European union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

European union - Essay Example In addition to this, public law involving the commerce in European Union has fundamental significance:2 i. Most of the laws governing ECJ commercial circles whether directly or indirectly, are grounded on the European Union Laws ii. The framework which governs private businesses is widely derived from the rules that were established in 1957: that is, The Rome Treaty iii. Most of the sections of the regimes ruling and providing guidance and direction are either prescribed to European Union Regulations or largely affected by the â€Å"sectoral† agreements reached upon by the states in agreement. The reference of the aforementioned views are made to the C-213/89 Factortame (No1) [1990] ECR I-2433 Case 11/70: a case that involve the controversy in the fishing policy that were change in British. The fishing policy which started iin early 1970s was intended to make fishing within the EU member state of more economicvalue by giving people the liberty to access water freely in within the member states. The common fisheries policy of the European Union also was providing funds to make fishing modernized to meet the market demands. Becase of the increasing demands for fishing in the member states, the EU came up with another agreement in1980 with Spain on to allowance of the fishing agreement which defined to level of fishing grounds and the access points of fishing in the British grounds. As time advanced, the British felt a little uncormfortable with the magnitude of fishing that was taking place in their waters. Fishermen from Spain and elsewhere in the European Union started taking advantage of the fishing vessels that they had to penetrate the UK waters. This led the British to enacting various laws to curb this situation. The British law wanted that the only people who could fish on their water were to be those who were qualified: of which those who were qualified were the British citizen and a company registered in Britain whose 75% members were Brish citiz ens. This move sparked the heat of debate that led the major owners of the fishing vessels from Spain to seek the redress of the law. The people who were affected most were the Factortame from Spain. Their vessels could not meet the conditions that were set by the British newly established laws. The first aurgument advanced by the Factortame was that the British act of 1988 was offensive and could not be applicable to them. They made their reference to the EU law and the Treaty of Rome article 7 which scheduled that one ought not to be discriminated against on the grounds of race, gender and the nationality. According to the EU laws, they had the right to establish themselves in business anywhere and their company could be operative and situated in a nother member country. In general, the approach given to the ECJ to the administration of law, putting up a common honor and alignment to the framework of observance to the general rule of the community law, include values of the intern ational law and guarding the basic rights, is now more to the knowledge of the EU judges. The influence of human rights has made the standard approach in the judicial to grow very rapidly. Upon the investigation and consideration of the structure of the constitution of the European Union, and the numerous changes that have occurred in is so far, its basic structure can be categorized under three broad and general positions3. The

Educators and their Perception on Children Essay Example for Free

Educators and their Perception on Children Essay Studies reveal that there has been an increasing degree of childhood challenging behavior. On a survey made by Joseph et al (2003) as cited from Strain and Joseph (2004) revealed that 73% of educators perceived that children with challenging behaviors has been increasing. More importantly, educators have also been affected by such an increase of challenging behaviors as 70% of them claimed that children with such make them feel stressed, while 60% said that it has a negative effect on their job satisfaction. Since challenging behavior has been increasing at present, such also has a negative effect on teacher turnovers. In relation with it, it has also been viewed that such a character of children has a significant relationship to the educators burn out and amount of complaints that they receive from the parents. In consequence, the schools upper administration, tend to squeeze their budgets for a more costly approach and on the other hand, educators are being questioned of their efficiency. During the 1960s educators believed that the source of difficulties in their class primarily emerges from children with problem behaviors. As such, they tend to see them as bad apples that could be removed in order to maintain a more favorable environment (Long et al, 1965) as cited from Strain and Joseph (2004). In fact studies of Joseph et al on 2003 revealed that 40% of educators reveal that they have removed students from their class for the past 12 months. Another problem that the educators experience is that they take the approach to children with challenging behavior as evident on their expression of frustration, anger, inadequacy, fear, guilt and stress (Strain and Joseph, 2004). In addition with this, respondents also reveal that they felt overwhelmed, undervalued and disrespected (Strain and Joseph, 2004). These feelings are clear indications that there are problems that the teacher needs to address. The educator needs to cope with these kinds of feelings in order to provide more self-control and rational thinking to be able to effectively address their students challenging behavior. Odom et al (1990) as cited from Strain and Joseph (2004) also found out that a teachers openness to adopt a new approach towards teaching children could also affect the rate in which children could go through with the problems that he or she is experiencing. It has also been perceived that the amount of work that the teachers have to handle could also impact how the way the handle children with challenging behavior. For teachers who have a lot of priorities and paperwork, to ask them to do one more thing further adds to their frustration. Teachers also argue that they don’t have enough training in order to deal with this type of children. These situations in addition to their relatively low wages are also determining factors of their negative attitude towards children with challenging behavior.

The 1948 Tucker Torpedo Essay -- Business Analysis

Every so often a man or women has an idea that is innovative, amazing or in some cases far ahead of its time. Unfortunately it is far too common that these ideas are lost or stifled by people who are afraid of the change they may bring. Since people also tend to believe if something seems too good to be true it probably is, these ideas may not get enough good attention until it is too late. Preston Tucker was one of these innovative people with a great idea. In 1944 he began work on a car that was safe, reliable, and groundbreaking. So far ahead of its time it made the wrong people nervous. The car was first christened as the Tucker Torpedo but due to concerns over torpedo not sounding safe, it was changed to the Tucker 1948. These amazing cars turned out to be one of the most revolutionary automobiles ever made and would have remained so if it weren’t for a slander campaign by the United States government. Preston Tucker’s dream above all other things was to make a safe car. Because of this the Tucker 1948 had many revolutionary safety features. Some of these features wouldn't be used for some time by other manufacturers. Every detail mattered so with safety being most important the engineers designed some new components. The instrument panel had all the controls within easy reach of the steering wheel and the dashboard was padded. The initial plans for the car also included a steering wheel that would retract in an accident. Kenneth Lyman even filed Patent number 2511165 for it on Dec 5, 1947 on behalf of the Tucker Corporation (Lyman, n.d.). This device unfortunately never had a chance to make it into the 50 vehicles produced. Even though it was symbolic of the innovative ideas they had. Some of them due to time constraints... ...e of Challenges and Changes (pp. 264–265). Lincolnwood, Illinois, United States: Publications International, Ltd. Lyman, Kenneth E.. (n.d.). COLLAPSIBLE VEHICLE STEERING COLUMN - Google Patent Search. Retrieved March 2, 2010, from http://www.google.com/patents?id=tCpwAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q=&f=false. Pearson, C. T. (1960). The Indomitable Tin Goose. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers Inc. The Showroom of Automotive History: 1948 Tucker. (n.d.). . Retrieved February 18, 2010, from http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/1948/tucker.html. Tucker, P. (1948, June 15). Open Letter. The Official Tucker Club of America . Retrieved February 18, 2010, from http://www.tuckerclub.org/html/openletter.html. Windsor, H. H. (1947, September). Popular Mechanics. Popular Mechanics, 88(September 1947), 136-138 236 240.

Corporate Bonds †Business Finance Essay

Bond – is defined as a long-term debt of a firm or the government set forth in writing and made under seal. Kinds of Bond 1. Government Bonds – are those issued by the government to finance its activities. 2. Corporate Bonds – are those issued by private corporations to finance their long -term funding requirements. Bonds as Distinguished from Stocks 1.A bond is a debt instrument while stock is an instrument of ownership. 2.Bondholders have priority over stockholders when payments are made by the company. 3.Interest payments due to bonds are fixed, while dividends to stockholders are contingent upon earning and must be declared by the board of directors. 4.Bonds have specific maturity date, at which time, repayment of the principal is due. In contrast, stocks are instrument of permanent capital financing and does not have maturity dates. 5.Bondholders have no vote and no influence on the management of the firm, except when the provisions of the bond and the indenture agreement are not met. Alternative way of bond Issuance Bonds are issued through any of the following ways: 1. Public Offering – involves selling of corporate bonds to the general public through investment bankers. 2. Private Placement – is a sale of bonds directly to an institution and is a private agreement between the issuing company and the financial institution without public examination. I. BONDS by Type of Security Debentures – are general credit bonds not secured by specific property. Mortgage Bonds – are those which are secured by a lien on specially named property as land, buildings, equipment, and other fixed assets. Assumed Bond – There are times when a corporation buys another corporation, or is merged with another. Guaranteed Bonds – is a type of bond in which the payment of interest, or principal, or both, is guaranteed by one or more individuals or corporations. Joint Bonds – There are times when a property is owned jointly by several companies. II. BONDS by manner of participation in earnings Coupon Bonds – these are bonds having attachments of a series of postdated certificates payable to the bearer for the interest over the life of the bond. Registered Bonds – these are bonds wherein the names of the owners are recorded on the transfer books of the company. Participating Bonds – these are bonds which stipulate a fixed coupon rate but which also provide a method of receiving additional income over and above this minimum sum. Bonds with Warrants – Bonds may also have warrants attached to them. The warrants is an option or a right, exercisable by its holder, to purchase stock at a stated price during a stipulated period of time. Bonds with Junior Security Attached – these are bonds which are issued along with some shares of stock in a package or block sale. III. BONDS by method of retirement Serial Bonds – is one among a group of bonds a part of which mature semi-annually or annually instead of all on a single date. Sinking Fund Bonds – Bonds may also be gradually retired with the provision of a sinking fund. Callable Bonds – The are bonds with provisions that the terms of the issue can be cancelled or called. Convertible Bonds – These are bonds which may be exchanged for the common stock of the issuing corporation at a fixed price, at a pre-determined redemption date and at the option of the bondholder. Perpetual Bonds – These are bonds which cannot be redeemed by demanding repayment. THE INDENTURE AND TRUSTEE Indenture – is a contract between the corporation and the trustee on behalf of the bondholders. Trustee – is a person who handles monies or property on behalf of another in a trust.

Case Study Methodology Essay

Increase learning through real world case analysis situations. ?Develop skills of teamwork and cooperation. ?Develop points of view, opinions, and frame of references to help one become a more understanding, useful, and productive member of an organization, and this course in particular. ?Develop experience of management and cooperation with virtual working groups. Preparing a Case analysis: The first step in preparing a case is to assemble the facts, information, and circumstances surrounding the case described. As in real life, non-relevant descriptive materials may be presented and should be eliminated from further analysis–you have to decide those items as a study group and an individual. You must sift through all the information you can gather and determine what is important to your final decision. Many times personal experience and knowledge may need to be used or additional information gathered from the Internet, then these can be used to base a final analysis for the study group. Outline of Case analysis Approach: ?Define the central issue. ?Select and gather pertinent areas of consideration, make assumptions where needed about data, and other items that might drive your analysis towards one solution or another. ?Analyze the considerations and determine their relative importance. ?Investigate all the possibilities to solve the central issue, but strive to identify at least three different options. ?Select and state the best solution. ?Describe how you would implement that best solution. ?Defend, from textbook readings and other sources, how you would insure success. Answer the Questions at the End of the Case Study† Dr. Jim Young-Kaplan University.

Explaining the Invention of the Jigsaw Puzzle

Explaining the Invention of the Jigsaw Puzzle The jigsaw puzzle- that delightful and perplexing challenge wherein a picture made of cardboard or wood has been cut into differently shaped pieces that must be fit together- is widely thought of as an entertaining pastime. But it didn’t start out that way. Believe it or not, the birth of the jigsaw puzzle was rooted in education. A Teaching Aid Englishman John Spilsbury, a London engraver and mapmaker, invented the jigsaw puzzle in 1767. The first jigsaw puzzle was a map of the world. Spilsbury attached a map to a piece of wood and then cut out each country. Teachers used Spilsburys puzzles to teach geography. Students learned their geography lessons by putting the world maps back together. With the invention of the first fret treadle saw in 1865, the ability to create machine-aided curved lines was at hand. This tool, which operated with foot pedals like a sewing machine, was perfect for the creation of puzzles. Eventually, the fret or scroll saw came to also be known as the jigsaw. By 1880, jigsaw puzzles were being machine crafted, and although cardboard puzzles entered the market, wood jigsaw puzzles remained the bigger seller. Mass Production Mass production of jigsaw puzzles began in the 20th century with the advent of die-cut machines. In this process sharp, metal dies for each puzzle were created and, operating like print-making stencils, were pressed down on sheets of cardboard or soft woods to cut the sheet into pieces.   This invention coincided with the golden age of jigsaws of the 1930s. Companies on both sides of the Atlantic churned out a variety of puzzles with pictures depicting everything from domestic scenes to railroad trains.   In the 1930s puzzles were distributed as low-cost marketing tools in the U.S. Companies offered the puzzles for special low prices with the purchase of other items. For example, a newspaper ad from the period trumpets the offer of a $.25 jigsaw of the Maple Leaf hockey team and a $.10 theater ticket with the purchase of Dr. Gardner’s Toothpaste (normally $.39) for just $.49. The industry also created excitement by issuing â€Å"The Jig of the Week† for puzzle fans.   The jigsaw puzzle remained a steady pastime- reusable and a great activity for groups or for an individual- for decades. With the invention of digital applications, the virtual jigsaw puzzle arrived in the 21st century and a number of apps were created allowing users to solve puzzles on their smartphones and tablets.

If You Can Keep Your Head…

If You Can Keep Your Head†¦ If You Can Keep Your Head If You Can Keep Your Head By Maeve Maddox Back when I was an eighth-grader, children were required to memorize poems. I can still recite much of If by Kipling. The poem begins If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance for their doubting too, and ends If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,†¨ Or walk with kingsnor lose the common touch,†¨ If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;†¨ If all men count with you, but none too much,†¨ If you can fill the unforgiving minute†¨With sixty seconds worth of distance run,†¨ Yours is the Earth and everything thats in it,†¨ Andwhich is moreyoull be a Man, my son! I recall really liking that one. Back then, girls just translated the gendered stuff internally and applied the masculine virtues to themselves. If you can keep your head. Have you ever noticed how many idioms and expressions make use of the word head? (One of our Forum members, Heaven, got me started on this.) Head as a Noun As a noun, head can mean: foam on a glass of beer This meaning existed as early as 1545. water closet on a ship from 1748, based on location of crew toilet in the bow (or head) of a ship leader of a tribe or other collection of people source of a river (head waters) upper end of a bed business end of an arrow, spear, ax part of a boil or pimple that is ready to burst (Things come to a head and then break loose.) obverse of a coin (tails is the reverse of a coin) one person/animal as in head count and twenty head of cattle top part of grain Ex. a head of corn, a head of wheat Head as a Verb to set ones course: Ex. We headed for home. (originally a nautical term) to have authority over: Ex. He heads a giant corporation. Head in combination with other elements header a dive headfirst into a pool header information typed at the top of a page headfirst -head foremost headstrong (1398) stubborn, determined to have ones way headquarters (1647) where military (or other) leaders have their offices headroom (1851) space above the head, as in a train. headphone This modern sounding coinage was first noted in 1914. headlight (1861) Before there were automobiles, trains and ships needed lights in front. headmaster/headmistress head teacher behead execute by chopping off the head NOTE: to decapitate is to chop off someones head. It derives from caput, Latin for head. Capital punishment was originally decapitation. A state capital is the states head or chief city. The word chief, while were at it, also means head. It comes into English from French. It came into French from, you guessed it, Latin caput. Then there are the idioms: Keep your head. Remain calm in stressful circumstances. Lose your head. Lose control because of some overpowering emotion. have a level head able to remain calm and exercise good judgment Get a head start. Begin before other participants. Give him his head. Let him do as he pleases. (from horseback riding) Hes in over his head. He is involved in some activity which he is unable to deal with. The image is that of drowning. Ive only scratched the surface, but if I dont quit citing examples of head idioms, Ill go out of my head. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of HumorOn Behalf Of vs. In Behalf Of5 Ways to Reduce Use of Prepositions

Timeline of the Medieval Traders on the Swahili Coast

Timeline of the Medieval Traders on the Swahili Coast Based on archaeological and historical data, the medieval period of the 11th through 16th centuries AD was the heyday of Swahili Coast trading communities. But that data has also shown that the African merchants and sailors of the Swahili Coast began to  trade in international goods at least 300-500 years earlier. A timeline of the major events on the Swahili coast: Early 16th century, the  arrival of Portuguese and the end of Kilwas trading powerCa 1400 start of Nabhan dynasty1331, Ibn Battuta visits Mogadishu14th-16th centuries, a shift in trade to the  Indian Ocean, the heyday of coastal Swahili townsCa 1300, the  start of Mahdali dynasty (Abul Mawahib)Ca 1200, first coins minted by Ali bin al-Hasan in Kilwa12th century, a rise of Mogadishu11th-12th centuries, most coastal people converted to Islam, a shift in trade to the  Red Sea11th century, start of Shirazi dynasty9th century, slave trade with the  Persian Gulf8th century, the first mosque built6th-8th centuries AD, trade established with Muslim traders40 AD, author of Periplus visits Rhapta The Ruling Sultans A chronology of ruling sultans can be derived from the Kilwa Chronicle, two undated medieval documents recording an oral history of the large Swahili capital of Kilwa. Scholars are skeptical of its accuracy, however, particularly with respect to the semi-mythical Shirazi dynasty: but they are agreed on the existence of several important sultans: Ali ibn al-Hasan (11th century)Daud ibn al-HasanSulaiman ibn al-Hasan (early 14th c)Daud ibn Sulaiman (early 14th c)al-Hasan ibn Talut (ca 1277)Muhammad ibn Sulaimanal-Hasan ibn Sulaiman (ca 1331, visited by Ibn Battuta)Sulaiman ibn al-Husain (14th c) Pre  or Proto-Swahili The earliest pre or proto-Swahili sites date to the first century AD, when the unnamed Greek sailor who authored the merchants guide Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, visited Rhapta on what is today the central Tanzanian coast. Rhapta was reported in the Periplus to be under the rule of Maza on the Arabian Peninsula. The Periplus reported that ivory, rhinoceros horn, nautilus and turtle shell, metal implements, glass, and foodstuffs were imports available in Rhapta. Finds of Egypt-Roman and other Mediterranean imports dated to the last few centuries BC suggest some contact with those areas. By the 6th to 10th centuries AD, people on the coast were living in mostly rectangular earth-and-thatch houses, with household economies based on pearl millet agriculture, cattle pastoralism, and fishing. They smelted iron, built boats and made what archaeologists called Tana Tradition or Triangular Incised Ware pots; they obtained imported goods such as glazed ceramics, glassware, metal jewelry, and stone and glass beads from the Persian Gulf. Beginning in the 8th century, the African inhabitants had converted to Islam. Archaeological excavations at Kilwa Kisiwani and Shanga in Kenya have demonstrated that these towns were settled as early as the 7th and 8th centuries. Other prominent sites of this period include Manda in northern Kenya, Unguja Ukuu on Zanzibar and Tumbe on Pemba. Islam and Kilwa The earliest mosque on the Swahili coast is located in the town of Shanga in the Lamu Archipelago. A timber mosque was built here in the 8th century AD, and rebuilt in the same location, again and again, each time larger and more substantial. Fish became an increasingly important part of the local diet, consisting of fish on the reefs, within about one kilometer (one-half mile) from the shore. In the 9th century, connections between Eastern Africa and the Middle East included the export of thousands of slaves from Africas interior. The slaves were transported through Swahili coastal towns to destinations in Iraq such as Basra, where they worked on a dam. In 868, the slave revolted in Basra, weakening the market for slaves from Swahili. By ~1200, all of the large Swahili settlements included stone built mosques. The Growth of Swahili Towns Through the 11th-14th centuries, the Swahili towns expanded in scale, in the numbers and variety of imported and locally-produced material goods, and in trade relationships between the interior of Africa and other societies around the Indian Ocean. A wide variety of boats were built for sea-going trade. Although most of the houses continued to be made of earth and thatch, some of the houses were built of coral, and many of the larger and newer settlements were stone towns, communities marked by elite residences built of stone. Stonetowns grew in number and size, and trade blossomed. Exports included ivory, iron, animal products, mangrove poles for house construction; imports included glazed ceramics, beads and other jewelry, cloth, and religious texts. Coins  were minted in some of the larger centers, and iron and copper alloys, and beads of various types were produced locally. Portuguese Colonization In 1498-1499, the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama began exploring the Indian Ocean. Beginning in the 16th century, Portuguese and Arab colonization began to decrease the power of the Swahili towns, evidenced by the construction of Fort Jesus in Mombasa in 1593, and the increasingly aggressive trade wars in the Indian Ocean. The Swahili culture fought variously successfully against such incursions and although disruptions in trade and loss of autonomy did occur, the coast prevailed in urban and rural life. By the end of the 17th century, the Portuguese lost control of the western Indian Ocean to Oman and Zanzibar. The Swahili coast was reunited under the Omani sultanate in the 19th century. Sources Chami FA. 2009. Kilwa and the Swahili Towns: Reflections from an archaeological perspective. In: Larsen K, editor. Knowledge, Renewal and Religion: Repositioning and changing ideological and material circumstances among the Swahili on the East African coast. Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitututet.Elkiss TH. 1973. Kilwa Kisiwani: The Rise of an East African City-State. African Studies Review 16(1):119-130.Phillipson D. 2005. African Archaeology. London: Cambridge University Press.Pollard E. 2011. Safeguarding Swahili trade in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries: a unique navigational complex in south-east Tanzania. World Archaeology 43(3):458-477.Sutton JEG. 2002. The southern Swahili harbour and town on Kilwa Island, 800-1800 AD: A chronology of booms and slumps.: Uppsala University.Wynne-Jones S. 2007. Creating urban communities at Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania, AD 800-1300. Antiquity 81:368-380.

Mnagement of a Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mnagement of a Change - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that M&S was the first organization in UK to actually make over a  £1 billion in profits however, its performance, over the period of time, declined. One of the key reasons for the decline of the profitability of the firm was the economic recession which started during 2007. The recent reports suggest that M&S has been facing serious issues regarding the delivery and its supply chain. During last Christmas, M&S missed deliveries on lot of orders and ran the serious risk of loss of reputation.This essay discusses that considering the overall situation being faced by M&S and the rapid loss of reputation due to failed deliveries and other related issues with the supply chain, it is clear that besides bringing in more changes, it is also critical to focus on the cultural change. UK along with other developed countries faced strong economic recession which resulted into decline of consumer demand and subsequent reduction in profitability and revenues of the b ig organizations. Owing to the tough economic situation, suppressed demand as well as reluctant of banks to lend money, overall consumer demand remained at lower level during last many years. Considering this situation, it is critical for M&S to actually make a strategic shift and bring in the required cultural change within the organization. Though M&S is being going through the transformation process however, to make it more robust and a competitive player within the marke.

Levels of Prevention Paper (Primary Health Prevention levels by Essay

Levels of Prevention Paper (Primary Health Prevention levels by Community Health Nurses) - Essay Example Health relates to ensuring the optimal level of well-being in the individual. In the homeless this relates to ensuring that they are as well protected from the effects which being homeless may have on their health as possible. The nursing paradigm relates to the use of the skills of the community nurse in creating and maintaining a relationship with the individual as well as offering appropriate treatment and care. Taking these four metaparadigms into account, primary prevention would be considered to be an effective community health care strategy to use with the homeless. Primary prevention relates to the interventions which the community nurse creates to prevent risk behaviors before they start. In the case of the homeless aggregate this pertains to preventing behaviors which may put the homeless person’s health and well being at risk in order to maintain this at the optimal levels possible given the situation. This could also be considered in terms of maintaining the fourteen areas of nursing care as established by Henderson in the Interactive model of nursing (Tourville and Ingalls, 2003). This framework can be seen in Appendix 1. Primary prevention will be achieved through health promotion and education and health protection in line with this framework, focusing in preventing any behavior which may compromise the elements of the framework. The importance of primary prevention is that it is independent of diagnosis (Wenger, 2006). This means that it is an accessible form of health care, making it particularly suitable for those groups who m ay resist diagnosis, as may be the case for some subgroups of the homeless. This step of primary prevention focuses on the development of accessible health education programs for the homeless. This focuses on using education to prevent any behaviors which may put the health of the individual at risk, such as heavy alcohol consumption, unprotected sex and other risky behaviors. The strategies

Can Islamic Finance Ever Become A Mainstream Product In UK Essay

Can Islamic Finance Ever Become A Mainstream Product In UK - Essay Example Introduction: The emergence of the capitalist system that focuses on the acquisition of individual profits has been long supported as the best economic policy for most countries to follow, because market forces tend to balance out economies in the long run. The banking system in the UK also functions under the capitalist model, wherein acquisition of profits is an integral part of the system and â€Å"greed† or the â€Å"unbridled pursuit of wealth† has become the popular slogan for individuals and corporations (Ayub,2007, p. 31). The motivation towards profit is the cornerstone of the UK banking system. The recent financial crisis and corporate scandals such as Enron have however, dispelled the deregulation which existed previously and given rise to stricter financial regulation of money markets (Von Hagen and Ho, 2007). Deregulation of the banking system has been blamed for the speculative activities of the stock markets and the unrestricted use and issue of credit, w hich led to the financial crisis (Money morning, 2009). In the current financial environment, the Islamic banking model offers a completely different approach to banking and lending, because it is not based upon the profit motivation that characterizes UK banks. The Islamic banking system is based upon sharia law, wherein the charging of interest on loans to gain profit is forbidden and is considered to be contravene the religious tenets of Islam. The question that arises in this context therefore, is: Can the Islamic banking system offer a viable financial choice in the U.K.? Since Islamic banks do not charge interest and thereby provide an opportunity for consumers to borrow loans without large additional amounts being charged as interest, would this be a more ethical and equitable form of banking? The research question that is to be examined in this work is: Can Islamic Finance ever become a mainstream product in the U.K.? Banking system in the U.K. In the U.K., the banking syste m is dominated by four large banking conglomerates, Royal Bank of Scotland, HBOS, Barclays, and HSBC. The financial crisis of 2007 also affected the regulatory system in the UK, producing a tightening up of banking operations (Gola and Roselli, 2009). In March of 2009, the Financial Services Authority in the UK put forward proposals which were geared towards the overhaul of the banking system and its governing rules, especially in regulating lending criteria and clamping down on the unrestricted use of credit, in order to prevent a recurrence of the financial crisis (BBC News, 2009). For many consumers, the high interest rates on bank loans and credit cards are a significant drawback leading to losses, which are especially difficult in the current recessionary environment. The application of Islamic law could therefore potentially lead to the evolution of a â€Å"balanced, sustainable and equitable economic order†, because it can help to provide a balance between social and e conomic principles, as the Islamic system is based upon principles of morality, i.e, Islamic law does not allow collection of interest in banking, for example (Ayub, 49). Islamic banking The shariah or Islamic law is the dominant underlying principle in all Islamic financial transactions, because Shariah compliance is the raison d’etre of the Islamic financial system.(Ayub, 43). Three salient Shariah principles influence the banking industry, i.e, riba, gharar and gambling.This risk sharing model is the

Who Killed Palomino Molero by Mario Vargas Llosa Essay

Who Killed Palomino Molero by Mario Vargas Llosa - Essay Example But the relatively sophisticated Silva is not so quick to jump to conclusions. "Nothing's easy, Lituma," he says. "The truths that seem most truthful, if you look at them from all sides, if you look at them close up, turn out either to be half truths or lies" (86)1. Vargas Llosa, playing on the normal expectations of readers of detective fiction, produces a plot that is surprising for the very reason that it contains no surprises. Yet he simultaneously undermines the expectations of postmodernist readers by keeping his detective story plot on track right through to the end. Who Killed Palomino Molero derives a great deal of its energy from metareading effects similar to those so important in Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter. The text can be read by typical "unsophisticated" fans of detective fiction as an ordinary detective story. The ending of Vargas Llosa's subplot is thus very much like the ending of the detective plots. Silva himself makes the parallel between the plots quite clear: "I've made a vow," he declares early in the book. "I won't die until I screw that fat bitch and until I find out who killed Palomino Molero" (58). 2 The Foucauldian link between sex and epistemology suggested in Who Killed Palomino Molero indicates that these two roles are not all that different.

Public Relation Strategy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Relation Strategy - Term Paper Example The company’s business line is the provision of greetings cards to the market, specifically traditional, Arabic, and Islamic cards. This business is based on the importance of celebrating traditional, social, economic, and political occasions. Most importantly, traditional celebrations are prioritized due to the fact that they constitute the majority of social celebrations that occur at different times of every year. A public relation strategy comes in handy for the operations of the company, due to the high-level publicity and exposure that the company needs in order to market and sell its products (Wilcox & Cameron, 2011). These products include greetings cards, musical greetings cards, gift boxes, musical gift boxes, and gift wrapping papers. On the same note, all the aforementioned products can be customized or non-customized. In order to facilitate efficient and effective information flow from the company to the public, the company has to understand the nature of the environment within which it operates. This has to consider the target market, competition level, consumer tastes and preferences, public notion on the company’s products, and the most appropriate approach to use towards the public and all other stakeholders factored in the public relation concept. The idea is to create a company image and brand that the public wants to associate with. The public relation strategy for the company is made up of five components, all of which are central to the business operations undertaken by the company. These are: knowing the market, using technology, media relations, social awareness, and monitoring the web (Wilcox & Cameron, 2011). Knowing the market entails identifying the target market. Product definition by the company identifies the target market. All persons who engage in traditional celebrations constitute the target market.  

Recovery and Disposal of Solid Waste in Landfills Research Paper

Recovery and Disposal of Solid Waste in Landfills - Research Paper Example Recovery operations in a mixed-waste materials recovery facility involve manual and mechanical sorting. This aids in separating recyclables, which further undergo processing to meet some technical standards. Afterwards, the mixed waste stream might be sent to a landfill for further disposal. Disposal of waste in landfills may have created problems for people and the environment. Landfills that were not properly taken care of or handled led to the creation of various problems. The problems associated with landfills made it possible for people to create sanitary landfills. These are areas designed to isolate waste from the immediate environment until it is no longer a threat. It is in this area that the waste is considered completely degraded (Ramchandra 84). The flexible membrane in liners has allowed liners to temporarily address the issue of groundwater contamination. The clay soil that lines the sides and bottom of the landfills works toward protecting the surrounding groundwater from any leachate releases. The liners are then fitted with leachate collection and removal systems, which remove leachate for treatment and disposal (Jayarama

Public Relation Strategy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Relation Strategy - Term Paper Example The company’s business line is the provision of greetings cards to the market, specifically traditional, Arabic, and Islamic cards. This business is based on the importance of celebrating traditional, social, economic, and political occasions. Most importantly, traditional celebrations are prioritized due to the fact that they constitute the majority of social celebrations that occur at different times of every year. A public relation strategy comes in handy for the operations of the company, due to the high-level publicity and exposure that the company needs in order to market and sell its products (Wilcox & Cameron, 2011). These products include greetings cards, musical greetings cards, gift boxes, musical gift boxes, and gift wrapping papers. On the same note, all the aforementioned products can be customized or non-customized. In order to facilitate efficient and effective information flow from the company to the public, the company has to understand the nature of the environment within which it operates. This has to consider the target market, competition level, consumer tastes and preferences, public notion on the company’s products, and the most appropriate approach to use towards the public and all other stakeholders factored in the public relation concept. The idea is to create a company image and brand that the public wants to associate with. The public relation strategy for the company is made up of five components, all of which are central to the business operations undertaken by the company. These are: knowing the market, using technology, media relations, social awareness, and monitoring the web (Wilcox & Cameron, 2011). Knowing the market entails identifying the target market. Product definition by the company identifies the target market. All persons who engage in traditional celebrations constitute the target market.  

Essentials of contemporary communication Assignment

Essentials of contemporary communication - Assignment Example The three skills most in demand are ability for versatile teamwork, problem solving, and communication. People are expected to work well with others and be able to switch easily from team to team, depending on the project. This implies a capacity for quick learning, high adaptability, and composure under pressure. This is an extension of teaming up and versatility a work. People who can recognize problems and implement solutions are esteemed by companies. Not only the management needs them; such people are the darlings of colleagues everywhere, and also of HR managers. Such people are blessed with the traits of thinking creatively, visualizing and suggesting solutions, knowing what to learn and how to do that at the right time. Communication skills are not just for professional advancement. Even as a personal trait it is very essential to be a welcome member of any group in family or society. But it has an added significance in the workplace—from performing the routine work, to securing timely promotions and wage hikes. Today’s communication needs can be classified broadly into three areas—written, oral and technological. Written: lot of documentation, reporting, correspondence and filling up of forms is involved in usual work. Excellence in these areas is necessary to cut one’s way through career goals. Oral: Simple speech communication matters a lot in today’s workplace. Good skills at this is needed for successfully selling your ideas to your manager for project approval, happy appraisal of work done and moving up the career ladder, giving instructions, understanding instructions and implementing things, maintaining rapport with co-workers of different levels and tempe rament, fruitful telephonic deals, interviewing people and gathering information, making presentations and a lot more. Technology: Proficiency with communication channels like telephone, fax, email,

Interest Rates Affects on the Is-Lm Model Essay Example for Free

Interest Rates Affects on the Is-Lm Model Essay Assignment 4 5. According to the IS-LM model, what happens to the interest rate, income, consumption and invest under the following circumstances. a. The central bank increases money supply. An increase in the money supple shifts the LM curve downward. The equilibrium moves from point A to point B. Income rises from Y1 to Y2 and the interest rate falls from r1 to r2. Therefore this increase in money supply causes a decrease in interest rate, an increase in income, an increase in consumption and an increase in investment. LM Income, output, Y b. Government increases government purchases An increase in government purchases result in a shift in the IS curve to the right. The equilibrium moves from point A to point B. Income rises from Y1 to Y2 and interest rate rises from r1 to r2. This increase in government purchases therefore causes interest rate to rise and income also rises. Consumption will also increase but the increase in government purchases will cause investment to decrease. interest rate, r LM IS2 IS1 Income, output, Y c. The government increases taxes. An increase in taxes shifts the IS curve to the left. The equilibrium moves from point A to point B. Income falls from Y1 to Y2 and the interest rate from r ¬1 to r 2. Therefore increase in taxes will bring about a decrease in interest rate, cause income to also decrease which will decrease consumption also but will result in an increase in investment. interest rate, r LM IS1 IS2 Income, output, Y d. The government increase government purchases and taxes equally 6. Consider the following economy of Hicksonia. a. The consumption function is given by C= 200 + 0. 75 (Y T) The investment function is I= 200-25r Government purchases and taxes are both 100.

The Key Factors Contributing To An Effective Destination Marketing Essay

The Key Factors Contributing To An Effective Destination Marketing Essay According to Blain 2001, before defining the concept of destination branding, it was essential to define branding in its general term. Henceforth to provide a better insight of the traditional definition of a brand a definition by Aaker (1990) in Managing Brand Equity was firstly identified. He defines brand as a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors. According to the traditional perspective, a brand was solely associated with the product/service which would help the product/service to be distinguished amongst others. Moreover, Kotler (2000) also shared the same viewpoint as he defined brand as the name associated with one or more items in the product line, which is used to identify the source of character of the item(s) (Kotler 2000, p. 396). In addition, as the word keeps evolving and becomes more challenging, Blain (2001) in his definition of branding explained the difference between brand and logo. He argued that the logo design is the symbol or visual representation of the brand, which includes image, identity and perceptions of the perceived product. Creating a logo is one key aspect of branding but the branding of a product/service involves more than just a logo as the brand name also is an important factor. Hence, both the brand and the logo are interdependent. Within this view, Keller (2003a) states that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦whenever a marketer creates a new name, logo, or symbol for a new product, he or she has created a brand (p. 3). However, Kapferer (1997) mentioned that the brand is a sign- therefore external- whose function is to disclose the hidden qualities of the product which are inaccessible to contact (p 28). Here, the perception of branding is totally different compared to previous research. Kapferer put much emphasis on the identity that a brand name projects and which will further help the product/service to distinguish itself from competition. Taking the example of the global fast food industry namely McDonalds, Ghosh et al (2010) stated that there are certain value propositions that the company offers to its customers to satisfy their needs. McDonalds offers hygienic environment, good ambience and great service. It can hence be considered that the hidden qualities as mentioned earlier by Kapferer here is the perception which people have with regards to the ambience at Mc Donald. Henceforth, Kohli and Thakor (1997) suggest that, The challenge today is to create a strong and distinctive image (p. 208 ). Initially, a brand was simply a name, it gradually became a representation of a product and now a brand not only represent a product or service alone but marketers can also brand a city, a state, a nation or even a country. Branding is also about creating awareness of a destination. According to Upshaw (1995), it is useful to review a summary of the terminologies of branding as it helps to understanding the various terms of branding used in the branding of destinations. Brand Equity The total accumulated value or worth of a brand; the tangible and intangible assets that the brand contributes to its corporate parent, both financially and in terms of selling leverage. Brand identity Part of the brands overall equity; the total perception of a brand in the marketplace, driven mostly by its positioning and personality. Brand positioning What a brand stands for in the minds of customers and prospects, relative to its competition, in terms of benefits and promises. Brand personality The outward face of a brand; its tonal characteristics most closely associated with human traits. Brand essence The core or distillation of the brand identity. Brand character Having to do with the internal constitution of the brand; how it is seen in terms of integrity, honesty and trustworthiness. Brand soul Related to the brand character, defined as the values and emotional core of the brand. Brand culture The system of values that surrounds a brand, much like the cultural aspects of a people or a country. Brand image Generally synonymous with either the brands strategic personality or its reputation as a whole. Table 1: The basic terminologies of branding (Upshaw 1995) With these terminologies as a foundation, a definition of destination branding can be developed which will help to have a better overview of the tourism destination branding. DESTINATION BRANDING Despite being uncertain about referring the branding concept to the tourism destination context (OShaughnessy OShaughnessy 2000), that concept has only recently captured the interest of tourism destination researchers and practitioners (Curtis 2001; Anholt 2002; Cai 2002; Morgan Pritchard 2002; Olins 2002). The notion of branding in the tourism industry has only recently to come in the limelight and apparently became a debatable and examinable topic in the late 1990s according to Pike (2002) and Tasci Kozak (2006). Ricardo (2009) also supported the fact that although branding has been an old aged concept, the study of destination branding is a relatively new addition in the tourism research field. With reference to the definition of branding that Aaker (1991) derived from his research, he explained destination branding as a distinguishing name and/ or symbol (such as a logo, or trademark) intended to identify the destination and to differentiate it from competitive destinations. ( p.7). Here also, the researcher put much emphasis on the name and symbol that would contribute to the personalization of the destination from competitors. However, some researchers do not limit their definition of branding to a simple name and symbol. According to Ritchie and Crouch (2003), the destination branding concept is also about feelings and emotional attachment that the visitor would experience when visiting the destination. Within this perspective, they proposed the following definition: A destination brand is a name, symbol, logo trademark or other graphic that both identifies and differentiates the destination; furthermore, it conveys the promise of a memorable travel experience that is uniquely associated with the destination. It also serves to consolidate and reinforce the post- travel recollection of pleasurable memories of the destination experience. Henceforth, a destination brand is far more complex than a product brand. The destination brand must have two attributes to be efficient compared to the brand of a product/service. Firstly, it is necessary to differentiate itself from other destinations as put forward by Aaker (1991), and secondly people visiting the destination should also experience the promise associated with the brand message. The marketer must make sure to deliver the experience promised. Taking the example of Columbia, the brand associated is The only risk is wanting to stay. According to Buncle (2009), when a sightseer visits Columbia, he should want to prolonged his visit, only then the marketer could have the satisfaction of a successful destination brand. Additionally, Cai (2002) defined destination branding from a much similar perspective. He described destination brand as perceptions about a place as reflected by the associations held in tourist memory (Cai 2002, p. 273). His definition reflects that of R itchie and Crouch (2003) as both consider destination brands as an essence, a perception that tourists have when visiting a destination. However, Kerr (2006) considered the concept of competitiveness, the promise of a memorable travel experience and the recollection of pleasurable memories to derive his own definition. To summarize the concept of destination branding, De Chernatony McDonald (1992) commented that the concept of branding is increasingly being applied to people and places. Furthermore, Kotler et al (1999) argue that the concept of a brand name extends to tourist destinations. Acapulco, Palm Springs and the French Riviera have developed strong reputations, consumer perceptions and expectations. In similar ways, Virginia builds on Birthplace of Presidents, Mississippi on The Heart of Dixie, Niagara Falls is Romance, Greece is The Birthplace of Democracy and Florence The centre of the Renaissance. According to Kotler et al (1993), the concept of destination branding is linked to the specific attraction that the destination has to offer and is a platform for building a places image. Finally, the most comprehensive definition of destination branding to date was proposed by Blain et al (2005, p. 337), which includes both supply and demand perspectives: Destination branding is the set of marketing activities that (1) support the creation of a name, symbol, logo, word mark or other graphic that readily identifies and differentiates a destination; that (2) consistently convey the expectation of a memorable travel experience that is uniquely associated with the destination; that (3) serve to consolidate and reinforce the emotional connection between the visitor and the destination; and that (4) reduce consumer search costs and perceived risk. Collectively, these activities can help a destination have a positive influence on the visitor while the latter makes his choice of destination. The definition proposed by Blain et al (2005) covers all the needs and wants a traveler would want to have for his trip. To summarize, defining destination branding is a complex process as it is not only the marketing of a destination but also the sense of promise that the marketer would associate with the brand to all the potential visitors. It also encompasses the satisfaction the visitors would derive when experiencing the destination. COUNTRY BRAND VERSUS DESTINATION BRAND Not much research has been done till now to differentiate between a country brand and a destination brand. However according to Szondi (2007), the aim of destination branding is to attract visitors and boost tourism, while country branding promotes economic, commercial and political interests at home and abroad. Szondi (2007) further suggest that a country brand can consist of different brands, such as a destination brand, an export brand, an investment brand, a political brand, which can be all different rather than having a central, all-encompassing country brand. Some of these sub-brands can be stronger and more successful than others. He further argues that country brands have both intangible and tangible elements, such as the products or services of the particular country. The more specific aims of country branding are to create or advance the country-of-origin effect, to promote exports or attract investors or a skilled workforce. Country brands can serve as a sort of umbrella under which further sub-brands can be developed. Taking the case of Mauritius as example, it can be noted that its country brand is Mauritius- its a pleasure whilst its tourism brand is Les Iles Vanilles, on technological grounds, Mauritius has branded itself as Cyber- Mauritius and ecologically, the island has been termed as Maurice- Ile durable. Sub- brands are very important for a destination as it helps both investors and travelers to have an overview on the political, economical, social, technological, ecological and legal aspect of the destination. Another concrete example which shows an evidence of the difference is the case of India. The country brand of India is Incredible India, but several destinations of the country itself are branded separately. Table 2 clearly shows the difference between the country brand and the destination brand. Country brand Destination brands Table 2: Difference between a country brand and a destination brand REASONS DESTINATIONS DEVELOP BRANDS Research has proved that branding improve destination image among visitors and help Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), who are the stakeholders of the tourism industry of a destination, in measuring the success of that branding concept. Branding successes include the Courtyard by Marriott (Alford 1998), Forte Hotels (Connell 1994), and Florida (American Marketing Association 1997). In addition, the 1998 Annual Travel and Tourism Research Association conference has reported a number of destination branding success stories. These included New York, Tasmania, Australia, Canada, New Orleans, Lousiana, Texas, and Oregon. The branding success in the hospitality firms (Beirne 1999; Higley 1999; Hodge 1998; Salomon 1998) has also been recognized. Also, from a nation branding perspective, Hamilton (2000) viewed Scotland as uniquely strong in integrity, inventiveness, tenacity, and spirit. Henceforth, it can be concluded that all the studies stress the importance of reinforcing a uniq ue image and personality as well as differentiating the destination from competitors to be successful and to be a recognized destination and nation around the world. Additionally, according to Rainisto (2004), a successful brand is a key national asset that is why every nation brands itself. In other words, branding is considered as a marketing tool to promote a destination and in the process of developing a successful brand the place itself is developed. Brown et al (2002) took the example of Australia and the Sydney 2000 Olympics to describe such a development. Branding Australia as a whole has changed the perspectives of many. With the Sydney Olympic game, other countries and even the local population viewed Australia differently as the targeted group was satisfied with the Sydney Olympic and Australia brand image was boosted. To summarize, destinations develop brands to be economically stable and develop as well as exploit existing resources for the benefit of the destination itself. Moreover, destinations develop brands so that they can sell themselves by citing only category benefits. For example, several tropical destinations mostly islands like Jamaica, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Mexico and the Cayman Islands praise their clear blue water and white or pink or black sandy beaches to attract maximum number of tourists1. They sell fun, excitement or relaxation or the various activities that their destination offers with an added value of local culture which will outsmart the destination when compared to others as each destination has its own culture. Thus, it can be concluded that destinations develop brands to achieve fame and success by selling themselves to potential visitors. 1:http://www.stealingshare.com/pages/%20Destination%20Brand%20Development%20and%20Tourism%20Brand.htm DESTINATION IMAGE: The aim of destination branding is to put emphasis on the importance of a tourism brand and present the targeted market a favorable image of the mentioned brand according to Jalilvand et al (2010). It can therefore be understood that the image of a destination holds much importance and is considered as one of the key success factor brand. Moreover, Lin et al (2007) also agrees with the fact that destination image plays an important role in shaping tourists preferences and decisions to visit a particular destination. Henceforth, according to Morgan and Pritchard (1998), There is undoubtedly current interest in image. Image is exhorted as the defining experience of the decade, as the new reality. It is commonly recognized that destination image is, the sum of beliefs, ideas, and impressions that a person has of a destination (Crompton 1979, p. 18), it is also an important aspect in successful destination marketing (Tasci Gartner 2007). Some researchers relate destination image as one of the key component for the overall success of a destination in the field of tourism (Chen and Kerstetter 1999; Dadgostar and Isotalo 1992; Hunt 1975). Additionally, according to Echtner and Ritchie (1991), destination image is defined as not only the perceptions of individual destination attributes but also the holistic impression made by the destination (p. 8). Therefore destination image has proved to be a major factor in determining visitor choice (Lee, OLeary, and Hong 2002). The 3- Gap tourism destination image formation model: Moreover, as destination image has a great impact on the tourist behavior, researchers has been trying to identify the determinants that define, modify, and strengthen this concept (Tasci Gartner 2007). Therefore, past studies have considered destination image as a dependent variable suggesting that several factors play a role in the destination image formation (Alhemoud and Armstrong 1996; Bramwell and Rawding 1996; Gartner and Shen 1992; Gunn 1972; MacKay and Fesenmaier 1997; MacKay and Fesenmaier 2000; Smith and MacKay 2001; Sonmez, Apostolopoulos, and Tarlow 1999). Figure 1 below illustrates the destination image formation model and subsequently identifies those elements that have a direct influence on how the perceived destination image is formulated in the mind of the visitor. According to the diagram, there are three main types of destination image namely the cognitive, affective and the conative image that bridges the gap for a successful and effective destination image form ation which will eventually lead to a successful destination brand. FIGURE 1 THE 3-GAP TOURISM DESTINATION IMAGE FORMATION MODEL Figure 1: Adapted from Govers et al- 2007 Assurance of Quality According to Blain et al (2005) a recognized brand is an assurance for consumers who would generally derive satisfaction from that brand and trust that their expectations will be met. Viewed within a hospitality context, visitors will likely expect high-quality facilities and customer service at a renowned internationally recognized chain (brand) of hotels like the Oberoi Hotel Group as they are already acquainted with the service being provided by that particular firm. At the same time, visitors can also expect to pay a premium for this assurance of quality and reduction of perceived risk (Blain et al 2005). L. Berry (2000) states that a brand reduces customers perceived monetary, social, or safety risk in buying services, which are difficult to evaluate prior to purchase (p. 128). Henceforth, the image that a destination projects in the tourism market and its product offering as illustrated in the diagram above is primordial. DESTINATION AND BRAND PERSONALITY Furthermore, one of the other key factors for an effective destination brand is the personality of the destination. As places seek to become distinctive and unique in their own ways, destination personality is viewed as a possible means for understanding tourists perceptions of places and for designing a unique destination identity (Caprara et al 2001; Crask and Henry 1990; Morgan et al 2002, Triplett 1994). As we have seen in Table 1 above, Upshaw (1995) defined brand personality as human traits associated with the destination. Taking Dubai as an example, it is portrayed as a friendly, safe and virtually crime- free country and where hospitality has been a tradition for centuries2. 2:http://www.dubaitourism.ae/DubaiataGlance/WelcometoDubai/tabid/309/language/en US/Default.aspx BRAND PERSONALITY: In the tourism literature, the study of destination image has been of utmost importance during the past three decades, but destination personality has remained largely unexplored. However, since Aaker (1997) developed the Brand Personality Scale (BPS), which consists of five generic dimensions namely excitement, sincerity, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness, further studies on destination personality has been conducted and the brand personality dimensions have been applied to various destinations across different cultures to have a better overview on consumers opinion on that particular area and how it is being consumed by visitors (Aaker et al 2001; Supphellen and Grà ¸nhaug 2003). The brand personality of a destination must have the ability to provide a sense of uniqueness in the minds of the consumers which will in turn help to build and enhance brand equity (Keller 1993; Johnson et al 2000; Phau and Lau 2000). If a brand has a strong personality, consumers would be influ enced (Sirgy 1982; Malhotra 1988) and would tend to develop stronger emotional ties (Biel 1993), trust, and loyalty with the brand (Fournier 1998). DESTINATION PERSONALITY: Similarly to brand personality, a unique and emotionally attractive destination personality can influence the perceived image of a place and influence the choice of the tourist. For example, According to Crockett and Wood (2002), the rebranding of Western Australia has reflected another personality of the country. The destination was promoted as a premier nature-based tourism destination which in turn resulted in an increase in tourism. Although there has been little experimental investigations, destination personality has been adopted by many tourism academics at the conceptual level (Crockett and Wood 2002; Henderson 2000; Morgan et al 2002). For example, through an analysis done in a travel and tourism advertisement in the US travel media, Santos (2004) revealed that Portugal was represented with personality attributes such as contemporary, modern, sophisticated, and traditional. Morgan and Prichard (2002) observed that England was portrayed as being conservative, pleasant, refined, civilized, eccentric, and down to earth in the UK tourism media. Furthermore, Henderson (2000) revealed that the New Asia-Singapore brand composed of six personality characteristics namely cosmopolitan, youthful, vibrant, modern, reliability, and comfort. Moreover, destinations can be described using human personality traits, such as Europe is traditional and sophisticated; Wales is honest, welcoming, romantic, and down to earth; Spain is friendly and family oriented; London is open-minded, unorthodox, vibrant, and creative; and Paris is romantic (Morgan and Pritchard 2002). When choosing among competing products, consumers assess the degree of similarity between the personality traits communicated by the product (Plummer 1985) and by so doing; they reflect their own personality (Zinkhan et al 1996). Hence, a sportsman buying an energy drink like Red Bull will give the latter the impression that when consuming the drink, it would help him to be as strong as a bull. Therefore, there is both a physical and emotional consumption of the product. This notion is supported by Browns study (1992), which advocates that through tourism experience, there are symbolic as well as physical consumption of places. In contrast, whether the tourists have had a direct or indirect contact with the destination, perceptions of destination personality traits can be outlined (Plummer 1985). Destination send a variety of messages, most especially through advertising and tourists would receive and interpret those messages and form a personal opinion on the behavior of the destina tion. Personality traits can be associated with a destination in a direct way through citizens of the country, hotel employees, restaurants, and tourist attractions, or simply through the tourists imagery, defined as the set of human characteristics associated with the typical visitor of a destination (Aaker 1997). In an indirect manner, personality traits can be attributed to destinations through marketing programs such as cooperative advertising, value pricing, celebrities of the country, and media construction of destinations (Cai 2002). Accordingly, Ekinci and Hosany (2006) argued that, similar to consumer goods/brands, tourism destinations are rich in terms of symbolic values and personality traits, given that they consist of a bundle of tangible and intangible components (e.g., visitor attractions, hotels, and people) associated with particular values, histories, events, and feelings. Henceforth, it can be perceived as one of the key factors which contribute to an effective tourism destination brand. DESTINATION POSITIONING Another key aspect of an effective and successful destination brand is the positioning of the destination. In their classic book, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, Ries and Trout (1981) argued that the concept of positioning is not only applicable to a brand but also to a company, service, person, or even a place. A great number of researches have been conducted in the area of destination image and positioning (Gartner, 1989; Woodside et al., 1989; Woodside, 1990; Etchner and Ritchie, 1993; Chacko, 1997; Walmsley and Young, 1998; Botha et al., 1999). Most of the previous studies have followed the traditional approach to positioning that is based on image creation using a number of attributes that reflect the destinations most attractive products. Moreover, Etchner and Ritchie (1993) also believe that the image of a destination should be seen as having components that are attribute-based and holistic. They argued that an analysis of these attributes, integrated with personal variables such as the type of tourism needs sought, can help in identifying the relative strengths and weaknesses of the destination and can also contribute to identifying potential niche markets that could be used in developing the destinations positioning strategy. Buhalis (2000) also suggests, based on Butlers (1980) des tination life-cycle model as shown in Figure 2, that destinations at the later stage of their evolutionary development, that is the rejuvenation phase, should focus on alternative marketing strategies that support the image alteration, redesign or re-positioning of the tourism product. Figure 2: Adapted from Butler (1980) According to the figure above, the following represents: A: Exploration phase B: Involvement phase C: Development phase D: Consolidation phase E: Stagnation phase F: Decline/ Rejuvenation phase According to Butler (1980), each stage contributed to the expansion of tourism in the destination. However, the last phase namely decline/ rejuvenation phase recommend a repositioning and rebranding of the destination to boost the tourism level of the destination. Moreover, Trout and Rivkin (1996) believe that repositioning strategy becomes necessary when (1) Customer attitudes have changed; (2) Technology has overtaken existing products; and/or (3) Products have strayed from the customers long-standing perception of them. Furthermore, Crompton et al (1992) also suggested that, for effective positioning of a destination, the strong attributes that are perceived as important by visitors should be first identified. Also to be identified are other relevant attributes that are unique to the destination and capable of differentiating it effectively from its competitors in its ability to satisfy the customers needs. Consistent with this line of thought, Chacko (1997) in a study of the US tourism market combined the ten highest-ranked activities among Japanese tourists with their specific image attributes of the destination in order to get an indication of how to position the USA as a destination for Japanese visitors. Henceforth, the positioning of a destination is the process of establishing a distinctive place of that destination in the minds of potential visitors (Gartner, 1989). From the above, it can be concluded that to ensure success for the positioning strategy of a destination, it is imperative that the image of the destination and the specific product attributes that satisfy the customer should be identified. Authors such as Gunter and Furnham (1992), Sleight (1993) and Weinstein (1994) believe that markets are no longer as mass-oriented or colossal as they once were due to a change in visitors tastes and needs. Most tourists are in need for unique and unspoiled destinations. Therefore, as explained by Etchner Richie (1993), the measurement of the customers image of the tourism product and the satisfaction of the product attributes, combined with the identification of the tourist needs and desires in a tourist destination (Cho, 1998), can be perceived as factors leading to an effective destination positioning. BRAND EQUITY Apart from destination image, destination personality, destination positioning, another factor which can be considered as important for an effective brand is brand equity. Recently, much emphasis has been put in the tourism literature to the concept of brand equity (Ind 1997; Kapferer 1998; de Chernatony 1999; Aaker Joachimsthaler 2000). The Marketing Science Institute (1989) described brand equity in the perspective of customers as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the value that is added by the name and rewarded in the market with better profit margins or market shares. It can be viewed by customers and channel members as both a financial asset and as a set of favorable associations and behaviors. Keller (2002) also defines brand equity from a customers perspective. He explained that an identifiable brand would urge customers to respond favorably to the product. On the other hand, from a managerial perspective, Aaker (1991) defined brand equity as a set of brand assets and liabilities linked to a brand, its name and symbol add to or subtract from the value provided by a product or service to a firm and/or that firms customers. He stated that the assets and liabilities linked to a brands name or symbol can be grouped into five dimensions namely brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality, brand associations, and other proprietary brand assets. He suggested that brand equity can be generated by strengthening those dimensions. Besides, Faircloth (2001) stated that recent definitions of brand equity have evolved and include the added value of name and expand to a broad set of attributes that drives customer choice. He also argued that brand equity actually represents a products position in the minds of consumers in the marketplace. Nevertheless, researches on the brand equity concept and its dimensions have been mostly investigated within products and services context; the brand equity concept within a tourism destination context is currently in its infancy (Konecnick Gartner, 2007; Pike, 2007). CONCLUSION: Branding has evolved from product brand to destination brand. However, destination branding is far more complex than branding itself. There are four key factors in the literature review that have been developed. These are destination image, destination personality, destination positioning and finally brand equity. Yet, destination image is still considered as one of the most important aspect for an effective brand. Moreover, the 3-gap tourism destination image formation model is an integral tool for marketers have a better insight of the loopholes that should be tackled when promoting a place. Henceforth, whenever any DMO want to create an effective brand, the four key brands must be given due priority.

Mobile Phone-based Interaction Techniques Essay -- Technology, Bluetoo

Many of the research presented in the field of mobile phone-based interaction techniques that have been developed so far fall into three main classes according to Sas & Dix [21]. In some research, the personal device effectively acts as an extended input device for text editing or pointing task. In others, the phone is used to upload and download media using standard content and protocols. The third class is where the mobile phone is a more integral part of the interaction, typically using the display of the device in concert with the public display. Ballagas et al [7] present a survey of the existed interaction techniques that use mobile phones as pointing device. Alongside with the survey, they present an analysis on these techniques based on the following taxonomy: position, orient, select, path, quantify, and text .The study concludes that the mobile phone is suitable devise for positioning tasks in various ways especially when interacting with public display in pervasive environ ment. Bellow we present some studies based on Sas & Dix classification [21]. Mobile phone as pointing devise: As a research area, several studies use image processing and visual recognition as a base in there interaction technique, since that most of the smart phones and handheld devices are equipped with digital camera. Jiang et al [1] attempted to take advantage of this fact by proposing a study to interact with display through mobile device camera. There method uses the position of the cursor on the display as the basic input source. The presented systems depend on a closed-loop of feedback between the handheld device and the display to provide continuous-visual feedback. This closed-loop starts with presenting the cursor on the display. Then, th... ...sts of three units: the Symbian client application running on the mobile phone. The role of this unit is to enable users to select a track from the presented list on the phone screen. The second unit is the server application running on a PC which counts the votes from all client unit users. The last one is a large public display which acts as the main user interface showing the track list and their votes. Kaviani et al [13] propose new user interface concept that take advantage of the input and output capability of large public display and mobile phone. They call this mode of interface as â€Å"dual display†, which allows users to execute multimedia user interfaces across both large and small display types. By shifting parts of a user interface down to a personal mobile device number of problems originating from limitations in large display real estate can be solved.

Information about current influences on planning Essay

1. Every child matter influences planning and provision of learning opportunities The National Curriculum is the starting point for planning a school curriculum that meets the specific needs of individuals and groups of pupils. This statutory inclusion statement on providing effective learning opportunities for all pupils outlines how teachers can modify, as necessary, the National Curriculum programmes of study to provide all pupils with relevant and appropriately challenging work at each key stage. Child care act 2006 influences planning and provision of learning opportunities this act states that early years providers have a duty to implement the EYFS. We do this by meeting the learning and development requirements when doing our weekly planning and we also comply with the welfare requirements. Child care act does this to ensure that it is very important to follow rules and regulations to ensure that the children are at the right stages of development in life. SEN code of practice 2002 influences planning and provision of learning opportunities areas covered include the definition of special educational needs, parental responsibility and working partnership with parents. The code also looks at: involving pupils in assessment and decision-making; provision in the Early Years; primary and secondary education; statutory assessment of children under compulsory school age; and the role of the special educational needs coordinator. (2013) Special Educational Needs: Code of Practice. The SEN code do this to ensure that disability children do not miss out on key learning development and also to make sure that they do not feel left out or intimidated. Equality act 2010 influences planning and provision of learning opportunities this act makes sure that no one gets treated differently to anybody else this helps planning and provision because it makes sure that staff have to make sure that when they plan a activity or a lesson plan it’s got to be able to involve everyone and make sure that it suits all individual needs. ‘’ Objectives must be appropriate, focusing on the most pressing equality  gaps.’’ 2. Inspectors found that where assessment was underdeveloped it tended to focus more on children’s welfare or their interests, rather than their learning. Self-evaluation and action-planning was too often seen by childcare providers as something that had to be done for Ofsted rather than a means of improving outcome for children. However, outcomes for children were no better than satisfactory in any of the providers where self-evaluation was inadequate (2011) Press release: A good start for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Ofsted make sure that it is seen to be important to plan different types of learning opportunities for the children as this helps to develop the children’s skills in a variety of way. For example ofsted inspect schools by sitting in on different subjects and different teacher’s lessons, they do this to make sure that everyone is doing it as correctly as they aspect to see. 3. The curriculum frameworks like the EYFS influence planning and provision of learning opportunities. The term curriculum is used to describe everything children do, see, hear or feel in their setting, both planned and unplanned. The Early Years Foundation Stage is the statutory framework against which providers of early education are judged, and includes requirements for the provision of young children’s learning and development, and welfare. The report focuses particularly on two areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development; and communication, language and literacy skills. 4. Learning through landscapes supports families in the early years by showing children the outdoors and learning them new activities such as gardening and discovering nature with their own opinions and physically learning by touch and seeing things from their point of view. â€Å"I believe the work of Learning through Landscapes is needed even more than ever. I hope  you will share our passion for giving children opportunities for discovery and learning that will illuminate their entire lives.† Attenborough.D (2005) Learning through Landscapes.   EPPSE (3-14) supports families in the early years by making sure those children do get assessed at the age of 3 before they go to pre-school and then the child will be monitored until they do enter school. This helps by knowing what the child abilities are being noticed and noted. ‘’ More than 3,000 children were assessed at the start of pre-school around the age of 3 and their development was monitored until they en tered school around the age of 5.’’ Leading education and social research (Updated 2013) Effective Pre-School, Primary & Secondary Education (EPPSE).   Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 (EPPSE 3-14 project) a major longitudinal study investigating the influence of pre-school, primary and secondary school on children’s cognitive and social/behavioural development in England. The transitions sub-study of more than 500 children and families sheds light on current transition practices and highlights what helps and hinders a successful transition. Evangelou.M (2008) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14).   Neighbourhood nurseries support families in the early years by making sure that families can get to close nursery without struggling and panicking that they cannot reach a nursery which prevents the child even going into nursery. ‘’The Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative (NNI) aims to expand childcare provision in the 20% most disadvantaged areas of Engla nd by creating 45,000 new day-care places for children aged nought to five.’’

Mise-En-Scene in Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver is about Travis Bickle, a â€Å"sick† taxi driver who is both a prophet and/or a mad man. We are never allowed to know what the movie itself thinks of him, we are never told to love him or hate him and the movie never states whether he is ethically right or wrong. This movie is not about the answers to the problems of the society. It is just about the questions and unknowns. It is just an interesting journey in the modern society that could make people discuss about Travis hours and hours. Talking with other people, I was amazed how people can think of him in different ways. Some say he is â€Å"sick†, some say he is their â€Å"prophet†. The fast cuts in the editing (when he practices with the guns) make us enter in his state of mind. But also, some long takes force us to analyze and understand what happened (Very high-angle takes that Scorsese calls â€Å"Priest shots† after the massacre. ). The movie switches dynamically between these styles, which leaves the audience an infinite ways of thinking about the Travis. This is beyond doubt not a journey like Odysseus where the hero always moves forward. In Taxi Driver the hero's journey is always around the same circle. He does not meet any new people or experience new situations. Same people turn around him, or maybe he turns around the same people and he repeatedly recognizes similar concepts in them. In a realistic movie the fact that he meets with those people so many times and in so many different places would be a mistake. However, this is not a realistic movie. Palantine who was already around him (thanks to the posters and Betsy) gets into his car (which is highly unlikely to happen); he sees Iris in many different unrelated places (three times); Scorsese appears in the movie twice (the unknown one of these is in the scene where we first see Betsy. He is also watching her in the back. ). Also different people reminds him of similar concepts: Betsy and Iris are both woman who are to be saved from the lives they are stuck in, and he sees many different people who cannot communicate with him. This circle with Travis in its center is also represented in the camera movements: either the camera is traveling around him or it is panning to show the panorama of the New York life through his eyes. Moreover, in two different scenes the camera and Travis make the other 180 degrees of the circle and meet at the same place. These formal elements help us understand and feel how Travis is also encircled and alone in that sick world. The fact that this is not a realistic movie is also proved by some of the elements in the narrative. First of all, Travis is described as someone who never sleeps, and we really never see him sleeping. Secondly, the time gaps between the shots (sometimes a week, or maybe a month: after he first signs up for the job, the next shot is in his apartment, and he describes his daily routine. ) also prove that this is a stylized movie. Lastly, although he is almost illiterate (- Education? – Yes, some, you know, here and there! ), he has a diary and we hear him telling us what he is writing. He sometimes even becomes poetic. All of these are almost implausible for an ordinary taxi driver. As a final point about the realism, I think the appearance of Scorsese himself is to remind us that â€Å"this is just a movie† and that we should not get into the story too much. I think he appears at a very important point, when everything starts to boil and the audience risks to be caught in Travis' delirium too much. Travis' alienation and loneliness is one of the most underlined ideas in the movie. Even when he is with other people he is very seldom shown as having a real communication with them. One very interesting shot is when he first sits in the cafe with his friends. He sits on the other side of the table and they are on the other sides of the frame. They seem like they are very far apart from each other. Also, when Travis talks with other people (except Iris and Betsy) he never looks at them. There are even some shots where we see what he is looking at, which shows his disconnection with those people. Naturally, for a person so disconnected to the society â€Å"exchanges† are very important. It could be an exchange of a gun or a paper or feelings. Scorsese emphasizes these using some unusual high angles, looking at the action from above. It happens four times in the movie: in the taxi office, in the movie theater, in the gun exchange, and most importantly when he first declares his love to Betsy in the campaign headquarters. In the last one, there is only a shot of the desk from above and the camera is panning in a strange way with no obvious reason. However, we know from the two other scenes that this shot underlines the â€Å"real exchange† of feelings between Travis and Betsy. Furthermore, in one of the best shots of the movie, after his useless and empty talk with Wizard the camera just stands and watches his cab going away and fading in the streets while Wizard is looking at him. The scene announces his detachment from the people and the society. As Taxi Driver is not moving forward as a movie, there is no reason for an obvious change in style. The dizziness of the colors and the fact that the background is often out-of-focus in the whole movie reminds us that there is no way to see the society in a sharper way and finding solutions. We are almost lost in it. Very shiny colors, especially reds, blues and greens, form the main palette of the movie. However, there are some slight changes of colors. For example, in the scenes where he continues his relationship with Betsy, a peaceful green dominates the screen. In the scenes leading to the final massacre, red becomes the leading and threatening color. Again, after that, green again becomes the main color as the scenes have a feeling of calm in them. Moreover, the Sport's street is darker than many of the places in the movie suggesting a mystical feeling, which prepares us to the climax that happens there. Other important things I want to note about the mise-en-scene are the costumes and the hairs. Travis often changes the way he is dressed and his hairstyle according to the situation. He becomes a very nice-looking guy when he is going to meet with Iris or Betsy. He wears his nice shirts brushes his hair. When he is going to show his anger or his dark side he either wears his marine or leather coat and leaves his hair as it is or even, at the end, shaves it. These changes show the instability of his personality and the two opposite characters of Travis Bickle, a prophet and a sick guy. When he looks nice, we tend to like him; when he looks crazy, we are afraid. Furthermore, the costumes and the hairstyles help Scorsese call attention to one of the most important parallelisms of the Taxi Driver that I already mentioned. Betsy often wears red clothes as Iris does when they meet with Travis. In addition, they are both blondes. That forces us to understand the parallelism between them; according to Travis they are both to be saved from the lives they are stuck in. The climax of the film is obviously the massacre as it is probably the most intense and shocking scene of the film. It is shot and edited as if it was a dream and we are never sure whether it really happens or whether it is just Travis' imagination. The only thing we know for sure is that it is the explosion of his unexpressed feelings toward the society and the manifestation of his hate against the people. The use of red and some unusual high angles stress the dreamy quality of the scene. Sport's reappearance and Travis' survival despite the shot that just missed his throat are out of our worst nightmares. Again, Scorsese does not expect us to believe in it. He just wants us to meditate in what happened. The following scenes also have the same dreamy mood. The greens dominate the night scenes and an interesting peacefulness is expressed with the very slow panning of camera and the tender voice of Iris' father. Also the fact that Travis got away without going into prison and Betsy's way of looking that shows her admiration for him make the scene seem like a wonderful dream. At the very end, although Travis is again driving the car, his face is lightened very strongly in a way we are not used to in the movie (It was always dark! ). Is he enlightened? Is he a prophet? However, suddenly, something happens and his face seems red in the mirror, but he fixes it. Is he a lunatic? Is he dead or dreaming? You won't find the answer to these questions in this movie.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty-six

Bran The oldest were men grown, seventeen and eighteen years from the day of their naming. One was past twenty. Most were younger, sixteen or less. Bran watched them from the balcony of Maester Luwin's turret, listening to them grunt and strain and curse as they swung their staves and wooden swords. The yard was alive to the clack of wood on wood, punctuated all too often by thwacks and yowls of pain when a blow struck leather or flesh. Ser Rodrik strode among the boys, face reddening beneath his white whiskers, muttering at them one and all. Bran had never seen the old knight look so fierce. â€Å"No,† he kept saying. â€Å"No. No. No.† â€Å"They don't fight very well,† Bran said dubiously. He scratched Summer idly behind the ears as the direwolf tore at a haunch of meat. Bones crunched between his teeth. â€Å"For a certainty,† Maester Luwin agreed with a deep sigh. The maester was peering through his big Myrish lens tube, measuring shadows and noting the position of the comet that hung low in the morning sky. â€Å"Yet given time . . . Ser Rodrik has the truth of it, we need men to walk the walls. Your lord father took the cream of his guard to King's Landing, and your brother took the rest, along with all the likely lads for leagues around. Many will not come back to us, and we must needs find the men to take their places.† Bran stared resentfully at the sweating boys below. â€Å"If I still had my legs, I could beat them all.† He remembered the last time he'd held a sword in his hand, when the king had come to Winterfell. It was only a wooden sword, yet he'd knocked Prince Tommen down half a hundred times. â€Å"Ser Rodrik should teach me to use a poleaxe. If I had a poleaxe with a big long haft, Hodor could be my legs. We could be a knight together.† â€Å"I think that . . . unlikely,† Maester Luwin said. â€Å"Bran, when a man fights, his arms and legs and thoughts must be as one.† Below in the yard, Ser Rodrik was yelling. â€Å"You fight like a goose. He pecks you and you peck him harder. Parry! Block the blow. Goose fighting will not suffice. If those were real swords, the first peck would take your arm off!† One of the other boys laughed, and the old knight rounded on him. â€Å"You laugh. You. Now that is gall. You fight like a hedgehog . . . â€Å" â€Å"There was a knight once who couldn't see,† Bran said stubbornly, as Ser Rodrik went on below. â€Å"Old Nan told me about him. He had a long staff with blades at both ends and he could spin it in his hands and chop two men at once.† â€Å"Symeon Star-Eyes,† Luwin said as he marked numbers in a book. â€Å"When he lost his eyes, he put star sapphires in the empty sockets, or so the singers claim. Bran, that is only a story, like the tales of Florian the Fool. A fable from the Age of Heroes.† The maester tsked. â€Å"You must put these dreams aside, they will only break your heart.† The mention of dreams reminded him. â€Å"I dreamed about the crow again last night. The one with three eyes. He flew into my bedchamber and told me to come with him, so I did. We went down to the crypts. Father was there, and we talked. He was sad.† â€Å"And why was that?† Luwin peered through his tube. â€Å"It was something to do about Jon, I think.† The dream had been deeply disturbing, more so than any of the other crow dreams. â€Å"Hodor won't go down into the crypts.† The maester had only been half listening, Bran could tell. He lifted his eye from the tube, blinking. â€Å"Hodor won't . . . â€Å" â€Å"Go down into the crypts. When I woke, I told him to take me down, to see if Father was truly there. At first he didn't know what I was saying, but I got him to the steps by telling him to go here and go there, only then he wouldn't go down. He just stood on the top step and said ‘Hodor,' like he was scared of the dark, but I had a torch. It made me so mad I almost gave him a swat in the head, like Old Nan is always doing.† He saw the way the maester was frowning and hurriedly added, â€Å"I didn't, though.† â€Å"Good. Hodor is a man, not a mule to be beaten.† â€Å"In the dream I flew down with the crow, but I can't do that when I'm awake,† Bran explained. â€Å"Why would you want to go down to the crypts?† â€Å"I told you. To look for Father.† The maester tugged at the chain around his neck, as he often did when he was uncomfortable. â€Å"Bran, sweet child, one day Lord Eddard will sit below in stone, beside his father and his father's father and all the Starks back to the old Kings in the North . . . but that will not be for many years, gods be good. Your father is a prisoner of the queen in King's Landing. You will not find him in the crypts.† â€Å"He was there last night. I talked to him.† â€Å"Stubborn boy,† the maester sighed, setting his book aside. â€Å"Would you like to go see?† â€Å"I can't. Hodor won't go, and the steps are too narrow and twisty for Dancer.† â€Å"I believe I can solve that difficulty.† In place of Hodor, the wildling woman Osha was summoned. She was tall and tough and uncomplaining, willing to go wherever she was commanded. â€Å"I lived my life beyond the Wall, a hole in the ground won't fret me none, m'lords,† she said. â€Å"Summer, come,† Bran called as she lifted him in wiry-strong arms. The direwolf left his bone and followed as Osha carried Bran across the yard and down the spiral steps to the cold vault under the earth. Maester Luwin went ahead with a torch. Bran did not even mind—too badly—that she carried him in her arms and not on her back. Ser Rodrik had ordered Osha's chain struck off, since she had served faithfully and well since she had been at Winterfell. She still wore the heavy iron shackles around her ankles—a sign that she was not yet wholly trusted—but they did not hinder her sure strides down the steps. Bran could not recall the last time he had been in the crypts. It had been before, for certain. When he was little, he used to play down here with Robb and Jon and his sisters. He wished they were here now; the vault might not have seemed so dark and scary. Summer stalked out in the echoing gloom, then stopped, lifted his head, and sniffed the chill dead air. He bared his teeth and crept backward, eyes glowing golden in the light of the maester's torch. Even Osha, hard as old iron, seemed uncomfortable. â€Å"Grim folk, by the look of them,† she said as she eyed the long row of granite Starks on their stone thrones. â€Å"They were the Kings of Winter,† Bran whispered. Somehow it felt wrong to talk too loudly in this place. Osha smiled. â€Å"Winter's got no king. If you'd seen it, you'd know that, summer boy.† â€Å"They were the Kings in the North for thousands of years,† Maester Luwin said, lifting the torch high so the light shone on the stone faces. Some were hairy and bearded, shaggy men fierce as the wolves that crouched by their feet. Others were shaved clean, their features gaunt and sharp-edged as the iron longswords across their laps. â€Å"Hard men for a hard time. Come.† He strode briskly down the vault, past the procession of stone pillars and the endless carved figures. A tongue of flame trailed back from the upraised torch as he went. The vault was cavernous, longer than Winterfell itself, and Jon had told him once that there were other levels underneath, vaults even deeper and darker where the older kings were buried. It would not do to lose the light. Summer refused to move from the steps, even when Osha followed the torch, Bran in her arms. â€Å"Do you recall your history, Bran?† the maester said as they walked. â€Å"Tell Osha who they were and what they did, if you can.† He looked at the passing faces and the tales came back to him. The maester had told him the stories, and Old Nan had made them come alive. â€Å"That one is Jon Stark. When the sea raiders landed in the east, he drove them out and built the castle at White Harbor. His son was Rickard Stark, not my father's father but another Rickard, he took the Neck away from the Marsh King and married his daughter. Theon Stark's the real thin one with the long hair and the skinny beard. They called him the ‘Hungry Wolf,' because he was always at war. That's a Brandon, the tall one with the dreamy face, he was Brandon the Shipwright, because he loved the sea. His tomb is empty. He tried to sail west across the Sunset Sea and was never seen again. His son was Brandon the Burner, because he put the torch to all his father's ships in grief. There's Rodrik Stark, who won Bear Island in a wrestling match and gave it to the Mormonts. And that's Torrhen Stark, the King Who Knelt. He was the last Kin g in the North and the first Lord of Winterfell, after he yielded to Aegon the Conqueror. Oh, there, he's Cregan Stark. He fought with Prince Aemon once, and the Dragonknight said he'd never faced a finer swordsman.† They were almost at the end now, and Bran felt a sadness creeping over him. â€Å"And there's my grandfather, Lord Rickard, who was beheaded by Mad King Aerys. His daughter Lyanna and his son Brandon are in the tombs beside him. Not me, another Brandon, my father's brother. They're not supposed to have statues, that's only for the lords and the kings, but my father loved them so much he had them done.† â€Å"The maid's a fair one,† Osha said. â€Å"Robert was betrothed to marry her, but Prince Rhaegar carried her off and raped her,† Bran explained. â€Å"Robert fought a war to win her back. He killed Rhaegar on the Trident with his hammer, but Lyanna died and he never got her back at all.† â€Å"A sad tale,† said Osha, â€Å"but those empty holes are sadder.† â€Å"Lord Eddard's tomb, for when his time comes,† Maester Luwin said. â€Å"Is this where you saw your father in your dream, Bran?† â€Å"Yes.† The memory made him shiver. He looked around the vault uneasily, the hairs on the back of his neck bristling. Had he heard a noise? Was there someone here? Maester Luwin stepped toward the open sepulchre, torch in hand. â€Å"As you see, he's not here. Nor will he be, for many a year. Dreams are only dreams, child.† He thrust his arm into the blackness inside the tomb, as into the mouth of some great beast. â€Å"Do you see? It's quite empt—† The darkness sprang at him, snarling. Bran saw eyes like green fire, a flash of teeth, fur as black as the pit around them. Maester Luwin yelled and threw up his hands. The torch went flying from his fingers, caromed off the stone face of Brandon Stark, and tumbled to the statue's feet, the flames licking up his legs. In the drunken shifting torchlight, they saw Luwin struggling with the direwolf, beating at his muzzle with one hand while the jaws closed on the other. â€Å"Summer!† Bran screamed. And Summer came, shooting from the dimness behind them, a leaping shadow. He slammed into Shaggydog and knocked him back, and the two direwolves rolled over and over in a tangle of grey and black fur, snapping and biting at each other, while Maester Luwin struggled to his knees, his arm torn and bloody. Osha propped Bran up against Lord Rickard's stone wolf as she hurried to assist the maester. In the light of the guttering torch, shadow wolves twenty feet tall fought on the wall and roof. â€Å"Shaggy,† a small voice called. When Bran looked up, his little brother was standing in the mouth of Father's tomb. With one final snap at Summer's face, Shaggydog broke off and bounded to Rickon's side. â€Å"You let my father be,† Rickon warned Luwin. â€Å"You let him be.† â€Å"Rickon,† Bran said softly. â€Å"Father's not here.† â€Å"Yes he is. I saw him.† Tears glistened on Rickon's face. â€Å"I saw him last night.† â€Å"In your dream . . . ?† Rickon nodded. â€Å"You leave him. You leave him be. He's coming home now, like he promised. He's coming home.† Bran had never seen Maester Luwin took so uncertain before. Blood dripped down his arm where Shaggydog had shredded the wool of his sleeve and the flesh beneath. â€Å"Osha, the torch,† he said, biting through his pain, and she snatched it up before it went out. Soot stains blackened both legs of his uncle's likeness. â€Å"That . . . that beast,† Luwin went on, â€Å"is supposed to be chained up in the kennels.† Rickon patted Shaggydog's muzzle, damp with blood. â€Å"I let him loose. He doesn't like chains.† He licked at his fingers. â€Å"Rickon,† Bran said, â€Å"would you like to come with me?† â€Å"No. I like it here.† â€Å"It's dark here. And cold.† â€Å"I'm not afraid. I have to wait for Father.† â€Å"You can wait with me,† Bran said. â€Å"We'll wait together, you and me and our wolves.† Both of the direwolves were licking wounds now, and would bear close watching. â€Å"Bran,† the maester said firmly, â€Å"I know you mean well, but Shaggydog is too wild to run loose. I'm the third man he's savaged. Give him the freedom of the castle and it's only a question of time before he kills someone. The truth is hard, but the wolf has to be chained, or . . . &rdquo He hesitated . . . or killed, Bran thought, but what he said was, â€Å"He was not made for chains. We will wait in your tower, all of us.† â€Å"That is quite impossible,† Maester Luwin said. Osha grinned. â€Å"The boy's the lordling here, as I recall.† She handed Luwin back his torch and scooped Bran up into her arms again. â€Å"The maester's tower it is.† â€Å"Will you come, Rickon?† His brother nodded. â€Å"If Shaggy comes too,† he said, running after Osha and Bran, and there was nothing Maester Luwin could do but follow, keeping a wary eye on the wolves. Maester Luwin's turret was so cluttered that it seemed to Bran a wonder that he ever found anything. Tottering piles of books covered tables and chairs, rows of stoppered jars lined the shelves, candle stubs and puddles of dried wax dotted the furniture, the bronze Myrish lens tube sat on a tripod by the terrace door, star charts hung from the walls, shadow maps lay scattered among the rushes, papers, quills, and pots of inks were everywhere, and all of it was spotted with droppings from the ravens in the rafters. Their strident quorks drifted down from above as Osha washed and cleaned and bandaged the maester's wounds, under Luwin's terse instruction. â€Å"This is folly,† the small grey man said while she dabbed at the wolf bites with a stinging ointment. â€Å"I agree that it is odd that both you boys dreamed the same dream, yet when you stop to consider it, it's only natural. You miss your lord father, and you know that he is a captive. Fear can fever a man's mind and giv e him queer thoughts. Rickon is too young to comprehend—† â€Å"I'm four now,† Rickon said. He was peeking through the lens tube at the gargoyles on the First Keep. The direwolves sat on opposite sides of the large round room, licking their wounds and gnawing on bones. â€Å"—too young, and—ooh, seven hells, that burns, no, don't stop, more. Too young, as I say, but you, Bran, you're old enough to know that dreams are only dreams.† â€Å"Some are, some aren't.† Osha poured pale red firemilk into a long gash. Luwin gasped. â€Å"The children of the forest could tell you a thing or two about dreaming.† Tears were streaming down the maester's face, yet he shook his head doggedly. â€Å"The children . . . live only in dreams. Now. Dead and gone. Enough, that's enough. Now the bandages. Pads and then wrap, and make it tight, I'll be bleeding.† â€Å"Old Nan says the children knew the songs of the trees, that they could fly like birds and swim like fish and talk to the animals,† Bran said. â€Å"She says that they made music so beautiful that it made you cry like a little baby just to hear it.† â€Å"And all this they did with magic,† Maester Luwin said, distracted. â€Å"I wish they were here now. A spell would heal my arm less painfully, and they could talk to Shaggydog and tell him not to bite.† He gave the big black wolf an angry glance out of the corner of his eye. â€Å"Take a lesson, Bran. The man who trusts in spells is dueling with a glass sword. As the children did. Here, let me show you something.† He stood abruptly, crossed the room, and returned with a green jar in his good hand. â€Å"Have a look at these,† he said as he pulled the stopper and shook out a handful of shiny black arrowheads. Bran picked one up. â€Å"It's made of glass.† Curious, Rickon drifted closer to peer over the table. â€Å"Dragonglass,† Osha named it as she sat down beside Luwin, bandagings in hand. â€Å"Obsidian,† Maester Luwin insisted, holding out his wounded arm. â€Å"Forged in the fires of the gods, far below the earth. The children of the forest hunted with that, thousands of years ago. The children worked no metal. In place of mail, they wore long shirts of woven leaves and bound their legs in bark, so they seemed to melt into the wood. In place of swords, they carried blades of obsidian.† â€Å"And still do.† Osha placed soft pads over the bites on the maester's forearm and bound them tight with long strips of linen. Bran held the arrowhead up close. The black glass was slick and shiny. He thought it beautiful. â€Å"Can I keep one?† â€Å"As you wish,† the maester said. â€Å"I want one too,† Rickon said. â€Å"I want four. I'm four.† Luwin made him count them out. â€Å"Careful, they're still sharp. Don't cut yourself.† â€Å"Tell me about the children,† Bran said. It was important. â€Å"What do you wish to know?† â€Å"Everything.† Maester Luwin tugged at his chain collar where it chafed against his neck. â€Å"They were people of the Dawn Age, the very first, before kings and kingdoms,† he said. â€Å"In those days, there were no castles or holdfasts, no cities, not so much as a market town to be found between here and the sea of Dorne. There were no men at all. Only the children of the forest dwelt in the lands we now call the Seven Kingdoms. â€Å"They were a people dark and beautiful, small of stature, no taller than children even when grown to manhood. They lived in the depths of the wood, in caves and crannogs and secret tree towns. Slight as they were, the children were quick and graceful. Male and female hunted together, with weirwood bows and flying snares. Their gods were the gods of the forest, stream, and stone, the old gods whose names are secret. Their wise men were called greenseers, and carved strange faces in the weirwoods to keep watch on the woods. How long the children reigned here or where they came from, no man can know. â€Å"But some twelve thousand years ago, the First Men appeared from the east, crossing the Broken Arm of Dorne before it was broken. They came with bronze swords and great leathern shields, riding horses. No horse had ever been seen on this side of the narrow sea. No doubt the children were as frightened by the horses as the First Men were by the faces in the trees. As the First Men carved out holdfasts and farms, they cut down the faces and gave them to the fire. Horror-struck, the children went to war. The old songs say that the greenseers used dark magics to make the seas rise and sweep away the land, shattering the Arm, but it was too late to close the door. The wars went on until the earth ran red with blood of men and children both, but more children than men, for men were bigger and stronger, and wood and stone and obsidian make a poor match for bronze. Finally the wise of both races prevailed, and the chiefs and heroes of the First Men met the greenseers and wood dancers a midst the weirwood groves of a small island in the great lake called Gods Eye. â€Å"There they forged the Pact. The First Men were given the coastlands, the high plains and bright meadows, the mountains and bogs, but the deep woods were to remain forever the children's, and no more weirwoods were to be put to the axe anywhere in the realm. So the gods might bear witness to the signing, every tree on the island was given a face, and afterward, the sacred order of green men was formed to keep watch over the Isle of Faces. â€Å"The Pact began four thousand years of friendship between men and children. In time, the First Men even put aside the gods they had brought with them, and took up the worship of the secret gods of the wood. The signing of the Pact ended the Dawn Age, and began the Age of Heroes.† Bran's fist curled around the shiny black arrowhead. â€Å"But the children of the forest are all gone now, you said.† â€Å"Here, they are,† said Osha, as she bit off the end of the last bandage with her teeth. â€Å"North of the Wall, things are different. That's where the children went, and the giants, and the other old races.† Maester Luwin sighed. â€Å"Woman, by rights you ought to be dead or in chains. The Starks have treated you more gently than you deserve. It is unkind to repay them for their kindness by filling the boys' heads with folly.† â€Å"Tell me where they went,† Bran said. â€Å"I want to know.† â€Å"Me too,† Rickon echoed. â€Å"Oh, very well,† Luwin muttered. â€Å"So long as the kingdoms of the First Men held sway, the Pact endured, all through the Age of Heroes and the Long Night and the birth of the Seven Kingdoms, yet finally there came a time, many centuries later, when other peoples crossed the narrow sea. â€Å"The Andals were the first, a race of tall, fair-haired warriors who came with steel and fire and the seven-pointed star of the new gods painted on their chests. The wars lasted hundreds of years, but in the end the six southron kingdoms all fell before them. Only here, where the King in the North threw back every army that tried to cross the Neck, did the rule of the First Men endure. The Andals burnt out the weirwood groves, hacked down the faces, slaughtered the children where they found them, and everywhere proclaimed the triumph of the Seven over the old gods. So the children fled north—† Summer began to howl. Maester Luwin broke off, startled. When Shaggydog bounded to his feet and added his voice to his brother's, dread clutched at Bran's heart. â€Å"It's coming,† he whispered, with the certainty of despair. He had known it since last night, he realized, since the crow had led him down into the crypts to say farewell. He had known it, but he had not believed. He had wanted Maester Luwin to be right. The crow, he thought, the three-eyed crow . . . The howling stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Summer padded across the tower floor to Shaggydog, and began to lick at a mat of bloody fur on the back of his brother's neck. From the window came a flutter of wings. A raven landed on the grey stone sill, opened its beak, and gave a harsh, raucous rattle of distress. Rickon began to cry. His arrowheads fell from his hand one by one and clattered on the floor. Bran pulled him close and hugged him. Maester Luwin stared at the black bird as if it were a scorpion with feathers. He rose, slow as a sleepwalker, and moved to the window. When he whistled, the raven hopped onto his bandaged forearm. There was dried blood on its wings. â€Å"A hawk,† Luwin murmured, â€Å"perhaps an owl. Poor thing, a wonder it got through.† He took the letter from its leg. Bran found himself shivering as the maester unrolled the paper. â€Å"What is it?† he said, holding his brother all the harder. â€Å"You know what it is, boy,† Osha said, not unkindly. She put her hand on his head. Maester Luwin looked up at them numbly, a small grey man with blood on the sleeve of his grey wool robe and tears in his bright grey eyes. â€Å"My lords,† he said to the sons, in a voice gone hoarse and shrunken, â€Å"we . . . we shall need to find a stonecarver who knew his likeness well . . . â€Å"