A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-nine

Catelyn As the host trooped down the causeway through the black bogs of the Neck and spilled out into the riverlands beyond, Catelyn's apprehensions grew. She masked her fears behind a face kept still and stern, yet they were there all the same, growing with every league they crossed. Her days were anxious, her nights restless, and every raven that flew overhead made her clench her teeth. She feared for her lord father, and wondered at his ominous silence. She feared for her brother Edmure, and prayed that the gods would watch over him if he must face the Kingslayer in battle. She feared for Ned and her girls, and for the sweet sons she had left behind at Winterfell. And yet there was nothing she could do for any of them, and so she made herself put all thought of them aside. You must save your strength for Robb, she told herself. He is the only one you can help. You must be as fierce and hard as the north, Catelyn Tully. You must be a Stark for true now, like your son. Robb rode at the front of the column, beneath the flapping white banner of Winterfell. Each day he would ask one of his lords to join him, so they might confer as they marched; he honored every man in turn, showing no favorites, listening as his lord father had listened, weighing the words of one against the other. He has learned so much from Ned, she thought as she watched him, but has he learned enough? The Blackfish had taken a hundred picked men and a hundred swift horses and raced ahead to screen their movements and scout the way. The reports Ser Brynden's riders brought back did little to reassure her. Lord Tywin's host was still many days to the south . . . but Walder Frey, Lord of the Crossing, had assembled a force of near four thousand men at his castles on the Green Fork. â€Å"Late again,† Catelyn murmured when she heard. It was the Trident all over, damn the man. Her brother Edmure had called the banners; by rights, Lord Frey should have gone to join the Tully host at Riverrun, yet here he sat. â€Å"Four thousand men,† Robb repeated, more perplexed than angry. â€Å"Lord Frey cannot hope to fight the Lannisters by himself. Surely he means to join his power to ours.† â€Å"Does he?† Catelyn asked. She had ridden forward to join Robb and Robett Glover, his companion of the day. The vanguard spread out behind them, a slow-moving forest of lances and banners and spears. â€Å"I wonder. Expect nothing of Walder Frey, and you will never be surprised.† â€Å"He's your father's bannerman.† â€Å"Some men take their oaths more seriously than others, Robb. And Lord Walder was always friendlier with Casterly Rock than my father would have liked. One of his sons is wed to Tywin Lannister's sister. That means little of itself, to be sure. Lord Walder has sired a great many children over the years, and they must needs marry someone. Still . . . â€Å" â€Å"Do you think he means to betray us to the Lannisters, my lady?† Robett Glover asked gravely. Catelyn sighed. â€Å"If truth be told, I doubt even Lord Frey knows what Lord Frey intends to do. He has an old man's caution and a young man's ambition, and has never lacked for cunning.† â€Å"We must have the Twins, Mother,† Robb said heatedly. â€Å"There is no other way across the river. You know that.† â€Å"Yes. And so does Walder Frey, you can be sure of that.† That night they made camp on the southern edge of the bogs, halfway between the kingsroad and the river. It was there Theon Greyjoy brought them further word from her uncle. â€Å"Ser Brynden says to tell you he's crossed swords with the Lannisters. There are a dozen scouts who won't be reporting back to Lord Tywin anytime soon. Or ever.† He grinned. â€Å"Ser Addam Marbrand commands their outriders, and he's pulling back south, burning as he goes. He knows where we are, more or less, but the Blackfish vows he will not know when we split.† â€Å"Unless Lord Frey tells him,† Catelyn said sharply. â€Å"Theon, when you return to my uncle, tell him he is to place his best bowmen around the Twins, day and night, with orders to bring down any raven they see leaving the battlements. I want no birds bringing word of my son's movements to Lord Tywin.† â€Å"Ser Brynden has seen to it already, my lady,† Theon replied with a cocky smile. â€Å"A few more blackbirds, and we should have enough to bake a pie. I'll save you their feathers for a hat.† She ought to have known that Brynden Blackfish would be well ahead of her. â€Å"What have the Freys been doing while the Lannisters burn their fields and plunder their holdfasts?† â€Å"There's been some fighting between Ser Addam's men and Lord Walder's,† Theon answered. â€Å"Not a day's ride from here, we found two Lannister scouts feeding the crows where the Freys had strung them up. Most of Lord Walder's strength remains massed at the Twins, though.† That bore Walder Frey's seal beyond a doubt, Catelyn thought bitterly; hold back, wait, watch, take no risk unless forced to it. â€Å"If he's been fighting the Lannisters, perhaps he does mean to hold to his vows,† Robb said. Catelyn was less encouraged. â€Å"Defending his own lands is one thing, open battle against Lord Tywin quite another.† Robb turned back to Theon Greyjoy. â€Å"Has the Blackfish found any other way across the Green Fork?† Theon shook his head. â€Å"The river's running high and fast. Ser Brynden says it can't be forded, not this far north.† â€Å"I must have that crossing!† Robb declared, fuming. â€Å"Oh, our horses might be able to swim the river, I suppose, but not with armored men on their backs. We'd need to build rafts to pole our steel across, helms and mail and lances, and we don't have the trees for that. Or the time. Lord Tywin is marching north . . . † He balled his hand into a fist. â€Å"Lord Frey would be a fool to try and bar our way,† Theon Greyjoy said with his customary easy confidence. â€Å"We have five times his numbers. You can take the Twins if you need to, Robb.† â€Å"Not easily,† Catelyn warned them, â€Å"and not in time. While you were mounting your siege, Tywin Lannister would bring up his host and assault you from the rear.† Robb glanced from her to Greyjoy, searching for an answer and finding none. For a moment he looked even younger than his fifteen years, despite his mail and sword and the stubble on his cheeks. â€Å"What would my lord father do?† he asked her. â€Å"Find a way across,† she told him. â€Å"Whatever it took.† The next morning it was Ser Brynden Tully himself who rode back to them. He had put aside the heavy plate and helm he'd worn as the Knight of the Gate for the lighter leather-and-mail of an outrider, but his obsidian fish still fastened his cloak. Her uncle's face was grave as he swung down off his horse. â€Å"There has been a battle under the walls of Riverrun,† he said, his mouth grim. â€Å"We had it from a Lannister outrider we took captive. The Kingslayer has destroyed Edmure's host and sent the lords of the Trident reeling in flight.† A cold hand clutched at Catelyn's heart. â€Å"And my brother?† â€Å"Wounded and taken prisoner,† Ser Brynden said. â€Å"Lord Blackwood and the other survivors are under siege inside Riverrun, surrounded by Jaime's host.† Robb looked fretful. â€Å"We must get across this accursed river if we're to have any hope of relieving them in time.† â€Å"That will not be easily done,† her uncle cautioned. â€Å"Lord Frey has pulled his whole strength back inside his castles, and his gates are closed and barred.† â€Å"Damn the man,† Robb swore. â€Å"If the old fool does not relent and let me cross, he'll leave me no choice but to storm his walls. I'll pull the Twins down around his ears if I have to, we'll see how well he likes that!† â€Å"You sound like a sulky boy, Robb,† Catelyn said sharply. â€Å"A child sees an obstacle, and his first thought is to run around it or knock it down. A lord must learn that sometimes words can accomplish what swords cannot.† Robb's neck reddened at the rebuke. â€Å"Tell me what you mean, Mother,† he said meekly. â€Å"The Freys have held the crossing for six hundred years, and for six hundred years they have never failed to exact their toll.† â€Å"What toll? What does he want?† She smiled. â€Å"That is what we must discover.† â€Å"And what if I do not choose to pay this toll?† â€Å"Then you had best retreat back to Moat Cailin, deploy to meet Lord Tywin in battle . . . or grow wings. I see no other choices.† Catelyn put her heels to her horse and rode off, leaving her son to ponder her words. It would not do to make him feel as if his mother were usurping his place. Did you teach him wisdom as well as valor, Ned? she wondered. Did you teach him how to kneel? The graveyards of the Seven Kingdoms were full of brave men who had never learned that lesson. It was near midday when their vanguard came in sight of the Twins, where the Lords of the Crossing had their seat. The Green Fork ran swift and deep here, but the Freys had spanned it many centuries past and grown rich off the coin men paid them to cross. Their bridge was a massive arch of smooth grey rock, wide enough for two wagons to pass abreast; the Water Tower rose from the center of the span, commanding both road and river with its arrow slits, murder holes, and portcullises. It had taken the Freys three generations to complete their bridge; when they were done they'd thrown up stout timber keeps on either bank, so no one might cross without their leave. The timber had long since given way to stone. The Twins—two squat, ugly, formidable castles, identical in every respect, with the bridge arching between—had guarded the crossing for centuries. High curtain walls, deep moats, and heavy oak-and-iron gates protected the approaches, the bridge footings rose from within stout inner keeps, there was a barbican and portcullis on either bank, and the Water Tower defended the span itself. One glance was sufficient to tell Catelyn that the castle would not be taken by storm. The battlements bristled with spears and swords and scorpions, there was an archer at every crenel and arrow slit, the drawbridge was up, the portcullis down, the gates closed and barred. The Greatjon began to curse and swear as soon as he saw what awaited them. Lord Rickard Karstark glowered in silence. â€Å"That cannot be assaulted, my lords,† Roose Bolton announced. â€Å"Nor can we take it by siege, without an army on the far bank to invest the other castle,† Helman Tallhart said gloomily. Across the deep-running green waters, the western twin stood like a reflection of its eastern brother. â€Å"Even if we had the time. Which, to be sure, we do not.† As the northern lords studied the castle, a sally port opened, a plank bridge slid across the moat, and a dozen knights rode forth to confront them, led by four of Lord Walder's many sons. Their banner bore twin towers, dark blue on a field of pale silver-grey. Ser Stevron Frey, Lord Walder's heir, spoke for them. The Freys all looked like weasels; Ser Stevron, past sixty with grandchildren of his own, looked like an especially old and tired weasel, yet he was polite enough. â€Å"My lord father has sent me to greet you, and inquire as to who leads this mighty host.† â€Å"I do.† Robb spurred his horse forward. He was in his armor, with the direwolf shield of Winterfell strapped to his saddle and Grey Wind padding by his side. The old knight looked at her son with a faint flicker of amusement in his watery grey eyes, though his gelding whickered uneasily and sidled away from the direwolf. â€Å"My lord father would be most honored if you would share meat and mead with him in the castle and explain your purpose here.† His words crashed among the lords bannermen like a great stone from a catapult. Not one of them approved. They cursed, argued, shouted down each other. â€Å"You must not do this, my lord,† Galbart Glover pleaded with Robb. â€Å"Lord Walder is not to be trusted.† Roose Bolton nodded. â€Å"Go in there alone and you're his. He can sell you to the Lannisters, throw you in a dungeon, or slit your throat, as he likes.† â€Å"If he wants to talk to us, let him open his gates, and we will all share his meat and mead,† declared Ser Wendel Manderly. â€Å"Or let him come out and treat with Robb here, in plain sight of his men and ours,† suggested his brother, Ser Wylis. Catelyn Stark shared all their doubts, but she had only to glance at Ser Stevron to see that he was not pleased by what he was hearing. A few more words and the chance would be lost. She had to act, and quickly. â€Å"I will go,† she said loudly. â€Å"You, my lady?† The Greatjon furrowed his brow. â€Å"Mother, are you certain?† Clearly, Robb was not. â€Å"Never more,† Catelyn lied glibly. â€Å"Lord Walder is my father's bannerman. I have known him since I was a girl. He would never offer me any harm.† Unless he saw some profit in it, she added silently, but some truths did not bear saying, and some lies were necessary. â€Å"I am certain my lord father would be pleased to speak to the Lady Catelyn,† Ser Stevron said. â€Å"To vouchsafe for our good intentions, my brother Ser Perwyn will remain here until she is safely returned to you.† â€Å"He shall be our honored guest,† said Robb. Ser Perwyn, the youngest of the four Freys in the party, dismounted and handed the reins of his horse to a brother. â€Å"I require my lady mother's return by evenfall, Ser Stevron,† Robb went on. â€Å"It is not my intent to linger here long.† Ser Stevron Frey gave a polite nod. â€Å"As you say, my lord.† Catelyn spurred her horse forward and did not look back. Lord Walder's sons and envoys fell in around her. Her father had once said of Walder Frey that he was the only lord in the Seven Kingdoms who could field an army out of his breeches. When the Lord of the Crossing welcomed Catelyn in the great hall of the east castle, surrounded by twenty living sons (minus Ser Perwyn, who would have made twenty-one), thirty-six grandsons, nineteen great-grandsons, and numerous daughters, granddaughters, bastards, and grandbastards, she understood just what he had meant. Lord Walder was ninety, a wizened pink weasel with a bald spotted head, too gouty to stand unassisted. His newest wife, a pale frail girl of sixteen years, walked beside his litter when they carried him in. She was the eighth Lady Frey. â€Å"It is a great pleasure to see you again after so many years, my lord,† Catelyn said. The old man squinted at her suspiciously. â€Å"Is it? I doubt that. Spare me your sweet words, Lady Catelyn, I am too old. Why are you here? Is your boy too proud to come before me himself? What am I to do with you?† Catelyn had been a girl the last time she had visited the Twins, but even then Lord Walder had been irascible, sharp of tongue, and blunt of manner. Age had made him worse than ever, it would seem. She would need to choose her words with care, and do her best to take no offense from his. â€Å"Father,† Ser Stevron said reproachfully, â€Å"you forget yourself. Lady Stark is here at your invitation.† â€Å"Did I ask you? You are not Lord Frey yet, not until I die. Do I look dead? I'll hear no instructions from you.† â€Å"This is no way to speak in front of our noble guest, Father,† one of his younger sons said. â€Å"Now my bastards presume to teach me courtesy,† Lord Walder complained. â€Å"I'll speak any way I like, damn you. I've had three kings to guest in my life, and queens as well, do you think I require lessons from the likes of you, Ryger? Your mother was milking goats the first time I gave her my seed.† He dismissed the red-faced youth with a flick of his fingers and gestured to two of his other sons. â€Å"Danwell, Whalen, help me to my chair.† They shifted Lord Walder from his litter and carried him to the high seat of the Freys, a tall chair of black oak whose back was carved in the shape of two towers linked by a bridge. His young wife crept up timidly and covered his legs with a blanket. When he was settled, the old man beckoned Catelyn forward and planted a papery dry kiss on her hand. â€Å"There,† he announced. â€Å"Now that I have observed the courtesies, my lady, perhaps my sons will do me the honor of shutting their mouths. Why are you here?† â€Å"To ask you to open your gates, my lord,† Catelyn replied politely. â€Å"My son and his lords bannermen are most anxious to cross the river and be on their way.† â€Å"To Riverrun?† He sniggered. â€Å"Oh, no need to tell me, no need. I'm not blind yet. The old man can still read a map.† â€Å"To Riverrun,† Catelyn confirmed. She saw no reason to deny it. â€Å"Where I might have expected to find you, my lord. You are still my father's bannerman, are you not?† â€Å"Heh,† said Lord Walder, a noise halfway between a laugh and a grunt. â€Å"I called my swords, yes I did, here they are, you saw them on the walls. It was my intent to march as soon as all my strength was assembled. Well, to send my sons. I am well past marching myself, Lady Catelyn.† He looked around for likely confirmation and pointed to a tall, stooped man of fifty years. â€Å"Tell her, Jared. Tell her that was my intent.† â€Å"It was, my lady,† said Ser Jared Frey, one of his sons by his second wife. â€Å"On my honor.† â€Å"Is it my fault that your fool brother lost his battle before we could march?† He leaned back against his cushions and scowled at her, as if challenging her to dispute his version of events. â€Å"I am told the Kingslayer went through him like an axe through ripe cheese. Why should my boys hurry south to die? All those who did go south are running north again.† Catelyn would gladly have spitted the querulous old man and roasted him over a fire, but she had only till evenfall to open the bridge. Calmly, she said, â€Å"All the more reason that we must reach Riverrun, and soon. Where can we go to talk, my lord?† â€Å"We're talking now,† Lord Frey complained. The spotted pink head snapped around. â€Å"What are you all looking at?† he shouted at his kin. â€Å"Get out of here. Lady Stark wants to speak to me in private. Might be she has designs on my fidelity, heh. Go, all of you, find something useful to do. Yes, you too, woman. Out, out, out.† As his sons and grandsons and daughters and bastards and nieces and nephews streamed from the hall, he leaned close to Catelyn and confessed, â€Å"They're all waiting for me to die. Stevron's been waiting for forty years, but I keep disappointing him. Heh. Why should I die just so he can be a lord? I ask you. I won't do it.† â€Å"I have every hope that you will live to be a hundred.† â€Å"That would boil them, to be sure. Oh, to be sure. Now, what do you want to say?† â€Å"We want to cross,† Catelyn told him. â€Å"Oh, do you? That's blunt. Why should I let you?† For a moment her anger flared. â€Å"If you were strong enough to climb your own battlements, Lord Frey, you would see that my son has twenty thousand men outside your walls.† â€Å"They'll be twenty thousand fresh corpses when Lord Tywin gets here,† the old man shot back. â€Å"Don't you try and frighten me, my lady. Your husband's in some traitor's cell under the Red Keep, your father's sick, might be dying, and Jaime Lannister's got your brother in chains. What do you have that I should fear? That son of yours? I'll match you son for son, and I'll still have eighteen when yours are all dead.† â€Å"You swore an oath to my father,† Catelyn reminded him. He bobbed his head side to side, smiling. â€Å"Oh, yes, I said some words, but I swore oaths to the crown too, it seems to me. Joffrey's the king now, and that makes you and your boy and all those fools out there no better than rebels. If I had the sense the gods gave a fish, I'd help the Lannisters boil you all.† â€Å"Why don't you?† she challenged him. Lord Walder snorted with disdain. â€Å"Lord Tywin the proud and splendid, Warden of the West, Hand of the King, oh, what a great man that one is, him and his gold this and gold that and lions here and lions there. I'll wager you, he eats too many beans, he breaks wind just like me, but you'll never hear him admit it, oh, no. What's he got to be so puffed up about anyway? Only two sons, and one of them's a twisted little monster. I'll match him son for son, and I'll still have nineteen and a half left when all of his are dead!† He cackled. â€Å"If Lord Tywin wants my help, he can bloody well ask for it.† That was all Catelyn needed to hear. â€Å"I am asking for your help, my lord,† she said humbly. â€Å"And my father and my brother and my lord husband and my sons are asking with my voice.† Lord Walder jabbed a bony finger at her face. â€Å"Save your sweet words, my lady. Sweet words I get from my wife. Did you see her? Sixteen she is, a little flower, and her honey's only for me. I wager she gives me a son by this time next year. Perhaps I'll make him heir, wouldn't that boil the rest of them?† â€Å"I'm certain she will give you many sons.† His head bobbed up and down. â€Å"Your lord father did not come to the wedding. An insult, as I see it. Even if he is dying. He never came to my last wedding either. He calls me the Late Lord Frey, you know. Does he think I'm dead? I'm not dead, and I promise you, I'll outlive him as I outlived his father. Your family has always pissed on me, don't deny it, don't lie, you know it's true. Years ago, I went to your father and suggested a match between his son and my daughter. Why not? I had a daughter in mind, sweet girl, only a few years older than Edmure, but if your brother didn't warm to her, I had others he might have had, young ones, old ones, virgins, widows, whatever he wanted. No, Lord Hoster would not hear of it. Sweet words he gave me, excuses, but what I wanted was to get rid of a daughter. â€Å"And your sister, that one, she's full as bad. It was, oh, a year ago, no more, Jon Arryn was still the King's Hand, and I went to the city to see my sons ride in the tourney. Stevron and Jared are too old for the lists now, but Danwell and Hosteen rode, Perwyn as well, and a couple of my bastards tried the melee. If I'd known how they'd shame me, I would never have troubled myself to make the journey. Why did I need to ride all that way to see Hosteen knocked off his horse by that Tyrell whelp? I ask you. The boy's half his age, Ser Daisy they call him, something like that. And Danwell was unhorsed by a hedge knight! Some days I wonder if those two are truly mine. My third wife was a Crakehall, all of the Crakehall women are sluts. Well, never mind about that, she died before you were born, what do you care? â€Å"I was speaking of your sister. I proposed that Lord and Lady Arryn foster two of my grandsons at court, and offered to take their own son to ward here at the Twins. Are my grandsons unworthy to be seen at the king's court? They are sweet boys, quiet and mannerly. Walder is Merrett's son, named after me, and the other one . . . heh, I don't recall . . . he might have been another Walder, they're always naming them Walder so I'll favor them, but his father . . . which one was his father now?† His face wrinkled up. â€Å"Well, whoever he was, Lord Arryn wouldn't have him, or the other one, and I blame your lady sister for that. She frosted up as if I'd suggested selling her boy to a mummer's show or making a eunuch out of him, and when Lord Arryn said the child was going to Dragonstone to foster with Stannis Baratheon, she stormed off without a word of regrets and all the Hand could give me was apologies. What good are apologies? I ask you.† Catelyn frowned, disquieted. â€Å"I had understood that Lysa's boy was to be fostered with Lord Tywin at Casterly Rock.† â€Å"No, it was Lord Stannis,† Walder Frey said irritably. â€Å"Do you think I can't tell Lord Stannis from Lord Tywin? They're both bungholes who think they're too noble to shit, but never mind about that, I know the difference. Or do you think I'm so old I can't remember? I'm ninety and I remember very well. I remember what to do with a woman too. That wife of mine will give me a son before this time next year, I'll wager. Or a daughter, that can't be helped. Boy or girl, it will be red, wrinkled, and squalling, and like as not she'll want to name it Walder or Walda.† Catelyn was not concerned with what Lady Frey might choose to name her child. â€Å"Jon Arryn was going to foster his son with Lord Stannis, you are quite certain of that?† â€Å"Yes, yes, yes,† the old man said. â€Å"Only he died, so what does it matter? You say you want to cross the river?† â€Å"We do.† â€Å"Well, you can't!† Lord Walder announced crisply. â€Å"Not unless I allow it, and why should I? The Tullys and the Starks have never been friends of mine.† He pushed himself back in his chair and crossed his arms, smirking, waiting for her answer. The rest was only haggling. A swollen red sun hung low against the western hills when the gates of the castle opened. The drawbridge creaked down, the portcullis winched up, and Lady Catelyn Stark rode forth to rejoin her son and his lords bannermen. Behind her came Ser Jared Frey, Ser Hosteen Frey, Ser Danwell Frey, and Lord Walder's bastard son Ronel Rivers, leading a long column of pikemen, rank on rank of shuffling men in blue steel ringmail and silvery grey cloaks. Robb galloped out to meet her, with Grey Wind racing beside his stallion. â€Å"It's done,† she told him. â€Å"Lord Walder will grant you your crossing. His swords are yours as well, less four hundred he means to keep back to hold the Twins. I suggest that you leave four hundred of your own, a mixed force of archers and swordsmen. He can scarcely object to an offer to augment his garrison . . . but make certain you give the command to a man you can trust. Lord Walder may need help keeping faith.† â€Å"As you say, Mother,† Robb answered, gazing at the ranks of pikemen. â€Å"Perhaps . . . Ser Helman Tallhart, do you think?† â€Å"A fine choice.† â€Å"What . . . what did he want of us?† â€Å"If you can spare a few of your swords, I need some men to escort two of Lord Frey's grandsons north to Winterfell,† she told him. â€Å"I have agreed to take them as wards. They are young boys, aged eight years and seven. It would seem they are both named Walder. Your brother Bran will welcome the companionship of lads near his own age, I should think.† â€Å"Is that all? Two fosterlings? That's a small enough price to—† â€Å"Lord Frey's son Olyvar will be coming with us,† she went on. â€Å"He is to serve as your personal squire. His father would like to see him knighted, in good time.† â€Å"A squire.† He shrugged. â€Å"Fine, that's fine, if he's—† â€Å"Also, if your sister Arya is returned to us safely, it is agreed that she will marry Lord Walder's youngest son, Elmar, when the two of them come of age.† Robb looked nonplussed. â€Å"Arya won't like that one bit.† â€Å"And you are to wed one of his daughters, once the fighting is done,† she finished. â€Å"His lordship has graciously consented to allow you to choose whichever girl you prefer. He has a number he thinks might be suitable.† To his credit, Robb did not flinch. â€Å"I see.† â€Å"Do you consent?† â€Å"Can I refuse?† â€Å"Not if you wish to cross.† â€Å"I consent,† Robb said solemnly. He had never seemed more manly to her than he did in that moment. Boys might play with swords, but it took a lord to make a marriage pact, knowing what it meant. They crossed at evenfall as a horned moon floated upon the river. The double column wound its way through the gate of the eastern twin like a great steel snake, slithering across the courtyard, into the keep and over the bridge, to issue forth once more from the second castle on the west bank. Catelyn rode at the head of the serpent, with her son and her uncle Ser Brynden and Ser Stevron Frey. Behind followed nine tenths of their horse; knights, lancers, freeriders, and mounted bowmen. It took hours for them all to cross. Afterward, Catelyn would remember the clatter of countless hooves on the drawbridge, the sight of Lord Walder Frey in his litter watching them pass, the glitter of eyes peering down through the slats of the murder holes in the ceiling as they rode through the Water Tower. The larger part of the northern host, pikes and archers and great masses of men-at-arms on foot, remained upon the east bank under the command of Roose Bolton. Robb had commanded him to continue the march south, to confront the huge Lannister army coming north under Lord Tywin. For good or ill, her son had thrown the dice.

Letter of Justification

My father lost his Job and went without a Job for several months. This predicament became highly Inconvenient putting more responsibilities on me while helping my parents pay for bills should add how hall moved a lot, this sentence Is short and needs to be added on to. Talk about what kind of distress this caused you and your family. Try to refrain from using words like â€Å"l†, â€Å"my† or â€Å"me† just to make it sound more of a formal essay) We had to move into a home more affable for my family.We eventually became reliable on one vehicle due to a car accident my dad was involved in and my vehicle became to expense to fix due to mechanical issues **(This sentence is a run-on and I think it would be broken up into two sentences) . My last semester fall of 2012 at San Antonio College was the hardest because that is when my family was most reliant of me. At the time, I was enrolled in 14 hours and working a full time job. With the additional responsibilities o f providing for a family of five, it became a challenge to focus my attention on school.Eventually I decided the fall of 2012 was going to be my last semester of school at San Antonio College due to my family needing help financially. I enlisted in the United States Army and went Basic Combat Training (BCC) t Fort Jackson in South Carolina from January 7, 2013 and graduated March 21, 201 3 added commas after the days. ). Then I went to Advance Individual Training (TIT) for a Human Resources Specialist position which was also in Fort Jackson from March 20, 201 3 and graduated May 21, 2013**(Number dates always go after the month). *(Could re-write sentence like this-During my time at TIT, I was awarded a Certificate of Achievement for obtaining a high score on the Army Physical Fitness Test. -Then you could go on to talk about what kind this achievement proves about your endurance and how you're driven) I was also awarded a Certificate of Achievement for scoring high on the Army Phys ical Fineness Test during my time at TIT. After completion of TIT, I was stationed at Fort Bliss In El Paso Texas to 31st Combat Support Hospital.I was there for 7 months In which I earned a promotion from POP to Private First Class and was awarded a Certificate of Achievement during Iron Focus, which was were training excises and preparing for my Units future deployment to sentence). I was deployed to Afghanistan January 7 2014. My duty and tasks were greater than my rank, which I slotted In a higher ranks position I as responsible for accountability and movement for Task Force 31 Medical and the 15 units, that fall under the Task Force of 174 personnel which increased to 455 confusing). **(never use words like â€Å"I'm†, â€Å"weren't†, â€Å"couldn't† etc. Always type them out like â€Å"l am†, â€Å"were not†, â€Å"could not†) I am responsible for out-processing personnel, which get military personnel out Afghanistan with all the prope r documentation **(Find a synonym for â€Å"personnel† try not to use the same word twice in a sentence†). My senior leader recently recommended me for a Battlefield Promotion to next rank of Specialist. My Unit was supposed to redeploy back to the States in October but we were recently extended to December and I felt it would be a great time to go back to school to keep myself occupied the remaining time of my deployment. *(run on sentence. Also, give another reason why you want to go back to school such as â€Å"l felt this timing would be perfect to finish my bachelors degree and work my way to my goal of becoming a pilot. † Something along the lines of that, they want to see that you want to finish school in order to move up in life rather than it being something to Just occupy your time. Since being in the Army, I have learned a lot and my training has better taught me about discipline, responsibilities, and leadership.Going back to school is only the first step in advancing my career, I am hoping with my admission to Embryo-Riddle Aeronautical University I will earn my degree which will better help me excel in the Military Flight Aptitude Test to become a Warrant Officer in the Army to become a wing oratory aviator. **(run-on sentence. Also add more to this section because being that it's only 2 sentences, it's technically not a paragraph. But you could do this by separating your run-on sentences. )

Apache Corporation Essay Example for Free

Apache Corporation Essay Apache Corporation was formed in 1954, based on the idea of becoming significant and prosperous in the oil industry. The company took $250,000 of investor capital, paired it with fierce determination and now Apache Corporation is considered one of the top independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the world (â€Å"Apachecorp.com†, 2012). Apache Corporation operates in both domestic and international markets exploring for, developing, and producing natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids (â€Å"Apachecorp.com†, 2012). On December 31, 2011, the Company had production in the United States, Canada, Egypt, and Australia. Offshore production exists in the United Kingdom, the North Sea, and Argentina. Looking into the future Apache plans to continue to explore other countries for new discoveries and development opportunities (â€Å"Apachecorp.com†, 2012). The success of any business depends on the ability to adapt to the environment it operates in. As part of the oil and gas industry Apache Corporation operates in a global business environment known for its competitiveness. The company has shown growth in production thirty one of the last thirty three years and throughout those years change has been a constant companion. Wide swings in oil prices have become commonplace in the world today, the price of a barrel of oil changes almost daily. Operating in other countries means that political unrest and changes in government policies must be addressed, as well as oil industry regulations that are constantly evolving. Apache Corporation has withstood the changes in business environment for 57 years and remains committed to successfully embracing the changes yet to come. Over the last 10 years the most significant technological advance for the industry has been the coupling of horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing techniques. This new method allows the development of resources that are trapped in shale and other areas that have been nearly impossible to mine in the past. Apache Corporation now applies this technology worldwide (â€Å"Apachecorp.com†, 2012). This method is also used by nearly all other companies in the industry including the comparison companies Devon and Anadarko. According to the 2011 Apache Corporation Annual Report the company showed a profit for the year and the debt ratio is 0.22. One top competitor Anadarko Petroleum located in San Antonio Texas has a debt ratio of .65 and showed a loss for the 2011 year (â€Å"Hoovers†, 2012). A second top competitor Devon Energy located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma had a better year in 2011, this company did show a profit and their debt ratio is 0.48 (â€Å"Hoovers†, 2012). Within the gas and oil industry the overall financial status of Apache Corporation is sound. Working in a high risk industry the production risks are balanced by both geographic diversification and a mix of high and low risk properties in the portfolio (â€Å"Hoovers†, 2012). With approximately 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserve Apache Corporation is positioned to maintain their current momentum. The natural gas product is sold most often at current market prices while the crude oil is marketed directly to integrated marketers and refineries. Contract terms are generally 30 days with automatic renewal until canceler at current market prices which change almost daily (â€Å"Apachecorp.com†, 2012). Apache Corporation has been exploring for and producing oil and gas products for over 50 years. The company has been successful and appears to be a sound investment. In this analysis we have reviewed the business environment, financial health and use of technology for Apache Corporation for the purpose of deciding whether or not to invest in the company. References http://www.apachecorp.com/Resources/Upload/file/investors/Apache_AR_2011.pdf Hoovers. (2012).

Mass customization needs to go beyond technology Essay

Mass customization needs to go beyond technology - Essay Example Concerning the preparation for the mass customization, the author notes that it is a process that involves the production side and supply-chain vantage point. Some of the aspects that the author has touched in regard to the preparation for the mass customization is the organizational transformation. Some of the aspects that the article presents that guides the preparation for the mass customization include; modular design, the level of the mass customization, and among others. In conclusion, the article notes that the issue of the mass customization is the one that requires â€Å"careful preparation in every stage the supply chain and also enriching buying experience of the customers†. The author concludes by saying that the changing markets are the principal guidance for the mass customization. With the increasing population in the world, the market is no longer homogenous and stable. The idea of the mass customization, therefore, seems as the best solution to these challenges. The article has a particularly perfect managerial implication in that it has discussed the need for the mass customization of the products. In particular interest, the article has used the painting industry in India to discuss how the customization of the products for the individual customers can lead to the customer satisfaction. This is particularly true because in the changing trends around the world there is a need for the managers/organizations to ensure that the varied needs of the customers are met through mass customization.

The Federal Reserve Controls the American Economy Term Paper

The Federal Reserve Controls the American Economy - Term Paper Example It is obvious that the economy is all about managing finances, and since the Federal Reserve has oversight authority over the country’s financial administration it controls the entire economy. As a central bank, the Federal Reserve sets the rates for other commercial banks thus influencing the interest rates. Similarly, the Federal Reserve determines the circulation of money thus influencing inflation and flow of money. Through these two dynamic roles of the Federal Reserve, it is evident that the US economy lies directly in the hands of the Federal Reserve. Several developments in the US economy, like the great depression, have seen the augmentation of the evolution and transformation of the roles of the Federal Reserve. The congress developed three crucial goals regarding monetary policy in the Federal Act namely; utmost employment, constant prices, and reasonable long-term interest rates. To be relevant to the growing economic realities the roles of Federal Reserve have gro wn to include other areas like performing the nation's monetary policy, managing and regulating banking entities, maintaining the steadiness of the financial arrangement and offering financial services to reservoir organizations, the U.S. government, and abroad executive institutions. The Beige Book is a manual usually published by the Federal Reserve that contains research on various aspects of the US economy. Structure of the Federal Reserve System and Its Core Functions The federal system structure constitutes of governors selected by the president, Federal Open Market Committee, twelve local Federal Reserve Banks situated in main cities all over the nation, plentiful surreptitiously owned U.S. affiliate banks and assorted advisory committees (Willis 48). The FOMC is the board in charge of establishing monetary policy, which comprises all seven affiliates of the Board of Governors along with the twelve local bank heads. Nonetheless, simply five bank presidents take part in an ele ction at whichever time. The Federal Reserve System intention is to serve the purposes of both the broad public as well as clandestine bankers. The outcome is a structure that is painstakingly unique with central banks. Federal Reserve is further remarkable in that Department of the Treasury, an entity out of the central bank, makes the currency used. The Federal Reserve is independent, and its decision needs not to be approved by the executive or government. Hence, it base its mandate on laws ratified under which it operates with autonomy under congress oversight. However, the executive select the leaders of the Federal Reserve while the congress does the confirmation. The government has some control over the Federal Reserve because it sets the remuneration of the highest leaders of the system. All profits derived by the Federal Reserve System go to the government. Federal Reserve System and the US Economy The Federal Reserve has oversight authority on the American economy, therefo re, exercising overall control on the country’s economy (Meltzer 32-35). The functions of the Federal Reserve regard overall economic management. The Fed controls inflation in a manner that keeps recession at bay. Other significant roles of the Fed in US economy include supervision of the country’s banking system to cushion customers, maintaining steadiness of monetary markets and confine probable crises, and functioning as a

Young people do too much cell phone texting these days Essay

Young people do too much cell phone texting these days - Essay Example the age bracket of between 18-29 years send or receive and average of 88 text messages every day compared to an average of 17 phone calls (Kluger Par 2). The rates of texting and volume, reduce with the advancement in age. However, even among the older sections of the population, though the volume of texting is reduced, there is a higher tendency of people texting as opposed to making calls. The high volume of texting among the youth is a function of a relatively big circle of friends in this age. In many cases, there are problems associated with the biggest volume of texting. Texting affects the ability of the youth, particularly high school and college students, to participate in class (Kluger Par 4). For example, a common feature in the present day classrooms is constant texting. Students are able to avoid the detection of the instructor because mobile phones have silent and vibration profiles that make it impossible for any other person but the owner to know when a message is received. The effects of texting is reduced in the attention span and the use of phones by the youth to escape the ‘boredom’ of the classroom. Therefore, the excessive texting among the youth is a problem because it inhibits the ability of young people to concentrate in class. Texting also affects social interaction skills among the youth. The excessive nature of texting and the ability to connect to strangers, ease of use and anonymity make texting easier and more convenient than personal communication (Villines Par 6). In addition, there are platforms where social media statuses are updated via texting. The effects of all these virtual communication platforms are a reducing value on conventional communication platforms. Therefore, there is a tendency for young people to develop poor communication skills as a function of their reliance on texting and other modes of virtual communication. Texting has its benefits. For example, it reduces the cost of communication, especially with

Global Perspective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Global Perspective - Essay Example Instead, and to a great extent, it has exposed the depth of the differences which separate people and countries, ultimately leading to a more fragmented world. The current global political reality, especially in light of the events of September 11th demands that we revisit the notion of the New World Order and redefine it. The technological revolution has, to a degree, brought cultures closer together. It has done so through the provision of tools which facilitate popular cross-cultural communication, such as internet chatrooms. There is no doubt that technology, whether it assumes the form of the internet or electronic/satellite media, has created greater understanding between populations but, it has also exposed the width and breadth of the differences between them. These differences, which found expression in terrorism and the events of September 11th, are that which the New World Order is about. The New World Order may be defined as one in which the threat of communism has been replaced by the threat of terrorism. It is a world in which differences between people has become more pronounced, despite the fact that globalization and technological developments have facilitated cross-cultural

Hazardous Waste Contamination & Treatment Risk Assessment Geohydrology Essay

Hazardous Waste Contamination & Treatment Risk Assessment Geohydrology & Contaminant Transport - Essay Example In 1981, it was discovered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, that the company was disposing its waste inappropriately, through pouring the waste sludge on the parking lot, while also disposing the solvents into an a drain leading to an abandoned septic system (NPL, 2013). The health department of the state then tested the wells in the vicinity of the company and found them to be contaminated with Trichloroethylene (TCE). The company then installed carbon filters on its well system and those of some neighboring homes, but later closed down in 1985, without fulfilling the requirement for the waste and toxic contaminant cleanup (NPL, 2013). b. How it was contaminated The sludge dumped by this company on the drainage system and parking lot was found to contain a hazardous contaminant called Trichloroethylene (NPL, 2013). The company found its way on the Superfund Site List in December 1982, after having dumped waste products in the form of sludge and solvent s on its site, since 1968 to 1981 (NPL, 2013). c. The contaminants of concern Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a colorless liquid that is used as a solvent to remove grease from any metallic components, and is also used as a component in spot removers, paint removers and also adhesives (NPL, 2013). This colorless liquid has a sweet scented smell and is inflammable, and the sweet scent is even projected when the substance is burning. Trichloroethylene as a contaminant dissolves in little water, but remains longer in ground water, especially in the water wells (NPL, 2013). However, considering that it is vaporizable, whenever it comes into the surface of soils or water, the chemical components vaporizes into the air, but it vaporizes slowly from the soil than surface waters, considering that it attaches to particles and can remain there for long. Despite the fact that it does not build-up easily in plants and animals, trichloroethylene sticks to water and soil particles, which eventually ca uses it to settle down at the lower sediment levels in a water body or a water wells (NPL, 2013). The trichloroethylene exposure can occur through breathing in air that contains the vapors of the chemical, or even through drinking or swimming in the water that is already contaminated by the chemical (NPL, 2013). It can also be contacted through using showering water that is already contaminated with the trichloroethylene chemical component, this time through breathing in the vapors and also through skin contact. The health effects of trichloroethylene on humans depends on the amount that is ether ingested or breathed in. when small amounts of trichloroethylene are breathed in, they may cause the individual to suffer from headaches, dizziness and lung irritations (NPL, 2013). However, when the amount of the trichloroethylene breathed increases, it may cause more fatal health conditions, such as unconsciousness and impaired heart functions and to the extreme, death (NPL, 2013). Additi onally, whenever trichloroethylene is breathed for long, notwithstanding that it could be in small amounts, it can easily result to the damage of the nerves, as well as the damage and impairment of the kidney and the liver (NPL, 2013). The same effects of breathing large amounts of trichloroethylene are also felt whenever large amounts of the same chemical compound is ingested through drinking, where impaired heart

Sweatshop Oppression - Ravisankar 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sweatshop Oppression - Ravisankar 2 - Essay Example The students can use the university to give an ultimatum to these companies to change the poor working conditions or the universities will stop buying from them. Losing the huge client base that universities offer these companies is a huge risk that the companies may not be willing to take. They may thus consider revising the work condition and allow workers their rights and freedom to form unions.USAS and other human rights group, labor rights activists and student protests can have an impact on the poor working conditions in foreign companies by approaching supply chain distributors such as Nike, Adidas, Champion and Gap that buy clothes from oppressive companies. The students can appeal to the distribution companies to speak against exploitation of labor and advocate for a change in working conditions. Companies such as Nike and Adidas supply clothes meant for young students in universities. Working with the students to end oppression at work place is a good way to build their bra nd image. Therefore, students can convince these companies to approach their suppliers and advocate for a safer working environment for their workers (Ravisanker Rajeev 87). Failure to this, the students may threaten to stop buying clothes from the distributor, who in turn will stop buying from the suppliers. In addition, students groups can influence other students to stop buying clothes from any business that is associated with the oppressive cloth manufacturers until the working conditions are improved.

Human Resources Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Management Essay There exist major differences between the Brunei HRM compared to HRM in the western world. In the western world, the governments are mainly democratic. The business or the private sector is not in any way under the direction of the government or an individual. However, the Brunei government is a monarchy where the Sultan is the absolute decision maker both for the private and public sector. Given the differences in the political system, these changes are bound to affect the practices that HRM adapts in either country (Pieper, 1990). However, the differences are not just political; there exist major cultural differences between the western countries and that of Brunei. As previously established, the culture in a country manifests itself in the HR practices. Although the Brunei system is open to some extent, it cannot compare to the level of openness that is practiced in the western world. The Brunei system is one where superiors are held in awe, and their word is final. However, the HRM practice in the west is such that there is a lot of decentralization of power to individuals and to institutions. There are no powerful superiors, and thus the supervisor is almost the equal to the employee. The hiring and firing are also very controlled since employees have unions which are very powerful. In the public sector, the Brunei HRM policies are guided by the circulars from the Sultan. However, western governments public bodies have pre-designed HRM policies. The policies are either set by the board, or the HR manager in consultation with the CEO. Each public body is established through legislation. In the West, the government or the head of state cannot direct a public body on how to recruit or fire unless the legislative arm of government makes such a law (Pichault and Schoenaers, 2003). Another area of divergence is on the level of adoption of technology. Western HR practices have fully adopted technology in their operations. While Brunei HRM struggles to empower their employees on the use of technology, the labor force in the west has already adopted the technology, and is well-versed in the use of it. The HRM in the west is vary familiar with and has incorporated technology in such duties as log-in checker, benefits and loan applications (Laughton, 2012). An employee in the west will just need to log in using a given password and can then access the HR from anywhere in the world. In the western countries, there is a lot of individualism which is reflected in the HRM practices. The Brunei culture is more of collective in form, and this also manifests itself in the HRM practices. For example, there are no strong interpersonal relationships in the western HRM, unlike in Brunei. In Brunei, the family and relationship bonds are very strong, and this often leads to favoritism. The western countries are rarely affected by nepotism (Carr and Pudelko, 2006). The hiring process is extremely monitored and competitive such that only the best are qualified. In most organizations within the west, hiring is done by external professionals who are hired to do the job. Therefore, it means that the hiring company will rarely have any familiarity with the prospective employees, especially at a personal level. However, the Brunei HRM is such that the managers in the company do the hiring. Although the process may be transparent, it is possible for managers to favor a participant if they happen to know him or her (Bond, 1988). Moreover, given the absolute power vested on the Sultan, the Sultan may hire a person informally. In such a case, the HRM would have been left out of the loop, yet they would not have any power over it. The divergence here is that, in a western country, the executive absolutely has no power over the hiring of employees. The HR manager is free to make any decisions within his mandate. In terms of complaints and disagreement, the HRM approaches are very different. The Brunei monarch has absolute powers in all areas of decision making. Employees have no power to contest the decisions of the monarch. Furthermore, although the monarchy sometimes consults the stakeholders in decision making, he does not have to under the law. On the other hand, HRM practices must be in accordance with the law which requires public participation. Employees have the power, through their trade unions to contest any decisions they feel are not made in their best interests (Norihito, 2007). The Brunei monarch is also the head of the judiciary. However, the western countries have industrial courts and the arbitration panel that is impartial. This is aimed at adjudicating on such matters.

Dietary Diversity And Nutrition Status Health And Social Care Essay

Dietary Diversity And Nutrition Status Health And Social Care Essay Low birthweight (LBW) is defined as a body weight at birth less than 2500grams. Its main causes include prematurity (born before 37 weeks gestation) in developed countries and Intrauterine Growth Retardation IUGR (restrained foetal growth) in developing countries (ACN/SCN, 2000). Relationship between health of mother and child has also been established, maternal nutritional and health status is an important determinant of childs health and nutritional outcome. LBW infants end up undernourished and stunted children, adolescents and finally women of childbearing age. The main indicators of LBW infants include maternal stunting, low pre-pregnancy weight and low pregnancy weight gain. Thus generational stunting continues (Victoria et al, 2008). Households vary in definition and composition, especially in Africa. Households here in Africa mostly includes the extended family members both in definition and composition. This serves as social support network here and so adds income into the household if the members are economically active or if economically inactive, increases dependency ratio in the household. Mother and child pair nutritional status reflects household dynamics, availability of food, care of mother and child. It can also reflect gender segregation in household food allocation etc. The state of food insecurity 2001 defines Food security [as] a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (SOFI, 2002). Its three building pillars include availability, accessibility and stability of food. Availability entails physical presence of food in the household or area concerned; accessibility is concerned with the ability to acquire adequate amount of food and stability means constancy of food access which can be chronic or transitory. Chronic food insecurity exists when food supplies are persistently insufficient to supply adequate nutrients for all individuals. Transitory food insecurity occurs in the presence of temporary decline in access to adequate food because of instability in food production, food prices or income shortfalls. It is also necessary that available food meet the nutritional needs o f the household members, bringing in the component of food utilization. Resource poor subsistence farmers, landless households, pastoral household, female-headed household and urban poor are more vulnerable to food crisis (UN millennium project, 2005; FEWSNET, 2011). During the study period, coastal state of the Bayelsa, delta, Rivers and some portions of Jigawa in Northeast will experience moderate food insecurity. The coastal states will be affected by Niger-Delta crisis and potential pre-election tension. Pipeline vandalization, will continue to contribute to local water pollution, creating fish shortages among others. Flooding in the Northeast state of Jigawa will reduce household stock (Millet) causing food insecurity, with low cereal prices, above-average increase in tuber production. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines biodiversity as the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. In other words, it is the variety of life on earth at all levels, from genes to worldwide populations of the same species. The different Levels of biodiversity include ecosystem containing rich biodiversity, species and communities of species and different genotypes, and this includes agricultural biodiversity. All components of agricultural biodiversity relevant to food and agriculture and support the ecosystem that agriculture occurs is important (FAO, 2008). Thus, dietary diversity becomes important as a means of protecting the ecosystem. Dietary diversity can be defined as the number of different foods or food groups consumed over a given reference period, usually 1-2 week. Dietary diversity has been shown to improve nutritional status (Kant et al, 2000; Kiokia and Golden, 2004; Gibson et al, 2000). Thus, it also can aid in combating hidden hunger, and thus double burden. Dietary diversity is a reflection of household food security because depicts accessibility, availability of foods and to some extent stability. Hoddinott and Yohannes analysis of evidence from 10 countries links dietary diversity to household access of calorie and by extension food security (2002). Traditional food systems abound, and are currently going extinct because they are underutilized. The diet is shifting more towards an energy-dense based diet categorized by westernized and processed food, bringing with it the advent of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, coronary heart disease etc. Nutrition education aims to persuade individuals to make meaningful changes in their dietary behaviour. Studies have noted the importance and role in nutrition status and adequacy (Favin and Griffiths, 1999; Tarvinder et al, 2007; Mansour et al, 1994). In view of that, importance of nutrition education cannot be overemphasized in this scope, especially as traditional foods are available in its varieties but less consumed/sought-after. It becomes imperative that nutritional content and thus importance of these foods are once again extolled so that they can be consumed for optimum health. Biologically active substances have been found in traditional foods and functional foods include flavonoids etc. Information technology has opened lots of doors for education and knowledge in the world, which can be harnessed for promotion of nutrition education. Information technology used in education includes access devices, networking and communicating technologies, storage devices and e-learning platform (India policy brief, 2010). They pose great potential for acquiring knowledge especially at the subjects comfort. Phones have been used for teacher training with positive results among other things, MMS examples of teaching, audio lectures, SMS for reminders, motivational messages and short assessment questions etc. were used (ADB/Pouezevara and Khan, 2007). STATEMENT OF PROBLEM There is a dearth of information on the relationship between dietary diversity and nutrition status in Nigeria. There is also little information on shift of food consumption from traditional to processed western foods together with a gap in the quantification of the effect of nutrition education in enhancing dietary diversity. OBJECTIVES GOAL Optimize nutrition status of mother and child through dietary diversity and nutrition education SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES To identify the available foods in the surrounding/environment/locality and determine the neglected and underutilized local foods/species To identify the prevalence of malnutrition of mother and child To assess the dietary diversity in the food consumed by the mother-child and factors affecting it. To Investigate association between dietary diversity and nutritional status To ascertain the influence of nutrition education on nutritional status of mother and child. JUSTIFICATION Prevalence of malnutrition in Nigeria is currently high, especially in Under-Five. Currently, 41% of under-fives are stunted, 23% underweight and 14% wasted (NDHS, 2008). High Under-Five Mortality Rate propels continuous childbearing and with is accompanied maternal mortality due to nutrient depletion (El-Ghannam, 2005). Improved maternal health importantly pre-pregnancy status is vital for adequate growth and development of new foetus and to break intergenerational disease and poverty that can arise from poor health status during the first 1000 days (ACC/SCN, 1992). Lack of adequate nutrition education has led to improper feeding techniques of growing child, especially the under-fives. Traditional food systems are gradually becoming extinct and non-existent. The bulk of foods consumed are shifting base to western-influenced and processed foods (Bioversity International, 2006). High incidence of NCDS in developing countries and increase of double burden has been linked to monopoly in consumption of food and lack of dietary diversity. At the beginning of the 1960s, about 40% of the developing countries were chronically undernourished. Many developing countries have achieved 2700kcals. This high energy combined with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle has led to an increase in obesity and NCDS. The composition of the diet change to mainly high energy and fat etc. (Josef and Prakash, 2004). METHODOLOGY ANALYSIS OF OBJECTIVES Objective Variable Type of analysis To identify the available foods in the surrounding/environment/locality and determine the neglected and underutilized local foods/species Foods from Market survey, FGD and KII vs foods from DD Questionnaire To identify the prevalence of malnutrition of mother and child BMI, stunting, wasting and underweight To assess the dietary diversity of mother and child DDS of mother and child Computation To Investigate association between dietary diversity and nutritional status DDS and BMI/nutritional status indices Cross-tabulation To determine factors affecting dietary diversity DDS and socio-demographic, economic and household factors Cross-tabulation To ascertain the influence of nutrition education on dietary diversity DDS before and after nutrition education Paired T-test STUDY DESIGN The study will be a cross-sectional and descriptive study. STUDY LOCATION The study will be conducted in Anambra state. Anambra state is located in the south-east zone of Nigeria, with its state capital being Awka. On a longitude of 6 20 00N and latitude of 7 00 00E, the state has 21 Local Government areas. It has a land area of 4,416km2 and a population of 4,177,848, made of 2,117,984 males and 2,059,844 females (NPC, 2006). With a population of 473,248, Children Under -five account for about 11.35% of the Anambra state population. Onitsha North and South, Awka North and South and Nnewi North and South are all urban area in the state. Idemili, Oyi, Anaocha, Ogabru and Dunkofia are peri-urban, while the remaining Local governments are rural. With a population size of 369,972 (NPC, 2006), Aguata LGA is the 2nd largest LGA in terms of size and the largest LGA in terms of number of constituting communities 15 communities. The local government has the presence of a prison in Ekwulobia and the renowned Igbo-ukwu museum that houses artefacts and monuments from pre-colonial era. Like all other LGA in Anambra state, Aguata has its own share of ecological disasters, the most prominent being the Ekwulobia Oko erosion site. Other small-sized erosion sites abound in different communities in the LGA. The Staple food consumed here is mostly cassava and yam, eaten as fufu, garri, abacha etc. green leafy vegetables and fruits are also abundantly found. The planting season, marks the beginning of the annual year (Igu aro), and peaks during the harvest season. Map of Anambra State The study will be conducted in Uga, a town in Aguata LGA of Anambra state, in South East Nigeria. With a landmass of about 3790km2, it also has about 100,000 inhabitants. Uga shares its borders with Akokwa, Nkpologwu, Amesi, Umuchu and Ezinifite. The town is made of 4 villages namely Oka, Umueze, Umuoru and Awalasi. These villages have different clan, an average of 6 clans per villages. They include Oka, made up of Okwuowerre, Umuikpa, Umueziama, Amaeke, Okohia and Umucheke. Umueze is made of Umucheke, Ezihe, Umu-umeonye, Umudim and Umuonyike. Umoru village is made of Imishii, Umudieleke, Umuezekpoko and Umori. Awalasi village is made of Umunocha, Umuchiaku, Umuakabo, Umudim, Umuosu, Okwu, Agbako and Umuoweri. The community Uga, has 2 streams/waterbodies, namely, Obizi and Agwazi. While the former is potable and serves as a tourist site, its a taboo to fetch from the latter or visit. The population is predominantly Igbos with few settlers from other tribes. Almost every household has some form of garden or subsistence/small-scale farming; most of the food/fruits available in the market come from subsistence farming. Land tenure is mainly through inheritance and few by purchase. STUDY POPULATION Mothers with under-5 children in the study community. SAMPLE SIZE For the main study, all mothers with their youngest under-5 children in the town will be used. For the Key Informant Interview, The oldest individual in each clan will be used. A total of 24 subjects will be interviewed For the focus Group discussions, each group will have a minimum of 6 and maximum of 8 members in each of the 4 villages, comprising of both sexes. SAMPLING PROCEDURE A three-stage sampling technique will be used to select respondents/mother-child pair for the questionnaire survey. Firstly, Anambra state, will be purposively selected because food systems are eroded with language, an indicator of culture. The Igbo culture is the fastest eroding culture among all the 3 major tribes in Nigeria. Legend also has Anambra State as the origin of Igbo people in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. Secondly, Aguata LGA with its headquarters at Ekwulobia will be purposively selected because in the local government, urban and rural communities are found. Its headquarters, Ekwulobia, serves as the entry point to numerous communities and Local Government. Its proximity to Federal Polytechnic, Oko and Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, makes it a key point and central access area. While the headquarters remains urban, the surrounding communities, the study area- Uga included are still rural. It will be strategic to study the effects of the spills of urban development in the dietary practice of these rural communities. Thirdly using a table of random numbers, Uga was chosen as the study area and all villages in Uga town will be used for the study. SAMPLE SELECTION SELECTION OF QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONDENTS All the women living in the community with a child under-five years of age who consent to participate will be included in the study. Already participating women will also be asked for referrals of other mother-child pair. SELECTION OF FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION Using the help of research assistants, through non-probability sampling, 6-8 males and females aged 60 and above will be selected from each village and used for the focus group discussion. SELECTION OF KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEW the oldest person in each clan/village irrespective of gender will be used in Key Informant Interview. The individuals must be mentally acute despite disabilities/ infamy. MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT Food/Market Survey Questionnaire Focus Group discussion guide Key informant interview guide FAOs 16-item Individual Dietary Diversity Questionnaire for mothers and children aged 36-59 months Demographic Health Surveys 21-item Dietary Diversity Questionnaire for children Under 36 months Socio-demographic characteristics questionnaire for the mother. USIAD/FAOs 3-item Household Hunger Scale Food Frequency Questionnaire VARIABLES Socio-demographic characteristics Mothers DDS before the intervention Childs DDS before the intervention Mothers DDS after the intervention Childs DDS after the intervention HFIAS Score Nutritional status of child Nutritional status of mother Family dynamics and household characteristics Food Variety Score (FVS) Pattern of consumption COMMUNITY ENTRY Entry will be done through the different religious bodies (Christianity and traditional) and the community leaders. The community leaders include Uga Town Union, the Igwe and his council and also the individual village unions. They will be acquainted with the different objectives of the study and its advantages for the community members. They will also be requested to disseminate the information to the community members to get their cooperation. DATA COLLECTION Quantitative questionnaires will be used to collect baseline information from the communities. The questionnaires will be administered by twenty four (24) fieldworkers (research assistants). The research assistants will be selected one from each clan with at least a secondary school education. All of them will speak English and the local Igbo dialect of the community fluently. The research assistants will be carefully trained by the researcher. The study objectives, methods and questionnaires will be discussed with special emphasis on interpretation of result, Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) and nutritional status. Proficiency of the research assistants will be verified through role play and pre-testing. The research assistant will be supervised by the lead researcher through field monitoring to check quality. The Key Informant Interview (KII) and Focus Group Discussions will be conducted by the lead researcher and a note taker using the KII and FGD guides. The interview will be recorded, with the permission of the subjects. BASELINE As a means of assessing the current situation, baseline information of the study communities will be conducted. For this phase of the study a short food identification questionnaire, Appendix A will be used to document all foods encountered in the native nearby Igbo markets. Any new food and fruit type (species) or variety will be photographed with a digital camera and information about it will be gathered. Information to be gathered include trade name, local name, name of market sold, source of food/fruit, type of buyers, season when available and (recipe). Scientific and family name will be added following correct identification through books, internet and knowledgeable people in relevant departments of the University of Ibadan. All food items encountered will be classified into food groups. Since dietary diversity involves biodiversity food of plant and animal origin, aquatic and forest resources also found will be documented. MARKET SURVEY The market survey will be conducted on the 4 native Igbo market days Eke, Orie, Afor and Nkwo. Each communitys market operates on a given market day, example, Orie for Uga community, Nkwo for Umuchu community etc. A market survey of proximal markets to the study area will also be conducted. They include Orie-Uga, Nkwo-Uchu and Eke-Ekwulobia. These 3 markets fall on different Igbo market days (Orie, Nkwo, Eke), leaving out only one market day, Afor. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and key-informant interviews (KII) will be carried out for foods not sold in the market, but consumed in the community. FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION Focus groups discussions will be facilitated in (different churches) each village to be used in the study by the lead researcher with a note-taker present. The use of FGD guide Appendix B will be employed and also a camcorder for recording and camera for photographs. Each FGD will have a minimum of 6 members and a maximum of 8 members. The purpose of the FGD is to learn about foods that are underutilised in the environment. The discussion will be conducted in native Igbo language dialect of the community. KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS The KII guide Appendix C will be used to conduct the KII. Respondents will be asked foods, farming systems and varieties of foods that are currently underutilised. They will also be asked about the source, harvest season, recipe of those foods and use. The interview will be conducted in the native Igbo language dialect. ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS Baseline anthropometric measurements will be taken of the mother (BMI) and child (Stunting, Wasting and Underweight). For the weights, electronic scales will be used. CHILDREN For children 0 to 23 months, their weights will be taken using the children weighing scale. Children 24 to 59 months and all mothers will be weighed using the electronic scale, after they have emptied their bladder. All weights will be measured to the nearest 0.1kg. For all weight measurements, the balance will be placed on a level hard surface and adjusted to zero balance before measurement. The subject will stand in the centre of the scale and looking straight. Light clothing will be advised in the absence of nudity. For the heights, children and infants less than 85cm will have recumbent length measured using a wooden measuring board (WHO, 1995). The infants heels will touch against the footboard, shoulders touching the baseboard and the crown of head touching headboard. Stadiometer will be used for children longer than 85cm. The subject will stand straight, looking ahead with the head, shoulder blades, buttocks and heels touching the plane. For weight-for-age and height-for-age, exact date of birth will be used. WHO Anthro v3.2.2 will be used to calculate weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height. The WHO standard Z-scores will be used. MOTHERS Body Mass Index (BMI) also called Quetelets Index calculated as weight (kg)/height (m2) will be used to assess the nutritional status of the mothers. The weights will be measured using the electronic scale, after they have emptied their bladder with the scale on a hard surface and adjusted to zero balance. The mothers heights will be measured with a Stadiometer. The subject will stand straight, looking ahead with the head, shoulder blades, buttocks and heels touching the plane. The classification of mothers BMI will be according to WHOs recommendation (2000) as shown below Classification BMI (kg/m2) Underweight Normal range 18.50 24.99 Overweight >= 25.00 Pre-obese 25.00 29.99 Obese I 30.00 34.99 Obese II 35.00 39.99 Obese III >= 40.00 HOUSEHOLD HUNGER SCALE (HHS) Food Insecurity Score (FIS) will be found using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), Appendix G. The HFIAS is 9-item access and frequency-of-occurrence instrument developed by USAID and FAO, with a recall of 4 weeks/30 days/1 month. The general occurrence questions cover domains that include anxiety about household food supply, variety and preferences of type of food and insufficient food intake and physical consequences. If the access question occurs, then the frequency of the domain question is asked and coded as often, sometimes and rarely. The maximum HFIAS for a household is 27, i.e., a situation where frequency of occurrence of all questions is often (3) and the least HFIAS is (0). The higher the HFIAS, the higher the food insecurity; the lesser the HFIAS, the lesser the food insecurity. DIETARY DIVERSITY Dietary diversity of mother and child will be assessed. The interview will be conducted on an Eke day, which is not preceded by a weekend. This is necessary as Eke day precedes an Orie day, which is the market day and dietary habits are synonymous with festive day. Also, Eke day is the only day without a proximal market to the community. MOTHER The 16-item FAOs Dietary Diversity Questionnaire, Appendix D will be used from which Individual Dietary Diversity Score (IDDS) for the mothers will be calculated. The food groups include cereals, vitamin A rich vegetables and tubers, white tubers and roots, dark green vegetables, other vegetable, vitamin A rich fruits, other fruits, organ meat(iron-rich), flesh meats, eggs, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds, milk and milk products, oils and fat, sweets and coffee/tea. To calculate Individual dietary diversity score (IDDS), the last two items sweets and coffee/tea are left out, while the others items each has a point. The mean IDDS, percentage consuming each food group and terciles as a measure of distribution of scores will be calculated. The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), Appendix H, will be used to calculate the Food Variety Score (FVS) and the consumption patterns of the mothers. Different varieties of food will be listed and scored. Their consumption will be noted as never, once a month, more than once a month, once a week, more than once a week, everyday and more than once everyday. CHILDREN For children more than 3 years, as with the mothers, FAOs 16-item individual dietary diversity questionnaire, Appendix D will be used, for foods eaten in the last 24 hour. The food groups include cereals, vitamin A rich vegetables and tubers, white tubers and roots, dark green vegetables, other vegetable, vitamin A rich fruits, other fruits, organ meat(iron-rich), flesh meats, eggs, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds, milk and milk products, oils and fat, sweets and coffee/tea. To calculate Individual dietary diversity score (IDDS), the last two items sweets and coffee/tea are left out, while the others items each has a point. The 21-item dietary diversity questionnaire, Appendix E, used in Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) will be used for children less than 3 years. The items on the questionnaire range from water, breastmilk, infant formula, green leafy vegetables, organ meats, fish etc. The IDDS will be calculated over 21 items. The mean IDDS, percentage consuming each food group and terciles as a measure of distribution of scores will be calculated. SOCIO DEMOGRAPHY Socio-demographic characteristics of the household will be collected, using Appendix F. Demographic characteristics of the mother will include Education, Age at marriage, current age, Childs date of birth, marital status, parity, religion. Economic information will include job, monthly earning, Access to farm, livestock ownership, food access market or farm production. Household details will also be collected, and they include type of household nuclear or extended, number of dependents in the family, number of household members, source of income and total household income. CLASSIFICATION OF UNDERUTILIZED SPECIES Underutilized and neglected food species and groups will be identified from the Dietary Diversity Questionnaire in comparison with the market research earlier carried out. MAPPING The map of the town Uga, will be digitized, using the nutritional status and dietary diversity. This will help monitor trends in nutritional status and DDS. DATA PROCESSING Data entry, computation and analysis will be done with SPSS v 17. Quality will be ensured through quality checks associated with data entry processes, double entry and further data cleaning through generation of descriptive analysis after data entry. DATA ANALYSIS Characteristics of the sample average mothers age, average childs age, mothers education, parity, occupation of mother, average household income, average DDS. Prevalence of malnutrition will also be assessed, stunting, wasting and underweight of the children and BMI of the mother. This will be done through Frequency distributions for qualitative variables and descriptive analysis for quantitative variable. DDS and nutritional status of mother (BMI) through cross-tabulation DDS and nutritional status of child (Stunting, wasting and underweight) through cross-tabulation with each indices. HFIAS and nutritional status of mother HFIAS and nutritional status of child Nutritional status of mother and nutritional status of child through cross-tabulation of mothers status with each individual nutritional index. Effect of socio-demographic, household characteristics and economic differentials on DDS and anthropometric measurements. A model for interactions of quantitative will be generated linear and logistic regression, the MIXED procedure for quantitative response variables (BMI and DDS) and the GLIMMIX procedure for dichotomous response variables. INTERVENTION Nutrition Education will be conducted in different ways to enhance the consumption of underutilised foods. Underutilized food/fruits/species that has been thus categorised will be promoted through nutrition education. A food/fruit/specie will be said to be underutilized if it is readily available in the environment but its consumption is low. Firstly, food and nutrient information of underutilized foods will be sent to the phones of mothers as a daily SMS in the native Igbo dialect for 30 days. A single food/fruit will be highlighted each day, including the different ways in which it can be consumed. Recipes will also be included, to enable the mothers attempt otherwise new foods. Using mass media e.g. posters, handbills and stickers, general awareness will be created on the underutilised foods in the town. The posters and stickers will be distributed on the towns market day Oye-Uga and at the different religious places in the town. Copies will also be made available to the participating women. Face -to -face nutrition discussion will be held for mothers in the clan with the lowest Dietary Diversity Score that correlates with low nutritional status of the Mother-Child pair. It will be held in the village hall, assessable to everybody. The discussion will seek to bring to the fore the underutilized food in the community, and the different recipes for preparation of the foods. ENDLINE/EVALUATION The IDDS of both mother child pair will be assessed again to calculate the post-intervention practise. This will help ascertain if the intervention impacted knowledge to the mother as evidenced by the post-intervention IDDS. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION Ethical clearance will be sort from the Health Ethical Review Committee (HREC) of the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan. EXPECTED OUTCOME It is expected that at the end of the study, adequate knowledge on importance of dietary diversity will be garnered by the mothers and visible in their feeding practice, of both themselves and their children. TIMELINE FOR THE STUDY Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Activity/Month Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Community Entry Recruitment of Research Assistants and Training Market Survey Key Informant Interview Focus Group Discussion Administration of Questionnaire Analysis of Baseline Data Intervention Collection of Endline Data Analysis of Endline Data BUDGET

The Ethical Teacher Essay -- Literary Analysis, Elizabeth Campbell

Reflection is a necessary component of everyday life, as well as the growth an individual makes within their profession. This concept remains true for teachers who, due to the particular changes they must make in order to meet the fluctuating needs of both their students and society, are perpetually connected to reflection. Beginning with John Dewey, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, numerous scholars have articulated their viewpoints concerning the positive and negatives impacts of this reflective teaching, in addition to its influence on the moral dilemmas faced by educators. One of these people, Elizabeth Campbell, asserts her perspectives throughout her text, The Ethical Teacher, wherein she describes the relationship between ethical knowledge and moral agency, the link between moral dilemmas and ethical knowledge, and the methods of lessening moral tensions in education. Within her book, Campbell (2003) maintains that â€Å"ethical knowledge relies on teachers’ understanding and acceptance of moral agency as professional expectations implicit in all aspects of their day-to-day practice† (p. 3). These demands of moral agency are important for students’ learning and development. Consequently, it is essential to understand moral agency. Campbell (2003) declares that moral agency â€Å"relates to the exacting ethical standards the teacher as a moral person and a moral professional hold himself or herself to† and â€Å"concerns the teacher as a moral educator, model, and exemplar† for students (p. 2). Throughout the text, Campbell explains that teachers must be aware of, understand and accept those demands of moral agency. Furthermore, Campbell (2003) opposes the notion that educators’ ethics â€Å"remain embedded in... ...outlining the ways to ease moral tensions and expand ethical knowledge. Moreover, Campbell’s book is consistent with her framework of this ethical knowledge â€Å"that supports core ethical principles and remains critical of moral relativism,† while it distinguishes â€Å"the complexities of moral interpretations of virtue, the significance of contextual realities, and the potential legitimacy of differing ethical beliefs† (p. 2). Through being capable of recognizing the advantageousness of ethics within education, Campbell and others, epitomize the influence of educational reflection. Furthermore, this unmistakably illustrates how reflective teachers are better apt to understand the demands of their students, parents, community members, colleagues, administrators and other superiors, which helps them to improve student learning and develop students as ethical individuals.

Deceptive Cell Phone Television Commercials :: Media

It may seem like cell phone television commercials are straightforward and easy to follow, but many people would agree that after a few monthly bills start flowing in, they may form a different opinion. These â€Å"so-simple† cellular phone plans that the companies advocate are often quite misleading to consumers. This is largely due to the fact that companies present viewers with a vague explanation of their services. This is successful in making a person feel the need to sign-up without any apprehensions. Many individuals do not realize that they have been deceived into a contract that they will eventually regret after it is too late. The most common misleading topic that cell phone commercials try to avoid expressing is the costs of the unknown bill charges and where they come from. Cell phone companies work hard to hide as much of the costs as possible from their consumers. They may say a certain rate in the advertisement, but this is the bare minimum in most cases. What they are not telling their costumers are the roaming charges, long distance contingencies, and, if available, text message rates. Indefinite bill charges are very popular problems that occur for most customers. For example, a Sprint customer experienced first hand how Sprint was increasing their monthly rates. The customer had signed up for a $50-a-month plan but did not know what he was paying for until, â€Å"he heard the news that Sprint PCS had been quietly imposing rate increases, tucking them under ‘fees and surcharges’†(Ballheim,2003). People are often not aware of what the whole plan includes because just pieces of favorable information are told to them. When the customer finally realizes the extra costs, and want to change companies, they are slammed with even more charges. The man who was mentioned previously still had to pay another $150 dollars as a penalty fine in order to cancel his service (Ballheim, 2003). This is an all too familiar case with false advertising a cell phone plan. It seems as though the cell phone companies should be the ones who should pay the penalty fine. But, we, the customers, keep paying these deceiving companies to mislead us and charge more money when they do.

Australias Aboriginal Roots Essay -- Australia History Essays

Australia's Aboriginal Roots Any educated American student knows that Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 and founded America. Only later do they learn that America already had an indigenous population that Columbus, by his own error, named Indians. Pre-existing populations were forced off of their lands and placed on reservations, effectively changing – and in many cases destroying – life and culture as they knew it. This kind of history is not exclusive only to America. Even fewer people know of the pending extinction of the indigenous culture in Australia – the Aborigines. The undisturbed Aboriginal people, by today’s standards, would be classified as â€Å"primitives.† In fact, during the early periods of modernization in Australia that is exactly what they were known as. Primarily a hunting and gathering society, the traditional Aborigine male would hunt game while the female would scavenge for virtually everything else. Some historical references credit the female gender for finding most of the food for the tribal society. Then, in 1770, English explorer James Cook â€Å"discovered† Australia in a very similar fashion as Columbus â€Å"discovered† America, looking for trade routes.2 16 years after Cook became aware of the continent, the British government decided to begin colonizing Australia with transport convicts that were no longer being accepted in America due to the Revolutionary War. Although the government claimed its directive to establish a convict colony in Botany Bay was purely a response to the loss of the American colonies, many had already begun to speculate the strategic choice of Australia. The natural resources in Australia held great potential, and as more people – not just convicts – began... ...ferences 1.Moore, Geoff (Ed.). â€Å"Australian Aborigines: History, Culture, Research Project.† http://www.aaa.com.au/hrh/aboriginal/factshtindex.shtml. Accessed 12/11/2000, Online. 2.Sullivan, Rohan (AP Writer). â€Å"Where the Outback Meets the Reef.† USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/travel/leisure/2000/ltl093.htm. Updated 7/17/2000, Online. 3.Litke, Mark (ABC News Writer). â€Å"The Stolen Generation.† ABC News.com http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/world/dailynews/australia000914.html. Updated 9/14/2000, Online. 4.Somma, Richard (AP Writer). â€Å"Report Outrages Aboriginal Groups.† L.A. Times Online. http://www.latimes.com/business/microsoft/20000401/tCBTOPAP.html. Updated 4/1/2000, Online. 5.Taylor, John (ATSIC Researcher). â€Å"The Job Still Ahead: Economic Costs of Continuing Indigenous Employment Disparity.† ATSIC. Commonwealth of Australia, September 1998.

Effects of Globalization on the Society Essay

Globalization is one of the contemporary policies implemented in attempt to resolve the economic dilemma of various countries and to encourage free flowing economic transactions among nations. And as such, globalization has become an influential phenomenon reaching various global scopes. It is an international process by which nations are being pushed to form a single and unified global society. The different societies within a globalized community undergo various transformation and developments which are comprised of common practices and beliefs known as the cultural universals. The cultural universals are adaptations in meeting the needs of the members of the society in terms of food, clothing and shelter. Developments are achieved through innovations. Innovation is the process of injecting new ideas or objects within a culture. And with these changes and innovations, this process also renders social consequences. There are two types of innovations: discovery and invention. The Chapter 3 of the book â€Å"Sociology a Brief Introduction† explained how development in culture occurs in the global setting. This chapter expounded the various concepts pertaining to the development of cultures such as globalization, diffusion and technology (Schaefer 58-60). The current globalization policy renders effects on the various aspects of the society. Globalization is a broad term. It encompasses the various aspects of the nation including politics, society and economy. More often than not, globalization is associated to the economic activities of the nation but it also affects the various aspects of society. Globalization Globalization is the integration of the economies and societies worldwide. Globalization is considered as one of the most hotly-debated topics in the field of international economics over the past few years (â€Å"Globalization†). It is the process of making the local or regional phenomenon into a global one. The nations are unified into a single society which carry out the function together. It is like integrating the economic, technological, sociocultural and political aspects of the nation (Croucher 10). Whenever globalization is mentioned, it is often associated with economic concepts and activities. Globalization is viewed as an economic process that integrates national economies into one international economy benefiting the activities of the inherent economy (Bhagwati 3). The term has been frequently defined by different economists, and as the such, the concept of globalization has developed so many definitions in accordance to the society’s point of view where the term is being utilized. The term â€Å"globalization† has been around for quite a long time. The concept has not been popular until the late 1980s and 1990s when its theoretical concepts became more well known. But the activities of globalization has already been put to practice even during the early times when the European countries colonized other parts of the world (Yergin). The first wave of globalization occurred during the 19th century which resulted to an incredible increase and growth in the international trade and economic interaction with the European countries dominating the world’s economic activities (Yergin). But the concept of globalization became more pronounced and used after the Second World War. The emergence of this concept came from the idea of the reconstruction of societies after the destructions caused by the war. The establishment of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank became two of the most influential international organizations that pioneered the reconstruction of war-devastated countries and became relevant agents in restoring economic progress and stability in these nations. Effects of Globalization Globalization is a strategic economic process which aims to provide prosperity and growth to the world’s economy. However, globalization has advantages and disadvantages. Although in the economic point of view, globalization is a positive and beneficial process. But its contribution to the overall increase in the global prosperity is still unparalleled. Globalization creates a process of disseminating modern methods and equipments needed in the contemporary enterprise management, economic growth and global financing. This way, globalization also increases labor productivity and efficiency of the factors of production (Bozyk 3). Moreover, globalization hastens the movement of the essential factors of production, especially the capital and technology. The other factors increasing the production is swiftly moving such as new and innovative ideas, modern technologies and production methods. Consumers, on the other hand, also benefit from the process by purchasing high-quality products due to the increase efficiency in production. In this process, globalization influences the consumption and quality of the products (Bozyk 4). The communication and information industries are also greatly influenced by globalization process. Information disseminated under the tenets of free trade and in the advent of advanced technology tools and gadgets rendered the information industry free movement and easy access to the people. The emergence of internet accessibility and telephone services brought information closer to the people. On the other hand, globalization also renders disadvantages that are inappropriate to some countries engaging in the contemporary economic trend. Some of these disadvantages include the reality that globalization only brings profit to the wealthy and well-developed countries and amplifies the marginal difference of the well-developed and developing countries. The international economic policy is leaning towards the wealthy and powerful countries and is unsuitable to the developing countries (Gavrilenkov et. al 233). Moreover, some countries are utilizing globalization to establish world domination, authority and power which will enable stronger countries to manipulate the relationships of different countries within the international order. Nowadays, the United States is enjoying the status of being one of the strongest nations or probably the sole world superpower. However, the current status of China, its economic stability, and the rate at which the Chinese economy progresses will soon rival United States in terms of industry, wealth and technological improvements (Hurst 91). Works Cited Bhagwati, Jagdish. In Defense of Globalization. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Bozyk, Pawel. Globalization and the Transformation of Foreign Economic Policy. Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2006. Croucher, Shiela L. Globalization and Belonging: The Politics of Identity a Changing World. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2004. Gavrilenkov, Evgeny, Paul J. J. Welfens and Ralf Wiegert. Economic Opening Up and Growth in Russia. New York: Springer Verlag Berlin Heidlberg, 2004. â€Å"Globalization†. 2001. The World Bank Group. 10 October 2008 . Hurst, Charles E. Social Inequality: Forms, Causes and Consequences. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2006. Schaefer, Richard T. Sociology:A Brief Introduction. United Kingdom: Academic Internet Publishers Incorporated, 2006. Yergin, David. â€Å"Commanding Heights†. n. d. 10 October 2008 .