Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Writing and Book Title
Crumples, and Crumples are either Bumpkins or Dumps. Based on this Information. Which of the following statements is/are true? L. II. Ill. IV A BCC A Bumpkin cannot be a Limpkin A Dumpling is always a Crumple A Limpkin can be a Rumple A Rumple can be a Dumpling I, II and Ill only I and IV only Ill and IV only Ill only Questions 2 and 3 refer to the following stimulus.Teachers from Bentley High School are concerned that students show many signs of redness and lack of concentration during the school day, and have blamed the Introduction of TV, Backbone and Namespace as the fundamental cause. A team of researchers, led by Dry Roy Peters, came in to assess the claim of the teachers by conducting a professional study. Dry Peters compiled 80 students at random from Year 9 of the school, and he formed four groups. Group 1 consisted of 20 students who were banned from watching TV for a month.Group 2 consisted of 20 students banned from accessing Backbone for a month. Group 3 consisted of 20 students manned from accessing Namespace for a month. Finally, Group 4 consisted of 20 students banned from watching TV, and banned from accessing Backbone and Namespace. English, Comparative, Guidelines Based on some recent emails, there seems to be a lot of confusion when it comes to approaching the comparative study essay. Understandably, it is quite hard to organism your knowledge of these texts and make it into a coherent comparative.I felt there was no point in trying to write a sample essay, as everyone Is studying different texts. But here Is the bread and butter of It allâ⬠¦ In essence, you will be asked to write along the following essay titles (ââ¬Å"modes of comparisonâ⬠): ââ¬â cultural context ââ¬â vision and viewpoint ââ¬â theme or Issue as explored in 3 texts. Usually 2 of 3 come up every year. This is an artificial division in terms of essay titles. You will end up writing about similar things In each of these essay. Just taking a different angl e each time.A comparative is just that ; don't try to impress the examiner with your in-depth knowledge of the texts ââ¬â compare them, its okay to be a little superficial, but try to hit the three texts from all the different angles of comparison. To gain an understanding of the kind of organizing you need to do, have a look at my old notes: Comparative road map ââ¬â my own scribbles. Click on image to enlarge. Don't try to read the details here (this sheet was filled out on the other side too). Just note how I had my 3 texts up across and issues/visions/cultural matters down.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Augustus: Person of the Year
Ryan Weber Mrs. Brannan HUM-2211 October, 15, 2012 Person of the year: Augustus How does one define person of the year? Someone who is appointed this title of great honor above every other man or woman in the world. For what itââ¬â¢s worth, I can sum it all up into one name, Augustus. A brave and loyal leader, educated and intelligent man, a political connoisseur, patron of the arts, and a loving husband, what else could be asked from a man of such great achievement?We will be looking into the life, rule, and accomplishments of Augustus, then finish off with an exclusive interview to give us more of an insider look on the ââ¬Å"Person of the year. â⬠ââ¬Å"On March 15, 44 BC, a group of Roman Senators stood over the dead body of Julius Caesar, bloody knives in their hands. They had murdered the Roman leader in an effort to save the Republic from Caesar's aspirations for sole powerâ⬠(McGill, Sarah Ann) In spring of 44 BCE Augustus formerly known as Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, or Octavious for short, became ruler of Rome.Adopted by Julius Caesar after traveling alongside him for many years and throughout many battles, being the only male relative and it being written in Caesars will, Augustus was heir to the throne and quickly began making an impact on roman society. ââ¬Å"Caesar Augustus rose from near obscurity to become the most powerful man Rome had ever seen, and he became perhaps the single most important figure in Rome's long history. â⬠(Sizgorich, Tom. ââ¬Å"Augustus) Starting his reign at age 18, very young and inexperienced he would have to gain the trust and support of the empire as a whole.Very intuitively and keen, he started at the base of it all, the people. Initiating public games loved by them as a source of entertainment, when a comet flew by on the first day, everyone took it as Caesarââ¬â¢s soul ascending to the heavens, this greatly helped win his popularity among his great uncles army he left and also made him allies within the senate. But with allies, would come opponents, one man in particular, Mark Antony, whom was a close ally with Caesar and fought against the party that assassinated him.Tensions between the two were short after they formed a group to eliminate opposing forces such as the one that killed Caesar, lead by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. ââ¬Å"The alliance between Antony and Octavian could not last, however; after the defeat of the conspirators, Octavian set about building a base of support for himself among the Romans, anticipating the confrontation with Antony that he knew would come. â⬠(Sizgorich, Tom. ââ¬Å"Augustus) ââ¬Å"Octavian began preparing to confront Antony. Antony had angered many Romans because of his relationship with the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra.Octavian took advantage of this anger to gain further support against Antony. â⬠(ââ¬Å"Augustus, Caesar Octavianus. â⬠Ancient Greece and Rome) Acute and sharp as he was, Augustus began to realize the roman public was outraged that Antony had been willingly manipulated by queen Cleopatra of Egypt. He set out to defeat Antony and Cleopatraââ¬â¢s army. When he finally did so, the couple committed suicide and allowed Augustus to finally have full control over all of Rome. He did not want to rule as his uncle did, so in order to convince the public and senate he would not do so he, articulated the ââ¬Å"Princepâ⬠title.Deriving from Latin meaning ââ¬Å"first citizenâ⬠suggesting that he held only the same power as all others in the senate, but no one was to be above him in ruling. Augustus wasted no time as sole leader of Rome, he extended the borders, instituted construction of new buildings, water systems and roads. He maintained public order and law, supported writers such as Virgil and Livy to bring back more traditional Roman values, and introduced a new religion to society, ââ¬Å"Christianity. â⬠At one point he offered to relinquish a ll of his power to the senate, but they would not oblige.In fact they revered him even more and allotted him with the title Augustus, which is when he adopted the name and dropped the name Octavious. Augustus proclaimed that he had ââ¬Å"found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble. â⬠(ââ¬Å"Augustus, Caesar Octavianus. â⬠Ancient Greece and Rome) By the end of his rule, Rome was flourishing, rich and prosperous was the whole empire. Lined with armies protecting all borders, creating a safe environment for all of Rome, it has been deemed ââ¬Å"Romeââ¬â¢s Golden Ageâ⬠or ââ¬Å"Pax Romanaâ⬠and was the period in time when the civilization experienced the most peace and prosperity.Augustus passed away in AD 14 and Tiberius took control over Rome as his stepson. It is easy to see how Augustus was named Person of the year, he accomplished more in his lifetime than any other individual I can name Reforming government and military, restoring Roman tr aditions and values, and vastly expanding the empire. And gaining the love and support of the people, the senate, and the army at the same time, itââ¬â¢s no wonder why the senate held him at the level of a god when he passed. Works Cited * ââ¬Å"Augustus, Caesar Octavianus. Ancient Greece and Rome: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Carroll Moulton. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. 87-91. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. * Sizgorich, Tom. ââ¬Å"Augustus. â⬠World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012 * McGill, Sarah Ann. ââ¬Å"Augustus. â⬠Augustus (2009): 1. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. * ââ¬Å"Augustus, Caesar Octavianus. â⬠Ancient Greece and Rome: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Carroll Moulton. Vol. 1.New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. 87-91. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. * Fears, J. Rufus. ââ¬Å"Augustus. â⬠Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 630-631. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Oct. 2012 * Dunstan, William E. Ancient Rome. n. p. : Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 15 Oct. 2012 (I was not able to log into this EBook the whole time I have been writing this paper, but you have it down as a required cite. )
Monday, July 29, 2019
Explaining a Technical Concept or Management Issue Essay
Explaining a Technical Concept or Management Issue - Essay Example Some of them note that our target include home owners and business owners, answers that are all too general to define our real target customers. Being an interior design company that has recently been established, it is important that our marketers exactly know who to target during market campaigns and in all marketing activities. Having been in the market for a relatively short duration, the company needs to establish a niche for itself especially if it has to succeed in the competitive household goods market. It is for this reason that I saw the need to prepare this report; to discuss what target marketing is and to recommend how we can apply it in the business. Definition of Target Marketing Target marketing, micro-marketing or niche marketing involves portioning a market into segments and concentrating marketing efforts on a few main segments or just one segment according to Kurtz (6). Target marketing does not mean that the business excludes individuals who do not fit into the e stablished criteria from purchasing the business products. A target market comprises a group of customers that an organization has decided to concentrate its marketing efforts on and therefore its products towards. ... Demographic segmentation on the other hand involves segmenting the market according to age, gender, education, stage in life, income or other demographic features. Psychographic segmentation on its part involves segmenting the market based on individualsââ¬â¢ lifestyles, values, and attitudes. While there are several other factors that can be used in segmenting a market, the aforementioned factors are most commonly considered. Target marketing is different from general marketing in which case the entire market is targeted by a business in its marketing endeavors (Cohen 27). As an example, Hewlett-Packard, the multinational company that makes electronic devices and computers targets its all-in-one (fax, scan, print) machines at segments of the home office market. The company on the other hand targets more expensive single function units at larger organizations. Importance of Target or Niche Marketing Establishing a well-defined target market is key to an organizationââ¬â¢s marke ting strategy according to Pinson and Jinnett (52). Better stated, target marketing can be key to an organizationââ¬â¢s success. When an organization engages in target marketing, pricing, promotion, distribution of its products becomes easier and more effective in terms of cost. This it does by focusing all the marketing activities that the business engages in. When an organization markets its products or services to a general market hoping to get a bigger slice of the market, it is as good as firing 10 bullets randomly in different directions when hunting game. This is dangerous and extremely expensive. On the other hand, when target marketing is applied, the situation is analogous to aiming a single mark which is cost effective and potentially gainful.
Sunday, July 28, 2019
NHS Health Provision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
NHS Health Provision - Essay Example The health service was an important aspect, so it had to exist, with reasons for its existence ranging from: Financial constrains for the hospitals which were volunteering; The 2nd world war which ensured an emergency medical service was ensured as part of the war effort; Emergence of the view that every human being had the right to health care, and it should not be something given to people charity thought they needed; The wide spread effect of war that saw it possible that the system was changed rather than modified; Mutual agreement that services that existed were in disarray, and something had to be done to sort it; and Young members who practiced medicine saw a better way of handling things hence its existence (NHS core principles, 2005). One of the major health care provisions in the national hospital service was the development of a network that would handle unplanned and emergency care services. This was an inter-organisation development criterion which was effective as a too l that would support the required changes in interrelated services. These were intensive care networks, emergency care networks and surgical service networks. The subtopic on emergency care networks is solely based on the fact that it is used by the public as a port of call which is safe for most, if not all of their problems. This is especially so if the other agencies are shut (Enthoven, 2000). Over the years as a result, services have been built in this department and also their knowledge in distinct areas such as minor injuries which accounts for 2/3 of the workload, trauma services which estimates to approximately 2% of the work in most of the departments and major injuries which accounts for work in balance. Such specialist services needed competent individuals around in a sort of shift patterns and a rota. Surgical services are becoming highly specialised, and some anaesthetistsââ¬â¢ and surgeonsââ¬â¢ ability to be flexible in that they can cross-over in general areas i s becoming a challenge. This in turn, creates pressure in mid-sized and smaller general district hospitals, in that their staff is small and cannot meet the new shifts and rota layered down by the existing rules. This pressure is due to concentration of staff members in areas of excellence such as cardiology, neurosurgery, cancer, urology, paediatrics and ophthalmology; increase in the percentage of daily case surgery which includes the transfer of some cases out of private sectors in east London (public policy reforms and the National Health Service strategic development agenda) (Oakley 2009, p. 13-15). The National Health Service was created out of thought that healthcare services to a person should be available regardless of wealth. This was based on these three core principles: It should not be based on a personââ¬â¢s ability to pay but on essential clinical needs, It should meet the needs of each and every one, At the point of delivery it should be free, The three principles have seen that the development of the national hospital service is guided for over sixty years and remaining at its pillar core. The department of health in March 2011 published the National Hospital Service. In its content were the guiding principle of the NHS and the publicsââ¬â¢ right as an NHS patient. These rights did a wide coverage of the quality of care a NHS patient receives, an NHS patient right, confidentiality, programmes and treatments available to the patient and the patientââ¬â¢
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Comparison of Two Sets of Data Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Comparison of Two Sets of Data - Lab Report Example The lab report "Comparison of Two Sets of Data" overviews two datasets of gross motor vehicle domestic weights from the year 2002 and from the year 2004. This report applied information from a secondary source for its investigation. The collected data was then subjected to statistical analysis using excel from which cumulative were developed. Further, histograms were developed to facilitate analysis of the two sets of data. Gross vehicle domestic weight refers to the maximum weight of a vehicle based on the manufacturerââ¬â¢s specification. It normally indicates the combined weights of all elements of a vehicle such as a frame, body, engine, devices, luggage, and passengers. This information is contained in vehiclesââ¬â¢ registration documents. Statistical applications that offer ground for comparing and contrasting records of motor vehicle weights over periods can be used to investigate the existence of a change in a trend of gross weights. The combination of statistics from the two periods of time allows for easier analysis into identifying similarities and differences between the two sets of data. A review of the combined frequency distribution table, for example, identifies a comparative trend in the weights of the vehicles between the intervals less than 20 kipps up to 69.9 kipps. Though the paired frequencies within this range vary across the two years, the differences are significantly small, falling within a one percent disparity. A difference is observed beyond 70 kipps frequencies reported in the year 2004.... .6% 100-109.9 35 0.1% 110-119.9 13 0.0% >120 Kips 13 0.0% In order to gain a clearer insight into the two sets of data, histograms were developed as shown bellow, Histogram for the year 2002 Histogram for the year 2004 Combined results tor the two period were also calculated as shown bellow Frequency distribution table for the year 2002 and the year 2004 Bin 2002 2004 120 Kips 0.0% 0.0% Stacked histogram for the years 2002 and 2004 Combination of statistics from the two periods of time allows for easier analysis into identifying similarities and differences between the two sets of data. A review of the combined frequency distribution table, for example, identifies a comparative trend in the weights of the vehicles between the intervals from less that 20 kipps upto 69.9 kipps. Though the paired frequensies within this range varies across the two years, the differences are significantly small, falling within a one percent disparity. A difference is however observed beyond 70 kipps at w hich frequencies reported in the year 2004 are significantly higher than the frequencies reported in the year 2002. This observation is clearly identified from the stacked histogram that identifies higher percentage frequencies in the year 2002 for values lower than 70 kipps. The percentage frequencies in 2002 however goes bellow those in the year 2004 for the intervals that falls above 70 kipps. The similarity in trend of the reported data for the intervals that falls bellow 70 kipps indicates that the percentage distribution in demand, and hence production and use of vehicles
Friday, July 26, 2019
Medline Search Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Medline Search - Essay Example The ââ¬ËMedlineââ¬â¢ database was studied with directed and pointed queries in the main search box for terms related with the clinical question. The first query was made using a rather obvious sentence ââ¬Ëimproving functional status in adult asthmaticsââ¬â¢ but it yielded no results. The search was repeated using a more targeted collection of terms ââ¬Ëasthma control in adultsââ¬â¢ which yielded some very good results. The primary papers shortlisted in this search which were somewhat relevant with the clinical question included papers on medical adherence amongst adult asthmatics residing in two inner city clinics, the beliefs of patients as well as physicians about asthma control and risks involved. Another search was conducted on the same website using ââ¬Ëasthma self careââ¬â¢ as the key words. This yielded a number of hits and two papers talked about the impact of education on asthma patients, adults as well as children. Out of these, one was found to be highly relevant to the clinical question and is summarized below. Yet another search with the key words ââ¬Ëasthma medicationââ¬â¢ yielded quite good results and another paper was selected for discussion and summarization. In total 10 relevant studies were obtained in this search. The two selected studies had high relevance with the clinical question due to their focus on the impact of education on patient adherence with medication for asthma and are therefore summarized below: 1. A descriptive and correlative study tried to examine the impact of education, knowledge and patient characteristics on emergency visits to the hospital which can yield some fair knowledge about the clinical question (Emtner et al, 2009). In a year long study, 84 asthma patients and 52 COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients were interviewed on phone 4 to 6 weeks after an emergency room (ER) visit and followed up for one year to study the impact
Federal function Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Federal function - Essay Example In the recent past, the federal government has been faced with a looming crisis in which it plans laying off about eight hundred thousands staffs, their employment status hangs on the balance as the federal government braves to as from Saturday impose a shutdown, a move that is likely to render such a huge population staffs suspended, it will also include several agencies right from the offices to the parks rolling out their operations. A move to reverse the highly anticipated action is in its top gears as the United States president Barrack Obama has considered a crisis meeting consultation in the White house with John Boehner a speaker in the Republican House. The shutdown negative impact is due on spring where by even the tourists from the international community would experience rough rides, they will find attraction sites closed on Saturdays, sites like the Liberty statue, museums in Washingtonââ¬â¢s Smithsonianââ¬â¢s, former prisons of Alcatraz amongst other sites with fa scinating features will not be operational, in the mean time vital organization that deliver services like security, control of air traffic, border authorities and the all important postal services would partially operate or would totally close down. The anticipated move will not only threatens the staffs at various work places but will also affect acutely government agencies, Pentagon and the congress included. The move by the congress to classify workers into non-essentials and essentials has not augured well with most employees who value the conscious of the status. The non-essential workers would be expected not to show up for job on Mondays while the essential ones would have their schedule uninterrupted on Mondays. A further hitch is also in the rife as the staffs risk having their laptops and BlackBerries shut down. According to Jeffrey Zients White House deputy director on management and budget (Askill, 2011), the pattern of the shut down may be uneven, National parks, forests and institution of Smithsonian would remain closed as the Institute of Health Clinical Centre will consider new patients but clinical trials will remain suspended. The overseas stationed troops in countries like Iran and Afghanistan will not be give n their wages but will be paid for welfare recipient. The holidaymakers of Americans origin who been considered late for their passport applications as well as the visitors who would want to pay a visit to America and made US visas application would be compelled to eat a humble pie as their request will not succeed. The debate as to whether the non-essential workers would be paid after the shut down as in previous years also sent mixed reactions as the federal government has this year clarified their position that it wonââ¬â¢t be as usual. What the government is doing The US president Barrack Obama had along late night meeting with Boehner and Harry Reid, the senate leader to strike a deal that would avoid the unfortunate circumstance from coming into play, Obama expressed optimism that both the parties are committed to finding a solution to what is viewed as a possible menace. He is expecting early positive responses from the Republicans in order to halt the steps facilitating t he shut down becoming a reality. On the issue, the Republicans proposes a forty billion dollars cut deficit on the federal while the Democrats resoluted on the thirty four and a half billion
Thursday, July 25, 2019
PR campaign Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words
PR campaign - Assignment Example The institutionââ¬â¢s mission statement has played an important role in guiding it towards excellence performance through the fifty years that it has existed since its inception. The institution believes that itââ¬â¢s upon this mission statement that it will transcend greater heights into becoming one of the universities with a global influence on various issues that affect the normal lives of people. The institution has done a lot to ensure that it lives to its vision; it has combined the efforts of all its stakeholders to ensure that staying on course on this vision remains a matter of top priority. The vision statement that the institution has found a lot of self-esteem in it reads as follows; In order to live and achieve its vision, the institution intends to rely on the majority youthful population that characterizes the student population, the excellent and strategic location that keeps it within reach to many students. At the same time, the excellent association between the student body and the faculty proves to another vital ingredient in achieving the vision, thus establishing itself as one of the forerunner institutions in the United States of America The university enjoys a corporate culture that is characterised by active and free interaction among students and the faculty representatives. The institution has committed to admitting different student from all walks of life in a bid to encourage cultural interaction and diversity. The university has derived a lot of strength from the fact that it is providing an environment that values different races and knowledge sharing. This is something that seems to add impetus in the efforts being done towards innovations and inventions in the different areas the university address. The institution enjoys state of the art technology that is used in instructional
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Chinas economic rise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words
Chinas economic rise - Essay Example The rise of the economy of a country means a stable increase in the economic growth of the country for a considerable period of time. By economic growth, we mean the increase in the gross domestic product of the country that in turn means increase in the production of overall sectors of the economy with some sectors contributing more to the growth than the others. Economic growth of a country can even occur with the increase in the key inputs of production mainly labor and capital, which helps in boosting up the productivity that result in the increase in the total production of the country. Increase in the income level of country can also boost up sector wise economic growth. A continuous increase in the real per capita income or output of a country can also be termed as economic growth as it increases the standard of living of the individuals of the country. When a country experiences significant economic growth, the international credit rating of that particular nation increases a nd it is generally said that there occurs an economic rise in the country. Thus in ultimate words it can be concluded that rise in the economy of a country imply a positive breakthrough in the flow of the economy. (Economic growth, 2008: Rise, 2011: Adelman, 1961, p1) The economy of China is experiencing an accelerating growth over the decade and soon from a mere underdeveloped country, it will reach the economic growth rate similar to the developed economies of the world if not more. The economy of the country since its liberalization and open up of the market economy is experiencing a growth rate of 10% per year approximately which increases with the advent of the twenty first century and expected to double itself in the next few years. According to Albert Keidel (2007) by the year 2040, the rapid economic growth of the country will soon overcome that of the United States in terms of the overall gross domestic product of the country. The rise of the economy of the country to a maj or economic power within a period of about twenty-eight years from a stagnant and poor economy can be termed as one of the greatest economic success of the modern time. The economic rise of the country has made it the second largest economy of the world and it could reach the highest position within a decade. According to many economists, the economic growths of the country have been mainly due to the significant increase in the productivity of the country that again resulted from the market reforms undertaken by the government of the country. The market reform of the eighties emphasizes on reduction in the role of the state control or the public sector of the economy and the increase in the ownership and the control by the private enterprises of the economy. Moreover, the countryââ¬â¢s policy of opening up the market to international trade also significantly contributed to the gain or increase in the productivity of the country that further resulted in the growth of the economy. Thus, liberalization and privatization are the main cause behind the economic rise of the country in the recent decade. (Elwell, Labonte, Morrison, 2007: Keidel 2007) Three historical rise of the country The economy of the country had also experience modest growth before the year 1937 and according to some economist the country before the modern period thrice in the future have the experience of being the most powerful and prosperous country among the neighboring regions. The country gains prosperity during the first bureaucratic rule of Qin-Han unification. The country had the experience of the second period of prosperity at the time of reunification of Sui-tang. Before the modern period the third and the perhaps the most powerful rise of the country was at the period of reconstruction and the reinforcement of the Confucian tradition as the new orthodoxy in the country. It was the time of the Ming and the Qing dynasties. The rise of the country in these historical periods differs significantly from the rise of the cou
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Transactional Leadership Principle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Transactional Leadership Principle - Essay Example s and Emma Walton Hamilton, David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Stephen Colbert, Chris Colfer, Michael Connelly, Jeffery Deaver, Nelson DeMille, Tina Fey, Malcolm Gladwell, Chelsea Handler, Harper Lee, John Maxwell, Brad Meltzer, Joyce Meyer, Stephenie Meyer, J.R. Moehringer, Joel Osteen, James Patterson, Randy Pausch, Jerry Pinkney, Keith Richards, JK Rowling, J.D. Salinger, David Sedaris, Lemony Snicket/Daniel Handler, Nicholas Sparks, Jon Stewart, Scott Turow, David Foster Wallace, Brent Weeks, and Tom Wolfe. D. Forrester Research Inc. contrasted that, on the one hand, physical book sales in the U.S. are expected to decline to $19.5 billion this year from $26 billion in 2010, while, on the other hand, e-book sales are anticipated to multiply eight times to $8.7 billion (Lee, Satariano, & Hymowitz, 2014). B. Hachette negotiates tangible, extrinsic exchanges by resisting the increase in power of Amazon in controlling e-book prices because it wants to ensure that it is the one profiting more and the one in power over strategic pricing. Gillette, F. (2014, June 6). Layoffs make Hachette easier prey for Amazon. Businessweek.com. BloombergBusinesweek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-06/layoffs-make-hachette-easier-prey-for-amazon Lee, E., Satariano, A., & Hymowitz, C. (2014, June 6). Amazon feud with publishers to escalate as contracts end. BloombergBusinesweek. Retrieved from
Monday, July 22, 2019
The Tempest and William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free
The Tempest and William Shakespeare Essay In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood andà other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that. In the Tempest, written by William Shakespeare in 1611, Prospero the sorcerer was the Duke of Milan until Antonio usurped his power. Prospero is banished to an isolated island with his daughter Miranda. Here he practiced his sorcery and controlled every aspect of Mirandaââ¬â¢s life. Prospero used his sorcery to create a magnificent tempest to bring all his enemies to the island, including Antonio, for revenge. Caliban was a native to the island Prospero lives on. Prospero catches Caliban trying to rape Miranda so he makes him his slave. Prospero makes Caliban carry firewood and other hard labor. Prospero frees Ariel from a tree and then makes him his personal servant. Both of these men are Prosperoââ¬â¢s slaves but they are much more than just that.
Music Essays Baroque Music
Music Essays Baroque Music Baroque Music In the book The Enjoyment of Music, Joseph Machlis and Kristine Forney state, the word baroque comes from the Portuguese word barocco which means a pearl of irregular shapes that was used to make jewelry of the time. (299) According to online data the word was first used to describe the style of architecture in Italy during the 17th and 18th century. Later on the word baroque was used to describe the music styles of the 1600s to the 1700s. The Baroque period was a time when composers experimented with form, styles and instruments. This period saw the development of opera and instrumental music. (About.com) Although we use the term baroque today, the appropriateness of the term baroque has been questioned. In music, the term Baroque applies to the final period of dominance of imitative counterpoint where different voices and instruments echo each other but at different pitches, sometimes inverting the echo, and even reversing thematic material. Baroque music too many in the sixteenth century was bizarre, extravagant, and unnatural. According to the data from online Encarta, Baroque music was very different to the music before its time such as medieval and early renaissance music and the development of new harmonic and melodic lines added difference in pace and variation to the compositions giving them a new shape and form. The structure of the music also changed different forms such as fugues and cannons developed and different instruments were introduced. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Composers of the early baroque period placed an emphasis on melody. Developments began in Italy and first took place in vocal music, especially opera. Instrumental music started out as an accompaniment of voice but over the course of the baroque era, it achieved an independent identity. Melodies were embellished with ornaments of different types, rapid alternation between the main note and the note just above it. All composers in countries used ornamentation, but it was favored by French composers. Baroque melodies, vocal and instrumental, made prominent use of melodic sequence, the repetition of a short motif at a higher or lower pitch. (Encarta). The principle melody in baroque music was supported by a written bass line, the basso continuo, played by a viol, cello or bassoon. Other parts were added between the melody and the bass by a keyboard instrument, usually a harpsichord or organ. Only they melody and the bass line were written out. Numbers placed over or under the bass notes indicated the type of chord to be played, and they keyboard accompanist added the appropriate notes. (Encarta) According to Manfred F. Bukofzer in his book Music in the Baroque Era the baroque style went through several phases that didnââ¬â¢t even coincide in different countries. They were grouped into three major periods: early, middle and late baroque. Although the periods overlap in time, they can roughly be dated as the first from 1580 to 1630, the second from 1630 to 1680, and the last from 1680 to 1730. These spans indicate only the formative periods of the new concepts with which the previous ones may run parallel for some time, and the start of the baroque period only applies to Italy. In other countries the periods began ten to twenty years later. The middle baroque period brought the bel-canto style in that cantata and opera, with the distinction between aria and recitative. A single section of musical forms began to grow and contrapuntal texture was reinstituted. The modes were reduced to major and minor and the chord progressions are governed by a rudimentary tonality which restrained the free dissonance treatment of the early baroque. The late baroque style was distinguished by a fully established tonality which regulated chord progression, dissonance treatment, and the formal structure. The contrapuntal technique culminated in the full absorption tonal harmony. The forms grew to large dimensions. The concerto style appeared and with it came the emphasis on mechanical rhythm. (17) Along with the different phases of the baroque period there were also different styles, according to Joseph Machlis and Kristine Forney in their book The Enjoyment of Music they explain the different styles. Machlis Forney states that the transition form Renaissance to Baroque brought with it a great change, the shift of interest from texture of several independent parts to one in which a single melody stood out, from polyphonic music to homophonic. The monodic style which originated in vocal music, was named monody wand literally means ââ¬Å"one song,â⬠music for one singer with instrumental accompaniment. The monodic style was known during the beginning of the baroque era. The recitative style is a half-spoken, half-sung delivery, which is often used to link songlike numbers in an opera, oratorio or cantata. Recitative can be dry or accompanied. Secco recitative has only very simple chordal accompaniment; accompanied recitative involves the orchestra more actively. Continuo is the accompaniment part within a homophonic texture, in which a keyboard instrument or sometimes a lute plays a supporting bass line. The composer would write out a single melodic line, and then add figures beneath it to indicate which harmonies the performer should add to it in order to fill out the texture. An aria is a solo song, normally occurring in the context of a longer work but sometimes autonomous. It is usually formally closed, meaning that it could be removed from its setting and performed independently as a complete musical unit. The cantata is a work for solo vocalists, chorus and instrumentalist based on a lyric or dramatic poem. It is generally short and intimate, consisting of several movements that include recitatives, arias, and ensemble members. (395-412). There were many composers that wrote music throughout the baroque era, some more significant than others but each contributing a large amount to the development throughout this period. In Claude Palisca book Baroque Music Arcangelo Corelli was one of the first prominent composers of the Baroque era; he was an Italian composer and violinist writing music in a chamber style and in the form of the late baroque era. Corelli was born in 1653 in Fusignano, Italy not far from Bologna, he spent four years of study in the latter center of violin music before settling in Rome. Corelli separated church and chamber sonatas, grouping them in dozens or half dozens. The content of the two types of sonatas show, an interpenetration of the two manners of writing. Corelli would begin his church sonatas with a severe, majestic, solemn mood, passed on to a resolute and contented one, then to a tenderly melancholic affection, and finally to a light and carefree one. (152) In Donna Getzingr and Daniel Felsenfeld book, Johann Sebastian Bach and the Art of Baroque Music. Bach was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. Getzinger and Felsenfeld states that Bachââ¬â¢s music wasnââ¬â¢t appreciated during his time he never played his music in public places because his music was not always well received. He was often criticized for writing music many considered overly complicated, and he quit jobs when his employers could not understand what he had hoped to accomplish with his music. (11-14) Machlis and Forney state that Bach was one of the greatest religious artists in history. He believed that music must serve ââ¬Å"the glory of God.â⬠Bach produced works that spoke for the entire Lutheran faith. The prime medium for Bachââ¬â¢s talents was the organ, and during his life he was known as a virtuoso organist. In Bachââ¬â¢s last works it revealed a master who raised existing forms to the highest level. His sheer mastery of contrapuntal composition has never been equaled. (416-417) It is a still-debated question as to what extent Baroque music shares aesthetic principles with the visual and literary arts of the Baroque period. A fairly clear, shared element is a love of ornamentation, and it is perhaps significant that the role of ornament was greatly diminished in both music and architecture as the Baroque gave way to the Classical period. I had the pleasure of listening to some of Bach music, and say I will definitely add his music to my music collection. Works Cited Bukofzer, Manfred F. Music in the Baroque Era, from Monteverdi to Bach. London: Dent, 1948. Getzinger, Donna. Felsenfeld, Daniel. Johann Sebastian Bach and the Art of Baroque Music. Greensboro, North Carolina: Morgan Reynolds Publishing, Inc. 2004 Machlis, Joseph, Kristine Forney, The Enjoyment of Music: An Introduction to Perceptive Listening. New York: W.W. Norton, 2000. Palisca, Claude V. Baroque Music. Prentice-Hall history of music series. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1981.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Analysis of Human Resource Responsibilities
Analysis of Human Resource Responsibilities INTRODUCTION The title of the project is ââ¬ËAnalysis of HR practices followed by ONGC with reference to TRAINING, PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL and SAP-HR MODULE . The internship encompasses understanding the unique HR practices employed by the organisation in PSU to enrich and sustain the culture of integrity, belongingness, teamwork, accountability and innovation, and enhance employee competencies continuously. The purpose of this project to be given is to understand the practical working and effectiveness of the core HR responsibilities with special concentration on: Training Performance Appraisal SAP-HR Module The scope of this study is to comprehend and adopt the practical working environment of an organisation. Here, a link has to be formed between the academic study and the actual in-world implementations of the knowledge. Its important to realize the effect of proper training on employees, transparency in the appraisal process and up to date technological support in the HR stream. For the above study, data is collected from various primary as well as secondary sources. Basic and general information is gathered from the library which comprises of various HR journals and magazines (names are mentioned in references). Interviews are taken of the employees and questionnaires are prepared and surveys are done. Various inputs are provided by the Company Guide during formal and informal meetings. Overview of TRAINING Training employees do have a significant role in modern business era. As an HR manager, the responsibility is to utilize the HR resources optimally and develop the skills of the employees so that they can contribute to the growth of the organization as well as to their personal growth. It leads to improved organization culture. Therefore, its important to understand: What different kinds of trainings / workshops are conducted by the organization? What are the criteria of nominations? How nominations are done? How many training sessions have to be conducted in a year? (Training Calendar) What the employees think about the training sessions? Training objective tell the trainee that what is expected out of him at the end of the training program. Training objectives are of great significance from a number of stakeholder perspectives, Trainer Trainee Designer Evaluator Trainer -The training objective is also beneficial to trainer because it helps the trainer to measure the progress of trainees and make the required adjustments. Also, trainer comes in a position to establish a relationship between objectives and particular segments of training. Trainee -The training objective is beneficial to the trainee because it helps in reducing the anxiety of the trainee up to some extent. Not knowing anything or going to a place which is unknown creates anxiety that can negatively affect learning. Therefore, it is important to keep the participants aware of the happenings, rather than keeping it surprise. Secondly, it helps in increase in concentration, which is the crucial factor to make the training successful. The objectives create an image of thetraining program in trainees mind that actually helps in gaining attention.Thirdly, if the goal is set to be challenging and motivating, then the likelihood of achieving those goals is much higher than the situation in which no goal is set. Therefore,training objectiveshelps in increasing the probability that the participants will be successful in training. Designer -The training objective is beneficial to the training designer because if the designer is aware what is to be achieved in the end then hell buy the training package according to that only. The training designer would then look for the training methods, training equipments, and training content accordingly to achieve those objectives. Furthermore, planning always helps in dealing effectively in an unexpected situation. Consider an example; the objective of one training program is to deal effectively with customers to increase the sales. Since the objective is known, the designer will designthat will include ways to improve the interpersonal skills, such as verbal and non verbal language, dealing in unexpected situation i.e. when there is a defect in a product or when a customer is angry.Therefore, without any guidance, the training may not be designed appropriately. Evaluator -It becomes easy for thetraining evaluatorto measure the progress of the trainees because the objectives define the expected performance of trainees. Training objective is an important to tool to judge the performance of participants. Systematic model training consists of five phases. The training should achieve the purpose of helping employee to perform their work to required standards. The steps are as follows: Analyze and identify the trainingneeds i.e. to analyze the department, job, employees requirement, who needs training, what do they need to learn, estimating training cost, etc The next step is to develop a performance measure on the basis of which actual performance would be evaluated. Design and provide training to meet identified needs. This step requires developing objectives of training, identifying the learning steps, sequencing and structuring the contents. Develop, this phase requires listing the activities in thetraining programthat will assist the participants to learn, selecting delivery method, examining the training material, validating information to be imparted to make sure it accomplishes all the goals objectives. Implementing is the hardest part of the system because one wrong step can lead to the failure of whole training program. Evaluating each phase so as to make sure it has achieved its aim in terms of subsequent work performance. Making necessary amendments to any of the previous stage in order to remedy or improve failure practices. Overview of PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL A very important function of the human resources department for any organization, are conducted to gauge the net worth of all its employees. Appraisal methods benefit the organization immensely. The aim of appraisals is to improve the present performance of the employees and draw on the future potential. The HR department undertakes this processes usually annually in which they procure, analyze and document facts about the performances of the employees of the organization. This provides employees and managers with opportunities to discuss areas in which employees excel and those in which employees need improvement. Performance appraisal in ONGC is conducted annually also known as E-PAR. All organizations practice performance appraisal in one form or another to achieve certain objectives. These objectives may vary from organization to organization or even within the same organization from time to time. It has been found that there are two primary objectives behind the use of this meth odology. One is to use it as an evaluation system and second, to use it as a feedback system. The aim of the evaluation system is to identify the performance gap. This means that it helps determine the gap between the actual performance of the employee and that required or desired by the organization. The aim of the feedback system is to inform the employee about the quality of his work or performance. This is an interactive process by which the employee can also speak about his problems to his superior. An effective performance appraisal system should emphasis individual objectives, organizational objectives and also mutual objectives. From the viewpoint of individual objective the performance appraisal should talk about What task the individual is expected to do? How well the individual has done the task? How can his performance be further improved? His reward for doing well. From the organizational view point a performance appraisal should generate manpower information, improve efficiency and effectiveness serve as a mechanism of control and provide a rational compensation structure. In short the appraisal system establishes and upholds the principle of accountability in the absence of which organization failure is the only possible outcome. Overview of SAP-HR Module SYSTEMS, APPLICATIONS AND PRODUCTS IN DATA PROCESSING- SAP. It is an enterprise resources planning Software Company based in Germany.It integrates all the functional units of an organization into a unified one.It deals with various activities done in the human resource department of an organization, such as, Personnel administration, personnel development, training and event management, payroll etc. SAP- HR Module distinguishes between task, job, position, and person. It provides access to all HR data and transactions in one location. Advanced SAP HR features are time management, payroll, travel management, training and development. Advantages of implementing SAP HR Module : Saves time and money, and improves information for decision making and Planning. Greater automation ensures greater accuracy. Improved reporting capability. Improved employee history data. Better budgeting, compensation adjustment. MAIN TEXT The information extracted from the primary and secondary sources of data pertaining to training, appraisal, and SAP HR module are as below: TRAINING ONGC accords top- most priority in the development of Human Resource through quality training, qualification up gradation programs and accreditation programs. ONGC also has the expertise to conduct customized training programs for its partners. In ONGC, there are following training institutes which are engaged in meeting, training and development needs of the vast human resource of the organization by designing and organizing training programs focused on organizational needs. ONGC has five training institutes of its own all across the country, viz. ONGC Academy, Dehradun Institute of Petroleum Safety Health and Environment Management, Goa School of Maintenance Practices, Vadodara Institute of Drilling Technology, Dehradun Institute of Oil and Gas Production Technology, Mumbai The training Institutes of ONGC are committed to : Impart best in class training programs across the entire industry. Continuously evolve training programs based on feedback from the participants. Provide training solutions to the corporation and partners, both from Indian and foreign, covering entire spectrum of operations. Providing best in class infrastructural facilities for the training programs. Focusing training programs on the emerging business opportunities of the corporation. ONGC measures its training in MANDAYS i.e. 01 man * 3days of training = 3 MANDAYS 10 men * 3 days of training = 30 MANDAYS Minimum target of 1400 MANDAYS are set per year. Training provided by ONGC is broadly divided into Three categories: Safety Technical Interpersonal skills During the internship study of various trainings programs are done in order to understand the objectives and deliverables. 1. SMP (Senior Management Programme) Program overview objectives: Since ONGC is extending its operations to various parts of the world, it is imperative that ONGC executives are exposed to International perspective and develop a mindset of global managers. Keeping this in view a comprehensive program has been specially designed for E-5 level Executives of ONGC. The program aims at: Understanding global perspective and developing a mindset of managing at international level. Build Customer Centric Work Culture Inculcating a mindset of Transformational leadership Evolving a culture of innovation and creativity ONGC Academy is in collaboration with MDI , Gurgaon for SMP 2. AMP (Advanced Management Programme) Program overview objectives: Designed for senior executives of ONGC to achieve the following objectives: Develop awareness and appreciation of the emerging business environment and its implications for the future of ONGC Help the participants to recognize the requisite mindset to make ONGC, a world-class organization Develop insights into the organizational processes that drive excellence Expose the participants to the best in business practices. ONGC Academy is in collaboration with IIM, lucknow . ONGC also provides Overseas Learning Sessions which includes visit to EP Industries and Executives meet in European / Western countries for exposure to best in Business Class Practices. E6and above level executives are eligible for AMP. For choosing the candidates for training / workshop sessions, nominations are done. Circulars are rotated to the Head of each department and they recommend the names of those employees which they think are appropriate to undergo the training. The institute plans and conducts training programs professional areas which involve holistic approach of management in effective accomplishment of various integrated tasks. 3. Executive Excellence through SMET, HOLSYM and Yoga Techniques Program objectives and Overview: The multi- dimensional etiological factors for stress need a multidimensional solution at physical, mental, emotional and intellectual levels. Yoga provides this holistic solution. Self Management of Excessive Tensions is the basic concept for designing this program for executives. The program aims at: Help participants understand the nature and sources of stress in individuals and in organisations, and enable them to understand the relationship of Stress to Managerial Effectiveness. Familiarise the participants with the techniques dealing with individual stress and Organisational stress and give them an opportunity to practice some techniques of Stress Management. Its a 5- days program conducted in Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana , Bengaluru. 4. Global Managers Program objectives and Overview: Todays business environment has created many challenges where managers need to think globally as the world is transforming into a ââ¬ËGlobal Village. The program is designed: To provide professionals with a proactive approach to deal with cultural diversity in todays multi- cultural environment. To understand the domestic Business ethics, values and practices and as well as best global practices. To prepare the participants for the challenges ahead in the highly competitive global environment. ONGC is in collaboration with IIM, Bengaluru for this 5- days progam. 5. Self Development Program for Women Employees Program objectives and Overview: The effectiveness of women employees depends upon the ability to manage multiple roles. The program has been especially designed to focus on the demands of these multiple roles and skills set required for effective performance. The program caters to up needs of women professions facing the challenges of work family balance. The objectives of the program are: To develop basic values of life to make them effective at home and work place. To be able to identify individual goals and align those with organization goals. To increase personal motivation to do the best possible in the most effective way. To appraise the participants on various issues involved in personal growth and effectiveness. To increase personal motivation to do best possible in the most effective way. To make participants aware of their strength and areas of potential development 6. Train- The- Trainer Course Program objectives and Overview: The program focuses on the Adult Learning Process, is built around the ââ¬Å"Three Wheels of Masteryâ⬠Expertise, Planning and Presenting, Engaging and Facilitating, which are essential for Internal Faculty members/ Black Belts for motivating others to apply Six Sigma on the job and for enhancing and accelerating their learning process. ONGC provides many discipline specific programs for is employees. Some Exploration Programs: Petroleum Risk and Decision Analysis Latest trends and Development in Estimation of Oil and Gas Reserves Workshop on Basin Evaluation and Modelling Techniques in Deep Water Depositional Systems Some Production Programs: Developments in Stimulation techniques and Candidate Well selection Advances in Water Control Technology Advances in Natural Gas Engineering Reservoir Engineering for Production Operations Some Engineering Programs: Welding and Inspection CAD for Mechanical and Process Logistics Management Flow Measurement and Instrumental Practice PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Performance appraisal report is an index of an employees work performance over a given period of time. It is crucial for his or her career growth as it indicates the strengths, weaknesses, training needs, nature of job being performed and problems faced in work situation. The objectives of the performance appraisal system at ONGC are: To set norms and targets of work performance, as well as, to monitor the work progress of employees. To facilitate placement of employees in accordance with their suitability for different types of assignments. To provide an objective basis for determination of merit, efficiency and suitability for the purpose of promotion. To identify areas requiring exposure for training and development. The performance appraisal system seeks to evaluate: The work performance of an employee on the present job in relation to the expected levels of performance, both qualitative and quantitative. The extent of development achieved by the employee during the period under review. Evaluation of behavioural attributes, attitudes and abilities. Evaluation of potentials for assuming higher responsibility. Appraisal is done in three stages. First, KPIs/ KRAs are to be declared in March(beginning of appraisal year) then midterm evaluation is done which is compulsory in October and finally in March evaluation on performance of the employees is done. Employees get certain percentage of PAT based on their grades or marks of the appraisal. Earlier Appraisal was done on paper. Forms were distributed to the employees wherein they used to fill in the KPIs and then submit it. This system reported delay in recording appraisal reports. Low priority is accorded to recording appraisal reports as there was no visible accountability for delays. Inadequate time and attention was given to the process and last minute rush efforts were experienced. But now ONGC follows e-PAR which has distinct advantages: Streamlining of PAR process Uniform application of Company Policy Reduced Cycle- time and adherence to time schedules Enhanced data security and confidentiality Authenticity and audit trail of transactions Availability of on-line information System driven control and monitoring mechanism Performance based rewards and incentives for future The appraisal process constitute of one appraise and appraiser. Appraisee is the employee who fills the PAR form and submits it. Appraiser decides the KRAs/ KPIs with the employee then mid- term review is done. This is the duty of Reporting Officer. Then it is forwarded to the Reviewing Officer, who reviews it and then forward for co- review (in special cases) otherwise directly to the Moderating Officer. He sends it to Accepting Officer who accepts and forwards it to central PAR Section in Dehradun. (Refer Annexure 2) Circular of Roll out of e- PAR It suggested KPIs is issued first wherein dates are declared for joint setting of KPIs by Appraisee Appraiser. Commitment is made by the HRD group that a suggested list of KPIs applicable to different functional areas would be made available accordingly. HRD constituted a multidisciplinary committee comprising HR planners, corporate HRG and corporate PAR. This committee held detailed deliberations and consulted senior executives of different functional areas across the organization and come out with an exhaustive list of suggested KPIs. All Assessors and assesses may use the table during the process of setting KPIs. PAR DISCLOSURE, APPEAL AND COUNSELLING (A).Disclosure of PAR: The following information on PAR assessment would be shared with the employee on completion of PAR Final grades and marks given by the accepting Officer. Adverse comments (if any) Specific advice to be communicated for improvement (if any) Communication: The communication should be within 15 days of completion of PAR and in the form of system generated message in case of e-PAR. (B). Appeal and Review : Appeal may be preferred by aggrieved employees against assessed PARs as well as having adverse remarks/entry. Aggrieved employee may appeal once per assessment year directly to the Appellate Authority, through local PAR officer, instead of submitting through proper channel. The local PAR officer shall keep record and forward the same to concerned Appellate Authority, with intimation to Corporate PAR office. Appellate Authority (AA) : The designated Appellate Authority based on the reporting hierarchy have been defined in Annexure 3 and 4. While the hierarchy in the route has been defined in the table, Appellate authority must be minimum one rank higher than the Accepting Authority in any case. Each Appellate Authority shall constitute Appeal Review Committee (ARC) under him/ her comprising of representative of functional areas, with 3 members in each committee. In case Appellate Authority is at the level of GM or L- II, the members should not be below the level of E6 and for all other Appellate Authorities, members should not be below the level of E7. The meeting of the ARC shall be convened by each Appellate Authority once in a year preferably in the month of September/October, as the closing month of PAR process is generally August. The ARC may seek PAR record from respective location PAR Officer/ Corporate Officer, as the case may be. The Committee may also obtain views/recommendations of the concerned authorities involve in the assessment of the PAR, for which appeal is preferred, if needed. Based on the recommend ation of the respective ARC, the Appellate Authority shall finally decide on appeal. In case of Appellate Authority comprises of two directors, they may jointly decide on the appeal. If Appellate Authority considers and find reasonable grounds for revision of PAR grade on appeal made by aggrieved employee, such revision shall only be one step higher or lower to that of original grades for all categories. Any revision beyond one level or below will be decided by one level higher than the appellate authority, highest appellate authority being EC. For this proper justification /recommendation have to be given by the Appellate Authority. The decision of the Appellate Authority shall be conveyed to the Corporate PAR office / location PAR office, as the case may be, who in turn shall communicate to the employee in the Performa at Annexure5.The decision of the Appellate Authority shall be binding forever. No further appeal shall be entertained for the same assessment year. Each Appellate A uthority shall forward a status report on the disposal of Appeal to the Corporate PAR office for onward submission to the Director (HR). (C). Counselling: It has been decided in the 353rd EC Meeting to provide counselling to the employees with B, C, D grades and those cases having recommendations for counselling in the PAR. Scope of Counselling Group: The Counselling may be continued as an integral part of PAR process for widening employees development opportunities. The Counselling Group shall not review the final grading of the appraisee, assigned to him/ her by Accepting/ Moderation Authority. The Counsellors during the interviews of the employee shall ascertain the reasons, system constraints and the behavioural dimensions of the employees and efforts shall be made to develop self awareness for correcting personality traits. The Counselling Group shall send a report on each case to the office of Chief HRD. The Counselling Groups are to be assisted by the Corporate PAR officer at the counselling locations. The formation of Counselling Committees is depicted in Annexure 6. SAP- HR MODULE Scope of SAP- HR Module: 1) Personnel Administration Module (Including Establishment and Loans) Personnel Administration Module takes care of employee master data. Various PA processes have been built in this module. This module includes the loans and advances processes also. 2)Time Management Module Time Management Module takes care of Employees Leaves etc related processes. The Time Management component offers support in performing all human resources processes involving the planning, recording, and valuation of employees work performed and absence times. 3) Payroll Payroll module takes care of personnel claims, month end payroll run and pay slip generation. Form 16, Form 24 and all statutory statements related to personal income tax is also taken care by the payroll module. The System calculates the gross and net pay, which comprises the individual payments and deductions that are calculated during a payroll period, and are received by an employee. These payments and deductions are included in the calculation of the remuneration using different wage types. 4) Organisation Management Module: This module defines Organisational Hierarchy, positions, Head of sections etc and also deals with assigning employees to various departments / sections etc through proper positions. 5) SAMPARC:(ESS MODULE) SAMPARC stands for (System for Automated Management of Personnel Activities, Reimbursements and Claims) the employee self service portal of ONGC. Using ESS reports an employee can view his career details, leave details, training booking details etc using an ESS User Id. He can also write a mail to his personnel administrator if he detects any error in data recorded in the system. Getting started with SAP: On your PC, find the SAP Logon pad icon. The icon style varies deepening on the SAP version installed in your PC. To open Logon Window: Double click on the Toolbar ââ¬Å"SAP Logonâ⬠on above Screen. Following Logon window shall open on your screen: This window lists all available servers to which you can Login with your user ID. Double click on the desired server name or click on the line and then click on ââ¬ËLog On. After a brief delay, following window shall open on your screen : To open the SAP Easy Access window : Enter your client number (It will always show 500 by default). Enter your SAP User ID. Enter your SAP User Password. Please remember that the Password is case sensitive. Press Enter on your Keyboard. SAP Easy AccessWindow Elements The SAP Easy Access user menu is the user-specific point of entry into the SAP System. A typical user menu (here, in the R/3 System) is shown below : The user menu contains those items such as transactions ,workflows, reports etc. you need to perform your daily tasks. If your system administrator has defined a user menu, it appears when you log on to the system. Various elements of the SAP Easy Access Window are shown above. Navigating in the SAP Screen You can expand and collapse menus in the workplace menu by choosing the dropdown arrows to the left of the menu items, as in the example below : To open an application in the workplace menu : Type the transaction code in the command box / field and then press Enter, or Navigate to the transaction node in the tree and Double-click its node in the tree, or Click on node and then press Enter Company Code: The company code is an organizational unit within financial accounting (FI). Personnel Area This field defines the location of the employee, e.g., ABAD (Ahmedabad), BRDA (Baroda), etc. Personnel Sub-area This field defines the duty assigned to the employee, e.g., OFDT (Office Duty), FLDT (Field Duty), OSDT (Offshore Duty), etc. Employee Group This field defines the employment status of the employee, e.g., Active, Retiree, Deputation-in etc. Employee Subgroup This field defines the Grade of the employee, e.g., E1, E2, E3, etc. Personnel Number This field defines the CPF Number of the employee. Pay roll Area: A payroll accounting area (often abbreviated to payroll area) is an organizational unit containing all of the employees for whom the payroll runs at the same time. The payroll accounting runs for payroll accounting areas. Each payroll accounting area determines the specific dates for which the payroll runs, the earliest payroll period for which retroactive accounting is possible, retroactive accounting recognition, and the periods for which the payroll runs. Organization Unit This field defines the Department / Section within the Organizational structure in which the employee is working, e.g., ICE, IRS, Drilling, etc. Position This field defines the post, which the employee is occupying within the organizational structure, e.g., Manager PA, Location Manager AMD Cementing, etc. Infotype: In SAP information is stored in info types. An Infotype can have further subtypes. Click here to view the list of Infotype being used in ONGC. Sr No. Transaction Codes Transaction Description 1 SBWP Mail Inbox 2 PA20 Display HR Master Data 3 PA30 Maintain HR Master Data 4 PA40 Personnel Actions 5 ZPT60 HR TIME : Time Evaluation 6 PP01 Maintain Object
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Essay on Lies and Self-realization in A Dolls House -- Dolls House es
Lies and Self-realization in A Doll's House à In Ibsen's play,à A Doll's House,à the characters willingly exist in a situation of untruth or inadequate truth that conceals conflict.à Nora's independent nature is in contradiction to the tyrannical authority of Torvald.à This conflict is concealed by the way they both hide their true selves from society, each other, and ultimately themselves.à Just like Nora and Torvald, every character in this play is trapped in a situation of untruth. "A Doll's House", can be misinterpreted as simply an attack on the religious values of Ibsen's society.à While this is certainly an important aspect of the play, it is not, however, Ibsen's main point.à "A Doll's House" established a method Ibsen would use to convey his views about individuality and the pursuit of social freedom.à The characters of "A Doll's House" display Henrik Ibsen's belief that although people have a natural longing for freedom, they often do not act upon this desire until a person or event forces them to do so. Readers can be quick to point out that Nora's change was gradual and marked by several incidents.à A more critical look reveals these gradual changes are actually not changes at all, but small revelations for the reader to see Nora's true independent nature.à These incidents also allow the reader to see this nature has been tucked far under a facade of a happy and simple wife.à In the first act, she admits to Christine that she will "dance and dress up and play the fool" to keep Torvald happy (Ibsen).à This was Ibsen's way of telling the reader Nora had a hidden personality that was more serious and controlling.à He wants the reader to realize that Nora was not the fool she allows herself to be seen as.à ... ...in A Doll's House is the importance of the individual and the search for self-realization.à à Works Cited Brunsdale, Mitzi. "Herik Ibsen."à Critical Survey of Drama.à Ed.à Frank N. Magill.à Englewood Cliffs, NJ:à Salem Press 1986. pg982. Clurman, Harold.à Ibsen.à Macmillan, 1977, pg223.à Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism.à Ed. Sharon K. Hall. Vol. 8.à Detroit:à Gale, 1982. pg154. Heiberg, Hans. 1967. Ibsen. A Portrait of the Artist. Coral Gables, Florida: University of Miami. Ibsen, Henrik. "A Dollââ¬â¢s House." Perrine's Literature.à Forth Worth:à Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1998.à pp. 967-1023 Shaw, Bernard.à "A Doll's House Again."à The Saturday Review, London, Vol. 83, No. 2168, May 15, 1897:à 539-541.à Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism.à Ed.à Sharon K.à Hall.à Vol. 8. Detroit:à Gale, 1982. pg.143. Ã
Friday, July 19, 2019
Common People in John Steinbeckââ¬â¢s The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men :: comparison compare contrast essays
Common People in John Steinbeckââ¬â¢s The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men John Steinbeckââ¬â¢s novels The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men reveal and confront the struggles of common individuals in their day-to-day lives. The Grapes of Wrath creates a greater verisimilitude than Of Mice and Men as it illustrates the lives of Oklahoma farmers driven west during the Dustbowl of the late 1930ââ¬â¢s. Of Mice and Men deals with a more personal account of two poor men and the tragic ending of their relationship. Steinbeck expresses his concern for multiple social issues in both The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. Tightly-knit relationships appear prominently in both books and provide the majority of the conflicts that occur. The decency of common people is written about to a great extent in The Grapes of Wrath and is also prevalent through numerous examples in Of Mice and Men. As in all effective writing that bares the soul of the author, each novel reveals Steinbeckââ¬â¢s core beliefs. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses the relationship between George and Lenny to express the decency of common people. Lenny is mentally disabled and George is his companion because Lenny is too incompetent to live on his own. Throughout the book, it becomes increasingly apparent that Lenny is incapable of interacting appropriately with people (other than George) without unknowingly causing some sort of trouble. Even George is sometimes overcome with the hassles of taking care of Lenny. ââ¬Ëââ¬Å"God, youââ¬â¢re a lot of trouble,ââ¬â¢ George said. ââ¬ËI could get along so easy so nice if I didnââ¬â¢t have you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girlâ⬠ââ¬â¢ (7). Yet, George looks beyond the ways in which Lenny irritates and inconveniences him and realizes that Lenny is as human as he is. He believes that regardless of Lennyââ¬â¢s disability, he should be treated as respectfully as anyone else. Contrary to his earlier remarks, George has great affinity for Lenny. George understands that Lenny necessitates a watchful-eye, and he is willing to be that caretaker. Ultimately, if George did not love and care about Lenny, he would have most likely abandoned him. However, Georgeââ¬â¢s fundamental decency did not allow him to do this. In The Grapes of Wrath, the overall struggle of the Okies, while on their mass exodus to California, is Steinbeckââ¬â¢s platform to examine human beingsââ¬â¢ innate goodwill.
Teaching of Morals in Public Schools :: Free Essays Online
From the age of five until the time they graduate in their eighteenth year the children of America are compelled to attend school. Everyone agrees that we need compulsory education, but no one really agrees why our children need it. Some, like Jonathan Kozol, feel that the purpose of education is to turn a child into a good person through a series of moral and ethical lessons. The other school of thought is that school is a place for a general education of facts and figures and that morals have no business in the classroom. This is a question of vital importance because, with the vast majority of American youths in public school, it could truly change the face of America. The first twenty years of a human being's life have more to do with making up who they are than genetics and the other fifty-odd years of their life combined. Because of this there is a definite need for children and young adults to have a forum to learn about morals and ethics. In this respect Jonathan Kozol's ideas from The Night is Dark and I am Far from Home are true, but, is the right place for a child to learn ethics a public school of the United States? An individual's moral beliefs are one of the most personal and complex pieces of his/her psyche. One must deal with the question of whether or not they want this nation's youths to all be taught the same morals. If teachers were able to impose their own personal beliefs while teaching history and English, imagine what they could do to impressionable minds while teaching ethics. There is absolutely no way to teach morals objectively. If a teacher were a Christian fundamentalist, could she ( I, like Kozol, use "she" because a majority of elementary teachers are female) help a student make an informed, unbiased decision about abortion? If that teacher had to teach a child to make up his or her own mind, or if that teacher had to tell the student to be pro-choice (the law of the nation) she would be teaching something she didn't believe. The abortion example brings up the question, "Whose morals are we going to teach our youth?" If you allow a class in ethics, whose do you teach? The teacher's, the schoolboard's, or the nation's? Whose ever morals you do teach them would probably be drastically different from what they would come up themselves or what their parents would teach them. Teaching of Morals in Public Schools :: Free Essays Online From the age of five until the time they graduate in their eighteenth year the children of America are compelled to attend school. Everyone agrees that we need compulsory education, but no one really agrees why our children need it. Some, like Jonathan Kozol, feel that the purpose of education is to turn a child into a good person through a series of moral and ethical lessons. The other school of thought is that school is a place for a general education of facts and figures and that morals have no business in the classroom. This is a question of vital importance because, with the vast majority of American youths in public school, it could truly change the face of America. The first twenty years of a human being's life have more to do with making up who they are than genetics and the other fifty-odd years of their life combined. Because of this there is a definite need for children and young adults to have a forum to learn about morals and ethics. In this respect Jonathan Kozol's ideas from The Night is Dark and I am Far from Home are true, but, is the right place for a child to learn ethics a public school of the United States? An individual's moral beliefs are one of the most personal and complex pieces of his/her psyche. One must deal with the question of whether or not they want this nation's youths to all be taught the same morals. If teachers were able to impose their own personal beliefs while teaching history and English, imagine what they could do to impressionable minds while teaching ethics. There is absolutely no way to teach morals objectively. If a teacher were a Christian fundamentalist, could she ( I, like Kozol, use "she" because a majority of elementary teachers are female) help a student make an informed, unbiased decision about abortion? If that teacher had to teach a child to make up his or her own mind, or if that teacher had to tell the student to be pro-choice (the law of the nation) she would be teaching something she didn't believe. The abortion example brings up the question, "Whose morals are we going to teach our youth?" If you allow a class in ethics, whose do you teach? The teacher's, the schoolboard's, or the nation's? Whose ever morals you do teach them would probably be drastically different from what they would come up themselves or what their parents would teach them.
Thursday, July 18, 2019
A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-two
Tyrion They had taken shelter beneath a copse of aspens just off the high road. Tyrion was gathering deadwood while their horses took water from a mountain stream. He stooped to pick up a splintered branch and examined it critically. ââ¬Å"Will this do? I am not practiced at starting fires. Morrec did that for me.â⬠ââ¬Å"A fire?â⬠Bronn said, spitting. ââ¬Å"Are you so hungry to die, dwarf? Or have you taken leave of your senses? A fire will bring the clansmen down on us from miles around. I mean to survive this journey, Lannister.â⬠ââ¬Å"And how do you hope to do that?â⬠Tyrion asked. He tucked the branch under his arm and poked around through the sparse undergrowth, looking for more. His back ached from the effort of bending; they had been riding since daybreak, when a stone-faced Ser Lyn Corbray had ushered them through the Bloody Gate and commanded them never to return. ââ¬Å"We have no chance of fighting our way back,â⬠Bronn said, ââ¬Å"but two can cover more ground than ten, and attract less notice. The fewer days we spend in these mountains, the more like we are to reach the riverlands. Ride hard and fast, I say. Travel by night and hole up by day, avoid the road where we can, make no noise and light no fires.â⬠Tyrion Lannister sighed. ââ¬Å"A splendid plan, Bronn. Try it, as you like . . . and forgive me if I do not linger to bury you.â⬠ââ¬Å"You think to outlive me, dwarf?â⬠The sellsword grinned. He had a dark gap in his smile where the edge of Ser Vardis Egen's shield had cracked a tooth in half. Tyrion shrugged. ââ¬Å"Riding hard and fast by night is a sure way to tumble down a mountain and crack your skull. I prefer to make my crossing slow and easy. I know you love the taste of horse, Bronn, but if our mounts die under us this time, we'll be trying to saddle shadowcats . . . and if truth be told, I think the clans will find us no matter what we do. Their eyes are all around us.â⬠He swept a gloved hand over the high, wind-carved crags that surrounded them. Bronn grimaced. ââ¬Å"Then we're dead men, Lannister.â⬠ââ¬Å"If so, I prefer to die comfortable,â⬠Tyrion replied. ââ¬Å"We need a fire. The nights are cold up here, and hot food will warm our bellies and lift our spirits. Do you suppose there's any game to be had? Lady Lysa has kindly provided us with a veritable feast of salt beef, hard cheese, and stale bread, but I would hate to break a tooth so far from the nearest maester.â⬠ââ¬Å"I can find meat.â⬠Beneath a fall of black hair, Bronn's dark eyes regarded Tyrion suspiciously. ââ¬Å"I should leave you here with your fool's fire. If I took your horse, I'd have twice the chance to make it through. What would you do then, dwarf?â⬠ââ¬Å"Die, most like.â⬠Tyrion stooped to get another stick. ââ¬Å"You don't think I'd do it?â⬠ââ¬Å"You'd do it in an instant, if it meant your life. You were quick enough to silence your friend Chiggen when he caught that arrow in his belly.â⬠Bronn had yanked back the man's head by the hair and driven the point of his dirk in under the ear, and afterward told Catelyn Stark that the other sellsword had died of his wound. ââ¬Å"He was good as dead,â⬠Bronn said, ââ¬Å"and his moaning was bringing them down on us. Chiggen would have done the same for me . . . and he was no friend, only a man I rode with. Make no mistake, dwarf. I fought for you, but I do not love you.â⬠ââ¬Å"It was your blade I needed,â⬠Tyrion said, ââ¬Å"not your love.â⬠He dumped his armful of wood on the ground. Bronn grinned. ââ¬Å"You're bold as any sellsword, I'll give you that. How did you know I'd take your part?â⬠ââ¬Å"Know?â⬠Tyrion squatted awkwardly on his stunted legs to build the fire. ââ¬Å"I tossed the dice. Back at the inn, you and Chiggen helped take me captive. Why? The others saw it as their duty, for the honor of the lords they served, but not you two. You had no lord, no duty, and precious little honor, so why trouble to involve yourselves?â⬠He took out his knife and whittled some thin strips of bark off one of the sticks he'd gathered, to serve as kindling. ââ¬Å"Well, why do sellswords do anything? For gold. You were thinking Lady Catelyn would reward you for your help, perhaps even take you into her service. Here, that should do, I hope. Do you have a flint?â⬠Bronn slid two fingers into the pouch at his belt and tossed down a flint. Tyrion caught it in the air. ââ¬Å"My thanks,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"The thing is, you did not know the Starks. Lord Eddard is a proud, honorable, and honest man, and his lady wife is worse. Oh, no doubt she would have found a coin or two for you when this was all over, and pressed it in your hand with a polite word and a look of distaste, but that's the most you could have hoped for. The Starks look for courage and loyalty and honor in the men they choose to serve them, and if truth be told, you and Chiggen were lowborn scum.â⬠Tyrion struck the flint against his dagger, trying for a spark. Nothing. Bronn snorted. ââ¬Å"You have a bold tongue, little man. One day someone is like to cut it out and make you eat it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Everyone tells me that.â⬠Tyrion glanced up at the sellsword. ââ¬Å"Did I offend you? My pardons . . . but you are scum, Bronn, make no mistake. Duty, honor, friendship, what's that to you? No, don't trouble yourself, we both know the answer. Still, you're not stupid. Once we reached the Vale, Lady Stark had no more need of you . . . but I did, and the one thing the Lannisters have never lacked for is gold. When the moment came to toss the dice, I was counting on your being smart enough to know where your best interest lay. Happily for me, you did.â⬠He slammed stone and steel together again, fruitlessly. ââ¬Å"Here,â⬠said Bronn, squatting, ââ¬Å"I'll do it.â⬠He took the knife and flint from Tyrion's hands and struck sparks on his first try. A curl of bark began to smolder. ââ¬Å"Well done,â⬠Tyrion said. ââ¬Å"Scum you may be, but you're undeniably useful, and with a sword in your hand you're almost as good as my brother Jaime. What do you want, Bronn? Gold? Land? Women? Keep me alive, and you'll have it.â⬠Bronn blew gently on the fire, and the flames leapt up higher. ââ¬Å"And if you die?â⬠ââ¬Å"Why then, I'll have one mourner whose grief is sincere,â⬠Tyrion said, grinning. ââ¬Å"The gold ends when I do.â⬠The fire was blazing up nicely. Bronn stood, tucked the flint back into his pouch, and tossed Tyrion his dagger. ââ¬Å"Fair enough,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"My sword's yours, then . . . but don't go looking for me to bend the knee and m'lord you every time you take a shit. I'm no man's toady.â⬠ââ¬Å"Nor any man's friend,â⬠Tyrion said. ââ¬Å"I've no doubt you'd betray me as quick as you did Lady Stark, if you saw a profit in it. If the day ever comes when you're tempted to sell me out, remember this, Bronnââ¬âI'll match their price, whatever it is. I like living. And now, do you think you could do something about finding us some supper?â⬠ââ¬Å"Take care of the horses,â⬠Bronn said, unsheathing the long dirk he wore at his hip. He strode into the trees. An hour later the horses had been rubbed down and fed, the fire was crackling away merrily, and a haunch of a young goat was turning above the flames, spitting and hissing. ââ¬Å"All we lack now is some good wine to wash down our kid,â⬠Tyrion said. ââ¬Å"That, a woman, and another dozen swords,â⬠Bronn said. He sat cross-legged beside the fire, honing the edge of his longsword with an oilstone. There was something strangely reassuring about the rasping sound it made when he drew it down the steel. ââ¬Å"It will be full dark soon,â⬠the sellsword pointed out. ââ¬Å"I'll take first watch . . . for all the good it will do us. It might be kinder to let them kill us in our sleep.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, I imagine they'll be here long before it comes to sleep.â⬠The smell of the roasting meat made Tyrion's mouth water. Bronn watched him across the fire. ââ¬Å"You have a plan,â⬠he said flatly, with a scrape of steel on stone. ââ¬Å"A hope, call it,â⬠Tyrion said. ââ¬Å"Another toss of the dice.â⬠ââ¬Å"With our lives as the stake?â⬠Tyrion shrugged. ââ¬Å"What choice do we have?â⬠He leaned over the fire and sawed a thin slice of meat from the kid. ââ¬Å"Ahhhh,â⬠he sighed happily as he chewed. Grease ran down his chin. ââ¬Å"A bit tougher than I'd like, and in want of spicing, but I'll not complain too loudly. If I were back at the Eyrie, I'd be dancing on a precipice in hopes of a boiled bean.â⬠ââ¬Å"And yet you gave the turnkey a purse of gold,â⬠Bronn said. ââ¬Å"A Lannister always pays his debts.â⬠Even Mord had scarcely believed it when Tyrion tossed him the leather purse. The gaoler's eyes had gone big as boiled eggs as he yanked open the drawstring and beheld the glint of gold. ââ¬Å"I kept the silver,â⬠Tyrion had told him with a crooked smile, ââ¬Å"but you were promised the gold, and there it is.â⬠It was more than a man like Mord could hope to earn in a lifetime of abusing prisoners. ââ¬Å"And remember what I said, this is only a taste. If you ever grow tired of Lady Arryn's service, present yourself at Casterly Rock, and I'll pay you the rest of what I owe you.â⬠With golden dragons spilling out of both hands, Mord had fallen to his knees and promised that he would do just that. Bronn yanked out his dirk and pulled the meat from the fire. He began to carve thick chunks of charred meat off the bone as Tyrion hollowed out two heels of stale bread to serve as trenchers. ââ¬Å"If we do reach the river, what will you do then?â⬠the sellsword asked as he cut. ââ¬Å"Oh, a whore and a featherbed and a flagon of wine, for a start.â⬠Tyrion held out his trencher, and Bronn filled it with meat. ââ¬Å"And then to Casterly Rock or King's Landing, I think. I have some questions that want answering, concerning a certain dagger.â⬠The sellsword chewed and swallowed. ââ¬Å"So you were telling it true? It was not your knife?â⬠Tyrion smiled thinly. ââ¬Å"Do I look a liar to you?â⬠By the time their bellies were full, the stars had come out and a halfmoon was rising over the mountains. Tyrion spread his shadowskin cloak on the ground and stretched out with his saddle for a pillow. ââ¬Å"Our friends are taking their sweet time.â⬠ââ¬Å"If I were them, I'd fear a trap,â⬠Bronn said. ââ¬Å"Why else would we be so open, if not to lure them in?â⬠Tyrion chuckled. ââ¬Å"Then we ought to sing and send them fleeing in terror.â⬠He began to whistle a tune. ââ¬Å"You're mad, dwarf,â⬠Bronn said as he cleaned the grease out from under his nails with his dirk. ââ¬Å"Where's your love of music, Bronn?â⬠ââ¬Å"If it was music you wanted, you should have gotten the singer to champion you.â⬠Tyrion grinned. ââ¬Å"That would have been amusing. I can just see him fending off Ser Vardis with his woodharp.â⬠He resumed his whistling. ââ¬Å"Do you know this song?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"You hear it here and there, in inns and whorehouses.â⬠ââ¬Å"Myrish. ââ¬ËThe Seasons of My Love.' Sweet and sad, if you understand the words. The first girl I ever bedded used to sing it, and I've never been able to put it out of my head.â⬠Tyrion gazed up at the sky. It was a clear cold night and the stars shone down upon the mountains as bright and merciless as truth. ââ¬Å"I met her on a night like this,â⬠he heard himself saying. ââ¬Å"Jaime and I were riding back from Lannisport when we heard a scream, and she came running out into the road with two men dogging her heels, shouting threats. My brother unsheathed his sword and went after them, while I dismounted to protect the girl. She was scarcely a year older than I was, dark-haired, slender, with a face that would break your heart. It certainly broke mine. Lowborn, half-starved, unwashed . . . yet lovely. They'd torn the rags she was wearing half off her back, so I wrapped her in my cloak while Jaime chased the men into the woods. By the time he came trotting back, I'd gotten a name out of her, and a story. She was a crofter's child, orphaned when her father died of fever, on her way to . . . well, nowhere, really. ââ¬Å"Jaime was all in a lather to hunt down the men. It was not often outlaws dared prey on travelers so near to Casterly Rock, and he took it as an insult. The girl was too frightened to send off by herself, though, so I offered to take her to the closest inn and feed her while my brother rode back to the Rock for help. ââ¬Å"She was hungrier than I would have believed. We finished two whole chickens and part of a third, and drank a flagon of wine, talking. I was only thirteen, and the wine went to my head, I fear. The next thing I knew, I was sharing her bed. If she was shy, I was shyer. I'll never know where I found the courage. When I broke her maidenhead, she wept, but afterward she kissed me and sang her little song, and by morning I was in love.â⬠ââ¬Å"You?â⬠Bronn's voice was amused. ââ¬Å"Absurd, isn't it?â⬠Tyrion began to whistle the song again. ââ¬Å"I married her,â⬠he finally admitted. ââ¬Å"A Lannister of Casterly Rock wed to a crofter's daughter,â⬠Bronn said. ââ¬Å"How did you manage that?â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, you'd be astonished at what a boy can make of a few lies, fifty pieces of silver, and a drunken septon. I dared not bring my bride home to Casterly Rock, so I set her up in a cottage of her own, and for a fortnight we played at being man and wife. And then the septon sobered and confessed all to my lord father.â⬠Tyrion was surprised at how desolate it made him feel to say it, even after all these years. Perhaps he was just tired. ââ¬Å"That was the end of my marriage.â⬠He sat up and stared at the dying fire, blinking at the light. ââ¬Å"He sent the girl away?â⬠ââ¬Å"He did better than that,â⬠Tyrion said. ââ¬Å"First he made my brother tell me the truth. The girl was a whore, you see. Jaime arranged the whole affair, the road, the outlaws, all of it. He thought it was time I had a woman. He paid double for a maiden, knowing it would be my first time. ââ¬Å"After Jaime had made his confession, to drive home the lesson, Lord Tywin brought my wife in and gave her to his guards. They paid her fair enough. A silver for each man, how many whores command that high a price? He sat me down in the corner of the barracks and bade me watch, and at the end she had so many silvers the coins were slipping through her fingers and rolling on the floor, she . . . â⬠The smoke was stinging his eyes. Tyrion cleared his throat and turned away from the fire, to gaze out into darkness. ââ¬Å"Lord Tywin had me go last,â⬠he said in a quiet voice. ââ¬Å"And he gave me a gold coin to pay her, because I was a Lannister, and worth more.â⬠After a time he heard the noise again, the rasp of steel on stone as Bronn sharpened his sword. ââ¬Å"Thirteen or thirty or three, I would have killed the man who did that to me.â⬠Tyrion swung around to face him. ââ¬Å"You may get that chance one day. Remember what I told you. A Lannister always pays his debts.â⬠He yawned. ââ¬Å"I think I will try and sleep. Wake me if we're about to die.â⬠He rolled himself up in the shadowskin and shut his eyes. The ground was stony and cold, but after a time Tyrion Lannister did sleep. He dreamt of the sky cell. This time he was the gaoler, not the prisoner, big, with a strap in his hand, and he was hitting his father, driving him back, toward the abyss . . . ââ¬Å"Tyrion.â⬠Bronn's warning was low and urgent. Tyrion was awake in the blink of an eye. The fire had burned down to embers, and the shadows were creeping in all around them. Bronn had raised himself to one knee, his sword in one hand and his dirk in the other. Tyrion held up a hand: stay still, it said. ââ¬Å"Come share our fire, the night is cold,â⬠he called out to the creeping shadows. ââ¬Å"I fear we've no wine to offer you, but you're welcome to some of our goat.â⬠All movement stopped. Tyrion saw the glint of moonlight on metal. ââ¬Å"Our mountain,â⬠a voice called out from the trees, deep and hard and unfriendly. ââ¬Å"Our goat.â⬠ââ¬Å"Your goat,â⬠Tyrion agreed. ââ¬Å"Who are you?â⬠ââ¬Å"When you meet your gods,â⬠a different voice replied, ââ¬Å"say it was Gunthor son of Gurn of the Stone Crows who sent you to them.â⬠A branch cracked underfoot as he stepped into the light; a thin man in a horned helmet, armed with a long knife. ââ¬Å"And Shagga son of Dolf.â⬠That was the first voice, deep and deadly. A boulder shifted to their left, and stood, and became a man. Massive and slow and strong he seemed, dressed all in skins, with a club in his right hand and an axe in his left. He smashed them together as he lumbered closer. Other voices called other names, Conn and Torrek and Jaggot and more that Tyrion forgot the instant he heard them; ten at least. A few had swords and knives; others brandished pitchforks and scythes and wooden spears. He waited until they were done shouting out their names before he gave them answer. ââ¬Å"I am Tyrion son of Tywin, of the Clan Lannister, the Lions of the Rock. We will gladly pay you for the goat we ate.â⬠ââ¬Å"What do you have to give us, Tyrion son of Tywin?â⬠asked the one who named himself Gunthor, who seemed to be their chief. ââ¬Å"There is silver in my purse,â⬠Tyrion told them. ââ¬Å"This hauberk I wear is large for me, but it should fit Conn nicely, and the battle-axe I carry would suit Shagga's mighty hand far better than that wood-axe he holds.â⬠ââ¬Å"The halfman would pay us with our own coin,â⬠said Conn. ââ¬Å"Conn speaks truly,â⬠Gunthor said. ââ¬Å"Your silver is ours. Your horses are ours. Your hauberk and your battle-axe and the knife at your belt, those are ours too. You have nothing to give us but your lives. How would you like to die, Tyrion son of Tywin?â⬠ââ¬Å"In my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a maiden's mouth around my cock, at the age of eighty,â⬠he replied. The huge one, Shagga, laughed first and loudest. The others seemed less amused. ââ¬Å"Conn, take their horses,â⬠Gunthor commanded. ââ¬Å"Kill the other and seize the halfinan. He can milk the goats and make the mothers laugh.â⬠Bronn sprang to his feet. ââ¬Å"Who dies first?â⬠ââ¬Å"No!â⬠Tyrion said sharply. ââ¬Å"Gunthor son of Gurn, hear me. My House is rich and powerful. If the Stone Crows will see us safely through these mountains, my lord father will shower you with gold.â⬠ââ¬Å"The gold of a lowland lord is as worthless as a halfman's promises,â⬠Gunthor said. ââ¬Å"Half a man I may be,â⬠Tyrion said, ââ¬Å"yet I have the courage to face my enemies. What do the Stone Crows do, but hide behind rocks and shiver with fear as the knights of the Vale ride by?â⬠Shagga gave a roar of anger and clashed club against axe. Jaggot poked at Tyrion's face with the fire-hardened point of a long wooden spear. He did his best not to flinch. ââ¬Å"Are these the best weapons you could steal?â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Good enough for killing sheep, perhaps . . . if the sheep do not fight back. My father's smiths shit better steel.â⬠ââ¬Å"Little boyman,â⬠Shagga roared, ââ¬Å"will you mock my axe after I chop off your manhood and feed it to the goats?â⬠But Gunthor raised a hand. ââ¬Å"No. I would hear his words. The mothers go hungry, and steel fills more mouths than gold. What would you give us for your lives, Tyrion son of Tywin? Swords? Lances? Mail?â⬠ââ¬Å"All that, and more, Gunthor son of Gurn,â⬠Tyrion Lannister replied, smiling. ââ¬Å"I will give you the Vale of Arryn.ââ¬
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