Are We Better Than Our Forefathers Essay

Have you ever pondered the fact that we are better than our forefathers? If you think otherwise, I’ll explain why I think this way. Most people say that our forefathers’ lives were very peaceful. We have technology at our hands and we have made atom bombs and weapons. For destruction you might say, but that’s not true because we are making these for our protection. Our forefathers lived without many modern amenities and inventions such as electricity, aero planes, microwave ovens and more, whereas we cannot even imagine life without laptops and cellular phones. Even children play with such things. The greatest drawback of the lives that our forefathers led was that of education; the people were mostly uneducated and were unaware the major issues of life. Their thinking was limited to their surroundings and they were not aware or bothered about what was happening in other parts of the world. We are living an active life, whereas our forefather led simple, idle lives. We have clear concepts in our minds whereas the people who lived in the past had many complex issues in their minds. Young never knew the philosophy of life and children were busy with playing games only. Today, we can communicate with people in different countries within no time — thanks to telephone and email.. However, in the past it would take months to send message from one country to another or one place to another. Today, people possess knowledge about every layer within the earth whereas our forefathers living in the past were only familiar with well water. We can even touch the skies, thanks to the major strides that have been made in the field of commutation. The sky is the limit when it comes to development and progress in our age. We have overcome time and space and are covering large distances in a short span of time. While in the past people travelled on foot or in horse driven carriages now we have bullet trains and super sonic aero planes. Of course, all these facts prove that we are leading better lives than our forefathers but it is a fact that the next generation will be better than us.

Case Texas Instrument

RAISA AYU LESTARI 1091002047 Case 13. 4: Texas Instruments 1. Summarize the major features of Texas Instruments’ management systems. 2. How does Texas Instruments ensure that its operating managers appropriately allocate their time between short term and long term? 3. Why do you believe the OST System worked so effectively for TI in the 70s? why was not working effectively for company in the mid-to-late 80s? 4.Would systems like these be appropriate in other organizations, such as Harvey-Hudson Electronics? What implementation problems would you foresee? ANSWERS: NO. 1 Texas Instruments (TI) is considered to be the pioneer of the American electronics industry. TI was first established in 1951 as an electronics company serving the American defense industry. In 1958, TI developed the first semiconductor integrated circuit.TI has three main lines of business in 1984: components, which included semiconductor integrated circuits, semiconductor subassemblies, and electronic control devices; digital products, which included mini computers, personal computers, scientific instruments, and calculators; and government electronics, which included radar system, missile guidance and control systems, and infrared surveillance systems. The major management system of TI is OST System, which is Objective, Strategies, and Tactics System. OST System is a system for managing change and innovation.The system was employed to define the strategies the company intended to follow for further growth and development and to identify the tactics required to successfully implement such strategies. The OST System can be more easily understood if viewed in three strategies: 1. Presentation of the hierarchy goals 2. Dual responsibility of line management 3. Impact of matrix organization composed of strategic and operating modes The other main management system of TI is resource allocation system. This system included planning cycle, strategic fund, operating fund, and timing f planning c ycle. The next major management system of TI is incentive compensation system, which is included the Key Personnel Analysis and stock-option plan. Planning and control system on TI encourage the development of new product. Strategic planning systems are more critical to survive the uncertain environment. Budgeting systems are used as short term planning tools that are flexible to adapt to a fast-changing environment. Reporting system are concentrated on policy issues. Performance evaluation system highlight the uncertainty in the environment. NO. 2

Case Study Johnson Johnson Marketing Essay

Case Study Johnson Johnson Marketing Essay Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Division is one of the leading fast moving consumer goods manufacturers in India. It is also among the most consistent and successful enterprises not just in the J&J world-wide group of companies, but also in India. Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products division has been growing steadily over the last few years, and is one of the few companies in the Indian market to grow at extremely healthy levels. Johnson and johnson is the world most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care product and service for the consumer pharmaceutical and medical and diagnostics market. The Consumer Products Division owes its success to the strength of its brands, and the loyalty they enjoy from consumers, a strong sense of values driven from the Credo, and an environment, which sets the toughest standards of leadership. Overview Johnson and johnson founded in 1886 as a supplier of health care product in open market. The head quatered of John son and jo hn son in new Brunswick ,Nj The company sell more than 175 product in 57 countries in the world . In 2003 the sale of Johnson and johnson were 4.19billion dollar. John son and john son have 110,600 employers over the world . More than US280billion pa philonthrapy. World leading heath care supplier PRODUCTS OF JOHNSON & JOHNSON Aveeno ageless vitality Aveeno nourish + hair collection Aveeno nourish + style collection Aveeno hydrarting body wash Johnson natural baby lotion Johnson natural baby shampoo Johnson natural head to toe foaming body wash Listerine – total care Neosprine – lip health Neutrogena – men sensitive skin Neutrogena sore pimple gel Neutrogena skin clearing mineral powder Neutrogena advanced sun block lotion Roc brilliance day rejuvenating Roc brilliance eye beautifier Skin crystal all natural sweetner COMPETETORS OF JOHNSON & JOHNSON ABBOTT LABS LILLY ELI & CO NOVARTIS A G Â   PESTLE ANALYSIS POLITICAL & LEGAL Johnson & Johnson operates in both developed and developing countries worldwide where the political situation in these countries is stable and encourages more Investments. Also legislations in these countries favours free market economy with no government intervention. ECONOMICAL With the introduction of the European Union and single currency the whole European market has been transformed to a single market hence increasing the market for Johnson& Johnson products. Also inflation and exchange rates in most of the countries has been stable thus not affecting the prices of products or any future Investments. SOCIOLOGICAL Due to recent developments people around the world have changed from using natural food products to the use of genetic modified food products or to special types of fo Unilever has tried to cope with all the changes that take place in the modern world. TECHNOLOGICAL The objective of Johnson & Johnson is not only to maximize the wealth of its owners but also to anticipate the aspirations of its customer s and to respond creatively and competitively with branded products and services that raise the quantity of life. Johnson & Johnson put much emphasis on research and development, modern technologies and launching of modified products so as satisfy its stakeholders SWOT ANALYSIS: Johnson & Johnson Strengths

Harry Mulisch's The Assault Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Harry Mulisch's The Assault - Essay Example The novel essentially explores the sides of human beings that one would not normally observe in normal circumstances. This applies equally to the protagonist of the story as well as to the other characters that have been woven around his story. The author powerfully depicts how the actions of a few individuals in a short span of time end up impacting lives beyond measure. The characters are shown interwoven together at the beginning of the novel as they all live in proximity of each other but a single event changes the lives of these people by a large degree. The protagonist Anton is shown as being impacted the most by the murder of the police chief Ploeg as his family is executed by the Nazis in retaliation. The protagonist can be seen struggling with the newly emerging realities after the death of his family not just for a few years but for the entire span of his life. There is also a certain morality to the novel where morality and ethics have been tainted with a clear dose of rel ativism. (Complete Review) Given the circumstances of the day, the novel clearly depicts that morality was more of a paradox than a clear and blatant reality. The characters present in the novel are worth looking into because the author has used interplay amongst them to fully define the entire story. 2. Background The novel has been set out in the last days of the Third Reich as German control was collapsing on Europe. The story reflects the state of affairs throughout most of Europe and the common dilemma of whose side one should be on. On the one hand the Germans are still strongly in control of certain areas such as Netherlands (where the story has been created) and on the other hand the influence of the Allies and the communists in defeating the Nazis is undeniable. It is clear that it would only be a matter of time before the Nazis are taken down in Europe but for the moment the locals are caught between both groups. The resistance present in various countries around mainland Europe is depicted as rather irresponsible because their actions are not well thought out in terms of the impacts on the lives of ordinary people. Hence there is a clear line between Nazi supporters and opposition but the local populace is caught in the middle with nowhere to go. Moreover as the grip of the Nazis is loosening, they spare no effort to subjugate and brutalize the population in order to retain a dominating influence. Within these circumstances, the murder of the local police chief, Fake Ploeg (who is a strong Nazi collaborator) by members of the Dutch resistance trigger the deaths of Anton’s family. (Mars Hill Audio) The same dilemma talked about earlier is brought into play by the author and the rest of the story is built upon these foundations. The major characters of the novel are the protagonist Anton, his brother Peter and his parents the Steenwijk’s, the Beumers who are family friends, the Aarts’ who live close by and are hiding a Jewish fami ly, Fake Ploeg the police chief who is murdered, Fake Ploeg Jr. the son of Fake Ploeg, the assassin of Fake Ploeg and Mr. Korteweg and his daughter Karin who tries to save his lizards by dumping the body of Fake Ploeg in front of the Steenwijk household. A discussion of the characters is presented below in order to appreciate the agency and responsibility of the characters and their overall contribution to the story. 3. Characters 3.1. The Protagonist – Anton â€Å"

MEMO---Affordable Care ACT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MEMO---Affordable Care ACT - Assignment Example The growth is facilitated by the company staff, the full-time employees and the part-time employees. The company already has a health insurance cover for the full-time employees. The cover has reduced recurrent expenditure on hospital bills and also improved the welfare of the full-time employees (Sommers et al, 2013). We believe that, if the health package is extended to the part-time staff, it will greatly improve their welfare and attitude towards the company. Currently, part-time employees represent 20% of the total company employees. In addition, the number increases to 30% of the total workforce when there is a huge workload. Due to the unpredictable patterns of the economy, the company is forced to recruit an additional team to aid in delivering various important tasks. Therefore, when the health insurance cover under the Affordable health care is adopted on board, the company will also benefit. The company has experienced tremendous growth for the last ten years. The number of employees is expected to double within the next year to approximately 300 employees including the part-time employees. It is a requirement to have health insurance for all employees of registered companies. This is in line with the Affordable Care Act, which becomes effective soon. As part of the company’s core values, it is important to comply with national laws to ensure the continued success of the company. Complying with the new mandate will see the company increase in size and increase the annual turnover, in the long run (Huntington et al, 2011). Though the Affordable health care will increase the company costs, it will have a variety of benefits. A health insurance cover for the part-time employees will help reduce absenteeism due to sickness. Absenteeism impacts the company negatively, and it is an additional cost to the company. Where several part-time employees are absent, the company will be

Write a discussion and conclusion for every chart Essay

Write a discussion and conclusion for every chart - Essay Example rvey respondents (international students) had no close American friends and would have liked more meaningful interaction with people born here† (par. 3). As such, racial discrimination still exists as the primary cause of discrimincation in contemporary university settings. Figure 2 illustrates that from among the causes of discrimination, stereotyping was identified by 7 out of 17 respondents as the predominant cause; followed by media (5); lack of knowledge (2) and gender differences (2); and poverty (1). Although poverty was noted only by one respondent as the cause of discrimination, the study written by Moorman & Wicks-Smith (2012) that â€Å"with one quick look students are generally able to size up who is wealthy and who is poor; who is a "have" and who is a "have not"† (p. 141). As such, stereotyping was the predominant cause of discrimination that is an indication of social perceptions that have persistent through time. Figure 3 illustrates that from 19 respondents, it was revealed that only 48% or 9 respondents have average knowledge about discrimination support networks; followed by 26% who does not have much knowledge; 16% who have some knowledge; and 5% for both sets of respondents who are on the extremes – a lot of knowledge and no knowledge at all. The average knowledge of students on the presence of discrimination networks indicate that there are majority of students who could not avail and access support due to insufficient awareness of the existence of support networks to address discrimination issues. As indicated, school psychologists are identified to assume the crucial role of enhancing awareness, to wit: â€Å"working for social justice in the educational setting means guiding students and staff to reflect critically on their roles in proliferating racism and discrimination and supporting systemic change to prevent ongoing inequities† (NASP, 2012, p. 2). Figure 4 illustrates the results on the methods deemed most effective by

Theoretical Underpinning of two International Relations Theories Essay

Theoretical Underpinning of two International Relations Theories - Essay Example On the other hand, in â€Å"After America† Brzezinski looks at the imminent fall of the United States from being the leading power in the world (1). The writer focuses on which states are likely to take over from the United States, although he emphasizes that a unipolar world is no longer possible (1). There is also an analysis of how other states will react to the fall of the United states, for example, stating that most second world countries will seek to form regional blocks. Brzezinski is pessimistic about the future, without the United States at the top, and argues that power struggles will ensue between states, especially over regional politics (1). All the same, there is a correspondence between the two articles in that they both consider the future of international relations in the next ten or so years. In addition, the two articles point out the looming power gap that will be caused by the exit of the United States from the apex of global relations. Personally, Slaugh ter’s argument is more compelling since she gives room for non-biased assessment of international relations, after the end of the united state’s hegemony (1). ... argument, not because it is more liberal and thus more optimistic but because her assessment of international relations seems better researched, and the solutions given to the various problems seem more realistic. Considering Brzezinski’s argument, in comparison with that of Slaughter, it is clear that the theoretical assumptions between these two writers are different (1). While Slaughter views the next ten years using liberalist lenses, Brzezinski seems to be more oriented towards the realist perspective (1). Nevertheless, both articles seem to make valid points about the future of international relations as both concur that a unilateral system is no longer possible. This has helped me understand why there are so many countries on the rise, including China, Japan, and India. This phenomenon already tells of a multipolar international arena in the next 20 years. This is regardless of whether the world is viewed from a realist or liberalist point of view. Admittedly, the Unite d States will cease to be the super power in the next few years. This means that the United States will no longer be able to influence international policies. Therefore, it is important that the United States revises its domestic, regional, and international policies, in order to be able to with stand the impending change. Works cited Brzezinski, Zbigniew. After America, 2012. Web. 18 June 2013. Available at www.foreignpolicy.com. Slaughter, Anne-Marie. Problems Will Be Global -- And Solutions Will Be, Too, 2011. Web. 18 June 2013. Available at

Turkey military coup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Turkey military coup - Essay Example Although the term coup d'etat is associated with military power in the minds of people it is not the sole distinguishing feature of what constitutes a coup d'etat. What is important is a use of deceit and infiltration by a small group of people to gain power and authority of a small but critical segment or sector of the government and thereby assume political control. In this regard, such plans will eventually succeed if the coup plotters gain a critical mass which it can win over to its side, or alternatively, when there is acquiescence or apathy from the population or the greater bulk of the military just stands by and fails to come to the rescue of government resulting in its displacement and eventual surrender to a much smaller force of coup plotters. A lot of political discourse has been generated with the propriety of a coup as well as its repercussions on civil society as a whole. Those who plan, support and carry out a coup are often idealistic people who use their own ideali sm and agenda for reforms as justification. But history likewise showed that those who live by the sword will in turn die by the sword. Discussion History is replete with instances of coups staged mostly by trusted advisers or by those who had gained close access to the centers of power. Their proximity to power made it easier for them to observe the workings and more importantly, the defects and deficiencies of those currently holding power. Coup plotters have plenty of motivations and reasons to seize power that provide justifications for their illegal actions. As previously discussed, the use of military or its close relative which are the paramilitary units, is not a distinguishing feature to correctly define what a coup is. These coup plotters usually enlist the help of the military establishment because it is only the military that has the discipline, expertise, firepower and cohesion that is often needed to succeed in seizing power by sudden and violent means. As they say, mi ght is right. This is what happens when the coup plotters succeed in the plan of toppling an elected government and these people immediately go to great length to try to explain to their people why intervention was necessary. For the military people, the reasons for joining the coup are elaborated upon such as to save the State from its enemies within and without, try to restore order, ensure political stability or some other alibi that will legitimize a trip into governance and intervention in political affairs of the nation (Kieh & Agbese 23). The military establishment of any country provides a crucial component of coups as it provides the muscle whenever necessary for the coup to succeed. In general, the justifications for a coup can be categorized into three, namely: political, social and military unrest. Political reasons may pertain to a failure of the political system like when politicians are incompetent, massive corruption, greed for power, lack of democratic institutions or political squabbles. A social justification is when there is too much power in one person or in one institution only. A good reason might be the lack of genuine freedoms for the people. The military reasons could be interference in purely

Does Karl Marx's account of the workings of the market economy help us Essay

Does Karl Marx's account of the workings of the market economy help us tounderstand the causes and likely outcomes of the present global economic crisis - Essay Example s school, British literary critic Frederic Jameson, and German sociologist Max Weber all have researched and presented Marxist perspectives in their fields. Marx’s lasting influence has ensured his lasting place in the idealisms of people across time and space. In the face of the current financial crisis, people in Germany have turned to Karl Marx for guidance (Connolly). This is understandable, given the widely-held notion that laissez-faire capitalism, the subject of so much Marxist vitriol, is the villain and mastermind of the crisis. Thus, it seems that the works of Marx and other Leftist thinkers might have some relevance in creating a lasting solution to the problem. As Machiavelli famously said, â€Å"For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities, and are more often influenced by the things that seem than by those that are† (Hacker 179). As educated citizens, we must resolve not to be satisfied with the superficia lities of the appearances, and seek reality. Analyzing Marxist theory and its impact allows us to understand what is beyond mere appearance. From the given facts of reality we can derive a normative prescription for the world to follow: steps that involve listening to the words eternal in their wisdom. Karl Marx, as alluded to before, left a lasting impact on many fields; of these perhaps the sociology of work in particular felt the largest effect. He accounted for the fundamentally political relationship between employer and employee, as well as the materiality of class conflict. This analysis remains pivotal in the sociological examination of work. Marx pushed forward the prospect of a sociological approach to work, which he delimited the scope â€Å"to the sociology of the factory†. Marx’s analysis provided the foundation of the relationship between home and work. Along with this came a description of exploitation irrespective of class (Grint 95). Although the crux of Marxist theory has been

Art pieces comparison essay (from metropolitan museum of art)

Art pieces comparison (from metropolitan museum of art) - Essay Example is what I aim to achieve in this paper – I will explore on a deeper level and conduct a profound analysis and comparison of the two pieces in order to understand their similarities. It could be said that these similarities run much deeper than the primary differences between the two pieces; thus, by such an exploration I will assess whether indeed the similarities become more prominent. ‘Heart of The Andes’ depicts a beautifully detailed landscape of South America. It is a harmonious depiction of nature – with realistic colouring and immense depth. In the background is Mount Chimborazo of Ecuador, and the foreground features a moving waterfall leading to a lake. It is nature at its finest, a magnificently awe-inspiring piece with such detail that one cannot help but fall mercy to the dark, deep beauty of this landscape. ‘Garden at Sainte-Adresse’ consists of a scene along the English Channel, from the viewpoint of a garden. A family dons the garden; they appear to be spending time enjoying the weather and the view along the horizon of Honfleur. It is a domestic portrait of an upper-class family, and this serves to completely remove the sense of loneliness conveyed by ‘Heart of The Andes’. ‘Heart of The Andes’ strikes on with its intense depth – one is able to grasp the dimensions of the landscape; the vastness of the view. The eye is drawn to the dark mountains on the horizon, which tends to cause one to feel these primary darker, more emotive feelings. It is noticeable that without the mountains, the piece would not be much darker than ‘Garden at Sainte-Adresse’. The delicate detail allows one to become immersed in the landscape and properly understand its beauty. It is extremely realistic, and this serves to increase its depth and scale. It is on a much smaller scale than ‘Garden at Sainte-Adresse’, which could also be another contributor to the lost feeling it evokes. Despite its smaller scale, it is much more

I Forget That I Have Alzheimer’s disease Essay Example for Free

I Forget That I Have Alzheimer’s disease Essay Alzheimers disease is a familiar sight to me. I had a sad experience during my work as a nurse in my country Colombia and Spain with Alzheimer disease patients. Day by day I came to know each patient’s story because every day they were living the moment without remember the last minute. This is also what happened to Lisa Genova’s novel Still Alice. The protagonists is a 50 year old woman, a very well organized, efficient, highly-educated, and smart Harvard professor, wife of a successful man, and the mother of three grown children, who has diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. People have learned about the progression of Alice’s disease through her reactions, so feeling what she feels- a slowly building terror, the big changes with her family, professional life, and her identity, but we also have started to understand how Alice finds positive aspects in all this, she started to enjoy more of her family, she also began to take more time for her, about how she can remember the things without help. When a patient is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the relation between the patient and his/her family suffers big changes. With Alice, is the negative aspects start when she becomes dependent on her family members and in need of certain care. The impact on Alice’s home is visible in the new habits, routines, roles and functions within the family dynamics. All of her family members suffer as a result of the disease to a lesser or greater extent. Her husband’s life is affected because he has less time to do his work and other activities, as he needs to take care of her. He also loses his patience because Alice behaves out of the ordinary, and that can become annoying in some ways. An example, when Alice forgets her cell phone at home and he said: â€Å"Then duct tape it to your head, I don’t care, I’m not going through this every time you forget you’re supposed to show up somewhere. † (Genova 99). On the other hand, her children feel anxiety, fear, and rejection with regard what is happening with their mother. All the members of her family in some way want to take care of her. While helping her looks like an obligation, the positive aspect is that Alice has more attention from her husband and children. She and her husband try to renew their affection to each other. Her husband and children are supporting her at some moments, especially the youngest daughter, who feels love, compassion, and empathy for her mother. The second important aspect of Alice is life that is affected her professional life as an important professor. â€Å"Today, I have the honor of introducing you to our first colloquium speaker of the year. Dr. Alice Howland is the eminent William James Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. † (Genova 9). In spite of her achievements and all the important and recognized things about her profession, the career is coming to an end. She gradually loses the ability to follow a conversation thread, the story line of a book, or to recall information she heard just moment before. She is losing her respect of her students because they cannot trust in someone who is sick. She is unable to do the work because every day she loses the capacity to remember everything she needs to know at the moment. She loses prestige because she cannot represent any more in her life as a professional. The positive point is that she cannot want to give up all years of work in a second. She wants to be a supported at any moment by any person who needs her. She continues to attend meetings and seminars. She is trying to leave a positive impression on each person who has met her. The third and the most important aspect with Alice and her Alzheimer’s disease is a big change in her identity. At the beginning she is angry and depressed with herself because she is forgetting everything that she needs to remember every day, such as a simple and common word. Her emotional changes also affect her relationships with others and her own feelings, because she has a negative behavior with others when she yells or says a word of anger. I think is the way how she shows that she is trying to avoid what is happening in her life with an incurable disease that changes the direction of her life. She feels frustration about her memory problems because gradually she has a restriction of freedom that means she loses privacy and independence in each activity she wants to do. We cannot imagine what she is feeling when she is losing everything she learned, all the way back to basic activities such as the skill to walk, eat, or even use the bathroom. Alice feels frustrated about what she is living, because it is a way to say she is stigmatized with this disease as though she were already dead. On the other hand, and in a positive way, she begins to enjoy her life when she shares more time with her family. She feels curiosity about a future of her children and grandchild, and then she wants to live to enjoy everything, despite she would â€Å"be incapable of remembering and executing this kind of plan. † (Genova 118). She creates a simple test and games to remember simple things of her life, and she can self-administer every day. She also tries to create a support group with people who have the same conditions as her, sharing experiences and to know that she does not alone in all this. This is a story where a woman forgets that have Alzheimer’s disease because she continues to do her life normally, she forgets that the things that she makes normally, now she does not make. Alice can find in her husband and children some way of support of each one of them, and then she can understand the positive things about her disease. The surprising is how the Alzheimers disease can advance very quickly, as affect relationships, families, professional jobs, and the identities of each patient. â€Å"Unfortunately, this is a progressive, degenerative disease with no cure. It gets worse, despite any medication we have right now. † (Genova 245). This is a sad end for each person who had a wonderful and successful life. In my experience, I only knew and lived with my patients their final phase of the disease. I also admire anyone going through this disease, their family, friends, those who care for them and those who continue to research for this cause. The hope is the patients and the people who live around them can find the positive aspects during the disease, they can enjoy more time together and help each patient try to find a good way to endure their disease. Work Cited Genova, Lisa. Still Alice. New York, London, Toronto, and Sydney: Gallery Books, 2009.

Human Factors Engineering †Geriatrics Essay Example for Free

Human Factors Engineering – Geriatrics Essay Professionals in gerontology and geriatrics estimate that by the middle of the 21st century, more than 60 million of people in the United States will be older than 65. Many of these people will cross the 85-age-line (Schulz, 2007). In this context, old people do not simply live longer, but remain active and productive and strive to preserve their individual independence even in older age. Obviously, these demographic shifts are extremely challenging to society. As long as the process of aging is associated with biological, psychological, physiological, and cognitive changes, older people face a whole set of issues, when trying to preserve stability of their links with the real-world environments. These are often impossible without using technologies. Human factors engineering is expected to make valuable contribution in geriatrics, making aging population less vulnerable to the abovementioned changes, and enhancing the quality of life among older adults. As a multidisciplinary science, human factors engineering is about numerous issues, but in this work special attention will be given to home and work activities (social aspects of human factors engineering), as well as the problems older people may experience with vision and hearing (individual aspects of human factors engineering). To begin with, â€Å"human factors engineering is the study of human beings and their interactions with products, environments, and equipment in the performance of tasks and activities† (Schulz, 2007). It is a multidisciplinary field in that it encompasses the disciplines of psychology, physiology, engineering, biomechanics, and computer science. Regardless of whether in aging, in pediatrics, or in adulthood, human factors engineering seeks to identify specific human capabilities, their limitations associated with age, the impact of these limitations on individuals’ interactions with the real-world environments, and the ways of improving these interactions. When it comes to geriatrics as the science of aging, human factors engineering is to address the four essential aspects, which actually shape an older person’s reality: work, home, transportation, and product design (Schulz, 2007). Some authors also include communication, safety and security, and leisure into the list of critical human factors engineering elements in aging (Czaja, 1990). Certainly, home and home activities present the greatest challenges to older people. Against a common belief, many older people live alone and have to cope (or even to fight) with a whole set of home activities. Apart from living alone, many older people are likely to spend most of their time at home, and many of them will also face a difficulty in performing even simple tasks like bathing, cooking, washing, cleaning, etc. The most common home traumas include falls, burns (e. g. from cooking), and poisoning from gases and vapors (Czaja, 1990). Given that to live alone for older people means to preserve their individuality, and that performing their home tasks without external assistance works to enhance their self-esteem, several technological and social solutions can help older people cope with these challenges. First of all, appropriate home design may substantially reduce the risk of traumas; convenient stairways, better lighting, handrails – all these can successfully remedy human factors issues in geriatrics (Schulz, 2007). Second, when it comes to household chores, a range of in-home services including delivered meals and home health visits can â€Å"extend the ability of the elderly to live independently† (Czaja, 1990). However, older people’s striving to independence is not limited to home activities. Work remains one of the critical factors of social and individual success later in life. Objectively, and in the light of the current demographic trends, businesses are no longer able to design work environments in a way that fits both younger and older workers; â€Å"clearly, most businesses and industries now need to develop strategies to accommodate an aging workforce† (Schulz, 2007). In this context, the two essential individual factors of aging come into place. First, business owners face a challenge of compensating for age-related visual deficits. Second, they are also bound to comply and cope with hearing issues in older workers. These two aspects are fairly regarded as the two most important human engineering factors of aging (Charness Schaie, 2003). It is difficult to deny the fact that the changes in peripheral vision, color perceptions, motion perceptions, as well as anatomical changes in hearing, the loss of frequency and intensity of sound perceptions, as well as distorted sound localization may significantly reduce and even discriminate against the older worker’s desire and ability to work. At the same time, more and more older people remain in the workforce; many of them undertake part-time jobs. Not only does work help older people preserve their individuality and independence, but it also relieves the social and unemployment burden at the state and federal levels (Czaja, 1990). That is why businesses do not have any other choice but to seek effective human factors engineering solutions to cope with the discussed issues. Unfortunately, although the amount of information about aging is affluent, the data on the implications of aging for work is rather scarce. Generally, books on human factors engineering refer to ergonomic considerations (better workplace design, accommodation, and possible use of assistive technologies), equipment redesign, and possible training needs (Schulz, 2007). These, however, do not address such factors of aging in work environments as absenteeism and turnover (Czaja, 1990). As a result, when it comes to work environments, jobs for older people should be designed to help them preserve their productivity and remain a part of the workforce, even when the need to be absent from work arises. For example, the use of computer technologies could help older people take jobs that do not require leaving their homes. When it comes to vision and hearing issues, a range of information processing computer software could be utilized to enhance the quality of older people’s interactions with the real world (Charness Schaie, 2003). In similar ways, technology can be successfully used to help older people train their memory, cognitive skills, and attention. For example, older people can be trained to use computer technologies as a part of their attention and memory improvement strategies. Similar recommendations can also cover the areas of communication, transportation, and leisure. Unfortunately, professional human factors engineering research is only at the initial stage of its evolution, and whether older people are given a chance to participate in the major life activities also depends on how well human factors engineering professionals will perform in terms of empirical and practical research. Also, how well businesses and authorities use and implement recommendations and requirements presented as a result of human factors engineering research will predetermine older’ people success in socialization, work, communication and other life activities. Conclusion Human factors engineering is a multidisciplinary science that studies the ways in which humans interact with different environments. When it comes to geriatrics, human factors engineering is expected to study older people’s work and personal capabilities, their limitations, and the ways of addressing and overcoming them. Given that more and more older people live alone and strive to keep their jobs as a matter of better self-esteem and independence, many of them may face serious challenges associated with inevitable physiological biological, cognitive, and mechanical changes. Although the data regarding possible human factors solutions is rather limited, it is very probable that the nearest decade will give older people broader opportunities for self-realization in various social domains, from work to leisure and communication.

Professional Development And Reflective Practice Education Essay

Professional Development And Reflective Practice Education Essay Counsellor self-awareness has been frequently emphasised as a critical professional competency for all counsellors (Remley Herlihy, 2007). To support this key competency, reflective practice is an important means of supporting self-awareness in students and beginning counsellors. This paper will look at some definitions of reflective practice, and how it is far more than just thinking about what has happened. Reflective practice is an approach used in counselling and other health professions where models of reflection offer a way to evaluate applied learning: it is a method of refining skills and expertise by scrutinizing actions while they are being carried out, and then assessing them through discussion, writing exercises such as journalling, similar assessments or by professional supervision. Reflective practice has been developed in a variety of fields over the last few decades, most markedly in professions where interpersonal relationships are central and a high degree of intuitive judgement and decision-making is needed. Because of this, counselling and teaching make great use of reflective practice methods, along with community and youth workers, and allied health professionals. Professional practice was pioneered by Donald Schà ¶n in the 1980s. Several models exist, but basically reflective practice and learning involves growth and development as a professional by considering at an event or incident, understanding it and learning from it. Different models may emphasise different areas of reflective learning, or broaden the process to include a range of peers, communities and professional or learning colleagues Reflective practice is a continuous process and involves the learner considering critical incidents in their life experiences. As defined by Schà ¶n, reflective practice involves thoughtfully considering ones own experiences in applying knowledge to practice while being coached by professionals in the discipline. It has been described as an unstructured, self-regulated process approach directing understanding and learning. Reflective practice as a way of working that involves acting consciously and deliberately on the basis of critical insight and understanding. A reflective practitioner needs to develop an awareness of new ways to look at situations, consider new opportunities and techniques, and finds fresh means to challenge states an circumstances. A reflective practioners is a Iifelong learner, as each experience will shape their practice and approach. A belief which underpins reflective practice is that counsellors should consolidate or frame our understanding. Framing is an inevitable thing: There is no way of perceiving and making sense of reality except through a frame, for the very task of making sense of complex, information-rich situations requires an operation of selectivity and organisation, which is what framing means à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Schà ¶n, 1994, p29). To be reflective does not imply disregarding all assumptions and prior opinions. Instead, it is about being aware of what practioners bring with us when we meet with others. Reflective practitioners must be able to put themselves in the shoes of other actors, but and they must also have the complementary ability to consider how their own frames may contribute to problematic situations (Schà ¶n, 1994, p187). Reflective practice is consequently something that takes persistent and constant time, commitment and practice. To help counsellors, particularly as beginning counsellors, this can be where an good supervisor is so important, inspiring the counsellor to grow as a person and a professional, to think and act outside of the box and avoid falling into self-deception or pitfalls. An continuing commitment to education and also an essential basic requirement to aid this growth and development. In reflective practice it is possible to distinguish three different phases. Schà ¶n (1983) distinguished between reflection-in-action (at the same time as the practice takes place) and reflection-on-action (afterwards). reflection on practice which involves stepping back from an experience and exploring (a) what happened (b) what can be learned from it and (b) what should be done next time. This approach is used widely with students in various disciplines who are encouraged to keep a journal of learning experiences and their practice implications. Kolbs learning circle (experience _reflection _ making sense _ planning for action) is a common tool used by supervisors to help students learn this process in systematic form. Secondly, there is reflection in practice which involves being aware and conscious in the here-and-now moment; i.e. during supervision/counselling as its actually happening. This is, in some respects, an advanced-level application of reflection on practice and essential for those engaged in counselling and supervision approaches that involve working primarily with immediacy (e.g. psychotherapy: recognising transference, projection, parallel process etc.). It is also especially valuable for people working in crisis situations where conditions change rapidly and the ability to think continually on ones feet is critical. the difference between reflection on and reflection in is, in essence, the difference between What happened thenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦? and What is happening nowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦?. The practice dimension reminds us that for learning-through-reflection to become genuinely transformational, it needs to be applied. The role of supervisor, therefore, involves not only helping the counsellor to learn through reflection but to support application of that learning to enhance his or her counselling practice. When these dimensions are drawn together in continual process, the counsellor can be described as a reflective practitioner. According to Schon (1983), reflection-in-action is a rigorous professional process involving acknowledgement of and reflection on uncertainty and complexity in ones practice leading to a legitimate form of professional knowing (p.69). Reflection-in-action is defined by Schà ¶n as the ability of professionals to think what they are doing while they are doing it. the only way to manage the indeterminate zones of (professional) practice is through the ability to think on your feet, and apply previous experience to new situations. This is essential work of the professional, and requires the capability of reflection-in-action. Schà ¶n also offers his thoughts on how this kind of professional is produced. He describes a number of key concepts: The Reflective Practicum. a term for the educational setting, or environment: A practicum is a setting designed for the task of learning a practice. This is where students learn by doing, with the help of coaching. The practicum is reflective in two senses: it is intended to help students become proficient in a kind of reflection-in-action; and, when it works well, it involves a dialogue of coach and student that takes the form of reciprocal reflection-in-action.    Tacit knowledge: his comes from the work of Michael Polanyi3. He describes for example the remarkable way we are able to pick out a familiar face in a crowd. This does not require thinking about, or a systematic analysis of features. We cannot verbalise how this is done, and so the knowledge is unspoken or tacit.   Knowing-in-action derives from the idea of tacit knowledge. It refers to the kinds of knowledge revealed in the way we carry out tasks and approach problems. The knowing is in the action. It is revealed by the skilful execution of the performance we are characteristically unable to make it verbally explicit. This tacit knowledge is derived from research, and also from the practitioners own reflections and experience.   Reflection-in-action: reflection that occurs whilst a problem is being addressed, in what Schon calls the action-present. It is a response to a surprise where the expected outcome is outside of our knowing-in-action. The reflective process is at least to some degree conscious, but may not be verbalised. Reflection-in-action is about challenging our assumptions (because knowing-in-action forms the basis of assumption). It is about thinking again, in a new way, about a problem we have encountered.   Reflection-on-action: reflection after the event. Consciously undertaken, and often documented.   Willing suspension of disbelief: describes the process of entering into an experience, without judgment, in order to learn from it. Schà ¶n uses the term in relation to the idea of learning by doing. One cannot will oneself to believe until one understands. But understanding often will only arise from experience. So it is necessary first to allow the experience to happen.   Operative attention: listening and absorbing information, in a state of readiness to apply and experiment with the new information. An everyday example would be when we listen to directions on how to find an obscure address. This participation is important in the learning process a learner needs to be already engaged in activity for further information to have meaning. This in turn is partly derived from Wittgensteins5 contention that the meaning of an operation can only be learned through its performance. Hence mechanical or imperfect performance of an activity prepares the learner for new information (feedback) on that activity, in order to develop understanding.   The ladder of reflection: Schà ¶n speaks of a vertical dimension of analysis that can happen in the dialogue between learner and teacher. To move up a rung on the ladder involves reflecting on an activity. To move down a rung is to move from reflection to experimentation. This ladder has more than two rungs it is also possible to reflect on the process of reflection. The importance of this concept is in its potential for helping out with stuck situations in learning. Being able to move to another level may assist coach and learner to achieve together what Schà ¶n refers to as convergence of meaning.   Professional reflective practice is an intricate and challenging activity. It takes time, commitment and support, ongoing professional development and supervision to mature. It should leads to new action and a confirmation of existing actions. Reflective practice needs to be more than just thoughtful practice, it needs to be a continual process of turning practice into educational opportunities. Also very useful in expressing an approach to reflective practice is Kolbs experiential learning theory. Kolb (1984), a leader in the contemporary experiential education movement, defined experiential learning as the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience (p. 38). His model of experiential learning was based on the works of developmental theorists John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget. Ideally there is a learning cycle or spiral where the learner passed through a four stage learning cycle: first a cycle of experiencing, then of reflecting, thirdly thinking, and finally acting. Immediate or concrete experiences lead to observations and reflections. These reflections are then assimilated (absorbed and translated) into abstract concepts with implications for action, which the person can actively test and experiment with, which in turn enable the creation of new experiences. As learners continue to have new concrete experiences, by reflecting and thinking about them, we can plan, test hypotheses, and have a positive impact on new experiences. Kolbs learning circle (experience, reflection, making sense, then planning for action) is a practical tool to help students learn (Wright, 202) . (a) concrete experience, (b) reflective observation, (c) abstract conceptualization, and (d) active experimentation. The process of experiential education and learning begins with the concrete experience itself (e.g., participating as a member in a small group) and continues with intentional and guided reflection on or debriefing of that experience. Abstract conceptualization represents both the integration of learning experiences and the generation of new ideas. This might include identifying and understanding the monopolizing behaviour on the part of a group member and brainstorming ways to address it in the next group session. Through active experimentation, these new ideas can be tested and explored. the process of reflection is one of the necessary stages of learning (Kolb 1984; Bennett-Levy 2006) and therefore Part of clinical wisdom is reflection on practice. Supervision provides the reflective space in which to consider the difficulties and particulars of counselling, within a supportive relationship. Supervision provides the opportunity to develop skills and understanding, and provides an avenue for comparing different approaches to managing and conceptualising client problems. Supervision can provided the reflective space to help the supervisee learn about their own thoughts and feelings, and the effect of self on clients. As a beginning counsellor, there a variety of excellent refection strategies to assist in personal and professional growth and development, to help improve counselling skills, and to prevent burn out and being overwhelmed by worries and concerns of clients. Appropriate and effective supervision (as well as group and peer supervision), journalling, feedback from clients and supervisors, measures of client progress, and continued education. Padesky (1996: 273-4) wrote: The art and skill of therapy are best developed in a therapist who consistently analyses and learns from both positive and negative client feedback and outcome.

Distortion in Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Essay -- Waiting for

Distortion in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot Distortion presents exaggerated and absurd portraits of the human condition.   Distortion also equips an author with a plane of existence that provides an avenue for posing questions concerning the nature of thought, behavior, and existence.   Samuel Beckett distorts reality in his play Waiting For Godot; this literary effect enables him to question human life and a possible afterlife. Surfacely, the recurrent setting is absurd: Vladimir and Estragon remain in the same non-specified place and wait for Godot, who never shows, day after day.   They partake in this activity, this waiting, during both Act I and Act II, and we are led to infer that if Samuel Beckett had composed an Act III, Vladimir and Estragon would still be waiting on the country road beside the tree.   Of course, no humans would do such things.   The characters' actions in relation to setting are unreal-distorted, absurd.   However, it is through this distortion and only through this distortion that we can guess at the importance and the details of the evasive figure...

Intelligent Agents Essay -- Computer Science

Intelligent Agents Abstract Intelligent Agents are software abstractions which potentially can make life easier and more productive for computer users. These agents are autonomous entities that can be asked to do tedious or complicated tasks for the user or unscramble the complexities of computer applications. "Many agents are based on the idea that the user need only specify a high-level goal instead of issuing explicit instructions, leaving the 'how' and 'when' decisions to the agent" 3. The agent either steps the user through the process at hand or goes off on its own and reports back with the requested information or completed task. Artificial Intelligence principles are used to program these agents. Introduction The modern computer era has brought with it a phenomenal volume of information. The internet in particular is comprised of far too much information for any one person to utilize. Therefore computer users must be able to use their time efficiently. One must be able to filter through all the information bringing back only pertinent, recent data quickly and easily. Also, as applications and hardware become more powerful and complicated, the user must be able to figure out how to master new tasks. These two challenges can be made easier with the use of intelligent agents. One example would be the following: A person wants to find a job in the computer industry as a programmer and decides to search the internet for available positions. Without the use of intelligent agents, the person would spend hours searching for every position having to do with computers and programming. A search query would return thousands upon thousands of links that would have to be weeded through to find the ones that were pertinent. An ... ...be expertly guided through complicated procedures by these agents. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 http://www.networking.ibm.com/iag/iaghome.htm 2 http://nittany.ca.sandia.gov:8001/defs.html 3 http://cyclone.cs.clemson.edu/~mark/agents.html 4 http://www.advtech.microsoft.com/research/ui/persona/isbister.htm 5 http://www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/STAFF/mike/ker95/ker95.html 6 Maes, P. (1994b). Social interface agents: Acquiring competence by learning from users and other agents. In Etzioni, O., editor, Software Agents - Papers from the 1994 Spring Symposium (Technical Report SS-94-03), pages 71-78. AAAI Press. 7 Newell, A. and Simon, H. A. (1976). Computer science as empirical enquiry. Communications of the ACM, 19:113-126. 8 Shoham, Y. (1990). Agent-oriented programming. Technical Report STAN-CS-1335-90, Computer Science Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305

Defending Pro-wrestling Essay example -- essays research papers

As people flip through the channels on Monday nights they pass over at least two different professional wrestling shows. When people notice the wrestling the most common thing for them to do is to keep flipping the channels. Why? Because the common view of professional wrestling is that it is not real and it is stupid. Two years ago I thought the same thing about professional wrestling, in fact I refused to watch it. During the summer of my junior year in high school my boyfriend and I made a deal - he would watch The Little Mermaid with me if I would watch wrestling, so I agreed. We watched wrestling first and to my surprise it was not as bad as I thought. There are actual story lines that go on through the whole show,just like a soap opera such as General Hospital. The wrestlers I saw were amazing they were so muscular and talented. I was in shock because I thought that I hated wrestling more than anything...didn’t I? After watching it a few more times I became hooked and I have since learned all about wrestling and what a truly great sport it is. People assume that wrestlers are just faking all the moves they perform ,and that they really are not that strong. After watching wrestling for so long I have learned a lot about the wrestlers and their backgrounds. Many of the professional wrestlers played high school and college football. A prime example of this is my favorite wrestler The Rock, he played football for the Miami Hurricanes and was an All-American play... Defending Pro-wrestling Essay example -- essays research papers As people flip through the channels on Monday nights they pass over at least two different professional wrestling shows. When people notice the wrestling the most common thing for them to do is to keep flipping the channels. Why? Because the common view of professional wrestling is that it is not real and it is stupid. Two years ago I thought the same thing about professional wrestling, in fact I refused to watch it. During the summer of my junior year in high school my boyfriend and I made a deal - he would watch The Little Mermaid with me if I would watch wrestling, so I agreed. We watched wrestling first and to my surprise it was not as bad as I thought. There are actual story lines that go on through the whole show,just like a soap opera such as General Hospital. The wrestlers I saw were amazing they were so muscular and talented. I was in shock because I thought that I hated wrestling more than anything...didn’t I? After watching it a few more times I became hooked and I have since learned all about wrestling and what a truly great sport it is. People assume that wrestlers are just faking all the moves they perform ,and that they really are not that strong. After watching wrestling for so long I have learned a lot about the wrestlers and their backgrounds. Many of the professional wrestlers played high school and college football. A prime example of this is my favorite wrestler The Rock, he played football for the Miami Hurricanes and was an All-American play...

Analysis of as new park case study Essay

Analysis of as new park case study Introduction                   The planning process involves developers, communities, engineers, planners, and government. The involvement of all the stakeholders in planning process ensures that a project is positively implemented in the public interests (Carmona, 2010). The new project would commence as an improvement the old city. The old city was widely used by women and children. Although it was developed 30 years ago, it still remained as the best choice for the people living at its vicinity. It formed the best recreation centre for people during warm winter season. The new park would replace the old trees, grass, and build new shades and buildings that would be used to shade people during hot weather. The case involved closed down of the old city for 2 years and relocation of people living around the city to place where there were no social amenities such as schools and recreation centre. The case represents of unethical issues that pertains to urban planning evident through th e developers.                   The ethical issues include closure of the city and denying people their recreational facility. The new park development would deny people a chance to enjoy their recreational facilities, which is professionally unethical to a developer. In addition, the developer would be destroying people’s heritage on old trees and grass. The modern buildings would destroy the old trees and grass heritage in the new park. Moreover, it is not ethical to transfer people from their own comfort zone where they enjoyed social amenities such as schools, parks and other infrastructures such other shopping malls to a place where they no longer enjoy the amenities. The act is believed to on self- interests that do not care about other community. In planning process, it is important for planners and developers to consider professional ethics while executing their city planning so that respect between communities and the affected people is maintained (Allen, 2009).                   In this case, the most probable solution would be first to develop the area where the two communities would be relocated before relocating them. It would be most appropriate if the government could start by developing infrastructures such as roads, schools, hospitals, and recreational centres before displacing people in towns if the new park would not be avoidable. On the other hand, a new park could be developed elsewhere and the old one be renovated to maintain national heritage. Moreover, the old park renovation should not be closed for a long period and should developers should allow people to access the park even under constructions. The renovation of the park would ensure that the national heritage on traditional trees and grass would not be destroyed thus maintain it as way of protecting the countries indigenous species. This would ensure that people are not relocated from their original comfort zone. Consequently, development of area that the two communities were transferred would ensure that the communities’ living standards would not be affected except their geographical shift. The move would maintain the respect between the communities, planners, developers and engineers as their lives will not be affected.                   The solution approach where the planners would ensure that all the social amenities are developed before relocation would ensure that the professional code of ethics on the conscious on the right of a third party would be upheld (American Planning Association, 2009). In addition, the code of ethics on fairly dealing with all the people involved in the process will be highly upheld. However, the value of professional code of ethics on heritage will be violated through electing a new park and indigenous trees will be destroyed. The planners will have made sure that the decision making process involves all the party and thus no one would be negatively affected by the new project. Similarly, the second approach of electing the new park elsewhere would ensure professional code of ethics for planners to ensure social justice and responsibility not to disadvantage people would be upheld. This solution would ensure that people are not relocated and at the same t ime the national heritage is maintained. The value of heritage that is attributed to indigenous trees will be upheld while that of excellence design and updated design will be violated (American Planning Association, 2009).                   Both solutions would minimize the negative impacts of the planning in the city. However, the best solution will be to design and construct the new park elsewhere near the old park. The solutions to planning dispute safeguard the rights of the people and the professional ethics of the planners (Staatskoerant, 2011).The old park can only be renovated so that the heritage of the city will be upheld. Similarly, there would be relocation of people to new areas and thus they will be fairly treated and their lives will not be affected. In addition, the solution will ensure that people are not denied their rights to enjoy themselves during winter. Renovation for the old park could be done during summer when people are not using the park so that they would not be limited access during winter. The move will impact positively to people living there and would retain the respect of communities to developers.                   The solution would limit the planners, developers and engineers from implementing their own design and planning of the city. In addition, the people would not have a chance to enjoy a modern facility. However, there would still be a chance for them to construct a new park elsewhere in the city and increase the number of parks. One that would be rich in heritage and there other one would be modern. Although space and area allocation may be a problem, a new park elsewhere would stand out for this case. Conclusion                   In conclusion, it can be noted that planners, developers and engineers should highly consider professional ethics when carrying out new projects that would impact negatively to the public. All planning processes should involve all stakeholders and fair implementation of the project should be considered to avoid unethical issues that are evidenced in the case of new park development. References Allen, J. (2009).  Event planning: Ethics and etiquette : a principled approach to the business of special event management. Mississauga, Ont: Wiley. American Planning Association,. (2009). AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Planning.org. Retrieved 13 May 2014, from http://www.planning.org/ethics/ethicscode.htm Carmona, M. (2010). Public places, urban spaces: the dimension of urban design. Oxon: Routledge. Staatskoerant,. (2011). Code of ethics and professional conduct for the urban and regional planning profession. Gov.za. Retrieved 13 May 2014, from http://www.gov.za/documents/download.php?f=147400 Source document

Multi-Disciplinary

Effects of Multi-Disciplinary Approaches There are various ways to approach and solve problems. Such approaches include multi-disciplinary perspectives and strictly disciplinary perspectives. To effectively solve a problem a person should gather an array of information from a series of different sources. When a person takes this approach towards a certain problem or situation, they are taking a multi-disciplinary approach. As defined in the Webster’s American Dictionary: College Edition, multidisciplinary is the â€Å"combining of several specialized branches of learning or fields of expertise† (Multidisciplinary 526).However, if one choses to â€Å"relate to a specific field of study† versus a variety of fields, they are taking a strictly disciplinary approach when resolving a certain situation or issue (Disciplinary 228). There are advantages and disadvantages to both a multidisciplinary approach and a disciplinary approach however one may find a multidisciplin ary approach to be more efficient. Advantages to a multi-disciplinary approach include being able to apply different aspects to a certain situation as well as weighing the pros and cons.When a person has a decision to make, they have a solution that they think is best for that decision. If multiple people add their insights to help make the decision, a better solution is made. By adding different aspects to a certain problem or issue, a better solution is resulted. Also, through a multi-disciplinary approach, a person is able to obtain ideas that have worked for people in the past and ideas that have not been successful to evaluate the best solution to a problem.A disadvantage to multi-disciplinary approaches is that with more aspects presented, it could take more time to reach a conclusion due to some people disagreeing with others. Nonetheless, a solution is usually eventually reached where most parties are satisfied. With certain societal problems, multi-disciplinary approaches o ften lead to better solutions. When there is a problem in society, society has to come up with a solution that will benefit everybody, not just a select few.If society used a strictly disciplinary approach to these problems, not everyone would be satisfied leading to other problems within society. By taking a multi-disciplinary approach to these societal problems, society has the chance to cater and please a greater amount of people. Taking a multi-disciplinary approach can lead to better solutions with a greater amount of people pleased but society cannot please everyone. Although a multi-disciplinary approach to societal problems is not the ultimate solution, it still has a better effect than a strictly disciplinary approach.When a person takes a multi-disciplinary approach, they are getting feedback and information from a variety of different sources. If many different aspects are presented in a situation, it allows someone to gather information and then decide what points they w ill use in their situation. For example when deciding what was important to make New Orleans an excellent city, our First Year Experience class researched different fields of study and components of a city to answer the question of what was necessary for New Orleans to strive.By taking parts of all the different fields of study including the arts, government, education and sports, and applying them to New Orleans, an excellent city with variation could be made. However, if New Orleans only focused on one field of study, the city would not have any variation. Although multi-disciplinary approaches usually result in better solutions than strictly disciplinary approaches, difficulties still arise with multi-disciplinary approaches. For example with more than one source being contributed to a situation, little problems could arise with not everyone agreeing with a conclusion.Also, when making a multi-disciplinary decision, one has to decide what aspects to use from others, making it lon ger to obtain a solution. Not all aspects presented in a multi-disciplinary approach are applicable to the solution that is being made as well. In a disciplinary approach, a person can make a decision quickly and easily but they lack the insight from others. For instance if a doctor needed help making a decision about what medicine to prescribe for their patient, he would not consult someone who is not educated to do so, but instead make the decision on his own because he is trained to.In this situation, a disciplinary approach may be the better option. Overall the advantages of a multi-disciplinary approach outweigh the disadvantages. Being able to obtain outside sources to solve a problem presents more information to make a better and more adequate solution to problems. A strictly disciplinary approach is still a good approach to certain issues but it does not always provide the best answer to the issue.Even though there are obstacles when making a multi-disciplinary decision such as time and not all parties agreeing, a solution is eventually made to benefit all parties and to resolve a problem. Without multi-disciplinary approaches in society and everyday life, we would not be able to get outside information to make better life choices and decisions.Works Cited â€Å"Disciplinary. † Def. Webster’s American Dictionary. College Edition. 1997. Print. â€Å"Multidisciplinary. † Def. Webster’s American Dictionary. College Edition. 1997. Print.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Twenty-six

Jon Jon was showing Dareon how best to deliver a sidestroke when the new recruit entered the practice yard. â€Å"Your feet should be farther apart,† he urged. â€Å"You don't want to lose your balance. That's good. Now pivot as you deliver the stroke, get all your weight behind the blade.† Dareon broke off and lifted his visor. â€Å"Seven gods,† he murmured. â€Å"Would you look at this, Jon.† Jon turned. Through the eye slit of his helm, he beheld the fattest boy he had ever seen standing in the door of the armory. By the look of him, he must have weighed twenty stone. The fur collar of his embroidered surcoat was lost beneath his chins. Pale eyes moved nervously in a great round moon of a face, and plump sweaty fingers wiped themselves on the velvet of his doublet. â€Å"They . . . they told me I was to come here for . . . for training,† he said to no one in particular. â€Å"A lordling,† Pyp observed to Jon. â€Å"Southron, most like near Highgarden.† Pyp had traveled the Seven Kingdoms with a mummers' troupe, and bragged that he could tell what you were and where you'd been born just from the sound of your voice. A striding huntsman had been worked in scarlet thread upon the breast of the fat boy's fur-trimmed surcoat. Jon did not recognize the sigil. Ser Alliser Thorne looked over his new charge and said, â€Å"It would seem they have run short of poachers and thieves down south. Now they send us pigs to man the Wall. Is fur and velvet your notion of armor, my Lord of Ham?† It was soon revealed that the new recruit had brought his own armor with him; padded doublet, boiled leather, mail and plate and helm, even a great wood-and-leather shield blazoned with the same striding huntsman he wore on his surcoat. As none of it was black, however, Ser Alliser insisted that he reequip himself from the armory. That took half the morning. His girth required Donal Noye to take apart a mail hauberk and refit it with leather panels at the sides. To get a helm over his head the armorer had to detach the visor. His leathers bound so tightly around his legs and under his arms that he could scarcely move. Dressed for battle, the new boy looked like an overcooked sausage about to burst its skin. â€Å"Let us hope you are not as inept as you look,† Ser Alliser said. â€Å"Halder, see what Ser Piggy can do.† Jon Snow winced. Halder had been born in a quarry and apprenticed as a stonemason. He was sixteen, tall and muscular, and his blows were as hard as any Jon had ever felt. â€Å"This will be uglier than a whore's ass,† Pyp muttered, and it was. The fight lasted less than a minute before the fat boy was on the ground, his whole body shaking as blood leaked through his shattered helm and between his pudgy fingers. â€Å"I yield,† he shrilled. â€Å"No more, I yield, don't hit me.† Rast and some of the other boys were laughing. Even then, Ser Alliser would not call an end. â€Å"On your feet, Ser Piggy,† he called. â€Å"Pick up your sword.† When the boy continued to cling to the ground, Thorne gestured to Halder. â€Å"Hit him with the flat of your blade until he finds his feet.† Halder delivered a tentative smack to his foe's upraised cheeks. â€Å"You can hit harder than that,† Thorne taunted. Halder took hold of his longsword with both hands and brought it down so hard the blow split leather, even on the flat. The new boy screeched in pain. Jon Snow took a step forward. Pyp laid a mailed hand on his arm. â€Å"Jon, no,† the small boy whispered with an anxious glance at Ser Alliser Thorne. â€Å"On your feet,† Thorne repeated. The fat boy struggled to rise, slipped, and fell heavily again. â€Å"Ser Piggy is starting to grasp the notion,† Ser Alliser observed. â€Å"Again.† Halder lifted the sword for another blow. â€Å"Cut us off a ham!† Rast urged, laughing. Jon shook off Pyp's hand. â€Å"Halder, enough.† Halder looked to Ser Alliser. â€Å"The Bastard speaks and the peasants tremble,† the master-at-arms said in that sharp, cold voice of his. â€Å"I remind you that I am the master-at-arms here, Lord Snow.† â€Å"Look at him, Halder,† Jon urged, ignoring Thorne as best he could. â€Å"There's no honor in beating a fallen foe. He yielded.† He knelt beside the fat boy. Halder lowered his sword. â€Å"He yielded,† he echoed. Ser Alliser's onyx eyes were fixed on Jon Snow. â€Å"It would seem our Bastard is in love,† he said as Jon helped the fat boy to his feet. â€Å"Show me your steel, Lord Snow.† Jon drew his longsword. He dared defy Ser Alliser only to a point, and he feared he was well beyond it now. Thorne smiled. â€Å"The Bastard wishes to defend his lady love, so we shall make an exercise of it. Rat, Pimple, help our Stone Head here.† Rast and Albett moved to join Halder. â€Å"Three of you ought to be sufficient to make Lady Piggy squeal. All you need do is get past the Bastard.† â€Å"Stay behind me,† Jon said to the fat boy. Ser Alliser had often sent two foes against him, but never three. He knew he would likely go to sleep bruised and bloody tonight. He braced himself for the assault. Suddenly Pyp was beside him. â€Å"Three to two will make for better sport,† the small boy said cheerfully. He dropped his visor and slid out his sword. Before Jon could even think to protest, Grenn had stepped up to make a third. The yard had grown deathly quiet. Jon could feel Ser Alliser's eyes. â€Å"Why are you waiting?† he asked Rast and the others in a voice gone deceptively soft, but it was Jon who moved first. Halder barely got his sword up in time. Jon drove him backward, attacking with every blow, keeping the older boy on the heels. Know your foe, Ser Rodrik had taught him once; Jon knew Halder, brutally strong but short of patience, with no taste for defense. Frustrate him, and he would leave himself open, as certain as sunset. The clang of steel echoed through the yard as the others joined battle around him. Jon blocked a savage cut at his head, the shock of impact running up his arm as the swords crashed together. He slammed a sidestroke into Halder's ribs, and was rewarded with a muffled grunt of pain. The counterstroke caught Jon on the shoulder. Chainmail crunched, and pain flared up his neck, but for an instant Halder was unbalanced. Jon cut his left leg from under him, and he fell with a curse and a crash. Grenn was standing his ground as Jon had taught him, giving Albett more than he cared for, but Pyp was hard-pressed. Rast had two years and forty pounds on him. Jon stepped up behind him and rang the raper's helm like a bell. As Rast went reeling, Pyp slid in under his guard, knocked him down, and leveled a blade at his throat. By then Jon had moved on. Facing two swords, Albett backed away. â€Å"I yield,† he shouted. Ser Alliser Thorne surveyed the scene with disgust. â€Å"The mummer's farce has gone on long enough for today.† He walked away. The session was at an end. Dareon helped Halder to his feet. The quarryman's son wrenched off his helm and threw it across the yard. â€Å"For an instant, I thought I finally had you, Snow.† â€Å"For an instant, you did,† Jon replied. Under his mail and leather, his shoulder was throbbing. He sheathed his sword and tried to remove his helm, but when he raised his arm, the pain made him grit his teeth. â€Å"Let me,† a voice said. Thick-fingered hands unfastened helm from gorget and lifted it off gently. â€Å"Did he hurt you?† â€Å"I've been bruised before.† He touched his shoulder and winced. The yard was emptying around them. Blood matted the fat boy's hair where Halder had split his helm asunder. â€Å"My name is Samwell Tarly, of Horn . . . † He stopped and licked his lips. â€Å"I mean, I was of Horn Hill, until I . . . left. I've come to take the black. My father is Lord Randyll, a bannerman to the Tyrells of Highgarden. I used to be his heir, only . . . † His voice trailed off. â€Å"I'm Jon Snow, Ned Stark's bastard, of Winterfell.† Samwell Tarly nodded. â€Å"I . . . if you want, you can call me Sam. My mother calls me Sam.† â€Å"You can call him Lord Snow,† Pyp said as he came up to join them. â€Å"You don't want to know what his mother calls him.† â€Å"These two are Grenn and Pypar,† Jon said. â€Å"Grenn's the ugly one,† Pyp said. Grenn scowled. â€Å"You're uglier than me. At least I don't have ears like a bat.† â€Å"My thanks to all of you,† the fat boy said gravely. â€Å"Why didn't you get up and fight?† Grenn demanded. â€Å"I wanted to, truly. I just . . . I couldn't. I didn't want him to hit me anymore.† He looked at the ground. â€Å"I . . . I fear I'm a coward. My lord father always said so.† Grenn looked thunderstruck. Even Pyp had no words to say to that, and Pyp had words for everything. What sort of man would proclaim himself a coward? Samwell Tarly must have read their thoughts on their faces. His eyes met Jon's and darted away, quick as frightened animals. â€Å"I . . . I'm sorry,† he said. â€Å"I don't mean to . . . to be like I am.† He walked heavily toward the armory. Jon called after him. â€Å"You were hurt,† he said. â€Å"Tomorrow you'll do better.† Sam looked mournfully back over one shoulder. â€Å"No I won't,† he said, blinking back tears. â€Å"I never do better.† When he was gone, Grenn frowned. â€Å"Nobody likes cravens,† he said uncomfortably. â€Å"I wish we hadn't helped him. What if they think we're craven too?† â€Å"You're too stupid to be craven,† Pyp told him. â€Å"I am not,† Grenn said. â€Å"Yes you are. If a bear attacked you in the woods, you'd be too stupid to run away.† â€Å"I would not,† Grenn insisted. â€Å"I'd run away faster than you.† He stopped suddenly, scowling when he saw Pyp's grin and realized what he'd just said. His thick neck flushed a dark red. Jon left them there arguing as he returned to the armory, hung up his sword, and stripped off his battered armor. Life at Castle Black followed certain patterns; the mornings were for swordplay, the afternoons for work. The black brothers set new recruits to many different tasks, to learn where their skills lay. Jon cherished the rare afternoons when he was sent out with Ghost ranging at his side to bring back game for the Lord Commander's table, but for every day spent hunting, he gave a dozen to Donal Noye in the armory, spinning the whetstone while the one-armed smith sharpened axes grown dull from use, or pumping the bellows as Noye hammered out a new sword. Other times he ran messages, stood at guard, mucked out stables, fletched arrows, assisted Maester Aemon with his birds or Bowen Marsh with his counts and inventories. That afternoon, the watch commander sent him to the winch cage with four barrels of fresh-crushed stone, to scatter gravel over the icy footpaths atop the Wall. It was lonely and boring work, even with Ghost along for company, but Jon found he did not mind. On a clear day you could see half the world from the top of the Wall, and the air was always cold and bracing. He could think here, and he found himself thinking of Samwell Tarly . . . and, oddly, of Tyrion Lannister. He wondered what Tyrion would have made of the fat boy. Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it, the dwarf had told him, grinning. The world was full of cravens who pretended to be heroes; it took a queer sort of courage to admit to cowardice as Samwell Tarly had. His sore shoulder made the work go slowly. It was late afternoon before Jon finished graveling the paths. He lingered on high to watch the sun go down, turning the western sky the color of blood. Finally, as dusk was settling over the north, Jon rolled the empty barrels back into the cage and signaled the winch men to lower him. The evening meal was almost done by the time he and Ghost reached the common hall. A group of the black brothers were dicing over mulled wine near the fire. His friends were at the bench nearest the west wall, laughing. Pyp was in the middle of a story. The mummer's boy with the big ears was a born liar with a hundred different voices, and he did not tell his tales so much as live them, playing all the parts as needed, a king one moment and a swineherd the next. When he turned into an alehouse girl or a virgin princess, he used a high falsetto voice that reduced them all to tears of helpless laughter, and his eunuchs were always eerily accurate caricatures of Ser Alliser. Jon took as much pleasure from Pyp's antics as anyone . . . yet that night he turned away and went instead to the end of the bench, where Samwell Tarly sat alone, as far from the others as he could get. He was finishing the last of the pork pie the cooks had served up for supper when Jon sat down across from him. The fat boy's eyes widened at the sight of Ghost. â€Å"Is that a wolf?† â€Å"A direwolf,† Jon said. â€Å"His name is Ghost. The direwolf is the sigil of my father's House.† â€Å"Ours is a striding huntsman,† Samwell Tarly said. â€Å"Do you like to hunt?† The fat boy shuddered. â€Å"I hate it.† He looked as though he was going to cry again. â€Å"What's wrong now?† Jon asked him. â€Å"Why are you always so frightened?† Sam stared at the last of his pork pie and gave a feeble shake of his head, too scared even to talk. A burst of laughter filled the hall. Jon heard Pyp squeaking in a high voice. He stood. â€Å"Let's go outside.† The round fat face looked up at him, suspicious. â€Å"Why? What will we do outside?† â€Å"Talk,† Jon said. â€Å"Have you seen the Wall?† â€Å"I'm fat, not blind,† Samwell Tarly said. â€Å"Of course I saw it, it's seven hundred feet high.† Yet he stood up all the same, wrapped a fur-lined cloak over his shoulders, and followed Jon from the common hall, still wary, as if he suspected some cruel trick was waiting for him in the night. Ghost padded along beside them. â€Å"I never thought it would be like this,† Sam said as they walked, his words steaming in the cold air. Already he was huffing and puffing as he tried to keep up. â€Å"All the buildings are falling down, and it's so . . . so . . . â€Å" â€Å"Cold?† A hard frost was settling over the castle, and Jon could hear the soft crunch of grey weeds beneath his boots. Sam nodded miserably. â€Å"I hate the cold,† he said. â€Å"Last night I woke up in the dark and the fire had gone out and I was certain I was going to freeze to death by morning.† â€Å"It must have been warmer where you come from.† â€Å"I never saw snow until last month. We were crossing the barrowlands, me and the men my father sent to see me north, and this white stuff began to fall, like a soft rain. At first I thought it was so beautiful, like feathers drifting from the sky, but it kept on and on, until I was frozen to the bone. The men had crusts of snow in their beards and more on their shoulders, and still it kept coming. I was afraid it would never end.† Jon smiled. The Wall loomed before them, glimmering palely in the light of the half moon. In the sky above, the stars burned clear and sharp. â€Å"Are they going to make me go up there?† Sam asked. His face curdled like old milk as he looked at the great wooden stairs. â€Å"I'll die if I have to climb that.† â€Å"There's a winch,† Jon said, pointing. â€Å"They can draw you up in a cage.† Samwell Tarly sniffled. â€Å"I don't like high places.† It was too much. Jon frowned, incredulous. â€Å"Are you afraid of everything?† he asked. â€Å"I don't understand. If you are truly so craven, why are you here? Why would a coward want to join the Night's Watch?† Samwell Tarly looked at him for a long moment, and his round face seemed to cave in on itself. He sat down on the frost-covered ground and began to cry, huge choking sobs that made his whole body shake. Jon Snow could only stand and watch. Like the snowfall on the barrowlands, it seemed the tears would never end. It was Ghost who knew what to do. Silent as shadow, the pale direwolf moved closer and began to lick the warm tears off Samwell Tarly's face. The fat boy cried out, startled . . . and somehow, in a heartbeat, his sobs turned to laughter. Jon Snow laughed with him. Afterward they sat on the frozen ground, huddled in their cloaks with Ghost between them. Jon told the story of how he and Robb had found the pups newborn in the late summer snows. It seemed a thousand years ago now. Before long he found himself talking of Winterfell. â€Å"Sometimes I dream about it,† he said. â€Å"I'm walking down this long empty hall. My voice echoes all around, but no one answers, so I walk faster, opening doors, shouting names. I don't even know who I'm looking for. Most nights it's my father, but sometimes it's Robb instead, or my little sister Arya, or my uncle.† The thought of Benjen Stark saddened him; his uncle was still missing. The Old Bear had sent out rangers in search of him. Ser Jaremy Rykker had led two sweeps, and Quorin Halfhand had gone forth from the Shadow Tower, but they'd found nothing aside from a few blazes in the trees that his uncle had left to mark his way. In the stony highlands to the northwest, the marks stopped abruptly and all trace of Ben Stark vanished. â€Å"Do you ever find anyone in your dream?† Sam asked. Jon shook his head. â€Å"No one. The castle is always empty.† He had never told anyone of the dream, and he did not understand why he was telling Sam now, yet somehow it felt good to talk of it. â€Å"Even the ravens are gone from the rookery, and the stables are full of bones. That always scares me. I start to run then, throwing open doors, climbing the tower three steps at a time, screaming for someone, for anyone. And then I find myself in front of the door to the crypts. It's black inside, and I can see the steps spiraling down. Somehow I know I have to go down there, but I don't want to. I'm afraid of what might be waiting for me. The old Kings of Winter are down there, sitting on their thrones with stone wolves at their feet and iron swords across their laps, but it's not them I'm afraid of. I scream that I'm not a Stark, that this isn't my place, but it's no good, I have to go anyway, so I start down, feeling the walls as I descend, with no torch to light the way. It gets darker and darker, until I want to scream.† He stopped, frowning, embarrassed. â€Å"That's when I always wake.† His skin cold and clammy, shivering in the darkness of his cell. Ghost would leap up beside him, his warmth as comforting as daybreak. He would go back to sleep with his face pressed into the direwolf s shaggy white fur. â€Å"Do you dream of Horn Hill?† Jon asked. â€Å"No.† Sam's mouth grew tight and hard. â€Å"I hated it there.† He scratched Ghost behind the ear, brooding, and Jon let the silence breathe. After a long while Samwell Tarly began to talk, and Jon Snow listened quietly, and learned how it was that a self-confessed coward found himself on the Wall. The Tarlys were a family old in honor, bannermen to Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden and Warden of the South. The eldest son of Lord Randyll Tarly, Samwell was born heir to rich lands, a strong keep, and a storied two-handed greatsword named Heartsbane, forged of Valyrian steel and passed down from father to son near five hundred years. Whatever pride his lord father might have felt at Samwell's birth vanished as the boy grew up plump, soft, and awkward. Sam loved to listen to music and make his own songs, to wear soft velvets, to play in the castle kitchen beside the cooks, drinking in the rich smells as he snitched lemon cakes and blueberry tarts. His passions were books and kittens and dancing, clumsy as he was. But he grew ill at the sight of blood, and wept to see even a chicken slaughtered. A dozen masters-at-arms came and went at Horn Hill, trying to turn Samwell into the knight his father wanted. The boy was cursed and caned, slapped and starved. One man had him sleep in his chainmail to make him more martial. Another dressed him in his mother's clothing and paraded him through the bailey to shame him into valor. He only grew fatter and more frightened, until Lord Randyll's disappointment turned to anger and then to loathing. â€Å"One time,† Sam confided, his voice dropping from a whisper, â€Å"two men came to the castle, warlocks from Qarth with white skin and blue lips. They slaughtered a bull aurochs and made me bathe in the hot blood, but it didn't make me brave as they'd promised. I got sick and retched. Father had them scourged.† Finally, after three girls in as many years, Lady Tarly gave her lord husband a second son. From that day, Lord Randyll ignored Sam, devoting all his time to the younger boy, a fierce, robust child more to his liking. Samwell had known several years of sweet peace with his music and his books. Until the dawn of his fifteenth name day, when he had been awakened to find his horse saddled and ready. Three men-at-arms had escorted him into a wood near Horn Hill, where his father was skinning a deer. â€Å"You are almost a man grown now, and my heir,† Lord Randyll Tarly had told his eldest son, his long knife laying bare the carcass as he spoke. â€Å"You have given me no cause to disown you, but neither will I allow you to inherit the land and title that should be Dickon's. Heartsbane must go to a man strong enough to wield her, and you are not worthy to touch her hilt. So I have decided that you shall this day announce that you wish to take the black. You will forsake all claim to your brother's inheritance and start north before evenfall. â€Å"If you do not, then on the morrow we shall have a hunt, and somewhere in these woods your horse will stumble, and you will be thrown from the saddle to die . . . or so I will tell your mother. She has a woman's heart and finds it in her to cherish even you, and I have no wish to cause her pain. Please do not imagine that it will truly be that easy, should you think to defy me. Nothing would please me more than to hunt you down like the pig you are.† His arms were red to the elbow as he laid the skinning knife aside. â€Å"So. There is your choice. The Night's Watch†Ã¢â‚¬â€he reached inside the deer, ripped out its heart, and held it in his fist, red and dripping—†or this.† Sam told the tale in a calm, dead voice, as if it were something that had happened to someone else, not to him. And strangely, Jon thought, he did not weep, not even once. When he was done, they sat together and listened to the wind for a time. There was no other sound in all the world. Finally Jon said, â€Å"We should go back to the common hall.† â€Å"Why?† Sam asked. Jon shrugged. â€Å"There's hot cider to drink, or mulled wine if you prefer. Some nights Dareon sings for us, if the mood is on him. He was a singer, before . . . well, not truly, but almost, an apprentice singer.† â€Å"How did he come here?† Sam asked. â€Å"Lord Rowan of Goldengrove found him in bed with his daughter. The girl was two years older, and Dareon swears she helped him through her window, but under her father's eye she named it rape, so here he is. When Maester Aemon heard him sing, he said his voice was honey poured over thunder.† Jon smiled. â€Å"Toad sometimes sings too, if you call it singing. Drinking songs he learned in his father's winesink. Pyp says his voice is piss poured over a fart.† They laughed at that together. â€Å"I should like to hear them both,† Sam admitted, â€Å"but they would not want me there.† His face was troubled. â€Å"He's going to make me fight again on the morrow, isn't he?† â€Å"He is,† Jon was forced to say. Sam got awkwardly to his feet. â€Å"I had better try to sleep.† He huddled down in his cloak and plodded off. The others were still in the common room when Jon returned, alone but for Ghost. â€Å"Where have you been?† Pyp asked. â€Å"Talking with Sam,† he said. â€Å"He truly is craven,† said Grenn. â€Å"At supper, there were still places on the bench when he got his pie, but he was too scared to come sit with us.† â€Å"The Lord of Ham thinks he's too good to eat with the likes of us,† suggested Jeren. â€Å"I saw him eat a pork pie,† Toad said, smirking. â€Å"Do you think it was a brother?† He began to make oinking noises. â€Å"Stop it!† Jon snapped angrily. The other boys fell silent, taken aback by his sudden fury. â€Å"Listen to me,† Jon said into the quiet, and he told them how it was going to be. Pyp backed him, as he'd known he would, but when Halder spoke up, it was a pleasant surprise. Grenn was anxious at the first, but Jon knew the words to move him. One by one the rest fell in line. Jon persuaded some, cajoled some, shamed the others, made threats where threats were required. At the end they had all agreed . . . all but Rast. â€Å"You girls do as you please,† Rast said, â€Å"but if Thorne sends me against Lady Piggy, I'm going to slice me off a rasher of bacon.† He laughed in Jon's face and left them there. Hours later, as the castle slept, three of them paid a call on his cell. Grenn held his arms while Pyp sat on his legs. Jon could hear Rast's rapid breathing as Ghost leapt onto his chest. The direwolf's eyes burned red as embers as his teeth nipped lightly at the soft skin of the boy's throat, just enough to draw blood. â€Å"Remember, we know where you sleep,† Jon said softly. The next morning Jon heard Rast tell Albett and Toad how his razor had slipped while he shaved. From that day forth, neither Rast nor any of the others would hurt Samwell Tarly. When Ser Alliser matched them against him, they would stand their ground and swat aside his slow, clumsy strokes. If the master-at-arms screamed for an attack, they would dance in and tap Sam lightly on breastplate or helm or leg. Ser Alliser raged and threatened and called them all cravens and women and worse, yet Sam remained unhurt. A few nights later, at Jon's urging, he joined them for the evening meal, taking a place on the bench beside Halder. It was another fortnight before he found the nerve to join their talk, but in time he was laughing at Pyp's faces and teasing Grenn with the best of them. Fat and awkward and frightened he might be, but Samwell Tarly was no fool. One night he visited Jon in his cell. â€Å"I don't know what you did,† he said, â€Å"but I know you did it.† He looked away shyly. â€Å"I've never had a friend before.† â€Å"We're not friends,† Jon said. He put a hand on Sam's broad shoulder. â€Å"We're brothers.† And so they were, he thought to himself after Sam had taken his leave. Robb and Bran and Rickon were his father's sons, and he loved them still, yet Jon knew that he had never truly been one of them. Catelyn Stark had seen to that. The grey walls of Winterfell might still haunt his dreams, but Castle Black was his life now, and his brothers were Sam and Grenn and Halder and Pyp and the other cast-outs who wore the black of the Night's Watch. â€Å"My uncle spoke truly,† he whispered to Ghost. He wondered if he would ever see Benjen Stark again, to tell him.