave. Cersei was furious.† He sighed deeply. â€Å"The boy is my namesake, did you know that? Robert Arryn. I am sworn to protect him. How can I do that if his mother steals him away?† â€Å"I will take him as ward, if you wish,† Ned said. â€Å"Lysa should consent to that. She and Catelyn were close as girls, and she would be welcome here as well.† â€Å"A generous offer, my friend,† the king said, â€Å"but too late. Lord Tywin has already given his consent. Fostering the boy elsewhere would be a grievous affront to him.† â€Å"I have more concern for my nephew's welfare than I do for Lannister pride,† Ned declared. â€Å"That is because you do not sleep with a Lannister.† Robert laughed, the sound rattling among the tombs and bouncing from the vaulted ceiling. His smile was a flash of white teeth in the thicket of the huge black beard. â€Å"Ah, Ned,† he said, â€Å"you are still too serious.† He put a massive arm around Ned's shoulders. â€Å"I had planned to wait a few days to speak to you, but I see now there's no need for it. Come, walk with me.† They started back down between the pillars. Blind stone eyes seemed to follow them as they passed. The king kept his arm around Ned's shoulder. â€Å"You must have wondered why I finally came north to Winterfell, after so long.† Ned had his suspicions, but he did not give them voice. â€Å"For the joy of my company, surely,† he said lightly. â€Å"And there is the Wall. You need to see it, Your Grace, to walk along its battlements and talk to those who man it. The Night's Watch is a shadow of what it once was. Benjen says—† â€Å"No doubt I will hear what your brother says soon enough,† Robert said. â€Å"The Wall has stood for what, eight thousand years? It can keep a few days more. I have more pressing concerns. These are difficult times. I need good men about me. Men like Jon Arryn. He served as Lord of the Eyrie, as Warden of the East, as the Hand of the King. He will not be easy to replace.† â€Å"His son . . . † Ned began. â€Å"His son will succeed to the Eyrie and all its incomes,† Robert said brusquely. â€Å"No more.† That took Ned by surprise. He stopped, startled, and turned to look at his king. The words came unbidden. â€Å"The Arryns have always been Wardens of the East. The title goes with the domain.† â€Å"Perhaps when he comes of age, the honor can be restored to him,† Robert said. â€Å"I have this year to think of, and next. A six-year-old boy is no war leader, Ned.† â€Å"In peace, the title is only an honor. Let the boy keep it. For his father's sake if not his own. Surely you owe Jon that much for his service.† The king was not pleased. He took his arm from around Ned's shoulders. â€Å"Jon's service was the duty he owed his liege lord. I am not ungrateful, Ned. You of all men ought to know that. But the son is not the father. A mere boy cannot hold the east.† Then his tone softened. â€Å"Enough of this. There is a more important office to discuss, and I would not argue with you.† Robert grasped Ned by the elbow. â€Å"I have need of you, Ned.† â€Å"I am yours to command, Your Grace. Always.† They were words he had to say, and so he said them, apprehensive about what might come next. Robert scarcely seemed to hear him. â€Å"Those years we spent in the Eyrie . . . gods, those were good years. I want you at my side again, Ned. I want you down in King's Landing, not up here at the end of the world where you are no damned use to anybody.† Robert looked off into the darkness, for a moment as melancholy as a Stark. â€Å"I swear to you, sitting a throne is a thousand times harder than winning one. Laws are a tedious business and counting coppers is worse. And the people . . . there is no end of them. I sit on that damnable iron chair and listen to them complain until my mind is numb and my ass is raw. They all want something, money or land or justice. The lies they tell . . . and my lords and ladies are no better. I am surrounded by flatterers and fools. It can drive a man to madness, Ned. Half of them don't dare tell me the truth, and the other half can't find it. There are nights I wish we had lost at the Trident. Ah, no, not truly, but . . . â€Å"I understand,† Ned said softly. Robert looked at him. â€Å"I think you do. If so, you are the only one, my old friend.† He smiled. â€Å"Lord Eddard Stark, I would name you the Hand of the King.† Ned dropped to one knee. The offer did not surprise him; what other reason could Robert have had for coming so far? The Hand of the King was the second-most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms. He spoke with the king's voice, commanded the king's armies, drafted the king's laws. At times he even sat upon the Iron Throne to dispense king's justice, when the king was absent, or sick, or otherwise indisposed. Robert was offering him a responsibility as large as the realm itself. It was the last thing in the world he wanted. â€Å"Your Grace,† he said. â€Å"I am not worthy of the honor.† Robert groaned with good-humored impatience. â€Å"If I wanted to honor you, I'd let you retire. I am planning to make you run the kingdom and fight the wars while I eat and drink and wench myself into an early grave.† He slapped his gut and grinned. â€Å"You know the saying, about the king and his Hand?† Ned knew the saying. â€Å"What the king dreams,† he said, â€Å"the Hand builds.† â€Å"I bedded a fishmaid once who told me the lowborn have a choicer way to put it. The king eats, they say, and the Hand takes the shit.† He threw back his head and roared his laughter. The echoes rang through the darkness, and all around them the dead of Winterfell seemed to watch with cold and disapproving eyes. Finally the laughter dwindled and stopped. Ned was still on one knee, his eyes upraised. â€Å"Damn it, Ned,† the king complained. â€Å"You might at least humor me with a smile.† â€Å"They say it grows so cold up here in winter that a man's laughter freezes in his throat and chokes him to death,† Ned said evenly. â€Å"Perhaps that is why the Starks have so little humor.† â€Å"Come south with me, and I'll teach you how to laugh again,† the king promised. â€Å"You helped me win this damnable throne, now help me hold it. We were meant to rule together. If Lyanna had lived, we should have been brothers, bound by blood as well as affection. Well, it is not too late. I have a son. You have a daughter. My Joff and your Sansa shall join our houses, as Lyanna and I might once have done.† This offer did surprise him. â€Å"Sansa is only eleven.† Robert waved an impatient hand. â€Å"Old enough for betrothal. The marriage can wait a few years.† The king smiled. â€Å"Now stand up and say yes, curse you.† â€Å"Nothing would give me greater pleasure, Your Grace,† Ned answered. He hesitated. â€Å"These honors are all so unexpected. May I have some time to consider? I need to tell my wife . . . â€Å" â€Å"Yes, yes, of course, tell Catelyn, sleep on it if you must.† The king reached down, clasped Ned by the hand, and pulled him roughly to his feet. â€Å"Just don't keep me waiting too long. I am not the most patient of men.† For a moment Eddard Stark was filled with a terrible sense of foreboding. This was his place, here in the north. He looked at the stone figures all around them, breathed deep in the chill silence of the crypt. He could feel the eyes of the dead. They were all listening, he knew. And winter was coming.