Analyse the structure of the UK supermarket sector Assignment

Investigate the structure of the UK store area - Assignment Example As indicated by the UK Retail Food Sector Market Brief, grocery stores compensated for around 6400 stores with an expected estimation of 98 billion pounds in 2008 (Sainsburys And Waitrose UK Supermarkets Porters 5 Forces Competitive Advantage, 2009). The UK basic food item advertise has expanded to 133.3 billion pound in 2007, which represents a 4 percent expansion from that of 2006 (Nicholson, 2008, p. 3-4). The significant grocery stores that involve the majority of the piece of the pie (very nearly 75 percent) are Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda (possessed by American retailer Wal-Mart) and Morrison’s. These are regularly known as the â€Å"Big Four†. The other retail chains incorporate Marks and Spencer (UK’s greatest apparel advertiser), Waitrose, Somerfield, Budgens, Netto Iceland, Aldi, and Lidl. Tesco is the biggest non-food showcase chain in the UK which incorporates outlets like Extra, Homeplus, Metro and others. Every one of these retailers centers around some specific market segment. Tesco for example, denotes the center market offering economy just as costly items. Contrasted with Tesco, Sainsbury’s focuses on a little up-showcase while, Asda, a Wal-Mart chain and Morrison’s center a little down-advertise. Indeed, even Somerfield work at a similar level as Asda and the others to be specific, Budgens, Iceland, Aldi, Netto and Lidl are all cost centered retailers. Waitrose, a John Lewis Partnership, is anyway the most up-showcase retailer among all. Rebate retailing has become a developing division of the staple retailing in UK and Tesco advertisement Asda challenge a solid rivalry in this field. Among them, the top position is involved by Tesco, with a piece of the pie of 31.4 percent which is very in front of the other retail chains. Second to Tesco is Asda with a piece of the pie of 17.1 percent followed by Sainsbury’s possessing the third position. It covers 15.7 percent of the absolute market. Morrison’s rank last among the four with a piece of the pie of 11.2 percent (Nicholson, 2008, p. 6-7). The market structure displayed by the

The Overcoat

Implications and Indeterminacy in Gogol's â€Å"The Overcoat† Author(s): Victor Brombert Reviewed work(s): Source: Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 135, No. 4 (Dec. , 1991), pp. 569-575 Published by: American Philosophical Society Stable URL: http://www. jstor. organization/stable/986817 . Gotten to: 25/01/2012 04:09 Your utilization of the JSTOR document demonstrates your acknowledgment of the Terms and Conditions of Use, accessible at . http://www. jstor. organization/page/data/about/approaches/terms. sp JSTOR is a not-revenue driven assistance that helps researchers, analysts, and understudies find, use, and expand upon a wide scope of substance in a confided in advanced file. We use data innovation and instruments to build profitability and encourage new types of grant. For more data about JSTOR, if you don't mind contact [emailâ protected] organization. American Philosophical Society is teaming up with JSTOR to digitize, save and stretch out access to Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. http://www. jstor. organization Indeterminacy Meanings and in Gogol's The Overcoat* VICTOR BROMBERT Henry Putnam University Professorof Romanceand ComparativeLiterature Princeton University kaky Akakyevich is the focal characterof Gogol's story TheOvercoat. In spite of the fact that Dostoyevsky gave normal money to the term â€Å"antihero† in Notes from Underground,it is Gogol's Akaky Akakyevich who is the authentic, unmitigated, and apparently unredeemable screw-up. For Dostoyevsky's enemy of chivalrous paradoxalist, harrowed with hypertrophia of the cognizance, is very much perused, cerebral, hopelessly learned, and garrulous. Akaky Akakyevich is not really mindful, and practically incoherent. Gogol's creative bet was to attempt to explain this incoherence. The story, in its plot line, is basic. A most unremarkable duplicating assistant in a St. Petersburg service bare, pitted, childish, and the substitute of his partners who create coldblooded methods of deriding himdiscovers one day that his unfortunately tattered coat no longer ensures him against the wild winter wind. The tailor he counsels completely will not fix the coat which is presently unrecoverable, and empts Akaky Akakyevich into having another jacket made, one absolutely too far in the red, yet which by dint of colossal penances, he figures out how to procure and wear with a newfound feeling of pride. In any case, his satisfaction keeps going just one brief day. Intersection an abandoned quarter around evening time, he is assaulted by two cheats who thump him to the ground and take his jacket. Doused, solidified, profoundly agitated, ruthlessl y criticized by a prevalent whose help he challenged look for, Akaky builds up a fever, gets ridiculous, and bites the dust. One can barely talk about a fascinating plot line. However this basic story fits bashes of understandings. Actually, there might be the same number of understandings as there are perusers. The Overcoatcan be perused as an illustration, a hermeneutic riddle, an activity in futility. In any case, in any case, there is the impulse to peruse it truly as parody with a social and * Read 9 November 1990. Procedures OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, VOL. 135, NO. 4, 1991 569 570 VICTOR BROMBERT moral message. In The Nose, Gogol had a ton of fun of the rankconsciousness and corruption of government employees. In The Overcoat, he appears to criticize deliberately the parasitical, sluggish, fake, universe of Russian officialdom, whose individuals are the barren go betweens of a chain of command of inadequate force structure in which each subordinate feelings of trepidation and chimps his boss. Early Russian pundits, persuaded that writing must have an ethical message, read such a denunciatory and remedial mocking aim into the story despite the fact that plainly Gogol continually moves his tone, protects no obvious standard, and efficiently ironizes any conceivable â€Å"serious† message. There is obviously the compulsion to peruse The Overcoatas a story of sympathy, as a supplication for fellowship. The lamentably vulnerable little representative, provoked and mistreated by the gathering, remains happily absent to the unfeeling tricks of which he is the butt, aim on his modest duplicating movement. Just when the jokes become excessively over the top, or meddle with his work, does he fight gently. In any case, here the tone of the story appears to change. For Gogol presents a youngster, as of late delegated to a similar office, who is about to start partaking in the general fun, and who is out of nowhere broadcasted by the bizarre notes in Akaky's voice which contact his heart with pity and make him abruptly observe everything in a totally different light. A genuine disclosure exuding from a â€Å"unnatural† (neestestvennyi) power permits him to hear different words behind Akaky's commonplace plea to be disregarded. What he hears are the profoundly entering, implicit words reverberating with piercing importance: â€Å"I am thy sibling. What's more, with this voice from behind the voice comes the stunned consciousness of how much â€Å"inhumanity† there is in individuals, how much mercilessness hides in what goes as acculturated society and enlightened conduct. The obvious exercise in mankind given by the substitute casualty appears, in the quick setting, to have a practically strict character, particularly in the event that one relates it to the storyteller's remarks, after Akaky's passing, on how a man of submission who bore the scoffs and put-down of his kindred people vanished from this world, yet who, before his desolation, had a dream of the brilliant visitant (svetluy gost). The man of submission, the man of distresses, similar to the implicit yet unmistakably heard â€Å"I am thy brother,† appears to have a Christian, if not Christological, reverberation. In any case, we overlook Akaky's name, and that we are not permitted to do. For the patronymic label not just anxieties the rule of redundancy (Akaky's first name being actually equivalent to his father's), however the amusing sound reiteration is considerably more amusing in light of the fact that the syllable kak = like (tak kak = similarly as) inserts the guideline of equivalence in Akaky's name, deciding, no doubt, his resolute, long lasting action of duplicating and verifiable judgment to equality. With respect to numerous years Akaky served in a similar office, Gogol sees that he â€Å"remained in the very same spot, in the very same situation, in the very same activity, doing the very same sort of work, to mind replicating official archives. † But there is better (or more terrible) particularly to Russian ears, for kakatj GOGOL'S THE OVERCOAT 571 (from the Greek cacos = awful, insidious) is youngsters' discussion for poo, and caca in numerous dialects alludes to human fecal matter. To be tormented with such a name unmistakably identifies with the trash being consistently dumped on Akaky as he strolls in the road, and to his being treated without any regard by the guardians than a typical fly. The coldblooded verbal fun around the syllable kak stretches out past the character's name, and pollutes Gogol's content. Gogol enjoys apparently unlimited minor departure from the words tak, kak,kakoi,kakoi-to,kakikh-to,vot-kak,neekak,takoi, takaya,kaknibut, (just thus, that is the means by which, not the slightest bit, some way or another, etc) which in the interpretation vanish inside and out. The abuses of audio effects or sound implications obviously relate to a writer's interest with the esteemed cacophonic assets of normal discourse. 1 One last point about the decision of Akaky's name, explicitly the Christian demonstration of â€Å"christening†: as indicated by custom, the schedule was opened aimlessly and a few holy people's names (Mokkia, Sossia), including the name of the saint Khozdazat, were thought of, just to be dismissed by the mother since they sounded so bizarre. Akaky was picked on the grounds that that was the name of the dad. However, Acacius, a sacred priest of Sinai, was likewise a holy person and saint, and we get ourselves-particularly since the Greek prefix an (Acacius) connotes: not terrible, consequently great, tame, modest, devoted back to the strict theme. On the off chance that Akaky keeps on duplicating for his own pleasure at home, this is in huge part on the grounds that the delight of replicating has an explicitly ascetic reverberation. Gogol does surely allude to his replicating as a â€Å"labor of adoration. † Here another allurement pounces upon the peruser. Should The Overcoatnot be perused as hagiography in a dull present day setting, or at any rate as a farce of hagiography? Various components appear to loan backing to such a perusing of the story in or against the point of view of the conventional existences of the holy people: the unassuming assignment of replicating reports, reference to the subject of the saint (muchenik),salvational wording, conciliatory themes or fellowship (â€Å"I am thy brother†), Akaky's dreams and euphorias, his own nebulous visions from past the grave. Yet, the most telling similarity with hagiographic legend is the transformation impact on others, first on the youngster who has a disclosure of a voice that isn't of this world (svet), and close to the end he self-appreciating, overbearing, Very Important Person on whom Akaky's phantom like ghost establishes a neverto-be-overlooked connection. 2 The jacket itself can take on strict meanings since apparel, in the imagery of the Bible and conventional sacrament, frequently speaks to honorableness and salvation. The main issue with such an understanding and Gogol has compo sed Meditations on the Divine Liturgy which 1 Boris Eichenbaum talks about Gogol's â€Å"phonic inscriptions† and â€Å"sound-semantics† in â€Å"How ‘The Overcoat' is Made,† in Gogol from the Twentieth Century, ed. Robert A. Maguire, Princeton University Press, 1974, p. 280. 2 See John Schillinger, â€Å"Gogol's ‘The Overcoat'as a Travesty of Hagiography,† Slavic and East EuropeanJournal, Spring 1972, 16, 1: 36-41. 572 VICTOR BROMBERT allude to the cleric's robe of exemplary nature as a piece of clothing of salvation3-is that the coat can have an inverse emblematic criticalness, that of concealing reality. Thus the customary picture of stripping to uncover the exposed self. Also, there are numerous other conceivable

Goldwater, Barry Morris

Goldwater, Barry Morris Goldwater, Barry Morris, 1909â€"98, U.S. senator (1953â€"65, 1969â€"87), b. Phoenix, Ariz. He studied at the Univ. of Arizona, but left in 1929 to enter his family's department-store business. After noncombat service in World War II, he won election to the Phoenix city council. In the U.S. Senate, Goldwater advocated state right-to-work laws, a reduction of public ownership of utilities, and decreases in welfare and foreign aid appropriations. He attacked subversive activities and opposed the senatorial censure of Joseph R. McCarthy . Goldwater became the acknowledged leader of the extreme conservative wing of the Republican party. In 1964, as the Republican presidential nominee, he was decisively defeated by President Lyndon B. Johnson . Nonetheless, many believe that Goldwater initiated a conservative revolution in Republican politics and American public opinion that ultimately led to the election (1980) of President Ronald Reagan . Goldwater was again elected to the Senate in 1968, 1974, and 1980. In his later years, Goldwater, basically libertarian, often clashed with cultural conservatives. He wrote The Conscience of a Conservative (1960), Why Not Victory? (1962), The Conscience of a Majority (1970), and Goldwater (1988) with Jack Casserly. His son Barry Morris Goldwater, Jr., 1938â€", b. Los Angeles, was a U.S. congressman from California (1968â€"83). See biographies by L. Edwards (1995) and R. A. Goldberg (1995); studies by K. Hess (1967), J. H. Kessel (1968), and R. Perlstein (2001). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies

Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness and the European’s Claim...

Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness and the European’s Claim to Superiority Incomplete Works Cited Just beyond the â€Å"biggest and greatest town on earth†, four men sit patiently on their boat, waiting for the serene waters of the Thames to ebb (65). One of the men, a Buddha, breaks the silence, saying, â€Å"and this also†¦has been one of the dark places of the earth† (67). This pensive and peaceful idol, Marlow, explains to his apathetic listeners how a great civilization is blindly made out of a darkness, remarking, â€Å"The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much. What redeems it is†¦show more content†¦Marlow’s ironic comments on the degradation of the African people continue as he describes a â€Å"useful† fireman who had been instructed to fire a boiler properly, lest an â€Å"evil spirit...take a terrible vengeance† (110). By referring to this man as, â€Å"†¦an improved specimen† and by describing his appearance as, â€Å"†¦a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat, walking on his hind- legs,† Marlow suggests that the man is in a much worse state now than when he had been a â€Å"barbarian† (109). Marlow bitterly remarks that, â€Å"He ought to have been†¦on the bank, instead of †¦full of improving knowledge†¦A few months of training had done for that really fine chap† (109-110). In effect, the white men, who possessed the â€Å"civility† to teach the â€Å"savages† properly, choose to reduce them to â€Å"parodies† who live in fear and degradation. When Marlow describes the dying Africans in the â€Å"grove of death,† he does not mean to dehumanize them, but suggests that the inhumanity of colonialism has reduced them to their present state. Striking an obvious blow to European colonialism, he narrates, â€Å"[The Africans] were nothing earthly now†¦Lost in uncongenial surroundings, fed on unfamiliar food, they sickened, became inefficient, and were then allowed to crawl away and rest† (83). By describing the Africans as an inefficient work force, Marlow does not demean their humanity, but ironically refers to the inhumanity of the Europeans responsible for the Africans’Show MoreRelatedThe Heart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad968 Words   |  4 PagesJoseph Conrad’s novella The Heart of Darkness has been under controversy because of racial interpretations. The race factor in this novel has made some scholars and professors question the function the novella has in the classroom. However, Joseph Con rad had another view when writing the novel; to demonstrate how prejudice and dehumanizing the European culture is towards African Americans and their culture during this time period. European’s superior authority over African Americans is portrayedRead More The Lie of Imperialism Exposed in Literature Essay3048 Words   |  13 Pagesnations during the colonial period had far-reaching and detrimental affects on the language and identity of traditional societies. Derek Walcott’s postcolonial poem, â€Å"The Season of Phantasmal Peace† (1981) presented in dialogue with Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (1910) and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958) brings to light the powerful role that language played in executing the lie of imperialism on colonized peoples and the implications that this exertion of power has had and continues toRead More Colonialism and Imperialism - A Post-colonial Study of Heart of Darkness3270 Words   |  14 PagesA P ost-colonial Study of Heart of Darkness         Ã‚  In this paper, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness will be examined by using a recent movement, Post-colonial Study that mainly focuses on the relationship between the Self and the Other, always intertwined together in considering one’ identity.  Ã‚   The Other is commonly identified with the margin, which has been oppressed or ignored by Eurocentric, male-dominated history.  Ã‚   Conrad is also conscious of the Others interrelated status with the SelfRead MoreThe Nature Of The African Landscape10552 Words   |  43 PagesThe Landscape: In this section, I seek to investigate how the nature of the African landscape has been depicted in Heart of Darkness. Questions such as 1.) How the Orientalist others the foreign landscape 2.) What is the psychological influence of the African landscape on the European colonisers? 3.) Does the psychological influenceon the Whites similar to that of the Blacks? 4.) And, what are the consequences of that psychological influence on the White invaders and the natives? These arguments

Ethics and Undocumented Immigrants - 1883 Words

Ethics and Undocumented Immigrants Undocumented immigration is a controversial topic these days. There are many factors that make it so. There are many ethical issues involved with undocumented immigration, and they stem from the fact that undocumented immigrants are not officially recorded as being in the country. Undocumented immigration is also commonly termed as â€Å"illegal† immigration, and what makes it illegal is when a person flees their native country into another country while violating the immigration laws of the destination country. Before getting into the ethical issues surrounding undocumented immigrants, it is important to understand both what causes people to become undocumented immigrants, and what effects†¦show more content†¦We have heard many times over the years that illegal immigrants are doing the work that Americans would not do. However, illegal immigrants are not just picking crops and digging ditches anymore. It was not that long ago that a painter, roofer, plumber, electrician, carpenter or landscaper was a decently paid middle class skill. Now it is becoming the work for illegal immigrants at far less than the average rate. While illegal immigrants are only making up a small percent of these jobs their willingness to work at such a slashed rate of the average price, the lower rates downsize the compensation for the other workers. When the poor and under educated American citizens live off welfare they are not going to settle for long hours at minimum wage working low class jobs. However, when shortages of those jobs are evident the forces of supply and demand come into play and the compensation of those jobs will rise to attract more workers. And at some point those jobs will pay more than living off welfare. There are also side affects to doing work that Americans would not do at such low wages. One is that it increases the load on the welfare systems as there are fewer working poor and more welfare recipients. Illegal immigrants who are paid off the books do not contribute to social security, which is one of the reasons there is not enoughShow MoreRelatedPlan Of Action Plan Analysis1245 Words   |  5 Pagesto everyone who walked through our clinic doors, even if they did not have the means to pay for treatment or where undocumented immigrants. Sadly, due to the funding cuts we had to make, our clinic will no longer be providing this same level of care to those who walk through our doors. Until we can re-expand our hospital funding to its glory we will be referring undocumented immigrants who do not need emergency care to neighboring clinics and hospitals that can provide them the care we cannot currentlyRead MoreThe Latino : Hard Work Essay1470 Words   |  6 PagesImmigration is not an unheard of occurrence in the United States. The portrayal of undocumented individuals, however, continues to be an everlasting issue that clouds the nation’s judgement of other cultures. The â€Å"American Dream† has been the notion that propels many undocumented worker’s ambitions and aspirations to relentlessly work hard, especially for those who have immigrated to the United States, but undocumented workers are often faced with complex adversities and obstacles that extend beyondRead MoreSanctuary Cities Essay735 Words   |  3 PagesIn a quest to solve the question of if the new law (SB4) harmful or necessary, I think that this new law is necessary to keep out illegal immigrants. This new law requires city council members, members of the county commissions court or other governing bodies, sheriffs, district and city attorneys and even campus police of colleges and universities in the effort to enforce it. People that get to be here illegally should be held accountable for their actions. Sanctuary cities are not necessary inRead MoreImmigration Reform : A Very Touchy Subject858 Words   |  4 Pagesestimated to have 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. According to Berman by â€Å"[r]emoving all 11.2 million undocumented immigrants, both forcibly and through Mitt Romney s infamous self-deportation policy, would take about 20 years and cost the government between $400 billion and $600 billion† (Berman, 2015, para. 3). The 11 million undocumented immigrants is estimate and not a hard number. I believe there is a lot more undocumented immigrants that would raise estimated costRead MoreDemonstrating Effective Leadership Case Study 29 730 Words   |  3 PagesRepresentative, Randy Richards, organized a press conference coveting to sway a proposal for a bill to a avert state agencies and other health care providers from offering prenatal care to undocumented immigrants and billing the cost to Medicaid (Sharp, 2011, p. 72). In the press conference, he accuses undocumented immigrants from coming to the United States to take advantage of the Medicaid system by taking services away from the American Citizens who pay into the system with their taxes. When the floorRead MoreEssay The Situation for Refugees and Immigrants in the USA1305 Words   |  6 Pagesallure to prospective immigrants is in its promise of equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, or color. But the pressures of rising unemployment rates, congested cities, a crippled healthcare system, and national debt skyrocketing out of control have caused America to defend her borders against the influx of immigrants that threaten her already ailing economy. Still, despite all the heightened security measures incorporated in recent decades, a steady stream of immigrants continue to enterRead MoreCommunity Health Center for the Uninsured and Undocumented Immigrants1499 Words   |  6 Pages Although the number of illegal immigrants is substantially growing on a daily basis, the national health care policies seem to fail in addressing their medical needs. This, however, is becoming a growing challenge because of the conflicts between medical ethics and immigration laws. Despite the alluded hope for this patients group within the immigration reform, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) fails to alleviate the burden of their unmet health care needs. Advocates o f theirRead MoreThe Ethnography Labor And Legality1233 Words   |  5 PagesSarah Rodrigues Dr. Melissa Goodman Elgar Anthropology 101.02 10 December 2015 Labor and Legality The ethnography Labor and Legality is based on the experiences of ten different undocumented immigrant men living and working in the Chicago area. These men have been called the Lions by the author because they all originate from the same city in Mexico called Le?n. These men differ meaningfully in their beliefs, experiences, and plans for the future, but they also have important things in common. TheyRead MoreAnti- Immigration Attitudes in America Essay608 Words   |  3 Pagesdriven hate crimes and the overall human treatment of immigrants and foreigners today, and must be changed by first changing the anti-immigrant attitudes in America. The social structures of politics and laws affect both immigrants and U.S. citizens alike and can only be changed by reforming America’s immigration system. Racial prejudice and nativism are still social issues that define our present reality and affect us all. Everyday, immigrants in America find themselves victims of hate crimes likeRead MoreIllegal Immigrants In America Have Contributed Massively1352 Words   |  6 PagesIllegal immigrants in America have contributed massively to the Economy and researchers have facts and evidence to back up their finding. For the most part many people are not educated enough about the concept illegal immigrants or don’t bother to look for the fact about illegal immigrants. Their contribution to the economy is very productive, according to the institute on taxation and economy: Collectively, undocumented immigrants in the United States pay an estimated total of $11.74 billion in

Oops, She Did It Again Free Essays

Over the past decade, Britney Spears has gone downhill little by little from becoming famous after being on Disney channel. While doing a case study on Britney Spears, I learned the music industry stole away her innocence and molded it into an attempt to transition from a pop princess to a sexy adult performer that would sweep millions. Her overexposure and paparazzi frenzy causes her to go insane because she has no privacy. We will write a custom essay sample on Oops, She Did It Again or any similar topic only for you Order Now Additionally, there is proof that Britney has had many psychotic breakdowns. Maybe the reason for her actions in the past has to do with the fact her children being taken away from her custody and her career going slowly down the drain. Also, she has been in a constant battle with drugs, alcohol, her ex-husband Kevin Federline, and the paparazzi. Secondly, some of the people she hangs with are bad influences from the get-go including famous Paris Hilton. Furthermore, in November 2006 after being friends with Paris, Britney was caught three times wearing no underwear on and exposing herself to the paparazzi (Cowboy).Afterwards, Britney made even poorer choices as her life began to fall to pieces even further which made her a bundle of fans. For example, after reading an article about Britney going downhill, a blogger wrote, â€Å"wow I used to actually like you until you became a whore and a crack head and then when you have your first chance you get your kids back you don’t even show up for your court hearings you’re a horrible mother† (N eyna). Many bloggers that used to be fans of Britney agree to this blog. Life is like a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once.At a young age, Britney Spears pursued to have the life of fame and fortune. In 1993, thirteen year-old Britney became a cast member in The Mickey Mouse Club on Disney Channel where she meets future celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, and Tony Lucca. First, in October of 1998, seventeen year-old pop star Britney dresses provocative with her first major song â€Å"Baby, One More Time† (Lawson). After becoming popular nationwide, her music career boosted up while performing jaw-dropping concerts for the Super bowl, MTV, and VMA music awards.In one of the VMA’s, fans were disgusted when Britney kissed Madonna. Only wearing a bra and a mini-skirt, the music industry wanted her to be sexier as her fashion in clothing became unsuitable every time she recorded for a new music video. In the year of 2004, Britney married her back-up dancer Kevin Federline. Shortly afterwards, the newlyweds had their own reality show called Britney and Kevin: Chaotic. According to an interview with MSNBC, Britney claims her marriage was an act of rebellion saying, â€Å"I was on the road for awhile and again I was doing a lot of what I was told instead of what I wanted to really do.And I didn’t know how to break out of that. So in my young mind I’m like, I’m gonna just get married to someone of my home friends. You know what I mean? It was just like something. But I have no regrets with anything I’ve ever done† (Spears). Two years after marriage, Britney files for a divorce with Kevin because he was caught partying with other girls. Assuming she was depressed over the divorce and annoyed by the paparazzi, Britney gains weight, surprisingly shaves her head, then checks into a rehab center.Britney’s cry for help caught the media’s attention so they kept following her after she left the Promises rehab center. After the rehab incident, hairless Britney attacked a paparazzi car with an umbrella realizing it was taking pictures of her talking to ex-husband Kevin about taking the kids into custody. In addition, â€Å"on July 18 2007, Britney goes to the beach with her assistant, takes off her dress and jumps in the ocean with just her bra and underwear on† (Cowboy). Psychologically, Britney looked like she lacked confidence when she was asked to perform for the 2007 VMA with only wearing a glittery bra and under wear. Remembering what happened that night, Britney danced sluggishly and acted as if she has never danced on stage before. Personally, Britney lost respect from a lot of fans after watching her comeback performance at the VMA. In October of 2007, Britney’s ex-husband gained full custody over her two sons (Lawson). A few months later, Spears is rushed to the hospital after becoming intoxicated and refusing to give up custody of her children. After this incident, Britney’s parents were concerned about her life going downhill little by little.When it comes to fashion, the pop star has certainly come a long way since her sexy â€Å"Slave for You† days but not essentially in the right direction. Recently at the 2010 Grammy’s, she wore a short black see-through dress which was not appropriate for the event. The paparazzi catch her wearing scant clothing regularly. In October 2010, Britney Spears made a remarkable comeback through the comedy show Glee. Many fans loved the hilarious, fall out of your seat episode that was dedicated to Britney Spears.Her glowing smile and toned body on the show illustrates how she looks happy and healthier than ever. In conclusion, Britney Spears has changed dramatically over the years after being a Disney channel star. Once having millions of fans, she had a sudden change to an attitude that was not how her innocent self normally acted. In observation, time leading up to her rehab incident had been very traumatic on the pop sensation. Her marriage had ended shortly, she quickly had two children, and she is constantly hounded by the paparazzi.The past few months, as well as the years of being in the spotlight, had pushed Britney over the edge to an emotional breakdown.Works Cited Cowboy. The Devolution of Britney Spears: From Pop Star to Celebrity Trash in Less than 7 Years. N. p. , 27 Sept. 2007. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. Lawson, Richard. â€Å"1. † Britney Spears, a life. N. p. , 4 Jan. 2008. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. Neyna. Weblog comment. The Devolution of Britney Spears. Cowboy, 9 Feb. 2008. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. Spears, Britney. Interview by Matt Lauer. A Defiant Britney Spears Takes on the tabloids . Matt Lauer, 6 June 2006. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. How to cite Oops, She Did It Again, Papers

Surviving Paintings of Baroque Period Essay Example For Students

Surviving Paintings of Baroque Period Essay The artist worked to increase the dramatic expressiveness Of religious subject matter n order to give viewers the sense that they are participating in the action. There are well known painters of the Baroque style paintings, which represent not only the era of that period but also the rich and flamboyant culture that once was. Rembrandt van Iris (1606-1669) Portrait of a young woman. In Rembrandt portrait the emphasis is placed on the white accessories such as gloves, lacy cuffs, coifs, and the quite large millstone ruff. In another painting from the same era, which describes the details of a woman costumes, it is quite visible that importance was given to the overall appearance and portrayal tot rich heritage. Another painting by portrait of Marches Spinal, Female fashion changed tremendously trot the sass towards the sass. The entire silhouette changed completely, from the high wasted gowns of the sass to the slender and long wasted ones of the sass. The paintings that have viewed from the Baroque period clearly represent a lot more detail if observed more in detail they not only represent the painter but also the message that is being conveyed by each art that have viewed from that period The painting of this period are distinguished tot only by their rare presentation of surrounding, but also by their message, which the painters hue successfully presented. Surveys painting, sculpture, and architecture in the Age of Grandeur as they reflect the spiritual, political, and national undercurrents Of emerging Europe in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Baroque period, era in the history of the Western arts roughly, coinciding With the 17th century. Its earliest manifestations, Which occurred in Italy, date from the latter decades of the 16th century, while in some egging, notably Germany and colonial South America, certain of its culminating achievements did not occur until the 18th century. The work that distinguishes the Baroque period is stylistically complex, even contradictory. In general, however, the desire to evoke emotional states by appealing to the senses, often in dramatic ways, underlies its manifestations. Some of the qualities most frequently associated with the Baroque are grandeur, sensuous richness, drama, vitality, movement, tension, emotional exuberance, and a tendency to blur distinctions between the various arts.

The Problem of Work

Introduction Compared to other developed countries, the United States of America has the highest number of people experiencing the problem of work-family conflict. This problem is brought about by many factors, but it is majorly caused by the long hours that most people spend working in order to cater for all their needs. The middle class income earners are the ones who are mostly affected as they have to work for extra hours or do two or more jobs in order to live a decent life.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Problem of Work-Family Imbalance in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is ironical that Americans experience more work-family related conflicts compared to Japan where people are known to die due to overwork. This problem is worsened by lack of enough laws to protect the rights of those who are working and at the same time have families. An example is the lack of paid leave which make many pe ople to opt not to have the leave and end up overworking themselves. This paper will tackle the problem of work-family imbalance using a case study and suggest the possible solutions to the problem. Formulation of the problem In the given scenario, Chris is faced by several problems that he needs to address before things get out of hand. Being a young man, he has the challenge of bringing up his son alone and catering for all his needs, i.e., financial and the parental role of being with the child and teaching the other life lessons that can only be taught by parents. Since the son is still young, Chris has to work hard to continue providing for his needs until he is able to fend for himself. Although his relatives help him take care of the son, he can not rely entirely on them because their help is occasional and he needs to have a long term solution to the problem. The mother of the son lives away from them the son visits her over the weekends. The absence of the mother in the fam ily probably contributes to the work-family imbalance problem that Chris is facing in raising his son. The greatest problem that he is facing is how to balance his job and the family which constitutes of his son. At the online food retailer where Chris is employed, the working hours are not very regular. As a result of this, Chris is forced to adjust in order to conform to the employer’s demands. Normally, he is supposed to work for an average of eight hours, i.e., from 9a.m to 5p.m but at times, he has to work until late in the night because this is when the shop gets many customers. This is an advantage to the employer because it is the peak time of the business. At the work place, Chris has to work cautiously and do his best in order to offer quality services and pass the three tests that ‘ODACO’ uses to measure ‘performance beyond expectation’ which would earn him some extra money and a good reputation too with the employer. Meeting the set targe ts in his place of work not only earns him extra money which can be used to cater for any extra needs of the son that may arise from time to time but also causes him to have a feeling of satisfaction.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For a period of time, Chris is able to manage this kind of lifestyle and everything seems to be working out in his favor but after some time, things start to change for worse. Chris has to look for a way to balance his life because neither his family nor his job is doing well. His constant worry about his son when at work and his work when with the son is a problem that needs immediate attention because everyone around him is worried that he may not be able to perform his duties at home or at work effectively. His lack of sleep and constant worry about his ineffectiveness at work and also at home may affect his health if not addressed immediatel y. The meeting that Chris initiates with his manager after receiving a text message that he is not performing his assigned duties effectively is expected to help him come up with a solution to this problem. Chris is not the only one who is undergoing such work-family imbalance problems. Williams Boushey (p 1) estimate that ‘around 90 percent of American mothers and 95 percent of American fathers report work-family conflict’. Work-family imbalance is a major challenge for many working people. Most middle income earners have to spend a lot of their time working in order to earn enough to support their families. This causes conflict between the family and one’s job. The main challenge is how to be effective in both because most of the people end up failing as much as they try to. This in turn results to frustration. Families with single parents like Chris’ family are the ones that suffer most although even those with both parents are affected. In such famili es, the husband may opt to work during the day and the wife at night in order to raise more money. This causes disintegration within the family and there is hardly enough time for the family to spend together. It is therefore important for a lasting solution to be sought in order to reduce occurrence of such cases. Strategies to reduce work-family conflict and to increase work-family facilitation The employer should be flexible The problem of work-family conflict is a rampant one that needs serious measures to be put in place to help alleviate it. Several steps can be taken to mitigate the situation. The family-work imbalance that Chris is facing is not just a personal problem as it has been thought by some in the past. Most working parents have young children who need their attention and yet they have to offer quality services in their work place which puts them in the same position as Chris is in. Consolidated efforts by the policy makers, the employers and the employees are neede d in order to curb the problem.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Problem of Work-Family Imbalance in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the things that can be helpful to Chris is assistance from his employer who already understands his problem because Chris chooses to initiate a meeting and inform him. If only the employer would agree to be more flexible and give Chris time to cope with some of the issues that crop up from time to time, may be some of the problems that Chris is facing would be solved. The employer should be willing to allow him to some of the genuine needs that require his attention without Chris feeling like he is doing something wrong and therefore his reputation may not be good and consequently, he may end up losing his bonuses. In a family set-up, the employers should understand that there are needs which are very legitimate and especially for the middle class, where Chris s eems to belong. Being a single parent, he is faced with the challenge of single-handedly providing for his son who is still young and he is also accountable to his employer who expects him to deliver quality services. This kind of help from the employer would really help in reducing the increasing levels of anxiety and other negative emotions arising from the dilemma he is facing. This also applies to all other workers who are constantly faced with emergencies which require their immediate attention but lack support from their employers. Flexibility at the places of work should be embraced by all employers in order to allow their employees to attend to legitimate needs. Paid sick-off and leave Apart prom the un-foreseen issues that arise in the course of work that call for flexibility by the employers, workers also need to be guaranteed of being away from work for a certain duration of time but still be protected and receive their pay. If this is available in the life of Chris, prob ably things will change and he will be able to meet all his responsibilities without being worried of failure. Time off should be part of the employees’ benefits so that they can have time to be with their children and also accomplish other family responsibilities like caring for their elderly or sick relatives. Employees also need time to care for a new born child who needs full time attention of their parents. Regardless of the social class that one belongs to, it is important to get time off work during which one will receive payment. This is important because workers have not been having this privilege and have ended up overworking themselves in order to cater for their needs. Although The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 gives the workers the right to some weeks off their jobs, very few people utilize it because of the need to continue working to earn enough money to cater for their needs.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The trend is similar across all social classes; although the middle and low classes are bear the greatest burden (Voydanoff, 2007). Fathers have been adversely affected because of the stigma associated with fathers taking leaves to take care of family needs like the young children as this has been seen as the role of the mothers. In the absence of the mother in the family, like Chris’ case, the father suffers most because he has no one to share the responsibility of bringing up his son with. Policies to protect workers from such laws which do not provide for paid leaves for workers should be formulated and enacted in order to ensure that workers get paid leaves and also sick-offs. If this is done, a significant amount of work related stress, which is brought about by overworking would be reduced which in turn would lead to reduced work-family conflict. If this is implemented also, workers will be aware that they can have some time away from their job to concentrate on other p ersonal issues without having to worry about where they will get their income during that period. Paid leave can be used as a time for one to be with the family and therefore this can make up for the time that one was not able to dedicate a lot of their time to the family. Formulation of policies that favor workers The existing law by The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 which provides for unpaid leave is outdated in the modern day family setting. This is because it seems not to cater for the single parents who would suffer in case they took an unpaid leave. At the time of its formulation, the law seemed to target the married people whereby the woman, who in most cases was earning lesser than her husband would take the unpaid leave while the husband continued working hence there was no much loss incurred by that kind of arrangement. According to Stebbins, (2001), with the increase in the demand for a better and decent life, which is not easily affordable, more and more people, i ncluding the women, are opting to forego the leave and concentrate on the job at the expense of the family. This has led to increased number of work-family related conflict. Chris is an example of how this arrangement has affected many single parents and hence the need for the policymakers to speed up reforms in the area of paid leave to reduce occurrence of such cases. Paid sick leave should also be accessible to every with no exclusion as is the case currently. People working in organizations with less the fifteen people are not entitled to the seven days sick off annually. It would also be helpful to the workers if they could get more benefits when working on a part time basis just as the full time workers get because this would reduce the number of people targeting the full time job market due of the benefits it attracts compared to the part time. Address discrimination at work Discrimination in the area of family responsibility has also been a challenge which needs to be addres sed to reduce cases of work-family conflict. Women who opt to take time off and care for their young children, low income workers and also fathers who shoulder the responsibility of caring for their children are some of the people that face this kind of discrimination. In Chris’ case, he could be suffering from the work-family conflict because of fear of such discrimination. Fellow employees should offer support to their colleagues who have responsibilities like Chris’ without making him feel as if they are discriminating him. There should be tolerance among the employees so that everyone can have a sense of belonging without feeling as if the rest are discriminating against them (Shelton, 2006). Affordable childcare institutions Chris can also try to bring in someone to take care of the son. This could be one of the relatives who he is comfortable with. This is because there are some of the relatives who one may be uncomfortable leaving their children under. This may include a sexually abusive or a negligent relative. According to Kelly (2011), this would help reduce the stress arising from the family and be able to concentrate more on the work without worrying about his son. In absence of this, he should consider putting his son under affordable childcare institutions. The government should help in setting up affordable institutions where children can be left during the day as their parents continue working. The government has been lax in looking into the matter of affordable childcare institutions and in the case of the existing ones; the employees there are poorly paid. This leads to poor services and in some instances very unaffordable charges in good institutions. Conclusion Chris’ case is representation of the problem that majority of the people are facing. The policymakers need to take seriously how life is like for a typical citizen and come up with measures to alleviate the problem. This would show the people that the government is concerned with the welfare and the needs of her citizens’ contrary to the belief held by many, that the government is uncaring and not concerned with the everyday struggles of its citizens. Work-family conflict cause a lot of emotional instability both at home and in the place of work leading to low output and dissatisfaction which is a key reason why it needs immediate attention. Reference List Kelly, E. L., 2011. Changing Workplaces to Reduce Work-Family Conflict. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Shelton, L. M., 2006. Female Entrepreneurs, Work–Family Conflict, and Venture Performance: New Insights into the Work–Family Interface. Journal of Small Business Management, 2006: 44(2), pp. 285–297 Stebbins, L. F., 2001. Work and family in America: a reference handbook. US: ABC-CLIO. Voydanoff, P., 2007. Work, family, and community: exploring interconnections. London: Routledge. Williams, J Boushey, H., 2011. The Three Faces of Work-Family Conflict: Th e  Poor, the Professionals, and the Missing Middle. California: University of California. Web. This report on The Problem of Work-Family Imbalance in Society was written and submitted by user Dulce Q. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Acids and Bases - Calculating pH of a Strong Base

Acids and Bases - Calculating pH of a Strong Base KOH is an example of a strong base, which means it dissociates into its ions in aqueous solution. Although the pH of KOH or potassium hydroxide is extremely high (usually ranging from 10 to 13 in typical solutions), the exact value depends on the concentration of this strong base in water. So, its important to know how to perform the pH calculation. Strong Base pH Question What is the pH of a 0.05 M solution of Potassium Hydroxide? Solution Potassium Hydroxide or KOH, is a strong base and will dissociate completely in water to K and OH-. For every mole of KOH, there will be 1 mole of OH-, so the concentration of OH- will be the same as the concentration of KOH. Therefore, [OH-] 0.05 M. Since the concentration of OH- is known, the pOH value is more useful. pOH is calculated by the formula pOH - log [OH-] Enter the concentration found before pOH - log (0.05)pOH -(-1.3)pOH 1.3 The value for pH is needed and the relationship between pH and pOH is given by pH pOH 14 pH 14 - pOHpH 14 - 1.3pH 12.7 Answer The pH of a 0.05 M solution of Potassium Hydroxide is 12.7.

Archaeology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Archaeology - Essay Example The white conquers spreading of disease and war is thought to have driven the royal family and servants from Machu Picchu. This is a fascinating subject that can be researched with pleasure. Machu Picchu is an abandoned Inca site. Although it is thought that Hiram Bingham (2004) â€Å"discovered† the city, a few others had been there before (219). MacQuarrie (2008) reports Bingham found the engravings of â€Å"M. Eugene de Sartiges, 1834†, â€Å"Jose Maria Tejada, Marcelino Leon, 1834†, â€Å"Jose Benigo Samnez, Juan Manual Rivas Plata, Mariana Cisneros, 1861†, and â€Å"Pio Mogrovejo, July 4, 1885† (384). Bingham was the first to bring attention to the city. Machu Picchu is located between the ridges of Machu Picchu (hence the name) and Pisac in the South American country, Peru according to D’Altroy (2003:127). The find of an intact abandoned Inca site was a major discovery for archeology and architectural studies. Machu Picchu allowed for the study of the Inca way of life and architectural ways. Bingham according to Burger and Salazar (2008) removed artifacts from the site to examine at Yale University (2). Machu Picchu has been explored by many more scientists and tourists since Bingham’s discovery in 1911 of the site D’Altroy (2003) (21). The majestic Inca site has been an uncovered jewel ever since. The Incas were a South American people before the Spanish conquest. D’Altroy (2003) explains Incas did not have a written language, but did have an oral history that has passed traditions down through the generations (121). Without the oral traditions, little or no knowledge might have been known about the Incas. The Spanish records after the Spanish expedition into also provide an insight into the Inca way of life, but only from an invader’s perspective Burger and Salazar 2005:2). Incas did share their oral traditions with the Spanish, but

Leadership and management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership and management - Assignment Example I will measure the productivity of the skills that I will have acquired on communication and relationship building. A – Attainable literature search can be done through the internet library and am able to appraise websites to find credible sources of information. Peter, Psychiatrist officer, has agreed to meet with me next week. I have the support of Peter, to practice my skills and obtain the feedback. R – Relevant I am currently working as a nurse and would like to become a manager within my organization or another organization after I have completed my BSN. I believe that the in building my communication and relationship skills in the position of a nurse will aid me to be more comfortable and competent in a manager position because I will have learned how to relate with everyone in the organization. I will resolve any conflict that might arise, leader of change, communicating freely with the patient , employing all types of communications in the organization and coming up with a culture. T – Time bound literature search through the library and the internet are in progress and will be completed by week three. The interview with an expert is scheduled on the second week. Practice of the skills will occur during weeks 3-5, evaluation during week six, and later complete my development (Rossiter, 2004). S – Specific I will identify patient care management skills by undertaking a search in libraries and also conducting experts in the skill. I will practice patient care management skill in order to better my skills. A – Attainable learning from my fellow colleagues is the simplest way of grasping full ideas that will be required of me. I will be able to delegate duties, my deliveries should be directed to the patient, communicate effectively with other departments within the organization. S –Specific I will identify the strategic planning skills after working in the

Effect of Substance Abuse on Child Upbringing

Effect of Substance Abuse on Child Upbringing Need for Treatment Women with children According to Miller (2001), the number of substance abuse treatment facilities for mothers with young children is very limited and therefore, implementation of local outpatient programs is very important to meet their specific treatment needs. Substance abuse treatment for single mothers is given a lower importance than the sufficient provision of their children in terms of safety and physical needs (Miller, 2001). Treatment of substance abuse and prevention of lifetime relapse requires various approaches (Miller, 2001). According to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (as cited in Miller, 2001), more than one-third of females who abused drug have undergone major depressive episodes and shown symptoms of mental health problems. Therefore, women who are abusing substance are more likely to experienced mental health problems as well. On the other hand, there is a high possibility that they will end up becoming the victims of domestic violence or experience partner violen ce (Miller, 2001). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (as cited in Miller, 2001) stated that when problems regarding domestic violence failed to be addressed, it will interfere with the effectiveness of treatment and might lead to relapse. Moreover, the high rate of women involving in the legal system is also associated with substance abuse (Miller, 2001). Furthermore, women who are involved in substance abuse lack parenting skills, overreact with harsh discipline or neglecting their children due to their previous experience with same dysfunctional family patterns during their childhood years (Miller, 2001). By looking from the social learning perspective, this means that they are unaware that their children are seeing them as role model and might follow their footsteps in abusing substance. Need for treatment success In order to achieve successful participation in substance abuse treatment, the various needs of patients need to be known. Miller (2001) stated that mother with young children will only be able to focus on her addiction after basic needs such as food, shelter, and water of the family were addressed. Therefore, if any of the needs are affected, it may cause the mother to abandon the ongoing treatment. Besides that, in order for the treatment to be successful, clients must believe or have a positive perception towards the treatment that it will help them alleviate their addiction. Catalano, Ashery, Robertson, and Kumfer (as cited in Miller, 2001), found that including parenting program to clients in substance abuse treatment will significantly decrease the chances of relapse after treatment besides improving preservation because these clients believe that having good parenting skills is important. Miller (2001) pointed out several steps that can ensure a successful treatment program. One of it is to remove attendance barriers by permitting mothers to bring along their children to participate in the treatment program. Besides that, providing child care, training skills for children, and knowledge on substance abuse will make way for the identification of their emotional and behavioural problems. Likewise, providing parenting skills training and support services will help mothers with young children to increase their self-esteem. According to Miller (2001), he stated that funding basis is very important to develop and expand substance abuse treatment program in order to promote and nurture better stability in families by helping mothers to deal with their addiction while at the same time to become a better parent to the children. Amongst child welfare cases in which parents are having substance abuse is concomitant with increasing rates of child re-victimization, higher possibility of out-of-home placement, longer placement in care, and higher rates of child adoption and parental rights termination (Kaufman Oliveros, n.d.). Therefore, it is important to focus on several needs and factors besides addressing treatment barriers to ensure the success of treatment completion. One of the ways to ensure treatment completion is with the introduction of Family Treatment Drug Courts (FTDC). According to Kaufman and Oliveros (n.d.), several studies on FTDCs found that they are associated with a better substance abuse treatment initiation, lengthier stay in treatment, lesser days in out-of-home placement for children, higher frequency of family reunification, and higher chances of treatment completion. Kaufman and Oliveros (n.d.) continued to state that parents who attended FTDC and have completed the treatment quicker have almost 90 percent chance of reunification and have their children returned. A study found in the work of Kaufman and Oliveros (n.d.) suggested that it is important to work with extended family and natural supports to enhance permanency outcomes for children. Creating cross-system collaborations and placing a substance abuse specialist in child welfare institutions seems to be an effective strategy for increasing intake rates (Kaufman Oliveros, n.d.). Motivational Interviewing (MI), a person-centered and collaborative form of counselling that stimulates and reinforces motivation for change is an extremely effective approach to improve treatment initiation and completion as well increase treatment entry among substance abuser (Kaufman Oliveros, n.d.). Furthermore, substance abuse treatment initiation can be enhanced by outreach and engagement strategies (Kaufman Oliveros, n.d.). Outreach and engagement strategies are also effective at increasing substance abuse treatment completion rates when used with FTDC (Kaufman Oliveros, n.d.). On the other hand, today, FTDC and the newly developed home-based treatment intervention for substance abuse seem to be the most promising treatment program to improve treatment outcomes (Kaufman Oliveros, n.d.). Home-based substance abuse treatment program has an advantage of dealing with poverty related treatment barriers by bringing the program to those who cannot afford to access other substance abuse treatment programs. Treatment approaches that are delivered must not only emphasize on reducing the symptom but must also increase environmental stability and improve social functioning (Belcher, Briggs, Suarez, Titus, 2012). In order to achieve treatment success, structural resources that assist bonds among providers must be developed or enhanced to nurture more integrated service sectors (Belcher et al., 2012). Treatment services can only be fully integrated after changes are implemented across the whole system rather than within individual treatment programs (Belcher et al., 2012). Berlin (2002) stated four main common concerns that every treatment should have. The first concern is that treatment must be multi-dimensional and comprehensive by identifying numerous domains. Treatment must also include resources or access to services. Next, family therapy must be included to enhance communication among family members besides improving parental and guidance skills. The last concern is that after-care mu st be included in order to prevent relapse from occurring. Pressing Problems Parents who abuse substance are associated with the significant increase risk of child maltreatment and it is frequently under reported by child protective services (Bellettiere, Chuang, Cross, Wells, 2013). Family functioning and the well-being of children are also at risk when parents abuse drugs and alcohol (Bellettiere et al., 2013). Besides that, there is a high possibility that caregivers who abuse substance will engage health risk behaviours and mistreat the children in their care (Bellettiere et al., 2013). On the other hand, the children of parents who abuse alcohol and drugs will probably experience problems in terms of their emotion and behaviour as well as cultivate their own substance abuse in their later stage of adolescence and early adulthood (Bellettiere et al., 2013). A number of costly and alarming social problems can be associated directly to drug dependence. Recent studies estimated that the United States government has to spend around 67 billion dollars annually in crime, low productivity of work, foster care, and other social problems caused by drug dependence (Kleber, Lewis, McLellan, O’Brien, 2000). Volkow and colleagues (as cited in Kleber et al., 2000) found that the dopamine system of individuals who abstain from using cocaine was impaired three months after their last use. Other studies (as cited in Kleber et al., 2000) found that there was sustained variations in the stress response system after former substance users abstain from using opiate or cocaine. The response of encountering an individual or something that is earlier associated with drug use that might create conditioned physiological reactions and craving for the drug can combine to produce the feeling of loss of control (Kleber et al., 2000). The relapse frequencies which were reported to be very high are a clear sign of the negative reinforcement that alcohol and drugs have on people (Berlin, 2002). Alcohol causes more than 150,000 deaths each year and alcohol kills more Americans compared to other drugs other than tobacco which caused 440,000 deaths annually (Wu, 2005). Alcohol consumption has a negative effect on the central nervous system and brain that will cause those who consume alcohol to be aggressive and engage in risk taking behaviours (Wu, 2005). National Institute on Drug Abuse (as cited in Wu, 2005) stated that marijuana might induce impairment of short term memory, attention span, judgment skills, coordination and balance, learning skills, and other cognitive functions. The withdrawal symptoms of marijuana include irritability, restlessness, decreased appetite, insomnia, tremor, chills, and increased body temperature (Fisher Harrison, 2013). Besides that, cocaine will cause someone to have decreased appetite and sleep, increased heart rate, muscle spasms, and convulsions (Wu, 2005). The withdrawal symptoms of cocaine include intense drug craving, irritability, dep ression, anxiety, and lethargy (Fisher Harrison, 2013).

Social Environment And Its Effect On Ones Life Essay -- essays researc

Social Environment and Its Effect On One's Life Social environment is influenced by one's power and wealth. This, in turn, determines success or failure in peoples' lives. If one were born with a "silver spoon" in his mouth, he would easily be able to attend a fancy school no matter how intelligent he is or have any luxury he wants just because of power and wealth. On the flip side, if one were born to a poor family in a bad neighborhood infested with violence and drugs, he would have a much smaller chance of succeeding in life, more especially, going to an upper-class school. It is hard for many poor to go to college because of such high tuition costs. Scholarships are available; but, even though one shows financial need, one still has to have a high grade point average and test scores. Even if one has a good mind, trying to study in a gang-ridden neighborhood with constant gunfire isn't easy. With both parents working two jobs, there isn't any parental guidance. Whereas, the affluent, even if busy or working, have the means to insure that their children are supervised and well taken care of. The rich also have the luxury of affording special tutors to help their children while other children are on their own. For example, there are three students, one from a clean, upper-class community, another from a small, middle-class suburb and the other from a graffiti-ridden slum. A... Social Environment And Its Effect On Ones Life Essay -- essays researc Social Environment and Its Effect On One's Life Social environment is influenced by one's power and wealth. This, in turn, determines success or failure in peoples' lives. If one were born with a "silver spoon" in his mouth, he would easily be able to attend a fancy school no matter how intelligent he is or have any luxury he wants just because of power and wealth. On the flip side, if one were born to a poor family in a bad neighborhood infested with violence and drugs, he would have a much smaller chance of succeeding in life, more especially, going to an upper-class school. It is hard for many poor to go to college because of such high tuition costs. Scholarships are available; but, even though one shows financial need, one still has to have a high grade point average and test scores. Even if one has a good mind, trying to study in a gang-ridden neighborhood with constant gunfire isn't easy. With both parents working two jobs, there isn't any parental guidance. Whereas, the affluent, even if busy or working, have the means to insure that their children are supervised and well taken care of. The rich also have the luxury of affording special tutors to help their children while other children are on their own. For example, there are three students, one from a clean, upper-class community, another from a small, middle-class suburb and the other from a graffiti-ridden slum. A...

A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-three

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