Bertie Ahern Essay Essays

Bertie Ahern Essay Essays Bertie Ahern Essay Essay Bertie Ahern Essay Essay Bertie Ahern is present Prime Minister. or Taoiseach. of Ireland. heading the Irish authorities since 1997. Ahern is a outstanding solon of European stature with great political acumen and wisdom that has helped him to successfully pull off a potentially volatile alliance of multiple parties and many independent campaigners. Ahern has an celebrated political calling where he served as curate of Labor and Minister of Finance in the authoritiess of Charles Haughey and Albert Reynolds. Ahern’s electioneering accomplishments and party direction capablenesss have been universally praised. being a outstanding factor in his rise to the highest place in Irish authorities. Political Baptism Born in 1951. Bertie Ahern was good groomed politically since his younger yearss due to an intensely political environment at his place. His male parent had fought in Irish War of Independence and the Civil War and Bertie closely observed the events. deriving important apprehension of the complexness and challenges of Irish political system. Although professionally Ahern took the occupation of accountant. but his political disposition was obviously manifest when he joined Fianna Fail in 1968. at a immature age of 17. In the run for Fianna Fail in 1969 general elections. Ahern was spotted by senior party leader Charles Hughey. who was much impressed by the youngster’s electioneering abilities. political manoeuvres. capacity of resource direction and glare for political logistics. The first creditable grounds of Ahern’s electioneering glare was registered in his ain landslide win in 1977 in his really first attempt for elective office. His party had besides scored a big win in the Irish parliament and although immature and inexperienced by age. Ahern developed a close association with Hughey. who had become a loyalist of politician and one of the strongest rivals for the station of Prime Minister. Ahern was recognized for his endowments by being appointed as Assistant-Government Chief Whip. The disruptive political conditions of Ireland saw it confronting election both in the twelvemonth 1981 and 1982. Ahern was successful in increasing his ain triumph border each clip. while his polling for the party. his handling of party-men and his abilities in mobilising them did non neglect to affect senior party leaders. Fianna Fail lost the elections of 1982 and had to sit in resistance boulder clay 1987. a clip that saw Ahern’s increasing influence and growing as a seasoned party adult male and political leader. Ahern was appointed party’s interpreter and got elected as Mayor of Dublin. In 1987 Ahern’s electioneering abilities were one time once more on show when he campaigned along with Hughey. Reynolds. and MacSharry and Fianna Fail returned to power. Ahern worked closely in developing the party pronunciamento that would appeal to largest figure of electorates. Finally Charles Hughey became Taoiseach and Ahern was given the cabinet station for labour. His dialogue accomplishments coruscated in this capacity every bit good when he became instrumental in presenting assorted trade related reforms. join forcesing with trade brotherhoods. and making the consensus for national economic understanding. Ireland saw another election in 1989. where Fail party lost several seats and lost its fringy lead in the parliament. To organize the authorities Fail had to come in into a alliance with other parties. a measure that many party-men profoundly resented and opposed. However. Charles Hughey knew that in the capacity of Ahern he had a genuinely talented negotiant and run director with abilities correct the complex political equation and assist his party signifier the authorities once more.

Difference of Opinion in American politics.

Difference of Opinion in American politics. "Difference of Opinion"Due to the fact the structure of our government allows for differing points of view to have a say there have been 'verbal wars' over whether or not the states have too much or too little power (people.memphis.edu/~kenicls/FedandAnti-FedArgue.htm). This all can be traced back to the Constitutional Convention in which these points of view began to take root in the document that is now the basis of the entire United States of America. During the drafting of the United States Constitution there were, basically, two differing points of view argued by the committeemen of the Constitutional Convention and these two points of view were commonly known as the Anti-Federalist and the Federalist. Federalists, essentially, believed that a government that was more centralized would be more efficient and lessen the burden upon individual states. The Anti-Federalists, in comparison, believed that this centralized system was more like a monarchy than a democracy and that it lef t little power in the hands of the states (people.memphis.edu/~kenicls/FedandAnti-FedArgue.htm).English: Painting, 1856, by Junius Brutus Stearns,...To this day, there is a constant power struggle between political parties, most notably the Democrats and the Republicans, and both parties can be paralleled to the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, with the Democrats being most like the Anti-Federalists and the republicans being most like the Federalists. Over time, these two main points of view have been known to split the country apart on many issues and will more than likely do the same in the coming future.Perhaps the most apparent disagreement between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists was over whether the system of government they were outlining was too much like a monarchy or not. The Anti-Federalists believed that if they instituted a system in which one man basically ran everything that it would be too much like a monarchy and...

Questions on Western Heritage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions on Western Heritage - Essay Example The Greco-Roman culture was restored and the period saw transformations in many areas such as the growth of city-states, mastery of arts, secularism and emphasis on the individual. There was also use of slaves, strengthening of papacy, and intellectual growth based on study of classical literary works of Greece and Rome (Spielvogel, 347- 352). Q2: How events or developments in Renaissance mark a break or departure from the key characteristics of middle Ages. The middle Ages were characterized by lack of classical culture and were the period 1000yrs between the end of Roman Empire and the new era of renaissance. The developments in renaissance marked a breakaway from the characteristics of the middle ages in that it emphasized on individuality, secularism and revival of antiquity. The middle Ages were characterized by many problems such as political disorder, economic recession and Black Death. During renaissance, the economy was recovering hence the growth of trade and increased weal th for merchants. As a result, there was need for cheap labor in form of slaves hence the emergence of slave trade. During middle ages, slaves were used in agricultural activities and slavery had declined but during Renaissance, slaves were skilled workers for making handcraft goods or as nursemaids and playboys (Spielvogel, 345). Due to economic recovery and increased wealth, the Italians reverted to secularism instead of Christian moral principles which were emphasized during middle ages (Spielvogel, 341). Morality was abandoned as basis for analysis of political activity; therefore, a ruler could break the rules and do wrong if necessary. According to Machiavelli, a leader was supposed to secure allies and win wars by force or fraud. The Catholic Church was also broken down to protestant churches due to the spirit of secularism which brought about corruption in the church. Another event that marked departure from Middle Ages was the intellectual renaissance. The antiques of the G reeks and Romans were revived and used in study of humanity. Individuals were seen as possessing abilities which they could utilize for perfecting their art. The individual was viewed as â€Å"a universal person capable of achieving in many areas of life’ (Spielvogel, 341). Individuals were thus taught using literary works of the Greece and Rome and were engaged in various occupations instead of relying on the clergy. Q3: What was humanism? How does it reflect this new spirit of Renaissance? Spielvogel defines humanism as â€Å"an intellectual movement based on the study of classical literary works of Greece and Rome† (p. 352). The materials studied and taught in schools as humanities include: grammar, poetry, ethics, and history. Besides teaching, other humanists were involved in other occupations such as secretaries in city-states. The humanist movement is credited with the development of renaissance in the 14th century. Humanism reflects the new spirit of Renaissan ce through the ideas of humanists such as Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444) who uses Cicero as an inspiration for an ideal Renaissance. The spirit of Renaissance is reflected in the way individuals are encouraged to participate in the life of the state. He emphasized that intellectuals should live active lives for the sake of

Class Grading System Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Class Grading System - Assignment Example This ensures that any emergency that may prevent students from timely submission does not hamper the over all grade. All assignments shall be due 9am on Monday; a grace time of 3 hours shall be given, and accordingly, from 12 noon onwards, no assignments shall be considered for submission, consequently, the student would get a '0' in that assignment. Class Quizzes: Quizzes shall be given through out the semester/term, and graded out of 10. For each 5 quizzes, best 4 shall be chosen for instance if 10 quizzes are conducted then 8 best (individual scores) would be counted towards the final calculations. This again ensures a safe cushion i.e. a bad day does not spoil the students' final grade. Term Project: This would represent the learning of the entire course and would carry 10% of the grade (or more depending on class understanding and project extensiveness). Projects would have assigned milestones (with milestone deadlines). Milestone deadline shall serve as a DEADline and a submission late by every 3 hours would lose one point for instance a 6 hour late submission would attain a maximum of 8 marks. Collection & Grading: All assignments and deliverables shall be due on the first working day of the next week to ensure that the students get ample time over the weekend to have their work up to the mark. The grading shall take place by the instructor or his/her assistant over the week and return for correction of any errors within 3 days, and the final grades shall be communicated over the weekend through email, notice-board, and/or grade-sheet circulation in the class. Rule of Absences: No more than 2 weeks absences shall be allowed to any student during the term. These absences are marked considering that any inability causing the student not to attend classes (such as any sickness or personal issues) do not, on a general note, exceed 2 weeks. For cooping up with the loss work, students would be provided extra counseling sessions, which may vary in number depending on student's ability to grasp the missed out work. References Linn R., and Gronlund N. (2000) Measurement and Assessment in Teaching. (7th edition) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice

Language developmental pathways in middle school age Essay

Language developmental pathways in middle school age - Essay Example Middle school level education is an important factor which influences language and communication skills. Middle schools are schools that group students between the ages of 10 and 14. In some parts of the country, children from fifth to ninth grades are grouped together; in other parts, seventh- and eighth-graders are in one school. One of the most common middle school arrangements groups children from sixth to eighth grades.   As children grow they experience physical, intellectual, and emotional changes. The way they learn, feel, see the world, and relate to other people becomes different from when they were younger. It is from this age that a strong foundation for communication skill must be provided. Most parents feel Parents feel that athletics can teach their youngsters how to compete with others and also how to function as part of a team. There is, however, another activity which can help young children learn to be part of a team but which places less emphasis on competition and which is, in addition, less gender specific than athletics. That activity is debate. Debate is one of the ways that boosts up communication skills and way of expressing one’s views authentically. The main aims of conducting debates are enhancements of critical thinking, academic advancement and development and promotion of communication skills. A single topic is distributed among two or more groups in which some groups support the topic while the others would oppose it by expressing their views on that topic. Sodikaw (1985) believes that debate helps students develop the emotional maturity to win and lose graciously; acquire the social skills necessary to work with a colleague and compete against other students; and use spoken English in an increasingly sophisticated way. Huston (1985) stresses that the student should be encouraged to become adaptable to many different styles of communication. McClain (1989) argues that debate should be seen as a cooperative rather than a competitive endeavor. Some educators feel that debate should become more audience centered and focused on community issues rather than on tournaments (Stepp, 1989). Many college students who are involved in debate feel that the emphasis on tournament debating makes them too argumentative in everyday life. For younger children, a focus on developing communication skills rather than on competition in debate fosters attitudes of open-mindedness, fairness, and tolerance for the viewpoints of others. (Atwater, 1984) . The other way would be conducting speeches courses. A topic would be given and the student would be asked to prepare on it and deliver the speech. This not only increases knowledge regarding the topic but also removes

Mineral Mapping of the Chitradurga Schist Belt

Mineral Mapping of the Chitradurga Schist Belt Mineral mapping of the Chitradurga Schist Belt: A remote sensing approach to delineate potential resources Introduction: The Optimum utilization of natural resources is major and important objective of a Country. However the Policy makers making decisions about allocating land use to reach the competing demands sources the reliable information of these natural resources very important prerequisite as it enables decision- making agencies to estimate prospective benefits from different uses of the land and prioritize them based on social and economic needs of the society. It is easy to map the surface exposed spatial data such as water body, soil, forests etc where as other natural resources such mineral deposits occur below the land surface and cannot map directly, but it possible to map mineral potential zones. For many developing countries, however, there is a general lack of geoexploration data required for a reliable and comprehensive nationwide mineral potential assessment and classification. This lack of geoexploration data and nationwide comprehensive mineral potential assessment and classification have brought about conflicts and competing demands between land-uses that permit mineral resources development and those that promote protection of ecosystems (Domingo, 1993). The mineral potential assessment and classification of an area is critical for land-use policymaking so that prospective land is not alienated from mineral resources development in the future (McCammon and Briskey, 1992; McLaren, 1992). In order to achieve mineral potential assessment and classification despite the lack or incompleteness of systematic and comprehensive geoexploration datasets alternative methodologies are needed. The term ‘mineralization’ refers to the collective geological processes that lead to the formation of mineral deposits (Bateman, 1951b) The term ‘mineral potential’ describes the possibility of the presence of mineral deposits or mineralization. Mineral potential assessment or classification is a multi-stage activity with the ultimate objective of delineating mineralised zones that can be exploited under prevailing economic conditions (Reeves et al., 1990). Mineral potential assessment or classification is a multi-stage activity with the ultimate objective of delineating mineralized zones that can be exploited under prevailing economic conditions (Reeves et al., 1990). Ideally, during each stage, multivariate and multi-source geoexploration datasets are used to guide the succeeding stages of mineral potential assessment and classification. At the small and medium-scale stage (i.e., regional to district scale ranging from 1:50,000 to 1:100,000), for example, the geoexploration datasets required should be derived from geological, geophysical and geochemical surveys. The increasing need to integrate geoexploration datasets arises from the fact that the easily-recognized mineral deposits have long been known and that more evidences and advanced methods are necessary to accurately assess and classify the mineral potential of a particular area (Bonham-Carter, 1997; Chinn and Ascough, 1997; Raines, 1997; Pan and Harris, 2000). Mineral potential, as used in this research, is the set of characteristics attributed to a particular area that describes the probability for the presence of mineral deposits or existence of mineralization. Factors affecting economic viability of mineral deposits are not considered in this definition because the geological and mineral deposit data that are available are insufficient to determine sizes and grades of mineral deposits. Mineral potential is determined by how well the geological and mineral deposit data fit established mineral deposit models and existing knowledge about the mineralization of a particular area. Mineral potential statements that arise from this research are estimates, rather than facts, because of the dynamic and variable nature of geological knowledge and the mineral exploration environment. It is, however, of prime importance that these statements establish the potential for the discovery of mineral deposits. The geologically-constrained predictive mineral potential maps generated in this research are based on two factors: favourability and validity. Favourability is determined by integration of geological variables that are considered essential for mineral occurrence. Validity is determined by how well the predictive models delineate correctly known mineral deposits that were not used to generate the models. These two factors are important for assessing the efficacy of the methodologies developed for geologically-constrained predictive mapping of mineral potential. Mineral deposits, whether metalliferous or non-metalliferous, are accumulations or con- centrations of one or more useful substances that are for the most part sparsely distributed in the Earth’s crust (Bateman, 1951a). The geological processes that lead to the formation of mineral deposits are collectively called mineralization (Bateman, 1951b). The term ‘mineral potential’ describes the possibility of the presence of mineral deposits or mineralization. Mineral potential does not take into account economic factors such as deposit grade, tonnage, physical, chemical and mineralogical characteristics, nature and thickness of overburden, availability of man power and technology, market demand, etc., as these are typically unknown during mineral potential mapping. Mineral potential mapping of an area involves demarcation of potentially mineralized zones based on geologic features that exhibit significant spatial association with target mineral deposits. These features, which are termed recognition criteria, are spatial features indicative of various genetic earth processes that acted conjunctively to form the deposits in the area. Recognition criteria are sometimes directly observable; more often, their presence is inferred from their responses in various spatial datasets, which are appropriately processed to enhance and extract the recognition criteria to obtain evidential or predictor maps. Remote sensing, as a direct adjunct to field, lithologic and structural mapping, and more recently, GIS have played an important role in the study of mineralized areas. A review on the application of remote sensing in mineral resource mapping is attempted here. It involves understanding the application of remote sensing in lithologic, structural and alteration mapping. Remote sensing becomes an important tool for locating mineral deposits, in its own right, when the primary and secondary processes of mineralization result in the formation of spectral anomalies. Reconnaissance lithologic mapping is usually the first step of mineral resource mapping. This is complimented with structural mapping, as mineral deposits usually occur along or adjacent to geologic structures, and alteration mapping, as mineral deposits are commonly associated with hydrothermal alteration of the surrounding rocks. In addition to these, understanding the use of hyperspectral remote sensing is crucial as hypers pectral data can help identify and thematically map regions of exploration interest by using the distinct absorption features of most minerals. Finally coming to the exploration stage, GIS forms the perfect tool in integrating and analyzing various georeferenced geoscience data in selecting the best sites of mineral deposits or rather good candidates for further exploration. Spectral identification of potential areas of hydrothermal alteration minerals is a common application of remote sensing to mineral exploration. The extraction of spectral information related to this type of target from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery has been achieved through the use of image processing techniques such as band ratioing and principal component analysis (PCA) (Sabine 1999). With the limited spectral resolution provided by Landsat TM, alteration mapping has been restricted to the detection of areas where alteration processes are likely to have occurred—the TM visible and near-infrared (VNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands are only able to discriminate areas rich in iron oxides/hydroxides and clay and carbonate minerals, respectively. When one collects multivariate data in some field of application a redundancy effect often arises because of covariation between variables. An interesting issue in reduction of dimensionality of the data is the desire to obtain simplicity for better understanding, visualizing and interpreting the data on the one hand, and the desire to retain sufficient detail for adequate representation on the other hand. E.g. a remote sensing device typically measures the emitted intensity at a number of discrete wavelengths or wavelength intervals for each element in a regular grid. This â€Å"repetition† of the measurement at different wavelengths induces a high degree of redundancy in the dataset. This can be used for noise reduction and data compression. A traditional method used in this context is the celebrated principal components transformation. This is a pixel-wise operation that does not take the spatial nature of image data into account. Also, principal components will not always produce components that show decreasing image quality with increasing component number. It is perfectly imaginable that certain types of noise have higher variance than certain types of signal components. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a mathematical technique for reducing the dimensionality of a data set (Jackson, 1983). Because digital remote sensing images are numeric, their dimensionality can be reduced using this technique. In multi-band remote sensing images, the bands are the original variables. Some of the original bands may be highly correlated and, to save on data storage space and computing time, such bands could be combined into new, less correlated eigen images by PCA. In addition to its use in this way, PCA can be used as a change detection technique in remote sensing (Jensen, 1986; Fung and LeDrew, 1987; Muchoney and Haack, 1994). Principally, there are two ways in which PCA can be used in change detection (Jensen, 1986; Muchoney and Haack, 1994): 1. Independent data transformation analysis in which multitemporal image data sets are spectrally enhanced separately using PCA. Each image is then separately classified for use in post classification change detection. 2. Merged data transformation in which all the bands from the n dimensional multitemporal image data set are registered and treated as a single N dimensional data set as input to the PCA (where n is the number of bands per image, N = n x the number of image dates). Approach two is applied in this work, which assessed wetland change on the Kafue Flats in Zambia. The aim was to assess the potentials and limitations of using PCA for change detection on this heterogeneous land cover scene. Whereas the methodology is not new and has been demonstrated elsewhere (e.g. Fung and LeDrew, 1987), this is yet another example demonstrating its use. Computationally, three steps are involved in the principal component transformation (Eklundh and Singh, 1993). The first is the calculation of a covariance or correlation matrix using the input data sets, the second is the calculation of eigen values and eigen vectors, and the third is the calculation of principal components. The principal components calculated using the covariance matrix are referred to as unstandardized principal components, and those calculated using the correlation matrix are referred to as standardized principal components (Eklundh and Singh, 1993; ERDAS Inc., 1994). The use of a correlation matrix, in calculating principal components, implies scaling of the axes so that each feature has unit variance. This normalisation process prevents certain features from dominating the analysis because of their large numerical values. Because unstandardized PCA preserves the dynamic range of the original data in the analysis, it was employed in this work in preference over standardized PCA. Broad band remote sensing systems, such as the Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS, 4 bands) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM, 7 bands), Drastically under sample the information content available from a reflectance spectrum by making only a few measurements in spectral bands up to several hundred nanometers wide. Imaging spectrometers, on the other hand, a sample at close intervals (bands on the order of tens of nanometers wide) and have a sufficient number of spectral bands to allow construction of spectra that closely resemble those measured on the laboratory instruments. Imaging spectrometry is defined as ‘the simultaneous acquision of images in many narrow, contiguous spectral bands’ ( Goetz et al., 1985). Analysis of imaging spectrometer data allows data allows extraction of detailed spectrum for each picture element (pixel) of the image. High spectral resolution reflectance spectra collected by imaging spectrometers allow direct identification ( and in some instances . Abundance determinations) of individual materials based upon their reflectance characteristics including minerals( Goetz et al., 1985: Lang et al., 1987: Pieters 1994: Clark et al., 1996: Board man and Huntington, 1996: Crowley and Zimbelman,1996),

Dostoevsky as Performer Essay -- Russian Literature Christianity Relig

Dostoevsky as Performer Storytelling and reading aloud played a valuable part in young Fyodor's life, influencing his own later successful writing endeavors as well as his performance of literature. His nanny and wet nurse introduced the Dostoevsky children to folklore and lives of the saints through the stories they told. Nanny Alyona Frolovna "told the children stories of ancient Russia, of Saint Sergey of Moscow subduing a bear by the power of his holiness, of heroes and legends and folk tales, Christianity and Russian myth intertwined"; the stories were so vivid and frightening that the children had trouble sleeping (Gunn 10). During the winter their former wet nurses would make a ceremonial visit to the Dostoevsky family, staying two or three days and spending the afternoons telling stories. Such is the power of the spoken word that these women, according to Leonid Grossman, "awakened the boy's interest in the oral poetry of his people and at the same time fostered the development of that beautiful lan guage--freeflowing, emotionally charged, profoundly Russian and memorably expressive--in which, in time, his worldfamous books would be written" (10). Joseph Frank attributes these storytellers' tales of the saints with feeding "Dostoevsky's unshakable conviction that the soul of the Russian peasant was imbued with the Christian ethos of love and selfsacrifice" (1976, 49). The Dostoevsky children were also entertained and educated with oral readings by their parents, especially during the long evenings of the Russian winter. As the family gathered in the parlor, the physician father would read aloud before dinner when he was not occupied with his patients, and the children often went to sleep with the sound of one of th... ...Indianapolis and New York: BobbsMerrill, 1975. Gunn, Judith. Dostoyevsky: Dreamer and Prophet. Oxford: Lion, 1990. Hingley, Ronald. Dostoyevsky; His Life and Work. London: Paul Elek, 1978. Kjetsaa, Geir. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, A Writer's Life. Trans. Siri Hustvedt and David McDuff. New York: Viking, 1987. Levin, Iurii. "Dostoevskii and Shakespeare." Dostoevskii and Britain. Ed. W.J. Leatherbarrow. Oxford and Providence, RI: Berg, 1995. 3981. Magarshack, David. Dostoevsky. New York: Harcourt, Brace, & World, 1963. Miller, Robin Feuer. "Dostoevskii and the Tale of Terror." Dostoevskii and Britain. Ed. W.J. Leatherbarrow. Oxford and Providence, RI: Berg, 1995. 13958. Mochulsky, Konstantin. Dostoevsky; His Life and Work. Trans. Michael A. Minihan. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1967. Seduro, Vladimir. Dostoyevski in Russian Literary Criticism

A Game of Thrones Chapter Twenty

Eddard Eddard Stark rode through the towering bronze doors of the Red Keep sore, tired, hungry, and irritable. He was still ahorse, dreaming of a long hot soak, a roast fowl, and a featherbed, when the king's steward told him that Grand Maester Pycelle had convened an urgent meeting of the small council. The honor of the Hand's presence was requested as soon as it was convenient. â€Å"It will be convenient on the morrow,† Ned snapped as he dismounted. The steward bowed very low. â€Å"I shall give the councillors your regrets, my lord.† â€Å"No, damn it,† Ned said. It would not do to offend the council before he had even begun. â€Å"I will see them. Pray give me a few moments to change into something more presentable.† â€Å"Yes, my lord,† the steward said. â€Å"We have given you Lord Arryn's former chambers in the Tower of the Hand, if it please you. I shall have your things taken there.† â€Å"My thanks,† Ned said as he ripped off his riding gloves and tucked them into his belt. The rest of his household was coming through the gate behind him. Ned saw Vayon Poole, his own steward, and called out. â€Å"It seems the council has urgent need of me. See that my daughters find their bedchambers, and tell Jory to keep them there. Arya is not to go exploring.† Poole bowed. Ned turned back to the royal steward. â€Å"My wagons are still straggling through the city. I shall need appropriate garments.† â€Å"It will be my great pleasure,† the steward said. And so Ned had come striding into the council chambers, bone-tired and dressed in borrowed clothing, to find four members of the small council waiting for him. The chamber was richly furnished. Myrish carpets covered the floor instead of rushes, and in one corner a hundred fabulous beasts cavorted in bright paints on a carved screen from the Summer Isles. The walls were hung with tapestries from Norvos and Qohor and Lys, and a pair of Valyrian sphinxes flanked the door, eyes of polished garnet smoldering in black marble faces. The councillor Ned liked least, the eunuch Varys, accosted him the moment he entered. â€Å"Lord Stark, I was grievous sad to hear about your troubles on the kingsroad. We have all been visiting the sept to light candles for Prince Joffrey. I pray for his recovery.† His hand left powder stains on Ned's sleeve, and he smelled as foul and sweet as flowers on a grave. â€Å"Your gods have heard you,† Ned replied, cool yet polite. â€Å"The prince grows stronger every day.† He disentangled himself from the eunuch's grip and crossed the room to where Lord Renly stood by the screen, talking quietly with a short man who could only be Littlefinger. Renly had been a boy of eight when Robert won the throne, but he had grown into a man so like his brother that Ned found it disconcerting. Whenever he saw him, it was as if the years had slipped away and Robert stood before him, fresh from his victory on the Trident. â€Å"I see you have arrived safely, Lord Stark,† Renly said. â€Å"And you as well,† Ned replied. â€Å"You must forgive me, but sometimes you look the very image of your brother Robert.† â€Å"A poor copy,† Renly said with a shrug. â€Å"Though much better dressed,† Littlefinger quipped. â€Å"Lord Renly spends more on clothing than half the ladies of the court.† It was true enough. Lord Renly was in dark green velvet, with a dozen golden stags embroidered on his doublet. A cloth-of-gold half cape was draped casually across one shoulder, fastened with an emerald brooch. â€Å"There are worse crimes,† Renly said with a laugh. â€Å"The way you dress, for one.† Littlefinger ignored the jibe. He eyed Ned with a smile on his lips that bordered on insolence. â€Å"I have hoped to meet you for some years, Lord Stark. No doubt Lady Catelyn has mentioned me to you.† â€Å"She has,† Ned replied with a chill in his voice. The sly arrogance of the comment rankled him. â€Å"I understand you knew my brother Brandon as well.† Renly Baratheon laughed. Varys shuffled over to listen. â€Å"Rather too well,† Littlefinger said. â€Å"I still carry a token of his esteem. Did Brandon speak of me too?† â€Å"Often, and with some heat,† Ned said, hoping that would end it. He had no patience with this game they played, this dueling with words. â€Å"I should have thought that heat ill suits you Starks,† Littlefinger said. â€Å"Here in the south, they say you are all made of ice, and melt when you ride below the Neck.† â€Å"I do not plan on melting soon, Lord Baelish. You may count on it.† Ned moved to the council table and said, â€Å"Maester Pycelle, I trust you are well.† The Grand Maester smiled gently from his tall chair at the foot of the table. â€Å"Well enough for a man of my years, my lord,† he replied, â€Å"yet I do tire easily, I fear.† Wispy strands of white hair fringed the broad bald dome of his forehead above a kindly face. His maester's collar was no simple metal choker such as Luwin wore, but two dozen heavy chains wound together into a ponderous metal necklace that covered him from throat to breast. The links were forged of every metal known to man: black iron and red gold, bright copper and dull lead, steel and tin and pale silver, brass and bronze and platinum. Garnets and amethysts and black pearls adorned the metalwork, and here and there an emerald or ruby. â€Å"Perhaps we might begin soon,† the Grand Maester said, hands knitting together atop his broad stomach. â€Å"I fear I shall fall asleep if we wait much longer.† â€Å"As you will.† The king's seat sat empty at the head of the table, the crowned stag of Baratheon embroidered in gold thread on its pillows. Ned took the chair beside it, as the right hand of his king. â€Å"My lords,† he said formally, â€Å"I am sorry to have kept you waiting.† â€Å"You are the King's Hand,† Varys said. â€Å"We serve at your pleasure, Lord Stark.† As the others took their accustomed seats, it struck Eddard Stark forcefully that he did not belong here, in this room, with these men. He remembered what Robert had told him in the crypts below Winterfell. I am surrounded by flatterers and fools, the king had insisted. Ned looked down the council table and wondered which were the flatterers and which the fools. He thought he knew already. â€Å"We are but five,† he pointed out. â€Å"Lord Stannis took himself to Dragonstone not long after the king went north,† Varys said, â€Å"and our gallant Ser Barristan no doubt rides beside the king as he makes his way through the city, as befits the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.† â€Å"Perhaps we had best wait for Ser Barristan and the king to join us,† Ned suggested. Renly Baratheon laughed aloud. â€Å"If we wait for my brother to grace us with his royal presence, it could be a long sit.† â€Å"Our good King Robert has many cares,† Varys said. â€Å"He entrusts some small matters to us, to lighten his load.† â€Å"What Lord Varys means is that all this business of coin and crops and justice bores my royal brother to tears,† Lord Renly said, â€Å"so it falls to us to govern the realm. He does send us a command from time to time.† He drew a tightly rolled paper from his sleeve and laid it on the table. â€Å"This morning he commanded me to ride ahead with all haste and ask Grand Maester Pycelle to convene this council at once. He has an urgent task for us.† Littlefinger smiled and handed the paper to Ned. It bore the royal seal. Ned broke the wax with his thumb and flattened the letter to consider the king's urgent command, reading the words with mounting disbelief. Was there no end to Robert's folly? And to do this in his name, that was salt in the wound. â€Å"Gods be good,† he swore. â€Å"What Lord Eddard means to say,† Lord Renly announced, â€Å"is that His Grace instructs us to stage a great tournament in honor of his appointment as the Hand of the King.† â€Å"How much?† asked Littlefinger, mildly. Ned read the answer off the letter. â€Å"Forty thousand golden dragons to the champion. Twenty thousand to the man who comes second, another twenty to the winner of the melee, and ten thousand to the victor of the archery competition.† â€Å"Ninety thousand gold pieces,† Littlefinger sighed. â€Å"And we must not neglect the other costs. Robert will want a prodigious feast. That means cooks, carpenters, serving girls, singers, jugglers, fools . . . â€Å" â€Å"Fools we have in plenty,† Lord Renly said. Grand Maester Pycelle looked to Littlefinger and asked, â€Å"Will the treasury bear the expense?† â€Å"What treasury is that?† Littlefinger replied with a twist of his mouth. â€Å"Spare me the foolishness, Maester. You know as well as I that the treasury has been empty for years. I shall have to borrow the money. No doubt the Lannisters will be accommodating. We owe Lord Tywin some three million dragons at present, what matter another hundred thousand?† Ned was stunned. â€Å"Are you claiming that the Crown is three million gold pieces in debt?† â€Å"The Crown is more than six million gold pieces in debt, Lord Stark. The Lannisters are the biggest part of it, but we have also borrowed from Lord Tyrell, the Iron Bank of Braavos, and several Tyroshi trading cartels. Of late I've had to turn to the Faith. The High Septon haggles worse than a Dornish fishmonger.† Ned was aghast. â€Å"Aerys Targaryen left a treasury flowing with gold. How could you let this happen?† Littlefinger gave a shrug. â€Å"The master of coin finds the money. The king and the Hand spend it.† â€Å"I will not believe that Jon Arryn allowed Robert to beggar the realm,† Ned said hotly. Grand Maester Pycelle shook his great bald head, his chains clinking softly. â€Å"Lord Arryn was a prudent man, but I fear that His Grace does not always listen to wise counsel.† â€Å"My royal brother loves tournaments and feasts,† Renly Baratheon said, â€Å"and he loathes what he calls ‘counting coppers.' â€Å" â€Å"I will speak with His Grace,† Ned said. â€Å"This tourney is an extravagance the realm cannot afford.† â€Å"Speak to him as you will,† Lord Renly said, â€Å"we had still best make our plans.† â€Å"Another day,† Ned said. Perhaps too sharply, from the looks they gave him. He would have to remember that he was no longer in Winterfell, where only the king stood higher; here, he was but first among equals. â€Å"Forgive me, my lords,† he said in a softer tone. â€Å"I am tired. Let us call a halt for today and resume when we are fresher.† He did not ask for their consent, but stood abruptly, nodded at them all, and made for the door. Outside, wagons and riders were still pouring through the castle gates, and the yard was a chaos of mud and horseflesh and shouting men. The king had not yet arrived, he was told. Since the ugliness on the Trident, the Starks and their household had ridden well ahead of the main column, the better to separate themselves from the Lannisters and the growing tension. Robert had hardly been seen; the talk was he was traveling in the huge wheelhouse, drunk as often as not. If so, he might be hours behind, but he would still be here too soon for Ned's liking. He had only to look at Sansa's face to feel the rage twisting inside him once again. The last fortnight of their journey had been a misery. Sansa blamed Arya and told her that it should have been Nymeria who died. And Arya was lost after she heard what had happened to her butcher's boy. Sansa cried herself to sleep, Arya brooded silently all day long, and Eddard Stark dreamed of a frozen hell reserved for the Starks of Winterfell. He crossed the outer yard, passed under a portcullis into the inner bailey, and was walking toward what he thought was the Tower of the Hand when Littlefinger appeared in front of him. â€Å"You're going the wrong way, Stark. Come with me.† Hesitantly, Ned followed. Littlefinger led him into a tower, down a stair, across a small sunken courtyard, and along a deserted corridor where empty suits of armor stood sentinel along the walls. They were relics of the Targaryens, black steel with dragon scales cresting their helms, now dusty and forgotten. â€Å"This is not the way to my chambers,† Ned said. â€Å"Did I say it was? I'm leading you to the dungeons to slit your throat and seal your corpse up behind a wall,† Littlefinger replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. â€Å"We have no time for this, Stark. Your wife awaits.† â€Å"What game are you playing, Littlefinger? Catelyn is at Winterfell, hundreds of leagues from here.† â€Å"Oh?† Littlefinger's grey-green eyes glittered with amusement. â€Å"Then it appears someone has managed an astonishing impersonation. For the last time, come. Or don't come, and I'll keep her for myself.† He hurried down the steps. Ned followed him warily, wondering if this day would ever end. He had no taste for these intrigues, but he was beginning to realize that they were meat and mead to a man like Littlefinger. At the foot of the steps was a heavy door of oak and iron. Petyr Baelish lifted the crossbar and gestured Ned through. They stepped out into the ruddy glow of dusk, on a rocky bluff high above the river. â€Å"We're outside the castle,† Ned said. â€Å"You are a hard man to fool, Stark,† Littlefinger said with a smirk. â€Å"Was it the sun that gave it away, or the sky? Follow me. There are niches cut in the rock. Try not to fall to your death, Catelyn would never understand.† With that, he was over the side of the cliff, descending as quick as a monkey. Ned studied the rocky face of the bluff for a moment, then followed more slowly. The niches were there, as Littlefinger had promised, shallow cuts that would be invisible from below, unless you knew just where to look for them. The river was a long, dizzying distance below. Ned kept his face pressed to the rock and tried not to look down any more often than he had to. When at last he reached the bottom, a narrow, muddy trail along the water's edge, Littlefinger was lazing against a rock and eating an apple. He was almost down to the core. â€Å"You are growing old and slow, Stark,† he said, flipping the apple casually into the rushing water. â€Å"No matter, we ride the rest of the way.† He had two horses waiting. Ned mounted up and trotted behind him, down the trail and into the city. Finally Baelish drew rein in front of a ramshackle building, three stories, timbered, its windows bright with lamplight in the gathering dusk. The sounds of music and raucous laughter drifted out and floated over the water. Beside the door swung an ornate oil lamp on a heavy chain, with a globe of leaded red glass. Ned Stark dismounted in a fury. â€Å"A brothel,† he said as he seized Littlefinger by the shoulder and spun him around. â€Å"You've brought me all this way to take me to a brothel.† â€Å"Your wife is inside,† Littlefinger said. It was the final insult. â€Å"Brandon was too kind to you,† Ned said as he slammed the small man back against a wall and shoved his dagger up under the little pointed chin beard. â€Å"My lord, no,† an urgent voice called out. â€Å"He speaks the truth.† There were footsteps behind him. Ned spun, knife in hand, as an old white-haired man hurried toward them. He was dressed in brown roughspun, and the soft flesh under his chin wobbled as he ran. â€Å"This is no business of yours,† Ned began; then, suddenly, the recognition came. He lowered the dagger, astonished. â€Å"Ser Rodrik?† Rodrik Cassel nodded. â€Å"Your lady awaits you upstairs.† Ned was lost. â€Å"Catelyn is truly here? This is not some strange jape of Littlefinger's?† He sheathed his blade. â€Å"Would that it were, Stark,† Littlefinger said. â€Å"Follow me, and try to look a shade more lecherous and a shade less like the King's Hand. It would not do to have you recognized. Perhaps you could fondle a breast or two, just in passing.† They went inside, through a crowded common room where a fat woman was singing bawdy songs while pretty young girls in linen shifts and wisps of colored silk pressed themselves against their lovers and dandled on their laps. No one paid Ned the least bit of attention. Ser Rodrik waited below while Littlefinger led him up to the third floor, along a corridor, and through a door. Inside, Catelyn was waiting. She cried out when she saw him, ran to him, and embraced him fiercely. â€Å"My lady,† Ned whispered in wonderment. â€Å"Oh, very good,† said Littlefinger, closing the door. â€Å"You recognized her.† â€Å"I feared you'd never come, my lord,† she whispered against his chest. â€Å"Petyr has been bringing me reports. He told me of your troubles with Arya and the young prince. How are my girls?† â€Å"Both in mourning, and full of anger,† he told her. â€Å"Cat, I do not understand. What are you doing in King's Landing? What's happened?† Ned asked his wife. â€Å"Is it Bran? Is he . . . â€Å"Dead was the word that came to his lips, but he could not say it. â€Å"It is Bran, but not as you think,† Catelyn said. Ned was lost. â€Å"Then how? Why are you here, my love? What is this place?† â€Å"Just what it appears,† Littlefinger said, easing himself onto a window seat. â€Å"A brothel. Can you think of a less likely place to find a Catelyn Tully?† He smiled. â€Å"As it chances, I own this particular establishment, so arrangements were easily made. I am most anxious to keep the Lannisters from learning that Cat is here in King's Landing.† â€Å"Why?† Ned asked. He saw her hands then, the awkward way she held them, the raw red scars, the stiffness of the last two fingers on her left. â€Å"You've been hurt.† He took her hands in his own, turned them over. â€Å"Gods. Those are deep cuts . . . a gash from a sword or . . . how did this happen, my lady?† Catelyn slid a dagger out from under her cloak and placed it in his hand. â€Å"This blade was sent to open Bran's throat and spill his life's blood.† Ned's head jerked up. â€Å"But . . . who . . . why would . . . â€Å" She put a finger to his lips. â€Å"Let me tell it all, my love. It will go faster that way. Listen.† So he listened, and she told it all, from the fire in the library tower to Varys and the guardsmen and Littlefinger. And when she was done, Eddard Stark sat dazed beside the table, the dagger in his hand. Bran's wolf had saved the boy's life, he thought dully. What was it that Jon had said when they found the pups in the snow? Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord. And he had killed Sansa's, and for what? Was it guilt he was feeling? Or fear? If the gods had sent these wolves, what folly had he done? Painfully, Ned forced his thoughts back to the dagger and what it meant. â€Å"The Imp's dagger,† he repeated. It made no sense. His hand curled around the smooth dragonbone hilt, and he slammed the blade into the table, felt it bite into the wood. It stood mocking him. â€Å"Why should Tyrion Lannister want Bran dead? The boy has never done him harm.† â€Å"Do you Starks have nought but snow between your ears?† Littlefinger asked. â€Å"The Imp would never have acted alone.† Ned rose and paced the length of the room. â€Å"If the queen had a role in this or, gods forbid, the king himself . . . no, I will not believe that.† Yet even as he said the words, he remembered that chill morning on the barrowlands, and Robert's talk of sending hired knives after the Targaryen princess. He remembered Rhaegar's infant son, the red ruin of his skull, and the way the king had turned away, as he had turned away in Darry's audience hall not so long ago. He could still hear Sansa pleading, as Lyanna had pleaded once. â€Å"Most likely the king did not know,† Littlefinger said. â€Å"It would not be the first time. Our good Robert is practiced at closing his eyes to things he would rather not see.† Ned had no reply for that. The face of the butcher's boy swam up before his eyes, cloven almost in two, and afterward the king had said not a word. His head was pounding. Littlefinger sauntered over to the table, wrenched the knife from the wood. â€Å"The accusation is treason either way. Accuse the king and you will dance with Ilyn Payne before the words are out of your mouth. The queen . . . if you can find proof, and if you can make Robert listen, then perhaps . . . â€Å" â€Å"We have proof,† Ned said. â€Å"We have the dagger.† â€Å"This?† Littlefinger flipped the knife casually end over end. â€Å"A sweet piece of steel, but it cuts two ways, my lord. The Imp will no doubt swear the blade was lost or stolen while he was at Winterfell, and with his hireling dead, who is there to give him the lie?† He tossed the knife lightly to Ned. â€Å"My counsel is to drop that in the river and forget that it was ever forged.† Ned regarded him coldly. â€Å"Lord Baelish, I am a Stark of Winterfell. My son lies crippled, perhaps dying. He would be dead, and Catelyn with him, but for a wolf pup we found in the snow. If you truly believe I could forget that, you are as big a fool now as when you took up sword against my brother.† â€Å"A fool I may be, Stark . . . yet I'm still here, while your brother has been moldering in his frozen grave for some fourteen years now. If you are so eager to molder beside him, far be it from me to dissuade you, but I would rather not be included in the party, thank you very much.† â€Å"You would be the last man I would willingly include in any party, Lord Baelish.† â€Å"You wound me deeply.† Littlefinger placed a hand over his heart. â€Å"For my part, I always found you Starks a tiresome lot, but Cat seems to have become attached to you, for reasons I cannot comprehend. I shall try to keep you alive for her sake. A fool's task, admittedly, but I could never refuse your wife anything.† â€Å"I told Petyr our suspicions about Jon Arryn's death,† Catelyn said. â€Å"He has promised to help you find the truth.† That was not news that Eddard Stark welcomed, but it was true enough that they needed help, and Littlefinger had been almost a brother to Cat once. It would not be the first time that Ned had been forced to make common cause with a man he despised. â€Å"Very well,† he said, thrusting the dagger into his belt. â€Å"You spoke of Varys. Does the eunuch know all of it?† â€Å"Not from my lips,† Catelyn said. â€Å"You did not wed a fool, Eddard Stark. But Varys has ways of learning things that no man could know. He has some dark art, Ned, I swear it.† â€Å"He has spies, that is well known,† Ned said, dismissive. â€Å"It is more than that,† Catelyn insisted. â€Å"Ser Rodrik spoke to Ser Aron Santagar in all secrecy, yet somehow the Spider knew of their conversation. I fear that man.† Littlefinger smiled. â€Å"Leave Lord Varys to me, sweet lady. If you will permit me a small obscenity—and where better for it—I hold the man's balls in the palm of my hand.† He cupped his fingers, smiling. â€Å"Or would, if he were a man, or had any balls. You see, if the pie is opened, the birds begin to sing, and Varys would not like that. Were I you, I would worry more about the Lannisters and less about the eunuch.† Ned did not need Littlefinger to tell him that. He was thinking back to the day Arya had been found, to the look on the queen's face when she said, We have a wolf, so soft and quiet. He was thinking of the boy Mycah, of Jon Arryn's sudden death, of Bran's fall, of old mad Aerys Targaryen dying on the floor of his throne room while his life's blood dried on a golden blade. â€Å"My lady,† he said, turning to Catelyn, â€Å"there is nothing more you can do here. I want you to return to Winterfell at once. If there was one assassin, there could be others. Whoever ordered Bran's death will learn soon enough that the boy still lives.† â€Å"I had hoped to see the girls . . . † Catelyn said. â€Å"That would be most unwise,† Littlefinger put in. â€Å"The Red Keep is full of curious eyes, and children talk.† â€Å"He speaks truly, my love,† Ned told her. He embraced her. â€Å"Take Ser Rodrik and ride for Winterfell. I will watch over the girls. Go home to our sons and keep them safe.† â€Å"As you say, my lord.† Catelyn lifted her face, and Ned kissed her. Her maimed fingers clutched against his back with a desperate strength, as if to hold him safe forever in the shelter of her arms. â€Å"Would the lord and lady like the use of a bedchamber?† asked Littlefinger. â€Å"I should warn you, Stark, we usually charge for that sort of thing around here.† â€Å"A moment alone, that's all I ask,† Catelyn said. â€Å"Very well.† Littlefinger strolled to the door. â€Å"Don't be too long. It is past time the Hand and I returned to the castle, before our absence is noted.† Catelyn went to him and took his hands in her own. â€Å"I will not forget the help you gave me, Petyr. When your men came for me, I did not know whether they were taking me to a friend or an enemy. I have found you more than a friend. I have found a brother I'd thought lost.† Petyr Baelish smiled. â€Å"I am desperately sentimental, sweet lady. Best not tell anyone. I have spent years convincing the court that I am wicked and cruel, and I should hate to see all that hard work go for naught.† Ned believed not a word of that, but he kept his voice polite as he said, â€Å"You have my thanks as well, Lord Baelish.† â€Å"Oh, now there's a treasure,† Littlefinger said, exiting. When the door had closed behind him, Ned turned back to his wife. â€Å"Once you are home, send word to Helman Tallhart and Galbart Glover under my seal. They are to raise a hundred bowmen each and fortify Moat Cailin. Two hundred determined archers can hold the Neck against an army. Instruct Lord Manderly that he is to strengthen and repair all his defenses at WhiteHarbor, and see that they are well manned. And from this day on, I want a careful watch kept over Theon Greyjoy. If there is war, we shall have sore need of his father's fleet.† â€Å"War?† The fear was plain on Catelyn's face. â€Å"It will not come to that,† Ned promised her, praying it was true. He took her in his arms again. â€Å"The Lannisters are merciless in the face of weakness, as Aerys Targaryen learned to his sorrow, but they would not dare attack the north without all the power of the realm behind them, and that they shall not have. I must play out this fool's masquerade as if nothing is amiss. Remember why I came here, my love. If I find proof that the Lannisters murdered Jon Arryn . . . â€Å" He felt Catelyn tremble in his arms. Her scarred hands clung to him. â€Å"If,† she said, â€Å"what then, my love?† That was the most dangerous part, Ned knew. â€Å"All justice flows from the king,† he told her. â€Å"When I know the truth, I must go to Robert.† And pray that he is the man I think he is, he finished silently, and not the man I fear he has become.

World Regional Geography North America

World Regional Geography North America Map comparisons The Canadian population is adhered to the South owing to numerous reasons that trace back to the ancient migration patterns, industrial revolution, climatic conditions, and urbanization. As highlighted in the introductory statement, the spatial population pattern of Canada is skewed towards the South Eastern region partly because of early migration pattern.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on World Regional Geography: North America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This region represents the first habitat of European immigrants (1942) who owe their reasons for the mass exodus to several push and pull factors that include fertile land and favorable climate among others. As such, with enough human resource and technical know-how the region evolved along two fronts simultaneously; becoming industrialized and urbanized. To this effect, the then cities within this place were well served with communication networks inform of railways and roads, and teeming with activities consequently burgeoning and hence attracted more and more people as opposed to other regions of Canada (Schaefer 302). Moreover, the harsh climatic conditions of the North (humid and cold climate with short cool summers) are the reasons why the South dwarfs the North in population density. The spatial population distribution of North America is related to the physiographic pattern of the region to a greater extend. On comparing the maps in figures 3-2 and 3-19 a correlation between the two can be drawn. On observing the land terrain along latitude 400 as portrayed in figure 3-2 it is apparent that majority of the population reside at the lowlands below 2500 meters, and a few along the sea shores. With a wide area of land on the West characterized by high altitudes then it follows that it exhibits sparse population. Thus, a majority of the population is biased towards the East. The population is avoiding highlands in favor of plain lowlands. From the dispersal patterns as exhibited by figure 3-7 it is apparent that from the 19th to 20th century the population has been moving towards high atitude regions from the sea shores. This is evident by the increase in population in most Central States of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma among others. The population moves from the Eastern States and coastal States of New Jersey and Delaware among others.Advertising Looking for assessment on geography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On observing figure 3-8 of North American Manufacturing belt it is evident that most industries are located towards North East and Eastern region of the US. On comparison to figure 3-14 of fossil fuel deposits it is evident that the two are correlated. The major manufacturing belts fall within the major fossil fuel reserves vital in running these industries at reduced running costs. Moreover, the belt falls within regions rich in industrial raw materials i.e. the corn and cotton belts among others. To boost its growth the region is served with international harbors that are open to Europe and the rest of the World. Moreover, the large population provides a ready market to already finished products (MacLeod 690). Figure 3-14 represents the major fossil energy reserves of North America. There are three major fossil energy reserves with coal and gas taking a lions share relative to oil. The major States that produce coal include: Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah. On the other hand, the major states producing coal include: Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Louisiana, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi and Michigan. Finally, the major states with oil reserves are Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Michigan (Kimble 602). Map 1: North America’s physical geography Map2: The United States and the major concentrations of minority populationsAdvertising We will w rite a custom assessment sample on World Regional Geography: North America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Map 3: United States Major Cities and Economic Regions KEY: A-Silicon valley B-Atlantic Seaboard MegalopolisAdvertising Looking for assessment on geography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More C-Corn Belt D-Main Street Conurbation E-Pacific Hinge F-Dairy Belt G-Alaska North Slope H-Research Triangle I- Boundary between Arid and Humid America. Kimble, Hebert. â€Å"The Inadequacy of the Regional Concept† London Essays in Geography 2.17 (1951): 601-617. Print. MacLeod, George, and Jones Mother. â€Å"Renewing The Geography of Regions.† Environment and Planning 16.9 (2001): 669-706. Print. Schaefer, Frankline. â€Å"Exceptionalism in Geography: A Methodological Examination.† Annals of the Association of American Geographers 43.3 (1953): 298-305. Print.

Innovation at Google Example

Innovation at Google Example Innovation at Google – Coursework Example Case Study Questions Case Study Questions Case Study 3 Innovation at Google Advertisers are the primary source of revenue for Google. Google generates 99% of its revenue from its advertisers and through enterprise products such as Google Mini and Google Appliance. Google generates proceeds from its advertisers by charging them on a â€Å"pay-per-click† basis. Ads are displayed within the search engine and other Google services such as Gmail. Every time these ads are clicked, Google charges the advertisers. Google also has built a network wherein the ads are displayed on the websites of the network members and Google shares the revenue with the members. It is important to note here that the advertisements don’t dilute the search results. Google has ensured to keep its search engine clean and promises to not to influence search based on payments.There are various risk factors that Google itself has identified as a threat to future revenue generation. Index spammers have b een consistently trying to find loop holes in Google’s search algorithm which would compromise the integrity of search results which would then affect the traffic to the websites which, in turn, affects revenue generation. New ad blocking technologies can affect Google’s results in the future. Print, TV, audios and video ads comprise the future levels of revenue generation for Google. Google has introduced classified style ads for the various media listed above. The new streams of revenue generation counter the risks posed for the current revenue generation model adopted by Google. Most risks are focused on blocking the ads and these new streams give Google more control. Ad blocking would be very difficult in these streams. Print and television ads are aimed at placing ads in print media and television commercials while video ads generate revenue when one watches a video Google service such as Youtube.Case Study 3.2: New Architecture or New Hype2. The reliance on a sin gle provider will be greatly reduced by the introduction of SOA. The basic concept behind SOA is to automate the entire business process that is right now run across different IT systems (Dave, 2008). As of now, each company sets up its own IT function which is completely different with other companies. This is because of different technological needs of different countries. Introduction of SOA will be able to infuse flexibility into the whole process by automating many business processes and giving them an opportunity to tie them together. This would make the work on projects that span across different systems and companies a lot easier and also affordable. The functionality will also enable new applications to automatically communicate with each other irrespective of which business aspect or system they deal with. This would lead to a more effective use of resources and time.ReferencesDave, C. (2008). E-business and e-commerce management. NJ: E-Business and E-Commerce Management.

Art and culture in China Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art and culture in China - Assignment Example 6. In western countries, children are brought up to be self-dependent capable and are motivated to be egocentric. On the other hand, the Asian raise their children to do what is expected of them and the children are taught to be modest and obedient to rule. In other words, Westerners teach their children to be action-oriented (noun) while Asian teaches their children to the receptor-oriented (verb). 7. Asian refuse to see things staying the same, they believe in change. For instance, the can name one thing using different names like a mountain, just to satisfy the curiosity that things the â€Å"being† is changing. 8. Westerners believe in seeing and believing while Asians believe that seeing is a result of the object showing up. In other words, the marble appears blue because one has seen and believed it is blue and the marble appears blue because that is how it wants to appear. 10. The word â€Å"atom† came as a result of analyzing matter up to the point it could not be divided any longer, in the process the word â€Å"analyze† came into existence. This Greek word was used to mean splitting up something into parts that could easily be understood. In order to gain better understanding of someone’s character, one must analyze them until the point they can’t be analyzed (Leung, 6). Westerners ask someone what they should do for them, this differ with what Asian do. Asian goes to the extent of going further and doing what they think others want for instance being kind to others. 11. According to Western approaches, the different contexts have no great impact so long as the pot rat is of a similar thing. However, to the Asian, who value change, they see the different contexts as an opportunity for revealing new traits of the portrait. 1. Ego-centric projection when learning languages like English is a problem because the observer and the object must be one for them to understand. In the case of a

How Biofuels Benefit the Economy Research Paper

How Biofuels Benefit the Economy - Research Paper Example Production of biofuel is an advantage to the economy because it helps the economy in different aspects (Environmental and Water Resources Institute U.S. 3). It is a cleaner source of energy compared to the other sources for instance the petroleum sources. This indicates that the environmental concerns are taken care of and the health of individuals is not at risk. Many people spend a lot of their income by paying for their health facilities but, with the use of biofuels, one is able to save the amount of money he or she earns. The saved funds can be channeled to other uses among them investment, a situation that would have otherwise not occurred. Health care provisions to cater for complexities that result from forms of energy used are expensive. On the same note, meeting health care insurance premiums may prove difficult because the insurance firms often deny covers to people with pre-existing conditions. Making the right choices of energy; in this case biofuels rules out such occur rences. When compared to other conventional sources of energy, biofuels are the best because they offer cleaner gases than the rest (Yeo 52). The economic benefits of biofuels fall into two categories. They are the benefits which outsmart the fuel production by fossil fuels and the economic benefits that establish a viable and sustainable biofuels industry which uplifts the developing countries (Worldwatch Institute 132). Whichever the case, the benefits of biofuels in the economy cannot be refuted. It is important to note that challenges and opposition have been raised against the use if this type of fuel. However, the central point of argument revolves around what biofuels will do for the economy. The economy is not a stand-alone aspect in the context of this analysis. Both social and environmental aspects fall into place in the evaluation of the benefits of biofuels. The government also must be accounted for, given the fact that it plays a central role in determining the pace of economic growth and development. All these factors are therefore intertwined, and the benefits of biofuels to the economy are felt across all the aspects identified. Energy security for countries like the United States which uses a lot of energy annually is safe from expensive purchase of oil as an energy source from other foreign companies. This is because reliance on imports makes the country suffer a great deal of its income by purchasing a commodity they can produce, given the resources available in the country. The economy of the country hence preserved for taking care of other concerns in the country (Keystone BioFuels Inc.). What this means for an economy that uses biofuels is that, domestic capacity utilization is maximized, thereby triggering high economic performance. Resource allocation to the energy sector is undercut, allowing for increased allocations to other sectors of the economy that previously received lesser allocations in a bid to finance fuel importation. First generation biofuels save up to sixty percent of carbon emissions, which are a, risk to the environment and health art large. The second generation biofuels save up to eighty percent of carbon emissions, which reduces the, health risks by a great percentage. Economy benefits greatly from the biofuels because they create an expansion of more job opportunities (Environmental and Water Resources Institute U.S. 3). Due to this technological advancement country has wanted to