Monday, September 30, 2019

How nature of crime presented by the media Essay

_INTRODUCTION_ A considerable amount of literature consistently argues that the way crime is portrayed in the media significantly differs from what official records and research tell us, that is to say, that the media is said to misrepresent the crime problem. Five main arguments are presented demonstrating that the media distorts the crime problem. First, the media tend to report on crimes that are considered `newsworthy.’ Second, it is argued that the media’s role is that of an agenda-setter. Third, media reporting on crime is supportive of law enforcement agencies but is negative towards courts. Fourth, the media reports on crime that escalates public anxiety to such an extent that it can lead to moral panic about particular crimes. Fifth, stereotypes of both victims and offenders dominate media representations of crime. It is believed that the media is the public’s primary source of knowledge about crime and it has exploited this by inaccurately presenting the nature of cri me to our society. _DISCUSSION_ The first argument supporting that the media distorts the crime problem is that the reporting of crime is selective and the types of crimes reported in the media are those deemed `newsworthy.’ Media compete in a marketplace to attract as large an audience as possible as they are profit orientated organisations. Consequently, crimes are selectively reported and are generally reported in ways that conform to news values of the immediate, the novel, the dramatic, and so on, which reinforce already established images of threat from crime. The assumption that the volume of crime is high and rising is one of the main arguments advanced by society. In Australia, studies have shown that a substantial proportion of the population incorrectly believe that crime rates are increasing when, in fact, they are  stable or declining (Indermaur D & Roberts L, 2005). The discrepancy between the crime rate and the public’s perceived crime rate has been commonly attributed to the expansive media coverage of crime, especially violent and more sensationalised crime (Duffy B, 2008). The media is the primary source of indirect knowledge of the crime problem and by selectively presenting crime to society in a dramatised and sensationalized manner; it has lead to the myth that the volume of crime is high and rising. The second line of reasoning is that some contend that the media’s construction of crime is more than just selective, it is that of an agenda-setter (Surette R, 1996). As an agenda-setter, the media defines the problem of crime in a way that sets parameters of discussion and debate. The impact of agenda-setting is that only some types of crime are brought to the public’s attention and in the same way, only some kinds of criminal justice responses are presented as solutions to control crime. Research has found that the media reports the nature of crime in a way that brings crime and its control to the foremost issue of policy-makers’ assessing imperative social problems (Teece M & Makkai T, 2000). The assumption that sentences are too lenient is one of the main arguments advanced by society and a perfect example of the media pushing its own agenda. The public depend on the media almost exclusively for their information about sentencing and recent data from the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes show that 70% of respondents agreed that `people who break the law should be given stiffer sentences’ (Indermaur & Roberts, 2005). However, most criminal matters proceeding to court are finalised at the Magistrates Court, i.e. without a jury. With this in mind, it shows that the media have a great impact on setting the public agenda and initiating discussion and debate by inaccurately presenting the crime problem. The third argument correspondingly elucidates that the media’s reporting on crime is often deceptively supportive of police or law enforcement agencies but is negative towards courts. This is due to the media depending largely on limited, easily accessible sources – often authorities such as police, and therefore presents a one-sided picture (Teece M & Makkai T, 2000). Police are privileged sources to the media and therefore the police-media  relationship is mutually rewarding as it generates an effective and successful image for the police, as well as providing information to the media about crime. This substantiates the grounds of the support devoted to law enforcement agencies by the media. Furthermore, as previously verified, the fact that the media pushes its own agenda and as a result the public view in regard to sentencing is that sentencing is too lenient evidences the fact that the media discourage the courts. In this way, the media distorts the nature of cri me presented to our society and leads society to obtain high confidence in services provided by police and minimal support towards courts. The fourth argument is that violent crimes that induce feelings of anger and panic in the public are generally the only types of crime that the media present to us and are reported in such a way that they seem the most common types of crime committed in society. Public anxiety about crime can be escalated to such an extent that it can lead to a moral panic about a particular crime, specifically violent crime. The assumption that a large proportion of crimes involve violence is one of the main arguments advanced by society. However, research consistently finds that in western countries the media over-reports violent crimes, especially murder, sexual-assault and assault (Hayes H & Prenzler T, 2009). A study of public perceptions in Australia by Indermaur (2005) found that three in four people overestimated by a large margin the proportion of crimes involving violence. In fact, violent crime statewide declined 6 per cent in 2004 to continue a downward trend that began in the early 1990’s (Bavis B & Dossetor L, 2010). The media has presented the nature of crime in our society exceedingly inaccurately to the point that it has led our society to deem that most crimes involve violence. The fifth line of reasoning is that the media’s representation of crime, predominantly violent and sexual offences, is _stranger danger._ This depicts that victims are selected at random by offenders they do not know. The media constructs images of risk and these images lie in line with conceptions of _stranger danger_ rather than _fear of the near_. The assumption that offenders do not know their victims is one of the main  arguments advanced by society. Contrary to popularised media reporting, research evidence shows that most victims are not victimised by strangers (Tiby E, 2009). In fact, females are more likely to become the victims of violence from someone they know, e.g. a partner or family member (Hayes H & Prenzler T, 2009). Accordingly, the media’s inaccurate representation of _stranger danger_ has distorted the nature of crime presented to our society, leading to the myth that offenders usually do not know their victims. _CONCLUSION_ The nature of crime in our society is not accurately presented by the media. The evidence is clear that the media is society’s primary source of knowledge about crime and has outlined some key elements about the influence of media reporting that shapes how society accept, relate and react to the nature of crime. Most media are businesses operating for profit and therefore they compete in a marketplace to attract as large an audience as possible, therefore the media report on crimes that are deemed `newsworthy,’ conforming to news values. Its role is that of an agenda-setter and in this way deceivingly supports law enforcement agencies and criticises courts. Media has the capacity to escalate public fear of crime by selectively focusing on a particular crime as more prevalent and stereotyping both victims and offenders. For these reasons, it is evident that the nature of crime in our society is not accurately presented by the media as it has lead society to believe vario us myths. _REFERENCES_ Bavis, B & Dossetor, L. (2010). Misperceptions of crime in Australia. _Trend and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice (396)._ Retrieved from http://search.informit.com.au.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/fullText;dn=20103330;res=AGISPT Duffy, B. Wake, R. Burrows, T. Bremner, P. (2008). Closing the gaps-crime and public perceptions. _International Review of Law, Computers &_ _Technology Vol._ _22_: 17-44. London: UK. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=19b4d519-d160-4062-a7d9-20ea3ba483ee%40sessionmgr13&vid=6&hid=106 Hayes, H. Prenzler, T. (2009). _Introduction to crime and criminology 2__nd_ _ed._ Australia: Pearson Australia Group. Indermaur, D. & Roberts, L. (2005), `Perception of Crime and Justice,’ in _Australian Social Attitudes,_ UNSW Press, Sydney. Surette, R. (1996). `News from Nowhere, Policy to Follow: Media and the Social Construction of Three Strikes and You’re Out.’ _Three Strikes and_ _You’re Out: Vengeance as Public Policy_, Thousand Oaks. Teece, M. & Makkai, T. (2000). Print Media Reporting on Drugs and Crime, 1995 – 1998. _Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice (158)_. Retrieved from http://search.informit.com.au.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/fullText;dn=20010687;res=AGISPT Tiby, E. (2009). Stranger-Danger or Fear of the Near? Accounts on Fear of Sexual Abuse. _Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention_. Retrieved from http://pdfserve.informaworld.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/999873_751313171_917284778.pdf

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Old Testament-Writings Essay

Our world today has many books within reach, both fiction and nonfiction. However, does a person fully understand what the author is trying to convey in their meaning and message to the audience? The same goes with the Bible, particularly, Lamentations, which is found in the Old Testament Scriptures. An individual has to understand where the book originated from, and what each chapter implies as well as what message the author was trying to convey then and now. Origin Title The word Lamentations means to weep, and the sorrow, which was caused â€Å"by the destruction of the city of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in 587. † (Reyburn, 1992). Authorship According to tradition, many believe that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations, which include the church father, despite his name not located anywhere in the text. A couple of witnesses are also the Septuagint and Vulgate. Some more evidence is displayed in 2 Chronicles 35:25; consequently, it refers to King Josiah’s death. Since he greatly loved Jerusalem and the people, this shows that he is quite qualified to write the book (Keil, Delitzsch and Wiesmann, 1956). Date Jeremiah most likely was the author (Goldingay, 2003). He most likely saw Jerusalem’s destruction due to eyewitnessing and lamenting over it. â€Å"There is almost universal agreement that the book was written soon after 587 B. C. , while the events were still vivid in the author’s memory. Attempts to prove that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations prophetically after King Josiah’s death in 609 have no merit (Rudolph, 1962). Some unconvincing evidence is when others have attempted to date the book many years later, especially during the Maccabean period (Rudolph, 1962). Background of the Book. One name appears in Lamentations, and that is Edom, which is found in 4:22. However, when the Chaldeans overthrew Jerusalem and made them fall in 586 B. C. , this is what brought about the book of Lamentations. 2 Kings 25 is a connection that cannot give about any other conclusions. The siege that lasted for eighteen months brought about terrible suffering, but spiritually, they lost Zion as well the Temple, which also made it devastating psychologically (Smith, 1992). Theme of the Book. Lamentations has four laments from chapters one to four as well one prayer that is noted in chapter five, which is intended to help the audience understand how the people felt once Jerusalem fell. The writer basically shared his experience with the people by not using much imagination in the process. In general, this book contains a detailed description of what occurred nationally in regards to suffering (Smith, 1992). Structure of the Book Lamentations consists of five poems. Each poem is unique because a theme â€Å"of sorrow over Jerusalem’s fall, though from different perspectives† (Gottwald, 1985). On other occasions, the grief is individual. â€Å"The funeral mood was communicated to those who first heard or read Lamentations by the dirgelike meter (Qinah meter) that characterizes much of the book† (Budde, 1883). To break it down, two lines are the simplest, but the first three are syllables as well as two for the second. When it was heard, the sound was mournful (Budde, 1883). No one can explanation with full agreement in regards to the acrostic structure with the five poems in the book. â€Å"Some think they were composed as a pedagogic device to teach schoolboys the alphabet. Some think the acrostic was intended to facilitate memorization of the poems. Some believe it reveals a belief in the magical powers of letters. Others believe the poems were deliberately structured as acrostics with a view to liturgical usage to commemorate Jerusalem’s destruction in solemn religious services† (Kraus, 1960). Historical Setting â€Å"The Babylonians’ capture of Jerusalem in 587 B. C. was not the first time the city had experienced invasion and plunder by enemies (cf. 1 Kgs 14:25–26; 2 Kgs 14:13–14; 23:33; 2 Chr 21:16–17; 2 Chr 25:22–24; 33:11)† (Hayes, 1997). However, â€Å"In 588 King Zedekiah† chose to rebel against King Nebuchadnezzar, so that Judah can have its independence. Jerusalem was taken and completely destroyed eighteen months later (Hayes, 1997). â€Å"Many of its inhabitants were put to death, enslaved, exiled, or fled to Egypt. King Zedekiah and other leaders were taken to Babylon (Jer 39:1–10; 52:29)† (Hayes, 1997). Theological Values A theological dilemma came about due to the low morale in Judah, which is more devastating than the temple’s destruction due to the catastrophe. â€Å"Human suffering always precipitates probing questions about God. The faith of many Jews must have been shattered by the events. They had believed that Jerusalem was inviolable and that God’s temple could not be destroyed because he dwelt there (cf. Jer 7:1–8)† (Gottwald, Weiser, Kraus and Moore, 1983). God would fight the battles for his people. He later delivered Jerusalem in 701 B. C. from Sennacherib as seen in 2 Kings 19 (Gottwald, Weiser, Kraus and Moore, 1983). Individuals were shocked that God did not help them, but thought in their minds that He abandoned them. Maybe a select few realized it was the Lord punishing them due to the recent events because they refused to obey the warnings from various prophets during that time, so His wrath was upon them both as a nation and for the people. For those who understood the prophets’ words, they realized that a remnant is spared, so that a nation is rebuilt as seen in Jeremiah 24:5–6; 29:10, 14 and Ezekiel 6:8–9; 11:17 (Gottwald, Weiser, Kraus and Moore, 1983). Purpose of the Book. In general, Lamentations is not the lone book found from ancient times. Several bemoans over great cities that fell were unveiled in the heart of Mesopotamia (Smith, 1992). The book of Lamentations gave the people a reason to express their pain over what had happened to them, so as to help them out psychologically. However, the poems serve to allow the Israelites could express their grief over the sorrow of what was lost nationally from a liturgical point of view (Smith, 1992). Foreshadowing â€Å"Jeremiah was known as the ‘weeping prophet’ for his deep and abiding passion for his people and their city (Lamentations 3:48-49). This same sorrow over the sins of the people and their rejection of God was expressed by Jesus as He approached Jerusalem and looked ahead to her destruction at the hands of the Romans (Luke 19:41-44). Because of the Jews’ rejection of their Messiah, God used the Roman siege to punish His people† (Book of Lamentations, 2009). The Lord does not find it joyous when He has punish His own children, but later offered Jesus as a final sacrifice for everyone’s sins (Book of Lamentations, 2009). Key Verses Three key verses are worth noting. One, Lamentations 2:17 (New International Version) says, â€Å"The LORD has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his word, which he decreed long ago. He has overthrown you without pity, he has let the enemy gloat over you, he has exalted the horn of your foes† (Book of Lamentations, 2009). The second verse is Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV), which says that because of God’s wonderful love no one is consumed because He never fails us because they are always new and faithful (Book of Lamentations, 2009). Last is Lamentations 5:19-22 (NIV), which says, â€Å"You, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long? Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure†(Book of Lamentations, 2009). Meaning 1:1–22 The author uses lots of imagery to express the current state of Jerusalem, which is the city of Zion. â€Å"Babylon, Egypt, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon,† and Judah was close friends with them (Hughes, 2001). The roads were now deserted as seen in 1:4. â€Å"Like Zedekiah, Israel’s leadership fled from Jerusalem (1:6; cf. Jer. 39:4–7). The siege conditions in Jerusalem were reflected in 1:11, when people exchanged their precious treasures for food. The figures of â€Å"fire† (meaning â€Å"total destruction†) and a â€Å"trap† (that is, â€Å"captivity†) describe the calamities that befell Jerusalem (1:13)† (Hughes, 2001). In the Hebrew, the word â€Å"Allies† (1:19) is easily translated to â€Å"lovers† as seen in 1:2. The author of Lamentations prayed for God to bring Babylon’s judgment on â€Å"the day†(1:21; cf. Jer. 50–51) (Hughes, 2001). 2:1–22 Zion’s sorrows came about because of judgment from the Lord. They experienced a famine as mentioned in Lamentations 2:11–12, which happened because of warfare (Hughes, 2001). â€Å"The false prophets had predicted a return to peace and prosperity (2:14; cf. Jer. 14:13). Jeering and scoffing were ancient gestures of malicious joy and contempt (Lam. 2:15). In ancient times the night was divided into three four-hour periods (2:19)† (Hughes, 2001). During each of the periods, the writer of Lamentations wanted the people to wake up, so weeping could continue. A judgment that was placed on them due to their disobedience was cannibalism through starvation of the Judeans, who lived in Jerusalem, which was prophesied in Deuteronomy 28:53 (Hughes, 2001). 3:1–66 Many personal experiences took place in the life of the author’s ministry. Much encouragement was received and consolation through reflecting on God’s faithfulness through the ages (Goldingay, 2003). The writer used hyperbole frequently, which is to exaggerate in hopes to emphasize the important points. For example, â€Å"unfailing love,† when it is translated from the Hebrew, it means â€Å"stork,† and upon breaking it down more so indicates motherly love (Hughes, 2001). 4:1–22 Jeremiah made much reflection on what he saw with his own eyes in the heart of Jerusalem, especially when the Babylonians siege in Jerusalem took place (Goldingay, 2003). â€Å"Those ‘who once lived in palaces’ (Lam. 4:5) were the wealthy. No one helped Sodom (4:6). After their true character was recognized, the false prophets and wicked priests were condemned as ‘defiled’ like lepers (4:15; cf. Lev. 13:45–46)† (Hughes, 2001). 5:1–22 Jeremiah confessed on behalf of the nation their sins, and then asked the Lord for a complete restoration. One can become confused on 5:6, when there is a reference to Assyria unless a person understands it was in reference to Babylon. At one time, the Empire inherited Assyria. â€Å"According to Jewish custom, the request of 5:21 is repeated at the conclusion of the book in order to avoid ending on an unpleasant note. But history has shown that God had certainly not rejected his people (Rom. 11:1–5)† (Hughes, 2001). Message Old Testament Application God made it clear back then that the people who lived in the heart of Judah needed to follow and obey Him. This meant that they could not worship other gods, commit adultery, covet, and so forth. These people needed to understand the depth of God’s love for them, but He made them face judgment, so that they would turn to Him, and this is seen frequently throughout the Old Testament. For example, in the book of Judges, God placed them in a cycle. This cycle consisted of a Judge would prophecy about the coming judgment, they would face judgment, and then all would turn back to God through repentance of their sin. Throughout Scripture, God never rejected anyone. He demonstrated His love for them in every book that is mentioned in the cannon. No one is perfect, but each day is a learning process to strive to live for Him, and not for the pleasures of this world. The issue back then is that the Judeans lived for what the world had to offer instead of what God has done for them, and continues to do. He deserves the glory, and not us. A similar concept is used today when it comes to God’s wrath, and for all of us to repent of our transgressions. Today’s Application The book of Lamentations applies to our setting today too. One, when people are wicked a society eventually disappears. Two, a person should not ask for a blessing that happened from the past, and continue to live in sin in the midst of it. Three, all countries of the world and churches will face judgment, if they do not remain faithful. Fourth, the Lord sticks to His Word, and make it come to pass. Fifth, many solutions are possible in the midst of suffering, but ultimately it comes down to a total faith in God (Hughes, 2001). Here are some more ways of looking at the book as well in a contemporary context. In attempting to understand what the book is trying to convey to the audience who reads it, then much can come from studying Lamentations. â€Å"First, the book can speak to any, including Christians, who feel alone or even abandoned by God. In this respect it is like those Psalms which we have called ‘laments’. It is good to give honest expression to such feelings and to know the reassurance of God’s grace in the midst of them† (Carson, 1994). Lamentations also can help the reader to identify with those around them, who are facing difficult situations. For example, our world faces daily disasters, such as wars and famines, which are constantly brought to our attention through the media on television. For us humans, all of us have the tendency to ask, â€Å"Where is God in the midst of our circumstances? † Of course, we can wonder more so, when our brothers and sisters are caught up in the chaos of it all as well, but end up sympathizing with them through identifying their pain. â€Å"The book of Lamentations enables us to express our grief, not only on our own behalf, but also on behalf of others† (Carson, 1994). Another possibility is that an individual requires discipline. Much discipline goes into writing a phenomenal book, which can help in the present. A decision that a person makes is in seriousness, so that he or she is disciplined, so that problems, which are sometimes difficult to face are dealt with at the time. God’ Word can help us by teaching us how to deal with difficult circumstances by allowing us to express our hurts that are at times too deep as well as coaching our mind and heart throughout it too (Carson, 1994). Confession is difficult for anyone, this goes for both believer and non-believer. â€Å"The people of Judah knew that their exile was due to their disobedience to the covenant made by their ancestors with God. We cannot treat all suffering in the same way. Nevertheless, here too we can identify with our ancestors in faith, by simply recognizing that human sin—in which each of us has a part—is the root cause of the world’s grief† (Carson, 1994). When someone questions, this too is an act of confession. God grants both justice and mercy while judging others. His justice does not finally issue only in judgment, but also, and decisively, in mercy (Carson, 1994). Even in terrible judgment, God is a God of hope (Lamentations 3:24-25). No matter how far we have gone from Him, we have the hope that we can return to Him and find Him compassionate and forgiving (1 John 1:9). Our God is a loving God (Lamentations 3:22), and because of His great love and compassion, He sent His Son so that we would not perish in our sins, but can live eternally with Him (John 3:16). God’s faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23) and deliverance (Lamentations 3:26) are attributes that give us great hope and comfort. He is not a disinterested, capricious god, but a God who will deliver all those who turn to Him, admit they can do nothing to earn His favor, and call upon the Lord’s mercy so that we will not be consumed (Lamentations 3:22) (Book of Lamentations, 2009). How are we to live in our current day and age? â€Å"We must live with realism, and we must live by faith† (Cameron, 1994). A person needs to look deep into themselves as well as circumstances. When an individual looks beyond what is happening in their lives, and then he or she will have faith because of what God has done for them. The church is quite sad, and God is the final judge of it all. For example, â€Å"How the gold has grown dim,† which is seen in Lamentations 4:1. However, we are disgraced as the church has become secularized, and our inheritance is given to strangers (5:2). No joy is present in our lives because it has turned into mourning. In our world, which includes the church, we will find it difficult to rejoice (Cameron, 1994). All of us seek answers to life’s questions, particularly from Psalm 137: 4, which states (NIV), â€Å"How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land†(Cameron, 1994)† When a person walks and talks with God, then he or she receives full joy in the Lord. The book of Lamentations may come across sad while reading what happened to the Judeans, but they soon realized that He wanted a relationship with them all along, so they eventually turned back to Him despite the current judgment that was upon them. In Lamentations 3:22, which says (NIV),‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end† (Cameron, 1994). To describe what it means for steadfastness, this is to indicate that the Lord is faithful with His enduring love. He is the same forever. God is wonderful to those who confess and turn to Him for their hope. We can praise God for His faithfulness from the past to the present. All of us are a testimony to His love because there is courage to face the future of whatever it is to come. He will supply our every need, and has proven it throughout history, which includes Lamentations. No need to worry because He already knows (Cameron, 1994). References Cameron, C. M. (1994). Lamentations. Retrieved February 21, 2009, from Biblestudies. org. uk: http://www. biblicalstudies. org. uk/lamentations. php Carson, D. (1994). New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. 4th edition. Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 281-289. Goldingay, J. (2003). Old Testament Theology (Volume 1 ed. ). Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 295-305. Gottwald, N. (1985). The Hebrew Bible: A Socio-Literary Introduction. Philadelphia: Fortress. Hayes, J. a. (1988). A New Chronology for the Kings of Israel and Judah and Its Implications for Biblical History and Literature. Atlanta: John Knox. Hughes, R. B. (2001). Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers. Keil, C. a. (1956). The Prophecies of Jeremiah. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, . Kraus, H. (1960). Klaelieder (Threni). Neukirchen: Neukirchener. Reyburn, W. D. (1992). A Handbook on Lamentations. New York: United Bible Societies. Richards, L. (1991). The Bible Readers Companion. Wheaton: Victor Books, 65-68. Rudolph, W. (1962). Das Buch Ruth, Das Hohe Lied, Die Klagelider. Gutersloh: Gutersloher Verlaghaus Gerd Mohn. Smith, J. E. (1992). The Major Prophets. Joplin: College Press, 123-134. The Book of Lamentations. (2009). Retrieved 21 February, 2009, from Gotquestions. org: http://www. gotquestions. org/Book-of-Lamentations. html

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Human Impact on the Environment – Problems caused by population growth

In about 1830 the human population reached one billion, there are now somewhere around six billion people on the planet today and that figure is growing at a very high and very rapid rate. Past populations were controlled by disease, war and famine but now because of technology and modern medicine. The environment around us has been built to support these growing numbers but this development is having a huge effect on the world's ecosystems. Human population's clear other space and habitats of other species to make way for their own. This ignorance has killed many species to extinction and polluted the environment; this has endangered our survival and the survival of other species at risk. Read this Ch. 22 Respiratory System However, in natural ecosystems factors are limiting whereas human ecosystems are different as we have the technology to maximise resources and find new ones when existing ones run out. The planet obviously can only hold a certain number of people, most species never reach their maximum numbers but they have a peak, then the numbers start to decline. Activities that have changed the landscape Industrial and domestic waste has to be disposed of, and as the population is increasing the waste is becoming more and more difficult to get rid of. There are a lot of things that cause pollution in varying rates on a big scale oil spill to a normal deodorant can which uses cfc's. Here is a table that shows the pollutant and its effects on humans and the environment. Pollutant Effects on humans and the environment. Air Smoke Makes breathing difficult. Sulphur Dioxide Causes acid rain. Ozone Damages leaves. CFC's Damages ozone layer. Carbon Dioxide Increases the ‘Greenhouse Effect'. Water Sewage Eutrophication. Fertilisers Eutrophication. Acid Rain Makes soils, lakes and rivers acidic. Oil Spills Kill fish. Toxic Chemicals e.g. mercury Kill fish and other aquatic life. Land Solid waste disposal at landfill sites Methane causes explosions and increases the ‘Greenhouse Effect'. Mining waste e.g. Lead Water run-off poisons plants and animals. Heavy metals kill most plants and animals. The Pollution of the Water There are a number of different ways and processes of water pollution the main ones are ‘waste disposal', ‘organic pollution' and ‘eutrophication'. Waste disposal is the domestic and industrial waste which is treated in sewage plants to remove impurities. The problem is that some of this waste is being disposed in many rivers and canals and polluting them heavily. This has destroyed many freshwater ecosystems like the ‘Great Lakes of North America' and parts of the ‘Norfolk Broads'. Organic pollution is where domestic sewage is disposed in rivers and canals and the organic content in the sewage is a food source for bacteria and fungi. These organisms also take the dissolved oxygen in the water so that fish and other aquatic animals die out. Eutrophication is when the nitrate and phosphate levels are high this encourages the growth of algae. These algae can cause a lot of damage to the water ecosystem. * Algae grow rapidly and give an ‘algal bloom' over the surface of the water. * Many blue-green algae produce toxins which kill some plants and animals. * Small animals that feed on algae do not multiply fast enough to check the increase in the algae. * Algae block out the light for the rooted plants growing on beds of lakes and they die. This reduces the amount of oxygen. * The algal population crashed due to competition for resources. The algae are then decomposed by bacteria which use the oxygen in the water. * This lack of oxygen kills many invertebrates and fish. All this is the process of eutrophication. The pollution of the atmosphere Pollution is a term used to describe the presence of an unwanted substance. Although air contains lots of microscopic particles, like volcanic dust and tiny sand grains from deserts, this pollution is natural in origin. Man-made pollution of the atmosphere however, is now causing a lot of concern. Most of this air pollution comes from the burning of coal, oil and gas – the fossil fuels – in power stations, factories and homes, and petrol and diesel in cars and other road vehicles. We need energy and electricity to keep us warm and to cook our food, but unfortunately we do not make enough from other non-polluting sources. Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the air. This may be changing the climate and causing global warming. Other pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are also given off. This can reduce the quality of air which we breathe, leading to health problems, and can cause acid rain. Global Warming Global air temperatures as measured by land-based weather stations show an increase of about 0.45 degrees Celsius over the past century. These may be mistakes in data or climatic variation. Satellite data indicate a slight cooling in the climate in the last 18 years. These satellites use advanced technology and are not subject to the â€Å"heat island† effect around major cities that alters ground-based thermometers. Projections of future climate changes are uncertain. Although some computer models predict warming in the next century, these models are very limited. The effects of cloud formations, precipitation, the role of the oceans, or the sun, are still not well known and often inadequately represented in the climate models although all play a major role in determining our climate. Scientists who work on these models are quick to point out that they are far from perfect representations of reality, and are probably not advanced enough for direct use in policy implementation. Interestingly, as the computer climate models have become more sophisticated in recent years, the predicted increase in temperature has been lowered. However, 98% of total global greenhouse gas emissions are natural (mostly water vapour) and only 2% are from man-made sources. Sustained Development Sustainable development is where a population can make developments and improvements to their area or their needs without causing harm to the environment. Sustainable development is all about a greener planet in both developed and developing countries by not polluting the environment and being more energy friendly. Sustainable development is * Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone * Effective protection of the environment * Prudent use of natural resources Sustained development can be achieved by using less fossil fuels and researching into environmentally friendly sources of energy like solar and geothermic sources. Be less wasteful so that we use fewer resources so that they are prolonged and regenerate, find more effective ways of disposing of waste and producing less waste in the first place.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 21

Research - Essay Example In effect, the care that the nurses offer should be based on current knowledge and research that support the delivery of the highest standards of care. It is through research that the nurses develop a strong knowledge base to deliver quality care, The basis of nursing research is scientific facts. The scientific method is a valuable method that supports the gathering of credible information in the research process (Nieswiadomy, 2012). Hence, it is significant to gather evidence in order to conduct and present evidence-based research. The nurses ought to obtain the facts or data in a way devoid of bias in order to minimize the flaws in the research process. In essence, gathering data enables the researchers to evaluate the significance of the information to the issue under investigation. The basis of evidence-based research is the researcher’s ability to review critically and interpret the results in order to contribute knowledge (Stevens, 2013). Such contributions are impossible if one does not gather evidence in the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Medical technology can have long term negative effects for human Essay

Medical technology can have long term negative effects for human populations - Essay Example Furthermore, social customs governing reproduction and technological developments in the areas of medicine and public health directly affect human populations. Indeed, medical technology through improved drugs and other state-of-the-art medical techniques has, questionably, contributed powerful impulse to the increase of human population by decreasing mortality rate, especially among children, and increasing life span (British Broadcasting Corporation, 2007). Medical technology is the diagnostic and/or therapeutic application of scientific breakthrough in the landscape of medicine (Advanced Medical Technology Association, 2004). . The basic objective of medical technology is improvement in health care delivery through early diagnosis, regular and effective patient monitoring, less invasive treatment options and reductions in hospital stays and rehabilitation times (Advanced Medical Technology Association, 2004). It facilitates efficient and effective delivery of a wide range of healt h care products to improve health. At its most advanced level, these technologies include miniature robots capable of performing complex spinal surgery, noninvasive treatment of brain tumors with a focused beam of gamma radiation, and light-activated drugs that target diseased cells. They also include already established techniques such as blood transfusion, radiation therapy, orthopedic surgery and immunology It is claimed that improvements in medical technology have come alongside with an exponential increase in human population (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011). Most often, this increase in population has been attributed to advances in and increased use of medical technology (British Broadcasting Corporation, 2007). Furthermore, it is believed that human population will increase to a point where it will become a threat, not only to humanity, but also to our planet (Food and Agricultural Organization, 2001). Indeed, overpopulation in the animal kingdoms leads to biological issues su ch as unhealthy competition, and ultimately starvation and death (Bureau of Land Management, 2011). Consequently, many people have come to believe that medical technology, which has stimulated population growth, may ultimately lead to the starvation and famine (Food and Agricultural Organization, 2001). Those who held the above opinion fail to recognize that human population is not only controlled by health-care related factors but other factors such as food supply, wars and natural disaster have impact on it. Though medical technology might seem to have some side effects on human population as in the removal of the impact of natural selection, the effect may not be a long term one. Indeed, medical technologies seem to have removed the impact of natural selection on human population. For instance, a diabetic patient, who would have died young, has been aided by medical technologies to survive to the reproductive age, thereby passing the diseased gene to posterity. Why differential r eproductive success does have an effect on natural selection, it corollary, differential survival also plays a role. Thus a diabetic patient who could successfully adapt will definitely survive. Increasing resistance of microbes to antibiotics shows that over time, the

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 5

Management - Essay Example A similar pattern of social influence was also reported by those who were identified as in-group members and as protà ©gà ©s. In-group members and mentored individuals reported greater use of expert and referent power than out-group members and non-mentored people. Further, out-group members and non-mentored individuals both reported a greater use of coercive power than did in-group members and protà ©gà ©s. Research interest in mentor/protà ©gà © relationships developed during the 1980s. It arose largely without articulated conceptual links to other topics in social/organizational psychology such as leadership, social influence, pro-social behavior, or social exchange. The first studies of this developmental relationship were descriptive and exploratory, such as Krams early research (2003) which identified two functions that mentors provide their protà ©gà ©s: career and psychosocial. More recent research (Noe, 1998a, 458) has examined the process and outcome of formal assigned mentor-protà ©gà © pairings and, in particular, the difference in outcomes between formal and naturally developing informal mentoring relationships (Chao, Walz, & Gardner, 2002, 619). Noe (1998b, 68) reviewed work on mentoring as it pertains to womens career development. He recommended clarifying the nature of the mentoring construct, suggesting several research questions about the development and effectiveness of these relationships. Noe also stated that "the use of leader-member exchange theory may further understanding of the dynamics involved in the formation of mentorships" (p. 73). Consistent with Noes recommendations, the present study was designed to investigate the convergence of mentoring relationships with another construct in social/organizational psychology: high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX). To explore the convergence of LMX and mentoring, we propose that

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Code of Professional Conduct Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Code of Professional Conduct - Case Study Example These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An Audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. The company recorded land purchased at $100,000 at appraiser's value of $700,000 in violation of generally accepted accounting principles that such land should be recorded at historical cost of $100,000 only. In our opinion, except for the violation of the generally accepted accounting principles on proper recording of land, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material aspects, the financial position of Graham Company as of December 31, 20XY, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. W... January 10, 20XY ADVERSE OPINION AUDITOR'S REPORT Scope Section We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Graham Company as of December 31, 20XY, and the related statements of income, retained earnings, and cash flows for the year then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An Audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Middle Section The company recorded land purchased at $100,000 at appraiser's value of $700,000 in violation of generally accepted accounting principles that such land should be recorded at historical cost of $100,000 only.Opinion sectionIn our opinion, because of the material effects of the violation of generally accepted accounting principles in the recording of land, the financial statements referred to above do not present fairly the financial position of Graham Company as of December 31, 20XY, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended. Los Angeles, California

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Introduction to Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Introduction to Marketing - Essay Example To support this idea, in a 2006 article entitled A Look at the New Marketing Landscape, a study conducted by GlobalSpec revealed that there is a potential increase in online marketing spending (n.p.). In U.S. industrial and manufacturing sectors alone, there were 56 percent of these communities who have already signalled their intention to do so, while 7 percent plan to reduce marketing spending (A Look at the New Marketing Landscape, n.p.). As such, in Lee Traupel's The New Marketing Landscape, he named some emerging marketing patterns used to advertise businesses online such as "opt-in email campaigns, webcasts, search engine optimization and marketing, as well as portal site media and newsletter sponsorships" (n.p.). The use of these patterns is necessary to maintain business success since there are tons of companies online, where a lot of them offer the same products and seek the same audience (Ezilon.com, 2006, n.p.). Not all companies use the same marketing strategies though. Depending on their needs, businesses choose only those that are more appropriate to them. In the case of opt-in email campaigns, Dr Dave Chaffey asserts that its use has become ordinary for businesses because of its worldwide usage.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Cultural Impacts of Sino-Japanese War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cultural Impacts of Sino-Japanese War - Essay Example At the same time as both - China and Japan - had benefited from a mostly symbiotic, i"big brother-little brother" rapport in prehistoric times, and the twist of the 20th century marked the commencement of their disturbed rapport up to now. Japan's imperialist triumph over China in the earliest Sino-Japanese War (1894-1985) upturned China's preceding supremacy within the bond and lay down the tenor for Japan's domination over China for the century ahead. China's consequential bearing of Achilles' heel and persecution was worsened by enforced lenience to Japan at the "Versailles Peace Conference post-World War I"ii, which sparkled crowded anti-Japanese lobbies terminating in the 'May Fourth Movement of 1919' and a countrywide imposed sanctions of Japanese merchandise that pursued (Shih 1986). Later on, Japanese carnage in the following Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) also seeded crowded anti-Japanese movements and cemented China's hatred of Japan, eventually fueling the anti-Japanese con stituents of Chinese jingoism. Till 2005, 'the Rape of Nanjing of December 1937'iii - the most horrible single event of Japanese bloodbath in China, where 300,000 Chinese nationals were cruelly assassinated throughout six weeks - persisted to exist on in Chinese reminiscences as a mark of Japanese brutality and a stimulation for continuous anti-Japanese ways of thinking in China these days (Backman 2005). The intensifying Sino-Japanese conflict is driven both by larger historical factors and by East Asia's changing strategic balance. World War II and the Cold War left the Sino-Japanese rivalry unresolved (Backman 2005). Japan's surrender in 1945 did not result in regional reconciliation or integration in East Asia, or a common acceptance within Japan of the ravages perpetrated by the imperialistic regime. Although most Japanese supported the U.S.-created peace establishment and vowed never again to engage in warfare, the values, perceptions, and leaders of the period of imperial expansion were not categorically washed their hands of, as their fascist equivalents had been in Europe. This was partly the result of U.S. decisions to retain the emperor and permit politicians and bureaucrats associated with the imperial wartime regime to regain positions and organize political parties in the "new" postwar Japan (McCluskey 1999). More broadly, postwar Japanese society did not entirely jettis on its distorted self-image of Japan as a struggling Asian nation beset by Western imperialists and eventually forced into a defensive war. Many Japanese also prefer to see themselves as victims of the war and not as aggressors, largely as a result of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Moreover, the Communist victory in China in 1949iv created lasting geopolitical divisions between the two Asian powers that made reconciliation even more difficult. In order to strengthen their own nationalist credentials, the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) deliberately sought to sustain and strengthen a public image of Japan as a potentially aggressive, militaristic nation. During the Cold War, the U.S.-Soviet strategic conflict in East Asia not only overshadowed but effectively

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Positive changes to the communication environment Essay Example for Free

Positive changes to the communication environment Essay There are many positive changes to the communication environment which can be made to support the communication development of children with BSED, and some have already been outlined in Assessment 2.2 and 2.3. Other positive changes may include using visual support in the form of picture cards, makaton signs or even pointing to objects when speaking. This gives further clarification to our speech and helps a child with communication difficulties understand what is being taught or requested of them, which in turn will prevent any confusion and misunderstanding which could lead to undesired behavior being displayed. To assist a child’s understanding of our instructions, we should also speak clearly and slowly, using simple age appropriate language in simple sentence structures. Asking the child to reiterate what is being asked of them can help ensure they understand, although in some children they may not have the vocabulary to do this. With those children, we could demonstrate our request i.e. asking ‘please help tidy up’ can be reinforced by picking up blocks and putting them in the box and indicating for the child to assist. In older children using written and verbal language, we should again ensure they understand by reading through any signs or written documents with them, pointing out and explaining any key words and reiterating any importance. Similarly, storage for toys and equipment could be labeled with words and pictures, so each child knows where items belong when they need to be put away, and also where to find them if they need them. Staff, including volunteers could offer regular one to one direct support to the child for their communication skills whether this is assistance with reading or phonics. This allows the child to learn in a quieter and less pressured environment and gives them extra precious time to potentially develop the skills which their peers already have. All staff should be given extra training and be made more aware of the difficulties that children with  SLCN and BSED experience in order to offer extra support successfully. As already mentioned, creating a calmer and quieter environment with fewer distractions can help most people concentrate better, but will work exceptionally well for a child who is already easily distracted due to their BSED. Minimal distractions allow the adult to spend more quality time supporting the child, making it easier to communicate as the child is more focused and therefore more receptive to learning. In any environment there needs to be clear boundaries and rules, and these need to be made easy to understand and achieve for children of all ages and abilities. A consistent approach to dealing with conflicts regarding rules helps to avoid any misunderstanding for the child. As already mentioned, a child seeking attention will gain this in the way easiest to him or her, and if attention is usually only given following negative behavior, then this how the child is likely to behave. Positive encouragement and praise should be given as often and as emphasized as negative comments as this will help the child acknowledge that good behaviour is just as, if not more so rewarded than undesirable behaviour. Unfortunately in society there is a stigma attached to people with SCLN and/or BSED, and a less than favourable opinion can be formed by a child when witnessing how an adult deals with a child’s behaviour. It is therefore imperative that we show no discrimination towards a child with SLCN or BSED, nor make them feel any different or inferior to their peers. All children can benefit from having information clarified and reiterated especially rules and boundaries, so this doesn’t need to be a direct communication just towards the child with extra needs. If a child is made to feel different than their peers in a classroom, they may react to this in a negative manner as it accentuates their extra needs and draws attention to them which may be unwanted. Their reactions may be to become more withdrawn and show less pro-social skills, or to display disruptive or even aggressive behaviour in order to express their feelings of upset. A child with BSED and communication difficulties may not understand their work or what is required of them and we must encourage ways of the child asking for help, as well as  us pro offering support. One way to do this within a classroom environment could be to use playing cards, with each pupil having a card each, and if they require help they can turn the card over on their desk, so only the teacher can see, avoiding drawing attention to themselves by having to put their hand up and request help and reducing any embarrassment they may feel. Simple reward charts work well with most children but need to be realistic regarding expectations and consistent in recognizing achievements. This could be done as an overall class chart or individual charts for each child aimed at specific development areas. The school my 5 year old daughter attends uses a ‘traffic light’ system to acknowledge good and negative behaviour. All children begin with their name tag on green, however if negative behaviour is witnessed then they move to amber – if the behaviour improves, they move back to green, if it proceeds as negative behaviour then move to red. Each time a child moves to amber, they lose 5 minutes from their playtime, and if on red, they lose their ‘golden’ free play time on a Friday. If the child is on green all week, they receive a treat on a Friday (usually a sweet, lollipop etc) and for those displaying exceptional hard work or efforts, a certificate of merit is given. The children respond well to this as their ‘punishment’ for negative behaviour is immediate (or as near as can be) so they quickly learn to display alternative behaviour. It is important to remember that a child with BSED may not recognize boundaries and the cause and effect of their behaviour or a reward scheme and therefore a tailored approach would be required. Teaching a child with BSED techniques on how to deal with their emotions before they reach a crisis point can help the child manage their behaviour and develop their emotional and social skills at the same time as their communication skills. Ways of doing this could include teaching the child a way in which to communicate to their key worker or teacher that they require help or that they are angry or frustrated. This allows the key worker or teacher to support the child before the feelings escalate. Other ways may include helping the child to use a ‘time out’ facility whereby when the child is feeling anxious or angry, they go to a quiet corner until they feel calmer and someone can support them. Using play or activities which the child has a specific interest in (or even using favourite toys or characters within the activity) will help the child maintain their interest and allow them further opportunities to interact, increasing their communication and social skills. Finally, reiterating the day’s timeline can help children understand what is happening next or when certain activities will take place. Many young children have little concept of time, and for a child who is unsettled and finding it difficult to conform to the boundaries within the setting, it may help them feel more at ease and less anxious if they know what to expect next. The timeline could be repeated verbally or simple pictures could be displayed to show what activity will be happening soon i.e. lunchtime (a picture of a sandwich and drink), outdoor play (picture of trees and a ball) or home time (a picture of a coat). Many different ways can be implemented but they may require a lot of time, and a great deal of extra effort from staff before a child begins to display any positive changes and this should be taken into account before deciding that a specific strategy appears to not be working.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

An Analysis Of Market Segmentation Of Ikea And Bandq Marketing Essay

An Analysis Of Market Segmentation Of Ikea And Bandq Marketing Essay In 1958, Ingvar Kamprad founded the first IKEA store in Almhult, Sweden. So far, IKEA is the largest and most international furniture emporium, globally. (IKEA, 2010 a). As the biggest competitor of IKEA, BQ is a leading company in home decoration and gardening in Europe. It was founded by Richard Block and David Quayle in Portswood, Southampton in 1969. Presently, there are above 60 stores around the world, among which, the largest one in Beijing. (BQ, 2010 a) 1.2 Theory Market segmentation is classifying consumers into groups according to their characteristics (Hall et al, 2008) and set certain groups as targets. Market segmentation consists of four types, including geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioral type. (Hall et al, 2008). Another concept concerned with market segmentation is marketing mix. It is important in marketing strategy, with a goal of satisfying consumers needs. It is also recognized as the 4Ps, consisting of product, price, place and promotion. (Hall et al, 2008). 1.3 Aims The objective of this report is to analyze how IKEA and BQ deal with marketing mix and marketing segmentation. In addition, the emphasis of this report is how these two companies differentiate products to different targeted segments, as well as how they combine market segmentation with marketing mix to make profits. Findings Market Segmentation IKEA targets young and fashionable people as its main consumers; in particular those love modern furniture and accessories. Therefore, its products are more colorful and novel. In addition, IKE fixes the products prices at a lower level, which is quite attracting for the average consumers, such as white-collars. (IKEA, 2010 b) Different from IKEA, BQ is specialized in one stop shopping, in which, customers can buy most decorations and accessaries they want in one store. Furthermore, BQ has professional teams to help customers designing and decorating in their own styles. The aim of this service is to provide convenience for customers who do not have much time to deal with decoration. (BQ, 2010 b) 2.1.1Comparison In comparison, IKEAs targets are mainly young people who love innovative items, while BQ focuses on one stop shopping with people who have not much spare time as its major consumers. Furthermore, the IKEA products are mostly shown as models, which are fixed and limited. However, customers are able to buy raw materials from BQ and make any product. Marketing Mix 2.2.1 Product As a total concept, product refers to all merchandises and services provided by a business. Therefore, product is more than physical stuffs sold by stores (Hall et al, 2008). IKEAs major products are furniture, such as kitchen modules, bathroom facilities, lighting equipment, sofas and textiles. (IKEA, 2010 b) It has outstanding quality and a special name to every product, and offers a wide range of home furnishings with best aesthetic designs and functions at reasonable prices. (IKEA, 2010 b) BQ stores supply with around 40,000 products for home fittings, such as lights, door handles and lawnmowers. (BQ, 2010a) Its selling point is a variety of products for home decoration. Moreover, BQ has professional teams to help personalized designing. (BQ, 2010 c) 2.2.1.1 Comparison The products of Both BQ and IKEA are complementary. They provide a full range of products, as well as professional designers. However, a most significant difference between them is that, IKEA only sells finished products, whereas BQ provides raw materials as well. 2.2.2 Place There are around 330 IKEA stores in 38 countries. (IKEA, 2010d) For all of them, the products are displayed in a clear and scientific classification. Further, there are floor pained arrows to lead consumers quickly find the items they need. For example, all the products for a room are shown visually by being placed a single model room. (Guangzhou IKEA, 2010) Besides entity stores, IKEA also allows consumers to do e-shopping on its website with an easy reviewing of the details of the products. As for BQ, there are 371 stores in total, with 41 stores in China. According to statistical data, there are over three million customers walking into BQ per week. In addition, it has a website for consumers to search the details of their products. (BQ, 2010a) Moreover, BQs operating system is GMS (General Merchandise Store), thus all products in BQ are placed on shelves for consumers to choose freely. (BQ, nd) 2.2.2.1 Comparison Both of two companies sell products mainly in stores. Besides, they both open stores in areas with large population. Moreover, the two companies have websites to offer online shopping. On the other hand, one of the differences is their operating modes. The IKEA stores have scientifically classified all products so that consumers can quickly and easily find what they need. In contrast, the BQ stores are the GMS (General Merchandise Store) mode. 2.2.3 Promotion Promotion is to propagandize products through all measures available (Hall et al, 2008). The basic promotional tool of IKEA is its free catalogue with a list of its products. The IKEA Catalogue includes commodities details, such as colors, sizes and prices. (IKEA, 2010 e) It is worthy to mention that, IKEA also established a group named Social Initiative, aiming at strengthening the relationship between IKEA and the society. This group works together with UNICEF and Save the Children, with the purpose of giving all children a better life. (IKEA, 2010 f) Discount is an effective promotion BQ uses to attract consumers. Similar to IKEA, BQ also has policies to show its social responsibility. As for this, BQ makes great efforts on environment protection in the procedures of product design, packaging and the use of materials. To some extent, advocating environmental products is also a useful promotion skill of BQ. (BQ, 2010 e) 2.2.3.1 Comparison Both IKEA and BQ construct their own websites to introduce their commodities and offer consumers with e-shopping service. BQs most frequently used promotional measure is discounting, while IKEA publicizes its products by free catalogue. In order to fulfill their social duties, they both have actions in making contribution to the society. Although their promotional measures are different, they have the same purpose to create more profits. 2.2.4 Price The price is simply the amount of money that consumers pay to gain the benefits of the product (Hall et al, 2008). The prices of IKEAs products are set reasonably. It adopts innovative manufacturing techniques to products at a lower cost. Consumers choosing, assembling and transporting products by themselves can reduce the price. (OPPAPERS, 2010) One method IKEA uses is mantissa pricing, fixing the prices with 9s, such as 299, 699 and 799 yuan, giving customers an impression of cheapness. (Guangzhou IKEA, 2010) BQ fixes most commodities with appropriate prices for the average consumer. Besides, it also offers discount to attract consumers. Furthermore, BQ offers installment payment service, which is another effective promotion strategy. (BQ, 2010 c) 2.2.4.1 Comparison According to OPPAPERS (2010) and BQ (2010c), both of them set the prices of their products reasonable and appropriate. The prices of BQ products are a little lower than IKEAs. However, IKEAs consumers do not need to pay extra charges for assistance and transportation, which is a quite attracting policy. In contrast, BQ has more beneficial services such as discounting and installment payment. Conclusion 3.1 Summary In conclusion, both IKEA and BQ are successful furniture sales enterprises. They divide their consumers into groups in accordance with types of market segmentation: demographics, psychographics and behavioral. The differences in 4Ps between IKEA and BQ were also discussed in the paper. Moreover, although the IKEA products prices are higher than BQ, their products and locations are similar. Besides, they both have various promotional skills, such as discounting and installation service. 3.2 Recommendation Although both of these two companies have large sales volumes, it is still a necessity to enhance marketing mix, for their installation service charges are slightly higher than peoples expectation. The sales volume could be better if they can reduce the price to some extent. On the other hand, it is suggested that BQs products could be more fashionable and colorful in order to attract younger consumers. It is also recommended that the two companies perform routine market research so as to know well of consumers feedbacks.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Effects of Music on Human Behaviour

Effects of Music on Human Behaviour Zahira Amir Ali Khalfan ABSTRACT This paper explores the relationship between music and human behavior and its role in treating the mentally ill patients for healthy recovery. Being a student nurse the topic is very significant for my learning. The paper is a part of my Behavioral Psychology Course at the Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM), Karachi, Pakistan. The paper will begin with brief description about relationship between music and human behavior, its importance, bio-psycho-social perspectives and types of music in the light of literature reviewed. In the end, the paper will be summarized and will propose music therapy as a significant strategy in psychiatric recovery. Key words: music, human behavior, music therapy INRODUCTION While observing the Creation of Universe and the evolution of human beings, music is basic, which is reflected in the chirping of birds, giggling of babies and lullaby of mothers or love of fathers. These emotions are predominantly expressed in the common language called music. Music is everywhere, far and wide and it is not just contemplation but is a reality. Today in the world of enchantment, it is the means of entertainment (Parrott, 2009). Thus music has directly or indirectly influenced every human being in shaping his/her behavior. BODY Every person in this universe lives due to Almighty’s creativity and thereby religions are formed to praise Him. The impact of music on religions is boundless. Parrott (2009) while seconding Bhakthi Sankeertan in his book ‘Healing through Music’ says, â€Å"From ancient times, music is something that has put people in touch with their innermost feelings. Different kinds of music work upon different emotions of an individual and release the various incomplete emotions leading towards a total healing of body and mind†. Parrott (2009) cited Steven Fischbacker who writes in his paper â€Å"Music and Spirituality† that music helps to retrieve memories when you see an object which you had associated to form a memory. Cooling (1996) suggests three ‘E’ words viz. explore, engage and express which connects music with spirit. Music is played in festivals to express worship. In Judaism â€Å"Music is the pulse of Jewish spirituality – song charts the biorhythms of the Jewish Soul.† (Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks cited in Cooling, 1996). In Christianity music unites people and everyone recites holy songs as being one. In Islam it is a harmony of life. It is inspired by the recitation of Holy Quran and Devotional Literature in Sufism in Islam. In Hinduism, music is considered as the tune and rhythm of the Lord (Parrot, 2009). Music on the one hand is a union of sound and lyrics. (Trappe, 2012). On the other hand it is an approach towards physical mental and social aspects of a human behavior which reflects throughout his life (Kagan, 2013). When a piece of music is composed by a human, it somehow or other, sways one’s behavior which ultimately gives rise to personality development. Pursuant to Music theory, (Leibniz, 1712) a person who is able to play an instrument according to its learnt elements has truly understood the music, but the limitation to this theory is that, it does not explain what a brain perceives and how a person acts over it. Another explanation is that, music is subjective. You cannot tell the meaning of the word â€Å"music†, rather than that you simply play it and make others understand the essence of it. Some say that music is poetic (Leibniz 1712). According to scientific analysis, music is a way to socialize with others, to recreate sexual desires, to form a language and a way of communication for antenatal mothers with their babies. The most common view is that music is an effect of sound created by humans which rejuvenates the environment. (Dorrell, 2006). Psycho musicologist Aristoxenus cited in Butler (1982) says that music is a human effort formed according to one’s sensory abilities and its disclosure should be worthw hile. According to Pavlovian classical conditioning in Vedantam, 2007, when unconditioned stimuli e.g. any work that we perform, combines with conditioned stimuli like music, the conditioned response that we obtain is the desired behavior i.e. whenever we listen to that music we start performing our work. (Vedantam, 2007). Music has a great importance on all accounts of human life including health. Music motivates to have greater self-reliance, confidence; help to form belongings and work in collaboration with others e.g. group of people giving efforts in an orchestra to make it an achievement. (Henley, 2011) Music is a key to understand emotions and feelings. We start understanding the meaning of lyrics when we turn into a teenager which creates an enormous impact on our future. (Vedantam, 2007). A study was done related to lyrical music influencing individual’s mood and helping behaviors. People with prosocial lyrics had positive whereas people with antisocial lyrics had negative behaviors. No convincing statistics were found for helping behaviors but it does not mean that music can’t generate willingness to help. (Ganser et al, 2010). Value of music in academic point of view is astonishing. It is the best way of communication by which children improve their social skills and learning and bring up their self esteem on a higher level. According to a research done by Henley (2012), it was reported that music enhances the reading skills to improve vocabulary. It also helps in solving mathematical problems and improves one’s IQ. It makes a child more imaginative and creative. It is not just for the sake of entertainment rather, it gives an opportunity to pursue it as a profession. For some students it helps to excess in their academics whereas on the contrary it’s a great distraction. (Fatima, 2013). If we look towards the physical, mental and social aspects of a human being throughout his/her journey of existence for development and growth, effect of music is very far reaching. Music lowers blood pressure and improves heart rate variability to reduce stress, depression, anxiety, muscle tension, pain and sudden infant death (Trappe, 2012). A brief pause between two musical notes stimulates neural activity which sharpens cognition and memory and strong beats brings alertness when these beats synchronize with action potential. (Fatima, 2013).It decreases pre-surgery anxiety to the same extent as medications do. Association towards music changes with different stages of life. The most enjoyed music in adulthood improves mood, motivates for socialization and boosts energy. It has been observed that hearing is the last sense that remains for few seconds even when other body parts cease to work, therefore, music is a beautiful source of rejoice for chronically ill or dying patients in their end times (Trappe, 2012). It is also presumed that music runs in families; most of the time it is inherited, but it can be learned as well. (Henley, 2012). There are manifold types of music that precipitates behavior. Classical music is the most beneficial in treating patients with variant diseases. Popular music increases motivation and mood. Meditative music is for spiritual upliftment and relaxation. Hip hop and rap music is less effective than Jazz music which is more pleasing to human senses. Latin-American music heightens positive mood, motivation and keeps active. Folk music adds to augment intelligence, protection and confidence. (Trappe, 2012). Sad music is the root of expression in depressed patients. (Bodner at el, 2007). During my clinical rotation in one of the Psychiatric and Rehabilitation centers in Karachi, I, along with my other colleagues, arranged a musical therapy for patients with mental illness. In collaboration with the patients, they played different instruments and sang songs of their interests. Most of the patients sung depressed and displeasing songs as they were away from their homes. In consequence we concluded that music impacted their interaction, expression of feelings and helped us understand patient’s intrapsyche with the type of song they select to sing. Accordingly we concluded to select that strategy which could help them to recover fast. Looking towards the historical background of music therapy, ÇamsarÄ ±, (2009) seconds Tyson (1981) that after World War II, musicians went to the military hospitals to apply music as a therapy and this lead to the foundation of music as a profession. One of the expressive therapies is music therapy that intends to show free extemporization for a therapeutic change in patients through patient-therapist interactions. It is a technique of ‘self-projection and free association’ to have connection with emotional memories (Erkkilà ¤ et al, 2011).It aids to achieve individual ambitions in assistance with a licensed professional. (American Music Therapy association, 2007). It is a nonverbal and verbal processing along with physical act (e.g. playing instruments) for expressing feelings by provoking unconscious psyche of an individual. (Erkkilà ¤ et al, 2011 Malchiodi 2005). The essential of musical session includes composing, playing musical instruments and enjoying it fully (Fatima, 2013). It brings an insight in psychopathologies. (Erkkilà ¤ et al, 2011). Research confirms that it treats Parkinson’s disease by improving motor skills and emotional issues (Trappe, 2012). It reduces stress hormone (cortisol) in dep ressed adolescence. (Field at el, 1998). Similarly schizophrenic symptoms also improve after 10 therapy sessions for short term whereas long term effect should be further researched. (Gold, 2007, Pavlicevic et al, 1994 You et al, 2002). Music has remarkably reduced patients’ negative thoughts and reduced isolation. It has no side effects and less expensive therefore should be extensively used. (Tang at el, 1994 Ulrich, 2007).Group music therapy transmutes annoyances and anger into inventiveness and enables self-expressions. (Montello at el, 1998). It helps in treating physical handicaps and drug abuse (Fatima, 2013). ÇamsarÄ ± (2009) seconds Gold et al 2009 that music improves communication in Autism. Types of music therapies which help to modify human behavior include Background Music Therapy, Contemplative Music Therapy, Combined Music Therapy, Executive Music Therapy, Executive Iatromusic Therapy, and Creative Music Therapy. (ÇamsarÄ ±, 2009). According to Fatima (2013), clinical Psychologist Qudsia Mehmood states that Pakistani population lacks the awareness about the significance of music therapy. Fatima (2013) cited Mr. Sohail Khan as he had established Music therapy center in Karachi, Pakistan and has widely worked on â€Å"The Prism Project, A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Music in Education† .He states that he is the first music therapist in Pakistan and his goal is to establish such institutions where he can train psychologists related to how effectively they can use music therapy for the betterment of Pakistani society. (Fatima, 2013). It is unpredictable to assume that the music chosen by the therapist is pleasing to the patient or not. Malchiodi (2005) seconds Feder (1998) that music therapy is given after assessing individual preferences and past experiences as, right type of music can alleviate and wrong type of music can aggravate the symptoms. Also, to take an account of music therapy into regular therapy programs for rapid recovery (ÇamsarÄ ±, 2009). A role of therapist is to use music with reflective exercise. (Erkkilà ¤ et al, 2011). CONCLUSION The field of music is indispensable yet unexplored in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. Music has a therapeutic power to heal many chronic patients, including those suffering from mental illness. My experience working with these patients at the Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Center, Karachi, states that there is a very close relationship of music with human behavior. There is a need to introduce music in nursing education, to enhance understanding of these professional care takers to help patients improve positive behavior. Also there is a need to include it as foremost priority in other educational institutions in our country, from the time of early childhood development till the education continues, because the behavior formed in the early childhood is crucial for future adult life. REFERENCES Hans-Joachim Trappe, H.J.T., (2012). Music and medicine: The effects of music on the human being. Applied Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology. 16, pp.133-142 Philip Dorrell. (30th April 2006). What is music? Retrieved from http://whatismusic.info/articles/TheQuestionWhatIsMusic.html Irving A. Taylor and Frances Paperte, (Dec., 1958). Current Theory and Research in the Effects of Music on Human Behavior. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. Vol. 17, No. 2, pp.251-258 Published by: Wiley Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/427527 Jaakko Erkkilà ¤, J.K., Marko Punkanen, M.P., Jà ¶rg Fachner, J.F., Esa Ala-Ruona, E.A.R., Inga Pà ¶ntià ¶, I.P., Mari Tervaniemi, M.T., Mauno Vanhala M.V., Christian Gold C.G., (2011). Individual music therapy for depression: randomized controlled trial. The British journal of Psychiatry. 199, pp.132-139 Gold, C , (2007). Music therapy improves symptoms in adults hospitalized with schizophrenia. Evidence-Based Mental Health. . 10 (3), pp.77 Gold, C., Heldal, T. O., Dahle, T., Wigram, T., (2005). Music therapy for schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like illnesses. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,. 3 Pavlicevic, M., Trevarthen, C., Duncan, J. (1994). Improvisational music therapy and the rehabilitation of persons suffering from chronic schizophrenia. Journal of Music Therapy, 31(2), 86–104. Silverman, M. J, (2003). The influence of music on the symptoms of psychosis: A meta-analysis. Journal of Music Therapy. 40 (1), pp.27-40 Tang, W., Yao, X., Zheng, Z., (1994). ). Rehabilitative effect of music therapy for residual schizophrenia: A one-month randomized controlled trial in Shanghai. . British Journal of Psychiatry. 165 (24), pp.38-44 Thaut, M. H, (1989). The influence of music therapy interventions on self-rated changes in relaxation, affect, and thought in psychiatric prisoner-patients. Journal of Music Therapy. (26), pp.155-166 Ulrich, G., Houtmans, T., Gold C. , (2007). The additional therapeutic effect of group music therapy for schizophrenic patients: a randomized study. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 166 (5) You, Z. Y., Wang, J. Z, (2002). Meta-analysis of assisted music therapy for chronic schizophrenia. of Evidence-Based Medicine, Shandong University China. 24 (6), pp.564–567 Field, T., Martinez, A., Nawrocki, T., Pickens, J., Fox, N. A., Schanberg, S. , (1998). Music shifts frontal EEG in depressed adolescents. Adolescence. 33 (129), pp.109–116. Montello, L. M., Coons, E. E., (1998). Effect of active versus passive group music therapy on preadolescents with emotional, learning, and behavioral disorders. Journal of Music Therapy. 35, pp.49-67 Bodner, E., Iancu, J., Gilboa, A., Sarel, A., Mazor, A., Amir, D., (2007). Finding words for emotions: The reactions of patients with major depressive disorder towards various musical excerpts. Arts in Psychotherapy. 34 (2) Leardi, S., Pietroletti, R., Angeloni, G., Necozione, S., Ranalletta, G., Del Gusto B. , (2007). Randomized clinical trial examining the effect of music therapy in stress response to day surgery. British Journal of Surgery. 94 (8) Pellitier, C. L. (2004). The effect of music on decreasing arousal due to stress: A meta-analysis. Journal of Music Therapy, 42, 192-214. Silverman, M.J., (2006). Psychiatric patients perception of music therapy and other psycho educational programming. Journal of Music Therapy. 43 (2) Weber, S. (1996). The effects of relaxation exercises on anxiety levels in psychiatric inpatients. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 14(3), 196–205. Darren Henley, D.H., (2012). The importance of music: A national plan for music education. 1st ed. England. Cathy. A. Malchiodi, C.A.M., (2005). History, Theory, and Practice. In: Cathy A. Malchiodi (Ed), Expressive Therapies. 1st Ed. New York: Guilford Publications. Pp.1-15. David Butler, D.B., (01 October 1982). Music Theory, Theories of Music, and Systematic Musicology. Journal of the collage music society. 22, pp.1-15, Retrieved from: http://symposium.music.org/index.php?option=com_k2view=itemid=1933:music-theory-theories-of-music-and-systematic-musicologyItemid=124 Bushra Fatima, B.F., 1st December, 2013. Health Music Therapy – What is it and How to get it in? Blush, retrieved from: http://blush.com.pk/music-therapy-in-pakistan Dr. UlaÃ…Å ¸ M. ÇamsarÄ ±, U.M.C., (17 June, 2009). Music therapy in psychiatry. Department of psychiatry, Cleveland clinic. Jerome Kagan, J.K., (3rd July 2013). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/275332/human-behaviour Shankar Vedantam, S.V. (January 22, 2007). Science: Music, Memory and Human Behavior. Retrieved from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/01/18/DI2007011801190.html Christina m. Trahin, C.M.T. Dr. Marilyn ryan-advisor, M.R.A., (December 2011). Effects of group music therapy on psychiatric patients: Depression, anxiety and relationships, pp.1-55 Ruth Parrott, R.P., (July 2009). The Importance of Music in Different Religions, pp.1-81 Jaden Ganser, J.G. Fareen Huda, F.H., (2010). Music’s Effect on Mood and Helping Behavior. Journal of Undergraduate Research, 13, pp.1-5 1 | Page

Thursday, September 19, 2019

How To Fight In Hockey Successfully :: essays research papers

How to Fight in Hockey Successfully   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sometimes hockey players lose their cool on the ice and get into a fight with an opponent. The fights look spontaneous and unplanned, but there are many techniques and tricks that will help a player to be a better fighter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a fight begins, the first thing to do is to drop your stick and gloves onto the ice. It is always better to punch with your bare fists so it hurts the opponent more. Also, it is easier to grab with your bare hands. Next, you must rip off the opponents helmet by grabbing the back of the helmet and pulling it toward yourself. Once you have the helmet off, the real rumble begins. From this point on in the scuffle, there are a few very successful techniques used by the best of the pros to win the fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One very good way to win is to, first, punch the opponent in the stomach so he bends over toward you. Next, grab the bottom of the back side of his jersey and forcefully pull it over his head. By pulling the jersey over the opposition's head, you make it so he can't see or move his arms very well. With the jersey over his head, you can finish the fight by throwing the punches that you throw the hardest to your opponent's face and stomach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another good technique is to grab the opponent's collar of his jersey right below his chin with one hand and pull him foreword quickly. While you slam him forward, use your other hand to punch him in the face. This technique hurts the opponent the most because his momentum moving toward you makes the blow twice as hard as an ordinary punch. Continue to use this technique over and over until the fight is done. The opponent usually will not know where he is, so it will be a fairly easy fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Along with the previous techniques, there are also a few tips that will help you out. First of all, avoid throwing your opponent on to the ice. When you do this, the referees can easily break up the brawl. Also, always keep your hands up to be able to block blows to the face and head area. Lastly, try not to pull the opponent's hair. This is considered to be very cheap in a hockey fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a final note, by following all these tips and techniques, you will be

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Social Issued of America :: essays research papers

This past week I attended the play, â€Å"Revolution: A Song of Black Freedom† and I was very impressed on how it played out. The words of this play were written by Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. This play displayed a lot of the different poems that were written by Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes. I thought it was a very good tribute to the lives of Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. It showed how theiy used their gift of writing to help and encourage African American people back in mid 1900’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This play was about an hour long and full of interesting poems by Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. The poems that they recited went right along with each other. One poem led to another and so on. Some of the poems that were recited that were by Maya Angelou were, â€Å"The Heart Of a Woman,† â€Å"Gather Together In My Name,† â€Å"A Brave and Startling Truth,† and many more. Some of the famous poems that were recited and played out by Langston Hughes were â€Å"I Wonder as I Wander,† â€Å"The Ways of White Folks,† and â€Å"The Dream Keeper.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of the actors recited and acted every poem out very well. Each actor had his or her own poem and they acted it out. The actors were Ina Houston, Shayla Jarvis, Charles Gardner, and Jessica East. Each actor seemed to have their own style or character in the play. Jessica East had on the tight, short shorts with a small tight shirt. I portrayed her as being a stuck up girl who was very interested in guys. She said most of the poems that were about how beautiful women were and how they should be portrayed in the eyes of men. She had somewhat of a sexy walk when she walked around the stage and she flirted with the only guy that was on stage. Ina Houston was a very interesting character. She was a very energetic person who ran, screamed, and jumped all over the theatre. She said most of the poems that needed to have a lot of emphasis on them. On one poem, she jumped up out of one of the chairs on stage, then she ran up the stairs in the audience screaming the poem, then ran across the back of the auditorium and back down to the stage. On another one of the poems that she recited, she got emotional because the poem was very toughing.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty

Jon Are you well, Snow?† Lord Mormont asked, scowling. â€Å"Well,† his raven squawked. â€Å"Well.† â€Å"I am, my lord,† Jon lied . . . loudly, as if that could make it true. â€Å"And you?† Mormont frowned. â€Å"A dead man tried to kill me. How well could I be?† He scratched under his chin. His shaggy grey beard had been singed in the fire, and he'd hacked it off. The pale stubble of his new whiskers made him look old, disreputable, and grumpy. â€Å"You do not look well. How is your hand?† â€Å"Healing.† Jon flexed his bandaged fingers to show him. He had burned himself more badly than he knew throwing the flaming drapes, and his right hand was swathed in silk halfway to the elbow. At the time he'd felt nothing; the agony had come after. His cracked red skin oozed fluid, and fearsome blood blisters rose between his fingers, big as roaches. â€Å"The maester says I'll have scars, but otherwise the hand should be as good as it was before.† â€Å"A scarred hand is nothing. On the Wall, you'll be wearing gloves often as not.† â€Å"As you say, my lord.† It was not the thought of scars that troubled Jon; it was the rest of it. Maester Aemon had given him milk of the poppy, yet even so, the pain had been hideous. At first it had felt as if his hand were still aflame, burning day and night. Only plunging it into basins of snow and shaved ice gave any relief at all. Jon thanked the gods that no one but Ghost saw him writhing on his bed, whimpering from the pain. And when at last he did sleep, he dreamt, and that was even worse. In the dream, the corpse he fought had blue eyes, black hands, and his father's face, but he dared not tell Mormont that. â€Å"Dywen and Hake returned last night,† the Old Bear said. â€Å"They found no sign of your uncle, no more than the others did.† â€Å"I know.† Jon had dragged himself to the common hall to sup with his friends, and the failure of the rangers' search had been all the men had been talking of. â€Å"You know,† Mormont grumbled. â€Å"How is it that everyone knows everything around here?† He did not seem to expect an answer. â€Å"It would seem there were only the two of . . . of those creatures, whatever they were, I will not call them men. And thank the gods for that. Any more and . . . well, that doesn't bear thinking of. There will be more, though. I can feel it in these old bones of mine, and Maester Aemon agrees. The cold winds are rising. Summer is at an end, and a winter is coming such as this world has never seen.† Winter is coming. The Stark words had never sounded so grim or ominous to Jon as they did now. â€Å"My lord,† he asked hesitantly, â€Å"it's said there was a bird last night . . . â€Å" â€Å"There was. What of it?† â€Å"I had hoped for some word of my father.† â€Å"Father,† taunted the old raven, bobbing its head as it walked across Mormont's shoulders. â€Å"Father.† The Lord Commander reached up to pinch its beak shut, but the raven hopped up on his head, fluttered its wings, and flew across the chamber to light above a window. â€Å"Grief and noise,† Mormont grumbled. â€Å"That's all they're good for, ravens. Why I put up with that pestilential bird . . . if there was news of Lord Eddard, don't you think I would have sent for you? Bastard or no, you're still his blood. The message concerned Ser Barristan Selmy. It seems he's been removed from the Kingsguard. They gave his place to that black dog Clegane, and now Selmy's wanted for treason. The fools sent some watchmen to seize him, but he slew two of them and escaped.† Mormont snorted, leaving no doubt of his view of men who'd send gold cloaks against a knight as renowed as Barristan the Bold. â€Å"We have white shadows in the woods and unquiet dead stalking our halls, and a boy sits the Iron Throne,† he said in disgust. The raven laughed shrilly. â€Å"Boy, boy, boy, boy.† Ser Barristan had been the Old Bear's best hope, Jon remembered; if he had fallen, what chance was there that Mormont's letter would be heeded? He curled his hand into a fist. Pain shot through his burned fingers. â€Å"What of my sisters?† â€Å"The message made no mention of Lord Eddard or the girls.† He gave an irritated shrug. â€Å"Perhaps they never got my letter. Aemon sent two copies, with his best birds, but who can say? More like, Pycelle did not deign to reply. It would not be the first time, nor the last. I fear we count for less than nothing in King's Landing. They tell us what they want us to know, and that's little enough.† And you tell me what you want me to know, and that's less, Jon thought resentfully. His brother Robb had called the banners and ridden south to war, yet no word of that had been breathed to him . . . save by Samwell Tarly, who'd read the letter to Maester Aemon and whispered its contents to Jon that night in secret, all the time saying how he shouldn't. Doubtless they thought his brother's war was none of his concern. It troubled him more than he could say. Robb was marching and he was not. No matter how often Jon told himself that his place was here now, with his new brothers on the Wall, he still felt craven. â€Å"Corn,† the raven was crying. â€Å"Corn, corn.† â€Å"Oh, be quiet,† the Old Bear told it. â€Å"Snow, how soon does Maester Aemon say you'll have use of that hand back?† â€Å"Soon,† Jon replied. â€Å"Good.† On the table between them, Lord Mormont laid a large sword in a black metal scabbard banded with silver. â€Å"Here. You'll be ready for this, then.† The raven flapped down and landed on the table, strutting toward the sword, head cocked curiously. Jon hesitated. He had no inkling what this meant. â€Å"My lord?† â€Å"The fire melted the silver off the pommel and burnt the crossguard and grip. Well, dry leather and old wood, what could you expect? The blade, now . . . you'd need a fire a hundred times as hot to harm the blade.† Mormont shoved the scabbard across the rough oak planks. â€Å"I had the rest made anew. Take it.† â€Å"Take it,† echoed his raven, preening. â€Å"Take it, take it.† Awkwardly, Jon took the sword in hand. His left hand; his bandaged right was still too raw and clumsy. Carefully he pulled it from its scabbard and raised it level with his eyes. The pommel was a hunk of pale stone weighted with lead to balance the long blade. It had been carved into the likeness of a snarling wolf's head, with chips of garnet set into the eyes. The grip was virgin leather, soft and black, as yet unstained by sweat or blood. The blade itself was a good half foot longer than those Jon was used to, tapered to thrust as well as slash, with three fullers deeply incised in the metal. Where Ice was a true two-handed greatsword, this was a hand-and-a-halfer, sometimes named a â€Å"bastard sword.† Yet the wolf sword actually seemed lighter than the blades he had wielded before. When Jon turned it sideways, he could see the ripples in the dark steel where the metal had been folded back on itself again and again. â€Å"This is Valyrian steel, my lord,† he said wonderingly. His father had let him handle Ice often enough; he knew the look, the feel. â€Å"It is,† the Old Bear told him. â€Å"It was my father's sword, and his father's before him. The Mormonts have carried it for five centuries. I wielded it in my day and passed it on to my son when I took the black.† He is giving me his son's sword. Jon could scarcely believe it. The blade was exquisitely balanced. The edges glimmered faintly as they kissed the light. â€Å"Your son—† â€Å"My son brought dishonor to House Mormont, but at least he had the grace to leave the sword behind when he fled. My sister returned it to my keeping, but the very sight of it reminded me of Jorah's shame, so I put it aside and thought no more of it until we found it in the ashes of my bedchamber. The original pommel was a bear's head, silver, yet so worn its features were all but indistinguishable. For you, I thought a white wolf more apt. One of our builders is a fair stonecarver.† When Jon had been Bran's age, he had dreamed of doing great deeds, as boys always did. The details of his feats changed with every dreaming, but quite often he imagined saving his father's life. Afterward Lord Eddard would declare that Jon had proved himself a true Stark, and place Ice in his hand. Even then he had known it was only a child's folly; no bastard could ever hope to wield a father's sword. Even the memory shamed him. What kind of man stole his own brother's birthright? I have no right to this, he thought, no more than to Ice. He twitched his burned fingers, feeling a throb of pain deep under the skin. â€Å"My lord, you honor me, but—† â€Å"Spare me your but's, boy,† Lord Mormont interrupted. â€Å"I would not be sitting here were it not for you and that beast of yours. You fought bravely . . . and more to the point, you thought quickly. Fire! Yes, damn it. We ought to have known. We ought to have remembered. The Long Night has come before. Oh, eight thousand years is a good while, to be sure . . . yet if the Night's Watch does not remember, who will?† â€Å"Who will,† chimed the talkative raven. â€Å"Who will.† Truly, the gods had heard Jon's prayer that night; the fire had caught in the dead man's clothing and consumed him as if his flesh were candle wax and his bones old dry wood. Jon had only to close his eyes to see the thing staggering across the solar, crashing against the furniture and flailing at the flames. It was the face that haunted him most; surrounded by a nimbus of fire, hair blazing like straw, the dead flesh melting away and sloughing off its skull to reveal the gleam of bone beneath. Whatever demonic force moved Othor had been driven out by the flames; the twisted thing they had found in the ashes had been no more than cooked meat and charred bone. Yet in his nightmare he faced it again . . . and this time the burning corpse wore Lord Eddard's features. It was his father's skin that burst and blackened, his father's eyes that ran liquid down his cheeks like jellied tears. Jon did not understand why that should be or what it might mean, but it frightened him more than he could say. â€Å"A sword's small payment for a life,† Mormont concluded. â€Å"Take it, I'll hear no more of it, is that understood?† â€Å"Yes, my lord.† The soft leather gave beneath Jon's fingers, as if the sword were molding itself to his grip already. He knew he should be honored, and he was, and yet . . . He is not my father. The thought leapt unbidden to Jon's mind. Lord Eddard Stark is my father. I will not forget him, no matter how many swords they give me. Yet he could scarcely tell Lord Mormont that it was another man's sword he dreamt of . . . â€Å"I want no courtesies either,† Mormont said, â€Å"so thank me no thanks. Honor the steel with deeds, not words.† Jon nodded. â€Å"Does it have a name, my lord?† â€Å"It did, once. Longclaw, it was called.† â€Å"Claw,† the raven cried. â€Å"Claw.† â€Å"Longclaw is an apt name.† Jon tried a practice cut. He was clumsy and uncomfortable with his left hand, yet even so the steel seemed to flow through the air, as if it had a will of its own. â€Å"Wolves have claws, as much as bears.† The Old Bear seemed pleased by that. â€Å"I suppose they do. You'll want to wear that over the shoulder, I imagine. It's too long for the hip, at least until you've put on a few inches. And you'll need to work at your two-handed strikes as well. Ser Endrew can show you some moves, when your burns have healed.† â€Å"Ser Endrew?† Jon did not know the name. â€Å"Ser Endrew Tarth, a good man. He's on his way from the ShadowTower to assume the duties of master-at-arms. Ser Alliser Thorne left yestermorn for Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.† Jon lowered the sword. â€Å"Why?† he said, stupidly. Mormont snorted. â€Å"Because I sent him, why do you think? He's bringing the hand your Ghost tore off the end of Jafer Flowers's wrist. I have commanded him to take ship to King's Landing and lay it before this boy king. That should get young Joffrey's attention, I'd think . . . and Ser Alliser's a knight, highborn, anointed, with old friends at court, altogether harder to ignore than a glorified crow.† â€Å"Crow.† Jon thought the raven sounded faintly indignant. â€Å"As well,† the Lord Commander continued, ignoring the bird's protest, â€Å"it puts a thousand leagues twixt him and you without it seeming a rebuke.† He jabbed a finger up at Jon's face. â€Å"And don't think this means I approve of that nonsense in the common hall. Valor makes up for a fair amount of folly, but you're not a boy anymore, however many years you've seen. That's a man's sword you have there, and it will take a man to wield her. I'll expect you to act the part, henceforth.† â€Å"Yes, my lord.† Jon slid the sword back into the silver-banded scabbard. If not the blade he would have chosen, it was nonetheless a noble gift, and freeing him from Alliser Thorne's malignance was nobler still. The Old Bear scratched at his chin. â€Å"I had forgotten how much a new beard itches,† he said. â€Å"Well, no help for that. Is that hand of yours healed enough to resume your duties?† â€Å"Yes, my lord.† â€Å"Good. The night will be cold, I'll want hot spice wine. Find me a flagon of red, not too sour, and don't skimp on the spices. And tell Hobb that if he sends me boiled mutton again I'm like to boil him. That last haunch was grey. Even the bird wouldn't touch it.† He stroked the raven's head with his thumb, and the bird made a contented quorking sound. â€Å"Away with you. I've work to do.† The guards smiled at him from their niches as he wound his way down the turret stair, carrying the sword in his good hand. â€Å"Sweet steel,† one man said. â€Å"You earned that, Snow,† another told him. Jon made himself smile back at them, but his heart was not in it. He knew he should be pleased, yet he did not feel it. His hand ached, and the taste of anger was in his mouth, though he could not have said who he was angry with or why. A half dozen of his friends were lurking outside when he left the King's Tower, where Lord Commander Mormont now made his residence. They'd hung a target on the granary doors, so they could seem to be honing their skills as archers, but he knew lurkers when he saw them. No sooner did he emerge than Pyp called out, â€Å"Well, come about, let's have a look.† â€Å"At what?† Jon said. Toad sidled close. â€Å"Your rosy butt cheeks, what else?† â€Å"The sword,† Grenn stated. â€Å"We want to see the sword.† Jon raked them with an accusing look. â€Å"You knew.† Pyp grinned. â€Å"We're not all as dumb as Grenn.† â€Å"You are so,† insisted Grenn. â€Å"You're dumber.† Halder gave an apologetic shrug. â€Å"I helped Pate carve the stone for the pommel,† the builder said, â€Å"and your friend Sam bought the garnets in Mole's Town.† â€Å"We knew even before that, though,† Grenn said. â€Å"Rudge has been helping Donal Noye in the forge. He was there when the Old Bear brought him the burnt blade.† â€Å"The sword!† Matt insisted. The others took up the chant. â€Å"The sword, the sword, the sword.† Jon unsheathed Longclaw and showed it to them, turning it this way and that so they could admire it. The bastard blade glittered in the pale sunlight, dark and deadly. â€Å"Valyrian steel,† he declared solemnly, trying to sound as pleased and proud as he ought to have felt. â€Å"I heard of a man who had a razor made of Valyrian steel,† declared Toad. â€Å"He cut his head off trying to shave.† Pyp grinned. â€Å"The Night's Watch is thousands of years old,† he said, â€Å"but I'll wager Lord Snow's the first brother ever honored for burning down the Lord Commander's Tower.† The others laughed, and even Jon had to smile. The fire he'd started had not, in truth, burned down that formidable stone tower, but it had done a fair job of gutting the interior of the top two floors, where the Old Bear had his chambers. No one seemed to mind that very much, since it had also destroyed Othor's murderous corpse. The other wight, the one-handed thing that had once been a ranger named Jafer Flowers, had also been destroyed, cut near to pieces by a dozen swords . . . but not before it had slain Ser Jaremy Rykker and four other men. Ser Jaremy had finished the job of hacking its head off, yet had died all the same when the headless corpse pulled his own dagger from its sheath and buried it in his bowels. Strength and courage did not avail much against foemen who would not fall because they were already dead; even arms and armor offered small protection. That grim thought soured Jon's fragile mood. â€Å"I need to see Hobb about the Old Bear's supper,† he announced brusquely, sliding Longclaw back into its scabbard. His friends meant well, but they did not understand. It was not their fault, truly; they had not had to face Othor, they had not seen the pale glow of those dead blue eyes, had not felt the cold of those dead black fingers. Nor did they know of the fighting in the riverlands. How could they hope to comprehend? He turned away from them abruptly and strode off, sullen. Pyp called after him, but Jon paid him no mind. They had moved him back to his old cell in tumbledown Hardin's Tower after the fire, and it was there he returned. Ghost was curled up asleep beside the door, but he lifted his head at the sound of Jon's boots. The direwolf's red eyes were darker than garnets and wiser than men. Jon knelt, scratched his ear, and showed him the pommel of the sword. â€Å"Look. It's you.† Ghost sniffed at his carved stone likeness and tried a lick. Jon smiled. â€Å"You're the one deserves an honor,† he told the wolf . . . and suddenly he found himself remembering how he'd found him, that day in the late summer snow. They had been riding off with the other pups, but Jon had heard a noise and turned back, and there he was, white fur almost invisible against the drifts. He was all alone, he thought, apart from the others in the litter. He was different, so they drove him out. â€Å"Jon?† He looked up. Samwell Tarly stood rocking nervously on his heels. His cheeks were red, and he was wrapped in a heavy fur cloak that made him look ready for hibernation. â€Å"Sam.† Jon stood. â€Å"What is it? Do you want to see the sword?† If the others had known, no doubt Sam did too. The fat boy shook his head. â€Å"I was heir to my father's blade once,† he said mournfully. â€Å"Heartsbane. Lord Randyll let me hold it a few times, but it always scared me. It was Valyrian steel, beautiful but so sharp I was afraid I'd hurt one of my sisters. Dickon will have it now.† He wiped sweaty hands on his cloak. â€Å"I ah . . . Maester Aemon wants to see you.† It was not time for his bandages to be changed. Jon frowned suspiciously. â€Å"Why?† he demanded. Sam looked miserable. That was answer enough. â€Å"You told him, didn't you?† Jon said angrily. â€Å"You told him that you told me.† â€Å"I . . . he . . . Jon, I didn't want to . . . he asked . . . I mean I think he knew, he sees things no one else sees . . . â€Å" â€Å"He's blind,† Jon pointed out forcefully, disgusted. â€Å"I can find the way myself.† He left Sam standing there, openmouthed and quivering. He found Maester Aemon up in the rookery, feeding the ravens. Clydas was with him, carrying a bucket of chopped meat as they shuffled from cage to cage. â€Å"Sam said you wanted me?† The maester nodded. â€Å"I did indeed. Clydas, give Jon the bucket. Perhaps he will be kind enough to assist me.† The hunched, pink-eyed brother handed Jon the bucket and scurried down the ladder. â€Å"Toss the meat into the cages,† Aemon instructed him. â€Å"The birds will do the rest. â€Å" Jon shifted the bucket to his right hand and thrust his left down into the bloody bits. The ravens began to scream noisily and fly at the bars, beating at the metal with night-black wings. The meat had been chopped into pieces no larger than a finger joint. He filled his fist and tossed the raw red morsels into the cage, and the squawking and squabbling grew hotter. Feathers flew as two of the larger birds fought over a choice piece. Quickly Jon grabbed a second handful and threw it in after the first. â€Å"Lord Mormont's raven likes fruit and corn.† â€Å"He is a rare bird,† the maester said. â€Å"Most ravens will eat grain, but they prefer flesh. It makes them strong, and I fear they relish the taste of blood. In that they are like men . . . and like men, not all ravens are alike.† Jon had nothing to say to that. He threw meat, wondering why he'd been summoned. No doubt the old man would tell him, in his own good time. Maester Aemon was not a man to be hurried. â€Å"Doves and pigeons can also be trained to carry messages,† the maester went on, â€Å"though the raven is a stronger flyer, larger, bolder, far more clever, better able to defend itself against hawks . . . yet ravens are black, and they eat the dead, so some godly men abhor them. Baelor the Blessed tried to replace all the ravens with doves, did you know?† The maester turned his white eyes on Jon, smiling. â€Å"The Night's Watch prefers ravens.† Jon's fingers were in the bucket, blood up to the wrist. â€Å"Dywen says the wildlings call us crows,† he said uncertainty. â€Å"The crow is the raven's poor cousin. They are both beggars in black, hated and misunderstood.† Jon wished he understood what they were talking about, and why. What did he care about ravens and doves? If the old man had something to say to him, why couldn't he just say it? â€Å"Jon, did you ever wonder why the men of the Night's Watch take no wives and father no children?† Maester Aemon asked. Jon shrugged. â€Å"No.† He scattered more meat. The fingers of his left hand were slimy with blood, and his right throbbed from the weight of the bucket. â€Å"So they will not love,† the old man answered, â€Å"for love is the bane of honor, the death of duty.† That did not sound right to Jon, yet he said nothing. The maester was a hundred years old, and a high officer of the Night's Watch; it was not his place to contradict him. The old man seemed to sense his doubts. â€Å"Tell me, Jon, if the day should ever come when your lord father must needs choose between honor on the one hand and those he loves on the other, what would he do?† Jon hesitated. He wanted to say that Lord Eddard would never dishonor himself, not even for love, yet inside a small sly voice whispered, He fathered a bastard, where was the honor in that? And your mother, what of his duty to her, he will not even say her name. â€Å"He would do whatever was right,† he said . . . ringingly, to make up for his hesitation. â€Å"No matter what.† â€Å"Then Lord Eddard is a man in ten thousand. Most of us are not so strong. What is honor compared to a woman's love? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms . . . or the memory of a brother's smile? Wind and words. Wind and words. We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy. â€Å"The men who formed the Night's Watch knew that only their courage shielded the realm from the darkness to the north. They knew they must have no pided loyalties to weaken their resolve. So they vowed they would have no wives nor children. â€Å"Yet brothers they had, and sisters. Mothers who gave them birth, fathers who gave them names. They came from a hundred quarrelsome kingdoms, and they knew times may change, but men do not. So they pledged as well that the Night's Watch would take no part in the battles of the realms it guarded. â€Å"They kept their pledge. When Aegon slew Black Harren and claimed his kingdom, Harren's brother was Lord Commander on the Wall, with ten thousand swords to hand. He did not march. In the days when the Seven Kingdoms were seven kingdoms, not a generation passed that three or four of them were not at war. The Watch took no part. When the Andals crossed the narrow sea and swept away the kingdoms of the First Men, the sons of the fallen kings held true to their vows and remained at their posts. So it has always been, for years beyond counting. Such is the price of honor. â€Å"A craven can be as brave as any man, when there is nothing to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is no cost to it. How easy it seems then, to walk the path of honor. Yet soon or late in every man's life comes a day when it is not easy, a day when he must choose.† Some of the ravens were still eating, long stringy bits of meat dangling from their beaks. The rest seemed to be watching him. Jon could feel the weight of all those tiny black eyes. â€Å"And this is my day . . . is that what you're saying?† Maester Aemon turned his head and looked at him with those dead white eyes. It was as if he were seeing right into his heart. Jon felt naked and exposed. He took the bucket in both hands and flung the rest of the slops through the bars. Strings of meat and blood flew everywhere, scattering the ravens. They took to the air, shrieking wildly. The quicker birds snatched morsels on the wing and gulped them down greedily. Jon let the empty bucket clang to the floor. The old man laid a withered, spotted hand on his shoulder. â€Å"It hurts, boy,† he said softly. â€Å"Oh, yes. Choosing . . . it has always hurt. And always will. I know.† â€Å"You don't know,† Jon said bitterly. â€Å"No one knows. Even if I am his bastard, he's still my father . . . â€Å" Maester Aemon sighed. â€Å"Have you heard nothing I've told you, Jon? Do you think you are the first?† He shook his ancient head, a gesture weary beyond words. â€Å"Three times the gods saw fit to test my vows. Once when I was a boy, once in the fullness of my manhood, and once when I had grown old. By then my strength was fled, my eyes grown dim, yet that last choice was as cruel as the first. My ravens would bring the news from the south, words darker than their wings, the ruin of my House, the death of my kin, disgrace and desolation. What could I have done, old, blind, frail? I was helpless as a suckling babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brother's poor grandson, and his son, and even the little children . . . â€Å" Jon was shocked to see the shine of tears in the old man's eyes. â€Å"Who are you?† he asked quietly, almost in dread. A toothless smile quivered on the ancient lips. â€Å"Only a maester of the Citadel, bound in service to Castle Black and the Night's Watch. In my order, we put aside our house names when we take our vows and don the collar.† The old man touched the maester's chain that hung loosely around his thin, fleshless neck. â€Å"My father was Maekar, the First of his Name, and my brother Aegon reigned after him in my stead. My grandfather named me for Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, who was his uncle, or his father, depending on which tale you believe. Aemon, he called me . . . â€Å" â€Å"Aemon . . . Targaryen?† Jon could scarcely believe it. â€Å"Once,† the old man said. â€Å"Once. So you see, Jon, I do know . . . and knowing, I will not tell you stay or go. You must make that choice yourself, and live with it all the rest of your days. As I have.† His voice fell to a whisper. â€Å"As I have . . . â€Å"