Monday, December 30, 2019

How Does History Changed Our Future - 1670 Words

If you ask a random student in an average American school to tell you their least favorite subject in school, you are probably going to get a lot of â€Å"history†. I say that this is because students just are not interested in History today, they have the mindset â€Å"they’re all dead anyway†. I say that this is problem can easily be solved by just, simply, having history teachers update their techniques of teaching this fascinating subject in favor of more interactive ones, like plays acting out famous battles such as the Battle of Gettysburg. In seeing history come alive, students will more likely see the impact that history has on our future. Teaching itself goes back all the way to between 3000 and 500 B.C.E. in Ancient Egypt. At that†¦show more content†¦This library documented achievements in math, reading, and writing. Even later, during the Zhou Dynasty (551- 479 B.C.E.) the curriculum was impacted by Confucius. He shaped educational values, as well as in the overall focus of formal education. His focus on personal values help teachers determine exactly what to teach and how History of Teaching†¦ Cont:. teaching was achieved in a formal educational setting. However, all of this shifted with the Greeks. The first teacher in history was Confucius (561 B.C.). He was born into an honorable family, that had fallen on bad times, and because of this, he had no chance of being educated himself, sadly. However, he got a job and this eventually got a job which gained a reputation for his determination and thirst for knowledge. When he became a teacher, he took any student who were eager to learn. He taught regular subjects along with his personal wisdom for developing responsibility and moral character through discipline and regular subjects. This could have lead to the creation of his teaching as a philosophy, which is called Confucianism. In colonial America, the majority of teachers were men. In the 1830s, Common School started. This is considered the precursor for today’s public school. This method was proposed by education reformer Horace Mann. Instead of being funded by the church, schools using this method were funded by taxes. They instilled a common and social philosophy of

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Co-Op Essay - 798 Words

Strengths-Weakness Opportunities-Threats CO-OP Essay In the summer of 2005 I had the opportunity to intern at The Franklin Institute Museum in PA. This museum is one of the many well known science museums across the country. The Franklin Institute Museum is a unique museum that gives the experience of exploring science in a fun and fascinating way. The museum touches bases on many areas of science such as, anatomy, physics, environmental sciences, and space. The Franklin Institute is named after Benjamin Franklin and is the home of his national memorial statue. It was founded in 1824 and its first building was established in 1825; since then its location has changed with in the city of Philadelphia but it still remains to be one†¦show more content†¦It also gives the option of including your work done at the Franklin Institute on your resume for future employers to review. The opportunities that the Institute has are limited but with hardwork and networking growth can be made. Threats: With any company that promotes a program or has a program there are threats. The threat of the Discovery Camp is the fact that there are many other camps out there that promote fun and learning about science as well. Many other science camps may go in depth with more experiments and knowledge about a specific area while Discovery Camp only touches small bases of each area. The obstacle the program may face is the fact that the amount of money the parents put into the program may not be worth the information there children are getting back. In being a science camp it would be useful to invest in more technology and science equipment for the students, which will help advance them for the future science classes they mayShow MoreRelatedEssay about Co-op Bank2214 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿Case Analysis Report The Co-operative Bank Submitted to Wila-sini Wongkaew, PhD Prepared by Pitchapa Nuancharoen   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   578 20011 26 Pitchaya Wijitthanakul   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   578 20034 26 Pimpika Hitakomate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   578 20108 26 Pattarin Ha-upala   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   578 20200 26 Salila Junsuriyapong   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   578 21144 26 Supattana Srisalaui   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   578 21282 26 2601633 Advanced Managerial Accounting and Cost Management Semester 2 Academic Year 2014 Executive Summary This reportRead MoreCase 12: Rocky Mountain House Co-Op Essay2316 Words   |  10 PagesCase 12: Rocky Mountain House Co-op June 4, 2009 Critical Issue / Challenge Identification o In Petroleum division, its cardlock system is out-of-date and has no capability to sell marked gasoline with the old system, should the company invest in new facilities? o The competitor-UFA is going to launch an outlet in this area, should the company consider going into the fertilizer and ag chemical business to fulfill customers’ needs? o RMHC has approximately $1 millionRead MoreEssay about MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP: THE PRIVATE-LABEL STRATEGY2339 Words   |  10 PagesCASE 1: ________________________________ MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP: THE PRIVATE-LABEL STRATEGY____________ Critical Issues In order to fulfill the company’s core purpose and philosophies while still maintaining a viable business operation, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) must address: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · How to provide their customers with a unique and desirable product line that no other store can match so that they can own a distinct competitive advantage and do not have to directly competeRead MoreHenri Cartier Bresson - Arts1722 Words   |  7 Pagesa wide audience. Cartier-Bresson co-founded Magnum, a photography agency which allowed photojournalists to publish their work in major magazines whilst keeping rights to their work.5 As a photojournalist Cartier-Bresson recorded life and events in times and places like China before and during its industrial revolution, India and Indonesia throughout their independence and the United States throughout its post-war economic prosperity. He utilised the photo essay to tell the story behind his imagesRead MoreA Brief Look at Scientology1054 Words   |  4 Pagesauthor and the author with the books translated in the most languages. 4. How does Scientology recruit people? How do they advertise? Scientology does so many things to recruit future Scientologists. One thing, as I have mentioned before in this essay, they offer free auditing. They tell those who participate that it will let them reach a higher self worth, and they can do anything when they have Scientology as their faith. They also offer a rehabilitation process, guaranteeing that 75% of peopleRead MoreThe Neighbourhood Principle1708 Words   |  7 Pagesaround which arguments may be constructed, or merely as a slippery expression reflective of the fairness, justice and reasonableness of imposing a duty of care upon the defendant in the light of the nature of his relationship with the claimant.† 2 This essay sets out to establish whether the neighbour principle was successful or if it has fallen short and where, it will present court decisions, statutes and constitutional provisions pertinent to this area of law. In articulating what was meant by â€Å"theRead MoreBusiness Essay Topic: Forms of Business Organizations930 Words   |  4 PagesBusiness Essay Topic: Forms of Business Organizations It is important that the business owner seriously considers the different forms of business organization — types such as sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. Which organizational form is most appropriate can be influenced by tax issues, legal issues, financial concerns, and personal concerns. This essay explains the general impression of business organizations. A Sole Proprietorship, also known as the sole trader or simplyRead MoreWhat Is The Evaluation Score Worksheet?1221 Words   |  5 Pagesupcoming academic year? (Summer does not count.) Is her program academically aligned with a language major? We do award for the one semester they are on campus. List this information in your comments.†¢ Is she leaving her campus to do an internship or co-op program for at least one term? If so, list it in your comments. †¢ Has she served as the Panhellenic president or vice president on her campus or as the chapter Risk Management Chairman? If so, note it in your comments. †¢ You may award extra pointsRead MoreBecoming A Professional Engineer : Texas A M And M. M1493 Words   |  6 Pagesapplied this unique aspect of myself into everything that I pursue. With the intent of becoming a Professional Engineer, I would like to transfer to Texas AM University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. The purpose of my essay is to explain to you exactly why I want to transfer to Texas AM and how joining Texas AM would profit me. â€Å"Emmanuel, you know that I’ve been a high school football coach for years now. After a while it’s easy to lose interest in coaching. I’ve coachedRead MoreIb Extended Essay4823 Words   |  20 PagesIB Subject of Essay : Business and Management Supervisor Name : Mr. Philippe Cosentino Word Count : 3902 Abstract In this essay, I shall be responding to the research question: â€Å"To what extent does Ocean Park’s marketing strategy for its re-development phase meet the preferences of its customers?† The purpose of this essay is for me to assess whether Ocean Park have fulfilled their marketing aspects during the re-development phase. The scope of this essay encompasses the

Friday, December 13, 2019

Global Positioning System (Gps) Research Paper Free Essays

The  Global Positioning System  With the proliferation of satellite-based defense systems and their continuing presence in the media it makes us more aware of our national defense. The United States is large, economically strong and a sometimes tumultuous presence in the global community. Although we may feel secure because of our superior technology and defense capabilities, our size and position in world affairs can make us a target for some countries. We will write a custom essay sample on Global Positioning System (Gps) Research Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now We can no longer be concerned with just our borders and now what comes from the skies and the sea is more of a threat than ever before. The United States government had to develop a way to counter these possible attacks and the Global Positioning System (GPS) was conceived. The Global Positioning System was initiated in 1973 by the Department of Defense (DOD). It was developed by the the DOD because at a cost of over twelve billion dollars the government had the monetary resources to achieve these idealistic goals. Since that time it has grown from one satellite used strictly by the military to twenty-six satellites that can be used by civilians also. This satellite system is used to determine the speed and position of an object anywhere in the world within one hundred meters to mere millimeters depending on the size and quality of user equipment. (GPS JOINT PROGRAM OFFICE. ICD-GPS-200:GPS INTERFACE CONTROL DOCUMENT. ) The original purpose of GPS was to maintain a strategic military advantage over our enemies. Toward the end of the arms race the targeting of ballistic missiles became so exact they could land directly on an enemy missile silo and destroy any missiles inside of it. The ability to take out your enemies missiles from great distances had a major effect on the balance of power. To maintain the balance of power the United States government had to develop a way to locate surfacing submarines in a matter of minutes anywhere in the world. With the use of satellites in orbit the Global Positioning System was created. GPS uses twenty-six satellites and ground tracking stations around the world to compute distances using time. This is done by finding the difference between the time a signal is sent and the time it is received. The satellites have atomic clocks so the time is extremely accurate. The receivers position is determined by using three satellites, this is called triangulation. (kAPLAN,eLLIOTT. UNDERSTANDING GPS:PRINCPLES AND APPLICATIONS) GPS is made up of three segments: space, control and user. The space segment includes the satellites and the rockets that launch them from Cape Canaveral. The satellites are powered by solar cells and continuously point their  solar panels  toward the sun and their antennae toward earth. The control segment includes the master control station in Colorado and monitor stations around the world. This segment makes sure orbits and clocks operate within acceptable limits. The user segment includes the equipment used by the military and civilians who receive GPS signals. Kaplan, Elliott. UNDERSTANDING GPS:PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS) The military applications of GPS are used in fighters, bombers, helicopters, submarines and soldier’s gear. Wartime defense is now more accurate and dependable than ever. While still the most important aspect of this technology, GPS is not used strictly for navigation anymore. Other uses include but are not limited to: target designation, air support, soldier rendezvous and â€Å"smart† weapons. â€Å"Smart† bombs use GPS to receive location information so they can guide themselves to a preset target. This technology is a great asset in battle as it basically casts a net over a battlefield and can locate tanks, vehicles or even soldiers who may be in immediate danger. In the everyday world, GPS has also made life easier and safer. Hikers and hunters can carry hand held receivers in case they should get lost in the wilderness. On-board navi destinations through voice-activated user equipment. Drivers can also make cellular calls using these GPS computers should something happen to them in transit. Other aspects of this technology are used in farming. Maps can be created of the fields during harvest and used the next season to plant and fertilize areas that need more attention. This increases crop production while reducing the use and expense of fertilizers, pesticides and fuel which also helps our environment. This process is called â€Å"Precision Farming’. Another very important use of GPS is the avoidance of in-flight collisions. Airlines are in the process of equipping their airplanes with GPS receivers. This will enable each aircraft to detect other planes in the vicinity and make sure they don’t cross paths in the air. This is much more accurate and reliable system than is currently available and is sure to make the people flying in these planes more comfortable and secure. The Global Positioning System has grown into a resource that goes far beyond the initial design goals. These days scientists, farmers, soldiers, pilots and delivery drivers are using GPS in ways that make their jobs safer and more productive. The benefits of GPS are not limited to job related aspects alone. The future of this technology is limitless and will change and develop rapidly as new and varied applications are introduced. Works Cited Bibliography Kaplan, Elliott. Understanding GPS: Principles and Applications. Boston: Artech house Publishers, 1996 Thompson, Steven D. An Introduction to GPS, (Everyman’s Guide To Satellite Navigation. ARINC Research Corporation, 1994 â€Å"The Untold Story of CALCM: The Secret Weapon Used in the Gulf War†. GPS World January 1995 page 16 GPS Joint Program Office. ICD-GPS-200:GPS Interface Control Document. ARINC Research Corporation. Available On-line from United States Coast Guard Navigation Center. Dana, Peter H. GPS User’s Overview. Available on-line at www. utexas. edu/depts/grg/gcraft/notes/gps/gps. h tml How to cite Global Positioning System (Gps) Research Paper, Essays

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Gender Equality In Sports Essay Example For Students

Gender Equality In Sports Essay How is it fair that a mens college basketball team is able to be transported on planes and dine on steak, while a womens team from the same college, travels in a van and eats fast food? Its not, but this occurs often nowadays even with laws passed preventing this type of discrimination. In 1972, Congress passed Title IX, which prohibits discrimination against girls and women in federally funded education, including athletic programs (Kiernan 3). Many schools and colleges have not been able to comply with the Title IX standards mostly because of money. Some of the problems in high schools and colleges consist of insufficient scholarships for girls, not enough coaching jobs, a lack of equipment, and a limited amount of supplies. Not only does this inequality in athletic programs exist in both schools and colleges, but it is also prominent in many professional sports. After more than 25 years since the beginning of Title IX, there still is no gender equality among men and women in high school, college, and professional sports. Passed in 1972 by United States President Richard Nixon, Title IX was supposed to give women equality in sports, yet in the year 2001 there is still little difference in the way women are treated in sports. No legislative act has had a more powerful impact on the world of sports other than Title IX. Before Title IX was passed, only 31,000 women participated in sports, but in 1997, 120,000 women were active in sports around the country (Wulf 1). Title IX is now synonymous with women trying to find equity in athletics, but it originally had nothing to do with sports. It was a part of a larger legislative act passed to avoid any type of discrimination in the school system (Kiernan 1). Since 1972, the original purpose of Title IX has been clouded by media battles and a whirlwind of misinformation. Until the law required compliance, many schools did not take Title IX to be a serious legislative act. Compliance was not required until 1978, thats six years after the law was first instilled into the American culture. The department that leads the battle for compliance was called the Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights, or often called OCR for short (Wine 1). All institutions receiving federal funding must comply with at least one of three specific criteria. One of them that they could choose is identified as proportional representation. Another is that the school shows a continual progress towards gender equality. The third one that a school could prefer to follow is accommodation of interests (Almond 5). Even though institutions are required by law to meet one of those terms, a school rarely complies sufficiently with Title IX. In fact, at a few schools certain opportunities have diminished for women. Since Title IX was passed, womens teams, at some schools, have shrunk due to death of field hockey in 1991 (Pinney 2). Although it is not required for schools to comply, funding for womens teams have not been equal either. Money is usually a problem with many things in life, one of them also happens to be gender equality. Colleges and universities spend an average of $1.6 million on the mens athletics program. Yet, the womens athletic teams receive nearly half that amount (Almond 2). Women should not be receiving half the amount that a mens team gets just because their sports are less popular than mens. A schools main objective may be to promote the mens team first, to get out of a deficit. Then they may be able to finance the womens team with the money they make from the mens sporting events. That is not an equal or fair solution. It would take years to pay off a deficit and then sufficiently finance the female athletic programs. Numerical equality would take a vast quantity of public tax money in addition to the financial assistance that now pays for most of womens sports. Universities increased its support of womens athletics over the years but a ccording to Ellen Voelz, a womens head coach at the University of Minnesota, thats not enough. The excessive spending in the mens athletics must be addressed (Pinney 5). If the excessive spending for the mens teams is not being addressed, the least a school could do is offer the women more programs. The opportunities for women in colleges have increased somewhat over the past 25 or 30 years. In 1977, women were offered an average of 5.6 sports teams per college. In the year 1996 women had an opportunity to participate in an average of 7.5 teams (Wulf 1). Women now are able to look for a professional career in some of those sports. Although, two sports is not much to look forward to when there are at least a hundred female sports. Basketball and soccer are the only two womens widely known professional sports. The WNBA and the Womens World Cup winning Soccer Team are the only two current professional sports. Women who seem to earn less respect than the players, are the coaches of the female teams. A coach for an average college womens team earns, on average, about $32, 736 per season. Once again, the mens teams get twice as much as the womens team does. A coach of a mens team earns about $66, 953 (Almond 2). How is that fair? Any coach, who takes time out of his or her life to assist and teach a young group of kids, deserves respect. It doesnt matter if their team makes more money than another. A college or high school should have teams and coaches that are compensated equally. Due to the poor pay that comes with the coaching of a womens team, coaching for girls is down. In just two years, the number of coaches went from 49.4% to 47.7% (Wulf 2). Within the next 25 years, at this rate, coaches of womens teams will be nearly gone. Even if the opportunity is there, no one will want to take it. Another thing a true coach does not like to see is their team being treated disproportionate to others. When it comes to scholarship money and scholarship opportunity, women are not given a fair chance to live their dreams. Young girls dream of, one day, being able to play the sport they adore for the rest of their life. For many adolescent girls this dream many not seem at all possible, perhaps because of their own financial status at home. Scholarships are supposed to provide financial assistance to those who need and deserve to have a superb education. Scholarships could also be used to reward students for their outstanding achievement in the field of sports. Women received $142,622,803 less scholarship support than their male counterparts during the 1995-1996 scholastic year (Wine 2). Women are merely 30% of scholarship money; that leaves 70% of the scholarship money for the men to spend. The 70% of leftover scholarship money certainly does not go to the womens equipment and supplies. Determining the compliance for the provision of equipment and supplies involves evaluating six separate things. Quality, suitability, quantity, availability, maintenan ce, and replacement must all be taken into accord when following a compliance policy (Compliance II-7). Full compliance, in this area, should be considered complete when around the same percentages of male and female athletes are provided the same equipment of the same quality and quantity. Most colleges seem to comply with this section of compliance, but high schools do not sufficiently meet these standards. A high school softball team receives the boys old equipment that has been in circulation since the 1980s. The equipment is falling apart, held together by various objects, such as string and shoelaces. How is that considered being in compliance with the federal regulations? It is impossible for the females to compete and play at their full potential with the mens older jerseys and equipment. For the new professional sports, such as the WNBA, they are encountering the same discriminations and problems. Heading into its fifth season the WNBA has rising stars and loyal fans but lo w ratings, poor attendance and no salary equity has led to an expected downfall. No other womens league with teams nationwide has ever made it to its fifth year (Anderson 68). Although most of the fans are female, they are more dedicated and loyal to the teams; even in wins and losses. The dedication of a small group of people does not make TV ratings and help pull in sponsors. With a ticket costing only $15.50 to attend a WNBA game, compared to $51.50 for the NBA, there is barely a chance of promotional success for sponsors (Anderson 68). Although the WNBA players arent looking for big cash like the NBA, they are still looking for a little respect. The WNBA is a single entity league; a league that pays and controls salaries, no free agencies, and absolutely no negotiations (Anderson 70). The entire WNBA league has a $12 million payroll, which is not the problem; the problem lies in how it is distributed (Anderson 70). There is no doubt that they are playing for love of the game. Th ey enjoy the fact that they are doing what they love all year round, and then being paid for it. All they are seeking is a little respect from people who dont think they can make it. In years to come, they will prove just how amazing they are. Once advertising companies find out how amazing these athletes really are, all they are after is turning them into a sex object. It is not often that you see men being flaunted off by certain ad companies such as Nike and Reebok. Men are generally praised for talent not for their body and beauty. The 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia was an advertising frenzy for many companies. The world knows Marion Jones strive for five gold medals, yet some only remember her for her revealing Nike ads. She may be a beautiful woman, but she also has an incredible talent. During the 1998 Womens World Cup Championship, Brandi Chastain scored a game-winning goal. After she scored, she threw off her shirt in excitement. The picture of Chastain on her knees, sc reaming and with no shirt on remains in everyones mind. People dont remember her for her performance that hot summer day, they remember her removing her shirt. Why wouldnt a company show an ad that flaunts her talent instead of her body? Its just not the way the world sees women in sports. Men are not viewed like that; it is another one of the many problems in sports today. Many pessimists view the world of sports as a mans domain, not to be intruded by women. What about the young girls who have nothing else to find hope in? Women are in sports and they are going to remain there until they have reached equality and beyond. Still, no gender equality exists among men and women in sports even after 25 years since Title IX was put into the American culture. Women in athletics are not treated at all equal to the male athletes. They are not paid the same, given the same equipment, and everything in between. The womens teams receive half the amount of funding that mens teams do. Coaches of the female teams are also paid half as much. Title IX was put into place to prevent discrimination, but schools are rarely complying with all the suitable standards. Women are also viewed very differently in sports. They are only advertised as sexual objects, not at all for their talent. Many women are fighting back and getting the respect and representation that they deserve. They have been fighting in court, using Title IX as their defense, and many judges are granting women what they want. Those disappointed in the Supreme Courts unspoken approval of Title IX wont like this further prediction from a female head lacrosse coach, You aint seen nothin yet!(Pinney 1). Work Cited Almond, Elliot. Title IX 25 Years Later, Women Athletes still a Step Behind. The Seattle Times. (22 June 1997): 5 pp. On-Line. Internet. 3 May 2001. Available: ;a href=http://www None_Provided EssayKiernan, Denise. The Little Law that Could. Feb/Mar 2001: 6 pag. On-Line. Internet. 5 May 2001. Available: ;a hr ef=Http://www.umi.com/proquest;Http://www.umi.com/proquestPinney, Gregor W. Equality for Female Athletes Lags. Star Tribune. (8 Apr 1992): 6pp. On-Line. Internet. 3 May 2001. Available: ;a href=Http://www.umi.com/proquest;Http://www.umi.com/proquestWine, Elizabeth. Title IX effort no 10. Birmingham Post-Herald. (19 June 1997) 3pp. On-line. Internet. 3 May 2001. Available: ;a href=Http://www.umi.com/proquest;Http://www.umi.com/proquestWulf, Steve. A Level Playing Field for Women. Time. (1997): 3pp. On-Line. Internet. 3 May 2001. Available: ;a href=http://www.provlib.org/elibrary/frames.htm;http://www.provlib.org/elibrary/frames.htm

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Emperor Xiaowen and His Court

Emperor Xiaowen and His Court The mural ‘Emperor Xiaowen and His Court’ depicts a walking-procession (presumably a religious one) that involves at least twenty members of the Emperor’s entourage. The Emperor himself heads the procession. He appears to be intending to dip his fingers in the cup filled with water (?), which is being held in front of him by one of his servants.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Emperor Xiaowen and His Court specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Emperor’s facial expression radiates calmness, which sets him visually apart from the rest of the entourage’s members that seem to be experiencing an array of different but predominantly positive emotions. The artist went about emphasizing the Emperor’s royal status by the mean of having him slightly elevated above others, within the composition’s spatial framework. The fact that the procession’s participants are being depic ted wearing richly decorated garments, and the fact that due to these garments’ sheer length they can be hardly considered the items intended for an everyday use, we can assume that the portrayed event is indeed rather extraordinary. What adds to the mural’s aesthetic value is that the author succeeded in accentuating the depicted event’s transitional subtleties (viewers do perceive it as such that is being in the state of motion). As it was already mentioned, the mural ‘Emperor Xiaowen and His Court’ is carved in the limestone rock. What it means is that at the time of its making (522-523), the Chinese already possessed the knowledge of metallurgy, which in turn allowed them to make carving-chisels out of iron. Because limestone is particularly prone to the forces of erosion, the state of the mural’s preservation suggests that, apart from knowing how to carve depictions in stone, the ancient Chinese artists also knew how to lessen the extent of the produced artifacts’ susceptibility to the elements of nature. Another technical aspect of the mural in question is that the applied polishing appears being of a supreme quality. Given the fact that this polishing needed to be applied manually (by hand), we can well assume that there were a number of people involved in the process. In its turn, this serves as yet another indication that there is much of not only technological but also logistic complexity to the discussed mural. Such our assumption correlates rather well with what historians know about the developmental phases of the Chinese ancient civilization.[1] There can be a few doubts, as to the fact that the carved mural ‘Emperor Xiaowen and His Court’ was meant to commemorate the Emperor and the members of his court, as such that never ceased being observant of the early Buddhism’s ritualistic provisions.[2]Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In its turn, this was intended to convince the Emperor’s subjects that their ruler’s main agenda was concerned with acting on behalf of ordinary people (representing the bulk of believers). Moreover, because the author made a deliberate point in accentuating the Emperor’s ‘Buddhist’ looks (hence, his apparent calmness), there is a certain rationale in the assumption that the mural was supposed to serve as an additional proof that the Emperor is in fact radiates the spirit of a true divinity. Therefore, we can say that the mural’s foremost social function was concerned with its potential ability to legitimize the Emperor’s authority in the eyes of onlookers. What it means is that, along with referring to the mural ‘Emperor Xiaowen and His Court’ in terms of art, we can also refer to as the art-related tool of an ideological indoctrination. Bibliography Qiang, Ning. â€Å" Imperial Portraiture as Symbol of Political Legitimacy: A New Study of the ‘Portraits of Successive Emperors’.† Ars Orientalis 35 (2008): 96-128. Tsiang, Katherine. â€Å"Changing Patterns of Divinity and Reform in the Late Northern Wei.† The Art Bulletin 84. 2 (2002): 222-245. Footnotes Ning Qiang, â€Å"Imperial Portraiture as Symbol of Political Legitimacy: A New Study of the ‘Portraits of Successive Emperors’.† Ars Orientalis 35 (2008): 113. Katherine Tsiang, â€Å"Changing Patterns of Divinity and Reform in the Late Northern Wei.† The Art Bulletin 84. 2 (2002): 238.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

World Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World Geography - Essay Example It is undeniable that human beings derived numerous benefits from the study of earth’s geography through ages. Jerry and Martin (2000) agreed that geographic knowledge was instrumental or rather paramount during construction of the first world map. This first map commonly referred to as the Babylonian world map dates back to 600BC. According to Talbert and Richard (2009), invention of geography as a definite field of study would later be credited to Pythagoras, renowned for his approved claim that the earth is spherical. Subsequently, Pythagoras claim would open doors to advanced arithmetic perception of the spherical earth. From 2nd Century AD, Roman scholars employed the use of latitudes and longitudes in determining geographical difference in time. Harrison, Massey and Richards (2004) said that by the 10th Century, skilled geographers from the west could calculate with high precision the distance between various points on earth. This was the time when researchers started do cumenting detailed knowledge about the planet’s habitability. Eventually, medieval studies of the earth’s phenomena would soon pave way for western explorer like Christopher Columbus, accredited with discovery of new lands, especially America. In the early 18th Century, geography scholars struggled with the problem of longitudinal relations with time. According to James and Trapasso (2006), conflicts surrounding this problem came to a halt in 1760s when John Harrison used a chronometer and accurately acknowledged the Greenwich meridian as the reference longitude.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Pricing Scheme Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pricing Scheme - Research Paper Example The United States stock market is the place where individuals buy or sell stocks. The markets’ sellers sell the companies’ products to the eager stock buyers. Similarly, the stock market sellers offer to buy the stocks sold by the stock owners. Economics plays a major role in the sale or purchase of the stocks. The sellers prefer to sell more stocks at higher prices. Similarly, the buyers prefer to buy stocks at lower prices. As the prices rise, the current and future customers’ demand for the products decline. When the prices rise, the supply of the products increases (Arnold 312). The current research delves on the pricing of the Verizon Company’s stock market prices. The stocks are sold and bought using a controlled computerized software program. The stock market includes the services offered by the stock market agents. The agents are selling the stocks of the communication services company, including Verizon (Morningstar 1). Table 1 shows the prices of the Verizon stocks sold in the digital stock market. The stock market prices show the equilibrium price. The equilibrium price is the price agreed upon by both the Verizon stock sellers and the Verizon stock buyers (Morningstar 1). There are economic interpretations of the stock market prices (Arnold 312). In terms of the January 10, 2014 equilibrium price, the sellers and buyers of 11,454,003 stock units agreed to sell (exchange) the stocks at $ 47.75 per stock. The price dropped from the prior week’s $48.42 stock market price. The price drop was instituted in order to increase the drop in the demand for the Verizon stocks. The 11,454,003 stock units sold show the decline from in the demand for the Verizon stock. The prior week’s stock market units sold (exchange) was higher at 12,045,205 units (Morningstar 1). Similarly, the January 31, 2014 stock market price of the Verizon stock was $48.02 each. At this price, there were 18,558,798 stock units sold.

Monday, November 18, 2019

The four basic management strategies to compete internationally Essay

The four basic management strategies to compete internationally - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that marketers have to find ways and means to identify continuous demand and match the demands with the products and services which they are best at the offering. If the demand has saturated then marketers need to identify unmet needs and demand and create demand. In fact, marketing opportunity is being able to identify unmet needs or create new demand. The globe presents a plethora of new markets with a host of unmet needs and demands and hence implying a host of opportunities. Globalizing an organization’s operations can be generalized by saying that an organization seeks to enter new markets. Yet entering new markets means committing the limited resources required to produce a targeted return on the investment which could have been put to other marketing decisions each having their own return on investments, or we may also say that globalization has its opportunity cost. Thus organizations usually decide to globalize their operati ons when they foresee a sufficient profitability in assigning their limited resources to foreign market(s) higher than the expected rate of return from other marketing decisions. Ansoff’s grid clearly juxtaposes the decision to enter new markets with other marketing decisions. The strategies which an organization adopts to compete globally depends on many factors such as: Its objectives, competitiveness, resources, products, and services. The attractiveness of the foreign market. The cost of entering the market.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Importance Of Intimacy And Effective Communication Theology Religion Essay

The Importance Of Intimacy And Effective Communication Theology Religion Essay The Bible gives us deep insight into the biblical principle of communication within our human relationships. God shows us in His Word that He is more concerned about understanding than He is about speaking. Paul tells us that the objective of prophecy is to build up, and if something is said that does not build up, it should not be said. Paul also instructs us about order speaking when its your turn in order to avoid confusion and to pursue peace. When God speaks to us from heaven, 1) it is decent and in order, 2) we will know what He is talking about (we have an understanding), and 3) there is a purpose behind it- to build us up! Communication is a skill! Communication is defined as taking what is inside of us and conveying it to another person. I have also heard it characterized as an exchange of sincerity. Not being able to communicate constitutes the bulk of our marital problems, which is why I decided to give this tool its own chapter. Communication is the process by which we share our thoughts, feelings, and ideas in such a way that others understand us. The goal of communication is to make things common. To do this, we define terms and reduce everything down to its common denominator. If we do not define terms and find commonality frustration will result, leading to conflict. The divorce rate in our country is greater than 60%, and research indicates that one of the biggest problems that lead to divorce is communication issues peoples inability to talk with one another This chapter is designed to help you and your partner learn the art of successful communication, whether that partner is your spouse, your friend, or your significant other. When we make things common, we have communion. When we have communion, we have community, which is belonging or relationship. Unfortunately, with the way that we currently communicate, what is meant, what is sent, what is received, and what is interpreted are different conversations! Before you begin your journey to learning successful communication, realize that this investment will take some effort! Effective communication is not for wimps! Communication is or involves: Dialogue Hard work Time consuming Reveals your perspective Requires courtesy Requires body talk Must happen at the right moment Succeeds with positive regard for the other person Getting an understanding I pray much success as the Holy Spirit guides you in your efforts to learn how to speak, listen, understand, and be understood through the art of successful communication. I also pray that you develop tolerable communication. The Importance of Intimacy and Effective Communication Intimacy is necessary for skillful communication. Intimacy is from the Latin word innimus meaning innermost. We share our innermost thoughts, opinions, feelings, and goals. When we are able to share these things with others, we can connect on another level. Reflection: Have you ever felt like you were talking about something, but the person you were speaking to never quite got what you were saying? How did it feel when you could not connect? A consequence of not being able to communicate due to a lack of intimacy is that it creates distance as opposed to the closeness that we desire from our partner. Reflection: Did you sense a distance between yourself and your partner when you did not connect? Intimacy or the ability to speak freely from your inner being is a must if there is going to be effective communication patterns in the relationship. The stage of negotiation will be ineffective if intimacy does not exist. Why? Because people will not be honest with each other; they will simply say what causes the least amount of stress and conflict. Here are five keys to intimacy the five (5) musts for intimacy: Access you must possess the ability to link spiritually, emotionally, and physically. In order to have access to your partner, your values must be compatible and in the same camp. Exercise: Does your partner share the same values that you do? List three values that you share with your partner. Availability making sure that both you and your partner are available for one another physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Do you and your spouse have a space and a time where you just chill out and talk and laugh? Is there a time for you to access each other? Exercise: Does your partner ever complain that you are not available to him/her? What practical, reasonable steps can you take to ensure that you are available to the extent that it makes your partner comfortable? Argot an inside language that you develop with your partner. No one else may know what you are talking about because this is a language specific to your relationship such that you can have a conversation in the midst of other people and they have no idea what you are talking about. Exercise: Give three examples of the types of words, phrases, or gestures used in the relational argot between you and your partner. Abandonment you have to be willing to become transparent and self-disclosing. If you are unable or unwilling to reveal yourself, you cant become intimate. Exercise: Describe an instance in the past when you or your partner revealed something about yourselves to the point where you understood him/her (or vice versa) on deeper, more intimate level. Application you must be willing to apply yourself in your relationship. Exercise: Give an example of how you might apply yourself even further towards developing a quality relationship with you partner. After having lived with a spouse for a number of years, it is apparent that the couple becomes unable to communicate in a normal, meaningful fashion. If either spouse is unable to avoid exchanges that invariably result in conflict, a communication breakdown in the marriage has occurred. In extreme cases, especially if accompanied by abusive tendencies or other symptoms of dysfunction, a growing inability to deal with any verbal exchanges without conflict could be indicative of a much more serious problem that requires the attention of a mental health professional. More often than not, however, growing differences between the spouses, which may have their roots in the above-mentioned causes, are to blame for communication breakdowns. Treatment: James 1:19-20, Ephesians 4:15, 29-32, Philippians 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing Failure to Communicate In any relationship, communication is essential. One needs to let the other person know what is on his or her mind. You cannot keep on second-guessing the other person. Open communication becomes critical, so misunderstanding can be minimized. Problems arise when one partner expects the other to read his or her mind you will agree with me that this is close to impossible. The following five things hinder the creation of a context of toleration of communication. Five Hindrances to Communication The Complexity of Communication Communication is not simply about peoples ability to access vocabulary words. It is a skillful exchange between two people. There are listening styles and communication styles that exist in order to help facilitate this. If your spouse is a visual communicator and you are auditory, saying I love you will never reach them as much as actually seeing a symbol of your love, such as flowers, a card, a nice gift, etc. Many times, we are talking the wrong language to our spouse. Low Self-Esteem If you have low self-esteem, you will not talk, because you feel that what you have to say is not important. At some point in time, you will talk, but that time you may explode. You must learn to value your feelings enough to share them with your spouse. Understand that your unwillingness to share your thoughts can destroy the future of the relationship. Fear of Criticism and Judgment Some people live in fear that what they say may be interpreted in a way that they did not intend, or they are unwilling to allow their words to be potentially judged or criticized negatively. Rather than risk this potentially negative backlash or misunderstanding, they can be hesitant to communicate clearly with sincerity and with honesty. Lack of Knowledge of Internal Happiness You really do not understand what is going on inside yourself, so you are unable to put your true feelings into words. Thus, your words and what is going on inside of you are totally disconnected, and you feel unfulfilled. Inability to Put Thoughts and Feelings into Words Some people put thoughts and feelings into actions, such as being mean, slamming doors, withholding physical intimacy, and name-calling, because they are unable to verbally communicate exactly how they feel. If you can be comfortable without any talking with your significant other, there is something wrong and dysfunctional with your relationship. Exercise: Choose the hindrance that most affects communication within your relationship and then list two alternatives to overcoming those hindrances. Communication involves talking with objectives and the following are the objectives behind talking. Determine which ones you are trying to achieve when talking with your spouse. Information Talking informs you or makes you aware of something you do not know. We must talk in order for others to understand us. We cannot expect others to know what we are thinking or feeling. Some people tend to say, He should ALREADY know! But this is not the case. Simply because we articulate what we want over and over does not mean that our partner gets the message. Revelation Information is based on words; however, the basis for revelation is self. Revelation is the self-disclosure behind the words. The objective of communication is not just words, because words are inadequate to holistically explain what we are trying to say. Communication There is a difference between talking and communicating. Communication is the process by which we share our thoughts, feelings, and ideas in such a way that others understand us. The goal of communication is to make things common. To do this, we define terms and reduce everything down to its common denominator. If we do not define terms and find commonality, frustration will result, leading to conflict. Exercise: Pick one issue or need that you feel your partner has not responded to in ways that satisfies you, and answer the following questions regarding this issue: Have I fully expressed to my partner what it is I want? Yes No Have I revealed to my partner what it is I want? Yes No When I expressed these issues and revealed myself to my partner, based upon the definition of communication, was I simply talking or were we truly communicating? How can I more effectively communicate this particular need to my partner? The 5 Levels of Communication There are, what I refer to as, five levels of communication that at some level are correlated with the objectives of talking, but differ due to the emotional involvement in communication vs. talking. Level 1 Clichà © Shallow level of communication we use when talking with strangers. We dont talk about anything of significance because we are not trying to relate. Level 2 Reporting Facts A simple exchange of data. This occurs frequently in relationships, as people may simply report the details of their day to one another. A husband and wife may talk about the kids, what happened on their jobs during the work day, whats for dinner, and what bills need to be paid, rather than anything on a deeper level. Level 3 Sharing of Ideas and Opinions This is the first level of risk communication, because it taps into the core of who we are. On this level, we risk possible conflict and/or rejection that may result from disagreement. What if your partner shares his/her ideas or opinions about this and you do not agree? For this reason, most people stay away from this level and stick to Level 2. Many couples have tried this level and found it to be too challenging. Level 4 Revealing Emotions This level of risk is the I feel level where you communicate your joys and sorrows to your partner. The problem with this level is that if a woman communicates her emotions to a man, he will tend to blame himself for causing the woman to feel this way. Rather than hear the emotions of the woman, the man may move into a posture of defense that might thrust him into warfare. People may not mind communicating the joyful emotions on this level, but they often do not like to communicate negative emotions on this level. Level 5 Complete Disclosure -The riskiest, but most rewarding level of intimacy, is the unrestrained, honest sharing of ones innermost desires, whether they are popular or not to a partner The partner, in response to the sharing of emotions on this level, will then respond in a loving, accepting way that acknowledges the problem and assists their partner in resolving the problem Exercise: Complete the following chart regarding your relationships communication style. For each level of your relationship, write down you and your partners level of communication at that particular point in time. Check only those relationship levels that apply to your own relationship and skip the levels that do not apply. Relationship Level Communication Level When you first met your partner One year after you met your partner The day you married your partner One year after the birth of your first child Five years into your marriage Ten years into your marriage Your relationship today If you noticed a change in the level of communication, to what might you attribute this change? At what level would you like your communication with your partner to be? If we want to have a tolerable relationship that is healthy, we must be attentive to our communication style. Sometimes we engage in negative communication styles beyond our own consciousness. Virginia Satir offers a model that accentuates what she refers to as the four styles of communication. Four Negative Communication Styles Placater The Yes person who tries to avoid conflict at any cost. Blaming The fault finder who tries to find fault in your argument or something he/she can be critical of in an argument Computing The Cool, Calm, Collected, and Correct person who is always right. They never get excited or emotional, because they know they are right. During their turn in the conversation, they will explain to you all of the facts. They tend to believe that their partner has lost the facts in all of their emotion. Distracting The person who changes topics like crazy because the conversation becomes too conflicting, personal, and intimidating. Circle the Communication Style that best describes YOU: a. Placater b. Blaming c. Computing d. Distracting Circle the Communication Style that best describes your PARTNER: a. Placater b. Blaming c. Computing d. Distracting How do you think either of your negative communication styles has impacted the communication in your relationship? Communication Styles Characterized by Animals Shark The Competitor Gets what they want no matter what it takes by shouting, sulking, withholding physical intimacy whatever works. This type does not mind having disharmony in the home. Bear The Accommodator Keeps peace at any cost Fox The Negotiator Specialist in compromise such that everyone wins a little and everyone loses a little. Both Bear and Fox tend to walk away half-pleased. Turtle The Avoider Pretends that problems do not exit in the relationship. Their partner tends to be the shark-style communicator. This person feels conflict, so he/she becomes passive and withdrawn. Some people think they have happy marriages, because they are married to turtles. The Owl The Collaborator The win-win person who will try to get a resolution for all. Tends to operate with wisdom. Exercise: List the potential strengths and weakness of your animal-type communication style and that of your partner. Communication and Non-Verbals Communication is more than the words you speak. Communication encompasses what you say, how you say it, and how your body is reacting to what you are saying. Research shows that communication is: 7% Words 24% Tonality 69 Body Language and Expressions Reflection: What would happen if your partner shouted to you, I AM interested in what you are saying! while turning away from you to intently watching his/her favorite show on the television? Would you believe the words that he/she was communicating? The tonality and the non-verbals would outweigh the words that were spoken. Key Dynamics of Communication Listening is one of the most important functions of communication there is. If both people are slow to listen and quick to speak, there will be chaos and lack of communication because there will be no understanding. There is a difference between HEARING and LlSTENING! Hearing the auditory reception of sound Listening the ability to hear, interpret, and understand Exercise: Give an example of how your partner may have heard something you said rather than listen to what you said: Listening involves commitment! A commitment to understand, empathize, to put aside ones own interests and prejudices long enough to see the relationship through the eyes of the other person. The goal of listening is to understand, learn, and enjoy helping. Listening involves compliment! Because our partner listens, we tend to feel that we matter. Roadblocks to Listening Most men dread hearing the words, Can I talk to you about something? or We need to talk. They tend to ask themselves, What did I do now? They dread that they will now have to engage in an activity that so many of us are unprepared for the art of intentional listening. The following are roadblocks to listening in which many of us engage in with our relationships: Mindreading ignoring what is being said while trying to figure out what is meant. In other words, ignoring the obvious in favor of the imaginary Rehearsing preparing what is going to be said. You cannot listen you are trying to get your argument together against your partner Filtering keeping the things that you do want to hear or that you do agree with and blocking out all you do not want to hear Judging Listening to criticize, to judge, and to find blame Daydreaming not paying attention or tuning the other person out Advising jumping in to try to fix the problem with a solution rather than hear what the person is saying. Just because your partner has a problem does not mean that he/see wants you to fix it all of the time! Exercise: Evaluate the following scenario. Jesse is listening to his wife complain once again about the gas tank of their car being left on empty after he has driven it all weekend. As his wife proceeds to give him a play-by-play of who drove the car that weekend and when and where it was driven, he is trying to pinpoint in his mind exactly who should have stopped to fill the cars tank rather than hearing his wifes issue. After she finishes, he has already concluded whose fault this whole issue was, deciding actually it was her fault. Which roadblock is Jesse employing? a. Mindreading b. Rehearsing c. Filtering d. Judging e. Daydreaming f. Advising Dynamics of Active Listening Step 1: Pay Attention. Listen without any roadblocks. Step 2: Paraphrase. Restate your understanding of what your partner has spoken to you. Step 3: Clarify. Your partner comes back with what he/she actually meant if you did not get the intended message. Step 4: Collect Yourself and Get Feedback. The feedback should address what you just clarified with your partner. Deal with the facts on the floor and respond with what you feel about what was communicated. The goal of communication is not agreement or convincing your partner. Rather, the goal of communication is to be heard and understood! Exercise: Choose a neutral topic to discuss with your partner, and allow your partner to practice utilizing the four Dynamics of Active Listening while you explain your topic. After you have had your turn, allow your partner to use the same exercise. Write down the results of how this exercise transpired and how active listening made each of you feel. Very few people actually make contact in communication, i.e., two people ending up at the same place, knowing where they are when they get there. We tend to be on different frequencies when we communicate, and thus never end up on the same channel. Everyone wants to grow close with their partner, but when people realize how difficult this is through communication, they tend to shy away from this type of relational intimacy and decided not connect on a deeper level. Communication allows our partners to know us, who we are, and how we think or feel. We want them to enter our world of feelings so that we can enhance them, support them, help them, or simply enjoy them. Expression of oneself is the ability to give voice to ones emotional feelings. The only way to do this is through the process of self-awareness. Youve got to learn how you feel and what it is that you are feeling and then put a voice to it so that the other person can understand it. If you find yourself constantly saying, You dont ever listen to me, you might consider asking the question, Am I listening to myself?, because you might be communicating the wrong way. The Pillars of Communication The following charts are exercises to begin learning about you so you can clearly articulate your issues. Pillar #1: How to Express Yourself Prepare to Talk Step Task 1 Identify what it is you feel (Is it a good or bad feeling?) 2 Ask yourself, How important is this feeling to me? (Is it really important enough to talk about?) 3 What is the feeling saying to me? (Something positive, negative, affirming, etc.) 4 What do I want to do about this feeling? (What do I want or expect to happen?) 5 What past experience does this feeling remind me of? (Have I ever felt this before?) 6 Name your feeling (annoyed, happy, sad, playful, jealous, etc. you cannot explain it you if you cannot name it!) 7 Define the word for the feeling in terms of intensity (Very, a little, not at all) 8 Define the word or feeling in terms of duration (How long youve held the feeling?) 9 Define the feeling in cause and context (When the feeling came, where were you were, and in what context?) 10 Define the feeling in terms of its historical context (Have you ever felt this way at another stage in your life? Pillar #2; Scripting Your Needs Planning in Advance How to Ask for what you want Step Task 1 Say exactly what you mean 2 Send the message effectively by using the right words and action 3 Obey the 10 Commandments of Clean Communication 10 Commandments of Clean Communication Commandment 1 Avoid Judgment Words and Loaded Terms (Words that communicate your partner is flawed, incorrect, and in error) Commandment 2 Avoid Global Labels (Stay away from generalizations and name-calling, as this will shut down communication) Commandment 3 Avoid You Messages of Blame and Accusation (Stay away from always and never, and use I rather than You statements when talking about your feelings) Commandment 4 Avoid Old History (Stick to the issue at hand and discuss one issue at a time) Commandment 5 Avoid Negative Comparison. (Dont ask, Why cant you be like Frank?) Commandment 6 Avoid Threats (Threats bring insecurity in a relationship and causes people to be less self-disclosing with you) Commandment 7 Describe your feelings rather than attacking with them. (Your goal is not to make your partner feel bad, but to express how you feel) Commandment 8 Keep Body Language Open and Receptive (You speak louder with your body than with your words) Commandment 9 Use Whole Messages (Use your thoughts, your feelings, and your emotions) Commandment 10 Use Clear Messages (Make sure youre specific, and do not ask loaded questions of your partner) Exercise: Complete the following exercise by listing which commandments the following statements are violating (some may violate more than one). Statement Commandment Violated You have the biggest stomach in the whole class. Why cant you lose weight? You have one more time to hang the telephone up on me before I walk out for good! I wish I would have known that you were this stubborn before I married you! I am very upset about the way you treated me yesterday. Why did you totally ignore me? This is just like when you almost had an affair three years ago. Youve never changed! I can listen and do my paperwork at the same time. My hands are occupied, not my ears! Sometimes I think that you dont like me anymore. Thats all I have to say. Well, maybe if you werent so uneducated, you wouldnt be so closed-minded! You always decide to call one of your friends on the phone when I say we have an issue to resolve! Yes, I am jealous, and its all your fault! You dont have to hug people like that in front of me! How to Communicate with Your Body The following are steps that you and your partner can exercise to communicate more effectively with your body language: Maintain Eye Contact Lean in Close to the Person Nod and Give Short Verbal Affirmations Smile or Frown, Whichever is Appropriate Keep Your Posture Open. Arms Unfolded, Towards Your Partner Actively Move Away From Distractions Exercise: Evaluate the following scenario: Lynn certainly thinks that she looks like she is listening to her partner. She is seated in a comfortable chair, leaning forward with her arms unfolded, and she is making direct eye contact with him. However, she is neither nodding nor shaking her head, she says nothing, and her face is expressionless. Even further, when her partner finishes talking, Lynn remains in her same posture, gazing intently at him, but not saying a word. Her partner thinks that she is in a daze. What is Lynn communicating to her partner with her body? Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who [are] spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Galatians 6:1 Sometimes you are talking to someone who hurt you, but you have to be eager to restore the relationship. However, if the goal of communication is not restoration, there really is no need to talk. There are certain parameters to fair communication that each partner in a relationship should employ. Dos and Donts of Communication Donts Be judgmental Expect too much from one session Bring up your mates past Butt in or be rude Overstate by saying you a1ways or You never Lose your temper Pout or give the silent treatment Tell endless stories Compete Think in terms of winning and losing Belittle your male Dos Be accepting and tolerant Plan to talk again Be forgiving Be courteous as to a stranger Be accurate by saying Sometimes, Many times, To me it seems Be in control of yourself Be positive, outgoing. and unselfish even when you dont feel like it Be concise See yourself as an equal partner Be cooperative and not combative Be affirming and build up your mate Exercise: Choose three Dos listed and list the possible positive consequences of the chosen behavior. Then, choose three Donts listed above and list the possible negative consequences of the chosen behavior. Difference in the Way Men and Women Communicate There are a number of differences between the communication styles of men and women. For example, you have a 96% chance of the conversation continuing when the man initiates it, and yet, you have only a 36% chance of the conversation continuing when a woman initiates it. Also, because men have a larger ego, this ego drives a mans awareness of what is received and what is blocked out in communication. Differences do not have to hinder our communication if we acknowledge, understand, accept, and learn to work with them. Men and women must have positive regard for the differences that exist between them. Men Women Focus on achievement Focus on relationship Focus on solving problems with the facts Like to share their feelings Need an agenda when communicating Tend to use intense adjectives Tend to interrupt more Tend to be more descriptive in conversation Talk more in public settings than they do in private Tend to talk more in small groups Talk loudly and tell lots of stories Talk more quietly with focuses on fewer topics Talk about reports Talk about rapport Assume you are sharing what you want revealed Ask a lot of questions Tend to be competitive in their dialogue Tend to be cooperative Tend to be exclusive Tend to be inclusive Information Intuition Listen for whats important Listen for details Need time to process their thoughts and feelings Process immediately Say women are too emotional Say men are not sensitive enough Say women talk too much Say men dont listen How God Broke Down Differences to Communicate with Humanity The incarnation was a divine example of communication that transcended differences. In John 1, the incarnation taught us that communication has to be reflective. The Word accurately described what God was feeling. The word God spoke was so reflective of God that it was God Himself. We have to take time to come up with the words that accurately reflect what i

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Authors Character in A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConn

â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is a short story written by Flannery O’ Connor. O’Connor was an American writer whose writings always incorporated humor into a sad or devastating situation. Her collections include 31 short stories, two novels, and a couple of letters and speeches. O’Connor is most famous for her short story works. In numerous works of her, her conscious craftsmanship was revealed and also the devoted role that Roman Catholicism plays in her life (Flannery) O’ Connor was born the only child to her parents in Savannah, Georgia. Her father was a real estate agent and her mother was born into a very prominent family. When O’ Connor was twelve years old, her family moved back to her mothers hometown of Milledgeville, GA where her father was also the mayor of for a couple of years. Milledgeville was known as the ‘crazy’ town in Georgia. Milledgeville was home to one of the largest mental institutions in the United States. At the time this story was written, the hospital had 13,000 mentally ill patients hospitalized there. She was surrounded by crazy people. The influence of living in Milledgeville helped her in writing her stories. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is one of O’Connor’s best and well known works. The work tells the story of a normal every day family and their trip to Florida. The trip begins as normal trips do, but then turns and there is an unexpected twist thrown in. The family encounters an escaped criminal who named himself The Misfit. The criminal and his accomplices threaten the family’s’ life, but while doing so are also very friendly and courteous. In a desperate attempt to save herself and her family, the grandmother begins talking to The Misfit telling him that she believes he really is a g... ... job with this story and I believe any reader can find some one or something in the story they can relate to and can apply the story to their every day life. The story has many lessons and morals that can be learned but adds a humorous twist to things. So I leave with this final though, in the words of Wendell Berry, â€Å"Practice Resurrection!† Works Citied â€Å"Flannery O’Connor† Tegasos Literature. 1 Feb 2006. O’Connor, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† Discovering Literature. 3 Edition. Hans P. Guth and Gabrielle Rico, Eds. Uppersaddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall,2003:(355-365)† Woodiwis, Anna. â€Å"Jesus thrown everything off balance† Writings @ Swarthmore. 2003. WA Program at Swarthmore College. 1 Feb 2006.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-one

Tyrion As he stood in the predawn chill watching Chiggen butcher his horse, Tyrion Lannister chalked up one more debt owed the Starks. Steam rose from inside the carcass when the squat sellsword opened the belly with his skinning knife. His hands moved deftly, with never a wasted cut; the work had to be done quickly, before the stink of blood brought shadowcats down from the heights. â€Å"None of us will go hungry tonight,† Bronn said. He was near a shadow himself; bone thin and bone hard, with black eyes and black hair and a stubble of beard. â€Å"Some of us may,† Tyrion told him. â€Å"I am not fond of eating horse. Particularly my horse.† â€Å"Meat is meat,† Bronn said with a shrug. â€Å"The Dothraki like horse more than beef or pork.† â€Å"Do you take me for a Dothraki?† Tyrion asked sourly. The Dothraki ate horse, in truth; they also left deformed children out for the feral dogs who ran behind their khalasars. Dothraki customs had scant appeal for him. Chiggen sliced a thin strip of bloody meat off the carcass and held it up for inspection. â€Å"Want a taste, dwarf?† â€Å"My brother Jaime gave me that mare for my twenty-third name day,† Tyrion said in a flat voice. â€Å"Thank him for us, then. If you ever see him again.† Chiggen grinned, showing yellow teeth, and swallowed the raw meat in two bites. â€Å"Tastes well bred.† â€Å"Better if you fry it up with onions,† Bronn put in. Wordlessly, Tyrion limped away. The cold had settled deep in his bones, and his legs were so sore he could scarcely walk. Perhaps his dead mare was the lucky one. He had hours more riding ahead of him, followed by a few mouthfuls of food and a short, cold sleep on hard ground, and then another night of the same, and another, and another, and the gods only knew how it would end. â€Å"Damn her,† he muttered as he struggled up the road to rejoin his captors, remembering, â€Å"damn her and all the Starks.† The memory was still bitter. One moment he'd been ordering supper, and an eye blink later he was facing a room of armed men, with Jyck reaching for a sword and the fat innkeep shrieking, â€Å"No swords, not here, please, m'lords.† Tyrion wrenched down Jyck's arm hurriedly, before he got them both hacked to pieces. â€Å"Where are your courtesies, Jyck? Our good hostess said no swords. Do as she asks.† He forced a smile that must have looked as queasy as it felt. â€Å"You're making a sad mistake, Lady Stark. I had no part in any attack on your son. On my honor—† â€Å"Lannister honor,† was all she said. She held up her hands for all the room to see. â€Å"His dagger left these scars. The blade he sent to open my son's throat.† Tyrion felt the anger all around him, thick and smoky, fed by the deep cuts in the Stark woman's hands. â€Å"Kill him,† hissed some drunken slattern from the back, and other voices took up the call, faster than he would have believed. Strangers all, friendly enough only a moment ago, and yet now they cried for his blood like hounds on a trail. Tyrion spoke up loudly, trying to keep the quaver from his voice. â€Å"If Lady Stark believes I have some crime to answer for, I will go with her and answer for it.† It was the only possible course. Trying to cut their way out of this was a sure invitation to an early grave. A good dozen swords had responded to the Stark woman's plea for help: the Harrenhal man, the three Brackens, a pair of unsavory sellswords who looked as though they'd kill him as soon as spit, and some fool field hands who doubtless had no idea what they were doing. Against that, what did Tyrion have? A dagger at his belt, and two men. Jyck swung a fair enough sword, but Morrec scarcely counted; he was part groom, part cook, part body servant, and no soldier. As for Yoren, whatever his feelings might have been, the black brothers were sworn to take no part in the quarrels of the realm. Yoren would do nothing. And indeed, the black brother stepped aside silently when the old knight by Catelyn Stark's side said, â€Å"Take their weapons,† and the sellsword Bronn stepped forward to pull the sword from Jyck's fingers and relieve them all of their daggers. â€Å"Good,† the old man said as the tension in the common room ebbed palpably, â€Å"excellent.† Tyrion recognized the gruff voice; Winterfell's master-at-arms, shorn of his whiskers. Scarlet-tinged spittle flew from the fat innkeep's mouth as she begged of Catelyn Stark, â€Å"Don't kill him here!† â€Å"Don't kill him anywhere,† Tyrion urged. â€Å"Take him somewheres else, no blood here, m'lady, I wants no high lordlin's quarrels.† â€Å"We are taking him back to Winterfell,† she said, and Tyrion thought, Well, perhaps . . . By then he'd had a moment to glance over the room and get a better idea of the situation. He was not altogether displeased by what he saw. Oh, the Stark woman had been clever, no doubt of it. Force them to make a public affirmation of the oaths sworn her father by the lords they served, and then call on them for succor, and her a woman, yes, that was sweet. Yet her success was not as complete as she might have liked. There were close to fifty in the common room by his rough count. Catelyn Stark's plea had roused a bare dozen; the others looked confused, or frightened, or sullen. Only two of the Freys had stirred, Tyrion noted, and they'd sat back down quick enough when their captain failed to move. He might have smiled if he'd dared. â€Å"Winterfell it is, then,† he said instead. That was a long ride, as he could well attest, having just ridden it the other way. So many things could happen along the way. â€Å"My father will wonder what has become of me,† he added, catching the eye of the swordsman who'd offered to yield up his room. â€Å"He'll pay a handsome reward to any man who brings him word of what happened here today.† Lord Tywin would do no such thing, of course, but Tyrion would make up for it if he won free. Ser Rodrik glanced at his lady, his look worried, as well it might be. â€Å"His men come with him,† the old knight announced. â€Å"And we'll thank the rest of you to stay quiet about what you've seen here.† It was all Tyrion could do not to laugh. Quiet? The old fool. Unless he took the whole inn, the word would begin to spread the instant they were gone. The freerider with the gold coin in his pocket would fly to Casterly Rock like an arrow. If not him, then someone else. Yoren would carry the story south. That fool singer might make a lay of it. The Freys would report back to their lord, and the gods only knew what he might do. Lord Walder Frey might be sworn to Riverrun, but he was a cautious man who had lived a long time by making certain he was always on the winning side. At the very least he would send his birds winging south to King's Landing, and he might well dare more than that. Catelyn Stark wasted no time. â€Å"We must ride at once. We'll want fresh mounts, and provisions for the road. You men, know that you have the eternal gratitude of House Stark. If any of you choose to help us guard our captives and get them safe to Winterfell, I promise you shall be well rewarded.† That was all it took; the fools came rushing forward. Tyrion studied their faces; they would indeed be well rewarded, he vowed to himself, but perhaps not quite as they imagined. Yet even as they were bundling him outside, saddling the horses in the rain, and tying his hands with a length of coarse rope, Tyrion Lannister was not truly afraid. They would never get him to Winterfell, he would have given odds on that. Riders would be after them within the day, birds would take wing, and surely one of the river lords would want to curry favor with his father enough to take a hand. Tyrion was congratulating himself on his subtlety when someone pulled a hood down over his eyes and lifted him up onto a saddle. They set out through the rain at a hard gallop, and before long Tyrion's thighs were cramped and aching and his butt throbbed with pain. Even when they were safely away from the inn, and Catelyn Stark slowed them to a trot, it was a miserable pounding journey over rough ground, made worse by his blindness. Every twist and turn put him in danger of falling off his horse. The hood muffled sound, so he could not make out what was being said around him, and the rain soaked through the cloth and made it cling to his face, until even breathing was a struggle. The rope chafed his wrists raw and seemed to grow tighter as the night wore on. I was about to settle down to a warm fire and a roast fowl, and that wretched singer had to open his mouth, he thought mournfully. The wretched singer had come along with them. â€Å"There is a great song to be made from this, and I'm the one to make it,† he told Catelyn Stark when he announced his intention of riding with them to see how the  "splendid adventure† turned out. Tyrion wondered whether the boy would think the adventure quite so splendid once the Lannister riders caught up with them. The rain had finally stopped and dawn light was seeping through the wet cloth over his eyes when Catelyn Stark gave the command to dismount. Rough hands pulled him down from his horse, untied his wrists, and yanked the hood off his head. When he saw the narrow stony road, the foothills rising high and wild all around them, and the jagged snowcapped peaks on the distant horizon, all the hope went out of him in a rush. â€Å"This is the high road,† he gasped, looking at Lady Stark with accusation. â€Å"The eastern road. You said we were riding for Winterfell!† Catelyn Stark favored him with the faintest of smiles. â€Å"Often and loudly,† she agreed. â€Å"No doubt your friends will ride that way when they come after us. I wish them good speed.† Even now, long days later, the memory filled him with a bitter rage. All his life Tyrion had prided himself on his cunning, the only gift the gods had seen fit to give him, and yet this seven-times-damned she-wolf Catelyn Stark had outwitted him at every turn. The knowledge was more galling than the bare fact of his abduction. They stopped only as long as it took to feed and water the horses, and then they were off again. This time Tyrion was spared the hood. After the second night they no longer bound his hands, and once they had gained the heights they scarcely bothered to guard him at all. It seemed they did not fear his escape. And why should they? Up here the land was harsh and wild, and the high road little more than a stony track. If he did run, how far could he hope to go, alone and without provisions? The shadowcats would make a morsel of him, and the clans that dwelt in the mountain fastnesses were brigands and murderers who bowed to no law but the sword. Yet still the Stark woman drove them forward relentlessly. He knew where they were bound. He had known it since the moment they pulled off his hood. These mountains were the domain of House Arryn, and the late Hand's widow was a Tully, Catelyn Stark's sister . . . and no friend to the Lannisters. Tyrion had known the Lady Lysa slightly during her years at King's Landing, and did not look forward to renewing the acquaintance. His captors were clustered around a stream a short ways down the high road. The horses had drunk their fill of the icy cold water, and were grazing on clumps of brown grass that grew from clefts in the rock. Jyck and Morrec huddled close, sullen and miserable. Mohor stood over them, leaning on his spear and wearing a rounded iron cap that made him look as if he had a bowl on his head. Nearby, Marillion the singer sat oiling his woodharp, complaining of what the damp was doing to his strings. â€Å"We must have some rest, my lady,† the hedge knight Ser Willis Wode was saying to Catelyn Stark as Tyrion approached. He was Lady Whent's man, stiff-necked and stolid, and the first to rise to aid Catelyn Stark back at the inn. â€Å"Ser Willis speaks truly, my lady,† Ser Rodrik said. â€Å"This is the third horse we have lost—† â€Å"We will lose more than horses if we're overtaken by the Lannisters,† she reminded them. Her face was windburnt and gaunt, but it had lost none of its determination. â€Å"Small chance of that here,† Tyrion put in. â€Å"The lady did not ask your views, dwarf,† snapped Kurleket, a great fat oaf with short-cropped hair and a pig's face. He was one of the Brackens, a man-at-arms in the service of Lord Jonos. Tyrion had made a special effort to learn all their names, so he might thank them later for their tender treatment of him. A Lannister always paid his debts. Kurleket would learn that someday, as would his friends Lharys and Mohor, and the good Ser Willis, and the sellswords Bronn and Chiggen. He planned an especially sharp lesson for Marillion, him of the woodharp and the sweet tenor voice, who was struggling so manfully to rhyme imp with gimp and limp so he could make a song of this outrage. â€Å"Let him speak,† Lady Stark commanded. Tyrion Lannister seated himself on a rock. â€Å"By now our pursuit is likely racing across the Neck, chasing your lie up the kingsroad . . . assuming there is a pursuit, which is by no means certain. Oh, no doubt the word has reached my father . . . but my father does not love me overmuch, and I am not at all sure that he will bother to bestir himself.† It was only half a lie; Lord Tywin Lannister cared not a fig for his deformed son, but he tolerated no slights on the honor of his House. â€Å"This is a cruel land, Lady Stark. You'll find no succor until you reach the Vale, and each mount you lose burdens the others all the more. Worse, you risk losing me. I am small, and not strong, and if I die, then what's the point?† That was no lie at all; Tyrion did not know how much longer he could endure this pace. â€Å"It might be said that your death is the point, Lannister,† Catelyn Stark replied. â€Å"I think not,† Tyrion said. â€Å"If you wanted me dead, you had only to say the word, and one of these staunch friends of yours would gladly have given me a red smile.† He looked at Kurleket, but the man was too dim to taste the mockery. â€Å"The Starks do not murder men in their beds.† â€Å"Nor do I,† he said. â€Å"I tell you again, I had no part in the attempt to kill your son.† â€Å"The assassin was armed with your dagger.† Tyrion felt the heat rise in him. â€Å"It was not my dagger,† he insisted. â€Å"How many times must I swear to that? Lady Stark, whatever you may believe of me, I am not a stupid man. Only a fool would arm a common footpad with his own blade.† Just for a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of doubt in her eyes, but what she said was, â€Å"Why would Petyr lie to me?† â€Å"Why does a bear shit in the woods?† he demanded. â€Å"Because it is his nature. Lying comes as easily as breathing to a man like Littlefinger. You ought to know that, you of all people.† She took a step toward him, her face tight. â€Å"And what does that mean, Lannister?† Tyrion cocked his head. â€Å"Why, every man at court has heard him tell how he took your maidenhead, my lady.† â€Å"That is a lie!† Catelyn Stark said. â€Å"Oh, wicked little imp,† Marillion said, shocked. Kurleket drew his dirk, a vicious piece of black iron. â€Å"At your word, m'lady, I'll toss his lying tongue at your feet.† His pig eyes were wet with excitement at the prospect. Catelyn Stark stared at Tyrion with a coldness on her face such as he had never seen. â€Å"Petyr Baelish loved me once. He was only a boy. His passion was a tragedy for all of us, but it was real, and pure, and nothing to be made mock of. He wanted my hand. That is the truth of the matter. You are truly an evil man, Lannister.† â€Å"And you are truly a fool, Lady Stark. Littlefinger has never loved anyone but Littlefinger, and I promise you that it is not your hand that he boasts of, it's those ripe breasts of yours, and that sweet mouth, and the heat between your legs.† Kurleket grabbed a handful of hair and yanked his head back in a hard jerk, baring his throat. Tyrion felt the cold kiss of steel beneath his chin. â€Å"Shall I bleed him, my lady?† â€Å"Kill me and the truth dies with me,† Tyrion gasped. â€Å"Let him talk,† Catelyn Stark commanded. Kurleket let go of Tyrion's hair, reluctantly. Tyrion took a deep breath. â€Å"How did Littlefinger tell you I came by this dagger of his? Answer me that.† â€Å"You won it from him in a wager, during the tourney on Prince Joffrey's name day.† â€Å"When my brother Jaime was unhorsed by the Knight of Flowers, that was his story, no?† â€Å"It was,† she admitted. A line creased her brow. â€Å"Riders!† The shriek came from the wind-carved ridge above them. Ser Rodrik had sent Lharys scrambling up the rock face to watch the road while they took their rest. For a long second, no one moved. Catelyn Stark was the first to react. â€Å"Ser Rodrik, Ser Willis, to horse,† she shouted. â€Å"Get the other mounts behind us. Mohor, guard the prisoners—† â€Å"Arm us!† Tyrion sprang to his feet and seized her by the arm. â€Å"You will need every sword.† She knew he was right, Tyrion could see it. The mountain clans cared nothing for the enmities of the great houses; they would slaughter Stark and Lannister with equal fervor, as they slaughtered each other. They might spare Catelyn herself; she was still young enough to bear sons. Still, she hesitated. â€Å"I hear them!† Ser Rodrik called out. Tyrion turned his head to listen, and there it was: hoofbeats, a dozen horses or more, coming nearer. Suddenly everyone was moving, reaching for weapons, running to their mounts. Pebbles rained down around them as Lharys came springing and sliding down the ridge. He landed breathless in front of Catelyn Stark, an ungainly-looking man with wild tufts of rust-colored hair sticking out from under a conical steel cap. â€Å"Twenty men, maybe twenty-five,† he said, breathless. â€Å"Milk Snakes or Moon Brothers, by my guess. They must have eyes out, m'lady . . . hidden watchers . . . they know we're here.† Ser Rodrik Cassel was already ahorse, a longsword in hand. Mohor crouched behind a boulder, both hands on his iron-tipped spear, a dagger between his teeth. â€Å"You, singer,† Ser Willis Wode called out. â€Å"Help me with this breastplate.† Marillion sat frozen, clutching his woodharp, his face as pale as milk, but Tyrion's man Morrec bounded quickly to his feet and moved to help the knight with his armor. Tyrion kept his grip on Catelyn Stark. â€Å"You have no choice,† he told her. â€Å"Three of us, and a fourth man wasted guarding us . . . four men can be the difference between life and death up here.† â€Å"Give me your word that you will put down your swords again after the fight is done.† â€Å"My word?† The hoofbeats were louder now. Tyrion grinned crookedly. â€Å"Oh, that you have, my lady . . . on my honor as a Lannister.† For a moment he thought she would spit at him, but instead she snapped, â€Å"Arm them,† and as quick as that she was pulling away. Ser Rodrik tossed Jyck his sword and scabbard, and wheeled to meet the foe. Morrec helped himself to a bow and quiver, and went to one knee beside the road. He was a better archer than swordsman. And Bronn rode up to offer Tyrion a double-bladed axe. â€Å"I have never fought with an axe.† The weapon felt awkward and unfamiliar in his hands. It had a short haft, a heavy head, a nasty spike on top. â€Å"Pretend you're splitting logs,† Bronn said, drawing his longsword from the scabbard across his back. He spat, and trotted off to form up beside Chiggen and Ser Rodrik. Ser Willis mounted up to join them, fumbling with his helmet, a metal pot with a thin slit for his eyes and a long black silk plume. â€Å"Logs don't bleed,† Tyrion said to no one in particular. He felt naked without armor. He looked around for a rock and ran over to where Marillion was hiding. â€Å"Move over.† â€Å"Go away!† the boy screamed back at him. â€Å"I'm a singer, I want no part of this fight!† â€Å"What, lost your taste for adventure?† Tyrion kicked at the youth until he slid over, and not a moment too soon. A heartbeat later, the riders were on them. There were no heralds, no banners, no horns nor drums, only the twang of bowstrings as Morrec and Lharys let fly, and suddenly the clansmen came thundering out of the dawn, lean dark men in boiled leather and mismatched armor, faces hidden behind barred halfhelms. In gloved hands were clutched all manner of weapons: longswords and lances and sharpened scythes, spiked clubs and daggers and heavy iron mauls. At their head rode a big man in a striped shadowskin cloak, armed with a two-handed greatsword. Ser Rodrik shouted â€Å"Winterfell!† and rode to meet him, with Bronn and Chiggen beside him, screaming some wordless battle cry. Ser Willis Wode followed, swinging a spiked morningstar around his head. â€Å"Harrenhal! Harrenhal!† he sang. Tyrion felt a sudden urge to leap up, brandish his axe, and boom out, â€Å"Casterly Rock!† but the insanity passed quickly and he crouched down lower. He heard the screams of frightened horses and the crash of metal on metal. Chiggen's sword raked across the naked face of a mailed rider, and Bronn plunged through the clansmen like a whirlwind, cutting down foes right and left. Ser Rodrik hammered at the big man in the shadowskin cloak, their horses dancing round each other as they traded blow for blow. Jyck vaulted onto a horse and galloped bareback into the fray. Tyrion saw an arrow sprout from the throat of the man in the shadowskin cloak. When he opened his mouth to scream, only blood came out. By the time he fell, Ser Rodrik was fighting someone else. Suddenly Marillion shrieked, covering his head with his woodharp as a horse leapt over their rock. Tyrion scrambled to his feet as the rider turned to come back at them, hefting a spiked maul. Tyrion swung his axe with both hands. The blade caught the charging horse in the throat with a meaty thunk, angling upward, and Tyrion almost lost his grip as the animal screamed and collapsed. He managed to wrench the axe free and lurch clumsily out of the way. Marillion was less fortunate. Horse and rider crashed to the ground in a tangle on top of the singer. Tyrion danced back in while the brigand's leg was still pinned beneath his fallen mount, and buried the axe in the man's neck, just above the shoulder blades. As he struggled to yank the blade loose, he heard Marillion moaning under the bodies. â€Å"Someone help me,† the singer gasped. â€Å"Gods have mercy, I'm bleeding.† â€Å"I believe that's horse blood,† Tyrion said. The singer's hand came crawling out from beneath the dead animal, scrabbling in the dirt like a spider with five legs. Tyrion put his heel on the grasping fingers and felt a satisfying crunch. â€Å"Close your eyes and pretend you're dead,† he advised the singer before he hefted the axe and turned away. After that, things ran together. The dawn was full of shouts and screams and heavy with the scent of blood, and the world had turned to chaos. Arrows hissed past his ear and clattered off the rocks. He saw Bronn unhorsed, fighting with a sword in each hand. Tyrion kept on the fringes of the fight, sliding from rock to rock and darting out of the shadows to hew at the legs of passing horses. He found a wounded clansman and left him dead, helping himself to the man's halfhelm. It fit too snugly, but Tyrion was glad of any protection at all. Jyck was cut down from behind while he sliced at a man in front of him, and later Tyrion stumbled over Kurleket's body. The pig face had been smashed in with a mace, but Tyrion recognized the dirk as he plucked it from the man's dead fingers. He was sliding it through his belt when he heard a woman's scream. Catelyn Stark was trapped against the stone face of the mountain with three men around her, one still mounted and the other two on foot. She had a dagger clutched awkwardly in her maimed hands, but her back was to the rock now and they had penned her on three sides. Let them have the bitch, Tyrion thought, and welcome to her, yet somehow he was moving. He caught the first man in the back of the knee before they even knew he was there, and the heavy axehead split flesh and bone like rotten wood. Logs that bleed, Tyrion thought inanely as the second man came for him. Tyrion ducked under his sword, lashed out with the axe, the man reeled backward . . . and Catelyn Stark stepped up behind him and opened his throat. The horseman remembered an urgent engagement elsewhere and galloped off suddenly. Tyrion looked around. The enemy were all vanquished or vanished. Somehow the fighting had ended when he wasn't looking. Dying horses and wounded men lay all around, screaming or moaning. To his vast astonishment, he was not one of them. He opened his fingers and let the axe thunk to the ground. His hands were sticky with blood. He could have sworn they had been fighting for half a day, but the sun seemed scarcely to have moved at all. â€Å"Your first battle?† Bronn asked later as he bent over Jyck's body, pulling off his boots. They were good boots, as befit one of Lord Tywin's men; heavy leather, oiled and supple, much finer than what Bronn was wearing. Tyrion nodded. â€Å"My father will be so proud,† he said. His legs were cramping so badly he could scarcely stand. Odd, he had never once noticed the pain during the battle. â€Å"You need a woman now,† Bronn said with a glint in his black eyes. He shoved the boots into his saddlebag. â€Å"Nothing like a woman after a man's been blooded, take my word.† Chiggen stopped looting the corpses of the brigands long enough to snort and lick his lips. Tyrion glanced over to where Lady Stark was dressing Ser Rodrik's wounds. â€Å"I'm willing if she is,† he said. The freeriders broke into laughter, and Tyrion grinned and thought, There's a start. Afterward he knelt by the stream and washed the blood off his face in water cold as ice. As he limped back to the others, he glanced again at the slain. The dead clansmen were thin, ragged men, their horses scrawny and undersized, with every rib showing. What weapons Bronn and Chiggen had left them were none too impressive. Mauls, clubs, a scythe . . . He remembered the big man in the shadowskin cloak who had dueled Ser Rodrik with a two-handed greatsword, but when he found his corpse sprawled on the stony ground, the man was not so big after all, the cloak was gone, and Tyrion saw that the blade was badly notched, its cheap steel spotted with rust. Small wonder the clansmen had left nine bodies on the ground. They had only three dead; two of Lord Bracken's men-at-arms, Kurleket and Mohor, and his own man Jyck, who had made such a bold show with his bareback charge. A fool to the end, Tyrion thought. â€Å"Lady Stark, I urge you to press on, with all haste,† Ser Willis Wode said, his eyes scanning the ridgetops warily through the slit in his helm. â€Å"We drove them off for the moment, but they will not have gone far.† â€Å"We must bury our dead, Ser Willis,† she said. â€Å"These were brave men. I will not leave them to the crows and shadowcats.† â€Å"This soil is too stony for digging,† Ser Willis said. â€Å"Then we shall gather stones for cairns.† â€Å"Gather all the stones you want,† Bronn told her, â€Å"but do it without me or Chiggen. I've better things to do than pile rocks on dead men . . . breathing, for one.† He looked over the rest of the survivors. â€Å"Any of you who hope to be alive come nightfall, ride with us.† â€Å"My lady, I fear he speaks the truth,† Ser Rodrik said wearily. The old knight had been wounded in the fight, a deep gash in his left arm and a spear thrust that grazed his neck, and he sounded his age. â€Å"If we linger here, they will be on us again for a certainty, and we may not live through a second attack.† Tyrion could see the anger in Catelyn's face, but she had no choice. â€Å"May the gods forgive us, then. We will ride at once.† There was no shortage of horses now. Tyrion moved his saddle to Jyck's spotted gelding, who looked strong enough to last another three or four days at least. He was about to mount when Lharys stepped up and said, â€Å"I'll take that dirk now, dwarf.† â€Å"Let him keep it.† Catelyn Stark looked down from her horse. â€Å"And see that he has his axe back as well. We may have need of it if we are attacked again.† â€Å"You have my thanks, lady,† Tyrion said, mounting up. â€Å"Save them,† she said curtly. â€Å"I trust you no more than I did before.† She was gone before he could frame a reply. Tyrion adjusted his stolen helm and took the axe from Bronn. He remembered how he had begun the journey, with his wrists bound and a hood pulled down over his head, and decided that this was a definite improvement. Lady Stark could keep her trust; so long as he could keep the axe, he would count himself ahead in the game. Ser Willis Wode led them out. Bronn took the rear, with Lady Stark safely in the middle, Ser Rodrik a shadow beside her. Marillion kept throwing sullen looks back at Tyrion as they rode. The singer had broken several ribs, his woodharp, and all four fingers on his playing hand, yet the day had not been an utter loss to him; somewhere he had acquired a magnificent shadowskin cloak, thick black fur slashed by stripes of white. He huddled beneath its folds silently, and for once had nothing to say. They heard the deep growls of shadowcats behind them before they had gone half a mile, and later the wild snarling of the beasts fighting over the corpses they had left behind. Marillion grew visibly pale. Tyrion trotted up beside him. â€Å"Craven,† he said, â€Å"rhymes nicely with raven.† He kicked his horse and moved past the singer, up to Ser Rodrik and Catelyn Stark. She looked at him, lips pressed tightly together. â€Å"As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted,† Tyrion began, â€Å"there is a serious flaw in Littlefinger's fable. Whatever you may believe of me, Lady Stark, I promise you this—I never bet against my family.†